November 9th 2014

Top News Stories –

Bob Geldof to record Band Aid 30 –
Plans are under way to pull together a host of music stars to create the fourth incarnation of the Band Aid charity single. The men behind Do They Know It’s Christmas are expected to announce the line-up on Monday for Band Aid 30. Bob Geldof and Midge Ure first gathered a group of musicians together in 1984, raising £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia. Do They Know It’s Christmas was recorded again in 1989 and 2004. Geldof and Ure will be hoping to gather some of today’s most popular music acts including One Direction, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. It is thought the money raised will go towards the fight against Ebola in West Africa. [BBC]
Bob-GeldofBob Geldof

Bubbles the chimp delayed Jacko and Freddie’s duet by nearly 30 years… as he drove the Queen frontman ape –
It has been billed as a rare moment in music history – the release of the only song ever recorded by Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson together. The unfinished track, which is going on sale tomorrow, was discovered only by chance after languishing for nearly 30 years at the bottom of a vault – and has been reworked by the surviving members of Mercury’s band Queen. There Must Be More To Life Than This, was never completed back in the 1980s due to the increasingly erratic behaviour of Jackson and the antics of his pet chimp Bubbles. Mercury, then at the height of his powers as a performing artist, complained that Bubbles was a bizarre distraction because Jackson insisted on bringing the animal into the studio and asking for its views on their singing. The Queen frontman, who was famed for his tempestuous nature, finally stormed out of the recording after telling friends: ‘I’m not performing with a f****** chimp sitting next to me each night.’ [Daily Mail]
Freddie Mercury performing in New Haven, CT, November 1978

Video of the Day –

Do They Know It’s Christmas (1984)

List of the Day –

Artists on Do They Know It’s Christmas (1984)

Vocalists:

Additional spoken messages on B-side:

Musicians:

  • Phil Collins – drums
  • John Taylor – bass
  • Midge Ure – keyboards and programming

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1 #WECANJUSTIN Too Many Cooks Lee Nelson
2 #FOURHANGOUT #5SOSFamVotingHour #webackEd
3 #AdmitoQue #WhatIWant #RemembranceSunday
4 #YaMeCanse #FOURHANGOUT Phil Neville
5 #5SOSFamVotingHour #EMA2014 #talktomematt
6 #RemembranceSunday #votw5sos Christmas
7 #WhatIWant #vote5sosᅠ John Lewis
8 #OmplimLesUrnes Christmas #askjames
9 #jojahevotat Interstellar #5SOSFamVotingHour
10 #ARealMan Bama #FOURHANGOUT

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March 1, 2015

Top News Stories –

Lesbian banned from Nutella label –
Customers have been enjoying creating a digital custom made jar of the famous chocolate spread – emblazoned with their own slogan to share on social media. You can create your message and share it with those you love. But the word “lesbian” has been banned by the parent company of Nutella – deemed too offensive for labels. The list of banned words is actually quite extensive. Muslim and Jewish are not allowed. So presumably the message ‘Jews and Muslims can live in peace with each other’ would fall into the net of naughtiness. ‘Christian’ on the other hand is OK.
Nutella names

[Daily Telegraph]

8ft coffin for Britain’s tallest man –
A bespoke coffin for the funeral of a former Britain’s tallest man has been made measuring 8ft-long. Christopher Greener, who grew to 7ft 6ins before surgical intervention stopped him growing, will be laid to rest in a casket carried by 10 pallbearers. Funeral directors have calculated that 30st Mr Greener’s coffin will just about squeeze into the hearse before he will be buried in a double-sized plot of land on Monday. Mr Greener, who held the record for being the UK’s tallest man for more than four decades, died aged 71 on February 11 and will be buried near his home in Bromley, south-east London. [Daily Telegraph]

 

Video of the Day –

Lady Gaga plunges into frozen water for charity

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March 2, 2015

Top News Stories –

Bill Gates still the richest man in the world –

Bill Gates has been declared the richest man in the world for the 16th time by Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of global billionaires. The Microsoft founder once again beat Mexican businessman Carlos Slim to the top spot. Mr Gates’ net worth rose by just over $3bn (£1.94bn) in the year to 13 February, to $79bn. There are a record 1,826 billionaires in the world, Forbes said, an increase of 181 in the past 12 months. See list below. [BBC]

Bill-Gates
New image for Queen on coins of the realm –
A new portrait of the Queen to appear on coins has been unveiled, but it might be some time before the new money starts appearing in people’s wallets. The effigy, designed by Jody Clark, is only the fifth definitive coin portrait to have been created during the Queen’s reign and the first since 1998.

