Galaxy

30 Nov 2014

David Beckham and son 'Brooklyn' involved in auto accident


David Beckham and his son Brooklyn had a car accident over the weekend. The accident happened Saturday, November 29 when the father-son duo was leaving the Arsenal soccer team training ground in Hertfordshire, England after the retired soccer player picked up Brooklyn from his soccer game.

Not much was known about the accident as Arsenal staffers allegedly ushered onlookers away from the scene. According to BBC News, the grey Audi RS6 driven by Beckham collided with a silver Mitsubishi Colt. The female driver of the other car was reportedly taken to hospital to receive medical attention.

Beckham, 39, and his son, 15, appeared shaken, but suffered no serious injuries although Beckham seemed to have hurt his shoulder. They were reportedly driven away from the location in another vehicle since the car they originally drove was left damaged on the driver's side with it airbags deployed.

Brooklyn who plays for Arsenal's under-16s had just finished a match against Brighton's young team that day. Thomas Cadmas from Brighton tweeted about the accident, "Weird to play against Brooklyn Beckham earlier. Even weirder to be currently stuck behind David Beckham as he has crashed his car."

29 Nov 2014

All for the goddess: 300,000 buffalo slaughtered at Hindu ceremony to bring goodluck


More than 250,000 animals are being lined up for slaughter as Nepal embarks on a two-day religious festival where buffalo, birds and goats are sacrificed to appease a Hindu goddess.
Millions of Hindus flock to the ceremony, which is held every five years at the temple of Gadhimai, the goddess of power, in Bariyarpur, Nepal, near the Indian border.
The last time the festival was held, in 2009, more than 250,000 animals were killed, according to animal rights organisation PETA, who is campaigning to put a stop to the practice.


The festival is 'kicked off' with the ritual slaughter of five thousand buffalo in a field near the temple, after which two days of ritual animal slaughter takes place. 
Animal rights activists such as PETA are campaigning to halt the mass animal-slaughter, but despite their efforts, the organisers of the festival has promised that this year will be the biggest yet.
 About 2.5 million devotees  have turned out for the festival, according to local government official Yogendra Prasad Dulal, who said it was 'impossible to estimate' the total number of animals sacrificed so far.

 'It has been a grand day,' Mangal Chaudhary, head priest at a the Gadhimai temple said. 'The buffalo sacrifice has ended, but we will continue the rituals with goats and other animals for one more day,'
On the first day, worshippers slaughtered more than 6,000 buffaloes, which were coralled into holding pens in the fields, along with at least 100,000 goats and other animals, Chaudhary said.

The festivities will continue on Saturday when at least another 100,000 animals will die in the name of goddess Gadhimai.
  More than 80 per cent of Nepal's 27 million people are Hindus, but unlike most of their counterparts in neighbouring India, they frequently sacrifice animals to appease deities during festivals.
Authorities deployed hundreds of police personnel to make sure there were no clashes between activists and the devotees.
  'It is a ritual connected with people's faith,' said Yogendra Dulal, an assistant administrator of the Bara district, where the temple is located. 'We can't hurt their sentiments and ban the practice.'
 Worshippers believe the animal sacrifice, meant to appease Gadhimai, the Hindu goddess of power, brings them luck and prosperity.
 The ritual began at dawn with a ceremonial 'pancha bali' or the sacrifice of five animals, comprising a rat, a goat, a rooster, a pig and a pigeon.
 Although cows are considered sacred by Hindu's, the thousands of animals seen slaughtered in these pictures are buffalo.

