UNCONVENTIONAL WORLD RECORDS

So much has changed since the Stonewall Uprising 40 years ago.

Some milestones:

Robert Duncan (1919-1988), poet, the first important American to come out, in 1944.

Sam Adams, first openly gay mayor of a major city (Portland, Oregon, USA), who was elected in May 2008. He came out in 1993.

Jane Addams (1860 – 1935), a founder of the U.S. Settlement House movement, awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, probably the first openly gay person to win a Nobel Prize.

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (b. 1942), Iceland Prime Minister since 1 Feb 2009, the world’s first openly gay head of government of the modern era.

Waheed Alli, Baron Alli (b 1964), British multimillionaire media entrepreneur and politician, the youngest and first openly gay peer in the British Parliament in 1998, aged 34. One of world’s very few out gay Muslim politicians.

Justin Fashanu (1961 – 1998), the first English professional footballer to come out (1990) & Britain’s first GBP1 million black footballer. Hanged himself in May 1998.

Sir Elton John (b. 1947), British musician, probably the world’s most famous living gay person. One of the most successful artists of all time, has sold over 200 million records, 5 Grammys & an Oscar. Came out as bisexual in 1976 and a homosexual about a decade later.

Greg Louganis (b. 1960), American diver who won back-to-back Olympic titles in both the 3m and 10m diving events (1984 & 1988), probably the most famous gay athlete of all time.

Axel Axgil (b. 1915) and Eigil Axgil (1922 – 1995), Danish gay activist, the world’s first gay couple to enter into a civil union on 1st October 1989. They had been an item for 40 years.

Gene Robinson (b. 1947), the first openly gay, non-celibate priest to be ordained a bishop (in 2003) in a major Christian denomination believing in the historic episcopate.

Rembert Weakland (b. 1927), the former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Milwaukee (1977 to 2002), who, in May 2009, in the process of writing a memoir, came out as gay.

Edward II (1284 – 1327?), probably the first gay English king?

Rob Halford (b. 1951), lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest, probably the most famous gay classic hard rock / heavy metal frontman. He came out in 1998.

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More than 12 million copies sold worldwide.

For those old enough to have seen her in the original Charlie’s Angels, you’d surely remember this poster sporting THAT hair. That hairstyle was copied by millions of young women. She was an international sex symbol in the 1970s and 1980s:

Heck, I can even remember this poster being displayed in my house in the village!

The photo shoot for the original poster was held in 1976 by Pro Arts Inc., and first published in Life magazine the same year.

Her husband at that time was another hugely popular star, Lee “The Six Million Dollar Man” Majors.

RIP, Ferrah Leni Fawcett.

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Rest in peace, Michael Joseph Jackson, the King of Pop.

Reported sequence of events leading to his death on 25th June 2009:
(i) morning: collapsed at a house in Los Angeles.
(ii) 12:21pm: The Los Angeles Fire Department got a 911 call.
(iii) 12:30pm: The Los Angeles Fire Department arrived. Jackson was not breathing, no pulse detected. Someone was performing CPR, the paramedics took over while at the same time…
(iv) Rushed to UCLA Medical center. Jackson fell into a coma, died shortly after. There is a large crowd outside the hospital.
(v) 2:26pm: pronounced dead. Cause of death: cardiac arrest.
(vi) 26th June: autopsy scheduled.

He is survived by 3 children. The news of his death overshadowed the death of another cultural icon, one of the original Charlie’s Angels, Farrah Fawcett who died a few hours earlier, at 9.28am at another hospital in Santa Monica, also in the state of California.

Achievements:
(i) One of the biggest names in entertainment history, on par with the Beatles and Elvis Presley.
(ii) His album Thriller (1982) is the world’s top selling album of all time: 109 million copies sold worldwide.
(iii) His other albums are also among the world’s best sellers of all time: Off the Wall (1979): 20 million, Bad (1987): 30 million, Dangerous (1991): 32 million & HIStory (1995): 20 million.
(iv) one of the few artistes to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame TWICE.
(v) multiple world record holder, including:
- most number of Grammy Awards: 13
- most number of US Hot 100 number one singles as a male solo artiste: 13
(vi) more than 750 million albums sold worldwide.

