January 1, 2010

Happy New Year, no Happy New Decade – but what decade are we in? –
A decade with no name – The Twenty-tens? The Deccies? The Tennies? The Onesies?
All logos 2500x600 small text v2 cropped

– The world’s financial markets are in the middle of the worse recession since the Twenties.

– Barack Obama is President of the US and Gordon Brown is Prime Minister of the UK.
US_President_Barack_Obama_taking_his_Oath_of_OfficeBarack Obama

– Pamela Anderson suffers a “wardrobe malfunction” in Hollywood and David Tennant hands over Doctor Who’s screwdriver to Matt Smith. Stephen Fry (temporarily) quits Twitter.
Pamela-AndersonPamela Anderson

– Scientists at Kings College, London reveal that the G-spot doesn’t actually exist.
Pleasuring_herself

It’s not a great start to the decade but, as D:Ream sang 6 years earlier, things can only get better… can’t they? Read on…

Video of the Day –

Robbie Maddison New Years Eve jump 2009 in Las Vegas

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January 2, 2015

Top News Stories –

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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May 3, 2015

Top News Stories –

Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn split up –
Former world number one golfer Tiger Woods and his girlfriend, US Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, say they have ended their relationship.
Both blamed the pressure of their busy schedules for the split. Ms Vonn said on Facebook that the decision was mutual. In a statement on his website, Mr Woods said he would “always cherish our time together”. The sports stars first publicly announced they were an item in March 2013 following weeks of speculation. “After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have mutually decided to end our relationship,” Ms Vonn, 30, said on her Facebook page. [BBC]
Lindsey-Vonn-Facebook
In January Vonn won her 63rd World Cup downhill title and Woods lost a tooth in the media scrum.
Lindsey Vonn CULindsey Vonn

Chelsea win Premier League: Jose Mourinho attacks critics after capturing league title at Stamford Bridge –
Eden Hazard’s goal confirmed Chelsea as champions for this first time in five years and manager Mourinho rejected any suggestions his side are not worthy winners or that they have been helped by the failure of others. “The people who have a big face to say we don’t deserve it are the ones who, in my country, say the dogs bark and the caravan goes by,” said Mourinho. This is the first title Mourinho has won with Chelsea since returning to the club since 2013 and his third with the club in total. (See List of the Day)
Jose-MourinhoJose Mourinho

Video of the Day –

Fight of the Century” considered a disappointment so…
FLOYD MAYWEATHER PUNCH-OUT!!!

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May 6, 2015

Top News Stories –

Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson are fighting on Twitter –
Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Naughty Boy are having a row on Twitter. It seemed to start when Naughty Boy posted a picture of himself and Zayn along with the caption, “Replace this” – which Zayn then retweeted. Louis then wrote: “Remember when you were 12 and you used to think those Mac filters for your pictures were cool haha ! Some people still do HA!” Zayn then replied directly to Louis, saying: “Remember when you had a life..?” Naughty Boy, who has been working with Zayn, also had his own back-and-forth row with Louis on the social network. Also see Top Twitter Trends – #TOMLINSONSLAYSAGAIN [BBC]

© @Louis_Tomlinson & @NaughtyBoyMusic / Twitter
© @Louis_Tomlinson & @NaughtyBoyMusic / Twitter
© @Louis_Tomlinson & @NaughtyBoyMusic / Twitter
© @Louis_Tomlinson & @NaughtyBoyMusic / Twitter© @Louis_Tomlinson & @NaughtyBoyMusic / Twitter

Spanish domestic football to be suspended-
The Spanish football federation says it is suspending indefinitely all end-of-season games in disputes with the government, including over TV rights. A federation statement said it was also unhappy with receiving only 4.55% of pools revenue, though it said it was still open to dialogue. All matches will be suspended from 16 May, including the domestic cup final. In the top division, Barcelona lead La Liga rivals Real Madrid by two points, with only three games left to play. In the statement, the RFEF federation said it had acted after three months of talks with the government had failed to resolve the dispute. It said more than 600,000 players and 30,000 matches across the country would be affected by the suspension. [BBC]

Japan: Zoo sorry for naming monkey after new princess –
The Takasakiyama Zoo, in southern Japan, was inundated with complaints after announcing the female macaque monkey’s name on Wednesday, the Kyodo news agency reports. The zoo says the name was chosen after a public vote, a tradition for their first newborn macaque monkey each year. Charlotte received the most votes, although it wasn’t exactly a runaway winner, with 59 out of 853 people choosing it. But other members of the public felt that it was disrespectful to the British royal family to name a monkey after a princess. The zoo faced a “barrage” of complaints from people wanting them to re-name the macaque, with some noting that the Japanese people might not be best pleased if a British monkey were named after one of their own royal family, Kyodo reports. The zoo has apologised in a statement on its website. [BBC]