Robin Van Persie have been struggling for confidence in front of goal- LVG

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admits striker Robin van Persie has been struggling for confidence in front of goal and had "a very bad game" against Arsenal last weekend.
The Holland forward had only 13 touches of the ball against his former club, three of which while taking corners, before Van Gaal replaced him with 18-year-old James Wilson for the last 15 minutes.
Indeed, in the whole of 2014, Van Persie has scored only eight goals in 21 Premier League matches.
Van Gaal said when he was in charge of Bayern Munich, Germany striker Mario Gomez had fewer touches during some matches, but accepted that Van Persie has been struggling for form.
"I do think 13 is few for a striker. I want to improve that," said Van Gaal. "You can count his touches on the ball but more important is how he is playing.
"It was a very bad game for him. That is why I changed him. When I change a player, it is not because he is the best player on the pitch. You are doing something wrong. I believe in the players. When I change them, normally, it is because they are doing something not good in their performance.
"When you pick up this match it is easy to put a question about 13 touches. Okay. But strikers do not touch the ball often. That is their profession.
"Now I have a surprise for you. I had an international striker, Mario Gomez. He touched the ball nine times during Bayern Munich matches in my time."
Asked what Van Persie needs to do to get back to the level of being the best striker in England, the United boss said, "It is a question of confidence, or maybe scoring a wonderful goal at the right moment. It can be tomorrow.
"You know how strikers are. They have to score goals. They feel like that. It is not that I am asking that. I have said they have to be an attacking point and help our team in the third and fourth phase. For me, it is not important who scores. The team has to score."

Madonna shares photos of her meeting with President of Malawi on Instagram

Madonna met the president of Malawi Peter Mutharika during her visit to the country. On Friday, November 28, the "La Isla Bonita" singer took to Instagram to share a photo of her and the President. "A meeting of the minds with President Mutharika! Read the sign! Unity and Freedom. They go hand in hand! #raisingmalawi #livingforlove," she captioned it.

"Thank you for welcoming me here. I was a big fan of your brother. He was very kind to us," Madonna said to President Mutharika, as reported by The Associated Press. She was referring to his brother Bingu wa Mutharika who was a president until 2012.
The diva, who has been visiting the country for years for her charity works with Raising Malawi Foundation, also took her children Mercy and David who were adopted from Malawi. She visited orphanage Kondanani Children's Home on Thanksgiving and shared photos from the visit. One snap shows her being pushed by Mercy in a swing, while another shot shows her children posing together.

28 Nov 2014

Chelsea is hard to catch- Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho believes a long winning run is required for Chelsea to be overtaken in the Premier League as he does not expect his side to endure a poor run of form.
Chelsea travel to Sunderland on Saturday as champions-elect in many people's eyes -- unbeaten with 10 wins from 12 games and six points clear at the summit.
Mourinho has confidence his side, whose last league loss was to Sunderland in April, will not suffer an alarming form dip and believes it would take something special for the Blues to be dethroned.
"It would take some other clubs winning every match," he said. "With my team, I don't believe in bad periods. I believe in a defeat. I believe that there are many, many difficult matches ahead of us, so many points to lose. I believe in that.
"But I don't believe in bad moments. The team is a good team, a solid team. The players know what they want and how to reach it."
Mourinho is so happy with Chelsea this season that he has permitted a Christmas party. A miserly Mourinho cancelled last year's festive shindig, with former Blue Ashley Cole instead attending Arsenal's party.
The Portuguese has given the go-ahead for a family party despite a hectic schedule of nine matches in a month, beginning at the Stadium of Light.
"There are Christmas parties and 'Christmas parties,'" said Mourinho. "This one I think the families deserve and the boys are very happy to be with their families."
The established perception is that Mourinho's teams are defensive, but the current Chelsea side are apparently breaking the mould.
Mourinho insists he merely works with the players at his disposal.
"I'm not a philosopher," he said. "I'm not somebody who sells smoke. I try to be objective, I try to be a coach, which is what I am.

Are these Photographs? don't think so


One might be forgiven for thinking these incredible pictures are photographs, but they are in fact the work of a British artist who paints street scenes that look like the real thing.

Darren Reid has only been painting for three years, but in that time he has managed to create these intricate pieces of artwork of life in his home town of Derby in the East Midlands.
And in print, or even in front of your eyes, it is difficult to spot the difference between the paintings and what might be a photograph.

His style is known as contemporary realism and surprisingly, the 44-year-old is completely self-taught. 
Now his paintings are being snapped up by art collectors for four-figure sums - almost before the paint is dry on the canvas - after he was shortlisted for this year's John Ruskin Prize. 

