Huge spider found in warehouse

There has recently been reports of a seven-inch long Huntsman spider that was found in a  BMX warehouse. The spider was been locked in a container for six weeks. The container came from Taiwan.

Smiler shut down

Alton Towers has had to shut down "The Smiler" due to a wheel falling off and hitting a guest. This has caused bruising to the guest. Alton Towers workers said that further investigation will be made to whether the ride can re-open.The person who was injured was looked at by park staff and was not badly hurt and did not need to go to hospital.The ride was shut for four days back in July after a piece fell off the track, it also closed again in August due to a technical fault.

A spokeswoman  had said "All of our rides and attractions are expected to meet extremely high standards."We are sorry for any disappointment the ride's temporary closure caused our visitors but the health and safety of all of our visitors is our absolute priority,".

BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards 2013

By Leah Booker

The BBC Radio 1 teen awards recognise heroes, in your everyday life, music and entertainment and now they are back for the fourth year running! They will take place on the 3rd of November 2013 at Wembley Stadium so tune into BBC One at 2pm to catch all the nominees and awards. The event will be hosted by Radio 1 Breakfast host Nick Grimshaw and pop icon Rita Ora. Voting has now closed so all we can do is wait for the night to come and the winners to be announced!

There are lots of awards that are going to be included on the night, some of them being:
Best British Single
1975 ‘Chocolate’
Bastille ‘Pompeii’
Ellie Goulding ‘Burn’
Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida ‘Troublemaker’
One Direction ‘Best Song Ever’

Best British Solo Artist
Calvin Harris
Ellie Goulding
Jessie J
Olly Murs
Tinie Tempah

Best British Group
1975
Bastille
Little Mix
One Direction
Rizzle Kicks

Best British Actor
Juno Temple
Khali Best
Maisie Williams
Nico Mirallegro
Will Poulter

Best British TV Show
Coronation Street
Doctor Who
Geordie Shore
Phone Shop
Youngers

Best British Sports Star
Andy Murray
Ellie Simmonds
Gareth Bale
Laura Robson
Leigh Halfpenny

Best British Vlogger
Charlie McDonnell (aka Charlieissocoollike)
JACK AND FINN HARRIES (aka Jacksgap)
KSI (aka KSIOlajidebt)
Thomas Ridgewell (aka Tomska)
Zoella (aka Zoella)

There are some hot favourites to win the awards for example last year pop sensation One Direction picked up 3 out of a possible 3 awards they were nominated for! Not only that, but also artists such as Tinie Tempah, Fall Out Boy, Rizzle Kicks, Jessie J, Icona Pop and James Arthur will be performing on the night. Not only that, but BBC Radio 1 editor Jocelin Stainer said the following about the awards: “BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards are now firmly established as a key event in the music and entertainment calendar. The awards are for Radio 1 audiences and voted for by them which make them really special."

Who are your favourites to win? Did the right people win? All will be answered on the night!

I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here 2013 Rumours!

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here is a reality television game show series that is hosted by the famous duo, Ant and Dec. A group of celebrities live together in a jungle environment for a few weeks. They have no luxuries, and compete to be crowned king or queen of the jungle. The first episode aired in 2002 and is now about to start its 12th series in the United Kingdom!

I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here will be returning to our screens in November this year (2013) and I’m sure we all can’t wait to find out who will be appearing on this year’s episode, but sadly ITV are keeping who will be going in to the jungle a secret and we can only find out who is going in on the day of the showing of the programme. However like every year there are plenty of rumours going around as to who might be making the jungle their home for a short while. Here are some rumours about some celebrities who may be appearing in this year’s episode…

·         Stella English (Former Apprentice UK winner) – 9/10 true

·         Joey Essex (The Only Way is Essex star) – 7/10 true

·         Khloe / Kourtney Kardashian (US Reality stars) – 5/10 true

·         Paul Gascognie (Footballer) – 4/10 true

·         Michael Owen (Footballer) – 2/10 true

·         Hazel O’Sullivan (Model) – 6/10 true

·         Lucy Pargeter (Emmerdale actress) – 8/10 true

·         Michael Le Vell (Corronation Street actor) – 8/10 true

·         Nina Wadia (Coronation Street actress) – 6/10 true

·         Lucy Mecklenburgh (Towie actress)

These are just some of the rumours as to who might be heading into Australia’s famous jungle however nothing is certain, these are just rumours. We will not truthly know who is in it until the day of the broadcasting in November so we will just have to wait and see…

The iPhone 5S and 5C

Apple held a special event yesterday, the 10th of September, to unveil their new iPhones - the 5C and 5S. A lot of leaked images and rumours showered the web before the launch, most of which happened to be true. Most surprisingly, the iPhone 5 has now been dropped from Apple's iPhone line-up.

