donderdag 23 juni 2011

High on Harry Potter

The Harry Potter novels wile be available in October as e-books for the first time. JK Rowling the writer also announced that the seven books will be available as audiobook, these will be available through a new website called Pottermore. Pottermore is an interactive website that will also feature new material which Rowling says has been “hoarding for years”. The seven books have sold more then 450 million copies through Bloomsbury in Britain, and Scholastic in the United States. The new website Pottermore will go live on the birthday of Harry Potter on 31 July. The website was worked on for two years by Rowling, it promises to give the fans a look in the wizard’s world, offering gaming, social networking with other fans and an online store.

The Harry Potter books are the first books I have ever read when I was an little girl. I am such a fan or a “Harry Potter Nerd” I even have the wand of Hermonie. I can not wait to see what kinds of goodies will be found on this new website. I love JK Rowling and I think it is great when an author puts so much work on a website to please her fans. It is indeed an great way to show your fans the things you have that will make them go crazy of excitement. I can not wait.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13889578

vrijdag 17 juni 2011

Care Fantasy

One of the teenagers that plumed to death from the Erskine Bridge had a “fantasy” about being taken into care. Neve Lafferty 15, and Georgia Rowe 14 made a pact in 2009 to apparently commit suicide by throwing themselves of the bridge. The mother of Neve told the inquiry that her daughter loved watching TV show Tracy Beaker, which was based around a care home. Neve lived with her father, Paul Lafferty a heroin addict. Neve also took drugs, this she reported in one of her school essay. After her boyfriend died of an drug overdose and her father committed himself to a psychiatric ward the same day; Neve returned to the Good Shepherd Centre. She ran away three times in four days. She threatened to "walk to the Erskine Bridge and commit suicide" and that she would "find a way to be with Jonny (her boyfriend)". We all know how this story ended.

It is a terrible story. I think this girl needed a lot of help. Poor thing was neglected by her father; did not want to live with her mother (for god knows what). I think that they had to help her by assigning a psychologist and stimulate her to talk with him/her. Now she is dead and she took someone with her (I do not know what the motives where of the other girl). Still this could have been prevented if they had taken her away when she was just a child. What is that girl doing with a dad that is an heroin addict? Now she is dead... (story is about the girl on the right)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-13793214

Zombie Attack... For Real

James Dixon, 26 decided to plan a zombie “attack” a week after the city council of Leicester admitted it was unprepared for an invasion of the living dead. He organized the event on Facebook. He initially did it to catch up with a few friends, but it grew to 200 “zombie” friends. These new zombie friends will attack Leicester soon. Leicester City Council had not commented about how it will deal the arrival of the “zombies”. James Dixon said he had put some serious thoughts into the organization of the event, which has a “strictly zombie” dress code. There will even be an zombie after-apocalypse party.

Damn I love this story! I would attend such a apocalypse if I would live in Leicester. Of course such a thing as an zombie attack does not exist. A body that is dead and rotting will not walk and say the words brains. But come on have you ever seen a zombie movie, it freaks me out. Thats why I would love to be one, just for one day. Acting crazy, and freaking out some people. Rather be one then running from one. Can not wait for the actual pictures of the event, and news articles.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-13790428

maandag 6 juni 2011

Russell Crowe to visit Scotland

Blockbuster star (movies like Gladiator and Robin Hood) Russell Crowe has visited Duncarron Fort, a replica medieval village in the Caron Valley in Scotland. Charlie Allan, who is the chief executive of heritage charity the Clanranald Trust is a friend of Russell Crowe. He is building the village in a Stirlingshire forest. Crowe and Allen met on the set of the movie Gladiator more then a decade ago. Crowe, who said he had "Scottish heritage" in his family, said: "You can see photographs and you can talk about it but it is nothing like actually being here." The hope is that the site at Duncarron may be used as a filming location in the future.

Oooh I love replicas of city’s and villages. It will give you the feeling of that long and almost forgotten time. It is great that people create these villages and use them to educate people. I love the movies of Russell Crowe and I really wish I would be there. I also think it will be very impressive to be there in Scotland in a freshly build replica. Crowe also supports this trust. I really think that it is great that these rich people give their money to something that can use it, instead of spending it on cars and stuff one does not need.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-13640734

Hypnotist FAIL

David Days is a Hypnotist who “knocked himself out” while three people were under his hypnosis. David was performing at Portland’s Royal Manor Theatre on third of June 2011 when he “tripped” over a participant’s leg. Mr Days was “out for a while” before he recovered and “woke up” the volunteers his manager Tara Nix said. She said that it was all a test to see if hypnotized subjects would remain in trance or wake themselves up. David is currently working on a television pilot show, which explores the untold and unanswered theories and questions about hypnosis. "We would like to confirm, once and for all, that the 'fall' was planned, and was all part of the act" said his manager.