It’s only natural that his death made headlines around the world, not least amongst bloggers.

Earlier this morning:

He was in not one but FOUR of the top 10 stories in Google Blog Search.

He was in not one but FIVE of the top 10 stories in Alexa.com, a web stats tracking company.

He was the top story in Technorati.

He was the top story in Digg, and already one of the most dugg of all time, at more than 14,000. Probably only Kevin Rose’s DVD key posting at almost 50,000 diggs got more.

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If you think music is a rather recent “invention”, then consider the fact that scientists in Germany’s Tubingen University have found, apparently last year, 35,000 year old flutes made of bone in the Hohle Fels cavern in the southwest of that country.

That corresponds to the time that modern humans began colonising Europe.

The most well-preserved of the flutes was assembled from 12 pieces of griffon vulture bone scattered in a small plot. Together, they made a 8.6 inch (22 cm). It has 5 finger holes and two “V”-shaped notches on one end: apparently the mouthpiece:

Fragments of 2 other flutes were also found, believed carved from mammoth tusks.

The total number of flutes found is 8: 4 made of mammoth ivory and the others from bird bones.

This would suggest that music-playing was part of daily life as far back as 40,000 years ago!

I wonder what melodies they played!

The scientists wrote why music is important:

Music could have contributed to the maintenance of larger social networks, and thereby perhaps have helped facilitate the demographic and territorial expansion of modern humans relative to a culturally more conservative and demographically more isolated Neanderthal populations.

Even more tantalazingly, Prof Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London said:

I think the occurrence of these flutes and animal and human figurines about 40,000 years ago implies that the traditions that produced them must go back even further in the evolutionary history of modern humans – perhaps even into Africa more than 50,000 years ago.

We might well be on the path to discover the music Adam and Eve sung to!

Source
The BBC, 25 June 2009

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The BBC reported on 18th June 2009 that South Africa’s Medical Research Council conducted a survey on 1,738 men in 2 provinces, and found that:

- 1 in 4 men in South Africa *may* have raped someone.
- Even more shockingly, almost half of that have attacked more than one person.
- 73% who admitted rape have attacked for the first time while still in their teens.
- 1 in 20 men said they had raped a woman or girl in the past year.
- Perhaps most shockingly, 1 in 10 men said they had been raped by other men.
- About 3% said they had raped another man or boy.

Practices like gang rape were common because they were considered “a form of male bonding.”

South Africa has a total population of about 48 million, hence there could easily be millions of rapists there.

According to a survey for the period 1998–2000 compiled by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, South Africa was ranked first in the world for rapes per capita. The rate has shown no signs of abating, resulting in country being referred to as the “rape capital of the world”.

Source
The BBC, 18 June 2009

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As I mentioned earlier, Indonesia has many excellent songwriters. At the very top of the pile, the crème de la crème, are people like Rinto Harahap, Charles Hutagalung, and A Riyanto, whom I will be focusing here.

Rinto and Charles were members of the legendary band The Mercy’s (1972-1978).

However even these two combined could not produce an album whose musical standards surpassed everything (at least in Indonesia, or even Malaysia) that has been done before or since. Produced in 1973, it is still my favourite album in the Malay-Indonesian language.

As soundtrack to a film of the same name, all the songs there were written by A Riyanto (1943 – 1994).

