themovingsale.net

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Recently, Finnish open-source video game developer Perttu Ahola discussed Minetest, his “longest ever project”, with Wikinews.

Started in October 2010, Minetest was an attempt by Ahola to create a sandbox game similar to Minecraft. Minecraft is a multi-platform commercial game, which was in alpha version when Ahola challenged himself to create something similar to it from scratch, he told Wikinews.

Minetest is an open-source game, which is free for anyone to download and play. It is written in the C++ programming language, and the source code is available on code-hosting site GitHub. According to Ahola, Minetest attempts to run on older hardware, with limited graphics, but to be accessible to more people: those who have outdated technology, and making it available for no cost. Minecraft, on the other hand, is a paid game, currently costing USD 26.95 for its computer version. Minecraft is currently owned by Microsoft, and performs poorly on older hardware.

A correspondent from French Wikinews contacted Perttu Ahola via Internet Relay Chat a few weeks ago, discussing Minecraft. This interview is built on top of the previous interview, as we take a deeper dive into knowing more about this free game which is about to turn ten years old in a few months.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Greenpeace activists have scaled the house of Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and then mounted 60 square feet of solar panels on the roof.

The four men and four women were highlighting what they believe is Prescott’s failure to make new houses, for which he has responsibility, more energy efficient.

After putting the solar panels up, they unfurled a large banner which read Oi 2 Jags! Hit targets, not voters.

John Prescott’s wife was alone in the house when the protesters climbed the building. She was reportedly awoken by their noise.

One protester, Laura Yates, 27, said, “The Deputy PM’s got a reputation for straight-talking,” she said from the roof, “but since the election kicked off we’ve heard barely a squeak about climate change from big hitters like him. As long as the average existing British house is responsible for six tonnes of CO2 every year he’s not dealing with the climate crisis. He’s in danger of hitting more voters than climate targets. Whoever wins on May 5th needs to get serious about energy efficiency.”

Speaking from the roof by mobile phone, she told Reuters, “It’s a major contributor to the climate change problem and Prescott could do something about this, particularly with the millions of new homes that are going to be built in Britain over the next years,” she said.

“He’s overseeing this house building programme and he should be ensuring that every one of these new homes is built to zero emissions standards,” she added.

The protesters climbed down at 2.50pm and were promptly arrested by local police for “harassment of a person in a dwelling”. The police then handcuffed them before taking them away in a van. The protesters left the solar panels by the door of the house, offering to come back and install the panels at a later date.

A police officer emphasised to BBC News that the distress of the event had been immense for Mrs Prescott: “It’s not pleasant to be invaded in the privacy of your own home and it is being treated seriously. She’s very distressed but she’s pleased with the happy outcome.”

John Prescott is currently touring the country as part of Labour’s General Election 2005 campaign. Speaking from Gloucester, he told BBC News 24, “It’s now clearly a publicity stunt and it terrorised my wife in the early hours in the morning to see all those men scrambling over the building. [Mrs Prescott] did not know who they were. It’s deplorable and unacceptable even for a publicity stunt.”

The protesters were challenged by the armed police officers who guard Mr Prescott’s home, but reportedly the officers withdrew when they realised it was a peaceful protest.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Thai-Japanese Bangkok Youth Center, Bangkok —Wikinews interviewed Caitlin de Wit, of the Australia women’s national wheelchair basketball team, known as the Gliders. The Gliders are in Bangkok, Thailand, for the Asia–Oceania Zone Wheelchair Basketball Championships, which are being held at the Thai-Japanese Bangkok Youth Center. Wikinews caught up with her on Tuesday, before the Gliders’ match against China.

((Wikinews)) Where were you born?

Caitlin de Wit: In Cape Town in South Africa.

((WN)) When did you come to Australia?

Caitlin de Wit: When I was six.

((WN)) And then you moved to whereabouts?

Caitlin de Wit: And I grew up on the Central Coast.

((WN)) A I believe you had a horse riding accident?

Caitlin de Wit: I had a horse riding accident in Wagga.

((WN)) What sort of horse riding were you doing?

Caitlin de Wit: I was just riding with friends. We were just like out on a ride.

((WN)) And you fell off.

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah.

((WN)) And you were at uni[versity] at the time?

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah, I was at uni in Wagga and that’s where I had my accident. And I went obviously to hospital for a little while and rehab and then I moved back to Wagga to finish my degree.

((WN)) What was the degree in?

Caitlin de Wit: Equine studies. Horses.

((WN)) And you played sport before then?

Caitlin de Wit: I ran a little bit, and I rode horses. They were my sports. And then in my first year of uni I started soccer. That was my first team sport that I played.

((WN)) So what made you take up basketball?

Caitlin de Wit: I suppose when I lefty hospital I was a bit bored. I wanted something to do. Keep me fit and occupied. So.

((WN)) So which team did you join?

Caitlin de Wit: I just joined the local Wagga team.

((WN)) There’s a local Wagga team?

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah, there was. I don’t know if its still there. And then I joined… and then Sarah Stewart saw me at a juniors’ camp. And I joined what was then the Hills Hornets in the women’s league.

((WN)) So you played with the Hills Hornets.

Caitlin de Wit: mmm hmm

((WN)) And when was that?

Caitlin de Wit: My first season was 2007.

