Prince Louis: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge reveal name of baby son

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named their baby son Louis Arthur Charles.
In a statement, Kensington Palace said: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles.
“The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.”
The prince is the duke and duchess’s third child, the younger brother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s sixth great-grandchild.
Lord Louis Mountbatten was Prince Charles’s beloved great-uncle who was assassinated by the IRA in 1979. Prince Louis of Battenberg was the Duke of Edinburgh’s grandfather.

The three names are popular choices recycled by the royal family. Prince Charles is Charles Philip Arthur George, while Prince William is William Arthur Philip Louis. Prince George’s full name is George Alexander Louis.
Bookmakers had Arthur as the favourite for some time, then Alexander.
It has taken four days for the prince’s name to be released. He is fifth in line to the throne, and was born on Monday weighing 3.8kg (8lbs 7oz).

Both Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s names were revealed two days after their births. But Prince William’s name was not made public for seven days.
Historically, royal names are not usually announced for several days. Prince Harry was a recent exception. It was confirmed on the day he left hospital that he would be called Henry, though would be known as Harry. Prince Charles’s name was revealed one month after he was born, only being declared ahead of his christening in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace in December 1948.
The Queen is told, as a courtesy, before the name is announced.

Bookmakers celebrated the news. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said Louis had been 10th in terms of bets placed, with odds as long as 20/1.
“Prince Louis has caught both bookies and punters by surprise. With it being one of Prince George’s middle names, fans didn’t see it as an obvious frontrunner for Kate and Wills’ second son,” he said.
The announcement is likely to prompt a revival in popularity of the name. While more common in the early 2000s, it had dropped to 71st place in the most popular name ranking in England and Wales, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures.

Blackpool Zoo immediately announced a baby Louis of its own in celebration, bestowing the name upon a newborn double-humped Bactrian camel calf also born on Monday morning.

Article courtesy of https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/27/duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge-name-their-baby-son-louis-arthur-charles

 

Big Ben Is About To Fall Silent For Four Years - Here's Why

The chimes of the world’s most iconic clock are to be silenced for the next four years while major conservation works are carried out.

Big Ben’s famous bongs will sound for the last time at noon on Monday, August 21, before they are paused until 2021 - ending more than 150 years of almost continuous timekeeping.

The Elizabeth Tower, home to the Great Clock and Big Ben, is undergoing a complex programme of renovation aimed at preserving the landmark for future generations.

A man with arguably one of the best job titles in the world, Keeper of the Great Clock Steve Jaggs said: “Big Ben falling silent is a significant milestone in this crucial conservation project.

“As Keeper of the Great Clock I have the great honour of ensuring this beautiful piece of Victorian engineering is in top condition on a daily basis.

“This essential programme of works will safeguard the clock on a long term basis, as well as protecting and preserving its home – the Elizabeth Tower.

“Members of the public are welcome to mark this important moment by gathering in Parliament Square to hear Big Ben’s final bongs until they return in 2021.”The works will see the clock dismantled piece by piece, with each cog examined and restored. The four dials will be carefully cleaned, the glass repaired, the cast iron framework renewed, and the hands will be removed and refurbished.

The Great Bell, popularly called Big Ben, weighs 13.7 tonnes and strikes every hour. It is accompanied by four quarter bells, which chime every 15 minutes, which will also cease to keep the workers in the tower safe. 

The clock is operated by a custom built Victorian clockwork mechanism, which relies on gravity to trigger the renowned bongs. To stop the bells, the striking hammers will be locked and the bell disconnected from the clock mechanism, allowing the Great Clock to continue telling the time silently - but it will still chime for important national events, including New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday

Big Ben has marked the hour with almost unbroken service for the past 157 years. The bongs last fell silent for maintenance in 2007, and before that between 1983-5 as part of a previous large scale refurbishment programme. 

Scaffolding for the current conservation project started earlier this year, when scaffolding was put up and the first works will see the Ayrton Light (which shines to show that Parliament is sitting) renovated.

