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This article mentions the Wikimedia Foundation, one of its projects, or people related to it. Wikinews is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Ren and Stimpy. Bugs Bunny. Philip J. Fry and Professor Hubert Farnsworth on Futurama. Sparx. Bi-Polar Bear. Popeye the Sailor Man. Woody Woodpecker. You may not think you have ever heard Billy West, but chances are on a television program, a movie, a commercial, or as Howard Stern’s voice guru in the 1990’s, you have heard him. West’s talent for creating personalities by twisting his voice has made him one of a handful of voice actors—Hank Azaria and the late Mel Blanc come to mind—who have achieved celebrity for their talent. Indeed, West is one of the few voice actors who can impersonate Blanc in his prime, including characterizations of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and other characters from Warner Bros. cartoons.

What is the fulcrum in Mr. West’s life that led him to realize a talent to shape personalities with his voice, and how did the discovery of that gift shape him? Wikinews reporter David Shankbone found that like many great comedians, West faced more sour early in life than he did sweet. The sour came from a physically and emotionally abusive alcoholic father (“I could tell you the kind of night I was going to have from the sound of the key in the door or the way the car pulled up.”), to his own problems with drug and alcohol use (“There is a point that you can reach in your life where you don’t want to live, but you haven’t made the decision to die.”).

I’m telling you stuff that I never said to anybody…

If sin, suffering and redemption feel like the stages of an endless cycle of American existence, West’s own redemption from his brutalized childhood is what helped shape his gift. He performed little bits to cheer up his cowed mother, ravaged by the fact she could not stop her husband’s abuse of young West. “I was the whipping boy and she would just be reduced to tears a lot of times, and I would come in and say stuff, and I would put out little bits just to pull her out of it.”

But West has also enjoyed the sweet. His career blossomed as his talent for creating entire histories behind fictional characters and creatures simply by exploring nuance in his voice landed him at the top of his craft. You may never again be able to forget that behind the voice of your favorite character, there is often an extraordinary life.

Below is David Shankbone’s interview with renowned voice actor Billy West, who for the first time publicly talks about the horrors he faced in his childhood; his misguided search for answers in anger, drugs and alcohol; and the peace he has achieved as one of America’s most recognizable voice actors.

Contents

  • 1 The use of celebrities for voiceovers
  • 2 Iconic characters and choosing projects
  • 3 Discovering his talent
  • 4 “It was a horror chamber where I grew up”
  • 5 West moves to Boston after his parents divorce
  • 6 How West dealt with his father’s abuse
  • 7 Rehabilitation and sobriety
  • 8 Is West glad he experienced addiction?
  • 9 West on his career
  • 10 West on politics
  • 11 Billy West on modern American society
  • 12 Billy West on telling it like it is
  • 13 Source

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Parts of the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria have suffered severe flooding on Thursday, with forecasters predicting further rain. As of 21:09 GMT there were six severe flood warnings (the highest alert in the UK Flood Warnings system) in force in the county, with a large number of flood warnings and watches also in force across the region.

According to BBC News, the main street in the town of Cockermouth is under several feet of water, and around 200 people were being evacuated by helicopters. At least 350 homes in the Elliot Park district of Keswick are also reported to be without power.

A number of local roads are flooded (including the A6 in Kendal). The West Coast Main Line railway is also reported as subject to disruption due to flooding between Oxenholme and Carlisle. Some mainline services are terminatingat either Carlisle or Preston. Local services between Carlisle and Barrow are also reported to have delays.

Some properties in Keswick, Cockermouth and Kendal had already been evacuated under pre-existing emergency plans.

Robert Runcie, the Environment Agency‘s director of flood and coastal risk was quoted as saying: “After persistent heavy rain combined with saturated ground and full rivers across Cumbria, the decision was taken to evacuate residents in towns and villages across the Lake District, before the onset of serious flooding.”

“Since early on Thursday we have been helping emergency services coordinate community groups that are going house-to-house ensuring people were taking precautions and evacuated where necessary. These emergency plans were established following the Cumbria floods of 2005 and have worked successfully. The last thing we want is floodwater putting lives at risk.”

