Britain’s bankers received a double boost yesterday as they celebrated a landmark court victory over unauthorised overdraft fees and saw off the threat of a crackdown on pay.

Consumer groups reacted with dismay as the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the banks in the long-running legal battle over £10 billion in overdraft charges. Millions of customers had hoped to be reimbursed. Instead, the banks can keep the cash.

In addition, the Government’s Walker review stopped short of draconian plans to name hundreds of the highest-paid bankers and dropped or watered down other proposals.

The two judgments will come as relief to Britain’s bankers who feel under siege — resented for taking £1.3 trillion in public money, loans and guarantees and blamed for triggering the longest recession of modern times. MBT shoes  Mbt Sport    discount Mbt shoes  Mbt m walk   Mbt Lami

Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, in which taxpayers have a 43 per cent and 70 per cent stakes respectively, will be two of the biggest beneficiaries of the Supreme Court ruling because each has millions of current account customers.

The surprise ruling ends a test case brought jointly two years ago by the Office of Fair Trading, high street banks and Nationwide Building Society. The OFT had challenged the legality of banks charging up to £35 for a bounced cheque when the administrative cost could be as little as £2.50.

More than one million claims have been put on hold since the case was launched in 2007. A further eight million people are estimated to have paid the charges since July 2001 but not submitted claims for reimbursement.

Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which?, said: “This is a bitter blow for the millions of people who have been patiently waiting to get their bank charges back. Not only does it give banks licence to charge what they like for unauthorised overdrafts, but it could have ramifications for other areas of personal finance.”

The five members of the Supreme Court, the highest court in Britain, ruled unanimously that the charges were not covered by “unfair contract” rules and so were not subject to regulation by the OFT.

Banks had threatened to introduce charges for all current accounts if they could no longer count on the revenue from unauthorised overdraft charges.

The review into bank pay and governance headed by Sir David Walker is published today. Banks will have to disclose the existence of all £1 million pay packages, but the recipients can remain anonymous. The new regime only comes into force for the 2010 calendar year. Many bankers in London are expecting bumper bonuses for this year, payable next spring. These will not be disclosed.

Hope for Heroes Inspires Thousands to Help Too… From VOA. Full story

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Teste de um candidato ao Britains Got Talent… nunca duvide da capacidade de alguém baseado na atividade profissional que a pessoa exerce!

We lived on baked beans and bread – if it wasn’t out of date. Even my Barbie was a hand-me-down.

SHE’S Britain’s hottest girl star with the world at her feet – but once upon a time pop princess Cheryl Cole was a real-life Cinderella with NOTHING.

There was no sign of a fairytale future as she grew up on a tough council estate in Newcastle, one of five children.

Cheryl has revealed how her struggling family were so poor she wore CAST-OFF CLOTHES and played with SECONDHAND TOYS.

“We didn’t have any privileges,” recalled the X Factor judge about to hit No 1 tonight with her own debut solo single Fight For This Love. I remember living on baked beans, eggs and bread – if it wasn’t out of date. If we got a McDonald’s or a Chinese takeaway, oh my God, that was a treat, a luxury, because it was costing my mother a fortune.

“I’d get a Barbie that was four years out of fashion from a girl in the street who didn’t want it any more. And I’d get hand-me-downs from a girl up the road who had everything she wanted. Then she’d be like, ‘Ha ha! Cheryl’s got my jumper on!’ “

Hooked

But today, with everything she ever dreamed of – a glittering career, success on Britain’s top TV show, marriage to ace footballer Ashley Cole – Cheryl unveils her troubled start in life in a new book.

And when, as 19-year-old brunette Cheryl Tweedy, she took that first step to break the mould and grab her place in showbiz she admits she was in a very fragile state – reeling from the drugs death of a close friend and recovering from a destructive relationship with a junkie.

In Girls Aloud’s book, Dreams That Glitter published by Corgi, Cheryl reveals she was so low when she saw the 2002 ad for Popstars: The Rivals she only applied because she felt she had nothing to lose.