The team will then work its way down the building, removing scaffolding on the way.  Most of the clock faces will be covered with the maintenance is underway, but one will always remain visible.

Article courtesy of http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The Great Bell, popularly called Big Ben, weighs 13.7 tonnes and strikes every hour. It is accompanied by four quarter bells, which chime every 15 minutes, which will also cease to keep the workers in the tower safe. The clock is operated by a custom built Victorian clockwork mechanism, which relies on gravity to trigger the renowned bongs. To stop the bells, the striking hammers will be locked and the bell disconnected from the clock mechanism, allowing the Great Clock to continue telling the time silently - but it will still chime for important national events, including New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The Great Bell, popularly called Big Ben, weighs 13.7 tonnes and strikes every hour. It is accompanied by four quarter bells, which chime every 15 minutes, which will also cease to keep the workers in the tower safe. The clock is operated by a custom built Victorian clockwork mechanism, which relies on gravity to trigger the renowned bongs. To stop the bells, the striking hammers will be locked and the bell disconnected from the clock mechanism, allowing the Great Clock to continue telling the time silently - but it will still chime for important national events, including New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday.

Gorilla drags boy along Cincinatti Zoo moat

Zoo shoots gorilla dead to protect boy who was pulled into enclosure.

A special zoo response team shot and killed a gorilla on Saturday that grabbed and dragged a four-year-old boy who fell into the gorilla exhibit moat, the Cincinnati Zoo's director said.

Authorities said the boy, who fell 10 to 12 feet, is expected to recover after being picked up out of the moat and dragged by the 17-year-old gorilla for about 10 minutes. He was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The three-year-old boy was deemed to be in a life-threatening situation when he fell into the gorilla exhibit moat. Director Thane Maynard said the zoo's dangerous animal response team that practices for such incidents decided the boy was in "a life-threatening situation" and that they needed to put down the 400-pound-plus male gorilla named Harambe.

"They made a tough choice and they made the right choice because they saved that little boy's life," Maynard said. "It could have been very bad."

Maynard said he had not yet talked to the boy's parents.

He said the gorilla didn't appear to be attacking the child, but he said it was "an extremely strong" animal in an agitated situation. He said tranquilising the gorilla wouldn't have knocked it out immediately, leaving the boy in danger.

Maynard said it was the first time that the team had killed a zoo animal in such an emergency situation, and he called it "a very sad day" at the zoo. The lowland gorilla is an endangered species.

The incident was reported at around 4pm. The area around the gorilla exhibit was closed off Saturday afternoon as zoo visitors reported hearing screaming.

Harambe came to Cincinnati in 2015 from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas.

Hospital officials said they couldn't release any information on the child. Authorities hadn't released the child's name.

Maynard said the zoo's Gorilla World area would be open as usual on Sunday. He said the zoo believed the exhibit remains safe. They are still investigating, but zoo officials believe the boy crawled through a railing barrier, then fell into the moat.

The zoo prides itself for its work in protecting endangered species, and has been part of successful captive breeding efforts in recent years in the effort to save the endangered Sumatran rhino.

Article courtesy of the Press Association.

Food Bank use at record levels, says Trussell Trust charity

Food bank use remains at record levels, with more than 1.1 million units of emergency supplies given out by a leading charity in the last year, figures have revealed. The Trussell Trust said there was a 2% increase in three-day supplies provided to people from its network of 424 food banks in the 2015/16 financial year. More than 415,000 went to children, while on average people were referred to food banks twice in the past year.

Almost half of food banks said there had been an increase in the number of people needing emergency supplies because of benefit sanctions, while other problems included low wages, high living costs or insecure work contracts.

The trust said a million emergency food supplies a year must not become the "new normal". Trust chief executive David McAuley said: "Today's figures on national food bank use prove that the numbers of people hitting a crisis where they cannot afford to buy food are still far too high. "One million three-day food supplies given out by our food banks every year is one million too many. "Reducing UK hunger will require a collective effort from the voluntary sector, Government, businesses and the public, and the Trussell Trust is keen to work with all these groups to find solutions that stop so many people needing food banks in future."

