Which American artist noted for his large graffiti-style paintings had a major exhibition at London's Tate Modern in Summer 2008?

TM-FORUM • View topic - [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010 [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010  Post subject: [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010 Posted: 02 Jul 2009 22:42  smooth traffic navigator Joined: 02 Jul 2009 22:24 Posts: 213 Owned TM-games: TMUF 23.2.2010 - now version 9.0 Lots of improvements, but lacks function to read questions from file, but you can copypaste it from version 1.5, hopefully * Admins * Ingame help * Admin can grant / remove points with single click * Questions queue, users can ask questions and they are shown by the order what they were asked * check for non-normal charracters on answer like ¨ ^ ´ ` etc etc.. http://koti.mbnet.fi/reaby/xaseco/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, on one server we have a tradition of having a quiz run by a player. Today I had an idea to make actually a point calculating system for it. Apparently this script is so fresh that it isn't in use of any servers yet, but hopefully it finds its place on that server. Update: The script without reading questions from file is now in use on the server. how it works? type /quiz and new question is asked from file. how to ask questions outside of file? /quiz_ask what color is a red car ? red how to answer? simply type answer to chat, and if you get it right you will be given a point. other commands are /quiz_points and /quiz_reset The script doesn't require local database, and scores are only stored temporarily. Quiz questions are placed on xaseco folder, where all xml files are, but it's named quiz_questions.txt, the format is same as asking custom question and 1 question/line. End of this posting is some sample questions. Code: /* plugin.quiz_en.php English version of QuizBot 1.5 by Reaby Many thanks for Assembler Maniac for Chatbot which this bot utilizes the main loop for getting chat-text from users. How it works? To ask manually question simply type /quiz_ask [question] ? [answer] To ask question from file type /quiz To reset points /quiz_reset /quiz_ask which color has red car on ? red answering normally by typing to chat. */ Aseco::addChatCommand('quiz_ask', 'Ask a question, right answer after questionmark'); Aseco::addChatCommand('quiz', 'Ask a question from file'); class quizbot       // ignore text that comes from the server       // also ignore anything that looks like it's a command       if ( $command[0] == 0 || substr($command[2], 0, 1) == '/' )      // $command[0] is the player id, 0 = server          {          if ( strtolower($command[2]) == strtolower($this->rightAnswer) )             {          $message = "\$0b0 Right answer! \$fff".$this->rightAnswer;           $this->Aseco->client->query('GetPlayerInfo', $command[1]);          $info = $this->Aseco->client->getResponse();          $nick = $info['NickName'];          $this->points[$command[1]]['NickName'] = $nick;          $this->points[$command[1]]['Points']++;             $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);             $this->points();  // show points at successcull answer       unset($this->rightAnswer);     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     }     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     }    foreach ($this->points as $info) {    $message .=$info['NickName'].": \$z\$s\$fff".$info['Points']." ";    }     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     } $message = "Scores are now reset!"; $aseco->client->query('ChatSendServerMessage', $aseco->formatColors($message)); unset($quizbot->points); And the sample questions file: quiz_questions.txt Code: Which world famous landmark is found on Mount Lee? Hollywood Sign What is sake made from ? Rice In George Orwell`s Animal Farm, what type of animals were Clover, Mollie and Boxer? Horses What is the hardest natural substance? diamond How many different scoring areas are there on a standard dart board (type only number)? 82 The pop groups Ace Of Base and The Cardigans both hail from which country? Sweden What colou


Who won the UK 2008 Apprentice TV show and the resulting job with Sir Alan Sugar?

What The Apprentice winners did next - BBC News BBC News What The Apprentice winners did next 13 March 2013 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Stella English, who won The Apprentice in 2010, became so disillusioned with the £100,000 job she ended up taking Lord Sugar to an employment tribunal. Ms English, from Whitstable, Kent is one of eight winners since the show launched in 2005. What happened to the others? Tim Campbell 2005 Transport manager Tim Campbell, from East London beat Saira Khan to become Lord Sugar's first Apprentice. Image caption Tim Campbell was made an MBE in 2012 for services to enterprise culture Two years later he left, making what he describes as a "brave decision" to leave the Amstrad "comfort zone", and founded a social enterprise Bright Ideas Trust to help young entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds. He became a social enterprise ambassador for the government and London's ambassador for training and enterprise and was made an MBE in the 2012 New Year Honours for his services to enterprise culture. Ms Khan is now a corporate speaker and TV presenter and reporter on ITV's the Martin Lewis Money Show. Michelle Dewberry 2006 Lord Sugar told the tribunal series two winner Michelle Dewberry was the only contestant other than Ms English to leave the £100,000 job before the end of her 12-month contract. Image caption Michelle Dewberry and Ruth Badger were rivals in the 2006 final She has since become a motivational speaker, Sky News breakfast TV pundit and magazine columnist. She runs a business consultancy and founded bargain deals website DailyChic. "Winning the show is something Michelle is very proud of," said her spokeswoman. "The profile she gained is something she uses to raise awareness of the causes that are close to her heart, such as Women's Aid." On Friday she Tweeted she was lunching with Dragon's Den entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne, a fellow Women's Aid supporter. Her rival in The Apprentice final, no-nonsense Ruth Badger, runs her own business consultancy in Manchester. Simon Ambrose 2007 Cambridge graduate Simon Ambrose worked for Lord Sugar's property company Amsprop for three years, during which he studied as a chartered surveyor. Image caption Simon Ambrose is a property developer and runs an event production company Since then he has invested in a London restaurant, members club and art gallery and owns and runs an event production company and become a property developer. "I enjoyed my three years with Lord Sugar and saw him regularly, my desk being only yards from his office," he said. "It was a unique experience." Among Mr Ambrose's fellow contestants was Katie Hopkins, the mother-of-two who walked off the show after Sir Alan questioned her about childcare. She turned up on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here nine months later. Lee McQueen 2008 Lee McQueen was the winner who rang in sick on his first day in the new £100,000 job. Image caption Lee McQueen worked with Lord Sugar's son Simon after missing his first day because of sickness Lord Sugar, then still Sir Alan, told BBC Radio 4 he caught a virus when he was in Spain. "He's phoning me every 10 minutes giving me chapter and verse on how many times he has visited the loo," he said. Mr McQueen went on to set up a digital media business with Lord Sugar's son Simon. "The Apprentice tests you in every way, stamina, business acumen, team work, confidence it was a great experience," he says on his website. He later founded the recruitment company Raw Talent Academy, helping young people - not necessarily just graduates - start careers in sales and recruitment. Yasmina Siadatan 2009 Restaurant owner Yasmina Siadatan worked her one-year £100,000 contract at Lord Sugar's Amscreen Healthcare company, which supplies advertising and information screens to hospitals and GPs. Image caption Yasmina Sidatan was head hunted for James Caan's private equity firm After taking time off to have two children she was headhunted earlier this year by former Dragon's Den star James Caan. She now works for his private equity firm Hamilton Bra


What was Abdel Kechiche's 2008 film about France's North African community?

Couscous - Film4 Film4 Couscous Synopsis Abdel Kechiche's third feature is an ensemble film about food, family, failure and friction within France's community of North African Ã©migrÃ©s About Take the grain away from fish couscous and you are left with nothing to absorb the acidity of the mullet or the spiciness of the sauce. A similar principle is at work in Abdellatif Kechiche's film. All the ingredients seem to be in place for a predictable ensemble recipe where everything will come together harmoniously in the end - only for the director to leave us impatient and slavering, like the protagonist's drunken dinner guests in the final scenes, for a perfect dish that may never arrive. In other words, he make us hungry for wishful fantasy, while slyly serving up something with all the frustrations, disappointments and unsavouriness of real life, so that we simultaneously are invited to dream up a happy conclusion while witnessing a tragic catastrophe that tastes very bitter indeed. In a memorable image from Couscous, we see the 61-year-old Slimane (Boufares) running in circles, getting nowhere except out of breath, as he pursues a trio of taunting youths who have just stolen his moped at a moment when his future employment depends on it. This allusion to Vittorio De Sica 's Bicycle Thieves (1948) reinforces the film's neo-realist tone and working class setting, while the scene's hellish circularity encapsulates the Sisyphean predicament of a man who has been forced into early retirement with little to show for his 35 years of shipyard labouring but a paltry severance package and declining health. Slimane, it seems, has always been running in circles. Despite his humiliation and emasculation, the downtrodden patriarch still dreams of restoring his own dignity and creating something of value to leave behind for his extended family - and so he decides (off camera) to start up his own couscous business on an old boat that he will refurbish himself. Once again Slimane must face a vicious circle of French officiousness, prejudice and exclusion, and he ends up staking all his last hopes in a lavish dinner party designed to attract investors. At this point his ex-wife Souad (Marzouk), his many children, in-laws, co-workers and friends, his landlady/lover Latifa (Karaoui) and especially Latifa's daughter Rym (Herzi) all pitch in to make the perfect night for the man they love - until, whether by illogical happenstance or the workings of the evil eye, everything begins to unravel. By focussing on family, sacrifice, exile, and the unifying effects of a meal made with love, Kechiche might at first seem merely to be relocating the plot and themes of Babette's Feast (1987), Big Night (1996), Chocolat (2000) or even Ratatouille (2007) to the Arabic diaspora community of Southern France - but in fact the French-Tunisian director has made a much riskier film than any of these. Couscous offsets lengthy, painstaking observations of domestic minutiae against the odd jarring narrative ellipse (like Slimane's elided decision to open a restaurant), and prefers subtle contrasts of character to sweeping melodrama. Most strikingly of all, Kechiche withholds the satisfying ending towards which everything has been carefully building. Perhaps only patient viewers may last the 151-minute distance, but they will be rewarded with feeling something that approximates Slimane's own mixed sense of pride and dislocation, hope and despair, as he continues pursuing a dream that in fact began dying the day he emigrated, decades earlier. And the assured performance of newcomer Hafsia Herzi as Slimane's devoted stepdaughter - a focus for everything that is worthwhile in his newly adopted life - brings rewards all of its own. Actor: Bouraouïa Marzouk, Alice Houri, Cyril Favre, Leila D'Issernio, Habib Boufares, Abdelhamid Aktouche, Hafsia Herzi, Farida Benkhetache, Abelkalder Djelouli, Olivier Loustau, Bruno Lochet Director: Abdel Kechiche Screen Writer: Ghayla Lacroix, Abdel Kechiche Writer (Story): Abdel Kechiche


Who ran the fraudulent $50bn investment pyramid scheme exposed in December 2008?

