Monday, December 31, 2007
What would you tell your grandchildren about 2007 if they asked you about it in, let’s say, 20 year’s time? If the answer to a quiz question was 2007, what would the question be? The year that you first signed on to Facebook? The year Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse fell apart? The year author Kurt Vonnegut or mime Marcel Marceau died, both at 84?
Let’s take a look at some of the international stories of 2007. Links to the original Wikinews articles are in bold.
Monday, June 7, 2010
An acrobatic group known by the name of Spelbound has been declared as the winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2010, a televised variety talent show competition broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom. As the winning act of the show, Spelbound have won £100,000 (US$144,580, €120,313, A$175,079) and a place at The Royal Variety Performance, an annual gala evening that is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family.
In no particular order, the top three acts were revealed to be two dancers known by their stage name of Twist and Pulse, gymnastic group Spelbound and Kieran Gaffney, whose act involves playing on the drum kit. After Kieran Gaffney was revealed to be in third place, Anthony McPartlin, who hosts Britain’s Got Talent with Declan Donnelly, said to Kieran: “Well done Kieran. Kieran, you’re a star, you came back, you got all the way to the final. I know you’ve loved this. You’ve loved this, haven’t you?” In response to this, Kieran Gaffney stated: “Thank you very much. Thank you, everyone for supporting me. Thank you.”
Shortly afterwards, on the episode that was broadcast live on ITV1 on Saturday, Anthony announced: “After tens of thousands of auditons, five semi-finals and an amazing final, this…this is it. One of you is about to walk away with £100,000 and a place at this year’s Royal Variety Performance. The winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2010 is…Spelbound!” Glen Murphy from Twist and Pulse commented about finishing in second place, stating: “Yeah, it’s amazing. I can’t even believe it. I can’t believe it at all.”
Alex Uttley, a 24-year-old member of Spelbound, commented on the gymnastic group’s victory, commenting: “Oh, my god. This is unbelieveable. We just want to say thank you to everyone out there. It just shows that all our hard work has paid off.” One of the coaches of Spelbound, named Neil Griffiths, stated about Spelbound: “Oh, they’ve worked so hard over the last few weeks. Um, since the semi-final, we…we really had to pull out the stops to try and up the game. They’ve not known they’ve worked in the gym from six in the morning till twelve…twelve o’clock of the night. I couldn’t have asked for more. Um, it’s a team of coaches. I don’t take all the credit myself. There’s, uh, two people up there that know who they are who’ve been fantastic.”
Spelbound consists of 24-year-old Alex Uttley, Nicholas Illingworth, aged 24, Adam Buckingham, aged 21, 20-year-old Adam McAssey, 19-year-old Douglas Fordyce, 18-year-old Edward Upcott, 18-year-old Leighanne Cowler, 17-year-old Katie Axten, 17-year-old Lauren Kemp, 15-year-old Jonathan Stranks, Abigail Ralph, aged 15, 13-year-old Hollianne Wood and Amy Mackenzie, aged 12. Bookmakers had previously predicted that Spelbound would be the most likely act to become the winner of the series.
The running order for the final started with Twist and Pulse. The second act to perform was Liam McNally, a 14-year-old singer. The running order subsequently continued with 40-year-old impressionist Paul Burling, singer Christopher Stone, aged 28, Tina & Chandi, a woman and dog dancing act, Connected, a five-piece singing group, Kieran Gaffney, aged 12, 22-year-old Tobias Mead, a dancer, 80-year-old singer Janey Cutler and Spelbound in that particular order.
Earlier on in the final, Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has stated to Spelbound: “We are hosting the 2012 Olympics and I think ‘what a brilliant opening act’.” Fellow judge Piers Morgan also commented that “[t]he purpose of this show is to identify hidden great British talent. You are that act.” After Spelbound won in the final, another judge, named Simon Cowell, stated that “the right boys and girls won on the night” and that he could “only say on live TV that that was one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen. Seriously.”
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Viktor Schreckengost, the father of industrial design and creator of the Jazz Bowl, an iconic piece of Jazz Age art designed for Eleanor Roosevelt during his association with Cowan Pottery died yesterday. He was 101.
Schreckengost was born on June 26, 1906 in Sebring, Ohio, United States.
Schreckengost’s peers included the far more famous designers Raymond Loewy and Norman Bel Geddes.
