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Issue #343 - 3 August 2012
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^ WORD OF THE WEEK
plodge |
Friday 3 August - Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain, 1492. Architect Francesco Borromini died, 1667. Gardener Joseph Paxton born, 1803. Writer Christopher Anstey died, 1805. Johann Rudolf and Hieronymus Meyer made the first ascent of the Jungfrau, the third highest summit in the Bernese Alps, 1811. Poet Rupert Brooke born, 1887. Jesse Owens won the 100 metre dash at the Berlin Oympics, 1936. Actress Evangeline Lilly born, 1979. American football player turned actor Bubba Smith died, 2011. Independence Day in Niger. Saturday 4 August - Simon de Montfort, pioneer of democratic parliament, killed in battle, 1265. The Kingdom of France annexed the Duchy of Brittany, 1532. Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley born, 1792. Japan officially adopted the Hinomaru as the flag to be flown from its ships, 1854. Entertainer Sir Harry Lauder born, 1870. Writer Hans Christian Andersen died, 1875. Comedian Lee Mack born, 1968. Jeanne Calment, the world's oldest recorded human, died aged 122, 1997. 10-year-old schoolgirls Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells went missing from Soham, Cambridgeshire, 2002. Johnny Cash Day in Arkansas. Sunday 5 August - Gruffydd ap Llewelyn, King of Gwynedd, died, 1063. Composer Paola Massarenghi born, 1565. The Mayflower set sail for New England from Southampton (bad weather would force a return to Plymouth, from where it would eventually depart), 1620. Engineer Thomas Newcomen died, 1729. The United States government levied its first income tax to help meet the costs of the American Civil War, 1861. Joseph Merrick, the 'Elephant Man', born, 1862. Actress Marilyn Monroe died, 1962. Nelson Mandela was sent to prison, 1962. Actress Sophie Winkleman, Lady Frederick Windsor, born, 1980. International Beer Day. Monday 6 August - The founding of Bogotá, Colombia, 1538. Artist Diego Velázquez died, 1660. Chemist William Hyde Wollaston born, 1766. The Holy Roman Empire ended with the abdication of Francis II, 1806. Poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson born, 1809. Jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke died, 1931. Hacker Kevin Mitnick born, 1963. Tim Berners-Lee released his description of the World Wide Web, and made the service freely available on the Internet for the first time, 1991. British politician Robin Cook died, 2005. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima, Japan. Tuesday 7 August - Coronation of Otto the Great, 936. Serial killer Elizabeth Báthory born, 1560. Judge Thomas Fleming died, 1613. George Washington ordered the creation of the Badge of Military Merit, later renamed the Purple Heart, 1782. Geologist Auguste Michel-Lévy born, 1844. Composer Alfredo Catalani died, 1893. Thor Heyerdahl's balsa wood raft Kon-Tiki hit the reef at Raroia after a 101-day voyage across the Pacific, 1947. Actress Charlize Theron born, 1975. Oil field firefighter Red Adair died, 2004. Wednesday 8 August - Physician Girolamo Fracastoro died, 1553. The cornerstone for Tycho Brahe's Uraniborg observatory was laid, 1576. Scottish spy John Ker born, 1673. Artist James Tissot died, 1902. The Battle of Amiens in the First World War, 1918. Film producer Dino De Laurentiis born, 1919. Writer Shirley Jackson died, 1965. Princess Beatrice of York born, 1988. The Warsaw radio mast collapsed, 1991. Thursday 9 August - Construction started on the campanile (bell tower) of the cathedral in Pisa, known today as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, 1173. Angler Izaak Walton born, 1593. Orientalist Simon Ockley died, 1720. Thomas Edison was granted a patent for a two-way telegraph, 1892. Author P.L. Travers born, 1899. Playwright Joe Orton murdered, 1967. Actress Gillian Anderson born, 1968. Ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky was controversially traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, 1988. Guitarist Tony Mottola died, 2004. International Day of the World's Indigenous People.
This week, Robin Cook [viz. Monday, above]:They found more dangerous chemicals in Coca-Cola's Dasani mineral water than they did in the whole of Iraq.
A mixed bag of quotations. Answers next issue or from the regular address.Last issue's quotations were:
- You are referring to one of my stories. A work of fiction!
- You're a general-knowledge god.
- A weed by any other name is still a weed.
- We are the shadows and the smoke, we rise. We are the ghosts that hide in the night.
- It's a lie! The evidence has been falsified! It's impossible! I never broke the law, I AM THE LAW!
- I think positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time.
-- Inception [2010]- - This cure is voluntary. Nobody's is talking about extermination.
- No one ever talks about it. They just do it. And you go on with your lives, ignoring the signs all around you. And then, one day, when the air is still and the night has fallen, they come for you.