“We urge people to take care and check the latest flooding situation and sign up to our free flood warnings service or by calling 08459 881188.”

Earlier Cumbrian police had advised against non essential travel, and against fell-walking entirely.Chief Superintendent Kevin McGilloway of Cumbria Constabulary stating “All the agencies are working together with local people to ensure they are kept as safe as possible during the severe weather which is hitting some parts of the county. We are asking people not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary.” He also gave some advice, “Pedestrians in areas where there are floods, such as Cockermouth, Keswick, Penrith and Kendal, are being urged not to attempt to walk through flood waters. Anyone who notices blocked drains are also being urged not to put themselves at risk by attempting to unblock them. The key message is for people who are affected by the floods to be prepared, to try and protect any properties that are liable to flooding. Look out for one another including vulnerable friends and neighbours. Anyone in affected areas should ensure they carry mobile phones, torches, waterproofs and other equipment they may need and ensure they have all essential medication with them.”

In Kendal, demand for sandbags has been high. A spokesperson for South Lakeland council stated:”More than 1,000 sandbags have already been collected from our depot and we have ordered 4,000 more to meet the demand.”

The Mayor of Keswick praised efforts by those involved in the flood response. “It is all hands to the pump, really” he said. “The emergency services are well co-ordinated and have been fantastic.”

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Submitted by: Brent McNutt

One of the most common causes of fatality in the growing population of the world is hypertension. There never has been an exception in terms of age, race and gender so as to speak. Anywhere in the world, what comes into reality is that day by day, the earth loses hundreds to thousands of lives because people tend to take their health for granted.

Lifestyle may define a person’s state of health, and one must consider how great and essential it is to be particular with such. Hypertension, the significant elevation of the blood pressure, is a predisposed medical condition that greatly affects the middle aged to old aged. But genetic factors have been said to be contributing some percentage of possibility for a person to acquire this condition. It may also be present to people having such factors as insulin resistance, mutation and low birth weight. This risk may be triggered or precipitated with the form of lifestyle that one have, sedentary that is. All others will include stress, potassium and other mineral insufficiencies, obesity. This is the characteristic of essential hypertension.

Secondary hypertension that is, is caused by identifiable conditions and it is important to recognize because of the course of treatment that may vary from the essential one. There are underlying medical conditions that lead to elevation of blood pressure. It is caused by the disruption of homeostasis in the pathophysiological mechanisms such as your hormones and the organs that are responsible in its regulation.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crITXzMW0do[/youtube]

The diagnosis of such is readily done through thorough assessment and history taking to also undergo physical examination. Basically it will require three separate sphygmomanometer measurements at least one week apart. There will be laboratory measurements to create the baseline of the treatment and to help work on a plan of action in treating the condition. Creatinine and additional testing for your protein for your renal function to check if kidney problems are present, glucose sampling to check for the presence of diabetes, electrocardiogram or ECG to evaluate heart insufficiencies and chest x-rays to ensure there is no enlargement or damage in your heart and tissues.

Since lifestyle is subjective, change is the best way to get through with this. There is a known guideline that suggests a good line of lifestyle changes, and these are the following:

Discontinuation and cessation of tobacco and alcohol consumption have been proven effective in lowering the blood pressure. Since these two stimulants have been constricting or narrowing your blood vessels and impeding the blood flow, the stoppage of such will lead to a better circulation of your blood.

Weight reduction, regular exercise and proper diet improves the heart flow and eliminates the storage of fats and cholesterol which leads to regulation of heart rate and blood pressure.

Lifestyle modifications, medications and maintenance will help save lives from throwing into waste resulting from negligence and failure to take better care of one self. Ensure your future and be very vigilant and critical when it comes to health care.

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Update since publication

This article mentions that Wi-Fi stands for “Wireless Fidelity”, although this is disputed.

Thursday, July 7, 2005

A Florida man is being charged with 3rd degree felony for logging into a private Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) Internet access point without permission. Benjamin Smith III, 41, is set for a pre-trial hearing this month in the first case of its kind in the United States.

