The "And in other news..." thread

[brad465]

Rather unexpected attack method on the Mona Lisa:

Mona Lisa: Man dressed as old woman throws cake at da Vinci painting

The perpetrator urged people to "think of the earth" while being led away from the scene.

www.bbc.co.uk

A man disguised as an elderly woman in a wheelchair has thrown cake at the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting at the Louvre in Paris.
The piece, which was undamaged, was left with white cream smeared across its protective glass.
The perpetrator, seen wearing a wig and lipstick, urged people to "think of the Earth" while being led from the scene.
The incident on Sunday was described by witnesses as being "jaw-dropping".

Louvre visitor Luke Sundberg, from the US, saw it all unfold. "The crowd begin gasping and we looked up and some man in a wheelchair [dressed] as an old lady ran up to the painting and started punching it before smearing cake all over it," the 20-year-old told the PA news agency.
"It took about 10 to 15 seconds for the security to actually take the man away, but the crowd seemed to panic a little bit.
"It was jaw-dropping, it was a lot to take in considering how historic Mona Lisa is... the moment was once in a million."

 

[GusB]

A man disguised as an elderly woman in a wheelchair

Eet eez I, l'Éclair...

 

[Ediswan]

Eet eez I, l'Éclair...

The name is LeClerc. Which is very simillar to the name of a French hypermarket. I always assumed there was a joke there somewhere.

 

[GusB]

The name is LeClerc. Which is very simillar to the name of a French hypermarket. I always assumed there was a joke there somewhere.

I know, but I was referring to the cake...

 

[43096]

Eet eez I, l'Éclair...

I was thinking more like Anne from Little Britain.

 

[brad465]

Prince William spotted selling The Big Issue:

Prince William spotted selling Big Issue in central London

The Duke of Cambridge was seen wearing the Big Issue uniform and selling copies of the magazine.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Duke of Cambridge has been spotted in central London quietly helping sell Big Issue magazines.
Retired Met Police Ch Supt Matthew Gardner shared photos of Prince William on Rochester Row, in Westminster, on his social media account.
He said his brother-in-law had spotted what he thought was a celebrity and took a photo from a distance.
Mr Gardner said Prince William then crossed the road and spoke to him while wearing the iconic Big Issue uniform.
The magazine is sold by homeless people, long-term unemployed people, and those who need money to avoid getting into debt, the Big Issue says.
Vendors are given five free magazines, which are then sold to the public for £3, with additional copies bought for £1.50.

'Silent gestures'​

In his social media post, Mr Gardner added: "What an honour to have a private moment with our future king who was humble and working quietly in the background, helping the most needy.
"These 'silent gestures' often go unrecognised.
"The finale to this unique occasion was when Prince William asked my brother-in-law If he wanted to buy the Big Issue, to which he replied 'I have no change'.
"At this point William produced a mobile card machine… you cannot teach that!
"Priceless, or should I say, 'princely'."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have previously spoken of their involvement with charities close to their heart, often inspired by his mother, the late Princess Diana.
In 2014, he visited homeless charity Centrepoint, while in 2018 the couple went to The Passage homeless centre in Westminster.
The Big Issue has been approached for a comment.

 

[najaB]

Prince William spotted selling The Big Issue:

It might be his uncle Andrew before long!

 

[Gloster]

To my mind it is a bit of rather cheap and embarrassing tokenism. He has two homes, one with twelve bedrooms and the other with ten, and will in none too many years move into a home with 775 rooms, including 240 bedrooms. But spending an hour or two selling The Big Issue shows how caring he is and everything is wonderful: we should think ourselves lucky to have such a kind future monarch as we try to sleep on a bench with nothing but yesterday’s Sun to keep us warm.

On a less bitter and more practical note, I don’t think it has done much good for the royals. The monarchy has lost much of its role in recent years and is left with little but being a dignified and dedicated figurehead. Cheap stunts, even if they get a few pounds for the deserving, don’t add to this.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The Christian Peoples' Alliance candidate in the Wakefield by-election sent out this flyer, for which there are no words:

https://twitter.com/REWearmouth/status/1529920153642749958/photo/1

View attachment 115296

Sorry for quoting a rather old post, but although it is a bit ham-fisted I can sort of see where they're coming from given what happened to the last MP for Wakefield.