-- X-Men: The Last Stand [2006]- You must be Amy. I gave you Silly Putty once for Christmas. You ate it.
-- Fly Away Home [1996]- I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss of her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it. One.
-- City of Angels [1998]- - Blaster, don't drop a pellet.
- Too late.
-- G-Force [2009]
Strange stories from around the world, some of which might be true...
NO BRAINSSSS. The diminishing congregation of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas who make a point of protesting military funerals, believing that service deaths are punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality came up against a new foe when they tried demonstrating outside a military base in DuPont, Washington - zombies. It's not known why the Westboro pickets were there, but as soon as she heard of their plans 27-year-old Melissa Neace launched a Facebook group to set up a counter protest. "We wanted to turn something negative around, into something people could laugh and poke fun at," she told a local newspaper. The Westboro protesters found themselves far outnumbered by around 300 counter-protesters in zombie costume and make-up waving American flags and carrying signs including "Drink the Kool-Aid Already" (a reference to the cult mass suicide at Jonestown in 1978).
THAT BITES. Wallace Weatherholt, a 63-year-old airboat captain from Florida tried feeding an alligator from the side of his boat while giving a tour, only to have the alligator bite off his hand. Wildlife officers managed to track down and kill the 'gator, and recovered Weatherholt's hand, but it was not possible to reattach it. That wasn't the end of his woes - he has been charged with unlawfully feeding an alligator and has had to post $1,000 (£640) bail ahead of a court date later this month.
SOUND SLEEPERS. Police in Needham Market, Suffolk, are hunting a bank robber who drove a stolen JCB digger into the ATM of a branch of Barclays Bank on the high street at 03:30 BST one morning, smashing an approximately 10' (3m)-square hole in the wall, and later drove the digger away. Remarkably though, townspeople sleeping just yards away from the bank slept through the incident. "The thud of a massive box hitting the ground I thought would make some noise, but we heard nothing," one resident - who declined to be named - said.
BEARS! Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko has fired his border security and air force chiefs after the country was invaded - by hundreds of teddy bears. A plane chartered by a Swedish public relations firm flew across the border from Lithuania and dropped the bears - wearing parachutes and adorned with labels calling for human rights and freedom of speech - on the outskirts of the Belarussian capital city Minsk and the town of Ivanets. The incursion was on 4 July but officials have only just admitted that it happened. Lukashenko has been criticised internationally for reports of abuses during his 2010 re-election campaign and for human rights abuses. It's not the first time something has got past Belarus' air defences - in 1987 German light aircraft pilot Matthias Rust managed to fly his aircraft all the way to Moscow, landing in Red Square.
NOT SO ANONYMOUS. A cyber-vandal who hacked into and defaced the website of New Zealand-based RedSky charity video production comany in an attempt to prove his skill and get an invitation to join the hacking group Anonymous has discovered that it wasn't perhaps the best way to go about being recruited. Anonymous has a number of unwritten rules, one of which is to never attack charity websites, so when RedSky boss Bryan Bruce made a Facebook plea for help restoring the website, the hacking group set about tracing the hacker who went by the name of AnonVoldemort. Within 24 hours they had emailed Mr Bruce with evidence pointing to a man living in Madrid, Spain, and Bruce was last reported as waiting for Spanish police to respond.
IN BRIEF. US Federal Drug Administration approves inclusion of digestible microchips in medicines to monitor patients' intake of prescribed pills. Oregon man gets jail sentence for collecting rainwater. Giant maze built of 250,000 books installed in London's South Bank Centre. Crusader hoard of 108 gold coins discovered at Arsur, Israel. Five of the six flags put on the Moon by Apollo astronauts are still standing (the first, Apollo 11's, was blown down by the ascent engine as Armstrong and Aldrin left the surface). Pakistani engineer claims to have invented car engine that runs on water. Birds are brighter than seven-year-old children, apparently. 12-year-old boy hit by pigeon while on New Jersey rollercoaster. Torbay, England, police looking for man who chewed his bus seat. Cambodians asking magic 13-metre (42') log for good health and lottery numbers. Poor Indian farmers now growing bhut jolokia chillis after increased military demand - the chillis are among the hottest in the world and liquidised for anti-personnel weapons. First keys are lost for Wembley stadium and Wimbledon Centre Court, now the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Operations Room from where Olympic security is coordinated have had to be temporarily evacuated and millions of pounds worth of equipment damaged after "grey water waste" leaked from a kitchen. German WW2 U-boat may be at bottom of river in Labrador, Canada. Kitten stows away in lorry in Turkey, ends up 2,000 miles away in England. Palm trees grew in Antarctica in the Eocene period (53m years ago). Dead 30-tonne whale washed into beachside swimming pool in Australia. New record for largest ukelele ensemble set in Yokohama, Japan (over 2,000 strummers). Remains of outlaw Ned Kelly to be returned to family after discovery in prison grave.