FT: Horlick falls victim to Madoff ‘fraud’ - Google Groups FT: Horlick falls victim to Madoff ‘fraud’ Showing 1-1 of 1 messages Horlick falls victim to Madoff ‘fraud’ By James Mackintosh Published: December 12 2008 15:16 Nicola Horlick’s Bramdean Alternatives emerged on Friday as a prominent victim of the alleged $50bn fraud by Bernard Madoff, when the listed investment fund revealed almost 10 per cent of its investments were exposed to the New York broker. Bramdean, founded by Ms Horlick – known as “superwoman” when she ran SG Asset Management after having five children – said it had 9.5 per cent of its assets in two funds which placed money with Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities. Mr Madoff, chairman of the Nasdaq stock market in the early 1990s, was charged with a multi-billion dollar fraud on Thursday in the US. According to prosecutors he told staff the fraud was at least $50bn through a Ponzi scheme, similar to a pyramid scheme. Several hedge fund investors said they had examined more than a dozen funds which invested with Madoff Securities – such as Fairfield Sentry, Kingate and Herald USA – but rejected them because Madoff did its own valuations and its own custody. “We always knew there was a problem,” said one hedge fund investor who declined to put money in. “The numbers were too good.” But many others invested in Madoff, including Tremont, the fund of hedge funds. Fairfield Sentry had $7.28bn of assets last month, according to industry data, while Kingate Global had $2.76bn. Both reported profits for the year, with Fairfield up 5.48 per cent for the year to last week, and Kingate Global up 7.6 per cent. Structured “notes”, typically sold to wealthy individuals, with returns linked at least in part to funds which invested with Madoff were sold by Spanish bank BBVA, Zurich-based Neue Privat Bank and Vienna’s Bank Medici, among others. Bramdean said it invested in Defender and Rye Select Broad Market XL, both of which invested with Madoff Securities. The $380m Defender fund placed the majority of its assets with Mr Madoff’s firm, according to Bramdean. In its annual report it described the fund as a “low-risk, high-liquidity” way to use cash waiting to commit to private equity. The $330m Rye Select Broad Market XL was part of Bramdean’s core portfolio of hedge funds, and was described as a three times leveraged version of a “very conservative split-strike strategy – which consists of the purchase of a basket of equities, the purchase of a put option and the sale of a call option”. There was no mention of Mr Madoff’s firm, although hedge fund investors said Rye was well-known as one of a plethora of funds which invested in Madoff. According to Bramdean, “Madoff Securities implements a strategy that consists of a long position in a basket of S&P 100 shares and an index option strategy against these shares (bull spread).” Bramdean, BBVA and Neue Privat Bank did not immediately return calls. Bank Medici said it was “evaluating facts working together with our legal counsel”.


Who released the album Do You Like Rock Music?

Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic Do You Like Rock Music? AllMusic Rating google+ AllMusic Review               by James Christopher Monger On 2005's Open Season , British Sea Power traded in some of the chilly post-rock angst that fueled their 2003 debut with a more streamlined, radio-ready approach that left some listeners yearning for the lo-fi majesty of songs like "Carrion" and "Fear of Drowning." Those tunes were still there, but they demanded repeated spins before revealing their fruits, a tactic that the stoic Cumbria, England, quartet employs again -- but with far more breathtaking results -- on its third full-length, Do You Like Rock Music? Tapping the collective talents of three producers -- Howard Bilerman ( Arcade Fire ), Graham Sutton ( Jarvis Cocker ), and Efrim Menuck ( Godspeed You Black Emperor! ) -- in numerous locations (Canada, Cornwall, and the Czech Republic, respectively), DYLRM should be a mess, but the band has crafted a wintry, nuanced, and bold collection of epic songs that integrate the sweeping theatricality of Arcade Fire -era indie rock without all of the insularity. This is music made for people, not a person. The sound effects, choral vocals, strings, and feedback that populate DYLRM feel organic and necessary rather than just pasted in for drama's sake. There has always been a sort of rough-hewn sepia-tone unity to BSP songs, and that odd, inclusive wartime fervor permeates each track, from the rousing immigration anthem "Waving Flags" to the rallying, Blur -inspired "No Lucifer" to the sister tracks "All in It" and "Close Our Eyes" that serve as the record's bookends. Even the more meandering pieces like "Atom" and the instrumental "Great Skua" feel like steampunk soundtracks for polar exploration, a notion that looks weird in print but makes a whole lot of sense through a pair of headphones, a set of vintage basement speakers, or the inside of a freighter as it disappears into the bowels of the Arctic Ocean. Track Listing


Who threw his shoes at George W Bush in December 2008?

Thousands Demand Release of Iraqi Journalist Who Threw Shoes at George W Bush | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community Thousands Demand Release of Iraqi Journalist Who Threw Shoes at George W Bush Published on The Telegraph (UK) Thousands Demand Release of Iraqi Journalist Who Threw Shoes at George W Bush Thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets to demand the release of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George Bush. by A shoe is raised during a protest against the visit to Iraq of US President George W. Bush, in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday. Dec. 15, 2008. Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad on Sunday, while yelling in Arabic: 'This is a farewell kiss, you dog, this is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.' (AP Photo/Karim Kadim) Arabs across the Middle East hailed the journalist a hero and praised his insult as a proper send-off to the unpopular U.S. president. Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who was kidnapped by Shiite militants last year, was being held by Iraqi security today and interrogated about whether anybody paid him to protest during the press conference. He was also being tested for alcohol and drugs, and his shoes were being held as evidence. Showing the sole of your shoe to someone in the Arab world is a sign of extreme disrespect, and throwing your shoes is even worse. In Baghdad's Shiite slum of Sadr City, thousands of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr burned American flags to protest against Bush and called for the release of al-Zeidi. "Bush, Bush, listen well – Two shoes on your head," the protesters chanted in unison. Newspapers across the Arab world printed front-page photos of Bush ducking the flying shoes and satellite TV stations repeatedly aired the incident, which provided fodder for jokes and was hailed by the president's many critics in the region. "Iraq considers Sunday as the international day for shoes," said a text message circulating around the Saudi capital Riyadh. Many users of the popular internet networking site Facebook posted the video of the incident to their profile pages, showing al-Zeidi leap from his chair as Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki were about to shake hands. "This is a farewell kiss, you dog," al-Zeidi yelled in Arabic as he threw his shoes. "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." Al-Zeidi was immediately wrestled to the ground by Iraqi security guards. The incident raised fears of a security lapse in the heavily guarded Green Zone where the press conference took place. Reporters were repeatedly searched and asked to show identification before entering and while inside the compound, which houses al-Maliki's office and the U S Embassy. Al-Zeid's tirade was echoed by Arabs across the Middle East who are fed up with U.S. policy in the region and still angry over Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein. Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor of the influential London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, wrote on the newspaper's website that the incident was "a proper goodbye for a war criminal." The response to the incident by Arabs in the street was ecstatic. "Al-Zeidi is the man," said 42-year-old Jordanian businessman Samer Tabalat. "He did what Arab leaders failed to do." Ghazi Abu Baker, a 55-year-old shopkeeper in the West Bank town of Jenin said, "This journalist should be elected president of Iraq for what he has done." Hoping to capitalise on this sentiment, al-Zeidi's TV station, Al-Baghdadia, repeatedly aired pleas to release the reporter Monday, while showing footage of explosions and playing background music that denounced the US in Iraq. "We have all been mobilised to work on releasing him, and all the organisations around the world are with us," said Abdel-Hameed al-Sayeh, the manager of Al-Baghdadia in Cairo, where the station is based. Al-Jazeera television interviewed Saddam's former chief lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi, who


Which club won the Coca Cola Football League Championship for the 2007-08 season?

Football Club History Database - Football League 2007-08 Birmingham City left Championship to join F.A. Premier League Blackpool were promoted from League One to Championship Boston United left League Two to join Conference Bradford City were relegated from League One to League Two Brentford were relegated from League One to League Two Bristol City were promoted from League One to Championship Bristol Rovers were promoted from League Two to League One Charlton Athletic joined Championship from F.A. Premier League Chesterfield were relegated from League One to League Two Dagenham & Redbridge joined League Two from Conference Derby County left Championship to join F.A. Premier League Hartlepool United were promoted from League Two to League One Leeds United were relegated from Championship to League One Luton Town were relegated from Championship to League One Morecambe joined League Two from Conference Rotherham United were relegated from League One to League Two Scunthorpe United were promoted from League One to Championship Sheffield United joined Championship from F.A. Premier League Southend United were relegated from Championship to League One Sunderland left Championship to join F.A. Premier League Swindon Town were promoted from League Two to League One Torquay United left League Two to join Conference Walsall were promoted from League Two to League One Watford joined Championship from F.A. Premier League Final League Tables CHAMPIONSHIP Pos Name              Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA Pts  1 West Bromwich Albion       46  23  12  11  88  55  81  2 Stoke City            46  21  16  9  69  55  79  3 Hull City            46  21  12  13  65  47  75  4 Bristol City           46  20  14  12  54  53  74  5 Crystal Palace          46  18  17  11  58  42  71  6 Watford             46  18  16  12  62  56  70  7 Wolverhampton Wanderers     46  18  16  12  53  48  70  8 Ipswich Town           46  18  15  13  65  56  69  9 Sheffield United         46  17  15  14  56  51  66  10 Plymouth Argyle         46  17  13  16  60  50  64  11 Charlton Athletic        46  17  13  16  63  58  64  12 Cardiff City           46  16  16  14  59  55  64  13 Burnley             46  16  14  16  60  67  62  14 Queens Park Rangers       46  14  16  16  60  66  58  15 Preston North End        46  15  11  20  50  56  56  16 Sheffield Wednesday       46  14  13  19  54  55  55  17 Norwich City           46  15  10  21  49  59  55  18 Barnsley             46  14  13  19  52  65  55  19 Blackpool            46  12  18  16  59  64  54  20 Southampton           46  13  15  18  56  72  54  21 Coventry City          46  14  11  21  52  64  53  22 Leicester City          46  12  16  18  42  45  52  23 Scunthorpe United        46  11  13  22  46  69  46  24 Colchester United        46  7  17  22  62  86  38 Play-offs Semi-Finals Watford 0-2 Hull City Hull City 4-1 Watford Hull City won 6-1 on aggregate Crystal Palace 1-2 Bristol City Bristol City 2-1 Crystal Palace Bristol City won 4-2 on aggregate Final (@ Wembley Stadium) Hull City 1-0 Bristol City    LEAGUE ONE Pos Name              Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA Pts  1 Swansea City           46  27  11  8  82  42  92  2 Nottingham Forest        46  22  16  8  64  32  82  3 Doncaster Rovers         46  23  11  12  65  41  80  4 Carlisle United         46  23  11  12  64  46  80  5 Leeds United           46  27  10  9  72  38  76 *  6 Southend United         46  22  10  14  70  55  76  7 Brighton & Hove Albion      46  19  12


