The Guardian

The Ministry of Defence has just put out this statement: It is...

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:41:00 +0100

The Ministry of Defence has just put out this statement:

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce that the soldier killed in yesterday’s incident in Woolwich, South East London, is believed to be Drummer Lee Rigby, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (attached to the Regimental Recruiting Team in London). The soldier’s details are being released at this stage pending formal identification from the Metropolitan Police Service.

Drummer Lee Rigby, or ‘Riggers’ to his friends, was born in July 1987 in Crumpsall, Manchester. He joined the Army in 2006 and on successful completion of his infantry training course at Infantry Training Centre Catterick he was selected to be a member of the Corps of Drums and posted to 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (also known as “Second Fusiliers” or “2 RRF”).

His first posting was as a machine gunner in Cyprus where the Battalion was serving as the resident Infantry Battalion in Dhekelia. Having performed a plethora of tasks while in Cyprus, he returned to the UK in the early part of 2008 to Hounslow, West London. Here, Drummer Rigby stood proudly outside the Royal Palaces as part of the Battalion’s public duties commitment. He was an integral member of the Corps of Drums throughout the Battalion’s time on public duties, the highlight of which was being a part of the Household Division’s Beating the Retreat - a real honour for a line infantry Corps of Drums.

In April 2009 Drummer Rigby deployed on Operations for the first time to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where he served as a member of the Fire Support Group in Patrol Base Woqab. On returning to the UK he completed a second tour of public duties and then moved with the Battalion to Celle, Germany, to be held at a state of high readiness for contingency operations as part of the Small Scale Contingency Battle Group. In 2011 Drummer Rigby took up a Recruiting post in London where he also assisted with duties at Regimental Headquarters in the Tower of London.

An extremely popular and witty soldier, Drummer Rigby was a larger than life personality within the Corps of Drums and was well known, liked and respected across the Second Fusiliers. He was a passionate and life-long Manchester United fan.

A loving father to his son Jack, aged 2 years, he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. The regiment’s thoughts and prayers are with his family during this extremely difficult time. “Once a Fusilier, always a Fusilier.”

Photograph: MoD/PA

On ITV just now: The man with the machete tells passersby in a...

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:02:00 +0100

On ITV just now:

The man with the machete tells passersby in a broad London accent: “We apologise that women had to see this today but in our lands our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government. They don’t care about you.”

*Warning - image contains graphic content*

Amateur footage purports to show the aftermath of a...

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:32:00 +0100

Amateur footage purports to show the aftermath of a ‘serious incident’ in Woolwich, south east London, which has left one person dead and two others injured. Police were called to John Wilson Street after a man was reportedly attacked by two others using various weapons including a ‘machete-style knife’. The two other men were shot by police and taken to separate London hospitals

From the live blog: This is what the police have confirmed: •...

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:05:52 +0100

From the live blog:

This is what the police have confirmed:

• Police were called to John Wilson Street, Woolwich, after a man was assaulted by two others. A number of weapons were used in the attack.

• Officers arrived, followed by firearms officers. By this time the man was dead.

• Police would give no further information about the dead man.

• The two other men were shot by police and taken to separate London hospitals, where they are receiving treatment for their injuries.

Full story

Photo: BBC

Gif, also known as Jif | Media | The Guardian

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:47:48 +0100

Gif, also known as Jif | Media | The Guardian:

Gif passnotes:

Name: Gif.

Age: 26.

Appearance: A cat falling into a toilet, for ever.

Why are we talking about Gifs? Is one trending on Twitter? Is it a girl bouncing on a trampoline without a bra again? Nope, it’s the inventor of the Gif, Steven Wilhite.

Steven Wilhite has been bouncing on a trampoline without a bra? Get your mind out of the gutter. He has been voicing his concern that we have all been mispronouncing the word “Gif” for the past two decades.

Have we? You mean people exist in this world who say the word “Gif” out loud? Yes. And they’ve been using a hard G when they’ve done it, like “gosh” or “gorilla” or “git”.

And presumably it’s supposed to have a soft G? That’s right, like “Germany” or “gin” or “Gee, does any of this even matter?”