Hot Chocolate frontman Errol Brown dies, aged 71 –
Hot Chocolate frontman Errol Brown has died aged 71, his manager said. The singer, famous for hits including You Sexy Thing and It Started With A Kiss, died at home in the Bahamas. His manager, Phil Dale, said he had suffered from liver cancer. [Daily Telegraph] (See Video of the Day and List of the Day)

Video of the Day –

Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing

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June 10, 2015

Top News Stories –

The genius behind ‘Headless Body in Topless Bar’ headline dies at 74 –
Vincent A. Musetto, who wrote the greatest headline in New York newspaper history, died Tuesday at 74 from cancer. “Headless Body in Topless Bar” ran on The Post’s front page on April 15, 1983. As witty as it was horrific, it expressed with unflinching precision the city’s ­accelerating tailspin into an abyss of atrocious crime and chaos. Post editor- in-chief Col ­Allan said, “V.A. Musetto was one of the legends of our business, and he became famous for a truly classic headline. But for those who worked with him and mourn him today, V.A. offered so much more: Humor. A sharp critical eye. A personal warmth with his colleagues, and deep love for The Post and its readers. All will miss him.” [Daily Post]
Headless body in a topless bar headline - NY Post New York Post headline April 15, 1083

Chinese actress Zhao Wei sued for ‘staring’ at man through his TV set –
A Chinese actress is being sued after a man claims she “stared at him too intensely” through his TV set. The lawsuit was filed by a man in Shanghai after he watched Zhao Wei in a series called Tiger Mom, which debuted last month. A new law making it harder for courts in China to reject lawsuits has led to concerns of a rise in the number of frivolous claims being made. The rules came into force on 1 May with a 29% rise in cases reported in China. The Supreme People’s Court says there were just over a million cases filed compared with same period last year. [BBC Newsbeat]
Zhao-WeiZhao Wei

Video of the Day –

Trailer For ‘Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2’

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #YaEsMuyNormalQue Juan Felipe Herrera #ILoveMuseums
2 #TeLoDigoEnUnaCancionDeRock #nationalicedteaday #HumpDay
3 #FelizMiercoles #InThe90sIThought #BoringRealityShows
4 Forfun #MakeAMoviePainful #MakeAMoviePainful
5 #MasterChefBR #INeedStraightPrideBecause #ROWYSOManchester
6 #ElDiaSeRePrestaPara #BoringRealityShows Marguerite Patten
7 #BoringRealityShows #HumpDay #InThe90sIThought
8 The Warriors Montel Williams Tim Hunt
9 #من_علامات_الج�… #HasBecomeAHobbyOfMine The Arches
10 Curry #CMTAwards #PMQs

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October 1, 2015

Top News Stories –

Gunman kills nine at Oregon college, dies in shootout with police –
A gunman stalked onto a college campus in southwestern Oregon on Thursday and opened fire, killing nine people and wounding seven before police shot him to death, authorities said, in yet another burst of U.S. gun violence that ranked as the deadliest this year. The suspect, who witnesses say fired dozens of shots into a classroom full of screaming students, was slain in an exchange of gunfire with two police officers in Snyder Hall at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg following the morning rampage. He was not publicly identified by local authorities – the county sheriff vowed never to utter his name. But CBS, CNN, NBC and the New York Times named him as 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer, citing anonymous law enforcement sources. [Reuters]

Native American tribe to open first marijuana resort in US –
A Native American tribe in the US state of South Dakota has said it plans to open what would be the first marijuana resort in the US. The 400-member Santee Sioux tribe already runs a casino, hotel and ranch and hopes the resort will be a new revenue generator. Marijuana is not legal in South Dakota but the tribe has been permitted to grow and sell pot since June. It will open on New Year’s Eve and only be sold on the reservation. Sioux leaders would grow the marijuana to be offered in a smoking lounge. [BBC]

Peeple app for rating human beings causes uproar –
A new app that promises to let users review individuals has caused controversy before it has even launched. Peeple will allow members to give star ratings to people they know via the app, much as restaurants and hotels are rated on sites such as Yelp. The app has caused uproar online, with web users descrying it as “creepy” and “terrifying”. Peeple’s founders say they will pre-screen for negative abuse. However, users will not be able to delete comments made about them. Nor will they be able to remove themselves from the site once on it. [BBC] See Video of the Day

Study supports cancer link with height –
A Swedish study of five million people appears to support the theory that height and cancer risk are linked. The study found that taller people had a higher risk of breast cancer and skin cancer, among other cancers.
Its results suggested that for every 10cm (4in) of height, when fully grown, the risk of developing cancer increased by 18% in women and 11% in men. But experts said the study did not take into account many risk factors – and that tall people should not be worried. Previous studies have shown a link, although why it exists is not known. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Rate Me

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 Ahmet Hakan #Peeple #Peeple
2 #FelizJueves ITS OCTOBER 1st of October
3 #GHFinal #WorldVegetarianDay #WorldVegetarianDay
4 samfreeさん #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth Happy Independence
5 #RetoTelehit #UCCShooting #olderpeoplesday
6 FRAUDE EN GRAN HERMANO Julie Andrews St Albans
7 Bienvenido Octubre #BadTrampStamps #WALvFJI
8 #Empire Sandy Hook #WentworthPrison
9 Lucifer Rick Owens Nigerians
10 #ALDUB11thWeeksary #MarsSurvivalTips Dele Alli