The low-cost iPhone 5C was unveiled first, in which the 'C' presumably stands for 'colour'. It comes in a dazzling range of colours: yellow, red, blue, white and green. Silicone covers of the same colours are available for £25, they have holes on the back to create the "two-tone effect". Phil Schiller stated "There's colour throughout the product. Volume buttons, switches. The entire back and sides is made from a single part, and the front is a one glass multitouch surface."

The 5C has a steel-reinforced structure and a hard-coated polycarbonate back, making it more durable. Just like the iPhone 5, it has an A6 chip and a stunning 4-inch Retina display. The iPhone 5C's battery is a bit bigger than the iPhone 5's, therefore increasing battery life. It stands at 124.4 mm, it's 59.2 mm wide, 8.97 mm thin and weighs just 132 grams. The iPhone 5C has an 8 megapixel back facing iSight camera, which shoots 1080p HD video at 30fps. The rear camera features an LED flash, a backside illumination sensor, a five-element lense and a hybrid IR filter. The FaceTime camera shoots 720p HD video and has a backside illumination sensor too.


The iPhone 5C is available to pre-order from the 13th of September. Here are the prices:
- 16GB for £469
- 32GB for £549


Moving on to the iPhone 5S - as Schiller said: "The 5S is the most forward-thinking phone Apple has ever created. Perhaps the most forward-thinking phone anyone has ever made." 

It comes in three cool colours: silver, gold and space grey. As speculated, the iPhone 5S has the same 4-inch Retina display. It's 123.8 mm tall, 58.6 mm wide, 7.6 mm thin and weighs only 112 grams. The iPhone 5S features a super fast 64-bit A7 chip and an M7 motion coprocessor. The A7 chip is claimed to be up to twice as fast as the previous chip; and the CPU performance has apparently risen by 40x since the first iPhone - half of that increase coming from the A7.  The graphics have risen by an astonishing 56x since the first iPhone, and once again half of that increase comes with the A7.  The new M7 motion coprocessor "takes advantage of all the sensors and continuously measures the data coming from the gyroscope, accelerometer and compass without having to wake up the A7." This presumably saves battery life. Speaking of which, it is equal or greater than the iPhone 5's.

The biggest change comes with the home button, which now features a fingerprint sensor. You can easily unlock your iPhone with a touch of the home button; and best of all, it doesn't matter which way you place your finger. The user can also login top their Apple ID using their fingerprint. All of this means that your iPhone is safer than ever before, not to mention quicker to unlock.

The iPhone 5S has a top-end 8 megapixel iSight camera, which is kitted out to the max. It has a five-element lens with a Sapphire crystal lens cover. As well as that, it has a true tone flash, a backside illumination sensor and a hybrid IR filter. Burst mode has also been added - the camera takes 10 pictures per second - and all you have to do is hold down the camera button for as long as you like. The rear facing iSight camera shoots 1080p HD video at the standard 30fps. Surprisingly, Apple has added a slo-mo video option, which I believe shoots at about 120fps. The front facing FaceTime camera records 720p HD video and has a backside illumination sensor.

The iPhone 5S is available to order from the 20th of September. Here are the prices:
- 16GB for £549
- 32GB for £629
- 64GB for £709
The iPhone 5S also has a new range of leather cases to come with it.

Both, the 5C and 5S, will come with iOS 7 already installed. iOS 7 is compatible with: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPod Touch 5th gen, iPad 2, iPad with Retina display and the iPad Mini. You will be able to download it on the 18th of September. 


Visit my Apple blog for more news :)

Plastic Pound notes - Bank of England seeks views on changing the paper notes to plastic

The central bank said on Tuesday it would ask the public its opinion before taking a decision in December on whether to adopt polymer pounds that also would be smaller than current notes.

Governor Mark Carney introduced polymer banknotes while head of the Bank of Canada in 2011 and credited the material for a sharp drop in the rate of counterfeiting.

The Bank of England has issued paper banknotes ever since the central bank was created in 1694 as a way of raising money for King William III's war against France. The first fully printed notes appeared in 1853. Before, notes were handwritten and signed by one of the bank's cashiers.