The new coin

The new portrait is revealed at a ceremony in London’s National Portrait Gallery. Coins carrying the design will now begin being struck, the Royal Mint said.  [Daily Telegraph]
New Zealanders confiscating bad drivers keys –
Police are urging motorists not to take matters into their own hands, following the latest removal of car keys from drivers allegedly driving dangerously. While police are encouraging the use of *555 calls, the growing trend of motorists confronting bad drivers and removing keys is on the rise nationally – almost one a day during the past week. [New Zealand Herald]

Video of the Day –

Science explains the colour of “that dress”

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June 15, 2015

Top News Stories –

Magna Carta changed the world, David Cameron tells 800 year anniversary event –
Magna Carta went on to change the world, Prime Minister David Cameron has said, at an ceremony in Surrey marking the 800th anniversary of the document that heralded modern democracy. The event at Runnymede, where King John sealed the original accord in 1215, was attended by the Queen and other royals. The Duke of Cambridge unveiled a commemorative art work at the site. Princess Anne rededicated the US memorial, saying Magna Carta “provides us with one of our most basic doctrines – that no person is above the law. “In recent history and even today we see in many parts of the world that power without the rule of law can lead to human suffering of terrible proportions. But it takes all of us to stand up for these principles.” [BBC]
Magna_Carta_(British_Library_Cotton_MS_Augustus_II.106)The Magna Carta (originally known as the Charter of Liberties) of 1215

Jess Glynne to have vocal surgery after pulling out of Isle of Wight Festival –
Jess Glynne has revealed she will undergo vocal cord surgery next week. The singer was forced to pull out of the weekend’s Isle of Wight Festival after consulting a doctor. She tweeted: “I am so so sad to tell you that I’m having to have vocal surgery next week” “I’m so sorry and it kills me but I have to cancel some forthcoming shows and festivals. I’m a little scared but I will be back singing better than ever very soon! Love hugs and kisses Jess.” Sam Smith had to pull out half way through his Australian tour in April after suffering haemorrhages on his vocal cords. [BBC Newsbeat]

Chicago Blackhawks take Stanley Cup in front of jubilant home crowd –
The Chicago Blackhaws defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 Monday night to win their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. Chicago are the only team since the National Hockey League lockout in the 2004-05 season to win three Stanley Cups, tempting the modern ‘dynasty’ label. That will be left to history to decide for certain, but there was little question Monday night where the Cup belonged. It all amounted to the first Chicago Stanley Cup win on home ice since 1938, when the Cup itself wasn’t even present for the victory, as the league at that time didn’t think the Blackhawks could win. Despite a weather delay, the Cup finally made it to the United Center this time around, and was hoisted once again by captain Jonathan Toews.
Jonathan_Toews_-_Chicago_BlackhawksJonathan Toews

Video of the Day –

WORLD RECORD Basketball Shot 126.5m (415 ft) – How Ridiculous

List of the Day –

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1 Bolivia #liamdefensesquad #MondayMotivation
2 #ARGENTINARMY #MondayMotivation #WorldMeatFreeDay
3 #ComoOdioAEsosQue #XboxE3 #MITB
4 Jurassic World #RachelDolezalMemoirTitles Fallout 4
5 #GoodForYou Lance Stephenson #liamdefensesquad
6 Dave Grohl #FirstDateQuestions #GameofThronesFinale
7 Fede Bal Magna Carta #MagnaCarta
8 Barbie Velez #WorldMeatFreeDay #AstonDmSpree
9 #AskRachel #EdibleWordstoLiveBy Steph Curry
10 #TeQueresReMorirCuando #EAE3 Jack Grealish

