• Uncategorized

    RuPaul speaks about society and the state of drag as performance art

    Saturday, October 6, 2007 Few artists ever penetrate the subconscious level of American culture the way RuPaul Andre Charles did with the 1993 album Supermodel of the World. It was groundbreaking not only because in the midst of the Grunge phenomenon did Charles have a dance hit on MTV, but because he did it as RuPaul, formerly known as Starbooty, a supermodel drag queen with a message: love everyone. A duet with Elton John, an endorsement deal with MAC cosmetics, an eponymous talk show on VH-1 and roles in film propelled RuPaul into the new millennium. In July, RuPaul’s movie Starrbooty began playing at film festivals and it is set…

  • Uncategorized

    Wikinews interviews specialists on China, Iran, Russia support for al-Assad

    Monday, September 23, 2013 Over the past week, diplomatic actions have averted — or, at least delayed — military strikes on Syria by the United States. Wikinews sought input from a range of international experts on the situation; and, the tensions caused by Russia’s support for the al-Assad regime despite its apparent use of chemical weapons. Contents 1 Interviewees 2 Wikinews Q&A 2.1 China 2.2 Iran 2.3 Russia 3 Related news File:Ghouta chemical attack map.svg Tensions in the country increased dramatically, late August when it was reported between 100 and 1,300 people were killed in an alleged chemical attack. Many of those killed appeared to be children, with some of…

  • Uncategorized

    SEPTA buys rail cars from NJ Transit to deal with crowding

    Tuesday, July 29, 2008 As gas prices have risen in the United States, the regional transport authority for southeastern Pennsylvania, SEPTA, has seen a sharp increase in ridership, which has caused overcrowding on the trains. “As fuel prices have continued to rise, SEPTA ridership has steadily increased and is the highest in 18 years,” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey. Monthly ridership was 22 percent higher last month than a year ago. “They have crushed loads on their rail lines, already where people are standing, and there’s not enough seats,” said Rich Bickel, the director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. “At peak times some railcars are standing room…

  • Uncategorized

    U.S. automaker GM plans to close 1,100 dealerships

    Friday, May 15, 2009 American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) announced plans Friday to shut down about 1,100 of its dealerships, in an effort to evade bankruptcy and lower its expenditures. GM’s move comes a day after Chrysler, another U.S. car maker, released a list of 789 dealerships that it was closing. Unlike Chrylser, GM will not publicly announce the dealerships that it intends to shut down. Instead, dealerships whose franchises won’t be renewed after October of next year will receive a private letter telling them of the decision. At the moment, GM has 6,246 dealers in the U.S. It intends to reduce that number to 3,605 by the end…

  • Uncategorized

    Business Brief for December 14, 2005

    Wednesday, December 14, 2005 These are short blurbs about current events in the business world. Contents 1 A World Bank lead economist speaks on Bird Flu 1.1 Sources 2 Gold prices drop 2.1 Sources

  • Uncategorized

    Wikinews interviews Frank McEnulty, independent candidate for US President

    Saturday, February 16, 2008 While nearly all cover of the 2008 Presidential election has focused on the Democratic and Republican candidates, there are small political parties offering candidates, and those who choose to run without a party behind them, independents. Wikinews is interviewing some of these citizens who are looking to become the 43rd person elected to serve their nation from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. First off is Long Beach, California’s Frank McEnulty (b. 1956), a married father of two with an MBA (Venture Management) and BS (Accounting/Finance).

  • Uncategorized

    Aussies ignore flag ban at Big Day Out festival

    Friday, January 26, 2007 Despite pleas from Big Day Out promoters to leave the national flag of Australia at home, many of the 55,000 music lovers have turned up to the Sydney event covered in it. Co-promoter Ken West caused a stir when the flag was “banned” from this year’s Big Day Out in Sydney after organisers branded it a “gang colour” and symbol of hate. Organizers of the rock festival had planned to confiscate any flag or bandanna bearing the national symbol at the gate. The organizers defended their action claiming Sydney was “a hot bed of racism.” They had already moved the event from the traditional time, Australia…

  • Uncategorized

    Florida man charged with stealing Wi-Fi

    Update since publication This article mentions that Wi-Fi stands for “Wireless Fidelity”, although this is disputed. Thursday, July 7, 2005 A Florida man is being charged with 3rd degree felony for logging into a private Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) Internet access point without permission. Benjamin Smith III, 41, is set for a pre-trial hearing this month in the first case of its kind in the United States. This kind of activity occurs frequently, but often goes undetected by the owners of these wireless access points (WAPs). Unauthorized users range from casual Web browsers, to users sending e-mails, to users involved in pornography or even illegal endeavours. According to Richard Dinon, owner…

  • Uncategorized

    Canada approves revision to previously anti-competitive broadcaster acquisition

    Monday, July 1, 2013 Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE)’s most recent bid to buy Astral Media’s television and radio services for CAD$3.4 billion has been approved on Thursday by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Canadian regulatory body which supervises broadcasting and telecommunications. The CRTC rejected BCE’s initial bid for Astral in October, citing concerns over market competition. According to Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the CRTC, BCE’s most recent bid protects Canadians’ interests because BCE will have to invest in new Canadian programming to the tune of $246.9 million in addition to selling almost two dozen of Astral’s services. HAVE YOUR SAY Do you think this decision really protects…

  • Uncategorized

    Cocaine found in frozen mango puree shipped to Montréal, Canada

    Wednesday, June 20, 2007 The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced Tuesday that they had seized approximately 160 kilograms of cocaine discovered in buckets of frozen mango puree imported from Mexico. Investigations led the police to a shipping container destined for the Port of Montréal, in the Canadian province of Québec. A CBSA officer at the Container Examination Centre in Montréal identified the suspect container. The drug was found in brick-shaped plastic wrapping of about 4 kilograms in weight each. There were 1,200 buckets of frozen mango puree in the shipment, not all with cocaine inside. RCMP Sgt. André Potvin told reporters that…