Polymer banknotes, as well as being hard to fake, are durable and stay cleaner for longer because the material is more resistant to dirt and moisture, the Bank of England said, adding feedback so far on the new-look notes had been positive.  However, would it be easier to make plastic notes at home and use them in shops as forgery? This could damage the economy, as we are slowly climbing out of the crisis. 

KitKat 4.4 Advert Makes Fun of Apple's Jony Ive

With the unveiling of Android KitKat 4.4, KitKat (the chocolate biscuit) has released a spoof advert which seems to be making fun out of Apple's Jony Ive and the rest of the team. Are we looking at another court battle?

As you may know, whenever Apple make a new product they also film a well thought out advert; taking us on a tour of the device and mentioning the key features. KitKat seem to have taken the idea and created their own spoof advert as an act of mockery towards Apple.




To continue reading this story, visit my Apple  blog or the Macworld UK website.

Little Red Riding hood - American Version

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little riding hood of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else; so she was always called 'Little Red Riding Hood.'

     One day her mother said to her: 'Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine; take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing; and when you go into her room, don't forget to say, "Good morning", and don't peep into every corner before you do it.'

     'I will take great care,' said Little Red Riding Hood to her mother, and gave her hand on it.

     The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him.

     'Good day, Little Red Riding Hood,' said he.

     'Thank you kindly, wolf.'

     'Wither away so early, Little Red Riding Hood?'

     'To my grandmother's.'

     'What have you got in your apron?'

     'Cake and wine; yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger.'

     'Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?'

     'A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below; you surely must know it,' replied Little Red Riding Hood.

     The wolf thought to himself: 'What a tender young creature! What a nice plump mouthful - she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.'

     So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said: 'See, Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty the flowers are about here - why do you not look round? I believe, too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is merry.'

     Little Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she thought: 'Suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay; that would please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good time.'

     So she ran from the path into the wood to look for flowers. And whenever she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a still prettier one farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and deeper into the wood.

     Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door.

     'Who is there?'

     'Little Red Riding Hood,' replied the wolf. 'She is bringing cake and wine; open the door.'

     'Lift the latch,' called out the grandmother, 'I am too weak, and cannot get up.'

     The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a word he went straight to the grandmother's bed, and devoured her. Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid himself in bed and drew the curtains.

     Little Red Riding Hood, however, had been running about picking flowers, and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered her grandmother, and set out on the way to her.

     She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said to herself: 'Oh dear! How uneasy I feel today, and at other times I like being with grandmother so much.' She called out: 'Good morning,' but received no answer; so she went to the bed and drew back the curtains. There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face, and looking very strange.

     'Oh! Grandmother,' she said, 'what big ears you have!'

     'All the better to hear you with, my child,' was the reply.

     'But, grandmother, what big eyes you have!' she said.

     'All the better to see you with, my dear.'

     'But, grandmother, what large hands you have!'

     'All the better to hug you with.'

     'Oh! But, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!'

     'All the better to eat you with!'

     And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of bed and swallowed up Red Riding Hood.

     When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, fell asleep and began to snore very loud.

     The huntsman was just passing the house, and thought to himself: 'How the old woman is snoring! I must just see if she wants anything.' So he went into the room, and when he came to the bed, he saw that the wolf was lying in it.

     'Do I find you here, you old sinner!' said he. 'I have long sought you!' But just as he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach of the sleeping wolf.

     When he had made two snips, he saw the little red riding hood shining, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl sprang out, crying: 'Ah, how frightened I have been! How dark it was inside the wolf.'

     After that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely able to breathe. Red Riding Hood, however, quickly fetched great stones with which they filled the wolf's belly, and when he awoke, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that he collapsed at once, and fell dead.

     Then all three were delighted. The huntsman drew off the wolf's skin and went home with it; the grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine which Red Riding Hood had brought, and revived. But Red Riding Hood thought to herself: 'As long as I live, I will never leave the path by myself to run into the wood, when my mother has forbidden me to do so.'

It is also related that once, when Red Riding Hood was again taking cakes to the old grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, and tried to entice her from the path. Red Riding Hood, however, was on her guard, and went straight forward on her way, and told her grandmother that she had met the wolf, and that he had said 'good morning' to her, but with such a wicked look in his eyes, that if they had not been on the public road she was certain he would have eaten her up.

     'Well,' said the grandmother, 'we will shut the door, so that he cannot come in.'

     Soon afterwards the wolf knocked, and cried: 'Open the door, grandmother, I am Little Red Riding Hood, and am bringing you some cakes.'

     But they did not speak, or open the door, so the grey-beard stole twice or thrice round the house, and at last jumped on the roof, intending to wait until Red Riding Hood went home in the evening, and then to steal after her and devour her in the darkness. But the grandmother saw what was in his thoughts.