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  • Bahrain recalls its ambassador to Iran and asks the Iranian acting chargé d’affaires to leave the kingdom within 72 hours after the Iranian is declared persona non-grata, a day after Bahraini security forces discovered a large bomb-making factory inNuwaidrat and arrested a number of suspects linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Bahrain’s decision to recall its ambassador comes “in light of continued Iranian meddling in the affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain in order to create sectarian strife and impose hegemony and control.” (The Daily Star), (Gulf News)

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December 28, 2015

Top News Stories –

Man dies after blowing up condom machine, says German police –
A man died on Christmas Day in Germany after he was hit in the head by a flying piece of metal from a condom machine that he and two accomplices blew up in an apparent robbery attempt, police said on Monday. The 29-year-old man was taken to hospital in the western town of Schoeppingen, near the Dutch border, by the two other men who fled the scene of the explosion in a car, leaving behind condoms and money scattered around the gutted vending machine. The two men told hospital officials that their friend had fallen down the stairs, injuring his head. Suspicious of their story, the officials called the police. During questioning, police said, one of them admitted that the three had blown up the condom machine. Police said the three men apparently got into a car after triggering the explosion, but the 29-year-old did not close his door and was hit by debris when the machine exploded. [Daily Telegraph]

Lemmy, Motorhead frontman, dies aged 70 after cancer diagnosis –
Motorhead frontman Lemmy has died aged 70, two days after learning he had cancer, the British band has announced. Lemmy formed the rock group in 1975 and recorded 22 albums, including Ace of Spades, as he became one of music’s most recognisable voices and faces. The band said on its Facebook page: “Our mighty, noble friend Lemmy has passed away after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer.” Lemmy was born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1945. He lived in Anglesey, Wales, as a child and acquired the nickname Lemmy while at school, although he claimed to have had no idea where it came from. [BBC]
Lemmy-MotorheadLemmy in 2005

Game of Thrones tops list of 2015’s most pirated shows –
For the fourth year running, fantasy series Game of Thrones has topped a list of the most pirated TV shows. According to Torrentfreak, the season five finale was illegally downloaded 14.4m times. More than half of those came in the week after its US premiere. The Walking Dead and The Big Bang Theory rounded up the top three, with 6.6m and 4.4m downloads respectively. Earlier this year, Game of Thrones broke a record when more than 258,000 users shared the show simultaneously. The HBO drama was mainly downloaded on BitTorrent. [BBC] Last year Game of Thrones was only downloaded 8.1 million times.
Sophie-TurnerSophie Turner (Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones)

Video of the Day –

FINAL from Carmel Joy on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Google Trends 2015 –
Top Searches – People

Sia

Source: Google

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #SegundaComOClubeSDV #HappyBirthdayNash #AndThenThereWereNone
2 #زد_رصيدك45 #DiaDeLosInocentes #ontopictalkshow
3 #DiaDeLosInocentes #mondaymotivation #MissYouNash
4 #PSYMadamIsBack Meadowlark Lemon #OLIC2
5 #FelizLunes #MusicMonday Ellsworth Kelly
6 #من_اسباب_سعادتي #OhNoHarrysHair #mondaymotivation
7 #OhNoHarrysHair #SOOMPIAWARDS2015 #HarryPriceGhostHunter
8 #DinahIsOurQueen #MilitaryBowl #ProductPlacementFilms
9 #ALDUBBestOf2015 #UAALLAMERICA #dragonsden
10 #НасосДляИнст�… #DoctorStrange #Homeland

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January 3, 2016

Top News Stories –

Paul McKenna: I chose my wife by Excel spreadsheet –
Paul McKenna, the hypnotist and self-help guru, has disclosed that he decided who to marry by using an Excel spreadsheet. The 52-year-old revealed the software – normally used by accountants and office administrators – helped him to choose his wife-to-be, his long-time personal assistant Kate Davey. McKenna, who is worth around £40m, said a friend had pointed out that although he had dated a “lot of beautiful women”, he “didn’t actually like them”. He was encouraged to “make an Excel spreadsheet” to find out who he loved – and it turned out to be Kate, who has worked with him for 20 years. The pair revealed their feelings to each other three years ago and are now engaged to be married. [Daily Telegraph]
Paul_McKennaPaul McKenna

Video of the Day –

Infinity Room – [TIEE] from Refik Anadol on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

100 Things we didn’t know last year – by the BBC (67-100)

67. MI5 erroneously suspected novelist Doris Lessing of running a brothel.

Find out more (Independent)

68. US Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders released a spoken-word folk album in 1987.

Find out more (Dangerous Minds)

69. It is possible to have orgasms in your left foot.

Find out more (New York magazine)

70. The formula for the perfect poohstick is PP = A x I x Cd.

Find out more

71. Silk can be made from the solidified saliva of a clam.

Find out more

72. Gorillas have individual tastes in music.

Find out more (Discover Magazine Blogs)

73. The simpler and more repetitive a song’s lyrics, the more likely it is to reach number one in the Billboard Hot 100, debut in the top 40 and climb the chart more rapidly.