This kind of activity occurs frequently, but often goes undetected by the owners of these wireless access points (WAPs). Unauthorized users range from casual Web browsers, to users sending e-mails, to users involved in pornography or even illegal endeavours.

According to Richard Dinon, owner of the WAP Smith allegedly broke into, Smith was using a laptop in an automobile while parked outside Dinon’s residence.

There are many steps an owner of one of these access points can take to secure them from outside users. Dinon reportedly knew how to take these steps, but had not bothered because his “neighbors are older.”

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Guest house North Devon will bring you close to nature

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Brian MillerWhen you plan any vacation, budgeting is the most important factor. You will surely consider the cost for hotel bookings, local travel, shopping and having food in popular restaurants. But you will mostly tend to ignore the expenses for daily breakfast. It is beneficial if the breakfast is included in the room tariff. So bed and breakfast North Devon is very economical in the long run. Most of the guest house North Devon provides breakfast to all their customers. So you don’t have to start worrying the first thing in the morning that is to find out a decent place to have breakfast. You might have stayed in many hotels; they all have a similar formal feel. But guest house North Devon like most others has a unique appeal. They are generally situated in old buildings which were once residences, so it is always exciting to be living in such structures. When you visit North Devon and Exmoor, the National Park and the beaches are must be visited. It is very easy for you when the bed and breakfast North Devon is just a little distance away. Not only the major places of interest but the heart of the town is within walking distance. So you can simply walk down and enjoy the true feel of the place. Guest house North Devon allows you to enjoy the natural beauty of the place to the utmost. The guest house is located in the rural areas of Exmoor which has abundance of natural wealth. Those who are inclined to a beach holiday will find bed and breakfast North Devon very convenient. You can access the well-known sea beaches quickly and thus save a huge amount of time and money in travelling. Many people are adventurous and love to embark on hikes, walking tours or cycling trips. North Devon has ample of such trails which you can enjoy. Guest house North Devon is a very friendly and amiable place with owners who are ready to provide you with additional information on the surrounding areas. They will guide you regarding other lesser known interesting places which you might like to visit. They are ready to attend to all your requirements which might arise during the duration of your stay. Hence you are always comfortable in bed and breakfast North Devon. Personal attention is paid towards cleanliness and each and every room is clean hygienically. The decor of the rooms is tastefully done with comfortable furniture. In bed and breakfast North Devon a lot of attention is paid towards the food provided to their guests. There is a conventional English breakfast spread of cereals, proteins and regular hot or cold beverages. In case you wish to experience local food, you can try kippers. Vegetarians have no problem, as pure vegetarian food is served once you inform them in advance. In guest house North Devon every minute problem will be attended like safe keeping of your hiking gear and bicycles. So you can only enjoy the great surroundings of North Devon and Exmoor. The hospitality of the guest house will make you leave with fond memories.

Well-organized

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8VCIH7H-h4[/youtube]

guest house North Devon

will allow you to unwind and take a welcome break. Customized service is available at

Bed and Breakfast North Devon

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Article Source:

eArticlesOnline.com}

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Monday, March 19, 2007

A methane gas explosion occurred at the Ulyanovskaya Mine near the city of Novokuznetsk in the Kemerovo region of Siberia. At least 106 people have been reported to be killed in the blast. Conflicting reports say that at least thirteen to forty-three miners are still trapped underground or missing, as well as 75 to 93 have been reported to have survived the blast.

The mine disaster is the deadliest accident in Russia’s mining industry in over a decade. The mine, which was opened in 2002, had around 200 miners inside at the time of the methane gas explosion.

The Kemerovo governor Aman Tuleyev said that when the blast occurred, the mine’s management was underground inspecting a newly installed safety system made by a British company. British experts and representatives of a management of the mine have gone down under the ground shortly before explosion. Tuleyev stated that on mine start-up, “the newest English system on a safety of conducting mountain works under the ground” should take place.

The operator of the mine is Yuzhkuzbassugol, Russia’s biggest producer of deep-mined coal. The spokeswoman of the Emergencies Ministry stated that the blast occurred at 08:00 GMT, and that eighty-three miners had been safely evacuated from the mine shaft.