     In front of the house was a great stone trough, so she said to the child: 'Take the pail, Red Riding Hood; I made some sausages yesterday, so carry the water in which I boiled them to the trough.'

     Red Riding Hood carried until the great trough was quite full. Then the smell of the sausages reached the wolf, and he sniffed and peeped down, and at last stretched out his neck so far that he could no longer keep his footing and began to slip, and slipped down from the roof straight into the great trough, and was drowned. But Red Riding Hood went joyously home, and no one ever did anything to harm her again.

A Unique Year For DCS - My Review

This year (2013) was a very unique year for Dinnington Comprehensive School as it was a year where everybody moved up a year early. Instead of moving up in September like we have done every other year, our school was one of the few schools who decided to start the New Year 3 weeks earlier than usual, starting a fresh year in July instead of September 2013.

On Friday the 19^th of July 2013, Dinnington Comprehensive will break up for the 6 week summer holidays at 12:30pm. Sadly for the school as well as students leaving, there are also a few teachers leaving as well. Media teacher: Mr Welch and English teacher: Mrs Frost will also be leaving the school as well. I am sure that all students at DCS will be relieved and thankful for the 6 week break, as so am I! Year 9 was a very chaotic year as work such as options and preparation for our GCSE’s has to be done at the last minute as a result from the early transaction, so the 6 week break couldn’t come any sooner for me! In my opinion, I think that a 6 week break isn’t quite long enough for us students and teachers as well. Me and many teachers who I have spoken to say that we should have a longer break off school. I think that we should have a longer break at summer because us students need more time to prepare for the new year, especially for the year 9’s going into year 10 as we need more time to get ready for GCSE’s. Also teachers need more time off as they need more time to prepare for their lessons, they need extra time to prepare lessons and to buy equipment and other essentials they might need.

The 6 week holiday for me is a time where I can spend quality time with my family and friends. The 6 weeks away from school gives me chance to go out and do things like swimming, ice skating, shopping, going to the cinema and going to outdoor public parks to relax and enjoy time together. All of these activities are things that I don’t have time to do during the school period as we only have the weekend to plan and organise days out, whereas when we have a long break off school, it is much easier to plan and organise these kind of things which I wouldn’t have got chance to organise beforehand. The kind of activities I hope to do during the summer period are such things like ice skating, swimming and shopping with my friends, and going on day out trips with my family. These kind of days out with my friends are essential because of the fact that now I am going into year 10. In year 10 we are all split up, meaning that I won’t get the chance to see my friends as often as I would have done in year 9. These types of activities give me and my friends the interaction we need to stay close friends as when we return in September, we will lose contact with each other. In addition, this is another reason why I think we should have longer breaks. We need more time to spend time with the people who we need most, our family and friends.

However as the end of the break approaches, I will most certainly find myself buying things for school such as clothing and equipment that I will be needing for year 10. I feel quite excited for the new start as I will be carrying on with my GCSE’s from what we started in July 2013. However on the other hand, I am fairly nervous for the new start as well, as I know that things are going to get a lot harder and expectations will be higher than ever. Whichever way, I am looking forward to the challenges that await and for what lies ahead…

Meditation

Meditation is the practice of turning your attention to a single point of reference. It can involve focusing on the breath, on bodily sensations, or on a word known as a mantra. In other words, meditation means turning your attention away from distracting thoughts and focusing on the present moment. In magic it is important to learn to meditate, as this how I open our sub conscious and that is where the magic is.
Meditation reduces your stress levels and keeps your mind sharp and focused.

A simple meditation exercise:

Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and practice the following exercise for several minutes each day:

Assume a comfortable posture lying on your back or sitting.

If you're sitting, keep the spine straight and let your shoulders drop.

Close your eyes if it feels comfortable.

Focus your attention on your belly, feeling it rise or expand gently as you inhale and fall or recede as you exhale.

Concentrate on your breathing, 'being with' each breath.
Every time you notice your mind has wandered off the breath, notice what it was that took you away and then gently bring your attention back to your belly and the feeling of the breath coming in and out.

If your mind wanders away from the breath, then your job is simply to bring it back to the breath every time, no matter what it has become preoccupied with.

Practice this exercise for 15 minutes at a convenient time every day, whether you feel like it or not, for one week - and see how it feels to incorporate a disciplined meditation practice into your life.
Be aware of how it feels to spend time each day just being with your breath, being 'in the moment' without having to do anything.