The artist says he only turned his hand to painting after his dog, a cross-collie called Tubs, fell ill in 2011 and he spent hours at home nursing him. 
He said: 'I was always good at art at school but when I left at 15 it wasn't something I looked to pursue directly. Instead, I became involved in making signs.
'I never yearned to be able to paint in the intervening years and I don't think I'd have been ready to do the art I'm now doing 20 years ago.'
The first painting that Mr Reid tackled was of former cotton mill, Darley Abbey Mills in Derby - a building with which he is very familiar with - choosing to specifically feature the fire escape.
He said: 'I capture the scene I intend to paint by taking a photograph initially. But then it is down to me to adjust the scene as I see fit.
'For example, the John Ruskin entry is of St Peter's Street in Derby but people looking at it will realise the street is narrower than it would be in reality.
'And in Crossing The Tracks, which is a view looking across Derby's railway station, the angles are altered.
'The temporary bridge should be at more of a 90-degree angle but I wanted to use it to lead the eye along and into the painting more, so I reduced the angle.'

Ryan Knight dies at 29

MTV's "Real World" star Ryan Knight was found dead on November 27 by a friend, reportedly choking on his own vomit. He was 29. According to TMZ, Knight was at a party having fun with his friends on Wednesday night before crashing on the friend's home.

Some people who were with Knight before he died said that the cast member of 2010's "Real World New Orleans" took "some pills" at the party. They did not share more details about the kind or its amount.

Fellow cast members on the show paid tribute to Knight on social media. Jemmye Carroll, Knight's roommate whom he dated during the show, shared some photos and wrote, "Words will never be enough to justify the connection we shared and the pain I will forever feel. RIP."

27 Nov 2014

Beyonce Shares on her Instagram page Photo of Blue Ivy standing before a Giant Christmas Tree


Beyonce Knowles and her family apparently are already in Christmas spirits. The "Halo" hitmaker took to Instagram on Wednesday, November 26 to share a heartwarming photo of her daughter Blue Ivy gazing at a giant decorated Christmas tree.

The photo shows the tot's silhouette while she stands in front of the tree. The tree, meanwhile, is decorated with silver ornaments in various shapes including an elephant and teal-colored trinkets among others.

Australian batsman 'Phillip Hughes' dies, aged 25

Australia Test batsman Phillip Hughes has died aged 25, two days after being struck on the top of the neck by a ball during a domestic match in Sydney.
Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said he passed away in hospital, never regaining consciousness.
Hughes, who also played for Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcestershire, was hit by a delivery from bowler Sean Abbott.
"It's an understatement to say we're completely devastated," said Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland.
"The word tragedy gets used too often in sport, but this freak accident is a real life tragedy."
Australia captain Michael Clarke read out a statement on behalf of the Hughes family at a news conference held at St Vincent's Hospital, where the player, who would have been 26 on Sunday, was treated.
Speaking on behalf of parents Greg and Virginia, sister Megan and brother Jason, he said: "We're devastated by the loss of our much-loved son and brother, Phillip. It's been a very difficult few days.
Australia and the general public.
"Cricket was Phillip's life and we as a family shared that love of the game with him. We would like to thank all the medical and nursing staff at St Vincent's Hospital and Cricket New South Wales medical staff for their great efforts with Phillip. We love you."
A clearly emotional Clarke then stood up and left the room.
Hughes, batting for South Australia, collapsed face first on the ground after being hit by a bouncer from 22-year-old Abbott during a Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales.
Hughes had been wearing a helmet but the ball struck him at the top of the neck, causing the injury.
He had CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at the ground before being taken to St Vincent's Hospital, where he had a 90-minute operation to relieve pressure on his brain.
Abbott and members of the Australian national team, including Clarke, visited Hughes in hospital.

One Year After Paul Walker's death, his Brother 'Cody' Reflects on the Actor's Life and Legacy


As the one-year anniversary of Paul Walker's passing approaches, his brother Cody Walker reflects on the positive work of Reach Out Worldwide (ROWW), the charity founded by Paul, has done since. Speaking to E! Online, Cody said, "ROWW continues to be, to function, to help others even after our primary contributor, my brother, Paul Walker has passed. I know he would be so stoked to know that. ROWW changed his life, and he was so proud of it."