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Wednesday, March 16, 2005

The United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right Honourable Gordon Brown PC MP, in a speech to the British House of Commons today presented his ninth Budget, what is very likely to be his last Budget before the next UK General Election. This opened the parliamentary debate on the 2005 Finance Bill, and was followed by responses from the opposition parties.

In a 48 minute long speech, the Chancellor presented a Budget of “tax cuts that are reasonable, spending that is affordable, and [economic] stability that is paramount”, that was “the prudent course for Britain”. There were few surprises that had not already been indicated in his 2004 pre-Budget report. The increase in the threshold on stamp duty was greater than that forecast by commentators, as was the amount of the Council Tax rebate to households with pensioners.

Contents

  • 1 The Budget in detail
    • 1.1 Duty
    • 1.2 Taxes
    • 1.3 Benefits
    • 1.4 Business
    • 1.5 Employment
    • 1.6 Savings
    • 1.7 Spending
    • 1.8 Memorials
  • 2 Responses from opposition parties
    • 2.1 Conservative
    • 2.2 Liberal Democrat
  • 3 Sources

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By Frank Bot

Money Management, generally known as Risk Management, is undoubtedly an important element, it ultimately distinguishes the winners and nonwinners, and should be of unequalled focus in a quality online forex trading training course. It may not be an attractive topic to educate oneself about, though undoubtedly the most vital practice in forex trading. And again, risk/money management is a notion which is readily comprehended, but truly challenging to apply on a regularbasis.

The truth is, it has been revealed that if you give a hundred forex traders a good forex trading program, precisely the same system, which has been confirmed to have 60% winning likelihood, yet still, out of these hundred forex traders, you will have 90% losers. That fundamentally proves that money management is a essential ingredient when executing a successful forex trading strategy. The reality is, a successful trader will really get a successful system and WORK IT..WELL! Even if it is only a 50% trading method, a quality forex trader is capable of turning a 50% strategy into reliable earnings. Inadequate money management is what wipes out the vast majority of traders and most just do not know the approach.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwwnGxbStlw[/youtube]

Is Money Management truly that valuable? Yes. That’s the answer, end of webinar… That is all you need to know… Absolutely yes it is. I mean it truly is that clear-cut …Yes, it is crucial of course, and we will not end the webinar here because we have a good deal to cover, but it is vitally important. It’s a fact, you cannot find any Holy Grail in forex trading but if there is one particular issue that is as important as the holy grail, it would be money management.

You know, while we are trading foreign currencies, we are frequently seeking for an “edge”. This “edge” is the entire legitimate reason why trading systems and strategies are designed. Because we want to find that “edge” or that technique that is victorious 70% successful transactions (sounds like an excellent edge to me.) The reason why we want sufficient risk management is mainly because although you may possess a 70% successful method, you will lose 30 out of one hundred trades. Therefore the concern is you are going to hit a losing streak sooner or later. You don’t know if you’re going to hit those thirty trades in a row, or if you have those 30 losses spread out across the 100. In reality, you could lose your first 30 trades, and still achieve a 70% winning percentage by hitting the rest. So you have no idea of where you’re streaks are likely to originate from, because of that, it is sincerely critical to risk modest percentages. A quality online forex trading course will point out that if a trader risks an excessive amount of his / her trading funds and overweights his account and then hits a losing streak, a losing streak which by the way is well within the guidelines of his strategy, he will experience huge drawdowns, or even worse, a Margin Call, making it almost impossible to fight back.

Professional forex traders fully grasp they will have losing streaks, they are inescapable, so they understand to hold their risk allocation very low and this will permit them to weather the storms. In fact, for anyone who is not making use of a money management strategy which helps keep risk percentage minimal, you’re essentially gambling. Even professional gamblers understand why. If you connected with a successful casino player, you are likely to discover that they benefit from money management systems. Considering they are straight up gambling, which is a condition where the house possesses the advantageous odds. Therefore experienced gamblers that are successful, get it done due to excellent money management. As forex traders, we have an edge, we can easily identify high probability set ups, with the odds in OUR favor, and combine that edge along with wise money management concepts, we are able to have a very highly profitable profession as forex traders.