The report said there was a clear link between food bank use and areas of high deprivation. More than 40,000 volunteers helped at food banks in the past year and the public donated over 10,500 tonnes of food. Most of the trust's food banks also offer legal and welfare advice, housing support and clothes. The trust said its figures do not reveal the full scale of food poverty in the UK because other groups also offer food aid.

A Government spokesman said: "Reasons for foodbank use are complex so it is misleading to link them to any one thing. "This Government is determined to move to a higher-wage society, introducing the new National Living Wage that will benefit over one million workers directly this year, and we're also spending £80 billion on working-age benefits to ensure a strong safety net for those who need it most. "The vast majority of benefits are processed on time and the number of sanctions have actually gone down."

Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Kerry McCarthy said: "It is a national scandal that food bank usage is continuing to rise. "Food banks have become a truly shameful symbol of a Tory Government that is failing to stand up for ordinary people. While those at the top are given tax breaks, others are struggling to get by. "Emergency food aid should remain just that - food banks can never be allowed to become a permanent feature of British society."

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: "Following hard on the heels of the billions stashed abroad by the rich and powerful we have today's heart-rending report from the Trussell Trust that hundreds of thousands of our fellow-citizens, including children, are struggling, one step away from starvation, in the fifth richest economy in the world. "If anything demonstrated the fierce and burning inequality engulfing our country, it is the repugnant contrast between a rich elite who can enjoy tax-light arrangements for the cash they have squirrelled away in the British Virgin Islands with the tales of daily despair emanating from the trust's 424 foodbanks."

Dr Eilidh Whiteford, the SNP's spokeswoman for Social Justice and Welfare, said: "That there is already an existing and desperate need for foodbanks in Scotland and across the UK is a complete disgrace but these figures show that foodbank use is actually increasing which shows just how badly the Tories have got it wrong."

Rachael Orr, Oxfam's head of UK programme said: "It's worrying that the number of food parcels given out by the Trussell Trust has risen yet again, topping a million for the second year in a row."

Article courtesy of the Press Association.

Be Cyber Streetwise and Think Random to create strong passwords this January

To help people be more secure online, the Cyber Streetwise #thinkrandom campaign is urging people to think ‘random’ to create strong passwords.

More people now store valuable data – both personal and business – on devices like a smartphone, tablet or computer. If a hacker gains access to your device they could cause a lot of damage – for example, they can access sensitive data such as your email or bank details or your clients’ details if you are a business owner.

To help you keep your data secure, a new Cyber Streetwise campaign has been launched to encourage you to create strong passwords by using three random words. Combining three words which mean something to you but are random to others will create a password that is strong and more memorable. Use separate passwords for your business and home account as well to further decrease the chances of multiple security breaches.

Cyber Streetwise’s #thinkrandom campaign will be promoting the use of three random words from 8 – 10 January 2016 from its Facebook and Twitter (opens in a new window) accounts to help people be more secure online and thwart cyber criminals. Keep an eye out for a range of inspirational random ideas and don’t’ forget to share the posts.

The #thinkrandom campaign is part of the wider Cyber Streetwise campaign which is encouraging people to take three simple steps to help stay secure online. These are:

Make passwords stronger by using three random words

Install security software on all devices

Always download the latest software updates

Posting courtesy of www.police.uk

A phenomenon in your own lifetime !

NB. This is not a photograph of my friend.

This is the only time you will see this phenomenon in your lifetime.

Calendar August 2014

It is a fact that August 2014 will have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. According to my very clever former school friend, now a retired head teacher, this happens only every 823 years ! Is that really true ?

This is another of her fascinating claims. If true it speaks volumes about our European bureaucrats:

If there was still a shred of doubt the world is totally insane, this should remove it; only Divine intervention can now restore us to sanity !

