September 29th 2014

Top News Stories –

Max Verstappen: Teenager to drive in practice at Japanese Grand Prix –
Max Verstappen will become the youngest driver ever to take part in a grand prix weekend when he drives in first practice in Japan on Friday. The Dutchman, who is 17 on Tuesday, is making his debut for the Toro Rosso team, for whom he will race in 2015. He will drive Jean-Eric Vergne’s car in preparation for next season when he replaces the French driver. “To be already participating in a practice session is a dream come true,” Verstappen said. [BBC]
Max_VerstappenMax Verstappen

CIA Starbucks is the weirdest Starbucks –
Nestled in the heart of CIA’s high security Langley, Virginia headquarters is a branch of Starbucks. Its day-to-day operation runs a little different to that of a mall-based coffee shop however, for starters, baristas aren’t allowed to write customers’ names on their cups. Such is the level of secrecy at the agency that receipts for the café simply say “Store Number 1”, with staff affectionately calling it “Stealthy Starbucks”. There are no frequent customer reward cards – officials fear the data they contain could be mined by marketers and compromise undercover agents’ identity – and baristas have to go through thorough background checks before starting and be escorted on and off the work area by “minders”. [The Independent]

Video of the Day –

Why Starbucks Spells Your Name Wrong [Contains strong language]

List of the Day –

Youngest drivers to start an Formula One race

Driver Age Place Race
1 Spain Jaime Alguersuari 19 years, 125 days 15th 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix
2 New Zealand Mike Thackwell 19 years, 182 days Ret 1980 Canadian Grand Prix
3 Mexico Ricardo Rodriguez 19 years, 208 days Ret 1961 Italian Grand Prix
4 Spain Fernando Alonso 19 years, 218 days 12th 2001 Australian Grand Prix
5 Argentina Esteban Tuero 19 years, 320 days Ret 1998 Australian Grand Prix
6 New Zealand Chris Amon 19 years, 324 days Ret 1963 Belgian Grand Prix
Russia Daniil Kvyat 9th 2014 Australian Grand Prix
8 Germany Sebastian Vettel 19 years, 349 days 8th 2007 United States Grand Prix
9 United States Eddie Cheever 20 years, 53 days Ret 1978 South African Grand Prix
United Kingdom Jenson Button Ret 2000 Australian Grand Prix
Source:[2]

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1 Happy National Coffee Day #whenifirstjoinedthe5sosfam Melbourne
2 #whenifirstjoinedthe5sosfam #StealMyGirlOnTheRadio #StealMyGirlIsPerfect
3 #HarryPotterC5 #NationalCoffeeDay #NashsNewVideo
4 #ShamedByYouAgainSBY Cowboys Jason
5 La Boule Happy National Coffee Day Sandra
6 #HadadArdyansah Dunkin #LiamWeKnowItWasYou
7 #HayırKapımızKimseYokMu #LIAMYOUAREDADDYNOTBAE #JeromeJarreInAustralia
8 #LIAMYOUAREDADDYNOTBAE #5SOSGMA Brothers 3
9 Fa From Bumi Halloween Patrick Reed
10 #bestpartofwwa Hong Kong #RyderCup2014

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Armed conflicts and attacks
  • War in Donbass
    • Renewed clashes around the Donetsk International Airport between the pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian government troops kill at least 12 people in the worst flareup of violence since the ceasefire accord earlier in September. (CBC)
International Relations
  • Argentina‘s central bank announces that it will pay the holders of its restructured debt Tuesday. Implicitly this indicates that it is ready to defy a U.S. federal court which has blocked such payments until the holders of hold-out bonds are included. (Reuters)
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February 18, 2015

Top News Stories –

F1 drivers banned from changing helmets –
Former Formula One drivers take to Twitter to criticise a new rule banning Formula 1 drivers from changing their helmet design during the season. Alex Wurz who chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, tweeted –
copyright @AlexWurz on Twitter
And Australian former Red Bull driver Mark Weber added –
copyright @AussieGrit on Twitter

The Boston Blizzard Challenge –
The mayor of Boston Martin Walsh has asked the public to stop jumping out of first floor windows into piles of snow left by the record levels of snow that has fallen in February. Bostonians are stripping down to their underwear and leaping into the snowdrifts in a trend called the Boston Blizzard Challenge, all for social media’s delight – a perfect Vine.

