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Tag: British

  • Mary Soames, Winston Churchill’s Daughter, Dies At 91

    Lady Mary Soames, the last surviving child of Winston Churchill, has died at the age of 91. The family announced that she passed away on Saturday, due to an illness.

    Soames was born in 1922, and is the youngest of the five Churchill siblings. When her father led the British against the German Nazis in World War II, Soames joined the first Red Cross to serve with her father. She also served in Germany, Belgium, and London.

    In addition, Soames spent time travelling with her father, and was present during the post-war planning conference in Germany.

    Nicolas Soames, Lady Mary’s son, said that his mother was a distinguished writer who led a great life and provided her service during the war. He also said that it is a coincidence that his mother passed away just before the 70th anniversary of D-Day, which is on June 6. “It is the great swing of history,” he said.

    He added, “She was not just a wonderful mother to whom we were all devoted, but the head and heart of our family after our father died, and will be greatly missed.”

    Soames spent her life giving service to the public, both by birth and marriage. She married Christopher Soames in 1947, who was a Conservative politician who served as a minister under Margaret Thatcher, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Macmillan, and Anthony Eden.

    Prime Minister David Cameron also expressed his grief over the death of Soames. He described her as a warm-hearted and wonderful woman. “In the week of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, we remember that she served her country in World War II and was an eye-witness to some of the most important moments in our recent history as she accompanied her father to key conferences.”

    Lady Mary Soames is survived by five children, Arthur Nicholas, Emma Mary, Jeremy Bernard, Charlotte Clementine, and Rupert Christopher.

    Image via YouTube

  • Elena Baltacha, Former British Tennis Player, Dies

    Elena Baltacha, a former British tennis player, died from liver cancer on Sunday. She was only 30-years-old.

    Baltacha, who was born in the Ukraine but was raised in Scotland, revealed that she had cancer in March after being diagnosed in January.

    Her diagnosis came only two months after she officially retired from the sport, due to ankle problems, and a few short weeks after she married her long-time coach Nino Severino.

    “We are heartbroken beyond words at the loss of our beautiful, talented and determined Bally,” Severino said. “She was an amazing person and she touched so many people with her inspirational spirit, her warmth and her kindness.”

    Baltacha was diagnosed with a chronic liver condition called primary sclerosing cholangitis at the age of 19. Despite her illness, Baltacha became the number one British player and reached the third round of the Grand Slam tournaments at Wimbledon in 2002, and then again at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2010. Her highest rank was in 2010 when she was 49th. Throughout her career, Baltacha also won 11 single titles.

    “We have lost a shining light from the heart of British tennis – a true role model, a great competitor and a wonderful friend,” Iain Bates, the former Fed Cup coach said. “We have so many special memories to cherish, but this leaves a gaping hole for everybody in both British and women’s tennis, and words simply cannot express how saddened we are by this news,” Bates said. “All our thoughts are with Nino and the rest of Elena’s family. We will miss you, Bal.”

    The Lawn Tennis Association also paid tribute to Baltacha. “Forever remembered for her relentless determination, unbelievable drive and a will-power that never ceased to amaze us, it was a pleasure to watch Bally develop into a world-class player,” the LTA said in a statement.

    “With her enthusiasm, spirit and passion for life, she was a pure joy to be around and, having recently got married to her husband Nino Severino, she was embarking on a new chapter in her life,” the statement continued. “She fought tirelessly during her career against opposition on court and never gave in to the struggles she endured off it. The health issues she battled since her teenage years made what she achieved during her career all the more impressive.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mariah Carey Drops Big Bucks on Plane Ticket

    Mariah Carey reportedly dropped big bucks–more than $70,000–on a one-way flight to France for next month’s Cannes Film Festival. It seems the 44-year-old diva didn’t just buy a first class ticket either. She rented out the entire cabin of the British Airways flight so she isn’t “disturbed by fans” as she flies from New York to France.

