The chihuahua that starred in the hit comedy Legally Blonde has died, Reese Witherspoon has announced.
'Moonie' appeared in the 2001 film as Bruiser Woods, the pet dog of leading character Elle Woods.
Elle was played by Witherspoon, who broke the news on her Instagram account.
The actress posted a photograph of the pair posing on set during a break in filming the comedy, in which Witherspoon plays a ditzy blonde who believes she can win back her boyfriend by enrolling at Harvard law school.
"With a sad heart, I have to let all the #LegallyBlonde fans know that Bruiser Woods (also known as Moonie) passed away yesterday," she wrote.
"He was a sweet little Chihuahua who was very loved. I will never forget the days we spent together … I'm sure his tail is wagging in the sky. Sending love to his trainer, the wonderful @tailsticks #RIPBruiser."
The film has been ranked 29th on Bravo's 2007 list of "100 Funniest Movies".
Saturday, March 12, 2016
North Korean Submarine 'Missing' Amid Tensions
A North Korean submarine has apparently gone missing, according to reports.
The vessel is believed to have suffered a failure during an exercise and is presumed to have sunk.
The US military is said to have been observing the submarine off North Korea's eastern coast earlier this week and American spy satellites were also later watching the navy search for it.
"The speculation is that it sank", an unidentified US official told the US Naval Institute's news website.
"The North Koreans have not made an attempt to indicate there is something wrong or that they require help or some type of assistance."
The reports emerged as Pyongyang threatened retaliation against US and South Korean forces taking part in annual joint military drills.
The North has warned it would launch a "blitzkrieg" in the Korean peninsula amid a simulated amphibious landing by Washington and Seoul involving thousands of troops.
About 55 US marine aircraft and 30 US and South Korean ships, including ones which carry attack jets, took part in the assault on beaches near Pohang city in the South.
The North has reportedly warned of a "pre-emptive retaliatory strike at the enemy groups" involved in the exercise which it sees as preparations for an invasion.
Pyongyang said it would respond with an "operation to liberate the whole of South Korea including Seoul" with an "ultra-precision blitzkrieg".
North Korean state media boasted of the nation's right to launch a "pre-emptive nuclear attack" and issued a final warning to Washington.
"A nuclear war against the DPRK would bring a final ruin to the US," said an article in the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper.
"This is the last warning of the DPRK to Obama and his cronies in the White House."
The US and South Korea have defended the drills, saying they are defensive and routine, and are part of eight weeks of joint exercises.
Chlorine warning stays in place for thousands of people
Thousands of people are still being told they should not use their water because of high levels of chlorine.
Severn Trent issued a warning in Derbyshire and Leicestershire on Friday after it found high levels of the chemical at a reservoir.
About 3,700 properties are affected in postcode areas DE11, DE15, DE65, DE73 and LE65.
It is hoped the water will be safe to use later, although the firm said customers can now flush their toilets.
Severn Trent has been handing out free bottles of water to affected customers at Sainsbury's in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, and Tesco in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire.
Nigel Thornylowe, who lives in Woodville with his two children, said it was a "nightmare".
"We got caught up in the frenzy yesterday and unfortunately... we haven't got any bottled water," he said.
"We've tried in vain but all the supermarkets have run out."
'Drinking spritzers'
He said the situation had been poorly managed and bottles of water should be distributed at more locations than just the two supermarkets.
But other residents have been looking out for their neighbours with one couple filling up the water carrier in their caravan and distributing it to elderly neighbours.
And another woman said she coped on Friday night by "drinking spritzers" instead of water.
In a statement, the firm tried to reassure customers who may have drunk the water that, if they did not notice a strong chlorine smell or taste, then it was "unlikely to have caused any harm".
But it added that anyone with concerns should speak to a doctor.
"We're very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused but we want to reassure customers that this is a precautionary measure due to the levels of chlorine in the water supply," it said.
Frontman Apologises For Slur On Bataclan Staff
The lead singer of the Eagles Of Death Metal rock band has apologised after suggesting music venue employees may have played a role in the Paris terrorist attack in November.
During an interview with Fox Business Network, Jesse Hughes said he considered it suspicious that some security guards at the Bataclan concert hall did not arrive for work on the night of the shooting in which 90 people were killed by Islamist gunmen.
He said: "It seems rather obvious that they had a reason not to show up."
The singer had also said he thought it strange that when he first arrived at the venue one of the security guards did not look at him.
He said: "I immediately went to the promoter and said 'Who's that guy? I want to put another dude on.'
"And he goes 'Well, some of the other guards aren't here yet,' and eventually I found out that six or so wouldn't show up at all."
Now Mr Hughes has posted an apology on the band's Facebook profile in which he blames his accusations on post-traumatic stress and pleads with France and Bataclan staff to forgive him.