Video of the Day –


Little Dreams from Wilkie Branson on Vimeo.
CLICK TO SEE MORE STUFF FROM THIS DAY…

March 29, 2015

Top News Stories –

Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia crush New Zealand in final –
Australia overwhelmed New Zealand to win the World Cup for a fifth time at an ecstatic Melbourne Cricket Ground. New Zealand lost influential captain Brendon McCullum to the fifth ball of the match and were bowled out for 183. Grant Elliott resisted with 83, while Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner shared eight wickets. Australia rarely looked troubled, sealing a seven-wicket win in 33.1 overs, with captain Michael Clarke scoring 74 and Steve Smith 56 not out. [BBC]

Jess Glynne scores UK number one –
Jess Glynne has topped the UK singles chart for the first time as a solo artist with her track Hold My Hand. The 25-year-old Londoner got two number ones last year as a guest vocalist on Clean Bandit’s Rather Be and Route 94’s My Love. “To get a number one in my own name is one of the most insane feelings,” she said. The singer outsold her nearest rival, James Bay’s Hold Back the River, by 40,000 copies. (See video of the day) [BBC]

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel beats Lewis Hamilton to shock Malaysia win –
Sebastian Vettel took a sensational maiden victory for Ferrari as he won a straight fight with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Vettel, who joined Ferrari this year as Fernando Alonso’s replacement, won a strategic battle as Mercedes struggled with tyres in the tropical heat. Hamilton’s team-mate Nico Rosberg was third from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who fought back from an early puncture. [BBC]
Sebastian_VettelSebastian Vettel

Video of the Day –

Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand

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October 25, 2015

Top News Stories –

Lewis Hamilton wins his third F1 World Championship –
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won a thrilling United States Grand Prix to seal his third World Championship. Hamilton pressured team-mate Nico Rosberg into a mistake during a frantic last 10 laps after a safety car and swept by to take his 10th win of 2015. It was an exciting climax to a race of fluctuating fortunes, lead changes and superb racing in changing conditions. Hamilton becomes only the second British driver after Sir Jackie Stewart to win three Formula 1 drivers’ titles. [BBC] See List of the Day
Lewis_Hamilton_2014Lewis Hamilton

Moto GP: Valentino Rossi penalised for kicking Marc Marquez –
MotoGP championship leader Valentino Rossi will start the final race of the season from the back of the grid after kicking Marc Marquez off his bike during the Malaysian Grand Prix.Rossi finished third but was given three penalty points following a post-race investigation. He later accused Marquez of “making me lose the championship”. Honda’s Dani Pedrosa won the race, with Jorge Lorenzo second. The final race takes place in Spain on 8 November. Rossi now leads Lorenzo by just seven points in the championship. [BBC]
Valentino_RossiValentino Rossi

Video of the Day –

Confusion as Turkey clocks defy time-change delay –
Confused Turks are asking “what’s the time?” after automatic clocks defied a government decision to defer a seasonal hour’s change in the time. Along with other countries, Turkey had been due to “fall back” an hour on Saturday at the end of summertime daylight saving. The Turkish government however decided to postpone the change until after upcoming polls. But some clocks have changed the time regardless – causing bewilderment.
The hashtag #saatkac – or “what’s the time?” – is now trending in Turkey as Twitter users express confusion. [BBC]