Find out more (Psychology Today)

74. The producer who was Gordon the Gopher’s puppeteer ended up as the BBC’s head of editorial standards.

Find out more

75. Bill Cosby was the first choice to play Sam Malone in Cheers, ahead of Ted Danson.

Find out more (Hollywood Reporter)

76. In their spare time, US fighter pilots play a mash-up of pool and rugby called crud.

Find out more (New York Times)

77. Scots have 421 words for snow.

Find out more

78. Lies are more convincing when the person telling them needs to urinate.

Find out more (Daily Telegraph)

79. Spotify’s shuffle is not truly random but sprinkles different genres evenly across a playlist and alternates songs by the same artist.

Find out more

80. The English composer Benjamin Britten wrote a national anthem for Malaysia, only for it to be rejected in favour of a cabaret tune.

Find out more

81. Elephants almost never get cancer.

Find out more (Nature News)

82. Actor Brian Blessed says that he delivered a baby in a park, bit through the umbilical cord and then licked the infant’s face clean.

Find out more

83. People who like their coffee black are more likely to be psychopaths.

Find out more (Huffington Post)

84. American toddlers shoot one person a week on average.

Find out more (Washington Post)

85. Biff Tannen’s older self, as portrayed in Back to the Future Part II, was based on Donald Trump.

Find out more (Daily Beast)

86. The US used to relocate beavers by parachuting them out of planes.

Find out more (Mashable)

87. Dancing to Gangnam Style could raise people’s pain thresholds.

Find out more (Wired)

88. Pregnancies conceived in December have the best chance of success.

Find out more (Netmums)

89. Men with beards have a greater tendency to hold sexist attitudes than their clean-shaven counterparts.

Find out more (Mental Floss)

90. Footballers have worse teeth than the general population.

Find out more

91. It’s possible to hallucinate a foreign accent.

Find out more (Brain Decoder)

92. Victoria’s Secret Bombshell perfume is almost as good at repelling mosquitoes as commercial insect sprays containing Deet.

Find out more (Daily Beast)

93. Germaine Greer wrote a 30,000-word love letter to Martin Amis in 1976.

Find out more (the Guardian)

94. You’re So Vain definitely is about Warren Beatty (and two other men).

Find out more

95. A 17th Century scientist planned to paint the bubonic plague on to hats to create a biological weapon.

Find out more (New Scientist)

96. The Churchill household spent around £1,160 each year on wine, £104,400 in today’s money.

Find out more (the Economist)

97. A cow’s flatulence could fill a 55-gallon (250-litre) bag with methane in one day.

Find out more (Grist)

98. It would cost £11,602.25 to send a letter to Mars from the UK.

Find out more (Daily Mirror)

99. Text messages that end with a full stop are seen to be less sincere than those that don’t.

Find out more (Wired UK)

100. Employees who say they love following the rules are the ones who are most likely to be fired for breaking them.

Find out more (New York Magazine)

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #زد_رصيدك51 #OregonUnderAttack Gary Anderson
2 #OregonUnderAttack #MafiaGoogleSearches #TheVampsBTS
3 #جيش_سلمان_30_مل… #CactusBowl #OregonUnderAttack
4 #FelizDomingo #alamobowl #UFC195
5 #DomingoDetremuraSdv #AskEthanAndGrayson #AUSvWI
6 #大切な人に触るな�… #SEAvsAZ #popgothefrench
7 Página 3 de 366 #FactsArentRacist #takemeout
8 #SPSHello2016 #globedelivery #MakeASongFrench
9 #UFC195 #PHIvsNYG The Dark Knight
10 #ConfesionesNocturnas #YallQaeda #ANWTC3

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January 10, 2016

Top News Stories –

David Bowie dies of cancer aged 69 –

Singer David Bowie has died at the age of 69 from cancer. Tributes have been paid from around the world to the “extraordinary artist” whose last album was released days ago. His son, film director Duncan Jones, confirmed the news and a statement was issued on his social media accounts. “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer,” it said, asking for privacy for the family. [BBC]
Iman_and_David_BowieIman and David Bowie

‘El Chapo’ Guzman: Sean Penn interview provokes US scorn –
The Obama administration and a US presidential hopeful have criticised Sean Penn’s interview with Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. It was conducted in October in the Mexican jungle after Guzman’s jail break, and published by Rolling Stone. A White House spokesman said the Hollywood actor’s “so-called interview” was “maddening”, while Republican Marco Rubio said it was “grotesque”. Guzman, 58, was recaptured on Friday after months on the run. Unnamed Mexican officials say Penn’s secret meeting helped lead them to the boss of the Sinaloa drug cartel. He has now been returned to the maximum-security Altiplano jail, from where he escaped in July via a tunnel dug to the shower in his cell. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