Here’s a list of songs from that album and other songs he’s written:

Angin Malam- Broery Marantika

Cari Kawan Lain- The Favourite’s Group

Malam Minggu Yang Mesra- Broery Marantika (the video is Jamal Abdillah’s version)

Rinduku Tiada Yang Tahu – Endang S Taurina

Bunga Dan Kumbang – Endang S Taurina

Hati Lebur Jadi Debu – Jamal Mirdad (a cover version by Hetty Koes Endang is arguably the more popular version)

Kau Yang Sangat Kusayang – Rano Karno

Biarkan Bunga Berkembang – Broery Marantika

Kasih Sayang- The Favourite’s Group (video shows 6ixth Sense’s version)

Nasib Pengembara- Emillia Contessa

Mimpi Sedih- Emillia Contessa

Penghibur Hati- Emillia Contessa & Benjamin S.

Layu Sebelum Berkembang- Emillia Contessa

Setangkai Anggrek Bulan

Tetty Kadi – Senandung Rindu

Others

Kecoak Nungging – sung by Benjamin S (Akhir Sebuah Impian OST)
Bertamasya (instrumental number) (Akhir Sebuah Impian OST)
Endang S Taurina – Apa Yang Kucari
Endang S Taurina – Dia Yang Kucari
Endang S Taurina – Kejamnya Manusia

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After Rinto Harahap, a very very close second, almost a dead heat, comes the late Charles Hutagalung (1948-2001).

Both members of the legendary Indonesian band The Mercy’s, they shared songwriting duties, and in fact, I think he wrote the bulk of the band’s greatest and most popular songs, such as:

Tiada Lagi [quite possibly their signature song]

Usah kau harap lagi

Jauh Disayang

Semua Bisa Bilang

Dalam kerinduan

Untukmu

Biarku Sendiri

Baju Baru

Hidupku sunyi

Penebus Dosa [I just heard this for the first time just now, and was absolutely smitten]

Well, what do you think? Who is the better songwriter?

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IMHO, he’s the greatest of all of them, the M Nasir of the Indonesian songwriting scene. I would even say that among songwriters in the Malaysian-Indonesian language, Rinto Harahap is at the very top.

Of course he’s got stiff competition – Indonesia has many excellent songwriters, like Charles Hutagalung, Obbie Messakh, Bartje Van Houten, Ebiet G Ade, Arie Wibowo and more recently, Ahmad Dhani (Dewa19). And it has to be mentioned that A Riyanto composed all the songs in the monumental Achir Sebuah Impian soundtrack, not even Rinto could top that.

Rinto was a member of the legendary band The Mercy’s, of which the late Charles Hutagalung was also a member.

Here are some of his best compositions, you can bet you can find these in all karaoke bars in this region:

Betharia Sonatha – Kau Tercipta Untukku

The Mercy’s – Oh Adinda Sayang

Diana Nasution – Benci Tapi Rindu

I’is Sugianto – Nasibku Nasibmu

I’is Sugianto – Jangan Sakiti Hatinya

Christine Panjaitan – Tangan Tak Sampai

Diana Nasution – Aku Tak Tahan Lagi

Rita Butar Butar – Seandainya Aku Punya Sayap (probably the greatest ever Indonesian female vocalist)

Betharia Sonatha – Aku Ingin Cinta Yang Nyata

Hetty Koes Endang – Dingin
Christine Panjaitan – Jangan Simpan Tangismu
Betharia Sonatha (?) – Masih Adakah Rindu
The Mercy’s – Dendang Melayu
Nur’Afni Octavia – bila kau seorang diri
The Mercy’s – Ayah
The Mercy’s – Love
The Mercy’s – Tak sedetikpun

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Jacqueline Fleming, 38 of Scotland is the first person to die of the virus outside the Americas.

The mother of 2, who had only given birth to her second son, a premature baby on 1st June while having been critically ill for weeks, died in intensive care on 14th June 2009.

She had “underlying health problems.”

If it was any consolation, the baby does not have the virus.

The death rate is now 1 in 200 infections.

There have been almost 500 people in Scotland infected, mostly in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 9 now being hospitalised.

As for England, 752 have been infected, mostly around Birmingham.