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Thursday, February 2, 2006

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating if a possible civil rights violation was committed by a sheriff’s deputy of the San Bernardino County after the shooting of an unarmed U.S. Air Force Security Force officer.

The military policeman, Senior Airman Elio Carrion, 21, was shot while on leave after serving a six month deployment in Iraq. The incident took place on Sunday, in Chino, California, after a short police chase. Carrion was the passenger of Luis Fernando Escobedo, 21, when police began chasing Escobedo’s blue Chevrolet Corvette for speeding. The car reached over speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) during the short five minute chase.

After the chase ended in a crash near his house, Jose Luis Valdez began taping the accident aftermath. The grainy, low-quality videotape shows Carrion laying on the ground with the officer standing over him. The deputy appears to say, “Stay on the ground.” The deputy then seems to say “Get up” several times. Carrion then said, “I’m going to get up.” As Carrion begins to rise, the deputy fires three shots which hit Carrion in the chest, leg and side. After Carrion is hit he said, “I mean you no harm.” The deputy responded by shouting “Shut the fuck up” twice, and then “You don’t get up!” A neighbor is heard saying, “You told him to get up.” The video shot by Valdez was given to police, with a copy sold by him to television station KTLA.

Carrion is now in the hospital and in good condition.

Cindy Beavers, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department stated the deputy has been put on paid leave. Beavers also mentioned that Sheriff Gary Penrod had invited the FBI to join the investigation. The FBI released a statement confirming this.

Penrod issued a statement on Monday saying, “As with all investigations, the circumstances involved in this shooting will be reviewed, it would be inappropriate for me to make any additional comments until the investigation is completed.”

Experts say the video is open to interpretation.

Last week, in a similar but unrelated incident, a news helicopter caught footage of St. Louis, Missouri police officers using what appears to be excessive force on a suspect in detaining him.

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Thursday, August 27, 2015

Austrian police today found an estimated 20–50 decomposing corpses in an apparently abandoned lorry.

Roadworkers who spotted the vehicle, which had been there since yesterday at least, alerted police. Responding officers found it full of corpses. The lorry is on the so-called “Eastern Motorway”, the A4, close to the Hungarian border. It was on the hard shoulder between Neusiedl and Parndorf, closer to Parndorf.

The victims are thought to have suffocated. Police are seeking the driver. The Krone published an image of a non-articulated food lorry on the hard shoulder, which they report is the vehicle in question. The photo shows a pool of dark liquid on the ground beside the vehicle.

Video from a passing motorist shows at least one helicopter on-scene. The truck, which has pictures of meat on the side, shows branding for Slovakian food firm Hyza. Earlier today the company’s website sported an apparent anti-immigration graphic, which has since been removed.

Wikinews got in touch with Hyza. “We are truly sorry about [the] tragedy” they told us in a statement. They said they have checked GPS trackers on their fleet and all their vehicles remain in Slovakia. The statement says the lorry in question was one of 21 Hyza vehicles sold on last year. It was then sold again and exported to Hungary, where it is now registered. Hyza told us the new owners have not changed the branding on the vehicle. According to the Bild newspaper, Agrofert — the parent company of Hyza — said in a statement the new owners were required to do so.

Hyza says they will “actively cooperate with Slovak police”, and “express [their] sincere condolences to the bereaved families.”

Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner called it “a dark day” and called for European Union-wide measures to protect immigrant refugees and tackle human traffickers. Neighbouring Hungary is constructing a border fence across its entire frontier with Serbia. Yesterday alone saw a record 3,241 attempts to enter Hungary illegally, according to authorities there.

Conflict in Syria and other parts of the world has led refugees to Europe. Once inside, they can move freely inside the Schengen Area, which covers most of the EU.

Austrian police earlier this week arrested three motorists suspected of people smuggling. One driver is accused of moving 34 people, ten of them children, into Austria from Serbia. The group were left by the roadside near Bruck an der Leitha and reported struggling to breathe in the van.