Which secretive artist's supposed real identity was 'outed' in 2008 as Robert Gunningham by the Mail on Sunday?

Is this Banksy? Elusive graffiti artist 'pictured after his van broke down while installing artwork in New York' | Daily Mail Online comments Reclusive graffiti artist Banksy has apparently been caught on camera overseeing the creation of one of his artworks in New York. A man in a flat cap and paint-spattered overalls was photographed trying to fix a 'moving painting' in a van which had broken down, as part of the artist's month-long 'exhibition' in the U.S. That person is now believed by several newspapers to be the elusive Banksy, who has never confirmed his identity and of whom no picture is definitely known to exist. Scroll down for video Unmasked? This photograph apparently shows reclusive graffiti artist Banksy in New York City Artwork: Banksy was supposedly pictured overseeing this 'moving painting' in a truck in Manhattan last week The artist's real name is thought to be either Robin Banks or Robin Gunningham, but all that is known for sure is that he is from Bristol. Previously photographs purporting to show Banksy were taken in Santa Monica in 2011 and East London in 2007. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Both images feature a white man in his 30s of average build with brown hair - making them compatible with the latest image, which was taken in the East Village neighbourhood of Manhattan. Banksy, whose work has been painted on the sides of buildings around Bristol, London and other cities, has always insisted he will never reveal his true identity.   Unique: Inside Banksy's truck was a mobile garden complete with rainbow and babbling brook Mobile: Banksy's art in New York has not just been graffiti, he also created a mobile installation in this tag covered delivery truck Previous appearance: This photo taken in 2011 apparently shows Banksy painting in Santa Monica THE ART OF DECEPTION? EARLIER 'SIGHTINGS' OF THE MYSTERIOUS BANKSY Mystery man: Banksy appears in his 201 film Exit Through The Gift Shop He's the Scarlet Pimpernel of modern art and his true identity remains a jealously guarded secret. A network of myths has grown up around him. That his real name is Robin Banks. That he used to be a butcher. That his parents don't know what he does, believing him to be an unusually successful painter and decorator. Then there's the suggestion that Banksy is actually a collective of artists and doesn't exist at all. Banksy's refusal to reveal himself may have started simply to avoid prosecution for what could be described as acts of vandalism. However by remaining anonymous he has created an air of mystery which has helped him to become one of the most successful artists of his generation. He has been photographed in the past but always wearing a mask or hood. In 2008 he was reportedly 'unmasked' as Robin Gunningham, a former public schoolboy from Bristol with a passion for art. At the time Banksy's agent refused to confirm or deny the story. Banksy then wrote on his website:'I am unable to comment on who may or may not be Banksy, but anyone described as being 'good at drawing' doesn't sound like Banksy to me.' Fans had hoped he would finally reveal himself in his spoof 2010 grafitti film Exit Through The Gift Shop - he did appear in the film however he was heavily pixellated. The film tells the story of an eccentric shop-keeper-turned-documentary-maker who attempts to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on him and gives few clues as to the artist's identity. Banksy has resurfaced several times since, notably in 2011 when pictures were taken of a man daubing lettering on a water tank in Santa Monica. The story goes that a homeless man had been living inside the tank for years and Banksy's artwork resulted in him being kicked out. Banksy had turned Tachowa Covington’s makeshift Pacific Coast Highway home into a piece of art by spray painting along the side of the bus-sized tank ‘This looks a bit like an elephant’. But after the art world got wind of it someone bought Covington’s squat with the intention of selling to collectors. Banksy reportedly made amends with Covingt


Which rock group won the 2008 Mercury Prize?

Mercury prize 2008: Live blog | Music | The Guardian Mercury prize 2008 Music blog Mercury prize 2008: Live blog Burial, Radiohead and Laura Marling are among the artists hoping to scoop this year's Mercury prize - but who will win? And, more importantly, who will post the most outraged comments when the winner is announced? Tuesday 9 September 2008 07.20 EDT First published on Tuesday 9 September 2008 07.20 EDT Share on Messenger Close 10.30 PM: If you've just joined us, the winner of the 2008 Mercury Prize has gone to Elbow for their fourth album The Seldom Seen Kid. What a night, I'm off to rest my tired fingers. Seriously, I've never written so quickly in all my life. Sure, Kerouac might have bashed out On the Road in three weeks, but could he have provided minute-by-minute coverage of people eating sweet potato souffle? I think not. Good night, thanks for all your comments and thanks for reading! I'm off to try and sneak into a party with stray members of Elbow (and that's something I never thought I'd say!) 10.25 PM: And so another year, another prize for a guitar band. I've got to admit, I would NEVER have thought Elbow were going to win it. Still, great guys, great band. And at least a lot of Guardian blog posters will be happy. I did promise to use my powers of psychology for you, did I not? Clearly, my mind is a powerful tool. Either that, or a rather drunk one. 10.25 PM: Everyone's screaming 'Oh my God! Oh my god!' It's a total surprise for everyone, including the band. Guy Garvey's already given his speech earlier, too! He's thanking the same people again - and their agent who they forgot last time. "This is quite literally the best thing that's ever happened to us," says Guy, before dedicating the prize to a friend. If I wasn't far too cool, I'd say it was all rather touching. 10.23 PM: Of course not. The real winner of the 2008 Mercury prize (and 20,000 quid) goes to ... Elbow! 10.22 PM: Jools is back on stage. The tension builds to a gut-wrenching climax. And the winner is ... Half Man Half Biscuit for CSI Ambleside! 10.21 PM: Weirdly, I hope it's not Burial , purely because I want to see some sort of speech/drama/unpredictable riotous behaviour 10.10 PM: "Ladies and gentleman... kindly take your seats, as the winning announcement is about to take place." They keep saying this. I wish they'd get a bloody move on! 10.05 PM: Sorry for the false alarm, it's all gone quiet again here and Lauren's disappeared. However! I am now drinking Simon Armitage's wine, because my mole pinched it off his table. I can taste his scansion on the glass. Or something. It's gone dark in here ... I promise music blogging will commence shortly. I'm excited. A bit. 10.00 PM: Oooh! Excitement at last! Lauren Laverne has set up the TV cameras about one metre away from me. It's about to go live! Turn on your TV! Etc! Etc! 9.55 PM: Socket is debating switching his internet browser back to Firefox in the comments section. I can't help thinking I've lost some of you during this meal ... 9.50 PM: They don't call me the indie Paul Foot for nothing, you know - I have secured a menu! And my oh my does it look posh. Apple-wood smoked Lancashire cheese and buttered Welsh leek tart on beetroot carpaccio, mint and creme fraiche dressing Roasted fillet of halibut with herb crust and lemon basil sauce, minted sweet potato souffle, grilled asparagus and courgette White and dark chocolate mousse with Kirsch, white chocolate jelly and red cherry sorbet Coffee and petit fours Ummm... so what the hell were those green and black circles I spotted? 9.45 PM: Sisterhood update: Adele just told me she wants Laura Marling to win the prize. She was also "very nervous" before playing live. In other news, I just waved at a friend who completely blanked me. However, my wave was picked up by Robert Plant who, looking rather confused, waved back. Me and Planty, we go way back. 9.38 PM: Clear the front page! They're bringing out the pudding - US troops withdrawing from Afghanistan will just have to wait. From up here, pudding looks like lots of green and black cir


What successful 2008 film starring Angelina Jolie did Clint Eastwood direct?