Ravens

Ravens, and to a lesser degree Crows, are very magical creatures. Raven with their plumage as dark as the void between the stars, is a citizen of the after-world. They travels between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Being native to both worlds, Raven naturally has great knowledge and Power to effect transformations.

Raven is associated as a Wicca symbol because of this power to move between the worlds, and create new realities as she chooses. If Raven appears you are about to experience a change in consciousness. Raven is the messenger that carries all energy flows of ceremonial magic between the ceremony itself and the intended destination. The Raven and Crow Goddess is called The Morrigan. 

How to use a Pendulum: a step-by-step guide

Learning to use your pendulum is easy and it won’t take long before you master the skill. Practice does help though, so in the beginning, start with easy questions to get the hang of it.



1. Make your mind ready – Free yourself of internal and external noise. Relax and focus. Clear your mind of worries. Quiet, non-lyrical music (music without words) can help, along with other meditation aids like candles, incense, and crystals - but these things are not required and you can, in fact, use your pendulum anywhere at any time.

2. Position yourself and your pendulum - Ideally, you should sit up straight and if possible, put both feet flat on the floor. Grasp the top bead or fob between your thumb and forefinger - or if you prefer, you can grasp anywhere along the chain, as long as you leave at least 2 to 3 inches between your fingers and the pendulum’s weight stone. Arch your wrist slightly; steady your forearm (but not your hand) on something solid, like the edge of a table or arm of a chair. Let the pendulum just dangle. Try to hold very still, but don’t worry if your hand shakes a little, it won’t affect the outcome.

3. Program your pendulum’s signals. You only need to do this step once, unless you decide to make changes afterward. Before asking any questions, you must establish signals for each of these answers:

Yes
No
Maybe (which can also be interpreted as "I don't know" or "I don't want to say")
Here are some common, easy-to-read signals that you may choose to use: 
- front to back (like a head nod - common for “yes”)
- side to side (like a head shake - common for “no”)
- clockwise circle
- counter clockwise circle

Some people like to ask the pendulum to choose the signals. I believe you'll be more successful if you specify those signals yourself. And if you use more than one pendulum you'll want to use the same signal set for each pendulum.

To begin, first decide what your three signals are and then demonstrate them one by one. Tell your pendulum what you want it to use for “yes” - as you demonstrate what the signal looks like (and feels like). Then do this for "no", again while demonstrating it. And finally for "maybe". Here’s an example of how to program the "yes" signal: Holding the pendulum in position, say “When I ask a question and the answer is “yes”, move like this, in a clockwise circle.” (If that's the signal that you chose for yes). Say this as you swing the pendulum in a clockwise circle.



4. Verify the signals. To test out the trustworthiness of your programmed signals, ask a couple of test questions, such as “Is my name Billy?” Or, "Is today Tuesday?" (or Friday, etc.) Basically, you want to verify that yes is yes and no is no. If the signals are not coming out right, go back to step 3 and reprogram the pendulum.

5. Program your pendulum’s source: Include this step every time you use your pendulum. Establish where the answers will come from. If you skip this step, your pendulum will only access your subconscious mind. You really want it to tap into your intuitive or higher self. At the beginning of each session, say “I call upon the higher self to answer these questions. I seek only absolutely truthful answers, which are aligned with the highest and greatest good for all concerned.” Whether you say this out loud or inside your head are up to you. Do what you are comfortable with, and of course, feel free to tailor this language as you see fit.

6. Ask your question. Ask questions that can be answered by YES or NO. Be as specific as you can in your phrasing. Avoid asking for opinions or using the words “should” or “supposed to” in your questions.

7. Wait for the answer. Be patient. Concentrate on your question (closing your eyes may help), but do not concentrate on what you think the answer should or will be. Remain detached about the answer and focus only on receiving a correct, unbiased answer. When the pendulum swings, look at it - observe its direction. This is your answer. If it doesn't move right away, give it time, or if it’s unclear what the signal is, try rephrasing the question and do it again. When the pendulum swings with great force, it’s answering loudly. If it swings with only light force, you can interpret this as a quiet, perhaps less committed response.

8. Clear the pendulum at the end of each question by touching its weight on to the palm of your free hand or on another surface. This signals that your question has been answered and you are ready to move on to the next question.



Protect your pendulum when not in use. A great way to do this is to wear it on a neck chain. That way it will receive your energy all day long, and will be readily attuned to your body's energy and vibration level. Or you can keep it in a pouch, safely protected.