"I humbly beg forgiveness from the people of France, the staff and security of the Bataclan, my fans, family, friends and anyone else hurt or offended by the absurd accusations," he said.
"My suggestions that anyone affiliated with the Bataclan played a role in the events of November 13 are unfounded and baseless – and I take full responsibility for them.
"I've been dealing with non-stop nightmares and struggling through therapy to make sense of this tragedy and insanity. I haven't been myself since November 13.
"I realise there's no excuse for my words, but for what it's worth I am sincerely sorry for having hurt, disrespected or accused anyone."
Last month Eagles Of Death Metal played for survivors of the massacre in a gig at the Olympia venue, a few miles from the Bataclan.
Driverless Cars On UK Motorways Next Year
Driverless cars will be allowed on Britain's motorways next year, George Osborne is to announce in the Budget on Wednesday.
Tests will begin on a small number of roads within months before pilots are carried out on 70mph carriageways later this year.
The first trials are expected to be carried out on roads in Milton Keynes, Bristol, Coventry and Greenwich.
The Chancellor believes automated vehicles could lead to the most "fundamental" change to transport since the invention of the petrol engine.
He hopes they will revolutionise motoring by 2020, and put the UK at the forefront of the new technology.
Mr Osborne said: "At a time of great uncertainty in the global economy, Britain must take bold decisions now to ensure it leads the world when it comes to new technologies and infrastructure.
"That's what my Budget next week will seek to do."
He added: "Naturally we need to ensure safety, and that's what the trials we are introducing will test.
"If successful, we could see driverless cars available for sale and on Britain's roads, boosting UK jobs and productivity."
Driverless cars, which can alert motorists to accidents and traffic jams, could eventually prevent 95% of crashes, according to the Treasury.
"Truck platooning" tests will also be carried out on motorways, where lorries travel in tightly-packed convoys to improve fuel consumption by reducing drag.
A driver in the lead vehicle would control the steering, acceleration and braking of the convoy.
But the drones would have a driver in each cab as a safety measure.
A stretch of the M6 near Carlisle has reportedly been earmarked as a test route.
In Germany, a driverless lorry developed by Daimler was tested on a public road last October.
Last month, a Google driverless car was involved in a collision with a bus in California.
The US tech firm's automated cars have been involved in more than a dozen collisions, but in most cases the vehicles were rear-ended.
Tests will begin on a small number of roads within months before pilots are carried out on 70mph carriageways later this year.
The first trials are expected to be carried out on roads in Milton Keynes, Bristol, Coventry and Greenwich.
The Chancellor believes automated vehicles could lead to the most "fundamental" change to transport since the invention of the petrol engine.
He hopes they will revolutionise motoring by 2020, and put the UK at the forefront of the new technology.
Mr Osborne said: "At a time of great uncertainty in the global economy, Britain must take bold decisions now to ensure it leads the world when it comes to new technologies and infrastructure.
"That's what my Budget next week will seek to do."
He added: "Naturally we need to ensure safety, and that's what the trials we are introducing will test.
"If successful, we could see driverless cars available for sale and on Britain's roads, boosting UK jobs and productivity."
Driverless cars, which can alert motorists to accidents and traffic jams, could eventually prevent 95% of crashes, according to the Treasury.
"Truck platooning" tests will also be carried out on motorways, where lorries travel in tightly-packed convoys to improve fuel consumption by reducing drag.
A driver in the lead vehicle would control the steering, acceleration and braking of the convoy.
But the drones would have a driver in each cab as a safety measure.
A stretch of the M6 near Carlisle has reportedly been earmarked as a test route.
In Germany, a driverless lorry developed by Daimler was tested on a public road last October.
Last month, a Google driverless car was involved in a collision with a bus in California.
The US tech firm's automated cars have been involved in more than a dozen collisions, but in most cases the vehicles were rear-ended.
Apple and U.S. Bitterly Turn Up Volume in iPhone Privacy Fight
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration argued on Thursday that “no single corporation” — even one as successful as Apple — should be allowed to flout the rule of law by refusing to help the F.B.I. unlock the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, Calif., attackers.
The administration’s sharp tone in a new court filing drew an angry and emotional rebuke from lawyers for Apple, who accused the government of “a cheap shot” and were particularly upset about what they said was an unfair and inaccurate suggestion that the company has a special relationship with China to protect its corporate interests there.
“The tone of the brief reads like an indictment,” Bruce Sewell, Apple’s general counsel, told reporters. “In 30 years of practice, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a legal brief that was more intended to smear the other side with false accusations and innuendo.”
The unusually intense sparring between the two sides signaled an escalation in tension over a case that had already drawn attention worldwide because of the high legal and corporate stakes. The fight has been brewing since mid-February, when Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym of the Federal District Court for the Central District of California ordered Apple to create and deploy an alternative operating system that would help law enforcement agents break into the iPhone in the San Bernardino case.