Does it even matter? Apparently it does. Wilhite picked up a lifetime achievement Webby for his invention this week and took the opportunity to conclusively state that “It is a soft ‘G’, pronounced ‘jif’. End of story.”

Well, that’s us told. What does Gif stand for, anyway? Graphics Interchange Format.

But “graphics” starts with a hard G. Shouldn’t Gif start with a hard G too? Stop it, you’re only complicating things.

Benefits diaries: The dreaded brown envelope by crazybladeuk

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:00:59 +0100

Benefits diaries: The dreaded brown envelope by crazybladeuk:

guardian-benefits-diaries:

Being disabled, my biggest fear is the letter will contain a referral to Atos again. Despite having severe mobility problems, amongst other things, I spent the whole of last year appealing the decision on my employment and support allowance (ESA) which when all the way to tribunal despite the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) own paperwork stating that I was “unlikely to work in the longer term”. In fact, on the morning of the tribunal they telephoned me and, with no small amount of incredulity in his voice, told me that I did not have to attend and that my appeal was successful and I was placed in the support group.

Another great post on our benefits diaries Tumblr sharing the realities of the government’s welfare reforms - this one on the dread of what could be in the post, by crazybladeuk

An Honor for the Creator of the GIF

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:01:12 +0100

An Honor for the Creator of the GIF:

Steve Wilhite, who invented the enduring GIF file format in 1987, will receive a lifetime achievement Webby Award.

He is proud of the GIF, but remains annoyed that there is still any debate over the pronunciation of the format.

“The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations,” Mr. Wilhite said. “They are wrong. It is a soft ‘G,’ pronounced ‘jif.’ End of story.”

Gif guff? Or respect to the ‘jif’?

guardiancomment: Now, I know that air travel is really just a...

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:50:09 +0100

guardiancomment:

Now, I know that air travel is really just a portal to foreign climes: a privilege for people who can afford to go on holidays abroad, an efficient means of transport for those whose work enables them to travel, and maybe even, for some, a one-way ticket to a new and better life. I know this, everyone on the plane knows this, so why is the notion that air travel is the sexiest thing since records began still pushed on us by endless tedious advertising campaigns? Wouldn’t Richard Branson do better to put down the women he insists on picking up for photo opportunities and spend his money on food that doesn’t taste like a foot, instead? ‘Sorry, Virgin - sex and air travel don’t mix

El Salvador: A member of the Mara 18 street gang poses for a...

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:43 +0100

El Salvador: A member of the Mara 18 street gang poses for a photograph in the Izalco jail Photograph: Ulises Rodriguez/Reuters

Oklahoma: What are tornadoes, how are they classified and how...

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:25:34 +0100

Oklahoma: What are tornadoes, how are they classified and how are they formed? Experts including a meteorologist, storm chaser and pollster answer your questions on the Oklahoma City tornadoes.

Follow pictures as they come in.

Photograph: Ed Zurga/EPA

(via Chelsea flower show at 100: A century of (newspaper)...

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:23:21 +0100

(via Chelsea flower show at 100: A century of (newspaper) cuttings | From the Guardian | guardian.co.uk)

Danish designer finds inspiration in Ghana’s Ashanti...

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:30:21 +0100

Danish designer finds inspiration in Ghana’s Ashanti empire

Trine Lindegaard worked with a family of traditional Ghanaian weavers to develop a vibrant new line in menswear. Photo: Some of the latest menswear by Trine Lindegaard.

Gallery of Trine Lindegaard’s designs

What’s so funny? Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake got...

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:00:58 +0100

What’s so funny?

Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake got a fit of the giggles last night attending the ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ at the Cannes Film Festival. Take a look at more pictures from the evening while we wait for today’s highlights. Photograph: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Game of gnomes The Royal Horticultural Society has lifted its...

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:00:58 +0100

Game of gnomes

The Royal Horticultural Society has lifted its century-old ban on gnomes for this year’s Chelsea flower show. Here’s our pick of the best – from classic to combat – to kick off your collection

Photograph: Shawn Thorsson/Etsy

Madge at the billboard music awards. From our picture...