In 2000, the Cleveland Museum of Art curated the first ever retrospective of Schreckengost’s work. Stunning in scope, the exhibition included sculpture, pottery, dinnerware, drawings, and paintings.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The National Socialist Movement is, according to its website, the largest and most active Nazi party in the United States. Accordingly, it refers to itself as ‘America’s Nazi Party’ and aims to instigate major change in the US.
Wikinews was able to conduct an interview with the head of the party, Commander Jeff Schoep. Fresh back from a march in Missouri, Commander Schoep told Wikinews his views on Barack Obama, the economy and much more.
Read the full exclusive interview below:
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Add Pizzazz To The Rooms In Your Home With Window Treatments
by
Kevin Germain
The first question most people ask when it comes to updating their homes window treatments is where do I start? I would advise to set aside style and first focus on the function the window treatment will play. Think about it, if you are looking for total darkness a sheer fabric curtain will not work for your room, you would instead need something with room darkening qualities. However if you are okay with light filtering through it is okay to use something more decorative and unlined. Lining is usually adds an extra expense to window treatments however does have added benefits. Some added benefits include extra fabric lining to shield the sun, making curtains last longer.
Next consider the fabric, color and texture you would like to use. The mood of the room will be set based on these qualities so it is best to think about the space and how it is intended to be used. For example if you are looking for window treatments for a formal dining space where the mood is classic, sophisticated and dramatic. For a space such as this consider a heavy silk or velvet, both which provide terrific insulation. If your dining space is more casual and you are looking for an inviting space that lends to sitting and talking maybe lighter, billowing linen or cotton blends work. Color will also play a role. Reds and maroons are very dramatic, sophisticated colors while greens, beiges and yellows are cozy, comfortable colors that help people to relax and feel at ease.
Another thing to consider is how long the window treatments should be. When considering curtains I think the only way to go is floor length. This of course only applies if you do not have radiators or deep sills. Consider measuring so that the curtains just hit the floor and then hanging the curtain rod for them to be perfectly positioned. The rod placement for the curtains to hang on will depend on the molding placement as well. Some people might consider curtains that slightly break at the floor. If you choose this option, in order to make it appear stylish instead consider extending them one to three inches. It is a more relaxed feel than those that are tailored to sit right at the floor.
The next issue to consider is how wide you would like the curtains to be. Consider that the panels should look ample and that they flow even when closed you should ensure they are two to two and a half times the width of the actual window. There is an exception to this rule. If you are only hanging the curtains to frame the window and are never intended to close you can order the curtain width to be only one and a half times the width of the window. Take into consideration that curtains with pleats contain a certain amount of bulk on their own so you their width should more or less match the span of the window you are covering.
Another thing you will want to consider is if you want to tie the curtains back. A classic approach to this is with tiebacks. You will want to purchase a curved decorative metal hook to aide you in pulling the curtains back. They should be mounted approximately two-thirds down the window or door wall. Tiebacks can also be fashioned using fabric or ropes. Something more causal can be fashioned using a wide ribbon or fabric to tie the curtain in the middle of the curtain.
Window treatments are a fun way to add a bit if pizzazz to any room. It is the perfect way to add a different feel to any room. Start with the function the window treatment will perform and build on that. Instantly your room will transform itself.
Comfort Blinds offers an array of
window treatments
for homeowners to choose from. You will find custom blinds and shades of all varieties at
comfortblinds.com/
.
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com
The time is 18:00 (UTC) on August 5th, 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.
Monday, August 14, 2006
At 5:00 a.m. GMT, a UN sponsored ceasefire between the IDF and Hezbollah took effect. Outside of isolated small arms fire, both sides seem to be abiding by it. Although fighting took place until just minutes before the ceasefire, no air strikes or rocket attacks have been reported since.
Israel has said that it will maintain ground forces in southern Lebanon until they are relieved by the peace-keeping force. Israel also said it will maintain the blockade so that Hezbollah cannot rearm. Hezbollah on the other hand insisted on its right to fight Israeli soldiers on Lebanese soil.
The international peace-keeping force may take 10 days to assemble, says the UN. It is expected to be headed up by French troops, complemented primarily by troops from Italy, which has volunteered up to 3,000 soldiers. Portugal, Finland and Spain will also consider deployments. Australia, Canada, Malaysia and Indonesia have been mentioned by the UN as sources of non-EU forces.
Within an hour of the ceasefire cars started heading south in Lebanon. Within hours thousands of Lebanese sought to return to their homes crowding roads, even as bulldozers were still trying to fill bomb craters. The Lebanese army was working hard to coordinate traffic and make-shift road repair.