Pythagoras' Theorem: .............. 24 words

Lord's Prayer: .................. 66 words

Archimedes' Principle: ............ 67 words

Ten Commandments: .............. 179 words

Gettysburg Address: ............... 286 words

US Declaration of Independence : . 1,300 words

US Constitution with all 27 Amendments: 7,818 words

EU Regulations on the Sale of CABBAGES: 26,911 words

Words fail me, someone please reassure me that the last statistic is incorrect !

Apologies For Absence

Please accept my apologies for not posting on my blog for several weeks. Seven weeks ago I slipped and fell on ice which resulted in an injury to my left shoulder necessitating physiotherapy. I am recovering very slowly but using the keyboard on my computer has proven very difficult; hence my lack of postings.

In addition, I have suffered the recent loss of a longstanding dear friend of mine who passed away suddenly causing me considerable shock. I am gradually returning to my former self and trust my regular readers will bear with me in the meantime. I am particularly grateful to Annete for her concern and good wishes. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible !!!!!

A Referendum on Britain's Relationship with the European Union

Conservative Member of the European Parliament representing the South West of England, the Isles of Scilly & Gibraltar

I have received the following Newsletter from my European Member of Parliament, Mr. Ashley Fox.

As I was one of those who voted in 1973 for Great Britain to join what was then called the European Economic Community, in order for us to advance our trade and friendship with them;  never for one moment dreaming that it would eventually lead to a perceived Federal States of Europe or even a Eurozone Single Currency, I now therefore wholeheartedly agree with his sentiments expressed in the article below.

The Prime Minister is right to talk about holding a referendum on Britain's relationship with the European Union. He is also right that this shouldn't take place until after the next General Election.

As I travel around the South West I hear how few people are happy with Britain's current relationship with the EU. Europe costs too much and interferes too much in our daily lives. Whilst we value the single market that enables us to trade freely with our European partners, we worry that Europe is developing into a Political Union that we haven't voted to join.

I appreciate that many people want to leave the EU and want an in/out referendum now. The problem is that this precludes the possibility of improving our current position. A Yes vote means we affirm our current terms of membership (something I don't wish to do) and would prevent any form of repatriation of powers back to Britain. That is why I believe we need to take our time to get this right.

I want to see a Conservative majority Government elected in 2015 on a mandate to repatriate powers from Brussels to Britain. This would be to repeat the manifesto promise we made at the last General Election, which would give the new Government the opportunity to renegotiate our relationship with the EU and then to put the end result to a vote. The question should be whether the British people want to remain within the EU on the new terms, which I hope would resemble the Common Market we joined in 1973, or would they prefer to leave?

We need to be absolutely sure that we are asking the right question at the right time.

“Only a resolute defence of Britain's interests will persuade the British people that it is worth staying in Europe”

Article courtesy of Ashley Fox, MEP.

Shaun's Very Brave Final Goodbye

Dying teen's goodbye video message touches the world after it goes viral

A terminally ill teenager's moving goodbye video to his family and friends has touched the world after it accidentally went viral.

Shaun Wilson-Miller, 17, recorded his message in his bedroom and intended to share it with his Facebook friends.

But now more than 1.65 million people have seen his heartbreaking home movie after a technical problem meant he had to upload it to YouTube.

Shaun, from Melbourne, Australia, suffers from a chronic heart condition that means his body has rejected two transplants.

Doctors said he cannot undergo a third operation - and it is believed Shaun has just months to live.

Shaun recorded the message in his bedroom late at night soon after hearing the devastating diagnosis.

He urged his loved ones to live their lives to the fullest and look after his dad when he is gone.

In the clip, a visibly emotional Shaun says: "I won't be here as long as I thought, but I wanted to say that this has been an awesome ride and I have no regrets.

"Live life to the fullest because you never know what's going to happen."

Since the emotional footage emerged, Shaun has appeared on a number of TV shows, including a guest role on Neighbours. He has met his favourite Aussie rules footballer Jobe Watson, is writing his memoirs and has inspired a rap song.