Last year during the Batley & Spen by-election, the same party (and indeed the same candidate IIRC) issued a leaflet which promised to uphold freedom of speech while also saying they'd campaign for stronger blasphemy laws... which might suggest they aren't the sharpest tools in the shed!

 

[Lost property]

About the term "spotted "...the exercise was a neat bit of two pronged marketing promotion for brand Windsor. First, the timing, coming when it did after a certain event was near perfect.

Second, after a slight hiccup in the W.Indies, nothing like a bit of positive publicity to restore the image.

Of course, what isn't mentioned, is, this "spotting " was a carefully choregraphed photo-op ( Ms Truss must have looked on in envy) because, missing, obviously, was the cavalry (not the Army version ) but the Royal Protection Officers.

It's not as if he can just wander off on his own, do his own thing, get hold of a convenient uniform now is it.

 

[AlterEgo]

About the term "spotted "...the exercise was a neat bit of two pronged marketing promotion for brand Windsor. First, the timing, coming when it did after a certain event was near perfect.

Second, after a slight hiccup in the W.Indies, nothing like a bit of positive publicity to restore the image.

Of course, what isn't mentioned, is, this "spotting " was a carefully choregraphed photo-op ( Ms Truss must have looked on in envy) because, missing, obviously, was the cavalry (not the Army version ) but the Royal Protection Officers.

It's not as if he can just wander off on his own, do his own thing, get hold of a convenient uniform now is it.

Yes it did seem to be carefully stage managed. Of course it was a retired senior policeman who spotted him (!). I would recognise William from about 100 yards, the idea he was there for a while before someone clocked he was Prince William is a bit fanciful.

 

[Pinza-C55]

In April 2022 UK exports to the EU reached a record high, the highest in other words since 1977.

"Goods exports to the EU reached £16.4 billion in April 2022, their highest level in current prices since the series began in 1997. Imports from EU countries were £0.6 billion higher than from non-EU countries in April 2022."

UK trade - Office for National Statistics

Total value of UK exports and imports of goods and services by current price, chained volume measures and implied deflators.

www.ons.gov.uk

 

[High Dyke]

I wasn't certain whether to post this here or in the International Transport forum. However, the people weren't protesting against the railways.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-61841268Agnipath:

Agnipath: One dead in violent India protests over military hiring​

A person has died and 13 others have been injured in India after protests against a new army hiring plan turned violent. He died when police and protesters clashed in Secunderabad city in the southern state of Telangana on Friday.

Protests against the scheme began in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar earlier in the week. But they have now spread to several other states.

In Telangana's Secunderabad city, hundreds of young candidates entered a railway station. Some of them reportedly set shops and coaches on fire. Some protesters told the BBC that around 2,000 of them had arrived at the railway station.
The protesters gathered to demonstrate on the railway tracks and halted all train movement for hours. They threw packages and goods on the tracks and set them on fire.

 

[brad465]

Youtuber Colin Furze making the news regarding the latest in his tunnel digging under his house:

Colin Furze: YouTuber allowed to build tunnel under garden

Colin Furze, from Stamford in Lincolnshire, started the project three years ago.

www.bbc.co.uk

A YouTuber has won retrospective planning permission to burrow a tunnel between his house and shed.
Colin Furze spent three years digging the passage by hand under his Lincolnshire garden without permission.
The subterranean structure lies 1.2m (4ft) beneath the surface and could eventually also connect to a special underground bunker he has built.
Mr Furze, from Stamford, said he wanted to do it because he thought "it would be cool".
Planning documents from South Kesteven District Council show the bunker was granted permission eight years ago.
However, tunnels to connect his house, shed and bunker did not have permission.
"The proposal is partially retrospective with a large portion of the tunnelling works having been carried out," the document stated.
Mr Furze has been documenting his progress to his 12 million YouTube followers after beginning the tunnelling project in November 2018.
Initially, the tunnel was a secret but millions have since watched his exploits, with the tunnel currently connecting his kitchen pantry with his shed.
He said the response had been positive, adding: "If you ask people about tunnels, they love them".