Changeling (2008) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A grief-stricken mother takes on the LAPD to her own detriment when it stubbornly tries to pass off an obvious impostor as her missing child, while also refusing to give up hope that she will find him one day. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 46 titles created 07 Sep 2012 a list of 40 titles created 04 Jan 2013 a list of 48 titles created 18 Apr 2014 a list of 26 titles created 05 Nov 2014 a list of 48 titles created 14 Mar 2015 Search for " Changeling " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for     3     Oscars. Another    13 wins & 47 nominations. See more awards  » Videos With a childhood tragedy that overshadowed their lives, three men are reunited by circumstance when one has a family tragedy. Director: Clint Eastwood A CIA agent goes on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Director: Phillip Noyce Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Director: Clint Eastwood Revolves around Frank, an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a broken heart. Elise is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path. Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Stars: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it. Director: Clint Eastwood The life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII. Director: Clint Eastwood A frustrated office worker learns that he is the son of a professional assassin, and that he shares his father's superhuman killing abilities. Director: Timur Bekmambetov A bored married couple is surprised to learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other. Director: Doug Liman Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences. Director: David Fincher A drama centered on three people -- a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy -- who are touched by death in different ways. Director: Clint Eastwood Based on writer Susanna Kaysen's account of her 18-month stay at a mental hospital in the 1960s. Director: James Mangold An adventurous mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive. Director: Danny Boyle Edit Storyline Los Angeles, 1928. A single mother returns from work to find her nine-year-old son gone. She calls the LAPD to initiate a search. Five months later, a boy is found in Illinois who fits the description; he says he's her son. To fanfare and photos, the LAPD reunite mother and son, but she insists he's not her boy. The cops dismiss her as either a liar or hysterical. When she joins a minister in his public criticism of the police, they in turn use government power to silence and intimidate her. Meanwhile, a cop goes to a dilapidated ranch to find a Canadian lad who's without legal status; the youth tells a grisly tale. There's redress for murder; is there redress for abuse of power? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com> To find her son, she did what no one else dared. Genres: Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language | See all certifications  » Parents Guide: 31 October 2008 (USA) See more  » Also Known As: $489,015        (USA) (24 October 2008) Gross: Color | Black and White (opening and end sequence) Aspect Ratio: Did You Know? Trivia Based on the true story of the Wineville Chicke


Nelson Evora won which country's only gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics?

Olympic highlights: August 21, 2008 - Wikinews, the free news source Olympic highlights: August 21, 2008 From Wikinews, the free news source you can write! This is the stable version , checked on 25 February 2009. Template/file changes await review. Accuracy Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games Other stories from the 2008 Olympic Games August 21, 2008 is the 12th major day of the 2008 Olympic games. The below article lists some of the highlights. Contents Events Women's 20km walk Olga Kaniskina , who represents Russia, has set a new Olympic record in the women's 20km walk with her time of 1 hour and 36 minutes. After the race Kaniskina said that the weather did not affect the record. "I think my regular training is the most important factor contributing to my victory," she said, explaining the factors that she believes led her to victory. Star class sailing Britons Iain Percy and Andy Simptson won the gold medal in the star class sailing event after a successful performance in the final round, which took place today. The pair started today in silver medal position, and gained one place in the final round to win the gold medal. Tornado class sailing Spanish Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz won an Olympic gold medal in Sailing's fast Tornado catamaran class. Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby from Australia finished in second place and the Argentinean pair of Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola won the bronze medal. Men's marathon 10 km swimming Maarten van der Weijden, a long distance swimmer from the Netherlands, beat the favorites in the men's marathon 10 km swimming event to secure the gold medal with a time of 1:51:51.6. David Davies, who was one of the favourites to win the gold medal, was overtaken by Weijden in the final 500 metres of the race. Davies finished 1.5 seconds behind Weijden. Women's beach volleyball Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the Olympic gold medal for the United States in the women's beach volleyball competition by winning every set in the final against the Chinese Tian Jia and Wang Jie . Both sets were won 21-18. Men's 400 meters sprint American LaShawn Merritt won the final of the Men's 400 meters in an event which saw all three of the medals going to the American team. Women's 200m sprint Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown won the gold medal in the final of the women's 200m sprint with a time of 21.74 seconds. Allyson Felix , the defending Olympic champion, who was representing United States, won the silver medal, with her time being approximately 0.2 seconds behind the time of the winner. Men's Triple Jump Nelson Evora won the men's triple jump at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Evora won the gold medal with a jump of 17.67 meters beating silver medalist Phillips Idowu of Great Britain by 5 centimeters (17.62 meters). Leevan Sanders of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with a triple jump of 17.59 meters. link Nelson Evora of Portugal Wins Men’s Triple Jump Gold Medal Medal Table


Who won 3 gold medals for Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and was named 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year?

BBC SPORT | Olympics | GB Olympians power to new heights GB Olympians power to new heights Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Video - Watch Christine Ohuruogu's thrilling 400m race (UK users only) Christine Ohuruogu's stunning 400m victory brought Team GB's gold medal haul to 16 as Britain sealed their best Olympic performance for a century. Earlier, Scottish cyclist Chris Hoy became the first Briton to win three golds in a Games for 100 years, beating GB's Jason Kenny in the sprint final. Victoria Pendleton won the women's version of the sprint, while sailor Paul Goodison landed the Laser class. Ohuruogu's win followed a silver medal for high jumper Germaine Mason. BRITAIN'S MEDAL TALLY 16 gold, 9 silver, 8 bronze 2004: 30 9 gold, 9 silver, 12 bronze 2000: 28 11 gold, 10 silver, 7 bronze 1996: 15 1 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze 1920: 42 14 gold, 15 silver, 13 bronze *As at 1600 BST on 19 August Tuesday yielded a total of four gold medals and two silvers for Britain, while a boxing bronze was guaranteed, as the team retained third place in the medals table. With five days of action still remaining, this is already the second best display ever produced by a team of British Olympians. British Olympic Association chef de mission Simon Clegg said: "It has been another outstanding day and a great gold medal on the track by Christine who ran a fantastic race." Team GB's 16 golds is their greatest haul since claiming a British all-time record of 56 gold medals at the 1908 Olympics in London. That tally came amid a collection of 146 medals in total, but will almost certainly never be surpassed, given there were only British entries in some events including polo and rackets. Ohuruogu sank to her knees in disbelief after becoming the first British woman to win the Olympic 400m title. The east Londoner produced a stirring finish to overhaul favourite Sanya Richards and add Olympic gold to her world title won in Osaka last year. Her victory in Beijing comes a year after she completed a 12-month ban for missing three out-of-competition drugs tests. Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Video - Sailor Goodison wins GB's 13th gold "You never think it's a reality, it's something you dream about. As I came across the line I thought 'oh my gosh' - I don't know what to say," said the 24-year-old. A brilliant Tuesday for Team GB began with Goodison clinching Britain's third sailing gold of the Olympics. "It just feels unbelievable. It's going to take a while to sink in but wow," said 30-year-old Goodison, from Sheffield. His triumph was followed up at the Laoshan cycling velodrome, where Pendleton claimed Britain's seventh cycling title of the Games before Hoy added an eighth. "It doesn't feel real yet. I'm so glad I'm part of it," said Pendleton, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Video - Third gold for Hoy Hoy secured his third win in the men's sprint, adding to his victories in the team sprint and the keirin. He is the first British athlete to seal the treble at one summer Games since swimmer Henry Taylor at the London Games in 1908. "I was vaguely aware of the history, people tell you about it. But I tried to make it the furthest thought from my mind," said the 32-year-old Hoy. "And that's why the emotions come out at the end. You bottle it for so long that it just erupts at the end." The double triumph on the cycling track followed the men's pursuit team of Bradley Wiggins, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy who destroyed Denmark to bring up Team GB's 12th overall gold on Monday. Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Video - Pendleton storms to cycling gold And in athletics, a surprise silver medal came from Mason in the high jump on Tuesday. Britain's overall medal tally now stands at 33, including nine silver and eight bronze. Aside from cycling, the other gold medals have come in rowing (two), sailing (three), swimming (two) and athletics (one). British super-


Which country won the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest?

Eurovision Facts Eurovision Facts All the funny and weird facts from the Eurovision Song Contest history   Did you know... Eurovision Song Contest always begins with the fanfare "Prélude du Te Deum" composed by Marc-Antoine Charpentier In 1978 Jordan showed some flowers instead of the Israeli entry on their screening of the show. When Israel went on to win they pretended it was Belgium In 2004 there were 37 countries giving points, resulting in a very long voting procedure. The voting time was cut in 2006 where each spokesperson started to just announce the top three votes From 1956 to 1998 all the songs were accompanied by a live orchestra. From 1999 and onwards the orchestra was dropped, so the entries could use recorded backing track during their performances After the bearded lady Conchita Wurst won in 2014, a Russian politician said: "The result showed supporters of European integration their European future - a bearded girl". Conchita's response: "When an entire nation is scared that a young gay man with a beard who likes dressing up in women's clothes is so able to sway opinion that he could bring the whole society to the brink, I can only take it as a compliment!" Russia's entry "A Million Voices" from 2015 became the first non-winning Eurovision song to score over 300 points The percentage of viewers for Eurovision Song Contest has been higher in Australia than in some of the competing nations Austria boycotted the 1969-contest in Madrid because Spain at that time was ruled by Francisco Franco Titles of songs have included Boom Bang-a-bang (UK, 1969), A-Ba-Ni-Ba (Israel, 1978), Bana Bana (Turkey, 1989) and Bourn Badaboru (Monaco, 1967) In 1983 the Turkish Eurovision entry, Opera consisted entirely of the word "Opera" being repeated over and over. Spain's cleverly titled, La La La from 1968 contained no fewer than 138 la's Luxembourg has won 5 times. But none of the 5 winners came from Luxembourg. Four were French and one (Vicky Leandros) Greek The most covered Eurovision Song Contest song is Domenico Mudugno's "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" from 1958, also known as Volare. The song has been covered by famous stars such as Dean Martin, Cliff Richard, David Bowie and many more It is not allowed to have more than six people on stage (including backup singers and dancers). Until Eurovision 1971 the limit was three The youngest ever entrant was 12-year-old Jean Jacques from Monaco. He represented Monaco in Eurovision 1969 with the song "Maman, Maman". The oldest was 95-year-old Emil Ramsauer from the Swiss 2013-band "Takasa" Finland had to wait forty-four years since their debut in 1961 to achieve their first victory. They had only received three 12 points in the history of the contest up to the 2006 contest, and none since 1977 Romania was expelled from Eurovision 2016 due to unpaid debt to EBU Ireland holds the record of most victories in Eurovision Song Contest: Seven victories! The six of these victories was in the 80s and 90s: 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996 There have been five barefoot winners in Eurovision history: Sandie Shaw (1967), Sertab Erener (2003), Dima Bilan (2008), Loreen (2012) and Emmelie De Forest (2013) Russia is the only country who has qualified for the Grand Final every single year since the introduction of the semi-finals back in 2004 Live animals are banned from stage at Eurovision Norway won the contest in 1995 with the song "Nocturne". It contained only 24 words accompanied by long violin solos The longest running losers are the Portuguese, having never made the top five The first Eurovision to be broadcastet in colour, was the 1968 contest at the Royal Albert Hall In 2008 Russia won the Grand Final with the song "Believe", but only came third in their semi-final Among the contestants who have had successful careers are ABBA (1974), Céline Dion, Cliff Richard and Julio Iglesias. Dion won for Switzerland in 1988 with the song Ne partez pas sans moi In 2009 Georgia decided to send the song "We Don't Wanna Put In" to the contest in Moscow, but because of a controversy about the lyrics


Which country ended its combat role in Iraq on 1 June 2008 with the withdrawal of its 500 troops from Nasiriyah?