He has even found love with a fellow heart patient.

Shaun told a newspaper: "Yes, it's love. We've been going out for two and a half weeks, but we've been friends for seven years.

"The hardest thing for me is leaving her, knowing that I won't get to marry her. To have kids together. To grow old together. That is what makes me sad."

His dad Cameron Miller said they have had to discuss his son's funeral arrangements because his new-found fame means the death will affect more than just their nearest and dearest.

"I just pray that it's quick. I don't want him to suffer," he said.

"No parent should have to bury their child. But he's loving life and he wants us to do the same. He doesn't want us to cry for him."

Article courtesy of  Keith Kendrick, May 16, 2012 and http://www.youtube.com/ and http://www.aol.com/

Cancer: Lifestyle Changes Could Prevent 40% Of Tumours Each Year

Making small lifestyle changes could dramatically reduce people's risk of cancer, according to new research.

Scientists found that four in 10 cancers could be prevented if people change their daily habits, with smoking, obesity, diet and alcohol the main contributors to the disease.

The findings by Cancer Research UK, which are based on 2010 figures, said that around 134,000 cancers diagnosed in Britain last year were attributable to lifestyle and environmental factors.

The study, which analysed hundreds of cases, calculated that 40% of cancers in men and 45% in women could have been averted, with smoking the biggest contributor, responsible for an estimated 61,000 diagnoses.

Poor diet is also a major contributor, with a lack of fruit and vegetables, as well as too much salt and red meat responsible for around 30,000 cases each year. According to the study, weight caused 17,000 cases a year, with bowel cancer the main type arising from obesity.

Alcohol led to 12,500 cases a year, particularly breast, mouth, throat and bowel cancers. Other contributing factors include sun exposure, occupational hazards, infections, hormone replacement therapy and not breast-feeding.

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, is likely to increase pressure on the government to do more to tackle the problems of obesity, binge drinking and smoking.

"If we could prevent 134,000 cancers every year this would lead to enormous savings in health costs, so there is a credible case to be made for more resources in prevention," said Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK.

Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians, called the figures a “wake-up call to the government”.

“The rising incidence of preventable cancers shows that the 'carrot' approach of voluntary agreements with industry is not enough to prompt healthy behaviours, and needs to be replaced by the 'stick' approach of legislative solutions, which includes increasing the price and reducing the availability of alcohol," he said.

Speaking to Sky News, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley‪, said: "What Cancer Research UK have quite rightly drawn attention to is that many cancers are preventable. For example, if people simply quit smoking - that is the largest and entirely preventable cause of cancers.”

Lansley said that the study is not a reflection on the quality of care being provided to cancer patients in the National Health Service.

Article courtesy of The Huffington Post & AOL.

Driver's Miraculous Escape

A Chinese driver escaped with barely a scratch after hundreds of steel bars crashed through the windscreen of his car.

Yang Junsheng, 24, ducked as the bars shot towards him and incredibly they all missed him.

He was left in shock - but with only a few scratches to his left cheek, following the accident in Taizhou, Zhejianag Province.

Yang admitted that the accident happened as he was trying to drive away from a police officer as the car was unregistered.

He smashed into a pick-up truck carrying a load of steel bars which were sent flying through his windscreen.

"My mind was very clear at that second, and I immediately dived down onto the passenger seat," Yang said.

"I heard an explosion and when the car stopped I couldn't move because the car was full of metal bars. They were everywhere."

He went to hospital for a check up but doctors said he had no injuries at all, apart from his scratches.

"It's pure magic that he could survive this," said one police officer. "When I saw the car I thought the driver had to be dead."

Article courtesy of ANANOVA and www.policeoracle.com

Priests In Pyjamas Sit On Burglar

A burglar was nabbed in a scene that could have come straight out of TV's Father Ted – as three Catholic priests sat on him in their pyjamas.

Police were confronted by the unholy sight when they raced to the 2am break-in at a presbytery.