Hypnosis is a thing that I always wanted to try and I am very interested to see if it really works. These shows are very interesting to watch and also entertaining. The fact is that I really believe that he tripped over the volunteers leg by accident. I do not believe that he “acted” the trip and being knock out for a few moments. I think his manager told this story just to make up for his stupid fall and that his reputation would stay the same. I really think that they should tell the truth and say that it was an accident and that it was not planned. Because a hypnotist is still a human that can make mistakes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-13662194

zondag 22 mei 2011

To test or not to test?

The Uk government is being taken to court because they don’t fulfill their duty of preventing the suffering of lab animals. Figures even show a rise in animal testing. Scientists said test were necessary to help cure life-threatening diseases. A total of three million procedures were carried out on animals this year, that is a rise of 4% on the precious year. Home Office minister Meg Hillier commented: "Where animal research is the only option, we will continue to ensure that the balance between animal welfare and scientific advancement is maintained." However, the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (Buav) announced it was taking the government to the High Court in London on Tuesday over the fate of laboratory animals. Michelle Thew said: "The Home Office is this week charged with ignoring its duty to ensure laboratory animal suffering is kept to a minimum and pulling the wool over the publics eyes about the numbers of experiments that cause substantial animal suffering in laboratories up and down the UK."

I am totally agains animal testing. Millions of animals die in horrible circumstances. The animals did not even had an normal live in a natural environment. Even studies in publications such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and the British Medical Journal have repeatedly concluded that because of the fundamental biological differences among species, animal tests do not reliably predict outcomes in humans. So what is the point on testing it on animals. People stay people. Some people committed  horrible crimes and stay in prison for the rest of their lives. Why not test it on them? One thing we know is that the outcome is reliable. Just look in the eyes of the millions of animals that suffer just for an cure that does not even exists! So what do you think?

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6911678.stm#map

I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. ... The pain which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further. ―Mark Twain

Deadly Stuffed White Tiger Toy!

Police was alerted by a member of the public who spotted what they thought was an escaped white tiger hiding in a field. They watched the white tiger through the zoom of a camera lens. The police deployed and a helicopter watched the area with thermal imaging cameras. Officers told the press that they responded as if it was a real incident. Even animal specialists were called to help the police out. They send a team with tranquilizer darts to overcome the tiger. The police found out that it was a stuffed animal after the toy rolled over in the down draft from the police helicopter. The police is treating the stuffed toy as lost property but they don’t know how it came there in the field and if it was a joke. 

Haha this story is quite funny. It is a good practice for the special forces. Now they know what to do in a situation like that. It was a good training for the man and women involved in this operation. I love tigers, but most of them move in like half an hour. I guess this happened in a period of time seeing the tiger calling the police, police fixing people and helicopters etc. Well in the mean while the people must have thought that it was strange that the tiger just lay there not moving, not even his head? By the way the police had a helicopter with thermal imaging, they must have seen that the tiger had no temperature of a living creature or am I wrong. Overall I think this story is funny and kudos to the guy who came up to the hoax.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-13491268

                                          (This one is really scary!)

Pilot Whales in Danger

Conservationists fear that more pilot whales have the risk of being beached, this after a pilot whale has been found in a Habridean sea loch. A group of about 60 pilot whales had moved from the shallow waters of Loch Carnan, South Uist, and were swimming towards the south away from the shallow waters. Now the British Divers Marine Life Rescue said that the whales are headed back into the shallow waters of the loch. The dangers are that the whales can be stranded on a sandy section of beach at the loch. But there are other dangers, like the rocky coast line, with its many inlets and bays. Volunteers of BDMLR will continue to monitor the whales. 