Iraq War | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Iraqi Civil War (2014–present) The Iraq War [nb 1] was an armed conflict in Iraq that consisted of two phases. [41] The first was an invasion of Iraq starting on 20 March 2003 by an invasion force led by the United States . [42] [43] [44] [45] It was followed by a longer phase of fighting, in which an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the newly formed Iraqi government. [41] The U.S. completed its withdrawal of military personnel in December 2011. [46] [47] However, the Iraqi insurgency continues to cause thousands of fatalities. Prior to the war, the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom claimed that Iraq's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) posed a threat to their security and that of their coalition/regional allies. [48] [49] [50] In 2002, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1441 which called for Iraq to completely cooperate with UN weapon inspectors to verify that Iraq was not in possession of WMD and cruise missiles . Prior to the attack, the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) found no evidence of WMD, but could not yet verify the accuracy of Iraq's declarations regarding what weapons it possessed, as their work was still unfinished. The leader of the inspectors, Hans Blix , estimated the time remaining for disarmament being verified through inspections to be "months". [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] After investigation following the invasion, the U.S.‑led Iraq Survey Group concluded that Iraq had ended its nuclear, chemical and biological programs in 1991 and had no active programs at the time of the invasion, but that they intended to resume production if the Iraq sanctions were lifted. [56] Although some degraded remnants of misplaced or abandoned chemical weapons from before 1991 were found, they were not the weapons which had been one of the main arguments for the invasion. [57] Paul R. Pillar , the CIA official who coordinated U.S. intelligence on the Middle East from 2000 to 2005, said "If prewar intelligence assessments had said the same things as the Duelfer report, the administration would have had to change a few lines in its rhetoric and maybe would have lost a few member's votes in Congress, but otherwise the sales campaign—which was much more about Saddam's intentions and what he "could" do than about extant weapons systems—would have been unchanged. The administration still would have gotten its war. Even Dick Cheney later cited the actual Duelfer report as support for the administration's pro-war case." [58] George J. Tenet , the former director of central intelligence, stated Vice President Dick Cheney and other Bush administration officials pushed the country to war in Iraq without ever conducting a "serious debate" about whether Saddam Hussein posed an imminent threat to the United States. [59] Some U.S. officials also accused Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of harboring and supporting al-Qaeda , [60] but no evidence of a meaningful connection was ever found. [61] [62] Other stated reasons for the invasion included Iraq's financial support for the families of Palestinian suicide bombers , [63] Iraqi government human rights abuses, [64] and an effort to spread democracy to the country. [65] [66] On 16 March 2003, the U.S. government advised the U.N. inspectors to leave their unfinished work and exit from Iraq. [67] On 20 March [68] the American-led coalition conducted a surprise [69] military invasion of Iraq without declaring war. [70] The invasion led to an occupation and the eventual capture of President Hussein , who was later tried in an Iraqi court of law and executed by the new Iraqi government . Violence against coalition forces and among various sectarian groups soon led to the Iraqi insurgency , strife between many Sunni and Shia Iraqi groups, and the emergence of a new faction of Al-Qaeda in Iraq . [71] [72] In June 2008, U.S. Department of Defense officials claimed security and economic indicators began to show signs of improveme


Which city hosted in 2008 the 65th anniversary of the oldest film festival in the world?

Excellence at Howard Courtesy Photo Excellence at Howard Haile Gerima, professor, John H. Johnson School        of Communications' Department of Radio, Television and Film and        award-winning independent filmmaker, has made a major splash in        prestigious film festivals throughout the world with his latest        film, “Teza.” In February, “Teza” won the Dioraphte Award for films held in the highest regard by festival audiences at the        38th International Film Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Gerima’s        film also won four top awards at the 22nd Carthage International        Film Festival in Tunisia in October 2008, including Best Screenplay,        Best Music and Best Actor prizes and the Golden Prize for Cinematography.        At the 65th Venice International Film Festival, the oldest film        festival in the world, held in September 2008, Gerima walked away        with the Italian festival’s Special Jury Prize and Best Screenplay        Prize for “Teza.” File Photo Sonja Williams, associate professor and chair       of the John H. Johnson School of Communications’ Department of Radio,       Television and Film, is the recipient of a 2009 Gracie Award from the American Women in Radio and Television. Williams served as       an executive producer of "Uncrowned Queens: Voices of African       American Women"— a documentary series       that aired on WNED public radio in Buffalo, New York. The series highlights       the accomplishments and viewpoints of African-American women who have       made an exceptional difference in their western New York communities.       This is Williams’ second Gracie Award; the first was awarded in the       mid-1990s for her production of "A Woman’s Touch," a documentary that examined the role of African-American women in       radio. In addition, Williams has written and produced numerous award-winning       documentaries for National Public Radio and the Smithsonian Institution. File Photo Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., associate dean of Research        and Academic Affairs in the John H. Johnson School of Communications,        was tapped as the new host for the PRSA podcast series, “PRSA Diversity        Today.” Ford is an award-winning scholar who also has published        work on diversity and public relations pedagogy. She writes the        column “Diversity Dimensions” for Public Relations Tactics and is        the winner of the 2008 D. Parke Gibson Multiculturalism Award. The Department of Theatre Arts received a grant        from the Broadway League to take students majoring in Theatre Arts        Administration to New York City. The students will engage in workshops        and discussions and meet with executives from all aspects of production,        gaining insights on how each area works individually as well as        collectively to ensure a high-quality production from development        to opening night and beyond. Sandra G. Shannon, Ph.D., professor        in the Department of English, will deliver the keynote address at        the 70th anniversary conference of the College English Association,        which will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa. from March 26 to 28. Given        the conference location is the birthplace of the late playwright        August Wilson, organizers see the conference as an opportunity to        honor the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. The title of Shannon's        address is “Wish You Were Here:  August Wilson in the Age of        Obama.” Photo by Ceasar William Lawson, M.D., Ph.D., is president-elect of the Washington        Psychiatric Society, which represents psychiatrists in D.C., suburban        Maryland and Northern Virginia. It is one of the largest chapters        in the


Who won best actor at the 80th Academy Awards of 2008?

Oscars - Academy Awards ceremony - Movies - The New York Times The New York Times Awards Season |‘No Country for Old Men’ Wins Oscar Tug of War Search Continue reading the main story Photo No film ran away with the night, however, as the 80th Academy Awards gave a bruised movie industry a chance to refocus its ever-inward gaze on laurels instead of labor strife. Ethan Coen, left, Joel Coen, center, and Scott Rudin accepted the award for best picture. Credit Monica Almeida/The New York Times HOLLYWOOD — “No Country for Old Men,” Joel and Ethan Coen’s chilling confrontation of a desperate man with a relentless killer, won the Academy Award for best picture on Sunday night, providing a more-than-satisfying ending for the makers of a film that many believed lacked one. The Coens, who live in New York and remain aloof from the Hollywood establishment, also shared the directing and adapted screenplay awards. Joel Coen thanked the academy members for “letting us continue to play in our corner of the sandbox.” No film ran away with the night, however, as the 80th annual Academy Awards gave a bruised movie industry a chance to refocus its ever-inward gaze on laurels instead of labor strife. Daniel Day-Lewis won best actor for his portrayal of a ruthless oil tycoon’s rise from the sweat and sludge of wildcatting to wealth, power and madness in “There Will Be Blood.” And Marion Cotillard won the Oscar for best actress for her incarnation of the tormented chanteuse Edith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story “Thank you life, thank you love,” an elated Ms. Cotillard said. “It is true there are some angels in this city.” None of the best picture nominees went home empty-handed: all picked off a significant win in one category or another. Javier Bardem won the fourth Oscar for “No Country,” capturing the best supporting actor for his role as the cattlegun-wielding, pageboy-wearing serial killer. He thanked the Coens, saying they “put one of the most horrible haircuts in history over my head.” The Oscar for “No Country” was a long-sought triumph for Scott Rudin, a prolific producer who has specialized in movies on the smarter end of the spectrum, but only once before received a best-picture nomination, for “The Hours” in 2003. Tilda Swinton took best supporting actress for playing a nervous wreck of a corporate lawyer who throws morality under the bus of her ambition in “Michael Clayton.” The indie delight “Juno,” about a pregnant teenager with a mouth on her, won for best original screenplay, by Diablo Cody, who once worked as a stripper. She tearfully thanked her family for “loving me for who I am.” “No Country” was denied in several technical categories, as well as in cinematography: Robert Elswit won that Oscar for “There Will Be Blood,” whose extended tracking shots in harsh open spaces and dimly lighted images of claustrophobic spots made for stunning scenes despite long stretches with little dialog. With all four top acting prizes going to Europeans and the New York-based Coen brothers’ film in contention for several others, it was a night when Hollywood’s glittery establishment came out to honor what was essentially a gaggle of outsiders. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Another example: “Falling Slowly,” the ballad from “Once” about the music created in the space between two people, won best original song. It was written by the film’s stars, the Irish Glen Hansard and the Czech Marketa Irglova, who have since become a real-life couple. “Atonement,” nominated for seven awards, won for best original score. The awards were otherwise all over the map, with the first nine going to different films, leaving the show’s host, Jon Stewart, to set the tone with a riff on the three-month writers’ strike that had threatened to turn the Oscars itself into a marathon of montages. “You’re here — I can’t believe it, you’re actually here!” he joked as the show opened. “The fight is over, so tonight,” he added, “welcome to the makeup sex.” Mindful of the election season, he took note of the Democrati


Who resigned as Prime Minister of Pakistan on 18 August 2008?