“Jimmy played a lot of rugby when he was younger – and floored him with a flying tackle. The chap was trying to break free and escape.”
The thug woke one of the clerics after spotting an open window and shimmying up a drainpipe into his room.

Father Jimmy Shiel, 67, leapt out of bed and chased him into a corridor – banging on housemates' doors.

He then bravely rugby-tackled the intruder – who battled desperately to get away in Dunstable, Beds.

But by then Father Kieran Magovern, 66, and Father Chacko Panathara, 61 – also in their jim-jams – had dashed to the aid of their fellow parish priest.

Father Magovern grinned yesterday: "Jimmy played a lot of rugby when he was younger – and floored him with a flying tackle. The chap was trying to break free and escape.

"But with the three of us on top of him he was going nowhere. I had my knee in his back. I rang 999 and told the police what was happening."

The trio continued to pin the burglar down until officers arrived at the presbytery next to the town's St Mary's Church – and hauled the offender away to pay for his sins.

Hours later on Sunday, the priests went about their normal church duties – with early morning mass, baptisms and meetings with parents of children preparing for their first communions.

The man, aged 28, was remanded in custody by a judge at Luton Magistrates' Court.

Article courtesy of www.policeoracle.com and

French Police in Uproar Over Lunchtime Booze Ban

They might be lampooned as a bunch of truncheon-happy meatheads by leftwing street demonstrators, but that doesn't mean French riot police don't appreciate a nice glass of Burgundy with their lunch.

The notorious Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité, or CRS, are outraged at an official decree stating they can no longer drink wine or beer with their meals.

Until now, a civilised tipple was part of the daily lunch menu of the controversial force, lauded by Nicolas Sarkozy, whose trademark black body armour and riot shields are a regular feature on French streets.

A glass of wine, beer or cider – but not spirits – was always permitted with lunch, including while on duty. Even packed lunches provided out of riot vans while they were patrolling demonstrations came with a can of beer or glass of wine.

But in October last year, authorities were annoyed when pictures published on the website Bakchich showed uniformed riot police swigging beer from cans on the sidelines of a sixth-formers' street-protest against pension reforms in Perreux-sur-Marne, north of Paris. The website reported that having told locals it was too dangerous to go outside during the high-school demo, uniformed officers stopped for a beer on a street corner in full view of the public.

Police unions expressed their fury at the new decree. Paul Le Guennec, of the biggest riot police union, Unité Police SGP-FO, said the French public had not seemed shocked at the notion of a CRS officer drinking at lunch.

"Does the fact that having a glass of wine while eating prevent any kind of worker from carrying out their job? I don't think the chief of police drinks water when he's having a meal," Le Guennec told the paper Le JDD.

The union argued that the CRS did not have a higher incidence of alcohol problems than the rest of society, saying a small drink with lunch was in line with French labour law.

But unions warned that the row over lunchtime drinking should not be allowed to detract from their protests over cuts to the 14,000-strong force. Earlier this year, there was unprecedented strike action and protests by riot police over cuts to barracks and staff, with some CRS in Marseille going on hunger strike in an embarrassment to the security-minded Sarkozy.

Article courtesy of Guardian Unlimited and www.policeoracle.com

Brain Scans 'To Predict Future Criminals'

Courtesy of: Ananova and www.policeoracle.com

Scientists may soon be able to identify potential criminals using developments in brain research on children as young as six months, an expert has claimed.

Psychologist Dr Adrian Raine said recognising problems in a child's limbic system, which controls emotion, will allow scientists to predict future offenders and psychopaths.

"Seeds of sin are sown quite early in life," Dr Raine told a science conference in the US.

“People would have to decide whether or not to intervene at an early age to stop crime despite possible mistakes in predictions”
The British scientist, who is at the University of Pennsylvania, said three year olds with a poorly-functioning amygdala, a key part of the limbic system, were more likely to commit crime 20 years later.

Further research presented at the conference showed emotional problems, like "callous-unemotional" (CU), were hereditary.

