Banksy Graffiti Offered At US Auction

Banksy graffiti offered at US auction: auction house (via AFP)

Graffiti painted on a gas station wall in Hollywood by British street artist Banksy will be put up for sale at auction in Beverly Hills, Julien's auction house said Tuesday. Titled "Flower Girl," the stencil in black aerosol paint represents a young…

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New York's Classic Film Locations

A few years ago I was in New York on business, and after a morning walking the streets at the height of mid-winter, I stopped in a hotel bar to get a coffee and warm up a bit. The surroundings seemed familiar to me but it wasn’t until I’d left and was almost at my next appointment when I realised why - that was the bar where Luca Brasi meets his maker in The Godfather, one of my favourite movies.

That got me thinking as to which other classic films have been shot in the Big Apple, and whether any of their key locations were still around and recognisable. Over the next few days whenever I had some free time I did a bit of research online, and went looking. Here’s the places I visited while I was there, and next time I go back I’ll find a few more.

Sci-fi Thriller 'Elysium' Tops US Box-Office

Sci-fi thriller 'Elysium' tops US box-office (via AFP)

Science-fiction thriller "Elysium" took top spot in the North American box-office this weekend, beating out competition from raunchy Jennifer Aniston comedy "We're The Millers," estimates showed Sunday. Starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, "Elysium…

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Social Media is Going to School [Infographic]

While some schools are trying to fight the menace of social media by banning smartphones and securing their networks, others are attempting to use social media to improve the educational system. It’s no surprise that many students use social media, but it seems odd that teachers are not making use of this amazing tool.

Weirdest Conventions In The World

People love to have a reason to meet-up and share their eccentric hobbies and interests. Here are some of the weirdest conventions in the world.

Many Elderly Britons Drink Too Much: Study

Many elderly Britons drink too much: study (via AFP)

Many elderly people in Britain are drinking too much alcohol and should be set lower guideline limits, a new study published on Thursday said. Academics said heavy drinking among the over 65s is strongly linked to depression, anxiety and longer term…

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The Hollywood Response To Fracking: What Has These Stars Up In Arms?

Hollywood celebrities are increasingly becoming involved in the debate over the issue of hydrofracking. The process, otherwise known as fracking, is a method of gas extraction that injects high-pressure water, mixed with chemicals, into drilled wells. California and New York are being targeted for drilling.

Many celebrities work and live in affected areas, which means the fracking debate is reaching their backyard. As fracking spreads, cities, towns and states are wrestling with how to preserve precious natural resources in the face of big-money gas energy interests. Celebrities, too, are learning more about the practice and taking a stand, mostly against it. Here’s how they’re making waves against fracking.

Doctor Who: 'Incendiary' Peter Capaldi Is The Twelfth Doctor

'Incendiary' Capaldi is new Doctor Who (via AFP)

Scottish actor Peter Capaldi, best known as the abusive spin doctor in satire "The Thick of It", was on Sunday named as the new eponymous star of cult British series "Doctor Who". The BBC unveiled the 55-year-old Glaswegian as the 12th Time Lord during…

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UK: Fracking Fury Hits Idyllic Village

Fracking fury hits idyllic village (via AFP)

Louisa Delpy had never protested before, but when she heard that shale gas extraction might begin in her leafy part of the English countryside, she was so furious that she took to the streets. The 36-year-old mother went with two friends and a home-…

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Tiny French Village To Become 'Oasis' For Ageing British Gays

Tiny French village to become 'oasis' for ageing British gays (via AFP)

Salleles-d'Aude is a picturesque village like so many in France, with vines, a tree-lined canal, a church... and soon, a "private oasis" for ageing British gay people -- reportedly a first in the country. The brainchild of 66-year-old Danny Silver,…

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Legal Tangles Foil Slovak Jews' Quest For Holocaust justice

Legal tangles foil Slovak Jews' quest for Holocaust justice (via AFP)

For Holocaust survivors and their families in Kosice, a once bustling town in eastern Slovakia turned wartime ghetto, bringing the world's most wanted Nazi collaborator to justice is a slow and painful task. The town's small Jewish community welcomed…

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ThyssenKrupp Patriarch Who Saved Wartime Jews Dies At 99

ThyssenKrupp patriarch who saved wartime Jews dies at 99 (via AFP)

Berthold Beitz, the patriarch of German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp, who saved hundreds of Jews from Nazi persecution, has died aged 99, the company said Wednesday. The industrialist, who died Tuesday, became supervisory board chairman in 1970…

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