ROWW has provided relief in the Philippines after a typhoon, assisted the people of Mayflower, Arkansas after a tornado, stuffed back-to-school packs and run a holiday toy drive in the past 12 months. "These missions are truly life changing for all involved," Cody reflected, "I'm so proud to be a part of this... This year has been very challenging but also extremely rewarding. ROWW would like to thank all of our supporters who have gotten us through this very difficult year."

He added, "Thanks to you, Paul's legacy lives on through ROWW. I am so lucky to have had him as a big brother."

When asked about what people need to learn from Paul, Cody replied, "Just live your life to the fullest. Laugh a lot, love and find your true happiness. Remember that no matter how cool you think you may be, you're not cool enough to look down on anyone... ever."

Paul passed away in a fiery car crash on November 30, 2013. His friend Roger Rodas who drove the car was also killed in the crash.

Justin Bieber share on Instagram a pics of him With His Little Sister Jazmyn Building Snowman


Justin Bieber took to Instagram on Wednesday, November 26 to share a picture of him and his little sister Jazmyn playing in the snow. The "Baby" hitmaker captioned it, "Made a snowman with this little cutie. Make memories with the ones you love! #happythanksgiving."

In the photo, Justin could be seen hugging his six-year-old sister, who was smiling widely, in front of a snowman. The 20-year-old singer wore a black hoodie, a maroon-colored beanie and a pair of black gloves. He completed his look with black pants and black shoes. Jazmyn, meanwhile, donned a black puffy coat, pink pants and brown boots.

26 Nov 2014

Lady Gaga strips to just her shell bra and panties in Paris


Lady Gaga's gaudy garment was too much for even her to handle on Monday, as she stepped out in Paris, France.
The 28-year-old pop star started her evening in an inflatable spiky silver star costume but later decided it was best to just strip down to some sea shells and knickers.

The Applause hitmaker was sure to be cold, as she was merely seen sporting a sparkling seashell bra, floral panties. and fishnet tights as she left a night club.
Meanwhile, Gaga oped for gothic-inspired make-up, sporting a black slick on her lips and dramatic cat-eye liner, as her dark tresses were pulled up.
Prior to her scantily-clad look, the Bad Romance singer was seen bending over to inflate the sea urchin costume.

Forbes: Justin Bieber is highest-earning celebrity under 30 with $80m this year

Justin Bieber landed at the top spot on Forbes' list of the highest-earning celebrities under 30.
The 20-year-old singer earned an estimated $80million from June 2013 to June 2014, in part thanks to the final leg of his money-spinning world tour.
He raked in the majority of his earnings after he finished up his second concert tour, Believe, on December 8, 2013 which collected $69.9m from 67 shows.
Even with his impressive earnings, Justin has endured a turbulent year, which included several incidences with the law.
In November, he paid $80,900 restitution for repair damages to his former neighbor after egging their home.
Following the vandalism conviction, he was charged with a misdemeanor, 12-week anger management program as well as a court hearing in February.
If that wasn't enough, a couple weeks later the Never Say Never hitmaker landed himself in trouble with authorities for illegally bringing his pet primate Mally into the country without the necessary paperwork or vaccinations.
He was forced to pay a $10,700 bill for abandoning the monkey in Germany and was asked to cover it's cost of living at a shelter for 17 months, as well as his import.
Earlier in the year, he made a $50,000 donation to a youth charity as a part of a plea deal after being charged with driving under the influence in Miami.
Meanwhile, the Forbes top ten featured eight other musical acts, including One Direction, Taylor Swift and Rihanna.
The only actor on the list was Hunger Games: Mockingjay star Jennifer Lawrence, 24, who came in seventh place with $34m.
Rounding out the rankings, based on entertainment-related income, were EDM DJs Avicii, $28m, and Skrillex with $18m.