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September 5, 2015

Top News Stories –

Russia set to set up new police unit to deal with rowdy weddings –
Police in southern Russia have set up a new unit dedicated to keeping the peace at the region’s notoriously drunken wedding parties. A squad of 40 officers will be assigned to stop “uncontrolled expressions of joy” during marriages, during which well-wishers often have a habit of firing guns in celebration. The unit will operate in the North Caucusus region of Adygea, near the Black Sea coast, where one wedding reveller was fined 50,000 roubles last month (£500) for firing his pistol outside a registry office in the capital, Maykop. “The creation of the ‘wedding police’ should put an end to uncontrolled expressions of joy by people in wedding motorcades,” said Aleksandr Rechitsky, Adygea’s Interior Minister. [Daily Telegraph]

Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour makes chart history –
In the Lonely Hour has been in the UK top 10 for 67 weeks in a row – that’s the longest unbroken run of any debut album. It’s not left the top 10 since it was released in May 2014, when it debuted at number one with opening week sales of 101,000. The chart record was previously held by Emeli Sande, with her debut album Our Version Of Events. [BBC Newsbeat] See List of the Day
Sam-Smith-2014Sam Smith

Video of the Day –

The 9 BEST Scientific Study Tips

List of the Day –

List of albums which have spent the most weeks on the UK Albums Chart [List from Wikipedia]

Title Artist Released Peak Weeks
Queen’s Greatest Hits Queen 1981 1 895
ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits ABBA 1992 1 721
Legend Bob Marley & The Wailers 1984 1 684
Rumours Fleetwood Mac 1977 1 611
Bat Out of Hell Meat Loaf 1978 9 517
The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd 1973 2 457
The Sound of Music Original Soundtrack 1965 1 374
Queen’s Greatest Hits II Queen 1991 1 367
The Immaculate Collection Madonna 1990 1 338
Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits Simon & Garfunkel 1972 2 329
Bridge over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel 1970 1 328
South Pacific Original Soundtrack 1958 1 315
Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds Jeff Wayne 1978 5 313
Nevermind Nirvana 1991 7 301
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 1988 1 292
Tubular Bells Mike Oldfield 1973 1 286
Thriller Michael Jackson 1982 1 283
Face Value Phil Collins 1981 1 275
Brothers in Arms Dire Straits 1985 1 268
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles 1967 1 261
Appetite for Destruction Guns n’ Roses 1987 5 261
Making Movies Dire Straits 1980 4 252
Hot Fuss The Killers 2004 1 247
Automatic for the People R.E.M. 1992 1 245
My Way: The Best of Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra 1997 7 244
Guns n’ Roses’ Greatest Hits Guns n’ Roses 2004 1 241
(What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Oasis 1995 1 237
Queen’s Greatest Hits III Queen 1999 2 234
Definitely Maybe Oasis 1994 1 231
Back to Black Amy Winehouse 2006 1 228
Off the Wall Michael Jackson 1979 3 224
Number Ones Michael Jackson 2003 3 223
Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette 1995 1 220
Sigh No More Mumford & Sons 2009 2 214
The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac 2002 6 213
Out of Time R.E.M. 1991 1 212
Never Forget Take That 2005 2 209
The Beatles 1962 – 1966 The Beatles 1973 3 206
Under a Blood Red Sky U2 1983 2 204
The King and I Original Soundtrack 1956 1 203
The Bends Radiohead 1995 4 203
Love Over Gold Dire Straits 1982 1 200

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1 #ALDUBBATTLEForACause #WorldBeardDay #rED15
2 #DragMeDownPromo #DragMeDownPromo #WorldBeardDay
3 #EMABiggestFans1D Nadal San Marino
4 #EuroBasket2015 #YouKnowSummersOverWhen #EGGPLANT
5 #ماذا_تعرف_عن_ع… Stanford Freddie Mercury
6 #اشياء_اشتقتول… Penn State J Hus
7 Nadal #EMABiggestFans1D #savesyriaschildren
8 漢字1文字 #earthquake #YodaSingsInTheShower
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September 9, 2015