As for the whole of Great Britain, more than 1,000 have been infected.

As for the rest of Europe, 680.

Worldwide, there have been 145 confirmed deaths, mostly in Mexico and the US.

Now this is getting scary, you could get infected even while shopping for home lighting in your local supermarket!

Source
The Guardian (UK), 15 June 2009

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Did David Carradine, 72 die of erotic asphyxiation (EA), or more accurately auto-erotic asphyxiation (AEA)? We might never know, but if he did, he could be the most famous person ever to have done so.

He was found dead 4th June 2009 in his hotel room in Bangkok, hanging by a rope in the closet. Apparently no other persons were involved. A highly controversial photograph published by Thai Rath, a local tabloid, showed his hands apparently bound together above the head. Then not one but two of his ex-wives, Gail Jensen and Marina Anderson revealed that he liked self-bondage.

According to Go Ask Alice!, it’s estimated that between 500 and 1,000 deaths due to EA/AEA occur annually in the United States alone, and exactly how many people engage in AEA is unknown, because the practice almost always remains a secret until someone dies accidentally.

The first recorded case of death from EA is of the Czech composer Frantisek Kotzwara who died in 1791, when he tied a ligature around the doorknob of the room in a prostitute he visited, while the other end was fastened around his neck, then had sex with her. When it was over, he was well… dead.

Arguably even more controversial is AEA, which is basically committing suicide… almost.

Sometimes, it goes wrong, and you’re dead, and if you’re a public figure, it’s explosive.

Possibly the most lurid AEA case involving a politician was that of Stephen Milligan, then 45, who was a British Conservative Member of Parliament. His corpse was reportedly found draped across a kitchen table at his London home in 1994 by his secretary Vera Taggart, who let herself in when she became worried he had missed his appointments.

He was found almost naked, save for suspenders and women’s stockings which he wore, with an electrical cord tied from around his neck to his ankles, a plastic trash bag over the head and a segment of orange in his mouth.

Three days later, it was determined that he died due to suffocation by that cord.

Then of course there’s the case of Michael Hutchence, then 37, lead singer of INXS, who *might* have died from autoerotic asphyxiation in 1997, although officially, suicide was cited as the cause of death.

INXS was in the final leg of a world tour and was in Australia. On the morning of 22nd November 1997, Hutchence, was found dead and in the nude in his hotel room in Sydney. There was a belt found at the scene suggesting that he had died by hanging.

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Mohamad Nasir Mohamad, popularly known as M. Nasir, born 1957 is a singer, composer, producer, actor and film director, but I think it’s in songwriting, especially in the 1980s that he really excelled and surpassed even the legendary P Ramlee in that respect. He has won the most prestigious songwriting award in Malaysia a record 4 times (if you count Isabella (1989) which was credited to Search, but in fact he wrote).

IMHO, among his best ever compositions are:

Sandarkan Pada Kenangan (the best version of which was done by Jamal Abdillah & Siti Sarah):

Nur Nilam Sari (Awie & Search)

Sejati (Wings)

Dari Kekasih Kepada Kekasih (Hattan)

Srikandi Cintaku (Bloodshed)

Fantasia Bulan Madu (Search)

Isabella (Search)

Kejora (Search)

Gadisku (Search)

Others:

Kenangan Lalu (Flybaits)
Hingga Akhir Nanti (Alleycats)
Sekuntum Mawar Merah (Alleycats)
Kerana Kau (Alleycats)
Mustika (M. Nasir)
Mentera Semerah Padi (M. Nasir)
Meniti Titian Usang (Search – co-written with A Rahim)
Pelesit Kota (Search)
Setelah Hujan (Search)
Pawana (Search)
Gadis Misteri (Search)
Istana Menanti (Rahim Maarof)
Kerja Gila(Search)
Ukiran Jiwa (Awie)
Mahligai Syahdu (Hattan)
Senja Nan Merah (Awie & Ziana Zain)
Menanti (Ella)
Ghazal Untuk Rabiah (M. Nasir & Jamal Abdillah)
Takdir Penentu Segala (Jamal Abdillah)
Kekasih Awal Dan Akhir (Jamal Abdillah)
Tiara (Kris)
Aku dah bosan (Amy Search)
Cinta Sakti (Def Gab C)
Andalusia (M. Nasir)
Phoenix Bangkit Dari Abu (M. Nasir)
Cinta Dewa Dewi (Spider)
Bagaikan Sakti (M. Nasir & Siti Nurhaliza)
Aduh Saliha (Mawi)
Juwita Cinta Terindah (M. Nasir)
Angan dan Sedar (Mawi)
Nafas Cahaya (Misha Omar)
Dejavu (Syura)
Mantera Beradu (Malique & M. Nasir)
Memburu Rindu (Hattan)

Lyrics:
Senandung Semalam (Alleycats)

Source
Muzikrock.com

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Last week, Putin humiliated Oleg Deripaska, 41 one of Russia’s richest men on live television, by forcing the businessman to reopen an aluminium plant after protests by apparently 30,000 laid-off workers.

The cameras clearly showed Putin throwing his pen on the table and ordering Deripaska to sign the paperwork.

The sidenote of the video on youtube says:

Prime Ministers personal handling of the business conflict in the town of Pikalevo has set a precedent in the public dressing-down of the countrys top businessmen for neglecting their social responsibility. More interesting is the fact that one of the people receiving the dressing-down was one of Russias most famous businessmen, Oleg Deripaska, who used to be the richest man in the country until the global financial crisis left him heavily in debt. The high-point of the show was Putin virtually arm-twisting him into signing a contract, which was needed for the factory to start working again. During the meeting, chaired by Putin, Deripaska was obviously unnerved, with cameras catching his every move and facial expression. Never before has a person of his caliber been publicly humiliated this way in modern Russia.

The BBC said: “it was a brilliant piece of political theatre, which went down extremely well with Russia’s public who were delighted to see Mr Putin bringing the hated oligarch to heel.”

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First

Fred Perry
- 1933 US Championships
- 1934 Australian Championships
- 1934 Wimbledon Championships
- 1935 French Championships

Second

Don Budge
- 1937 Wimbledon Championships
- 1937 US Championships
- 1938 Australian Championships
- 1938 French Championships

Third

Rod Laver
- 1960 Australian Championships
- 1961 Wimbledon Championships
- 1962 French Championships
- 1962 US Championships

Fourth

Roy Emerson
- 1961 Australian Championships
- 1961 US Championships
- 1963 French Championships
- 1964 Wimbledon Championships

Fifth

Andre Agassi
- 1992 Wimbledon
- 1994 US Open
- 1995 Australian Open
- 1999 French Open

Sixth

Roger Federer
- 2003 Wimbledon
- 2004 Australian Open
- 2004 US Open
- 2009 French Open

Agassi and Federer are the only two men to have achieved a Golden Slam i.e. Grand Slam + an Olympic gold, Agassi having won it in 1996 and Federer in 2008. However, it should be noted that tennis was not part of the Olympics from 1924 to 1988.

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On 11th June 2009, Dr Margaret Chan, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic.

It was done after holding an emergency meeting.

The virus first appeared in Mexico in April.

It has since spread to 74 countries.

Particulary worrying is the rising number of cases in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile.

There has been nearly 30,000 cases worldwide, with 141 deaths and the numbers are rising every day.

Points to take note:

- keep calm

- the current pandemic seems to be moderate i.e. only causes mild illness in most people. We don’t know if there’ll be a more severe second wave.

- most of the infected are young working age adults

- By declaring a pandemic, it does not imply that we will see increased in deaths or serious cases.

- Symptoms usually similar to seasonal flu – but deaths have been recorded

- The virus is a new version of the H1N1 strain which caused the 1918 flu pandemic

Current treatments do work, but as yet there is no vaccine

Good personal hygiene, such as washing hands, covering nose when sneezing advised.