    “Over the years Mariah has grown accustomed to traveling in ultimate style so she doesn’t think twice about paying such a crazy amount to ensure her privacy,” a source says.

    Carey plans to pamper herself while taking the overseas flight.

    “At least she’ll be able to stock up on the missing passengers’ complimentary eye masks and hot towels,” the source shared.

    “Let’s hope she doesn’t demand that British Airways lays out fluffy carpets for her, kits out the upper deck with puppies and paints the interiors cream. To be honest, it would be cheaper for Mariah to just hire her own private jet.”

    Mariah Carey has long been known for her diva behavior. During a recent interview she tried to explain that behavior away.

    “I never had a mental breakdown, I had a diva fit and it was [because] no one wanted to let me have a say. When you start so young in the industry people are used to controlling you and then they realize, ‘Oh this person has an opinion… OK it’s different now,’” she said.

    Does that excuse spending such an exorbitant amount of money on a one-way flight from New York to France? That’s even a sinful amount of money to spend on a round trip ticket. It seems it’s always the best for Mariah Carey, however.

    What do you suppose she is demanding of the airline for her flight to France? Special foods and beverages? And if she is pampering herself do you think she is bringing allow her own “people” in the form of a massage therapist or manicurist? Surely she won’t do her own pampering.

    Does any of this surprise you?

    Do you suppose hubby Nick Cannon and ‘dem babies’ are going to Cannes with Mariah Carey, too? She recently posted an adorable Easter photo via Instagram of the whole family.

    She’s probably not taking Nick and the kids. That would mean bringing a nanny along on the flight–and surely there isn’t enough room on that British Airways flight for one extra person.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Lizzy Yarnold’s Mental Toughness Helps Her Win Gold

    BBC Sport tells us of the England-born Lizzy Yarnold, who transforms into “The Yarnold” when she hits the ice, and how she used her patented brand of mental toughness, intricate sled engineering and deep house music to win the gold medal in the skeleton races in Sochi.

    Finalizing her combined runs with the fourth and final one yesterday, Yarnold came out on top with a deciding victory of three minutes 52.89 seconds that put her .97 seconds away from second-place finisher Noelle Pikus-Pace of the United States. Her being almost a whole second away from her competitors is a big deal– usually first, second and third placers are small fractions away from each other in timing.

    True to her mental toughness m.o., Yarnold suffered a wobble near the top of the final run, but recovered to become just the fifth British athlete to win the gold at the Winter Olympics.

    Her victory speech reiterated her strong belief in the strength of mental toughness, by admonishing every one to “follow your dreams, never give up and never limit yourself to what you can achieve.” About her win she proudly stated, “I think I was bold enough to learn the Russian for I am champion. I believed in myself, I knew I could do it if I put in the hard work and dedication.”

    The 25-year-old British skeleton racer began competing in 2010, and won her first official race that year. Skeleton racing involves sliding face down on a small sled at over 80mph. A rider can experience forces up to 5 g wearing only a helmet for protection. Definitely a sport involving a high concentration of mental toughness.

    Image via Twitter

  • One Direction Named Top Band Of 2013

    One Direction Named Top Band Of 2013

    One Direction, the British boy band that took the world by storm after appearing together during the 2010 season of X Factor, was named the Global Recording Artists of 2013 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, on Wednesday.

    The IFPI represents the music business all around the world, and, for the first year, included streaming numbers, along with downloads and physical purchases, when determining the winner of the award.

    “Streaming has become so much more mainstream within the music industry worldwide over the last couple of years we thought it was time we integrated the streams-on services such as Deezer and Spotify and YouTube as well,” Alex Jacob, the IFPI communications manager said.

    “Many congratulations to One Direction who topped a talented field to become the IFPI Global Recording Artists of 2013,” said chief executive of IFPI Frances Moore. “This is a global IFPI award for a new era of music consumption, based on a new metric of global success. Our chart for the first time measures the popularity of artists across the many different ways in which fans choose their music.”