“Starman” 1972 from David Bowie on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

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1 #DomingoComOClubeSdv #GBvsWAS Sean Penn
2 #MeSientoBienCuando Timbs Cheryl Fernandez-Versini
3 #زد_رصيدك58 #GoldenGlobes #smearthedocs
4 #FelizDomingo Angus Scrimm #TheVoiceUK
5 #6YearsOfDilmer $1.3 Billion #ResistCapitalism
6 #عام_من_رحيل_ال… #LuciferIsComing Alison McGovern
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9 #SupermercadosVacios #AndIWasScarredForLife #6YearsOfDilmer
10 #PITvsCIN Paid in Full #takemeout

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January 14, 2016

Top News Stories –

Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard actor, dies aged 69 –
Actor Alan Rickman, known for films including Harry Potter, Die Hard and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, has died at the age of 69, his family has said. The star had been suffering from cancer, a statement said. He became one of Britain’s best-loved acting stars thanks to roles including Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films and Hans Gruber in Die Hard.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling led the tributes, describing him as “a magnificent actor and a wonderful man”. [BBC]
Alan_RickmanAlan Rickman in 2011

Hatton Garden heist: Three men found guilty over £14m jewellery raid –
Three men have been found guilty of involvement in the Hatton Garden safe deposit raid, the largest burglary in British legal history. Jewellery and valuables worth an estimated £14 million were stolen when a gang of thieves carried out the “sophisticated” and meticulously planned break-in over the Easter weekend last year. The group used a drill to bore a hole 20in deep, 10in high and 18in into the wall of a vault in London’s jewellery quarter, before ransacking 73 safety deposit boxes. Following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Carl Wood and William Lincoln were found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property, while Hugh Doyle was convicted of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property. [Daily Telegraph]
Hatton_Garden_Road_SignHatton Garden road sign

Video of the Day –

Bygone Behemoth from Harry Chaskin on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

10 Highest US Lottery jackpots [See January 13, 2016]
1. $656.0 million, Mega Millions, March 30, 2012 (three tickets, from Kansas, Illinois and Maryland)
2. $636 million, Mega Millions, Dec. 17, 2013, (two tickets, from California and Georgia)
3. $590.5 million, Powerball, May 18, 2013 (one ticket, from Florida)
4. $587.5 million, Powerball, Nov. 28, 2012 (two tickets, from Arizona and Missouri)
5. $564.1 million, Powerball, Feb. 11, 2015 (three tickets, from North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Texas)
6. $448.4 million, Powerball, Aug. 7, 2013, (three tickets, one from Minnesota and two from New Jersey)
7. $425.3 million, Powerball, Feb. 19, 2014 (one ticket, from California)
8. $414 million, Mega Millions, March 18, 2014, (two tickets, from Florida and Maryland)
9. $399.4 million, Powerball, Sept. 18, 2013, (one ticket, from South Carolina)
10. $390.0 million, Mega Millions, March 6, 2007 (two tickets, from Georgia and New Jersey)

Top Twitter Trends –

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1 #LittleMixBRITs #GOPDebate #transinquiry
2 #زد_رصيدك62 Jakarta #OscarNoms
3 #FelizJueves #OscarNoms #RuinALoveSong
4 #1128katil #PrivacyCon Chris Grayling
5 #QuintaDetremuraSdv Alan Rickman #bbcqt
6 #もし女子高生にな�… #AskPOTUS Jakarta
7 #ALDUB26thWeeksary #RuinALoveSong Shami Chakrabarti
8 Shaolin Indonesia #StargazingLive
9 #結婚からの予測変�… #SuperDraft Giroud
10 #معلومه_لاتعرف… #IHaveADreamFor2016 #CarpoolKaraoke

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January 19, 2016

Top News Stories –

North Korea claims to invent ‘alcohol which doesn’t give you hangover’ –
They already claim to have cured cancer, Aids and Ebola with a miracle drug produced from ginseng root.
Now North Korean scientists seem to have scaled new heights of greatness with their latest invention – a special blend of liquor which doesn’t give you a hangover. According to the state-controlled newspaper Pyongyang Times, the drink also relies on ginseng root for its medicinal qualities and has been hailed as a “national scientific and technological hit.” The recipe replaces sugar with burnt rice, supposedly eliminating the liquor’s bitter taste along with any risks of a hangover. The drink “is suave and causes no hangovers”, claimed the Pyongyang Times piece, which was entitled: “Liquor wins quality medal for preserving national smack.” It is the latest in a string of outlandish claims made by North Korea’s state media, which once congratulated its supreme commander for learning to drive at the age of three. [Daily Telegraph]