Top News Stories –

Queen Elizabeth II becomes longest-reigning UK monarch –
The Queen has thanked well-wishers at home and overseas for their “touching messages of kindness” as she becomes Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Speaking in the Scottish Borders, the 89-year-old monarch said the title was “not one to which I have ever aspired”. At 17:30 BST she had reigned for 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes – surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. David Cameron said the service the Queen had given was “truly humbling”. The exact moment the Queen became the longest-reigning sovereign is unknown. Her father, George VI, passed away in the early hours of 6 February 1952, but his time of death is not known. [BBC] See Video of the Day and List of the Day
Queen_Elizabeth_II Queen ELizabeth II in March 2015

iPad Pro, new Apple TV and iPhone 6S handsets unveiled –
Apple has unveiled a larger iPad tablet, a TV box with its own app store and new iPhones that can detect how firmly their screens are being pressed. The firm suggested the iPad Pro was suited to work tasks, video games and both editing and watching movies. Sales of the company’s earlier iPads had been on the decline. Apple said the “3D touch” feature of its new phones “transformed” the experience of using them by making it easier to use and switch between apps. The iPad Pro has a 12.9in (32.8cm) display, making its shortest edge the length of its earlier iPad Air 2’s height. In addition, the firm announced a stylus called the Apple Pencil, which has sensors in its tip to help mimic the effect of using a real pencil on paper. The announcement is notable since the firm’s ex-chief executive Steve Jobs said in 2010: “If you see a stylus, they blew it.” [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Brief History of the Royal Family

List of the Day –

Monarchs of Great Britain and Ireland 1603 – present day [from Wikipedia]

House of Stuart

House of Hanover

House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

House of Windsor

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1 iPhone 6s #AppleEvent #longestreign
2 #AppleEvent iPhone 6s #NationalFitnessDay
3 #هل_ترضي_تتزوج_… James Blake #AnnoyMeIn5Words
4 #MasterChefBR #StopIranDeal #AppleEvent
5 フォロワーA #LateShow #RuinABoardGame
6 iOS 9 #RuinABoardGame #SerenavsVenus
7 #longestreign #INBOUND15 British Airways
8 Neymar #TerribleGiftsForA4YearOld Las Vegas
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October 12, 2015

Top News Stories –

Queen’s advisers strip Jeremy Corbyn of ‘Right Honourable’ title after Privy Council snub –
The Queen’s advisers told Parliament to strip Jeremy Corbyn of his “Right Honourable” status after Number 10 wrongly implied the Labour leader had joined the Privy Council, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. Mr Corbyn was described on Parliament’s website as “Right Honourable”, which denotes membership of the centuries-old Privy Council, until late last week. The Labour leader was also described as a “Right Honourable Gentleman” by Prime Minister David Cameron when they faced each other in the Commons last month, days after he was voted in as Labour leader. However, after Mr Corbyn failed to attend the first meeting of the Privy Council since the summer holidays with the Queen last Thursday, the “Rt Hon” title was removed from Mr Corbyn’s page on Parliament’s website. [Daily Telegraph]

Swedish police called on a beard club because they were mistaken for Isil –
The police in Sweden were shocked to receive a call from a passer-by that alerted them to a possible Isil warrior group, north of the city Jönköping. When they arrived, they “had a good laugh” – the group mistaken for Isil was actually a beard club called the Bearded Villians. They had stopped in the area in order to take a photo together, posing with a sign which, from a distance, could be mistaken for the Isil flag. [Daily Telegraph]

Bearded-Villains
Bearded Villains

Video of the Day –

Apollo Missions from harrisonicus on Vimeo.

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1 フォロワーA #MakeMondayBetterIn3Words #mondaymotivation
2 #TheWalkingDead #mondaymotivation #ChocolateWeek
3 #LeventKırca #ColumbusDay #FishUpAMovie
4 #nadaquecelebrar #IndigenousPeoplesDay Angus Deaton
5 #كلمه_تختصر_في�… Happy Thanksgiving Julian Assange
6 #QuandoEraCriancaEu Wallace #NationalCurryWeek
7 #WeArePerfect #1DImSorryFor June Sarpong
8 Angus Deaton Angus Deaton #1DImSorryFor
9 Viva España Carlos Correa #StrongerIn
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November 25, 2015