CU traits are associated with a lack of emotion, empathy and guilt and are linked to persistent bad behaviour in young children.

After assessing more than 9,000 twins between the ages of four and 12, Dr Nathalie Fontaine concluded that genetics played a fundamental role in the emergence of CU traits, especially in young boys.

Dr Raine said that a time would come when "we are going to be able to predict reasonably well which individuals at a modest age say eight to 10 years old are predicated to become criminal offenders".

The scientist added people would have to decide whether or not to intervene at an early age to stop crime despite possible mistakes in predictions.

Omega 3 - a fatty acid that helps build brain cells - was identified as being able to reduce aggressive behaviour in children based on studies that have shown giving supplements to prison inmates cut serious offending by a third.

"Its very simple - bad brain, bad behaviour... improve brain functioning and you will improve behaviour," Dr Raine said.

The Wisdom of Benjamin Franklin on Freemasonry

Make the most of your cell phone

5 THINGS YOU PROBABLY NEVER KNEW YOUR MOBILE PHONE COULD DO

There are quite a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies.
Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out what you can do with it:

FIRST
Emergency
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112.

If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you. This number 112 can be dialled even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND
Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This information may come in handy someday. If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, just call someone at home and ask them to get your spare key and their mobile phone. Then hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at home press the unlock button on the spare key, holding it near their mobile phone. Your car will unlock and saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.

Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away but if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' key or your car, you can unlock the doors (or the boot/trunk).

Postcript: It works well! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a mobile phone!'

THIRD
Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your mobile battery is very low. To reactivate, press the keys *3370# and y our mobile will restart with this reserve and will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you next recharge your mobile.

FOURTH
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 # A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone is stolen you can telephone your service provider by landline and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use it or sell it either! If everybody did this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

FIFTH
ATM - PIN Number Reversal - Good to Know
If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your PIN # in reverse . For example, if your pin number is 1234 then you would put in 4321. The ATM system recognizes that your PIN number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you the money you requested but, unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to the location.

This information was recently broadcast on CTV by Crime Stoppers however it is seldom used because people just don't know about it.

POSTSCRIPT May 20th, 2010.
My thanks to a blogger called Charlie who notified me that Item 5 above is totally false. Please read the story as verified by SNOPES by copying this link into your browser: http://www.snopes.com/business/bank/pinalert.asp

World War II tank recovered after 62 years

WW II Russian tank with German markings uncovered after 62 years. WW II Buffs will find this interesting. Even after 62 years (and a little tinkering), they were able to fire up the diesel engine!

A Komatsu D375A-2 bulldozer pulled the abandoned tank from its tomb under the boggy bank of a lake near Johvi, Estonia. The Soviet-built T34/76A tank had been resting at the bottom of the lake for 56 years. According to its specifications, it's a 27-ton machine with a top speed of 53km/hr.

From February to September 1944, heavy battles were fought in the narrow, 50 km-wide, Narva front in the northeastern part of Estonia. Over 100,000 men were killed and 300,000 men were wounded there.

During battles in the summer of 1944, the tank was captured from the Soviet army and used by the German army. (This is the reason that there are German markings painted on the tank's exterior.) On 19th September, 1944, German troops began an organized retreat along the Narva front. It is suspected that the tank was then purposefully driven into the lake to conceal it when its captors left the area.

At that time, a local boy walking by the lake, Kurtna Matasjarv, noticed tank tracks leading into the lake but not coming out anywhere. For two months he saw air bubbles emerging from the lake. This gave him reason to believe that there must be an armoured vehicle at the lake's bottom. A few years ago, he told the story to the leader of the local war history club 'Otsing'. Together with other club members, Mr. Igor Shedunov initiated diving expeditions to the bottom of the lake about a year ago. At the depth of 7 metres they discovered the tank resting under a 3 metre layer of peat.