Helpful Tips 
1. Relax, have fun.
2. Be open, neutral and definitely do not try to predict answers. 
3. Be clear in the way you phrase your questions. 
4. Be patient, be present.
5. To get a stronger response, say “respond louder please "or "be more clear".
6. Cup your other hand underneath the point or weight stone to help focus energy.

Firefighters Die in Arizona Wildfire

At least nineteen firefighters have died trying to put out a wildfire in Arizona, America.

The fire started on Friday due to lightning, the dry conditions and strong winds made the fire spread even quicker. President Barack Obama said that they died heroes.

He said that they had, "put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens". Around 200 firefighters are still fighting the blaze which has already destroyed at least 200 homes. People living locally have been evacuated.

Google scandal still going on?

Recently I read the paper about the google scandal. This basically is about how google must stop child porn, and rude videos. I decided to see if google had stopped this silly predictive search, that they said they had got rid of, but this is what I found: 

Abercrombie And Fitch Under Fire From Sizing Policy

An on line video showing the expensive clothing brand being given to homeless people has gone viral.

The video was created by LA film maker who criticised the company's boss Mike Jeffries who in 2006 said that his clothes were only for "cool kids". Its been seen over seven million times since being published last month. Last month, comedian chat show host Ellen DeGeneres made a joke on her TV show about the label sizing guide, the size 00 she was showing was a doll's shirt.

The remarks made from the company's boss came from an interview back in 2006, but recently resurfaced due to with drawls in sizes on women's clothing. The largest size the brand do for women is now a large and for men an extra extra large.

Jefferies said in the interview, "In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids.Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends." Which is very stereotypical and extremely unfair to those who don't have a great amount of friends. the creators of Abercrombie and Fitch were also the minds behind Hollister. The California equivalent of the New York based apparel store.

Does this mean that the sizes will eventually come down over in England as well? Will this affect anyone you know? Many people in America are furious with the remarks made. Some refusing to shop at Abercrombie and Fitch anymore.

The Shine Media Awards 2013 - DCS's Day To London

On Monday the 24^th of June 2013, some teachers and students from Dinnington Comprehensive School headed down to London for the day to compete with many other schools from across the UK in the Shine Media Awards 2013.

The Shine Media Awards were designed to encourage students and teachers from schools across the country to produce a newspaper, magazine, newsletter, digital edition or a website. They were also designed to:

Encourage an interest in developing publishing skills in young people, helping them to improve literacy, nurture creativity, develop commercial and business skills, encourage teamwork and develop leadership skills.

Raise awareness and understanding of the skills required by the media and graphic arts industries, such as commercial awareness, leadership, editorial flair, circulation strategy and design and production and encourage school-leavers to consider the media and graphic arts industries as a career choice.

Raise awareness of the importance of respecting copyright and the ownership of intellectual property. Develop an informed awareness of the need for sustainable strategies to address environmental issues.

Promote interaction between departments within schools, including English, Art & Design, Business Studies and IT, interaction with the local community and between pupils, teachers and the wider business community.

On Monday the 24^th of June 2013, some teachers and students from Dinnington Comprehensive School headed down to London for the day to compete with many other schools from across the UK in the Shine Media Awards 2013.

Dinnington Comprehensive School entered their own website (DCS News) into the competition in April 2013 along with 2 other categories including ‘ Most Inspirational Teacher’ and ‘Most Outstanding Pupil’, hoping that we would get through to the semi-finals. A total of 200 schools entered the awards, here are the schools who participated in the Shine Awards 2013…