“Before the audition I’d been clinically depressed and dangerously underweight,” says Cheryl. 26. “I was having terrible panic attacks and suffered from anxiety, and as a result my appetite went. Any food used to make my stomach churn. I was 5st 11lb at my worst point, like a walking corpse.”

She’d seen the doctor, had counselling and was prescribed anti-depressants.

But when the time came for her to audition, she was still more scared than she’d ever been in her life.

Incredibly, despite her poor health, Cheryl got through and made it to the live finals – fighting for a place in the band which would battle it out with the boy winners for the coveted Christmas No 1.

As the tension mounted over the weeks a nurse on the show had to give Cheryl an anti-hysteria tablet to calm her down.But despite her terror she made it. A week later Girls Aloud were top of the charts with Sound of the Underground.

Then within a month Cheryl’s world came crashing down again. She was charged with a racially-aggravated assault on nightclub toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa in Guildford, Surrey.

Cheryl says she was feeling euphoric, having the time of her life and celebrating her success with champagne. Then she went to the ladies’ and picked up some lollipops. As she reached for some change to pay all hell broke loose.

Cheryl now reveals that as she prepared to fight a court battle to clear her name, she offered to QUIT Girls Aloud to save her four bandmates’ any trouble.

She admits she felt the anxiety creeping back – like her career, and everything she’d aspired and worked for was now at risk. She was desperately conscious that her four colleagues’ lives were also involved so she said she would leave the band if they wanted her to. She did not want to hold them back.

In October 2003 Cheryl was convicted of the assault but cleared of any racial element. Now the star knows the experience, though traumatic, has made her a stronger person.

After moving down to London Cheryl says she was so homesick she cried herself to sleep for two years. She admits feeling completely out of her depth and hated eating out in top places because she couldn’t recognise anything on the menus.

“I remember going to a really posh restaurant – Zilli Fish – with the record company to celebrate getting to No 1,” she says. “I had a goat’s cheese tartlet because I love cheese and it was the only thing I understood on the menu. It was the vilest thing I’d ever tasted!” After a string of hits Cheryl found herself pursued by Chelsea star Ashley Cole.

He told Cheryl that her soccer suitor would be good for her and advised she MUST date him! And Cheryl says she has never looked back. The couple wed in July 2006 but by Christmas 2007 the marriage had hit a troubled patch. Nevertheless Cheryl is no quitter and She and Ashley, 28, worked things out.

“When I said my wedding vows I meant them – for life, for better, for worse,” she explains. “People make mistakes, stuff happens. I believe everyone should be a free spirit. Even in my marriage, Ashley’s a free spirit. I’m not his keeper. I’m not Mrs Perfect, I’ve made mistakes.”

Putting their marriage woes behind them, Cheryl capped an incredible turnaround in her fortunes when she landed the role of judge on X Factor alongside Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh – Girls Aloud’s original mentor.

Crazy

Although she was an instant success, guiding Alexandra Burke to triumph last year, she admits she was terrified when she took up her new role last year – and coming face to face with Louis again.

But Cheryl reveals Louis actually admitted feeling guilty over ditching her and the rest fo the band after their initial success.

Now Cheryl vows she bears no grudges and boasts she is the best equipped judge to know what the contestants are going through.

And the highlight of this year’s show has been her own stunning performance of Fight For This Love last Sunday, watched by 14.8 million viewers.

“I feel very fortunate,” says Cheryl. “But I’ll never take it for granted because I have this thing in the back of my mind that one day I’m going to wake up back in Newcastle and it will all have been a crazy dream.”