    One Direction released their third studio album Midnight Memories last year, and it instantly rose to the top of the Billboard Top 200 chart. The band has also had success on YouTube. Their single Best Song Ever received more than 200 million views, while Story of My Life recorded nearly 100 million.

    “Incredible news,” band member Niall Horan said. “It’s great to have a chart that includes everything from iTunes and record stores, to YouTube and Spotify. Again a huge thank you to all of our fans for such an amazing 2013.”

    Eninem came in second, behind One Direction, with Justin Timberlake in third. Bruno Mars and Katy Perry rounded off the top five.

    Image via Twitter

  • Sherlock Holmes Is Now Officially Public Domain

    After many years of being a beloved book series, and recently being turned into popular films, the character of Sherlock Holmes is officially public domain. This allows authors from the United States to re-imagine the classic tales of the beloved British detective.

    Before now, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted into films as well as popular television shows such as Sherlock and Elementary, but there will now be an opportunity for Sherlock Holmes to emerge through the medium of literature again.

    The Sherlock Holmes novels were written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and were first introduced in 1887. The books centered on Sherlock Holmes, a British detective who is accompanied by his sidekick Watson, and the many adventures that the two of them go on.

    Sherlock Holmes entered public domain in Britain years ago. However, due to a US copyright law protecting 10 short stories in the vast Holmes collection, the descendants of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were able to retain intellectual property rights in the United States.

    The lawsuit was brought on by Leslie Klinger, an author, editor, and Sherlock Holmes expert. Klinger reported being threatened by the Doyle estate, but she fought the case, claiming that most of the stories and characters in the Holmes canon were old enough that they belonged in the public domain.

    There has been a resurgence in the popularity of Sherlock Holmes due to the new films starring Robert Downey Jr., while the BBC’s production Sherlock has always gained a great amount of popularity that stretches to audiences in the United States as well.

    The Conan Doyle estate claimed that Holmes and his partner Watson were continually developed that the copyright should extend to the characters themselves in addition to the 10 short stories.

    However, a judge recently denied that claim and Judge Ruben Castillo ruled that Sherlock Holmes shall be public domain when saying “The effect of adopting Conan Doyle’s position would be to extend impermissibly the copyright of certain character elements of Holmes and Watson beyond their statutory period.”

    In the ruling, he concluded that only the story elements from the 10 short stories published after 1923 shall be protected, and that everything else in the Sherlock Holmes canon is free for public use.

    After being published in 1887, the character of Sherlock Holmes has finally become public domain in the United States. As popularity is rising with the beloved detective again, fans are likely to see some new books featuring the detective in the near future.

    Image via Facebook

  • Queen’s Speech 2013: Meditation and Baby George

    The Telegraph from the U.K. tells us of Queen Elizabeth’s traditional Christmas speech filmed a little over a month ago that aired on Christmas, as is the country’s tradition.

    These speeches are the more enjoyable of political speeches; Queen Elizabeth writes them herself, and she is not required to consult with anyone concerning political agendas before delivering.

    The commemoration of her 60th year as queen along with a new great-grandson seems to have placed Queen Elizabeth in a reflective mood this year, and she urges her countrymen and all who tuned in into her Christmas speech to take a few moments each day to reflect on their lives.

    Wearing the elegant and simple yellow dress that she previously wore to William and Kate’s wedding, yellow flowers placed on the table beside her set the scene for an interesting and succinct speech covering family ties, the upcoming Commonwealth Games and appreciating life.

    Queen Elizabeth also made sure to honor troops in the Middle East for their efforts with kind and encouraging words accompanied with footage from a lifeboat station visit earlier this year.

    Be sure to check out the behind-the-scene footage also:

    Fun Fact: In the beginning of the aired speech, you may hear a song that sounds exactly like “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” This is not a covert plan to start the Revolutionary War Pt. II– the United States purposely borrowed the tune from the British anthem entitled “God Save the Queen/King.”