It is terrible to hear that those precious whales are in danger to get stranded and die. These animals are magnificent and need to be protected. It is great that the volunteers will keep an eye out on the whales, but they need to find a solution so that the animals can return at their natural habitat, I am talking about the deeper waters. Maybe they could use sonar sounds to guide them to deeper waters. It is hard because such gadgets are very expensive. The whales are also in danger to get cuts on their heads because of the boats that pass through those waters. Let’s hope that they find a solution fast.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13488302


maandag 25 april 2011

Seeing some crazy things

People see a lot of strange things. When they do they call the police. The police have witnessed a lot of weird calls. Thanks to the FoI (Freedom of Information Act) we can tell you why people called the Dyfed-Powys Police. It reveals 14 recorded UFO sightings in the last five years, along side the 26 reports of people seeing ghosts, people also saw 11 witches- and two zombies and vampires. One of those Zombie report was an horror movie being shot in Pembrey. Those five years were not cheap the Police dealt with 3,300 requests this all has cost over £500,000. Next to this all you can now look at every thing the Dyfed-Powys Police has dealt with.

I really love these kind of news articles. Some people make my day for just calling the police department to warn them about an vampire. I think they read to much twilight if you ask me. I also love the story who called to tell the police that he had seen an zombie. But then after wards he finds out it is for a film that is shot there. I really can imagine the faces of the police arriving at the scene. The only bad side is the price tag. I think that the Dyfed-Powys Police can write a book about al the crazy things they have experienced.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-13186033 

If they had just kept an eye on the man

A man committed suicide wile in his cell. Robert Shreenan, 48, got a plastic bag when he told the Reliance staff that he was feeling sick. This all happened when he was being driven to Clydebank police station. After 40 minutes he was found dead with the bag over his head. The suicide could have been avoided if security firm Reliance had taken better precautions. Reliance told the FAI that they now used paper bags. Sheriff Mhairi Mac Taggart tells that Mr. Shreenan would not have died if he was in the custody of the police on 14 July 2008, they would just simply take the bag from him.

It sounds very stupid to give a man who is in custody a plastic bag (really are they that stupid). People created vomit bags right. Those bags are small and made of some kind of paper. What I also find stupid, is the fact that nobody was sitting with Mr. Shreenan in the back of the van. In most of those cop movies you see the police sitting with the bad guy, just to keep an eye on the guy. You never know what these people can do in the back of a van! My end conclusion is that they should have taken better care of the man, then this would never had happened.

Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-13188079

donderdag 14 april 2011

Unbelievable...

Tragedy in Scotland. A 18-year-old boy shot his friend by accident while he was cleaning his shotgun. The tragedy took place in a cottage near Tomintoul. Sophie Taylor, 16 and another friend were cooking dinner when Calum Murry shot her. Calum was in a state of shock when he ran from the cottage. His friends pursued him when he shot himself. It was clear that it was a tragic accident so the officers are not looking for anyone els over the deaths. Both Sophie and Calum were deeply loved by the people they knew. All are deeply shocked and they will be missed.

This news article is very saddening. It sounds terrible. The friends who saw this happening will be in shock I guess. These images are burned in their memories forever. On the other hand it sounds quite stupid, one cleaning a gun that is fully loaded. It is just a matter of time that you shoot someone. It is tragic, but he could have avoid it if he just checked the gun first. On the other hand, maybe he wanted to kill her and did it in such a way that it looked like an accident. Either way it sounds terrible and unbelievable.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13078966

Fashion trend-setter to be?

Since Prince William announced his engagement to Kate Middleton the British are extremely curious about what his fiancé Kate Middleton is going to wear on the actual wedding. The wedding is just three weeks away and the designer of Kate’s wedding dress has not jet known. Her engagement dress copies were sold almost immediately. It looks like she is making her way to become a huge fashion trend-setter. Anna Wintour who is the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, agrees with this statement by saying "Whenever any important figure wears fashion it's going to influence people all over the world, and obviously this is her moment, so anything that she chooses is going to be of huge interest,". While chief executive of The Telegraph Jane Shepherdson says: "I don't think Kate's made a difference to sales. Maybe a few hundred pounds. A pretty dress is a pretty dress, it's going to sell, regardless." Although both of these fashion critics have a different opinion one thing is for sure, Britain is anxious to know what the princess is going to wear next time.

Kate seems a really nice gal, but I really do not care what she is going to wear on the wedding at all. I love to wear things that I like and her clothing is to formal for my taste. What I do think is that the British people love the royalties so it would be normal that they see Kate Middleton as a example on how they want to look like. Because of there love for the royalty’s the clothing that the princess to be wears is going to sell extremely fast. Because of that I do think that she is going to be Britain new fashion trend-setter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13065219