Source

Heather Watson becomes the first Briton to claim the US Open girls’ singles title by beating Yana Buchina in straight sets at Flushing Meadows…. From BBC News. Full story

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De cand cu farsa de pe times, lumea a devenit interesata (poate prea interesata) de subiecte de genul, si in ultimele zile am primit o gramada de materiale via messenger care au o legatura fie ea si super indirecta cu subiectul mentionat mai sus. Asadar si prin urmare (grecii fac comertz pe mare), m’am gandit sa fac un post in care sa pun majoritatea materialelor care au in comun un lucru: nu prea au sens. Prin urmare asa deci (este vorba despre greci…XD), lectura placuta:

1. Cornuletz cu lapte

Deci asta e prea de tot…

2. Maneaua Chinezeasca

WTF, or ajuns si in China…e grav…sunt contagiosi.

O stire mai veche, din 7 August daca e sa ma iau dupa data de pe site’ul original.

3. Accused Florida man says his cat downloaded child porn, not him.

Florida law enforcement agents have charged 48-year-old Keith R. Griffin (shown at left) with 10 counts of possession of child pornography after a detective found over a thousand such images on his computer.

In his defense, Mr. Griffin told detectives “he would leave his computer on and his cat would jump on the keyboard. And when he returned there will be strange material downloaded.”

He is jail, with bail set at a quarter million dollars. His cat roams free.

Concluzia: GRIJA LA PISICI!!!

4. foolish pakistani student, mullah katl ud din, breaks electrical door displaying extreme stupidity

I lol’d … NOT. O_o

5. Fate/stay nite intro – lolcat vershun

Daca tot suntem fani anime…lol. XD

6. Emil Boc Poc!

Cam veche faza but…funny. Poor guy, cred ca a durut. XD

7. Cine e cinci?

Incep sa ma simt mandra de media 5 de la chimie…sau mi’a iesit 6? :\

8. Everybody’s free (to watch anime) AMV

Asta e pentru ca suntem fani anime ^^

9. Upgrade Complete: game whose objective is to upgrade the game

Like WTF, cat de dus trebuie sa fii sa creezi un joc al carui scop e sa faci upgrade la joc? o.o Cititi aici, sa in paste’ul de mai jos:

Upgrade Complete is an hilarious Flash-game where the objective is to complete all the upgrades needed to play the game. I haven’t had this much fun since I spent three days downloading a 50GB World of Warcraft “upgrade” that made the game stop running! Better even than spending a week patching Black and White! A wonderful homage to games like Achievement Unlocked.

10. Greg Pritchard – Britain’s Got Talent

Just listen to this dude…pure WTF… am ramas la propriu…

Asta e in semi-finala…face duet singur, wtf…cu putin exercitiu, in cativa ani asta’l intrece pe Vitas.

Oh well, that’s all folks…at least for nao. Va urez multa bafta in continuare at trying to divide by 0, si toate cele (ne)bune, pana data viitoare, lulz.

By Cara Sulieman

FANS failed to show their support for Susan Boyle when a Japanese film crew visited the Britain’s Got Talent star’s hometown of Blackburn today.

Two of SuBo’s biggest fans flew over from the States to meet up with a crew from Japan’s state broadcasters NHK to show them around the West Lothian town.

But they couldn’t find any of the singer’s fans so resorted to giving out badges featuring Susan’s smiling face to bemused passers-by.

Leslie McMillan – who had travelled from New York – said: “We just wanted to see where Susan Boyle was from and what her life was like before she became famous.”

“Remarkable”

The Japanese crew are making a two-part documentary charting the rise to fame of the 48 year-old surprise star.

They had hoped to get a few fans to join them in the town, but weren’t too disappointed with what the poor turn out.

Kanako Hiramoto, the team’s production assistant, said: “The two women here have a remarkable level of support for Susan. They are passionate about her and about the community.

“I think Blackburn is quite a simple town but it has been great because a lot of people are so supportive – it is such a warm community here.

“Susan has made it big in Japan and I think her fame will last for ever. We couldn’t broadcast the show in Japan but many people saw it on YouTube and fell in love with her.”

Marie (left) and Leslie in Blackburn

Leslie McMillan and her husband Des had already travelled to Blackburn in June to see the place where their idol grew up.

But Leslie’s twin sister Marie Brown was unable to come that time so the pair planned another trip.