    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Ronnie Biggs, British Train Robber, Dead At 84

    One of Britain’s most notorious criminals Ronnie Biggs– infamous for the 1963 Great Train Robbery–has died at the age of 84. His publisher, Cliff Moulder told CNN that friends and family informed him that Biggs died Wednesday morning.

    Biggs made headlines when he took part in The Great Train Robbery and escaped with £2.6m from a Glasgow train on Aug 8, 1963. He was one of 14 professional criminals who robbed the train that day. The Great Train Robbery had transformed Biggs from a petty street thief to one of the most wanted criminals in Britain making him the subject of many films, books and TV shows. Among the most recent books about Biggs include: The Great Train Robbery — 50th Anniversary Special and the Odd Man Out: The Last Straw.

    Biggs was sentenced to 30 years in prison but escaped in 1965 after serving just 15 months. He spent the next 36 years of his life on the run from the law in countries like France, Australia and Brazil. He was later sent back to prison in 2001 when he returned to the UK to seek medical attention. However, he was released  in 2009 after contracting pneumonia.

    News of Biggs’ death spread quickly with many people recalling their personal and business interactions with him. One notable thing about Biggs is the folk hero status he acquired for his crime. Many people seemed to forget that he hurt people in the train robbery. Train conductor Jack Mills was struck over the head with an iron rod by Biggs’ gang. Seven years later he died. Some have attributed Mills’ death to the injuries he sustained during the robbery.

    A Twitter account that markets his books said: “Sadly we lost Ron during the night. As always, his timing was perfect to the end. Keep him and his family in your thoughts.”

    Biggs is said to have died after a series of strokes. The last time he was seen in public was in March while attending the funeral of his fellow Great Train Bandit, Bruce Reynolds. Before his demise, he was being treated at the Carlton Court Care Home in North London.

    Image via YouTube

  • Downton Abbey Renewed for a Fifth Season

    Downton Abbey Renewed for a Fifth Season

    Love the British hit drama “Downton Abbey?” If you do, not only will American audiences get to see season four this January, but the show has already been renewed for a fifth season. The international PBS Masterpiece sensation from creator Julian Fellowes, will begin airing in America on January 5, 2014. The fourth season has just finished its run in the UK and averaged a staggering 11.8 million eager television watchers which made it their top-rated drama. “Downton” is also the number one rated show in the history of PBS.

    What makes “Downton” such a worldwide hit? On paper, an upstairs/downstairs British drama set in the early 1900s about the wealthy Crawley clan and their pleasing servants, may not seem like it would attract such a universal audience. However, the show is smart, well-written and touches upon a time in the UK where aristocratic wealth and lavish homes like the mansion featured in “Downton” were coming to an end. It was also the start of an era when over excess and luxury were clashing with World Wars and economic down times.

    The show was also not afraid to kill off its precious darlings. SPOILER ALERT IF YOU’RE NOT DONE VIEWING SEASON THREE. One would expect that shows like “Walking Dead” or even “Homeland” would feature key character deaths, because those shows revolve around danger. However, “Downton Abbey” was a total Kleenexfest last season. First, Syblil Branson, the youngest Crawley daughter died during child birth. And then in one of the most heartbreaking moments in television history, Matthew Crawley died in a car accident at the end of the season three finale, just after seeing his newborn son for the first time. Matthew and Lady Mary were finally happy! They finally got married! They finally had their heir! And then, out of nowhere, Matthew crashes his car and dies in a ditch.

    Matthew’s death, which aired on Christmas day in the UK, was meant with rage and anger amongst its British fans. Loyalists accused writers of “killing my soul” while one fan even said, “I AM 100% DONE WITH THIS SHOW. I CAN’T BREATHE.” Some viewers even claimed to be so upset that they could barely speak.

    It is difficult for Americans to avoid spoiler alerts from season four, since it has already aired in its entirely in the U.K. Matthew Crawley’s death was ruined for me. I stumbled upon an article on the internet about all the backlash from fans and why actor Dan Stevens (who played Matthew Crawley) decided to leave the show, just as I was popping in the DVD to start viewing season three. So I watched the entire season knowing the tragic ending. Somehow, the ending still shocked me, which is truly a testament to how powerful, well-acted and executed the show is.