25 Nov 2014

Diego Costa is nothing without the team around him- Jose Mourinho

Chelsea's Jose Mourinho insists hot-shot striker Diego Costa would 'be nothing' without the team around him.
Chelsea are unbeaten in all 18 matches this season and are seven-points clear at the top of the Premier League with Spain striker Costa having scored 11 goals since his transfer from Atletico Madrid.
But Mourinho balked when asked if Costa is the best striker he has ever worked with.
"Without the team he has behind him, Diego is nothing," said Mounrinho, who is bidding to become the first manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs.
"He is scoring goals and playing well, but the team is producing a lot."
Mourinho says players like goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is back from a loan spell at Atletico Madrid, plus Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona and the return of Didier Drogba from Galatasaray have strengthened the team.
"It's not fair to talk about an individuual player when the team is playing well behind him, but players like him are improving the team."
"Those like Thibaut and Fabregas, who are also doing well."
Chelsea have set a new club record of 12 league matches unbeaten this season and it is all down purely to hard work, says Mourinho.
"The players are playing very well in every competition, we are getting good results, but nothing has come for free or from luck," said the self-styled 'Special One'.

24 Nov 2014

Katy Perry angry with paparazzi in Australia


Katy Perry is still angry at some paparazzi who followed her every move in Australia. The "Roar" hitmaker, who is currently on "Prismatic" tour Down Under, slammed Aussie media in a Twitter post on Friday, November 21, saying their paparazzi had "no respect, no integrity, no character. NO HUMANITY." Back then, Perry was furious after the paparazzi refused to leave her alone at the beach after she requested repeatedly.

In some posts sent out the next day, Perry said she did not want media to publish photos of her from the outing at the beach. "Remember AUS anyone printing or posting unauthorized photos of me in a bikini from these DISGUSTING/PERVERTED OLD MEN is AGAINST my will!" she wrote. "Also remember Jamie Fawcett we hv pictures of ur tiny penis & rather large gut. Ur a true sicko for taking pictures of us while being naked."

The incident with paparazzi did not dampen Perry's mood during her stay in Sydney. Over the weekend, she shared a photo of her when climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. "I DID IT. Finally, after all these years talkin bout it I done climbed your bridge tonight Sydney! Thanks @bridgeclimb," she captioned the photo.

Arsene Wenger annoyed after Arsenal's 1-2 defeat to United, refuse to blame players

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted he was angry after his side's 2-1 home defeat against Manchester United on Saturday, but he refused to direct his annoyance at his misfiring players.
Wenger's side spurned a host of glorious chances to take the initiative against United before a second half own goal from Kieran Gibbs and a late Wayne Rooney clincher condemned the Gunners to their worst league start in 32 years.
"I wasn't angry with the players," Wenger told reporters. "I have a lot of respect for the energy they put in the game and the spirit they show, their great attitude, spirit and energy levels.
"I'm just angry because the players do not get rewarded and our fans do not get rewarded for the result that was just there for the taking today. We have suffered against United before but we cannot say that we suffered against them.
"If you look at the number of games recently, the number of shots our opponent has and the number of goals we concede, that is quite a continuity at the moment."
"The players have been really good [individually]. At the moment it's very difficult because we lack a bit of experience in some positions."

22 Nov 2014

Beyonce's 'Ring Off' song is about her parents marriage


Beyonce Knowles' "Ring Off" isn't about her and Jay-Z. After a snippet of the song leaked earlier this week, rumors began swirling suggesting that the singer once again hinted at problems in her and her rapper husband's marriage.

The rumors are proven to be untrue when "Ring Off" hit the web in its entirety on Friday, November 21. The track is actually a tribute to the diva's mother Tina, whose marriage to Matthew Knowles ended a few years ago.

On the song, Bey talks about the pain her mother had to endure when she was married to Mr. Knowles. "Mama, I understand your many sleepless nights/ When you sit and you think about Father/ Or how you tried to be the perfect wife," she sings at the beginning.

Later on the track, Beyonce says everything changed after her mother "took that ring off." "So tired of the lies and trying, fighting, crying/ Took that ring off/ Oh, now the fun begins/ Dust yourself off and you love again/ You found a new man now you shine and you're fine/ Like it's my time, you took that ring off," she continues.

"Ring Off" is one of two brand new songs on the platinum edition of Beyonce's 2013 self-titled effort. The other song is the ratchet banger "7/11" that has also leaked online. Around the same time the song leaked, Beyonce shared on YouTube a fun video of her dancing to the upbeat tune on her balcony while wearing various outfits including a "Kale" sweatshirt and white robe. In other scenes, she's also seen dancing in the bathroom, bedroom and hallway of her Beverly Hills hotel suite.