Our Fractal Brains from Julius Horsthuis on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Formula One Grand Prix Winners
Rank Country Driver Wins Seasons active First win Last win
1  Germany Michael Schumacher 91 19912006
20102012
1992 Belgian Grand Prix 2006 Chinese Grand Prix
2  France Alain Prost 51 19801991
1993
1981 French Grand Prix 1993 German Grand Prix
3  United Kingdom Lewis Hamiltondagger 43 2007 2007 Canadian Grand Prix 2015 United States Grand Prix
4  Germany Sebastian Vetteldagger 42 2007 2008 Italian Grand Prix 2015 Singapore Grand Prix
5  Brazil Ayrton Senna 41 19841994 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix 1993 Australian Grand Prix
6  Spain Fernando Alonsodagger 32 2001
2003
2003 Hungarian Grand Prix 2013 Spanish Grand Prix
7  United Kingdom Nigel Mansell 31 19801992
19941995
1985 European Grand Prix 1994 Australian Grand Prix
8  United Kingdom Jackie Stewart 27 19651973 1965 Italian Grand Prix 1973 German Grand Prix
9  United Kingdom Jim Clark 25 19601968 1962 Belgian Grand Prix 1968 South African Grand Prix
9  Austria Niki Lauda 25 19711979
19821985
1974 Spanish Grand Prix 1985 Dutch Grand Prix
11  Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio 24 19501951
19531958
1950 Monaco Grand Prix 1957 German Grand Prix
12  Brazil Nelson Piquet 23 19781991 1980 United States Grand Prix West 1991 Canadian Grand Prix
13  United Kingdom Damon Hill 22 19921999 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix 1998 Belgian Grand Prix
14  Finland Mika Häkkinen 20 19912001 1997 European Grand Prix 2001 United States Grand Prix
14  Finland Kimi Räikkönendagger 20 20012009
2012
2003 Malaysian Grand Prix 2013 Australian Grand Prix
16  United Kingdom Stirling Moss 16 19501962 1955 British Grand Prix 1961 German Grand Prix
17  United Kingdom Jenson Buttondagger 15 2000 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
18  Australia Jack Brabham 14 19551970 1959 Monaco Grand Prix 1970 South African Grand Prix
18  United Kingdom Graham Hill 14 19581975 1962 Dutch Grand Prix 1969 Monaco Grand Prix
18  Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi 14 19701980 1970 United States Grand Prix 1975 British Grand Prix
21  Italy Alberto Ascari 13 19501955 1951 German Grand Prix 1953 Swiss Grand Prix
21  United Kingdom David Coulthard 13 19942008 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix 2003 Australian Grand Prix
23  United States Mario Andretti 12 19681972
19741982
1971 South African Grand Prix 1978 Dutch Grand Prix
23  Argentina Carlos Reutemann 12 19721982 1974 South African Grand Prix 1981 Belgian Grand Prix
23  Australia Alan Jones 12 19751981
1983
19851986
1977 Austrian Grand Prix 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
26  Canada Jacques Villeneuve 11 19962006 1996 European Grand Prix 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix
26  Brazil Rubens Barrichello 11 19932011 2000 German Grand Prix 2009 Italian Grand Prix
26  Brazil Felipe Massadagger 11 2002
2004
2006 Turkish Grand Prix 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
26  Germany Nico Rosbergdagger 11 2006 2012 Chinese Grand Prix 2015 Austrian Grand Prix
30  Sweden Ronnie Peterson 10 19701978 1973 French Grand Prix 1978 Austrian Grand Prix
30  South Africa Jody Scheckter 10 19721980 1974 Swedish Grand Prix 1979 Italian Grand Prix
30  United Kingdom James Hunt 10 19731979 1975 Dutch Grand Prix 1977 Japanese Grand Prix
30  Austria Gerhard Berger 10 19841997 1986 Mexican Grand Prix 1997 German Grand Prix

List from Wikipedia

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1 Rossi #7MonthsWithoutZayn #ClocksGoBack
2 SorryBieberIsBack #MTVEMA Martin Amis
3 #7MonthsWithoutZayn Flip Saunders Iraq War
4 #YaEsTipicoQue Tony Blair #XFactor
5 #Elecciones2015 #LifeLessonIn5Words #DerbyDay
6 #SPSSariSariLaf Jets Tony Blair
7 VoteOneDirectionEMA #5daysTilFocus #ARGvAUS
8 #HappyBirthdayKatyPerry #HIAC #NFLUK
9 #SaatKaç #5HAppreciationDay #TimeSongs
10 DAVID WATCH OUT Cowboys Chelsea

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  • The United Parcel Service pilots’ union authorizes its executive board to call a strike at the board’s discretion as contract talks slog into a fifth year. This, in the wake of competitor FedEx pilots’ approval of a new six-year contract. (WSJ)
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November 29, 2015

Top News Stories –

Andy Murray wins the Davis Cup for Great Britain –
Great Britain have won the Davis Cup for the first time since 1936 after Andy Murray beat Belgium’s David Goffin to clinch the decisive point in Ghent. Murray won 6-3 7-5 6-3 to give the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie. Britain have now won the team title 10 times [the last title was in 1936], while Murray adds the Davis Cup to his other major titles at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Olympic Games. Captain Leon Smith guided Britain from the third tier to glory in five years. [BBC] See Video of the Day. Andy Murray posted the most minimal of tweets afterwards:
Andy Murray tweet
Andy_MurrayAndy Murray