    Take a look at the trailer for season four (I promise, no spoilers here.)

    You can join the countdown for the season four premiere on the Masterpiece website. The show’s narrative will pick up sometime after Matthew’s death. You can also take some “Downton Abbey” quizzes and see exclusive features there. Just please, try and stay away from spoilers. I know that I will.

    Image via Facebook

  • UN Inspectors’ Report Suggests Damascus to Blame

    The United Nations released its report on the chemical weapons attack that killed masses of civilians in Syria on 21 August and while the conclusions are not definitive in assigning blame, the report suggests the complicity of the Syrian government. The report confirmed that the attack was conducted with chemical arms. The report also included details on the particulars of the munitions used and the exact direction from which two originated. The combination of these details leads to a strong suggestion that Syrian President Bashar al-Asad’s protestations—that anti-regime rebels, not his government—are likely misleading.

    While many nations, including the US, have conducted their own investigations with results that appeared weeks ago, this investigation, commissioned by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, is the first independent, on-the-ground, scientific review of the attacks outside the Syrian capital.

    Western policy makers are capitalizing on the report to support their own investigations, just as Russian diplomats continue to press for more proof. Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly I. Churkin, in questioning the implications of the report, stated, “We need not jump to any conclusions.”

    “We understand some countries did not accept on faith that the samples of blood and hair that the United States received from people affected by the August 21 attack contained sarin,” US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power said while pointing out that the UN probe came to the same conclusion. The statement of the British ambassador to the UN, Sir Mark Lyall Grant, said that the report erased all remaining doubts that Damascus initiated the attacks. Alexis Lamek, France’s deputy envoy to the UN echoed the remarks, pointing to the weapons’ directionality as using, “great precision,” by the Asad regime.

    The Secretary General said, “The report makes for chilling reading… The findings are beyond doubt and beyond the pale. This is a war crime.” He skirted assigning blame and instead conveyed his hope that the attacks themselves would prompt a new diplomatic decision at the UN to resolve the Syria conflict.

    By now, much of the political turmoil over the attacks, how best to respond and the deal struck for Syria to turn over chemical weapons stores has already been played out in Act I of the saga. Syria has so far made no response to the UN results. Damascus officially agreed to join the international convention on banning chemical weapons, and has agreed to plans for the US and Russia to withdraw the weapons as identified by the middle of 2014.

    The final conclusion of Monday’s report is that, “chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic, also against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale,” citing the large quantity of evidence removed from the location, “samples we have collected provide clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used.”

    The report further details the tactics used in the attack, such as taking advantage of temperatures that day to ensure the sarin gas would stay closer to the ground where people would be most likely to shelter. UN inspectors were even fired upon just days after the attack, while collecting the samples that would support the report’s conclusions, as reported in this broadcast from 26 August.

    [Image via United Nations official website. Video via YouTube.]

  • Lava Lamps: Business Continues, Even After 50 Years

    Lava Lamps: Business Continues, Even After 50 Years

    Lava lamps, everyone’s favorite toy from the ’60s, is now able to celebrate its 50th birthday. It continues to be profitable, even after all these years. Lava lamps became a popular toy for many people during the ’60s and it was also an integral part of the drug culture with a lot of the hippies wanting to have one to watch while they get high on various drugs in a group of people.

    They have remained popular for such a long time, due to their uniqueness and the great appeal of how cool they look. The strange design has also been used as a night light for people for a number of years. While originally used by the hippies in the ’60s, it has been popular thing for kids to enjoy in recent years. Sales have continued for 50 years and with such a unique product, it seems to be in a profitable business and does not seem to be going away any time soon.