Dr Chan’s full press statement

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On 11th June 2009, it was reported that given the current situation with the H1N1 virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to declare the first pandemic in 40 years.

There was a spike in the number of cases in Australia, while a few days earlier Hong Kong closed all its nurseries and primary schools for 2 weeks following the case of 12 students being tested positive for the virus.

The last global pandemic was the Hong Kong Flu of 1968-1969.

It killed 1 million people globally.

It infected half a million in Hong Kong alone, 15% of the population, mercifully with a low mortality rate.

In the United States, about 34,000 died.

The virus was a “strain of H3N2 descended from H2N2 by antigenic shift, in which genes from multiple subtypes reassorted to form a new virus.”

The first recorded outbreak was somewhere in Hong Kong on 13th July 1968. It reached maximum intensity in 2 weeks and lasted 6 weeks in all.

In a few days, extensive outbreaks were reported in Vietnam and Singapore. By September the same year, it had reached India, Philippines, northern Australia, Europe and the USA – from returning Vietnam War troops. By 1969, it would reach Japan, Africa and South America.

Source
Wikipedia

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This is a list of songs that will get everybody, no matter what their age is (10 to 100), as long as they love good music, to hit the dance floor, anywhere, anytime.

Perhaps the older generation won’t get that excited by Lady Ga Ga’s Just Dance or the younger generation won’t start swaying their bodies to the Hollies’ Stay, but the following surely could change that:

Kenny Loggins – Footloose (1984)
Los Lobos – La Bamba (1987)
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John – You’re the one that I want (1978)
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive
Bee Gees – Night Fever
Bee Gees – You should be dancing
Bee Gees – Jive talkin’
Village People – YMCA
Billy Idol – Mony Mony (live)
Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music
Kool and The Gang – Celebration
Aretha Franklin – Respect
Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby (1990)
Beatles – Twist and Shout
AC/DC – You shook me all night long (1980)
B-52s – Love shack
The Chicken Dance
Macarena
I Will Survive
Mambo #5
Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer
Def Leppard – Pour some sugar on me
Whitney Houston – i want to dance with somebody (who loves me) Whitney Houston – how will i know
Madonna – Holiday
Donna Summer – I Feel Love
Bananarama – Venus
Eurythmics – sweet dreams (are made of this)
Sister Sledge – we are family
Queen – we will rock you
Aerosmith & Run DMC – walk this way
MC Hammer – you can’t touch this

If you have any additions/deletions etc, please do so in the comments section. Thanks!

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…or the creepiest football stadium to play in.

Swaziland’s 50,000-capacity Somhlolo National Stadium in its capital Mbabane, in which King Mswati III (L) was crowned is probably the world’ most unnerving stadium for foreign teams to play in.

Officials are furious that players have wrecked the artificial turf there by putting magic charms, locally known as “muti” underneath it. They were put there obviously to help win games.

Most of them were found near the goal posts and centre circle.

Holes were cut and burned in the turf, so that the “muti” could be placed underneath.

The rituals were often carried out at night to evade the authorities.

Photos of the stadium (source)

Source
The BBC, 8th June 2009

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Christina “Tina” Watson, 26, a beginner diver, drowned while scuba diving with her husband, David “Gabe” Gabriel Watson, an experienced diver, a mere 11 days after their wedding in 2003.

In fact, the American couple were on their honeymoon at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia when it happened.

In June 2009, he was sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison, having previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Lawyers contended that he failed as a dive buddy: either giving her oxygen, inflating her buoyancy vest or removing weights from her belt to enable her to surface. They also said he most likely Gabe killed his wife by holding her underwater and turning off her air supply.

He never admitted to murder.