Leslie said: “It was only after mentioning our travel plans on a fan site that I received a message from NHK, asking if they could accompany us to see some of the sights in Blackburn.

“Just to see how God will take a person who isn’t all perfect and lift them up is inspirational – it gives a lot of people hope.

“We came because we wanted to see where she comes from. It is really important because the community is such a tight community and she has been a part of it for such a long time and they have been with Susan through everything.”

“Quiet life”

And although Marie was following her sister’s lead, it was she who first heard of Susan.

She said: “I was sent the YouTube clip on my email and when I saw it I forwarded it on to all my family and friends because it is so inspirational. I was just blown away by Susan’s voice on her performance.

“We decided to come and experience the place where she was born and grew up and where she lived her quiet life before all this happened.

“People of all faiths are captivated by Susan Boyle. There’s something about her voice and her story that just captures people’s imagination.

“She needs her imperfections, if she was perfect she wouldn’t be so captivating.”

Number one

The crew filmed the two women in Blackburn’s Mill Centre, visiting the post office where hundreds of fan letters were sent in the weeks following Boyle’s appearance on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year.

They then moved on to Susan’s local church before finally going to her house and meeting her former neighbours.

But there was no sign of the singing Scot or her beloved pet cat Pebbles yesterday.

She is gearing up to promote her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, which currently tops the US Amazon album pre-release charts, with an official release due in November.

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

Quite awhile back I had been watching Britain’s Got Talent with Jodi when a string quartet came on the stage. I thought it was going to be horrible, but instead the music was amazing.

Now, I was listening to Pandora the other day at work when this song came on and I wrote it down to remember to look it up later, not entirely sure if it was the same people. I found the song on iTunes, bought it, and a couple minutes later bought the whole album because it is some of the most beautiful violin music I’ve ever heard. It’s so beautiful at times that my eyes actually started watering hardcore the next morning on the way to work.

“How can music be this beautiful?” I wondered as some dude was trying to fly around me on the highway. “Guard your eyes, show him you’re a man.”

And then a story came to mind from a long time ago. My friend Mark Dusseau told me an awesome story. He and his friend had gone to a secular concert and right in the middle of it he turned to his friend who had his hand high in the air. My response was the same as his at the time:

…What?

Mark’s friend explained to him that when he hears the musicality of what’s going on on stage, all he can do is worship.

I guess I’ve been chewing on this story for a year or two now, but this week I have come to finally have a true revelation about it. Because when I listen to this secular, instrumental, violin quartet, it somehow pushes me into worship. The beauty of music and the potential that God has put into it surrounds me when I listen to it and I begin to be amazed by Him.

Milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo assistiram as apresentações de Boyle no programa de TV, e a cantora conquistou fãs famosos como a atriz Demi Moore e a cantora Elaine Paige.

A turnê do Britain’s Got Talent vai ser encerrada na cidade litorânea de Bournemouth no dia 5 de julho.

Até lá, outros 12 shows estão marcados em toda Grã-Bretanha.

Inês diz: GO SUSAN!

This blog is waaay overdue, been so busy which is unusual, well, that and the fact I couldn’t be bothered writing the blog, anyway back to the story, which to be honest is not rather eventful.

Since my blog a surprising revelation occurred on Britain’s Got Talent to the fact that Susan Boyle came second, and Diversity were the ones to take the top spot, to be honest based on the press Susan’s been getting it probably saved her!

Monday – Friday
I found out at college this week that my over-exciting Math’s Test would be next Friday, well the Friday coming from this blog, which is just great, although I’ve done my coursework for Maths so I suppose that’s OK. Although college wise nought much has occurred this week really, probably the first week it hasn’t, although I’ll be getting £60 rather than £30 of EMA as the last week I couldn’t hand in, which can only be good, which reminds me Rob and Ben Hunter, you still owe me money!