    One of the coolest things about it has always been that no matter how long someone were to stare at the lamp, the movement of what is inside will never be the same. The way the toy is set up allows for it to be constantly changing, a very groovy aspect for the hippie generation that was getting into mind-altering drugs such as LSD especially. It was originally marketed as an exotic conversation piece in 1963 and since then, millions of models of the invention have been sold worldwide, according to ABC News. The model has been copied multiple times over the last 50 years, but it was originally created by a company in Britain.

    The design was created by British inventor Edward Craven-Walker, after being inspired by a liquid filled egg timer that he saw in a pub in southwest Britain. After recognizing the potential for such an invention during the time of ’60s in Britain where it seemed that anything could be done, he spent years transforming his idea into a home lighting accessory.

    Christine Baehr, the second of Craven-Walker’s wives, recalls a moment which was a real turning point for them when they heard that Ringo Starr, of the Beatles, had purchased one of their lamps. “That was a great, ‘Ah we’ve made it,’ moment,” she said to ABC News.

    The technology behind lava lamps is also interesting to note, being based on two liquids of slightly different density, which will not mix. The heavier liquid sinks to the bottom, although after being heated by the light, its density decreases, causing it to float back to the top. The lava lamp has been the subject of many music videos and television shows, appearing in an episode of Doctor Who shortly after its release.

    Image via Facebook

  • Destroyers Syria: Latest Chemical Attack Responses

    “The President continues to work with his national security team reviewing the options available,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney stated at this afternoon’s press briefing in response to questions about the US reaction to the Syrian regime. Briefings from both the White House and the State Department today confirmed that US officials hold the Syrian regime responsible for the use of chemical weapons that killed more than 300 last week; the intelligence community assessment on the attacks will be released to the public later this week.

    Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Asad is using a new Instagram presence, in addition to those on Facebook, Twitter and a YouTube channel to record his side of the story posting pictures such as his recent visit with the Syrian Scientific Olympiad team. The Team brought home three bronze medals and two certificates for distinguished performance. “The chemical weapons allegations are completely politicized and come on the back of the advances made by the Syrian Army against the terrorists,” pulled from Asad’s official Facebook page, this statement was made yesterday to a Russian newspaper. Asad has firmly denied his administration’s involvement in the attacks.

    While no specific military strike has been dictated as of this posting, four US Sixth Fleet Navy destroyers, currently located in the Mediterranean, were deployed today to cover the situation in Syria. In a Pentagon statement, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel committed to continued cooperation with the international community to respond to Damascus, specifically referencing French and British defense forces, but Hagel also defended the US right to take military action without the permission of international organizations such as the United Nations. The UN faced its own struggles on the ground yesterday as inspectors were reportedly fired upon by snipers. The inspectors were en route to another chemical attack location close to Damascus.

    The Arab League, a regional organization of 22 member states (though Syria’s participation has been suspended since 2011) issued a statement today blaming Asad for the attacks. If military action is enacted, support from the League will add a layer of legitimacy in the Arab world.

    [Image via Facebook.]

  • Short Skirts Risk Rape Comment Lands MP in Trouble

    British Tory Member of Parliament for Gloucester Richard Graham has come under fire from women’s rights groups for suggeting that short skirts and high heels could make it difficult for women to run away from potential predators.

    Graham’s words, as quoted by the Daily Mail:

    “If you are a young woman on her own trying to walk back home through a park early in the morning in a tight, short skirt and high shoes, and there’s a predator  .  .  .  if you are blind drunk wearing those clothes how able are you to get away?

    “Although we have a pretty heavy police presence, life doesn’t give you full protection from a predator all the time. You have got to help look after yourself as well.

    “It’s not about the impact of your clothes on a potential predator in my view – it’s about whether the clothes you’re wearing make it harder to get away from a predator.”

    There’s no doubt that drunkenness can make women easier targets for predators. However, by commenting on clothing choices, Graham touched a nerve with rape crisis activists in England. A common trope used by those who dismiss rape claims is that women are partly responsible if they wear provocative clothing. The assumption, presumably, is that men can’t be expected to exercise self control when presented with a glimpse of upper thigh.