21 Nov 2014

Jose Mourinho dismisses any speculation about Petr Cech's future... i have zero proposals

Jose Mourinho has said that any speculation about Petr Cech's future has come from "Mickey Mouse" websites and blogs, and that he has received no offers for the goalkeeper.
Cech, 32, has been relegated to the bench this season as Thibaut Courtois has replaced him as the Blues' No. 1. The Czech international's fall out of favour at Stamford Bridge has led to reports that Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Arsenal are all interested in signing him.
However, Mourinho scotched such rumours at his news conference ahead of Saturday's match against West Bromwich Albion.
He said: "Are you telling me that or asking me that? On which Mickey Mouse website? On which Mickey Mouse blog?
"At this moment, news is coming instantly. News born every day, every minute, every second. Some news are not even signed. Some website, some blocks, we don't even know where we get the news. I promise you I tell you the truth. On my desk, normally from my board's desk the information arrives, I have zero. Zero proposals.
"I believe in what is happening at this moment. At this moment, Petr Cech is our goalkeeper and has a contract for two more years. He's a fantastic professional and puts the team's interests first. Not once has Petr Cech knocked on my door to inform me of his desire to accept some proposal. This is my truth. Nothing more I can say."

She got the Rihanna look.... related? don't think so

Meet 22-year-old Andele Lara (@andelelara), from Boston, Massachusetts — a student who can’t spend a night out on the town without being mobbed by fans (and drooling men) who keep mistaking her for Rihanna.
Lara told the Daily Mail that as a child she was referred to as the “skinny girl with the big forehead” (I’ve been there girl), but now she’s being paid big money for endorsements, just because she bears resemblances to the Unapologetic singer.
‘After Rihanna was banned from Instagram in April, some of her fans have written to me saying that my profile had replaced hers in their lives,” she said.
“The moment I step out anywhere, everyone starts staring and whispering before I get bombarded by strangers asking to take their photo with me. This happens every day – It doesn’t matter what I do. I can’t go twenty-four hours without hearing Rihanna’s name.”
Unfortunately Lara hasn’t had a chance to meet Rihanna yet, but she sort of had an encounter with the star. When one fan mistakenly posted an Instagram photo of Lara with the caption, “Rare pic of Rihanna,” the pop star saw the photo and wrote back, “OH?!”
Of course this set off a firestorm. Lara gained a ton of new followers, but she was also subjected to some pretty harsh comments which prompted her to make her account private. ‘That was the closest I’d say to her knowing me,” Lara said. “It was a brief moment but the comments and followers on my Instagram that came after that was unbelievable.”