Saturday
One problem this week has been the sun, it has been warmer than all my visits the Spain, which seen as Britain is so humid, that is actually a problem, it’s been bluddy terrible, ugh. Another problem is the TV, it’s been absolutely rubbish this weekend, since Britain’s Got Talent ended last week, nought but Big Brother on TV, which is rubbish, no wonder Channel 4 are axing it after this series, never heard of such a pointless TV program, anyway.
Just after tea time, Ben and Grandad (Lee’s nickname) came to the door, which can only mean mayhem which is lead to actually! Scarily the first things they said was “I Love You” in the weirdest voice I’ve ever heard, which was weird to say the least. Anyway it turned out Rob was suppose to be their but like always it never goes quite to plan, but after the weirdest phone call of my life Rob arrived. After discovering he was more or less drunk, we headed off, so here’s the plan, Rob and Grandad head of to TESCO and get some alcoholic beverage, and me and Ben head to Grandad’s house and wait for them, so that’s what we did. One thing I didn’t expect was Rob and Grandad to come back with the drinks and an actual trolley!!! That was err…. new. Anyway, we were kinda stuck what to do then, we had to be a bit more quiet as Grandad’s mum had work or somert tomorrow, so yeh! So we started by using Grandad’s DVD player on a bit of I.T Crowd, but that wasn’t working, and if you looked at the size of the player you wouldn’t be that interested even if you were an IT Crowd fanatic, so that wasn’t working. Rob and Ben went to TESCO again to get some more things, they ended up getting some cakes, oh, and took the trolley back … of course! It turned out no one liked the cake they got, but me and Grandad rather enjoyed a Victoria Sponge we got. But eventually Rob had a random idea to go into Grandad’s cellar which turned out to be a good idea actually. We then decided to, without really Grandad’s say, to redo he’s entire cellar, and we had an idea, to make his cellar into a lads room, a beer room, a room for everything, that maybe overdoing it, but to me it’s perfect. Whilst down their we had quite a few conversations that were rather err… interesting, it’s amazing, the room just makes you want to just, I dunno, it’s weird, just …. yeh even that ??!
So the conversations turned to the Blackpool trip and all that bananza-ness, to be honest based on everything around that trip I’m kinda glad I’m not going, Rob had another “I Love You” argument by text with Beth which Ben (JLC) was quick to respond to, Rob also mentioned how much he liked the way the iPhone texts, which is pretty awesome! Then the randomness lead us to singing, ideas for the cellar including bringing Rob’s TV and PS2 into the room, it even lead to Lee getting out he’s old Pokemon Cards, I mean come on, only the cellar could do that! Then, after that, we then left, obviously!

Mac Pro in a car park!
Just to mention that on Friday, in a car park laying there in the car park was an Apple Mac Pro, just lying there, no one around, I was like, WAAAAT!!!! Anyway, it eventually went, I noticed as I went to chippie later on, which were lovely by the way! Anyway, just thought I’d mention that!

Google Chrome on Mac OSX and Linux
Google not long ago released the final version of the Google Chrome web browser for Windows, but last week released a developer “Alpha” version of the browser for both Mac OSX and Linux, which I tried out! Now, it’s a “Alpha” which means it’s very early in development. If you don’t know what “Alpha” means, it means the first developer version, which may contain a mass amount of bugs, then theirs a “Beta” version which is a public demo, which shouldn’t have too many bugs, then the final release! I must say that to say it’s in such an early state it’s not bad at all, but it’s very early, you can’t download and no plug-ins are available yet, but it looks very promising, better than the Windows version already, which can only be a good thing, work on it Google!

Joker Video Stats
Just to let you know that the recent video we posted “Joker Scene (RKUK Live)” on YouTube has been our most successful video on YouTube fetching 130 views in 4 days. Up the views and check it out here!

Oh, and I’ll be back bloggin on the Apple WWDC 2009 Conference, can’t wait!!!

Anyway, that’s all for now, E-Ya Later

Ben

http://rkukonline.ds4a.com
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Connie Talbot, age 6. So adorable!