Twitter down in global outage –
Twitter went offline on Tuesday morning for users of both its website and mobile apps. Visitors to the social network were met with a “Something is technically wrong” message on a blue background. Twitter’s status page said: “Some users are currently experiencing problems accessing Twitter. We are aware of the issue and are working towards a resolution.” “Something is technically wrong,” a notice on the Twitter website said. “Thanks for noticing – we’re going to fix it up and have things back to normal soon.” At around 10am service resumed as usual, although was down again shortly before midday and at various times over Tuesday afternoon. [Daily Telegraph] The social network later said an “internal code change” had led to the problem, which lasted six hours 10 minutes. “We reverted the change, which fixed the issue,” it added.
Twitter error pageTwitter error page

Video of the Day –

NYC Gifathon from James Curran on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #TercaDetremuraSdv #NationalPopcornDay #LHHNY
2 #FelizMartes Sarah Palin #NationalPopcornDay
3 #زد_رصيدك67 #TravelTuesday #CharityTuesday
4 #ALDUBFirstCondition #HowIStaySaneInMyWorkspace #ThingsThatShouldBeIllegal
5 #كلمه_تعور_قلبي #BeliebersDay #universitychallenge
6 조경태 #1YearOfWorthIt #BlueMonday
7 #CorridaMalucaNoClubeSDV #twitterdown #TheUndateables
8 #HrantDink Edgar Allan Poe Aunt Viv
9 #BeliebersDay #MISOTS16 Angie
10 #NationalPopcornDay #InequalityIs Glenn Frey

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March 21, 2016

Top News Stories –

Twitter celebrates 10 years of tweets and hashtags –
Since the first tweet was sent in 2006, Twitter has become the go-to social network for finding out about everything from global events to celebrity gossip. On its tenth birthday, Twitter has 320 million users including celebrities such as Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Adele, all of whom have tens of millions of followers.Over the decade, the social network has changed its logo and name – from Twttr to Twitter – as well as notching up 250 billion likes. Users create 500 million tweets per day and 200 billion tweets every year, with users sharing hashtags to discuss global moments, such as the terrible terrorist attacks in Paris, using #JeSuisParis. [Daily Mail] See Video of the Day and List of the Day

Twitter logo

Hatton Garden ‘Guv’nor’ Brian Reader jailed for six years –
The mastermind of the £14 million Hatton Garden jewellery raid has been jailed for six years and three months. Brian Reader, 77- the oldest member of the gang – suffered a stroke in Belmarsh Prison following what was the biggest burglary in English history. Appearing via video link at Woolwich Crown Court, Reader, who the court was told now uses a walking frame, was sentenced to six years and three months by Judge Christopher Kinch QC. James Scobie QC, Reader’s defence barrister, previously said: “He has a history of prostate cancer, which may return. He has a mass in his face being tested for possible cancer. He has had a stroke and is blind in one eye.” [Daily Telegraph]

This real life cat burglar keeps stealing men’s underwear –
A cat-owner from New Zealand has posted an apologetic note online after her pet cat went on a months-long crime spree, pinching various items of men’s clothing from around her neighbourhood. Brigit, a six-year-old tonkinese cat, has been going out at night on the streets of Hamilton and entering into strangers’ homes, where she’ll pick up some socks or underwear and take it away with her. Brigit then brings the clothes home, often leaving them on her owner Sarah Nathan’s bed. In the past couple of months Brigit has pinched around than a dozen pairs of men’s pants and around 60 single socks. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

INCREDIBLE Facts You Never Knew About Twitter!-Facts in 5

List of the Day –

Twitter in numbers – the top 10 most popular tweets, likes and hashtags [Metro]
1) Most retweeted tweet – Oscars selfie
Most retweeted post
2) Most followed person – Katy Perry
3) Most mentioned person – Justin Bieber
4) Most tweeted emoji – Face with tears of joy emoji

mg_emoji02_comp
(Picture: Myles Goode/Metro)

5) Most geo-tagged city – São Paulo
6) Most tweeted hashtag tradition – #FF
7) Total number of likes – 250 billion
8) Tweets per minute event record – FA World Cup Final – 618,725 tweets per minute
9) Fastest tor reach one million followers – Caitlyn Jenner – 4 hours and 3 minutes.
10) Number of times ‘love’ was shared on Twitter [tweets with the word “love” in them] – 34.8 billion mentions

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1 #DiaMundialDeLaPoesia #AppleEvent #LoveTwitter
2 #WorldPoetryDay #WorldPoetryDay #WorldPoetryDay
3 #SegundaSantaClubeSDV #mondaymotivation #NationalFragranceDay
4 #جلد_العم_معيض #LoveTwitter #mondaymotivation
5 #DiaInternacionalDeCasiAng… #SaferThanATrumpRally Novak Djokovic
6 #شخص_تتمني_تعي #DiaMundialDeLaPoesia #AppleEvent
7 #يوم_الام #BadMottosForStates #HumanRightsDay
8 #EstouComLula #musicmonday #asktroye
9 #LoveTwitter Boaty McBoatface #IntlForestDay
10 #LuanSantanaCacauShowDia21 #WeNeedToRemindOurselves #Ottawa2016