Top News Stories –

Adele’s album 25 breaks US record previously held by *NSYNC –
It’s not that much of a surprise, it was widely predicted, but Adele’s new album is doing quite well (understatement.) It’s broken the record for first week album sales in the US, selling 2.4 million copies since Friday.
The record was previously held by boy band *NSYNC and their second album, No Strings Attached, from 2000. Adele won’t be making the album available on music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music for now.
It takes a powerful artist to still do well despite not being on the big streaming services. Taylor Swift did it last year, withdrawing her material from Spotify. [BBC Newsbeat]
AdeleAdele

The condom challenge is the latest bizarre trend sweeping the internet –
It’s been at least a few weeks since the last ridiculous internet trend, so let us introduce the condom challenge. In apparent homage to the long-forgotten Ice Bucket Challenge, the new trend involves people filling up condoms with water and dropping it on the head of a friend, significant other or loved one. Videos of people dropping condoms full of water have been flooding social media feeds in recent weeks. [Daily Telegraph]
Condom ChallengeCondom Challenge

Queen asks judges to decide if DNA evidence can ‘uncover affair’ in Scottish hereditary title dispute –
Accountant Murray Pringle, 74, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and Simon Pringle, 56, a businessman who lives near Hastings, East Sussex, both lay claim to the baronetcy of Pringle of Stichill. The Queen has asked senior judges to make a decision on the dispute under a piece of legislation dating back more than 150 years. The men are both members of a Scottish family fighting over the rights to the baronetcy. Seven judges are now analysing evidence at a hearing of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. The hearing was expected to finish on Wednesday but judges, who are all Supreme Court justices, are not expected to publish a ruling until next year. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Happy Place from sharp & jenkins on Vimeo.

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1 #NoalaViolenciadeGenero Stedman Bailey Civil War
2 #LaquanMcDonald Civil War #spendingreview
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4 Delcídio Kobe #WhiteRibbonDay
5 당신의 결과 #ICarvedTheTurkeyAndOutPopped ONE MONTH UNTIL CHRISTMAS
6 Selamat Hari Guru #2015WasTheYearThatIFinally #IDEVAW
7 Kobe Frank Gifford George Best
8 #كذبه_كنت_مصدق�… #jacobsaletonight #GeordieShore
9 #WelcomeToMexico1D Happy Thanksgiving Eve Roma
10 Civil War #8MonthsWithoutZayn #ThanksgivingClapBack

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February 23, 2016

Top News Stories –

London’s Crossrail to be called the Elizabeth Line –
Crossrail, the new railway which will run beneath London, is to be named the Elizabeth Line in honour of the Queen, Boris Johnson has announced. London’s mayor revealed the line’s name and purple logo as he visited Bond Street station with the monarch. Trains on the railway will travel under the centre of the city, linking parts of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to Essex when it opens in December 2018. Mr Johnson said it was “wonderful” the line had “such a significant name”. “The Elizabeth Line will provide a lasting tribute to our longest-serving monarch”, the mayor said. [BBC]
Elizabeth_line_roundelElizabeth Line Roundel

Thai princess leaves $40,000 custom toilet ‘unused’ –
A toilet that cost an estimated $40,000 (£28,300) to custom-build for a Thai princess visiting Cambodia was left unused, officials say. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn reportedly just took photos of the toilet’s building during her visit to Yeak Lom Lake, in north-east Cambodia. The toilet has now been removed and the hut will serve as a tourist office.
The story made headlines in Cambodia, where fewer than 40% of people in rural areas have access to toilets. The toilet, housed in a specially constructed air-conditioned hut, was set up for Ms Sirindhorn two-hour visit to the north-eastern lake on Monday, reportedly at her request. [BBC]
HRH_Princess_Maha_Chakri_SirindhornHRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

Video of the Day –

Bass Pro Edition | Dude Perfect

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5 #شخص_استحاله_ت�… #TWUG Shane McMahon
6 #TercaDetremuraSdv Bill Gates #MaternityReview
7 #النصر_بنديكور #IveGrownAccustomedTo #AFCvFCB
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February 25, 2016

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Queen’s pigeon rescued after fleeing royal loft –
Animal welfare officers who rescued a lost pigeon in East Lothian were surprised to discover it had a royal owner – the Queen. The Scottish SPCA was called when the exhausted bird was spotted at Traprain Terrace in Haddington on February 2. Staff traced it back to its owner and the racing pigeon has now been returned to the royal loft 407 miles away at Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The charity’s animal rescue officer Connie O’Neill said: “I’ve rescued many pigeons during my career with the Scottish SPCA but this was certainly a first for me. “We were able to identity where the pigeon had come from using the ring number on its leg and arrangements were made for it to be collected.” [Daily Telegraph]