დღეიდან პერიოდულად წარმოგიდგენთ, ჩემი აზრით, საუკეთესო ხუთეულებს. რიგით პირველი, ხუთი საუკეთესო ბავშვი მომღერალი:

V ადგილი:
jamia simone nash უნიკალური ხმის პატრონი ზანგი გოგონა. ამ სიმღერაში მას სულ რამოდენიმე ფრაზა აქვს, მაგრამ ყველანი კარგად მიხვდებით რა შესაძლებლობები და მომავალი აქვს ამ პატარას!

IV ადგილი:
David Archuleta ახლა უკვე დიდი ბიჭია და უკვე უამრავი კონკურსიც აქვს მოგებული. მათ შორის ალბათ ყველაზე პრესტიჟული American Idol. იმედია ყველას მოგეწონებათ…

III ადგილი:

Connie Talbot ულამაზესი და უნაზესი ხმის პატრონი ძალიან პატარა გოგონა. რომელმაც უკვე 6 წლის ასაკში მიაღწია უდიდეს პოპულარობას იმით, რომ გახდა ინგლისური სატელევიზიო შოუს Britain’s Got Talent ფინალისტი და ერთ-ერთი გამორჩეული მონაწილე.

II ადგილი:

Charice Pemengco უსაყვარლესი მალაიზიელი გოგონა, რომელსაც შეუძლია შეუცდომლად და უამრავ პროფესიონალზე მეტი ემოციითაც კი იმღეროს ისეთი რთულად შესასრულებელი ჰიტები, როგორებიცაა მაგალითად I Will Always Love You ან And I’m Tellin’ You, I’m Not Going. შეაფასეთ და ნუ დაიშურებთ კომენტარებს

I ადგილი:

უდავოდ იმსაურებს ეს პატარა ადამიანი ჩვენი მხრიდან შექებას და დაფასებას. ის ნამდვილად სცენისთვისაა შექმნილი. ბოლომდე უყურეთ ვიდეოს – ეს ნამდვილი სანახაობაა. ჩვენი ხუთეულის პირველი ადგილი დაიკავა 3 წლის კორეელმა ბავშვმა რომლის სახელიც კი არ ვიცი. შეფასება თქვენზე მომინდვია. გთხოვთ ბოლომდე უყურეთ ვიდეოს., შეიძლება ვერც ვერაფერი გაიგოთ, მაგრამ აუცილებლდ იხალისებთ.

OK SO …. The dancers were great and they deseved to win purely for the fact they are from Essex and everyone has a place n their heart for Essex and Essex boys! Their choreography was amazing and the buzzer set up was great but why did Stavros not win? Whats going on Britain? I feel like marching through the streets protesting!
“Stavros, Stavros!”
I think they should count the votes again!
Fix!
Bloody glad Susan Boyle didnt win, At first I liked her but after her
“this is for you Piersy baby” Booby shaking moment she went down in my estimations!
Poor little holly eh? did anyone actually see any tears the first 2 times she cried in the semi’s? Please dont think I am heartless it just annoyed me a little. Sean was fab, he is gorgeous and he can really sing but it was Britains got talent no pop idol or X factor. If he had been on one of the other shows he night have stood a better chance of winning!
The sax player was beautiful but yet again he became “the nearly man”

WHATS YOUR THOUGHTS? Please let me know.

My closeing thought is they are all very brave for getting up on that stage and exposing their selves to the elements! In my eyes, anyone has the guts to do it is a winner in my eyes!

Mit diesem Auftritt hat die Gruppe “Diversity” das Finale von Britain’s got Talent 2009 gewonnen. Die Favoritin Susan Boyle hat allen Erwartungen entgegen verloren. Unmittelbar nach der Show erlitt sie im Hotel einen Kreislaufkollaps. Wir wünschen ihr gute Besserung…

jangan bilang jago nari kalo belum bisa niru gaya bocah 11 tahun ini. masih di acara Britains Got Talent 2009. KEREN!!!! dia belajar otodidak loh. sang bocah dance prodigy