Formula One season ends with Hamilton champion but Rosberg winning –
Nico Rosberg beat Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to win the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The victory was the German’s third in a row, giving him a boost ahead of 2016 after Hamilton won the title last month with three races still to go. [BBC] See List of the Day
Nico_RosbergNico Rosberg

Video of the Day –

Andy Murray defeats David Goffin 6:3 7:5 6:3 to clinch the winning point for Great Britain in the 2015 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final

List of the Day –

Formula 1 Grand Prix 2015 results:

Pos. Driver AUS
Australia
MAL
Malaysia
CHN
China
BHR
Bahrain
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
AUT
Austria
GBR
United Kingdom
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
SIN
Singapore
JPN
Japan
RUS
Russia
USA
United States
MEX
Mexico
BRA
Brazil
ABU
United Arab Emirates
Points
1 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton 1 2 1 1 2 3 1 2 1 6 1 1 Ret 1 1 1 2 2 2 381
2 Germany Nico Rosberg 2 3 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 8 2 17† 4 2 Ret 2 1 1 1 322
3 Germany Sebastian Vettel 3 1 3 5 3 2 5 4 3 1 12† 2 1 3 2 3 Ret 3 4 278
4 Finland Kimi Räikkönen Ret 4 4 2 5 6 4 Ret 8 Ret 7 5 3 4 8 Ret Ret 4 3 150
5 Finland Valtteri Bottas DNS 5 6 4 4 14 3 5 5 13 9 4 5 5 12† Ret 3 5 13 136
6 Brazil Felipe Massa 4 6 5 10 6 15 6 3 4 12 6 3 Ret 17 4 Ret 6 DSQ 8 121
7 Russia Daniil Kvyat DNS 9 Ret 9 10 4 9 12 6 2 4 10 6 13 5 Ret 4 7 10 95
8 Australia Daniel Ricciardo 6 10 9 6 7 5 13 10 Ret 3 Ret 8 2 15 15† 10 5 11 6 92
9 Mexico Sergio Pérez 10 13 11 8 13 7 11 9 9 Ret 5 6 7 12 3 5 8 12 5 78
10 Germany Nico Hülkenberg 7 14 Ret 13 15 11 8 6 7 Ret DNS 7 Ret 6 Ret Ret 7 6 7 58
11 France Romain Grosjean Ret 11 7 7 8 12 10 Ret Ret 7 3 Ret 13† 7 Ret Ret 10 8 9 51
12 Netherlands Max Verstappen Ret 7 17† Ret 11 Ret 15 8 Ret 4 8 12 8 9 10 4 9 9 16 49
13 Brazil Felipe Nasr 5 12 8 12 12 9 16 11 DNS 11 11 13 10 20† 6 9 Ret 13 15 27
14 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado        Ret Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 7 7 Ret 14 Ret Ret 12 8 7 8 11 10 Ret 27
15 Spain Carlos Sainz, Jr. 9 8 13 Ret 9 10 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 9 10 Ret 7 13 Ret 11 18
16 United Kingdom Jenson Button 11 Ret 14 DNS 16 8 Ret Ret Ret 9 14 14 Ret 16 9 6 14 14 12 16
17 Spain Fernando Alonso Ret 12 11 Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 5 13 18† Ret 11 11 11 Ret 15 17 11
18 Sweden Marcus Ericsson 8 Ret 10 14 14 13 14 13 11 10 10 9 11 14 Ret Ret 12 16 14 9
19 Spain Roberto Merhi DNP 15 16 17 18 16 Ret 14 12 15 15 16 13 19 0
20 United States Alexander Rossi 14 18 12 15 18 0
21 United Kingdom Will Stevens DNP DNS 15 16 17 17 17 Ret 13 16† 16 15 15 19 14 Ret 16 17 18 0
Denmark  Kevin Magnussen DNS 0
Pos. Driver AUS
Australia
MAL
Malaysia
CHN
China
BHR
Bahrain
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
AUT
Austria
GBR
United Kingdom
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
SIN
Singapore
JPN
Japan
RUS
Russia
USA
United States
MEX
Mexico
BRA
Brazil
ABU
United Arab Emirates
Points