Addington High School, Adeyfield, All Saints’ Academy – Cheltenham, Ashdown Technology College, Audenshaw, Aylesbury High School, Bablake, Barr Beacon School, Baxter College, Beauchamp College, Beccles Free School, Bedford Academy, Berkhamstead School, Birches Head High School, Birkdale School, Birkenhead High School Academy, Blackpool Sixth Form College, Bluecoat Academy, Bodmin College, Bower Park School, Bradon Forest School, Branksome Heath Middle School, Brentwood School, Broadgreen International School, Broadoak Maths and Computing College, Brookfield Community School and Language College, Burnt Mill Academy, Bury Grammar School Boys, Caistor Grammar School, Caistor Yarborough Academy, Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Catmose College, Cedars Upper School, Charlton School, Chelmsford County High, Chesham Grammar School, Chingford Foundation School, Chipping Campden School, Chiswick School, City of London School, City School, Sheffield, Clacton Coastal Academy, Claremont High School Academy, Coundon Court, Countetshorpe Community College, Court Moor School, Darlington School of Mathematics and Science, Darrick Wood School, Dartford Grammar School, Devonport High School for Girls, Dinnington Comprehensive School, Dollar Academy, Duchess Community High School, Dulwich College, Durham School, Endon High School, Enfield Grammar School, Fearns Community Sports College, Forest School, Fort Pitt Grammar School, Forthill Community School, Fulwood Academy, Great Marlow School, Greshham’s Prep School, Gumley House School, Hampton School, Hardenhuish School, Harris Academy Bromley, Harris Academy Chafford Hundred, Harris City Academy Crystal Palace, Heaton Manor School, Hetton School, High Storrs, Hillview School for Girls, Holbrook High School, Holmer Green Senior School, Homewood School Sixth Form Centre, Humphry Davy School, Ibstock Place School, Immanuel College, Isleworth & Syon School for Boys, John Summers High School, Kennet School, King Charles 1 School, King Edwards VI College, Kings Norton Girls’ School, Kingsbridge Community College, The Knights Templar School, Langley Park School for Boys, Larkmead, Latymer Upper School, Lavington School, Longbenton Community College, Lutterworth College, Lutterworth High School, Lyng Hall School, Lynn Grove High School, Mabel Prichard School, Marshfields School, Mayfield Grammar School Gravesend, Melksham Oak Community School, Mill Hill School, Moor End Academy, Moorside High School, Morpeth School, Mount Grace School, Netherthorpe, Newall Green High School, Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise Academy, Northampton High School, Northgate School Arts College, Norwich School, Oasis Academy Oldham, Old Palace of John Whitgift School, Ormiston Bushfield Academy, Ormiston Maritime Academy, Osborne School, Oswestry School, Oundle School, Passmores Academy, Patcham High School, Pathfield School, Pedmore Technology College & Community School, Prince Henry’s High School, Rainhill High School, Royal Russell School, RSA Academy, Saint George’s C of E School, Saltash.net Community School, Samuel Ryder Academy, Samuel Ward Academy, Sedgehill School, Sir John Talbots Technology College, South Bromsgrove High School, St Bonventure’s, St George’s Ascot, St Joseph’s Catholic College, St Joseph’s RC High School, St Mary’s School, St Paul’s Girls’ School, St Peter’s School, St Sampson’s High School, St Simon Stock Catholic School, St Thomas More High School Westcliffe-on-Sea, St Thomas the Apostle College, St. Peter’s RC School, Swindon Academy, Tendring Technology College, The Academy, Selsey, The Beacon School, The Brier School, The Buckingham School, The Burton Borough School, The Chase, The City Academy, Hackney, The Friary School, The Godolphin & Latymer School, The Heathland School, The Hermitage Academy, The Petchey Academy, The Queen’s School, The Ravensbourne School, The Right Choice Independent School, The Springfields Academy, Thomas Bennett Community College, Thomas Bewick School, Tideway School, Tonbridge Grammar School, Tor Bridge High, Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, Tudor Hall, Ulverston Victoria High School, University Academy Birkenhead, Walworth Academy, Wednesfield High School, Westminster City School, Wickersley School, William Farr C of E Comprehensive School, William Howard School, Wisbech Grammar School, Withington Girls’ School, Woodside School, Wren Academy and Wymondham College.

The Shine Awards are judged by a high profile group of professionals. They were: Simon Heffer (Chairman of the Judges, Editor, Mail Comment Online and political columnist for the Daily Mail). Also in the panel of judges were: Jo Warner (Howard CLA), Valentina Moressa (Quark), Guy Black (Telegraph Media Group), Gary White (Cambridge University Press), Nicholas Brett (BBC Worldwide), Paul Sinker (The Newspaper Society), Terry Mansfield (Hearst Corporation), Victoria White (Editor Company magazine), Stevie Keen ( IPC Media social media), Keren Davis (author and journalist), Clifford Jakes (Chairman of the Shine 2011 awards), Michael Shaw (TES), James Jarvis (Antalis McNaughton), Nick Steidl (Stationers’ Foundation) and Melanie Essex (founder producer of  BBC School Report). All of these judges were split into 6 groups and were given certain categories to judge to make matters fair.

The first round of judging started on Tuesday the 23^rd of April 2013, where 200 schools were stripped down to . Luckily for DCS, our website and outstanding pupil category got through to the semi-finals. The next round of judging started on Tuesday the 21^st May 2013, where they gathered all the semi-finalists together and yet again rounded them off for the finals. A total of 30 schools out of the 200 that applied managed to get into the finals which took place on the 24^th of June 2013 at the Stationers’ Hall in London. The Stationers’ Hall is a very old building that was once part of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Stationers’ Hall is a historic building in which for the past 600 years it has been the home of writing, illustrating, paper, printing and publishing.