Apple publicly opposed the order, igniting a standoff with the F.B.I. and the Justice Department. The fight has fueled a debate over privacy and civil liberties versus security, becoming a flash point in the growing tension between technology companies and the government over who can have access to private customer data and under what circumstances.
In its filing on Thursday in United States District Court in Los Angeles, the Justice Department said that Apple should be compelled to help the F.B.I. break into the iPhone and that the company should not be allowed to hide behind what prosecutors said were diversionary tactics in the court of public opinion.
Apple and its supporters “try to alarm” the court by invoking bigger debates over privacy and national security, the Justice Department said. “Apple desperately wants — desperately needs— this case not to be ‘about one isolated iPhone.’ ”
The government’s filing was a point-by-point rebuttal of a motion that Apple filed two weeks ago opposing the federal court order requiring it to break into the iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino attackers. Apple had argued that the court order violated the company’s First and Fifth Amendment rights, and said the government’s request oversteps a law called the All Writs Act.
In the filing on Thursday, prosecutors argued that they have sought a “modest” step in the case and that the courts, the executive branch and Congress — not Apple — share the power to decide how best to balance public safety and privacy.
“The rule of law does not repose that power in a single corporation, no matter how successful it has been in selling its products,” prosecutors wrote.
The Justice Department also offered a robust defense of the All Writs Act, which dates to 1789. The statute, used to gather evidence in thousands of cases, is an “integral part of our justice system,” prosecutors wrote.
Apple has tried to characterize that statute “as an obscure law dredged up by the government to achieve unprecedented power,” the Justice Department said. “That premise is false.”
At the same time, prosecutors played down the significance of a ruling that went against them last week in a separate but similar case in a Brooklyn courtroom. In that case, a magistrate rejected attempts by the Justice Department to force Apple to help unlock an iPhone in a routine drug case, saying that the government was using the All Writs Act so broadly that it might be unconstitutional.
The Justice Department noted in a footnote Thursday that it was appealing the Brooklyn ruling and that the order carried no weight as precedent in the California case.
In another footnote, the Justice Department’s tone also turned more ominous, suggesting that it might seek access to Apple’s source code and private electronic signatures if the company does not cooperate. That would go beyond what the government has previously requested, which is the company’s help in weakening the iPhone’s defenses rather than any direct access to the technology.
In a rebuttal to the government’s filing, Mr. Sewell of Apple said in a conference call that a number of the government’s charges in its latest brief were unfounded.
Mr. Sewell said it was the first time ever that Apple had seen the government assert that it made modifications to specifically block law enforcement officials’ access to its devices. More disturbingly, he said, federal prosecutors used unidentified sources to raise the specter that Apple has a different relationship with China than with other countries.
He said such accusations showed that the Justice Department “is so desperate at this point that it has thrown all decorum to the winds.”
Mr. Sewell likened the Justice Department’s comments on China to Apple arguing that the F.B.I. cannot be trusted because there are rumors that the bureau was behind the assassination of John F. Kennedy and citing “conspiracytheory.com” as its source.
“Everyone should beware,” Mr. Sewell said, “because it seems that disagreeing with the Department of Justice means you must be evil and un-American.”
On the actual merits of the dispute, Apple’s lawyers reiterated that the government’s interpretation of the All Writs Act was simply wrong and that the authority the government seeks “is breathtaking,” essentially arguing that courts can order any private citizens or companies to do what the authorities want so long as there is jurisdiction.
Apple will have another chance to rebut the Justice Department’s case before a hearing scheduled for March 22 before Magistrate Judge Pym. No matter how she rules, the closely watched case is almost certain to be appealed to the district court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and perhaps even the Supreme Court.
Rock Star Keith Emerson 'May Have Killed Himself'
The British prog rock star Keith Emerson has died in what police are treating as a suspected suicide.
The 71-year-old is believed to have died some time between Thursday night and Friday morning at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles.
Sergeant Erika Aklufi said an investigation is under way to confirm whether the keyboardist died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"It's being investigated as a suicide," Sergeant Aklufi added.
Emerson, born in Todmorden, Yorkshire, was the founding member of British superband Emerson, Lake and Palmer - one of the most famous progressive rock bands of the 1970s.
He helped form The Nice in 1967 before starting ELP in 1970 with former King Crimson guitarist Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer.
Palmer said in a statement: "I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my good friend and brother-in-music Keith Emerson.
"Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come.
"He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz.
"I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humour, compelling showmanship and dedication to his musical craft."
After splitting several times over the decades, ELP reunited for a last tour in 2010, playing their final gig at London's High Voltage Festival to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)