Pervez Musharraf resigns as president of Pakistan | World news | The Guardian Pervez Musharraf resigns as president of Pakistan • Leader defends his record in televised address to the nation • Miliband hails president's 'commitment to tackle terrorism' Saeed Shah in Islamabad and agencies Monday 18 August 2008 10.30 EDT First published on Monday 18 August 2008 10.30 EDT Share on Messenger Close Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf , today bowed to intense pressure and resigned ahead of impeachment proceedings due to start this week. Musharraf appeared live on national television just after 1pm local time (8am BST) in an address that lasted for over an hour. Towards the finish, as the former army commander put an end to almost nine years in power, his voice trembled and he appeared to have tears in his eyes. "If I was doing this just for myself, I might have chosen a different course," he said, wearing a western suit and tie but speaking in Urdu. "But I put Pakistan first, as always. "Whether I win or lose the impeachment, the dignity of the nation would be damaged, the office of the president harmed." It is likely that Musharraf stepped down as a part of a western-mediated deal between the president and the coalition government, according to which all charges against him will be dropped in return for his resignation. Britain's foreign secretary, David Miliband, said the move marked the end of a "critical period" in Pakistan's history and called for quick elections to find a successor. "The Musharraf years yielded significant dividends… It is important to highlight President Musharraf's commitment to tackle terrorism, to promote dialogue with India, especially over Kashmir, and to root out corruption," he said. "I look forward to the early election of a new president in Pakistan to take forward the important shared work that binds our two countries together." The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, praised Musharraf as a "friend to the United States and one of the world's most committed partners in the war against terrorism and extremism". She said the US would work with the new leaders and impress on them the need to stem "the growth of extremism". Although it was believed Musharraf resigned as part of a deal to avoid prosecution, it was a humiliation nevertheless for the ex-army chief to have to submit to the very politicians he hated. But he admitted he had been left with no choice. "Even if I beat this impeachment, relations between the presidency and the government can never be fixed," he said. "Pillars of the state – parliament and the judiciary – would be harmed and, God forbid, the army might have been dragged in." He said he wanted the people to be his judge. The foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said leaders of the ruling coalition were discussing whether to prosecute Musharraf in court on the impeachment charges. Qureshi would not say whether Musharraf might be granted a safe exit; there has been speculation he might go into exile in Saudi Arabia or Turkey. "That is a decision that has to be taken by the democratic leadership," said Qureshi, a member of the Pakistan People's party (PPP), in a television interview with Dawn News. The Pakistan Muslim League-N, the second-biggest party in the coalition government with the PPP, said Musharraf should be tried for treason, which carries a maximum sentence of death. Its leader, Nawaz Sharif, whom Musharraf deposed as prime minister in a coup in October 1999, was the prime mover behind the impeachment. "The crimes of Musharraf against the nation, against the judiciary, against democracy and against rule of law in the country cannot be forgiven by any party or individual," said the party's spokesman, Ahsan Iqbal. Musharraf, who was a near-absolute ruler until he stepped down as army chief in November last year and held elections this February, did not leave without first launching into an impassioned and lengthy defence of his record. He said the allegations against him were "lies". Musharraf laid the blame for Pakistan's economic crisis squarely on the cur


In what city did Barack Obama formally accept the Democratic nomination for the US presidential election?

Barack Obama Accepts Presidential Nomination Barack Obama Accepts Presidential Nomination Democratic nominee says it is ï¿½time to change Americaï¿½ By Michelle Austein, America.gov > U.S. Election Helping Americaï¿½s             Image Worldwide   Barack Obama accepts at the Democratic nomination in Denver, August 28. Senator Barack Obama and his family took the stage along with Senator Joe Biden and his wife Jill after accepting the Democratic nomination. Denver – On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther            King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech            August 28, Barack Obama formally accepted the Democratic            Party’s nomination for the presidency of the United            States. As people shouted “Yes we can” and waved signs            reading “Change,” Obama said, “With            profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination            for the presidency of the United States.” In his acceptance speech, Obama said “it is time            for us to change America,” and this 2008 election            is the election to keep “the American promise alive." “We meet at one of those defining moments, a moment            when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil and            the American promise has been threatened,” he said. OBAMA’S VISION FOR HIS PRESIDENCY Obama said he would change life in the United States by            cutting taxes for 95 percent of working families, providing            affordable health care for every American, ensuring equal            pay for women and offering affordable college education            to every young American who serves his or her community. In an election year in which high gasoline prices have            been a major campaign issue, the Democratic nominee said            that as president he would “set a clear goal … in 10 years we will finally end our dependence on oil from            the Middle East.” Obama said he would do so by safely            harnessing nuclear power and investing in renewable sources            of energy. “Just as we keep our promise to the next generation            here at home,” Obama said, “so must we keep            America’s promise abroad.” The Democratic nominee            said he would end the war in Iraq and fight al-Qaida and            the Taliban in Afghanistan. Obama said he would “build new partnerships to defeat            the threats of the 21st century,” which include nuclear            proliferation, poverty, genocide and climate change. Much of Obama’s speech focused on what he viewed            as “failed policies” of President Bush and problems            with presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s            proposed policies. “We love this country too much to let the next four            years look like the last eight,” Obama said. Throughout            his campaign, Obama has said McCain would promote policies            similar to those of the Bush administration. Obama said            the Republican candidate does not understand the problems            middle-class Americans face, and criticized McCain’s            positions on tax relief for oil companies, health care and            education. The Democratic candidate also criticized McCain’s            positions on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: “We            need a president who can face the threats of the future,            not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.” Obama, the first African-American presidential nominee            of a major party, spoke of King’s famous March on            Washington on Aug


Which driver did Louis Hamilton overtake in the final seconds of the Brazilian Grand Prix to clinch fifth place and thereby win the 2008 F1 Championship?

Name: A. J. Foyt (Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr.) Nationality: United States of America Date of birth: January 16, 1935 - Houston, Texas He raced in numerous genres of... motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won several major sports car racing events. He holds the all-time USAC career wins record with 159 victories and the all-time American championship racing career wins record with 67. He is the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500 (which he won four times), the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Foyt won the International Race of Champions all-star racing series in 1976 and 1977. Foyt's success has led to induction in numerous motorsports halls of fame. Since his retirement from active racing, he has owned A. J. Foyt Enterprises, which has fielded teams in the CART, IRL and NASCAR. Foyt began racing midgets in 1953 at age 18 in a car owned and maintained by his father. He started his USAC career in a midget car at the 1956 Night before the 500 in Anderson, Indiana. His first midget car win was at a 100 lap event at Kansas City in 1957, and finished seventh in the season points standings. He left midget cars after the 1957 season to drive in sprint cars and Championship Car. He did occasionally compete in midget car events. He won the 1960 and 1961 Turkey Night Grand Prix, the first two years that it was held at Ascot Park. He won the 1961 Hut Hundred after starting last, and finished seventh in National Midget points that year. He won the 1970 Astro Grand Prix, an event that he promoted in his hometown of Houston. He ended his career with 20 midget car feature wins. Even after he had reached the pinnacle of his sport, Foyt was known to make occasional appearances in small, local events as a way of thanking promoters who had supported him in his struggle up the ladder. In 1975 and 1976, Foyt won the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix at the Liverpool International Speedway in Sydney when the speedway had an asphalt surface. A.J. began his sprint car career in 1956, at age 21, driving the Les Vaughn Offy with the International Motor Contest Association. On August 24, 1956, Foyt out qualified a field of 42 drivers at the Minnesota State Fair and, the following day, he won his first sprint car race, running away with the IMCA feature at the Red River Fair in Fargo, N.D. On June 16, 1957, on the high banked asphalt track at Salem, Indiana, A.J. came out on top in a race long battle with Bob Cleberg. That victory put Foyt on the radar for USAC car owners and he switched from the IMCA to USAC later that season. A.J. eventually won 28 USAC National sprint car feature races and the USAC Eastern Championship in 1960. Foyt continued to race sprint cars long after he was firmly established as one of the top drivers at the Indy 500. In 1961, he became the first driver to successfully defend his points championship and win the Indianapolis 500 race. Late in the 500, Foyt made a pit stop for fuel, but a refueling malfunction meant that he returned to the race without enough fuel to finish. Eddie Sachs, unaware that Foyt's now-quicker car was light on fuel, pushed hard to keep up—and Sachs had to pit from the lead with just three laps remaining to replace a shredded right rear tire. Foyt pitted again also but only for enough fuel to finish. He took over the lead and beat Sachs by just 8.28 seconds—the second-closest finish in history at the time. He raced in each season from 1957–1992, starting in 374 races and finishing in the top ten 201 times, with 67 victories. In 1958, Foyt raced in Italy in the Trophy of the Two Worlds on the banking at Monza. Ford-powered entries were widely expected to dominate the 1964 Indianapolis 500. Discussions between Ford officials and Foyt (who had a stock car contract with Ford at the time) took place early in the month of May about the possibility of Foyt taking over the third Team Lotus-Ford, a team reserve vehicle. Foyt wanted the use of the car for the entire month, but Lotus team owner Colin


What were Bertha, Cristobel and Dolly on 20 July 2008?