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  • Erasmus bus crash
    • A Catalan official says the 13 exchange students killed in Sunday’s accident were 19-to-25-year-old women, seven from Italy, two Germans, an Austrian, a woman from France, a Romanian and an Uzbek. Twenty-four people are being treated in hospital with one student in critical condition, and six people, including the driver, in serious condition. Reports from officials indicate the driver lost control of the coach and crashed to the other side before running into an oncoming car. The bus driver, who passed alcohol and drug tests, is being investigated for possible negligent homicide as police seek to determine the cause of the crash. (AP via the Washington Post) (AFP via Yahoo! News)
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  • Myanmar‘s new parliament, in its first legislative act, votes (611-3) to eliminate 15 government ministries. President-elect Htin Kyaw says by eliminating the ministers’ salaries, the nation will save $4 million over five years. No civil servants will lose their jobs. (AP)
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March 24, 2016

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Johan Cruyff: Barcelona and Holland legend dies aged 68 –
Johan Cruyff, the man credited with helping reinvent modern soccer, has died aged 68. The former player and manager of Spanish giants Barcelona and the Netherlands’ most successful club Ajax, had been battling lung cancer. ne of the world’s greatest ever footballers, Cruyff’s Dutch team finished runners up in the 1974 World Cup playing a revolutionary style of soccer that was dubbed “total football.” A statement on his official website read: “On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer. [CNN] See List of the Day
Johan_CruyffJohan Cruyff

Video of the Day –

What If The World Went Vegetarian? – ASAP Science

List of the Day –

Johann Cruyff senior career record (from Wikipedia)

Senior career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1973 Ajax 240 (190)
1973–1978 Barcelona 143 (48)
1979 Los Angeles Aztecs 23 (13)
1980–1981 Washington Diplomats 30 (12)
1981 Levante 10 (2)
1981–1983 Ajax 36 (14)
1983–1984 Feyenoord 33 (11)
Total 514 (290)
National team
1966–1977 Netherlands 48 (33)
Teams managed
1985–1988 Ajax
1988–1996 Barcelona
2009–2013 Catalonia

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4 #FeriadoSrTwitteiroSdv #HappyBirthdayJackJohnson #EasterWeekend
5 #EasterWeekend #CANCELPURPOSETOUR North Carolina
6 #Anlatmakİstediğim #24HOURStoMindofMine #WhatJesusDidFor3Days
7 #SientoQue #IfIWerePresident #StillYes
8 #FelizJuevesSanto #Ghomeshi Dave Grohl
9 #الزهارين_قادم… #Karadzic #WearAHatDay
10 #اول_لاعب_حبيته Johan Cruyff Adam Johnson

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April 6, 2016

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Samsung patents design for ‘smart’ augmented reality contact lenses –
Samsung has filed a patent on ‘smart’ contact lenses, which can project images straight into the users’ eyes. Wearing the lenses would allow users to experience ‘augmented’ reality, with computer-generated images superimposed over the real world. As Samsung blog SamMobile reveals, the South Korean patent shows a drawing of the lens, which is fitted with a miniscule display, camera and antenna. It’s also fitted with a number of sensors that can detect eye movement and blinking, which is how users would control the display. Since the device is so small, it’s designed to connect to a smartphone for processing power. According to the patent application, written in Korean and translated by SamMobile, the contact lenses would provide much better image quality than existing smart glasses, as well as being far less bulky and intrusive. [The Independent]
Samsung Contact Lens patent imageSamsung Contact Lens patent image

US university in Scalia law school acronym blunder –
Officials at a US university were left red-faced after their decision to rename a law school after late Supreme Court judge Antonin Scalia prompted hilarity over its unfortunate acronym. George Mason University in Virginia said its law school would be called the Antonin Scalia School of Law. The eagle-eyed immediately took to Twitter to point out that the acronym would be ASSoL. The university has since renamed it as the Antonin Scalia Law School. [BBC]

Beyonce sues over ‘Feyonce’ label –
Singer Beyonce is suing a US company to stop it from selling merchandise branded “Feyonce”. Texas firm Feyonce Inc sells clothing, and other items such as mugs with the label, on its website. The pop star claims the label is too near to her own trademarked name and confuses customers and fans and damages her reputation. The singer also claims in court papers filed in Manhattan that the company has ignored her requests to stop. Beyonce’s complaint accuses the San Antonio company, and three individuals, of “brazenly” selling the Feyonce-labelled merchandise. [BBC]
Beyonce_KnowlesBeyonce_Knowles

Video of the Day –

50 ft Flamethrower in 4K Slow Motion – The Slow Mo Guys

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1 #QuartaSrTwitteiroNoSdv #WednesdayWisdom unavailable
2 #شقيق_بلقيس_يه�… #NationalWalkingDay unavailable
3 #FelizMiercoles #1lineWed unavailable
4 #WednesdayWisdom #IAmNotThePresidentBecause unavailable
5 #AEstaHoraNecesito #ConfusingCompliment unavailable
6 #SoyFanDe #indieamnesty unavailable
7 #YooSiJin Hump Day unavailable
8 エレン先生 Timberwolves unavailable
9 #QuedateConQuien #ElderlyMovies unavailable
10 #名前の最後がンの�… Janet Jackson unavailable