Enthusiasts from the club, under Mr Shedunov's leadership, decided to pull the tank out. In September of 2000 they turned to Mr. Aleksander Borovkovthe, manager of the Narva open pit company AS Eesti Polevkivi, to rent the company's Komatsu D375A-2 bulldozer. (Currently used at the pit, the Komatsu dozer was manufactured in 1995, and has recorded 19,000 operating hours without major repairs.)

The pulling operation began at 09:00 and was concluded at 15:00, with several technical breaks. The weight of the tank, combined with the travel incline, made for a pulling operation that required significant muscle. The D375A-2 handled the operation with power and style. The weight of the fully-armed tank was around 30 tons, so the active force required to retrieve it was similar. A main requirement for the 68-ton dozer was to have enough weight to prevent slippage while moving up the hill.

After the tank surfaced, it turned out to be a "trophy tank" that had been captured by the German army in the course of the battle at Sinimaed (Blue Hills) about six weeks before it was sunk in the lake. Altogether, 116 shells were found on board. Remarkably, the tank was in good condition, with NO RUST, and all systems (except the engine) in working condition. This is a very rare machine, especially considering that it fought both on the Russian and the German sides. Plans are underway to fully restore the tank. It will be displayed at a war history museum in the Gorodenko village on the left bank of the River Narv.

The ultimate in political spin!

No matter what side of the political spectrum you are on, this story, if true, is no surprise and extremely revealing of our politicians!

It simply depends on how you look at some things !!!!!!...,

Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California , was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Congressman Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory:

On the back of the picture which Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: 'Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.'

So Judy recently e-mailed Congressman Harry Reid for information about their great-great uncle.

Believe it or not, Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

"Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory . His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honour when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

Now that's how it's done, Folks! That's real POLITICAL SPIN !!!!!!!!!

Postscript Monday 8th. February,2010: My apologies to my Californian friend Dean Eddy for failing to give him thanks for sending me this item when I first posted it on my blog. I am usually more circumspect in giving credits but on this occasion it unfortunately slipped my mind.Please forgive your old limey friend. Another of my more frequent senior moments !!!!!

Dean's website can be found at this address;

http://community-1.webtv.net/dapcs5/httpcommunitywebtv/

Dr. Kent Holtorf - Fox News "Tracking H1N1" (Swine Flu)

Dr. Kent Holtorf talks with Fox News about the symptoms and treatment of H1N1 (Swine Flu). He is an expert on infectious diseases and his views on the new vaccine coming to the market in October are very alarming to say the least.

I am aware that other medical experts disagree with him but who are we to believe? I am in an "at risk" group being a heart patient, so I am confused as to what to do if or when I am offered this vaccination by my medical surgery. Annually, I receive the normal winter flu jab and have never suffered any ill effects but this is an additional vaccination with questionable trial research.

Your considered views and informed opinions would be most welcome.

I want my England!

ENGLAND I think this really sums it all up.

After hearing that many cities did not want to offend other cultures by putting up Christmas lights, so DIDN'T!

After learning that the British Red Cross shops were instructed not to display Christmas decorations lest they cause offence. (A move which cost them my support thereafter.)

After hearing that the Birmingham council changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver's licence with her face covered. You try it!

After hearing of a Primary School in Birmingham where a boy was told that for PE they could wear Football League shirts (Aston Villa, Birmingham, West Brom etc) but NOT an England shirt as it could offend others !

This prompted the editorial below written by a UK citizen,and published in a British newspaper.

IMMIGRANTS. NOT BRITONS, MUST ADAPT

Take it or leave it. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on London , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Brits.

However, the dust from the attacks has barely settled and the 'politically correct' crowd begin complaining about the possibility that our patriotism is offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Britain . However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.

This idea of England being a multicultural centre for community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Britons, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of wars, struggles, trials and victories fought by the untold masses of men and women who laid down their lives and of the millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. If St.George's cross offends you, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.

We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this.

But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our National Motto, or Our Way of Life, I encourage you take advantage of one other great British freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.

We didn't force you to come here. If you don't like it GO HOME!!

You asked to be here.. So accept the country that accepted YOU. Pretty easy really, when you think about it.