Hello, Dolly; so long, Bertha; Cristobal keeps on chugging along | Category 6™ Hello, Dolly; so long, Bertha; Cristobal keeps on chugging along By: Dr. Jeff Masters , 5:17 PM GMT on July 20, 2008 Tropical Storm Cristobal continues to chug along the coast of North Carolina, dropping welcome rains over the eastern portion of the state. Morehead City radar shows a well-organized storm with plenty of spiral bands of thunderstorms. These bands have only moderate amounts of rainfall, which is fortunate, since Cristobal is moving so slowly. Rainfall amounts from Cristobal have generally been below two inches over eastern North Carolina, with one isolated pocket of four inches just north of Wilmington, NC. Cristobal is over waters of about 27°C, a degree above the threshold of 26°C needed to sustain a tropical storm. Wind shear is about 10 knots over the storm, and is forecast to fall below 5 knots by Monday. There is some dry air at mid and high levels that is interfering with Cristobal, contributing to the storm's relatively low rainfall amounts. The expected decrease in wind shear may allow Cristobal to intensify to a 60 mph tropical storm by Monday, but conditions do not appear favorable enough to allow the storm to reach hurricane status. None of the models forecast that Cristobal will intensify beyond a 60 mph tropical storm. Cristobal will likely cause minimal or no damage to North Carolina. Cristobal will likely bring winds below 25 mph to Southeast Massachusetts and Nantucket Island on Monday night. However, these regions are likely to receive 2-4 inches of rain from the storm as it zooms by. The HWRF model predicts heavy rain in excess of four inches along the coast of Maine from Bar Harbor to the Canadian border from Cristobal's remnants on Tuesday. Lesser rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches are expected over Nova Scotia. Links to follow: Figure 1. Visible satellite image of Dolly and Cristobal at 1:02 pm EDT Sun July 20, 2008. Image credit: NASA GSFC . Hello, Dolly! Wind shear finally relaxed enough over the Western Caribbean today to allow Tropical Storm Dolly to form. Satellite loops show a large area of intense thunderstorms lies to the north of >Dolly's center, and these thunderstorms will bring heavy rains of 4-8" today and tomorrow to the Cayman Islands, Western Cuba, and the northern Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun and Cozumel. This morning's QuikSCAT pass shows a large are of tropical storm force winds affecting the Western Caribbean. There was no closed circulation at the time of the QuikSCAT pass, but the Hurricane Hunters have since found a closed circulation, which one can also see on visible satellite loops. Heavy thunderstorm activity is now starting to build near the center of Dolly, which is the hallmark of an intensifying tropical cyclone. The upper-level low that prevented Dolly from developing a closed circulation has weakened considerably over the past day, and will continue to weaken and slide southwestward out of Dolly's way today. This will create a low-shear environment for Dolly to intensify in. With very warm waters of 28.5°C ahead of it extending to great depth, Dolly is expected to intensify right up until landfall tonight over the Yucatan Peninsula. It is unlikely Dolly has time to reach hurricane status today, but a 60 mph tropical storm is possible tonight at landfall. Passage over the Yucatan will disrupt Dolly, which should need a day or so to recover once it emerges over the Gulf of Mexico. Steering currents will weaken once it does emerge, and Dolly will probably have at least two days over the warm waters of the Gulf before making landfall near the Texas/Mexico border Wednesday night or Thursday morning. This may allow Dolly to intensify into a Category 1 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico, as predicted by the GFDL model. Rainfall amounts at landfall in Texas and northern Mexico are predicted to be in the 2-8" range, according to the HWRF and GFDL models. Links to follow: Buoy 42056 So long, Bertha Bertha is finally dead, and is now a powerful extratropical storm over the North Atlan


Which country won the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (the African international soccer championship)?

African Cup of Nations | football competition | Britannica.com African Cup of Nations Alternative Titles: Africa Cup of Nations, African Nations Cup Related Topics Roger Milla African Cup of Nations, also called Africa Cup of Nations and African Nations Cup, the most prestigious football (soccer) competition in Africa. It is contested by national teams and is organized by the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF). The competition’s format has changed over time, with the number of teams increasing from 3 in 1957 to 16 in 1996. Growing participation also led to the introduction of qualifying rounds in 1968, the same year that CAF decided to hold the tournament biennially. Opening ceremony of the 2015 African Cup of Nations, Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Gavin Barker—PA Photos/Landov The African Cup of Nations was first held in February 1957 in Khartoum , Sudan , where Egypt defeated the host nation in the final to win the Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem Trophy, named after its donor, an Egyptian who was the first CAF president. That trophy was permanently awarded to Ghana in 1978 when it became the first country to win the tournament three times. The next trophy, known as the African Unity Cup, was awarded permanently to Cameroon in 2000 when that team claimed its third championship since 1978. In 2002 a new trophy called the Cup of Nations was introduced. The competition has served as a showcase for the talents of African players. In the 1950s and ’60s the tournament’s attacking, entertaining style of play seized the imagination of African fans and attracted European talent scouts, agents, and journalists. Under the leadership of Ethiopian Ydnekachew Tessema, CAF president from 1972 until his death in 1987, the cup earned greater international prestige . Professionalism was allowed in 1980 and corporate sponsorships accepted in 1984. Among the cup’s greatest performers are Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, who holds the record for most career goals scored in the Cup of Nations (18), and Ivorian striker Laurent Pokou, who tallied five goals in a 6–1 victory over Ethiopia in 1970. Similar Topics Bollingen Prize Beyond the boundaries of the playing fields, the Cup of Nations has been a conduit for the articulation of political values and ideas. Having inherited colonial institutions devoid of indigenous symbols of national identity, many independent African governments invested considerable economic and political capital into national football teams in order to elicit pride and build unity among their diverse populations. For example, with the enthusiastic support of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah , Ghana won the cup in 1963 and 1965. In winning the 1996 tournament at home, South Africa ’s racially mixed team seemed to symbolize football’s power to bridge the gaping social and economic inequalities left by apartheid . In contrast, the Algerian government was unable to capitalize on Algeria’s victory in the 1990 Cup of Nations, as fans celebrated the team’s triumph in Algiers by chanting their support for the opposition Islamic Salvation Front . Political tensions violently disrupted the Cup of Nations in 2010: the Togo team bus was attacked by separatist gunmen as it traveled into the Angolan exclave of Cabinda on its way to the tournament; two team officials and the bus driver were killed in the attack, and the Togolese team withdrew from the 2010 Cup of Nations, which was held with 15-team field. The table provides a list of African Cup of Nations winners. African Cup of Nations


In which country did the world's largest ferris wheel (as at 2008) open for rides in March 2008?

World's tallest Ferris wheel The High Roller opens in Las Vegas | Daily Mail Online comments Riders are getting their first turns on a skyline-changing Las Vegas Strip observation wheel that's opening as the world's tallest. A ceremony Monday at 11:30 a.m. local time marked the completion of the 550-foot High Roller — built by Caesars Entertainment Corp. as part of its $550 million LINQ development at the heart of the glittery Strip resort corridor. Standing more than 100-feet taller than the London Eye, the High Roller is the tallest observation wheel in the world. Ready to roll: A general view of the Las Vegas High Roller at The LINQ in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 550-foot-tall attraction is the highest observation wheel in the world and features 28 spherical cabins that can hold up to 40 people each Iconic: The highly anticipated High Roller has dramatically changed the Vegas Skyline It's wheely here: It's not the first time someone in Vegas has tried to build an observation wheel. The partially constructed Skyvue is still visible on the south end of the Strip, far short of the 500 feet it was supposed to reach The Ferris-style wheel has 28 glass-enclosed and air-conditioned gondolas that can each hold up to 40 people. A full revolution takes 30 minutes. Tickets are $24.95 in the daytime and $34.95 at night. RELATED ARTICLES Share The height tops the 443-foot London Eye and the 541-foot Singapore Flyer. Riders can take in unparalleled view of the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding valley during the 30 minutes that the wheel takes to complete one full rotation. Lights out: The Las Vegas High Roller at The LINQ is dark for Earth Hour to raise awareness for climate change on March 29 Look at the view: There is an expansive view of the entire Strip. From the Wynn, LVH to the north, and down to Mandalay Bay on the south Round and round: Each cabin has 300 square feet of glass, so you're guaranteed a great view. There are orange benches on each end. But mostly, people stand The Ferris wheel is located across from Caesars Palace, adjacent to Flamingo Las Vegas and The Quad Resort & Casino. Caesars also said each pod is equipped with air conditioning which should provide relief for summertime riders. Caesars expects between 4 million and 5 million riders within the first year of operation. The new attraction also will serve as the towering centerpiece of Caesar Entertainment’s LINQ project, the combination retail, restaurant and entertainment complex that first broke ground in 2011. Flanked by the Flamingo and Quad resort casinos, the half-billion-dollar complex is arguably the biggest development to hit the Strip since CityCenter opened in 2009. The ride also includes a dynamic video and music show that fades away seamlessly as the wheel ascends to showcase the most impressive views of the Las Vegas valley. The High Roller is the latest in a string of family-friendly attractions to open in Las Vegas in recent years. Circus Circus debuted its new roller coaster "El Loco" last month. The Rio is preparing to open a new zipline, and the Slotzilla zipline downtown is also nearing completion. This summer, families will have two water parks to choose from: Wet ‘n' Wild, which opened last year, and Cowabunga Bay, which is scheduled to open in the coming weeks. UPPING THE STAKES - HIGH ROLLER FACTS The High Roller tops out at 550 feet making it the largest observation wheel in the world. In addition to its great height, the High Roller will offer an immersive pre-ride experience for its passengers on their journey from ticketing through the wheel house complete with a lounge, to the wheel ride which features unparalleled views of the Las Vegas Strip. The wheel structure boasts 7.2 million pounds of steel and 112 cables. Each cable measures approximately 225 feet, for a combined total of 25,256 feet. The High Roller features 28 spherical cabins that will each hold 40 guests. Each cabin weighs approximately 44,000 pounds and includes 300 square feet of glass. The cabin windows are doubly curved and fabricated from four sheets of laminated glas


Who did the government appoint as executive chairman of Northern Rock after its nationalisation?