“I’m so excited to see my home. I’d heard news it was completely destroyed, but even if there’s one room intact, I will stay there with my children,” said Sanaa Ayyad, who had with her a baby and two young boys.
The conflict has been going on for 39 days and has cost over 1,200 people their lives. In Lebanon, around 1,100 people have been killed, mostly civilians. 154 Israelis, including 114 soldiers, have been killed in the conflict.
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Clearspan tent rental services have been used by many people and for various purposes. The efficiency that these tents provide is one of the major reasons why they are preferred by many people. Additionally, clearspan tents enhance maximum utilization of space because they do not require extra space outside for erecting posts like the other types of tents.
Clearspan tents are available indifferent sizes. They also have different wind ratings. This makes them suitable for different functions. Perhaps, you are holding a corporate event and you are looking for ideal tents for the event. Maybe you are wedding and you need tents for your wedding venue. In any of these and other events, you can consider clearspan tent rental services.
Here are some of the common uses of clearspan tents:
These tents are used in different places where fabric structures are required. They are also used as temporary structures of different sizes whether small, medium or large. This implies that you just need to get a tent of your preferred size to provide shelter in your event.
Get a clearspan tent of the right size
Since providers of tent rental services have clearspan tents of different sizes, it is important that you get tents of the right size for your venue. This is very important because it ensures that the tent fits in your venue properly. There are several factors that will determine the ideal size of a clearspan tent.
They include the following:
It is advisable that you consider these factors when determining the ideal size of the tent to rent for your event. This will also determine the number of tents that you will need for your event. Perhaps, you do not know how to get the right tent for your wedding, anniversary or any other event. This should not worry you or hinder you from getting the right tent. All you need is to find the best provider of clearspan tent rental services. The best tent rental service provider will assist you in finding the right tent for your venue.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
In the United Kingdom, West Midlands Police arrested a 35-year-old woman yesterday in relation to the murder of William Davis.
The 92-year-old man was found deceased in his residence in the town of Willenhall, England on Sunday. Davis was found to have experienced serious head injuries, causing his death, according to West Midlands Police.
At a police press conference yesterday, Detective Superintendent Richard Baker appealed for any witnesses who may have been in the vicinity of the murder scene to come forward, while describing Davis’ last movements: “[H]e was seen at 9AM on Sunday 1 April in his front garden, where he stopped and chatted to passersby. At around 3:15PM a neighbour took some lunch round to his house. At 6PM concerned neighbours who were unable to rouse Bill gained access to his property and found him.” A statement from the force suggests Davis’ murderer would have departed from his house with a “heavily blood stained” appearence.
Access to Davis’ residence has been restricted as forensic examinations continue there. The woman continues to cooperate with the force. Chief Inspector Mike O’Hara, of a local policing operative in the town of Walsall — also in the West Midlands — stated his “local neighbourhood policing team who have an excellent working relationship with the local community will be on patrol to offer reassurance and will be available to link in with anyone that needs advice or would like to discuss any concerns they may have.”
Those who know of any information regarding this incident can contact:
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Wednesday, December 21, 2005NRMA, one of Australia’s largest insurers, has come under scrutiny following the release of a scathing report into its online smash repairs system.
The report by the New South Wales Government’s Staysafe committee found that NRMA’s online repair tendering system was “unsafe”. NRMA has said it has no intention of suspending the system despite the findings.
The report, which was released yesterday found that “[The] system of allocating damaged motor vehicles to smash repairers without the repairers physically inspecting the damaged vehicle before quoting for work … is an unsafe system in its current form”. According to committee member and Port Stephens MP John Bartlett the vehicles were “being repaired to the standard of a brick and the crumple zones at the front and rear no longer worked and all the impact was being felt in the cabin”.
According to the report “the system would lead to cost cutting and unsafe repair practices, with the quality of repairs lowered by encouraging smash repairers to take short cuts”.
According to NRMA, only minor “cosmetic” repairs are put through the system – however often there can be further damage which is only evident after a complete inspection. The NRMA system simply places photographs of the vehicles on its website where approved smash repairers bid to carry out repairs.
David Brown, head of claims and assessments at NRMA, said this of the report: “[W]e totally reject the findings of the report, in fact we find the report’s fundamentally flawed with no evidence of safety issues, and [it] has been prepared without seeing the system first-hand”. He further added that the system would not be scrapped.