A small town in Ireland where a Goat is been crowned King


To this day, historians dispute the exact origins of Ireland’s centuries-old Puck Fair Festival. Held annually from 10 to 12 August in Killorglin, a small town on the Laune River in southwestern Ireland, the festival is said to date to either the early 1600s, at the end of the Gaelic period, or the early 1650s, when Oliver Cromwell plundered Irish lands during the English Civil War. One of the more popular legends surrounding the festival’s start tells of a lone male goat that broke away from his herd at the foot of the MacGillycuddy Reeks mountain range, alerting the Killorglin villagers about the invading “Roundheads”, supporters of the English Parliament. Records show that the first acknowledgement of the celebrations lies somewhere in between: in 1613, King James I honoured the Killorglin fair in a charter. On the first day of the festivities, aptly named “Gathering Day”, volunteers called “goat catchers” capture a puck – a wild male mountain goat – and bring it back to town. The goat is then placed on a float decorated with purple heather and led into the centre of Killorglin during the Coronation Parade, where he is crowned as king to reign for three days. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
 After being placed onto a bed of fresh hay, King Puck is hoisted atop the three-tier Town Plaza Stage. Irish dancers, puppet shows and pipe bands occupy the space in front, entertaining the crowd – and his majesty. Before and after the Coronation Parade, the streets of Killorglin erupt with street performers, carnival rides and musical acts. Here, a street performer solicits a volunteer to be a part of his act as the crowd waits for the Coronation Parade to commence. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
Killorglin is located in County Kerry, a region with a rich Gaelic ancestry. And with this bountiful heritage comes an enduring love for Kerry music – in essence, traditional Irish folk music, laden with pipes, fiddles and strings – which is played throughout the festival in pubs and on streets. During the day, dancers and musicians entertain crowds near the Town Plaza Stage. At night, the pubs stay open until 3am, overflowing with party goers playing guitars, accordions, fiddles, flutes and bodhrans, one-sided Irish drums. But the open-air concerts that take place every night are the heart of the party. Performances take place on the Stage Truck, which is driven into the town plaza at the end of each day. Pictured here, the Killorglin Pipe Band marches up Lower Bridge Street during the Coronation Parade. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
Perhaps the most amusing element of the Coronation Parade is the crowning of King Puck. As tradition commands, “Queen Puck” is given the honour and duty of crowning the king. The queen, a local schoolgirl, is selected by writing the best essay about why she deserves to be queen. This year’s queen was 12-year-old Rebecca Coffey. Here, she and her entourage of ladies-in-waiting wave to onlookers as they arrive for the coronation ceremony. To finalize the coronation and officially kick off the festival, the queen reads the Puck Fair Proclamation in Irish, German and French to the cheering crowd below. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
The second day of the festival, “Fair Day”, showcases one event in particular: the Cattle Fair. It takes place after the Horse Show, the first of the festival’s street livestock sales. Like the horse sale – where vendors peddle their harnesses, bridles, headgear, reigns and other horse tack – the cattle fair draws crowds of farmers and spectators to circle around sellers and customers haggling over prices. Local farming families constitute the bulk of the cattle vendors, who bring their pen-held cattle to Langford Street just after 7 am. These days, cattle run more than 600 euros a head – a hefty investment in more ways than one. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
12 August, “Scattering Day”, marks the last day of events, and ends with the dethronement of King Puck. A larger-than-life puppet of the king is paraded out of town, and the goat is released back into the Kerry Mountains. For his last moments as king, Puck sits on the same lofty parade float, which travels from the town plaza across the River Laune Bridge and to the fishery, which acts as a border between the town and the mountain range. The goat catchers then lead the puck back home. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)

Kim Kardashian cancel trip to India due to visa issues


Kim Kardashian is forced to cancel her trip to India due to "visa issues," local media reports. The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star was expected to make an appearance on "Bigg Boss", India's version of "Big Brother", on Saturday, November 29 but she sadly had to ax the plan.

"To all my wonderful fans in India, I'm so disappointed I wasn't able to come to India as planned. When the opportunity presented itself to make the trip, there was a short window to coordinate all of the elements necessary to make it happen. Unfortunately, time ran out so the trip has been canceled. I look forward to rescheduling and meeting everyone soon," she said in an Instagram post on Thursday, November 20.

A source has shared more info in regards to the cancellation. "Kim had to go to Dubai from India, but as per visa rules she had to appear at the consulate office in Mumbai as she was coming from a foreign country and heading to another foreign country," the source told Hindustan Times. "Unfortunately, her schedule is too tight and she would have been left with no time if she had squeezed in a visit to the consulate. She had to therefore cancel her India trip as she had a lot of commitments in Dubai."

Kanye West's significant other has been busy promoting her new fragrance "Fleur Fatale" in Australia and is now already in Dubai. "Words can't describe how grateful I am to be back in Dubai. I love it here so much!" she shared in an Instagram post.

19 Nov 2014

Louis Van Gaal supports Germany in winning Ballon d'Or

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal insists that this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or winner should not be Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but should come from the victorious Germany side that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil this summer.
Ronaldo and Messi are favourites for the prize -- having picked up the last five between them; Messi picking up four and Ronaldo winning in 2013 -- but there are also the likes of Angel Di Maria, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale to consider.
However, German stars Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gotze are also all nominated on the 23-man FIFA shortlist, but Van Gaal insists that one should walk away with the prize.
"You always have to win something and the best thing to win is the World Championship," Van Gaal told MUTV. "I hope it shall be a German player because they deserve it.
"In Germany, the level of the matches in the Bundesliga is also very high."

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