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Worldwide USA UK
1 #BrouisIsFake #WeLoveYouCalum #ClimateMarch
2 #EsasDescontroladasGanasDe #XmasGiftsForAMobBoss #WeLoveYouCalum
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4 #VamosChilenos Princess Charlotte #MakeAMovieHungover
5 #RUNwithBTS Mark Richt Anthony Joshua
6 #هل_ترضين_تتزو�… #ClimateMarch #DavisCupFinal
7 肉の日 #SoulTrainAwards #Marr
8 CONFIDENT ON SPOTIFY #DeGaleBute #DeGaleBute
9 Les Miles Brandon Rush Princess Charlotte
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March 23, 2016

Top News Stories –

Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl backs teenage metal band in Cornwall noise row –
US rocker Dave Grohl has leapt to the defence of a teenage heavy metal band from Cornwall – after their local council said they were too loud. The Black Leaves of Envy were told they would have to stop practising in a family garage after noise complaints from neighbours. Foo Fighters frontman Grohl penned an open letter to the authority after the band reached out to him. He asked Cornwall Council to “reconsider the restrictions”. In the open letter, former Nirvana drummer Grohl says he started out practising in a garage and says music is a “wonderful, creative outlet for kids”. Grohl also penned a separate letter to the band, giving them advice on soundproofing. He advised the group to fill the garage walls with sand and cover the floor in gym mats. Band member Adam Jones, 17, said: “It’s just been surreal – I’m speechless.” “Seeing the Foo Fighters tag you in a post on Facebook was just incredible,” he said. [BBC] Grohl famously broke his leg when he fell off the stage at a gig in Gothenburg, Sweden in June 2015 but returned to finish the concert.
Dave_GrohlDave Gohl

Formula 1 drivers warn success of sport could be jeopardised –
Formula 1 drivers have demanded change at the top of the sport, saying its decision-making process is “obsolete and ill-structured”. Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) directors Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz have written a letter on behalf of the drivers. It “urges the owners and stakeholders of F1 to restructure its governance”. Many issues can be traced back to F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, but the letter does not mention the 85-year-old. Some recent decisions are “disruptive”, avoid “the bigger issues” and “could jeopardise F1’s success”, it adds. Writing the letter is an extraordinary step by the drivers, which reflects the strength of their feelings on the matter.
Jenson_ButtonJenson Button

Video of the Day –

iPhone SE (parody)

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1 #QuartaSantaClubeSDV #NationalPuppyDay #NationalPuppyDay
2 Katt Williams #WednesdayWisdom Katt Williams
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4 #شبيهك_من_المش�… David Letterman #DogBooks
5 #ObamaEnArgentina #1linewed Suzanne Evans
6 #اشكر_ربي_علي #ObamaEnArgentina #SocialDayUK
7 #الهلال_في_ثلا�… #WeAreNotThis Bridget Jones
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May 15, 2016

Top News Stories –

Max Verstappen becomes youngest F1 winner in history at Spanish Grand Prix –
The delivery of the prodigy Max Verstappen, who became the youngest winner of a Formula One race when he triumphed in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, brought an iridescence to a sport that for too long has laboured in the single colour of the silver Mercedes. When Verstappen made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso as a 17-year-old last year he was so young that the concerned people at the FIA changed the rules; now you have to be 18. Verstappen was actually only 16 in 2014, when it was first announced that he would be driving in F1. Many sagacious voices said he was too young but there can be no doubts now. He crossed the winning line aged 18 years and 228 days, beating Sebastian Vettel’s previous record by two and a half years – Vettel was 21 and 73 days when he won in Italy in 2008. [Guardian]
Max_VerstappenMax Verstappen

Magnetic Hyperloop pod unveiled at MIT –
A people-carrying pod designed to levitate and travel at extremely high speeds has been unveiled in Boston. A 30-strong team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of several groups and companies working on making the Hyperloop concept a reality. The idea, first envisioned by Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, is to create a transport system that propels pods through airtight tubes. The MIT team said its pod design paved the way for “a mode of transportation that could change how we think about travel”. Critics of Hyperloop say it is unlikely to succeed because of prohibitive costs. A white paper by Mr Musk published in 2013 proposed a Hyperloop tube connection from San Francisco to Los Angeles. At speeds of around 700mph (1,127km/h), Mr Musk predicted the journey time would be around 30 minutes. [BBC] See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

MIT Hyperloop Intro

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