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:53 +0100

Madge at the billboard music awards. From our picture desk:

“Is it just me or has Madonna forgotten something in the excitement of picking up an armful of trophies at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas?”

Photograph: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Yahoo promises not to 'screw it up' over $1.1bn Tumblr deal

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:19:30 +0100

Yahoo promises not to 'screw it up' over $1.1bn Tumblr deal:

Web pioneer reveals details of acquisition of blogging platform, as site’s 26-year-old founder tells staff: ‘Fuck yeah’. By Charles Arthur and Josh Halliday

Latest story on Guardian just up

marissamayr: I’m delighted to announce that we’ve reached an...

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:26:00 +0100

marissamayr:

I’m delighted to announce that we’ve reached an agreement to acquire Tumblr!

We promise not to screw it up. Tumblr is incredibly special and has a great thing going. We will operate Tumblr independently. David Karp will remain CEO. The product roadmap, their team, their wit and irreverence will all remain the same as will their mission to empower creators to make their best work and get it in front of the audience they deserve. Yahoo! will help Tumblr get even better, faster.

Tumblr has built an amazing place to follow the world’s creators. From art to architecture, fashion to food, Tumblr hosts 105 million different blogs. With more than 300 million monthly unique visitors and 120,000 signups every day, Tumblr is one of thefastest-growing media networks in the world. Tumblr sees 900 posts per second (!) and 24 billion minutes spent onsite each month. On mobile, more than half of Tumblr’s users are using the mobile app, and those users do an average of 7 sessions per day. Tumblr’s tremendous popularity and engagement among creators, curators and audiences of all ages brings a significant new community of users to the Yahoo! network. The combination of Tumblr+Yahoo! could grow Yahoo!’s audience by 50% to more than a billion monthly visitors, and could grow traffic by approximately 20%.

In terms of working together, Tumblr can deploy Yahoo!’s personalization technology and search infrastructure to help its users discover creators, bloggers, and content they’ll love. In turn, Tumblr brings 50 billion blog posts (and 75 million more arriving each day) to Yahoo!’s media network and search experiences. The two companies will also work together to create advertising opportunities that are seamless and enhance user experience.

As I’ve said before, companies are all about people. Getting to know the Tumblr team has been really amazing. I’ve long held the view that in all things art and design, you can feel the spirit and demeanor of those who create them. That’s why it was no surprise to me that David Karp is one of the nicest, most empathetic people I’ve ever met. He’s also one of the most perceptive, capable entrepreneurs I’ve worked with. His respect for Tumblr’s community of creators is awesome, and I’m absolutely delighted to have him and his entire team join Yahoo!.

Both Tumblr and Yahoo! share a vision to make the Internet the ultimate creative canvas by focusing on users, design — and building experiences that delight and inspire the world every day.

http://yahoo.tumblr.com/

Nice gifness!

More about the gifs on Guardian.

Exclamation: Tumblr. + Yahoo! = !!

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:19:40 +0100

Exclamation: Tumblr. + Yahoo! = !!:

yahoo:

I’m delighted to announce that we’ve reached an agreement to acquire Tumblr!

We promise not to screw it up. Tumblr is incredibly special and has a great thing going. We will operate Tumblr independently. David Karp will remain CEO. The product roadmap, their team, their wit and…

First news of its kind announced by animated gif?

Tumblr Staff: News!

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:14:53 +0100

Tumblr Staff: News!:

staff:

Everyone, I’m elated to tell you that Tumblr will be joining Yahoo.

Before touching on how awesome this is, let me try to allay any concerns: We’re not turning purple. Our headquarters isn’t moving. Our team isn’t changing. Our roadmap isn’t changing. And our mission – to empower creators to…

Yahoo in rumoured $1.1bn bid to buy white-hot Tumblr

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:13:00 +0100

Yahoo in rumoured $1.1bn bid to buy white-hot Tumblr:

Reports claim board has approved move to buy blogging platform site that could catapult Yahoo back into top flight web firms

Press release from Yahoo just now:

Yahoo! to Acquire Tumblr

Promises not to screw it up

What do you think of the idea of Tumblr being bought by Yahoo? What do you think makes Tumblr so attractive?