 

[High Dyke]

We've all had good nights out, but: BBC News - Japanese man loses USB stick with entire city's personal details

Japanese man loses USB stick with entire city's personal details

A Japanese worker lost a USB stick containing the data of 460,000 people during a night out.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Japanese broadcaster NHK reports that the man, said to be in his 40s, works for a company tasked with providing benefits to tax-exempt households.

He had transferred the personal information of the entire city's residents onto the drive on Tuesday evening before meeting colleagues for a night on the town.

 

[Ediswan]

We've all had good nights out, but: BBC News - Japanese man loses USB stick with entire city's personal details

Japanese man loses USB stick with entire city's personal details

A Japanese worker lost a USB stick containing the data of 460,000 people during a night out.

www.bbc.co.uk

Slow news day. The article does eventually mention that the data was encrypted. In other words, loss/theft had been considered and mitigation put in place.

 

[najaB]

The article does eventually mention that the data was encrypted. In other words, loss/theft had been considered and mitigation put in place.

That rather depends on how strong the encryption is. And in any case, "Everything's okay, the backup system will take care of it" is pretty far down the road to disaster.

 

[Gloster]

It does have a slight feeling of, “We don’t know who’s got all your personal details, but we have a back up so that we can still send you our bills. So that’s all right, then.”

 

[Ediswan]

That rather depends on how strong the encryption is.

Unknown.

And in any case, "Everything's okay, the backup system will take care of it" is pretty far down the road to disaster.

What defintion of 'backup system' are you using ? I don't see any suggestion that losing this copy will have an adverse impact on normal operations. My guess would be that it was for some kind of offline ad-hoc analysis.

I do agree with your general point that assuming backups will always save the day is inadvisable. When I suggested to the last place I worked that it would be good to a do a 'bare metal' restore test I got blank looks, followed by an unamabiguous refusal.

 

[najaB]

What defintion of 'backup system' are you using ?

Backup as in 'second line of defence' not 'copy of data'.

 

[341o2]

Police leave their car to pursue suspects on foot and are left an irate note on their windscreen regarding their parking in Lymington.

source Bournemouth Echo https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/20236567.lymington-police-left-angry-note-parking/

photo from Echo, taken by Hampshire Police

 

[Gloster]

Police leave their car to pursue suspects on foot and are left an irate note on their windscreen regarding their parking in Lymington.

source Bournemouth Echo https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/20236567.lymington-police-left-angry-note-parking/

photo from Echo, taken by Hampshire Police

View attachment 116764

My parents lived in Lymington for quite a few years and, despite it often being described as one of the most desirable places to
live in, there were some very odd people. One woman who lived nearby had a habit of picking up bits of gravel that had strayed off people’s drives into the roadway and using them to replenish her drive. She saw nothing unusual in this and was eager to make clear that she only took gravel from the public highway, not the pavement.

In Ryde last week somebody put a notice on a police van telling them (wrongly) that it didn’t have an MOT.

 

[Lost property]

Ah, those quaint rural pursuits ....and those who participate in them...

Dorset contest sees competitors eat stinging nettles

The annual World Nettle Eating Contest is described as "quintessentially Dorset" by organisers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Meanwhile, even allowing for the location, Essex, where such would be considered normal, in part at least, clearly there is a lot of latent capacity in the grey matter between his ears.

Stansted Airport: Driver gets stuck trying to avoid parking fees

The motorist's "bad day" continued when he was found to be disqualified and had his car seized.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[341o2]

My parents lived in Lymington for quite a few years and, despite it often being described as one of the most desirable places to
live in, there were some very odd people. One woman who lived nearby had a habit of picking up bits of gravel that had strayed off people’s drives into the roadway and using them to replenish her drive. She saw nothing unusual in this and was eager to make clear that she only took gravel from the public highway, not the pavement.

In Ryde last week somebody put a notice on a police van telling them (wrongly) that it didn’t have an MOT.