The following photograph was taken by another diver of his diving buddy. In the same photo, one can see a diving instructor racing to Tina Watson, who can be seen lying on the sea floor:

Tina and Gabe during happier times:

Source
The BBC, 5th June 2009

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France was on top of the world by the time the 2002 World Cup started. They were the reigning world champions, having stunned the world by beating Brazil 3-0 four years earlier to earn the most coveted trophy in the world for the first time ever.

Then 2 years later they won the European championships.

Between 1998 and 2002, they only lost 6 times.

Thus the 2002 World Cup began with France being the overwhelming favourites to be successive world champions.

In the first round they encountered Senegal, world ranking 40+, playing in their first World Cup.

Consider this:

France
Players: highly experienced, from top European clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Juventus.
Average age: 29
Total caps: 652
Stars: Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desailly, Patrick Viera, Fabien Barthez.

Senegal
Players: trophy-less French clubs
Average age: 28
Total caps: only 2 players had more than 30 caps
Stars: none known worldwide

In the match, it was Senegal who came on with all guns firing. African footballer of the year El Hadji Diouf, playing as long striker, effectively attacked the French wings, particularly Frank Leboeuf, a weak point in the world champions’ side.

In the first half, Diouf escaped Lebouef’s marking, passed to Papa Bouba Diop who evaded Emmanuel Petit and goalie Fabien Barthez, then scored – the first goal of the 2002 World Cup.

The goal is shown starting 0:15 here:

It left the French reeling, and as the game wore on they looked slow and devoid of any urgency. The absence of the talismanic Zidane didn’t help.

Eventually, France did get into the game, dominated possession, but ultimately failed to score.

Senegal went on to the quarterfinals, narrowly losing to Turkey 0-1, the eventual third placer.

Senegal was the second African team to progress to the quarters, the first being Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup.

France, their confidence shattered, would fail to score a single goal in the whole tournament, and went home in the first round.

It was the darkest day in French soccer history.

On the part of Senegal, it’s a pity that they did not build on that success, for they failed to qualify for the 2006 or the 2010 World Cup, while France showed their pedigree, as did Italy in 2006 by bouncing back from the depths and qualifying for the finals.

Source
Bleacher Report, 13 Jan 2009

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These are not foods that would make you balloon up so quickly you’d need to get a move on on reading those diet pill reviews, however these yummies are definitely not recommended for a romantic date:

Spaghetti , because for one, very few people could actually wrap the strands around a fork, the proper way of bringing the stuff to your mouth. Then there’s that unromantic slurping sound that invariably goes together with spaghetti-eating. Better alternatives are bite-size varities of similar stuff like penne, rigatoni, or tortellini.

Raw Onions , because the strong smell goes around the room quickly everytime you let out a breath. The thing is, they are present in many types of salad and so finely done you won’t even see them, and they won’t even be declared to be part of the menu. So ask before ordering, otherwise that kiss might be repelled mightily!

Other no-nos include:

Steak tartar
Chili
Stinky Cheese
Ribs
Truffles
Tacos
Spinach salad
Heavy garlic

Reasons why explained in detail.

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Gulbai Freedoon Murzan, born 1901, the mother of Daulat “Dot” Irani, 83 died more than 20 years ago (some say 29). Instead of a funeral, Ms Irani, a lifelong spinster, decided to keep the corpse in a freezer in her garage in Sidcup because, it is thought, she was “afraid of getting in trouble for having her mother in the UK illegally.”

A recent photo of Ms Irani

Ms Irani has lived in the UK since 1976.

However, recently she “felt she had to let it all out” and confided to a horrified friend, who then alerted the police, who came knocking on her door on 20th May 2009.

Apparently, the corpse was “well preserved”.

The house, with the garage on the right

Ms Irani said that it was a “great relief knowing it’s all out in the open”.

If she were to be prosecuted for preventing the burial of a corpse, she could be jailed for life. For the time being, the police said “they are treating the death as unexplained rather than suspicious.”

Source
Mail Online, 28th May 2009

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