Luckily for DCS, we managed to get through to the final with the category of ‘The Most Outstanding Pupil’ which is how we ended up in London as a group on Monday the 24^th of June 2013. Furthermore, on the morning of the 24^th, we all met at 6am ready to leave for London. The journey was long and dragging but eventually St. Paul’s Cathedral was in sight, meaning we had arrived. Not only did we see the Cathedral itself, we also saw glimpses of the Shard and many other famous buildings such as the Royal Court on the way too. When we arrived at Stationers’ Hall we got ourselves sorted with signing in (and we even got a bag of free goodies each!) We also got given a programme for the day which showed us what was taking place throughout the day. Here was the list of events going on during the day:

10:30-12:30  –> Exhibitions open for schools to listen to and take part in.

12:30 – 1:15 –>  Buffet lunch.

1:15 –>  Awards Ceremony.

Some of the exhibitions that were available to the schools throughout the morning were things like: BBC Worldwide, Copyright Licensing Agency, Creative Skillset, Quark Systems and Environmental Organisations… Once we had a look around the around the stalls, we and all the other schools gathered in the dining hall for lunch. There were a range of foods that you could choose from, and what made the experience better was that everybody was gathered as a whole. This allowed everybody to see each other for the first time and to take a look at what the variety of people who were competing in the awards. In the dining hall, long tables were laid out along the floors for all of the 30 schools to sit at during the lunch and the actual awards ceremony. Also in the dining hall, you got the chance to see just what an amazing building the Stationers’ Hall really is. There were large stained glass windows and a variety of paintings from people who lived in the building hundreds of hundreds of years ago. It just comes to show just how old the building actually is!

Once dinner was over, the awards ceremony kicked off.  The awards ceremony was presented by Ian Locks, Simon Heffer and Louise Court (editor of the Cosmopolitan magazine). Speeches was given by each one of the presenters to kick start the awards ceremony, and so then followed the awards. The categories and the finalists were:

Best Design and layout

Berkhamsted School

Bodmin College

Latymer Upper School

Norwich School

Best Original Artwork & Photography

Berkhamsted School

Norwich School

Sherborne School

Wymondham College

Best Cover

Bodmin College

Brookfield Community School and Language College

City of London School

St Mary’s School Ascot

Best Overall Editorial Content

Berkhamsted School

City of London School

Duchess Community High School

 Best Environmental Strategy

Aylesbury High School

Bablake

St Thomas More High School Westcliffe-on-Sea

Best Commercial Strategy

Oundle School

St Paul’s Girls’ School London

St Thomas More High School Westcliffe-on-Sea

Community Initiative

Darlington School of Mathematics and Science

John Summers High School

Langley Park School for Boys

Oundle School

Outstanding Pupil

Emily Booker – Dinnington Comprehensive School

Andrew Colley – Holmer Green Senior School

Joel Speed – The Knights Templar School

Best Feature article

Berkhamsted School

Duchess Community High School

Old Palace of John Whitgift School

 Inspirational teacher

Mr Mark Woodward – Bablake

Mr Harry Roberts – John Summers High School

Ms Dede Kankonde – The Right Choice Independent School

Best Online

Beauchamp College

Darlington School of Mathematics and Science

Kingsbridge Community College

Morpeth School

Best Newspaper

Caistor Grammar School

Duchess Community High School

Hampton School

Holmer Green Senior School

St Paul’s Girls’ School

Best Magazine

Blackpool Sixth Form College

City of London School

St Mary’s School Ascot

William Farr C of E Comprehensive School

 

It was great to see students of all ages from all different schools head up on the stage for each of the categories and it was just great to see the fabulous work which had been produced by pupils of the UK, and it just comes to show just how much talent the UK has in media. For the winners of each category, they got a glass plaque (and for the winners of the main categories, they each received a check of £1,000 and a free 5 user 6 month trial of QuarkXPress 9). For the remaining competitors, they each received a ‘Highly Commended Award’ and got given a certificate each for their hard work, so nobody left empty handed.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the categories, but also well done to all the other schools for getting this far, we are all winners and we should be very proud of our achievements!

Thank you to all the people who organised the event, and to all the judges and people who helped make the day a success. A great day for sure for everybody who made it there that day…

Why not take a look at the Shine Media Awards' site for more information: http://shine-schoolawards.org/