BBC NEWS | Business | Northern Rock to be nationalised Northern Rock to be nationalised The Chancellor said the public would gain after the market improved The crisis in graphics Northern Rock is to be nationalised as a temporary measure, Chancellor Alistair Darling has said. Neither of the two private proposals to take over the beleaguered bank offered "sufficient value for money to the taxpayer", Mr Darling said. He said the public would gain if the government held on to Northern Rock until market conditions improved. Ron Sandler, nominated by the government to run Northern Rock, said savers' deposits would be secure. 'Dither and delay' But shadow chancellor George Osborne told the BBC that the Conservatives would oppose plans to nationalise Northern Rock. "After months of dither and delay we have ended up with this catastrophic decision," said Mr Osborne. "We now have the situation where the government will be making decisions on whether or not to foreclose on people's loans in a falling housing market," he added. The Government is totally financially inept and I certainly wouldn't give it the keys to my piggy bank Armand Borisewitz A consortium led by the Virgin group was leading bids to run the beleaguered bank, while a management buyout had also been considered. But ministers have decided that nationalisation - the first such move since the 1970s - was the only option. Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson criticised the government's decision: "We believe we had a very strong proposal, an experienced team and one of Britain's best brands. "We believe nationalisation is not the right answer and that a commercial solution would have been the best way forward." Ill-prepared Explaining the government's decision, Mr Darling said: "It is better for the Government to hold on to Northern Rock for a temporary period and as and when market conditions improve the value of Northern Rock will grow and therefore the taxpayer will gain." "The long-term ownership of this bank must lie in the private sector". Northern Rock got itself into financial difficulties last year because its business model left it ill-prepared for the global credit crunch. It was forced to ask the Bank of England for emergency funding, triggering the first run on a British bank in more than a century. The bank will be run at arm's length and on a commercial basis Alistair Darling Nationalisation will be pushed though parliament with emergency legislation on Monday. Shares in Northern Rock will be suspended on Monday morning. Under nationalisation rules, shareholders will be offered compensation for their holding, at a level set by a Government-appointed panel. Investors could begin legal action if they are unhappy with the amount offered, with BBC Business Editor Robert Peston saying that it was "inevitable" that the government would be sued by shareholders who felt they had been "fleeced". Job threat UK taxpayers are now subsidising the bank in loans and guarantees to other lenders to the tune of about ï¿½55bn. The Treasury now feels that nationalisation offers the most certainty of securing these guarantees, Mr Peston said. It is thought that the business model it proposes will be similar to those put forward by the Virgin Group and the in-house management consortium. These were likely to see a downsizing of the bank, with job cuts among its 4,300 employees likely, observers say. Ron Sandler says it will be "business as usual" at the bank The Treasury had already recruited Mr Sandler, the former boss of the Lloyd's of London insurance market, to lead Northern Rock, in case it were nationalised. Mr Sandler is widely regarded as having restored confidence in Lloyd's after its years in financial disarray. He said the changes would have no impact on the guarantees made to lenders, or the government-backed support for savers' deposits. "It is business as usual," he said. Mr Sandler is well known to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and worked for the Treasury in developing the so-called stakeholder pension and investment products that were intended to help those on lower


Which company did French president Sarkozy and his then girlfriend Carla Bruni sue in 2008 for unauthorised use of their images in an advert?

TM-FORUM • View topic - [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010 [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010  Post subject: [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010 Posted: 02 Jul 2009 22:42  smooth traffic navigator Joined: 02 Jul 2009 22:24 Posts: 213 Owned TM-games: TMUF 23.2.2010 - now version 9.0 Lots of improvements, but lacks function to read questions from file, but you can copypaste it from version 1.5, hopefully * Admins * Ingame help * Admin can grant / remove points with single click * Questions queue, users can ask questions and they are shown by the order what they were asked * check for non-normal charracters on answer like ¨ ^ ´ ` etc etc.. http://koti.mbnet.fi/reaby/xaseco/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, on one server we have a tradition of having a quiz run by a player. Today I had an idea to make actually a point calculating system for it. Apparently this script is so fresh that it isn't in use of any servers yet, but hopefully it finds its place on that server. Update: The script without reading questions from file is now in use on the server. how it works? type /quiz and new question is asked from file. how to ask questions outside of file? /quiz_ask what color is a red car ? red how to answer? simply type answer to chat, and if you get it right you will be given a point. other commands are /quiz_points and /quiz_reset The script doesn't require local database, and scores are only stored temporarily. Quiz questions are placed on xaseco folder, where all xml files are, but it's named quiz_questions.txt, the format is same as asking custom question and 1 question/line. End of this posting is some sample questions. Code: /* plugin.quiz_en.php English version of QuizBot 1.5 by Reaby Many thanks for Assembler Maniac for Chatbot which this bot utilizes the main loop for getting chat-text from users. How it works? To ask manually question simply type /quiz_ask [question] ? [answer] To ask question from file type /quiz To reset points /quiz_reset /quiz_ask which color has red car on ? red answering normally by typing to chat. */ Aseco::addChatCommand('quiz_ask', 'Ask a question, right answer after questionmark'); Aseco::addChatCommand('quiz', 'Ask a question from file'); class quizbot       // ignore text that comes from the server       // also ignore anything that looks like it's a command       if ( $command[0] == 0 || substr($command[2], 0, 1) == '/' )      // $command[0] is the player id, 0 = server          {          if ( strtolower($command[2]) == strtolower($this->rightAnswer) )             {          $message = "\$0b0 Right answer! \$fff".$this->rightAnswer;           $this->Aseco->client->query('GetPlayerInfo', $command[1]);          $info = $this->Aseco->client->getResponse();          $nick = $info['NickName'];          $this->points[$command[1]]['NickName'] = $nick;          $this->points[$command[1]]['Points']++;             $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);             $this->points();  // show points at successcull answer       unset($this->rightAnswer);     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     }     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     }    foreach ($this->points as $info) {    $message .=$info['NickName'].": \$z\$s\$fff".$info['Points']." ";    }     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     } $message = "Scores are now reset!"; $aseco->client->query('ChatSendServerMessage', $aseco->formatColors($message)); unset($quizbot->points); And the sample questions file: quiz_questions.txt Code: Which world famous landmark is found on Mount Lee? Hollywood Sign What is sake made from ? Rice In George Orwell`s Animal Farm, what type of animals were Clover, Mollie and Boxer? Horses What is the hardest natural substance? diamond How many different scoring areas are there on a standard dart board (type only number)? 82 The pop groups Ace Of Base and The Cardigans both hail from which country? Sweden What colou


G Kennedy Thompson was fired in June 2008 from which US bank and early victim of the credit crunch?

The Cutting Edge News September 8th 2008 Cutting Edge Economic Crisis Analyst Being regarded as the worst-run bank in America is not an easy accomplishment in 2008. There are many competitors for this prestigious title. To win this honor would require dreadful management, poor strategic decisions, terrible timing, abusive teatment of its customers, and a track record constantly being reviewed by prosecutors and regulators for associating with and doing business with scam artists drug dealers, telemarketing crooks, money launders, check fraud rings, and customer account raiders. Thousands of customers would have to suffer from sudden account losses and disruptions. Add to that plain old delusional decision making from top to bottom. That is what it would take. Wachovia wins on all counts. It is the worst bank in America. It is amazing how far this 227 year old institution has fallen. Founded in 1781 in North Carolina, through mergers and acquisitions, Wachovia has grown to be the fourth largest bank in the United States. The current version of the bank has its roots in the 1990s. First Union Bank, also from North Carolina, acquired 80 smaller banks in the 1990s before merging with Wachovia in 2001. The mistakes and bad judgment started in 1998 and have crescendoed today. First Union acquired CoreStates in 1998, then the biggest banking merger in history. Under the previous CEO, Edward Crutchfield, the integration of CoreStates into First Union was a disaster. Systems didn’t communicate, employees lacked training, and customer service was a disaster. That same year, they acquired The Money Store for $2.1 billion. They gutted the staff of this unit and clearly didn’t understand the business. The Money Store was shut down in 2000, writing off $1.7 billion. The never-ending quest for size led to these poorly thought-out acquisitions. The company's stock price topped out at just above $60 in 1998. This was a foreshadowing of worse things to come. The G. Kennedy Thompson Years G. Kennedy Thompson started at First Union in 1976. He was elevated to the top spot in 2000. He evidently wanted to make his mark immediately and in early 2001 engineered the acquisition of Wachovia Bank. The First Union name had such a poor reputation that they decided to assume the Wachovia name. To Thompson’s credit, the integration went much smoother than the CoreStates merger and growth through acquisitions continued to be the strategy of choice. Prudential Securities and Metropolitan West Securities were acquired in 2003, SouthTrust was acquired in 2004, and the 2006 acquisition of Westcorp gave Wachovia its first exposure to the California market—ultimately be seen as their Alamo. The disastrous $26 billion acquisition of Golden West Financial in May 2006 is the anchor currently weighing the bank down and will ultimately drag them under. Did Mr. Thompson undertake this high risk strategy in order to top his bitter cross-town rival Ken Lewis, CEO of Bank of America? Only he knows for sure. Golden West Financial was the second largest savings and loan in the U.S., with $125 billion in assets, 283 savings branches, and 11,600 employees. This acquisition gave Wachovia a major presence in California with 123 branches and $32 billion of deposits. The housing market had clearly peaked in mid 2005 and was falling rapidly in early 2006. Herbert & Marion Sandler, the founders of Golden West, showed tremendous timing in selling out at the top. Wachovia and Mr. Thompson used horrible judgment and clearly did not do their due diligence during this acquisition. Growth at any cost is never a brilliant strategy. Sometimes you can get lucky when a strong economy bails you out, but if the economy goes into the toilet, this dangerous strategy can flush your entire company. Of the $11.6 billion of loans originated in 2005 by Golden West, 99 percent were adjustable rate mortgages. Billions of these loans were Option ARMs. An Option ARM gives the borrower the option to pay a minimum payment (the loan balance increases), just principal, or principal and interest. Over 70