    Graham wrote on his blog recently that he is sticking by his words, which he states have nothing to do with excusing rapists. From the blog:

    Encouraging a sensible approach to risk management in no way intimates ANY excuse for predatory behaviour, let alone rape, and I have asked The Citizen to clarify that and to apologise for claiming that I agreed with Ms Lumley’s views.

    As the father of a 20 year old daughter I rightly have strong views both on the importance of risk management and the hideousness of rape. Let no reader be any doubt about BOTH, and not misled by a misleading article and inappropriate editorial.

  • Watch A British APC Destroy A House

    A 150 year old house was set to be demolished but the owners had an idea as to how they wanted it done. They called a Kasota, Minnesota company called Drive-A-Tank. They brought a British FV432 armored personnel carrier to do the dirty work. Some prep work had to be done first before the demolition started. They had to fill the basement with wet sand so the tank wouldnt fall through the floor. Then they had to make sure the electricity and water were off.

    MarKessa Baedke-Petersen, event coordinator for Drive-A-Tank said “Somebody heard about this demolition and called us. they said, ‘hey, you want to run a tank through a house down here in Iowa?’ So we’re working it out.” So they drove the 15 ton tank through the house! It took 4 passes to completely destroy the house. “From start to finish, it took maybe 20 minutes,” Baedke-Petersen said of the military-style makeover.

    Production of the British FV432 armored personnel carrier began in the 1960’s and it quickly became the most widely used vehicles in the military. 1,500 of the all steel tanks are still in service in England.

    Check out the unedited video below:

  • President Obama & David Cameron Together Tuesday For NCAA Tournament

    President Obama had a full day of activities planned for Tuesday that involved students in Washington, D. C. and Dayton, Ohio. First, Obama met with young scientist finalists in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. The high school students are 2012 Intel Science Talent Search finalists. The young student finalists are participating in a competition for scholarships and awards all week in the Capitol city.

    The Intel Science Talent Search is the nation’s most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Prior to 1998 when the competition was sponsored by Intel, it started in 1942 as a partnership with Westinghouse. The competition has provided a national stage for the country’s best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists.

    Afternoon plans for the President were for he and David Cameron, the British Prime Minister to head to the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio aboard Air Force One and attend a game at the first round of the NCAA tournament. The President and the Prime Minister caught the Western Kentucky and Mississippi Valley State game. It was the first hoops contest for Cameron giving President Obama the opportunity to share a few pointers.

    (image)@DavidNakamura
    David Nakamura    Obama opens welcoming remarks by saying he introduced Cameron to “bracketology” at NCAA game and the PM wants to “install a hoop” back home(image) 2 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@Paulsaysthought
    Paul Drake    President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron are at the NCAA playin games just straight chillin. That’s gangster. #ILoveMarch(image) 16 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Twitter: British Tourists Arrested After Making Twitter Jokes

    It’s time for another entry in “Be careful what you say on social media.”

    This week’s entry comes from the U.K. where two British tourists were arrested for jokingly tweeting that they were going to “destroy America” and “dig up Marilyn Monroe” according to the Daily Mail.

    Leigh Van Bryan and Emily Bunting were handcuffed and kept under armed guard for 12 hours after being arrested in Los Angeles upon their landing.

    The Department of Homeland Security flagged Van Bryan as a potential threat after tweeting about his upcoming trip to Hollywood: “Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America.”

    Despite the obvious knowledge that the term “destroy” is British slang for “party,” the officers weren’t buying their explanation for the offending tweet.

    Absurdly enough, Van Bryan was also questioned about a previous tweet that said he was going to dig up Marilyn Monroe. The tweet was apparently quoting Family Guy.

    It’s reported that the officers looked through Bryan’s suitcase looking for spades and shovels convinced that Bunting was his “look out” while he raided the dead star’s tomb.

    They were held for 12 hours overnight in separate cells. It’s reported that Mexican drug criminals kept them company throughout the evening.

    The next morning, the friends were driven to the airport and put on a plane home via Paris.