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April 20, 2016

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Harriet Tubman to be first African-American on U.S. currency –
Anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman will become the first African-American on the face of U.S. paper currency, and the first woman in more than a century, when she replaces former President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. The U.S. Treasury Department said on Wednesday that Tubman, who was born into slavery in the early 1820s and went on to help hundreds of slaves escape, would take the center spot on the bill, while Jackson, a slave owner, would move to the back. Introduced alongside a slew of changes to the $5 and $10 notes as well, the redesign gives the Treasury “a chance to open the aperture to reflect more of America’s history,” Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said. A new $10 bill will add images of five female leaders of the women’s suffrage movement, including Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, to the back, while keeping founding father Alexander Hamilton on the front. The reverse of a new $5 note will show former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., officials said. Former President Abraham Lincoln will remain on the front. [Reuters]

Victoria Wood dies aged 62 after cancer battle –
Comedian, singer and writer Victoria Wood has died after “a short but brave” battle with cancer aged 62. Her publicist said the star “died peacefully at her north London home with family” on Wednesday. Wood’s long-time comedy partner Julie Walters said she was “too heart sore to comment – the loss of her is incalculable”. Wood found fame in the 1980s and was best known for her BBC sketch Acorn Antiques and comedy Dinnerladies. She won five Baftas including two for her one-off ITV drama Housewife, 49. [BBC]
Victoria_WoodVictoria Wood in 2012

Video of the Day –

Clockwork | A Time-Lapse & Hyper-Lapse Reel – In 4K from Tyler Fairbank on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Victoria Wood’s best One-liners [The Independent]

“Sexual harassment at work. . . is it a problem for the self-employed?”

“My children won’t even eat chips because some know-all bastard at school told them a potato was a vegetable.”

“My boyfriend had a sex manual but he was dyslexic. I was lying there and he was looking for my vinegar.”

“Jogging is for people who aren’t intelligent enough to watch television.”

“People think I hate sex. I don’t. I just don’t like things that stop you seeing the television properly.”

“In my day we didn’t have sex education, we just picked up what we could off the television.”

“We’d like to apologise to viewers in the north. It must be awful for them.”

“I sometimes think that being widowed is God’s way of telling you to come off the Pill.”

“I once went to one of those parties where everyone throws their car keys into the middle of the room. I don’t know who got my moped but I’ve been driving that Peugeot for years.”

“Life’s not fair, is it? Some of us drink champagne in the fast lane, and some of us eat our sandwiches by the loose chippings on the A597.”

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#CuandoLlueveMeDanGanasDe #WaysToUniteUsAll
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#あなたは何故モテ�… Prince George

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May 16, 2016

Top News Stories –

First penis transplant in U.S. performed in Boston –
Surgeons in Boston have performed the first penile transplant in the United States, a procedure that soon could help severely wounded troops, surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital said Monday. Thomas Manning, 64, whose penis was removed in 2012 due to penile cancer, is recovering well and showing no signs of rejecting the transplant, his surgeons said. [USA Today]

Crimeans told to stop stealing sand from beaches –
Officials in Crimea are warning people to stop stealing sand from tourist beaches, or else face a prison sentence. The peninsula’s beaches are being targeted by people who remove the sand for use as free building material, the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reports. At more remote beaches it’s being taken away by the lorry-load, the paper says. Sand theft can hit local authorities finances hard. In February, a group of builders were charged with illegally removing more than 1bn roubles-worth ($15.4m; £10.6m) near Moscow. [BBC]

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World Record Edition | Dude Perfect

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  • The Afghan capital Kabul is locked down as members of the Hazara community protest the proposed route of a power line. (AP)
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January 7, 2017

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Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi writes choral music for Birmingham Cathedral –
Black Sabbath founder Tony Iommi has swapped his heavy metal roots for an ecclesiastical project by writing and producing a piece of choral music. The five-minute acoustic arrangement for Birmingham Cathedral was a huge departure for the musician once accused of being a Satanist. The 68-year-old said the song, How Good It Is, was to give something back to the city he hails from. He said the track was “just a little bit different to Sabbath”. The project was born out of his friendship with the Dean of Birmingham, the Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, which developed when he was battling cancer in 2012. The lyrics for the piece were inspired by Psalm 133 which talks about people living together in unity which “is what Birmingham is all about”, Dean Ogle said. [BBC]
Tony Iommi

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Everybody wants to kill Bruce 2 from Pierre-Alexandre Chauvat on Vimeo.

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  • Free University of Berlin chemists confirm that carbon can bond with more than four atoms, previously seen as its limit because carbon has only four shareable electrons. The researchers used X-rays to, for the first time, map the molecule — a carbon atom bonded to six other carbon atoms. (Science News), (ZME Science)

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