Islamic State hackers take aim at Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Dorsey –
Islamic State has released a new video featuring photographs of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg riddled with digitally added bullet holes and mocking the social media websites’ attempts to block terrorist content from their platforms. Hackers known as the Sons Caliphate Army, the self-styled hacking division of Islamic State, uploaded a video on Tuesday entitled “Flames of the Supporters” in which the group challenges the efforts of Facebook and Twitter to shut down its digital operations. The video begins displays screen grabs of some of the 10,000 Facebook accounts, 150 Facebook groups and 5,000 Twitter profiles the terrorist group claims to control. It takes aim at the recent campaigns by the two social media websites to take down accounts controlled or connected to the terrorist group and used to spread their message. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

How to Win an Election from The New York Times – Video on Vimeo.

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April 21, 2016

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Prince Dies at 57: Iconic Musical Genius Found Dead in Paisley Park –
Prince died today  at age 57 at his Paisley Park home and studio in Minneapolis, his publicist confirmed to the Associated Press. TMZ first reported the news. According to a press release sent from the Carver County Sheriff’s Department this afternoon, deputies arrived at Paisley Park at 9:43 a.m. and found Prince unresponsive in the elevator. After CPR attempts were unsuccessful, he was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. The cause of death has not yet been determined, and Carver County with assistance from Hennepin County Sheriffs and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating. Prince was hospitalized last week after his plane for was forced to make an emergency landing in Moline, Ill. Released a few hours later, a rep told TMZ that he had been battling a bad case of the flu. One of the most iconic musicians in music history, Prince’s extensive career grew out of the music scene of his native Minneapolis, where he lived his entire life. His 1978 debut album For You and self-titled second LP, released in October 1979, kicked off an incredibly prolific run of albums that included 1999, Purple Rain, Around The World In A Day, Sign O The Times and Batman, among others, throughout the 1980s at a clip of nearly one per year, evolving with each release. [Billboard]
Prince_at_CoachellaPrince in 2008

Queen’s 90th birthday: Beacons lit amid UK celebrations –
The Queen has lit the first of more than 900 beacons lighting up across the UK and overseas as part of her 90th birthday celebrations. Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall then joined the monarch at a private dinner in Windsor Castle. Earlier, cheering crowds lined the streets in Windsor as the Queen took part in a walkabout. At the lighting of the beacon in Windsor, the Prince of Wales, referring to his mother, said: “I find it very hard to believe that you’ve reached your 90th year and I suddenly realised the other day that I have known you since you were 22 years old. “But this, ladies and gentleman, is a very special occasion and this beacon that her majesty is about to light will also represent – as it lights other beacons across the nation – the love and affection with which you are held throughout this country and the Commonwealth. [BBC]
Queen_Elizabeth_II_March_2015

Solar plane slowly soaring from Hawaii to California –
A solar plane on an around-the-world journey has reached the point of no return over the Pacific Ocean after departing Hawaii, and now it’s California or bust. The plane was cruising over the cold northern Pacific late Thursday at about 20,000 feet with a nearly-full battery as night descended, according to the website that’s documenting the journey of Solar Impulse 2. After some uncertainty about winds, the plane took off from Hawaii and was on course to land in Mountain View, California, in about three days. The crew that helped it take off was clearing out of its Hawaiian hangar and headed for the mainland for the weekend arrival. Pilot Bertrand Piccard is flying this leg of the journey. [AP]

Video of the Day –

Alone in Paris from Mathieu Stern on Vimeo.