    Bunting was quoted as saying that they were not allowed in the country because of Bryan’s tweet. She apparently burst out laughing when she was accused of being the “look out” while Bryan raided Monroe’s tomb.

    The most humorous part of all of this is Leigh’s charge sheet where federal officials said that Bryan had posted his intention to commit crimes on his “Tweeter Web site account.” The federal government arrests somebody for using social media and can’t even get the name right.

    The friends were told that they must apply for visas from the U.S. embassy in London before traveling to the U.S. again.

    It’s not surprising that Bryan’s twitter account is now locked down to only confirmed followers.

    Take this a lesson, friends. The feds don’t appreciate you taking to your “Tweeter” to announce the upcoming party you are going to have in the U.S. They apparently don’t watch Family Guy either so they’re not going to get your joke.

  • Study Shows British Population Trusts Internet More Than Friends

    Brits trust the internet more than friends and colleagues when it comes to handing over personal information, according to a study published today by data storage specialists NetApp.

    The research, which polled 3000 adults, revealed that while the average adult freely divulges a string of personal details on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, most would not give friends or colleagues their PIN number.

    Despite 86 per cent of adults saying they would never hand over their PIN to someone they know, one in twenty people have their home address visible on a social networking sites.

    Similarly, whilst only five per cent of people would let their best mate have access to their PIN number, 50 per cent of respondents have their relationship status visible online. 28 per cent also have their partner’s name visible and 20 per cent have the name of their employer visible online.

    Unbelievably nearly two thirds of people also have their date of birth on networking sites which is always a security question when telephoning banks or building societies.

    Speaking on the findings Paul Wooding, Head of UK Public Sector for NetApp comments: “It’s ironic that so many people are cautious with friends and family when it comes to security details, yet include really personal data on social networking sites.”

    “It’s really alarming that people have so much confidential information like a home address available on their Facebook profile. As soon as you update your profile saying you are off on holiday all your hundreds of friends and now potentially anyone searching on Google, will know your home is empty for the next few weeks.”

    The poll also revealed that a blasé seven per cent of people said that the whole point of social networking sites was so people can keep track of you and know what you’re up to.

    Although a quarter of people did admit that the amount of information they had freely available on the World Wide Web did sometimes worry them.

    But when it comes to our nearest and dearest it’s a different story, with less than half of people trusting their partner with their PIN number for their main cash card.

    But it’s not just our friends who we don’t trust – three quarters of people said they do not trust the government with their personal data and more than two thirds also said that they feel that the government acts like Big Brother, and knows far too much about them.

    For more than half of Brits (52 per cent) the biggest bone of contention is the government having access to our medical details.

    The next big issue for respondents was data records on salaries, which 20 per cent objected to being held by the powers that be. One in twenty British adults were also sensitive about the government holding information on the amount of benefits we receive.

    These issues were reflected in the concern around the security of government data shown by the poll. 78 per cent of those polled advised that incidents of public sector workers losing laptops containing personal data on members of the public worried them, with medical information and then salary information being the items they are most worried about being leaked.

    A spokesman for NetApp added: “The risks of the government data being leaked or lost is minimal to the risks of security lapses on social networking sites. People need to look after themselves and really think about the information they make visible.”

    “Technology today means that organisations are well equipped to be able to store and manage data effectively. The fear is perhaps heightened because of high profile cases of data breaches but in reality many of us are sharing very personal and sometimes sensitive information with the whole world without giving it much thought.”

    INFORMATION PEOPLE DIVULGE ON NETWORKING SITES
     
    Full name: 92 per cent
    Hometown: 62 per cent
    Date of Birth: 59 per cent
    Relationship status: 49 per cent
    Secondary school: 40 per cent
    Marital status: 33 per cent
    University/College: 30 per cent
    Partners name: 28 per cent
    Employer: 20 per cent
    Job title: 18 per cent
    Parental status: 17 per cent
    Primary school: 16 per cent
    Children’s names: 9 per cent
    Full address: 5 per cent

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