It has gained a reputation for being snooty, following the closure of Woolworths, there was a suggestion of opening an Argos store, and another shopkeeper opposed this on the basis that it would lower the tone of the High St, surely such a store would be suited to nearby Pennington, while another complained about the butchers' market stall, the smell put her customers off.

During lockdown (not in Lymington), a nurse received a note to say that every day she was observed to be driving her car, and would be reported for doing so.

I like the one about the police van!

 

[brad465]

A group in a Nigerian church had to freed after staying there for months thinking the second coming was imminent:

Dozens of Nigerians freed from church awaiting 'Second Coming' in Ondo

Police free 77 people from confinement in a church in south-western Nigeria.

www.bbc.co.uk

Police in Nigeria have rescued 77 people, including children, from a church where they were confined in the south-western state of Ondo.
Some of them are believed to have been there for months.
A police spokesperson said many of them had been told to expect the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in April and had abandoned school to witness the event.
The raid came after a mother complained her children were missing and she thought they were in the church.
Police say they are investigating suspected mass abduction after the raid on the Whole Bible Believers Church in the Valentino area of Ondo Town.
The pastor of the Pentecostal church, David Anifowoshe, and his deputy have been arrested, while the victims have been taken into the care of the authorities.
"Preliminary investigation revealed that one Pastor Josiah Peter Asumosa, an assistant pastor in the church, was the one who told the members that Rapture will take place in April, but later said it has been changed to September 2022 and told the young members to obey only their parents in the Lord," said police press officer Funmilayo Odunlami.
In all, police rescued 26 children, eight teenagers and 43 adults, she added.
The Second Coming is a Christian belief in the return of Jesus Christ after his Biblical ascension to Heaven. Rapture is the idea that Christian believers will be taken to Heaven at the Second Coming.
Anxiety has been high among Christians in the state since a deadly attack on another church.
At least 50 people were killed in a mass shooting and bomb attack at St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo on 6 June.
Federal authorities suspect the Islamic State West Africa Province of carrying out the massacre.

 

[GusB]

Oops! I'm guessing that they had an easy to guess password.

British Army Twitter account hacked

The British Army Twitter account has been hacked and is now posting tweets promoting competitions to win NFTs and claiming that the UK is going to attack Pakistan.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

The British Army Twitter account has been hacked and is now posting tweets promoting competitions to win NFTs and claiming the UK is going to attack Pakistan.​

The account name has changed several times and new profile pictures including an ape wearing face paint have been shown.

Additionally, it now seems as if their YouTube channel is gone too. Being replaced with an investment channel.

The Ministry of Defence said:

“We are aware of a breach of the Army’s Twitter and YouTube accounts and an investigation is underway.

The Army takes information security extremely seriously and is resolving the issue. Until their investigation is complete it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

 

[43096]

Oops! I'm guessing that they had an easy to guess password.

British Army Twitter account hacked

The British Army Twitter account has been hacked and is now posting tweets promoting competitions to win NFTs and claiming that the UK is going to attack Pakistan.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

General Melchett says "Security isn't a dirty word. Crevice is a dirty word, but security isn't."

 

[brad465]

Woops:

https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1544760371998871552

INCREDIBLE SCENES: BBC News accidentally cut away to their news studio, showing a presenter with their feet on the desk.

 

[High Dyke]

Ever ready to go?

BBC News - Climate change: 'Sand battery' could solve green energy's big problem

Climate change: 'Sand battery' could solve green energy's big problem

A storage device made from sand may overcome the biggest issue in the transition to renewable energy.

www.bbc.co.uk

Finnish researchers have installed the world's first fully working "sand battery" which can store green power for months at a time.
The developers say this could solve the problem of year-round supply, a major issue for green energy.
Using low-grade sand, the device is charged up with heat made from cheap electricity from solar or wind.

 

[ABB125]

Ever ready to go?

BBC News - Climate change: 'Sand battery' could solve green energy's big problem

Climate change: 'Sand battery' could solve green energy's big problem

A storage device made from sand may overcome the biggest issue in the transition to renewable energy.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's quite an interesting idea. You could pretty much build one yourself!