List of the Day –


Prince Discography

Studio albums

Live albums
Remix albums
Compilation albums
The New Power Generation albums
The NPG Orchestra albums
Madhouse albums
  • 8 (1987)
  • 16 (1987)

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  • More than 100 are feared dead in an early summer heatwave in India which has forced the closure of schools. (Reuters)
  • At least 24 people are killed, 136 others injured, and eight workers still missing from yesterday’s blast at the major Clorados 3 petrochemical plant of Petroquimica Mexicana de Vinilo. Nineteen people remain hospitalized, with 13 in serious condition. The plant is run by Mexichem under agreement with Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the national petrochemical company, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, on the country’s southern Gulf of Mexico coast. Pemex had an earlier fire at the same facility in February 2016 that killed one worker; also that month, an offshore Pemex Gulf platform fire killed two and injured eight.(Reuters) (AP)
  • At least two people are killed after an oceanfront stretch of an elevated bike lane in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, collapses when it was hit by a strong wave. Two other people were rescued alive, while another may be missing. The bike lane was among the projects built in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics. No Olympic event will be held on the path. (AP) (AP² via CBS News) (Hindustan Times)
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Law and crime
  • Crime in El Salvador
    • The government of El Salvador unveils and deploys a new heavily armed special forces unit to fight criminal gangs in rural areas of the country. Officials say it will target gang leaders who left the cities because of a government crackdown. (BBC)
  • Six high ranking Pakistan Army officers, including a lieutenant-general and major-general, are sacked by Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif amid corruption allegations within the army. Sharif said corruption had to be uprooted to fight terrorism. (BBC)
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May 11, 2016

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Queen filmed calling Chinese officials ‘very rude’ –
The Queen has been filmed saying Chinese officials were “very rude” during last year’s state visit by President Xi Jinping. She was discussing their treatment of Britain’s ambassador to China with a senior police officer at a Buckingham Palace garden party on Tuesday. It came after David Cameron was overheard saying Afghanistan and Nigeria were “fantastically corrupt“. The Queen’s remarks were filmed as she was introduced to Metropolitan Police Commander Lucy D’Orsi, who the monarch is told had overseen security during President Xi’s visit to the UK in October. [BBC]
Queen_Elizabeth_II_March_2015 The Queen

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Nightlife from Wriggles & Robins on Vimeo.

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December 18, 2016

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Zsa Zsa Gabor: Hollywood legend dies at 99 –
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor has died at he age of 99 after suffering a heart attack, her husband has confirmed. On the point of tears, Frederic von Anhalt told the AFP news agency his wife had passed away at home, surrounded by her friends and family. “Everybody was there. She didn’t die alone,” he said. Born in Hungary, she emigrated to the United States during World War Two and made her Hollywood debut in 1952. She was married nine times. She appeared in more than 70 films, but was more famous for her celebrity lifestyle. She first married at the age of 20 and for the last (and longest) time when she was nearly 70 to the man who outlived her. By her own reckoning she was only married eight-and-a-half times – she said she didn’t really count a Spanish duke in 1982. [BBC]
zsa_zsa_gabor_-_1959 Zsa Zsa Gabor in 1959

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INDIAN PACIFIC FIFTEEN from Tom Jennings on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Zsa Zsa Gabor Filmography

Film

Year Film Director Note
1952 Lovely to Look At[68] LeRoy
We’re Not Married![69] Goulding
Moulin Rouge[69] Huston
1953 The Story of Three Loves[70] Minelli
Lili[69] Walters
L’ennemi public no. 1 (The Most Wanted Man) Verneuil
1954 Sangre y luces (Love in a Hot Climate)[71] Rouquier/Suey
3 Ring Circus[69] Pevney
1956 Death of a Scoundrel[69] Martin
1957 The Girl in the Kremlin[72] Birdwell
1958 The Man Who Wouldn’t Talk Wilconx
Country Music Holiday[72] Ganzer
Touch of Evil[69] Welles
Queen of Outer Space[69] Bernds
1959 For the First Time Mate
1960 Pepe[1] Sidney
1962 The Road to Hong Kong[73] Panama Cameo
Boys’ Night Out[69] Gordon
1966 Picture Mommy Dead[69] Gordon
Drop Dead Darling[74] Hughes
1967 Jack of Diamonds[75] Taylor
1972 Up the Front Kiliett
1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood[76] Winner
1978 Every Girl Should Have One Hyatt
1984 Frankenstein’s Great Aunt Tillie[77] Gold
1987 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors[78] Russell Cameo
1992 The Naked Truth[72] Mastorakis
1993 Happily Ever After[79] Blossom Voice only
The Beverly Hillbillies[80] Spheeris Cameo

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