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong joins The Voice USA judging panel. Peter Jackson confirms earlier speculation that The Hobbit films will be a trilogy. Cher teaming with Timbaland for new album ahead of comeback tour. 18 companies interested in taking over sponsorship of Orange Prize award for literature by female authors. Parents of killed stuntman sue The Expendables 2 filmmakers over death. Madonna booed after 45-minute Paris show which included 15-minute political speech; blames "thugs". Polish Catholic and Veterans' groups protesting Madonna's plans for concert in Warsaw on anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. Modern Family cast reach pay deal with ABC. NBC criticised over US broadcast of Olympics opening ceremony for time-shifting, cutting to commercials, replacing tribute to 7/7 bomb victims with studio interview and uninformed commentary. Snoop Dogg banned from entering Norway for two years after drugs bust at airport. Plan B tops UK album chart ahead of Gaslight Anthem. The Dark Knight Rises score composer Hans Zimmer records benefit song Aurora for victims of Colorado cinema shooting. Jay-Z to exec produce, select soundtrack, for NBA 2K13 game. Sony cuts profit forecast after Q1 losses. Competition Commission rules that Sky "does not adversely affect [pay TV] competition". Frances de la Tour to head cast of Alan Bennett's new play People at National Theatre from October. Pete Waterman suggests that Kylie Minogue/Jason Donovan stage reunion cancelled by bad weather last month could happen by Christmas. Producer Hawk Koch elected president of Oscars awarders Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. British Film Institute poll names Hitchcock's Vertigo the greatest film of all time. BBC Radio 1Xtra, Radio 4 Extra hit record audience levels. Ben Elton writing local government sitcom for BBC. Lost Ray Lichtenstein painting Electric Cord rediscovered after 40 years. London edition of Time Out to be free following sustained drop in sales. James Corden announces intention to write more episodes of Gavin & Stacey. Joss Stone reveals that she turned down judging role on The Voice UK. Pegi ratings for games become legally enforceable in UK. Richard Stallman slams Valve's plan to sell DRM-enabled games for Linux via Steam as "unethical". EA announces plan to move Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG to a free-to-play platform after subscribers fall below 1m, and after Blizzard announce September launch date for World of Warcraft's fourth major expansion Mists of Pandaria. Google pulls Nexus Q media-streamer after negative feedback. John Cormack-endorsed Oculus Rift virtual reality headset secures Kickstarter funding target of $250,000 (£159,575) within an hour of going live. Tony Keith confirms he turned down invitation to join judges on next season of American Idol. Russell Brand fined, given community service, for damaging photographer's mobile phone. JK Rowling to appear at 2012 Cheltenham Literature Festival. Longlist announced for Dylan Thomas Prize. Kidwell e-Festival (for e-books) ends early blaming Olympics for poor attendence. New Yorker staff writer Jonah Lehrer quits after admitting making up quotations by Bob Dylan. Ridley Scott working on Prometheus sequel. Orlando Bloom heading to Broadway for Romeo and Juliet. Studio stressing final Twilight film's release still on track despite Kristin Stewart/Robert Pattinson split. Vince Vaughn rebooting The Brady Bunch for TV. Springsteen wraps European tour with personal record-breaking four hour and six minutes concert in Helsinki.
Artist Adam Cullen (46), dancer/choreographer Nigel Charnock (52), TV antiques expert David Barbie (63), actor Geoffrey Hughes (68), actor Jonathan Hardy (71), author Maeve Binchey (72), military historian Sir John Keegan (78), actor John P. Finnegan (85), author/political commentator Gore Vidal (86), actor Norman Alden (87), singer Tony Martin (98).
With all the hype surrounding the Olympics, the release of the latest trailer for Skyfall, Sam Mendes' upcoming 50th anniversary James Bond film slipped under a lot of radars. Here it is, via YouTube.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgr2syY_OU4
^ THE AMAZING NOT-QUITE-RANDOM LOTTERY PREDICTOR!
Dumbledore Bear, our in-house psychic predicts that the following numbers will be lucky:3, 8, 16, 23, 34, 40
Little Jennifer's teacher was telling the class about emergencies, and what to do in case of fire or medical problems. "OK, children, let's pretend that one of you has an emergency and has called the number I told you about earlier. I'll be the person answering the phone. Who wants to go first?" Little Jennifer's hand shot up. "OK, Little Jennifer, here we go. 'Emergency. Which service do you need?'"
"Fire! My house is on fire!"
"Can you give me the address?"
"Morgan Street!"
"Where on Morgan Street, please?"
Little Jennifer sighed. "It's the house with all the flames coming out of it, of course!"
^ ...end of line