((WN)) Did they win the championships that year?

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah.

((WN)) They won for a series of years straight…

Caitlin de Wit: They won straight up until 2011. We had one win as the Flames.

((WN)) And you joined the junior Australian women’s team?

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah, the under 25s.

((WN)) And where did you go with them?

Caitlin de Wit: We went to Canada for the under 25 World Championships.

((WN)) When was that?

Caitlin de Wit: 2011.

((WN)) And you’re still playing with the Flames in Sydney. And you played for the Gliders at the Osaka Cup?

Caitlin de Wit: Yep.

((WN)) And that was in January this year?

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah. February maybe? January-February?

((WN)) And that was your first trip overseas with the senior side

Caitlin de Wit: Yes.

((WN)) And now this is therefore your second trip with the Gliders?

Caitlin de Wit: Yes.

((WN)) Been overseas much before then?

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah. Been overseas a little bit. Not with basketball.

((WN)) Being from South Africa.

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah. My family traveled a little bit as a kid, so… yeah.

((WN)) Have you played anywhere overseas with any other teams?

Caitlin de Wit: No.

((WN)) So how are you enjoying it here in Bangkok?

Caitlin de Wit: Good. It’s been a really great experience.

((WN)) I keep worrying about whether they are going to blockade the airport when we need to get out of here.

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah, it should be fine.

((WN)) Okay, so enjoy it!

Caitlin de Wit: Yeah!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

International leaders have issued Christmas time messages:

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Two people have been killed and 47 people have been injured as the result of a coach crash in Cornwall, England. The vehicle, which was carrying 48 passengers as well as the driver, were travelling back from a journey to the village of Mousehole to see Christmas lights. The accident occurred at 2215 GMT yesterday in the village of Townshend, not far from the town of Hayle. Road conditions at the time were icy, which may explain why the accident occurred. The first police car that arrived at the scene lost control on the icy road and crashed into the already overturned coach. The two officers in the car were uninjured, however the earlier crash had caused the deaths of two women. One of them died at the scene of the accident and the other was later killed as a result of the injuries suffered. 47 people were injured, five of them seriously.

The sequence of events that is believed to have happened, according to Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is that the coach went off the road, collided with a tree, going through a hedge before finally overturning, causing the vehicle to end up on its side. 60-year-old Ann Ellis, who comes from the village of Illogan in Cornwall, was physically involved in the crash. Desribing her experience of this incident, she said: “All I can remember is a big bang and we just went over. I got trapped under somebody else and there was someone on top of me. It was difficult to breathe but two gentlemen dragged me out. I was shaken, really shaken. I think we all were. It was horrific.”

Derek Smith, lives near where the accident occurred. He said that “[w]e were just going to bed when we heard a knock on the kitchen door. She was covered in mud and had no shoes or socks on and was shaking as she stood there. I could hear this commotion going on.

She said to ring the police and ambulance as their coach had turned over and there were 50 people in it and some of them were injured. My wife rang 999 and the lady was in a real panic. We gave her some socks and boots straightaway because she was freezing as she had nothing on her feet.”

75-year-old Charles Parker, who is living in St. Agnes in the county, was also injured in the accident, suffering injuries to his leg and his head. “The roads were so icy,” he explained. “I heard a cracking noise and all of a sudden we had turned over. I remember later being helped out of the coach through a window. We were close to a house and they took most of the people in there. Then helicopters turned up. It was very frightening.”

Inspector Matthew Shaw, who comes from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, explained “[i]t seems from initial investigations that the coach has slipped on ice. The road is covered in a sheet of ice, it’s treacherous, it’s difficult to even walk down there.” The amount of time taken to transport the injured passengers to a hospital was four hours.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Speaking in Washington Tuesday at the conclusion of the China-U.S. trade summit, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi warned the U.S. not to pursue a ‘blame game’ in continued trade negotiations. “We should not easily blame the other side for our own domestic problems,” Wu said, speaking through an interpreter. “Confrontation does no good at all to problem-solving.”

The valuation of the Chinese Yuan has been closely tied to the U.S. Dollar for years. Critics charge that this resulted in a relatively low value, making Chinese goods cheaper in the U.S., contributing to the current trade imbalance that favours China.

Although the Chinese government expanded the band in which the Yuan can float (relative to the U.S. Dollar) from 0.3 percent to 0.5 percent last Friday, critics say the measure doesn’t go far enough to address the U.S. trade deficit. Members of the U.S. Congress have blamed China’s policy of currency manipulation for the rising trade imbalance and a 16 percent drop in manufacturing jobs since 2000. In 2006, U.S. imports from China exceeded exports by US$232.5 billion, almost one third of the total trade deficit of US$765.3 billion.

In April, the U.S. Department of Commerce filed a WTO piracy complaint against China. Subsequently, China has agreed to talks and has issued some internal guidelines to address the issue. Wu said that both sides should “firmly oppose trade protectionism.” She said that any effort to “politicize” the economic relationship between the two nations would be “absolutely unacceptable.”

“The Chinese government will agree to U.S. demands” on piracy, predicted Albert Louie, in April, about the upcoming talks. Louie is the managing partner of A. Louie Associates, an anti-piracy company in based in China. “There is no question the government wants to crack down on counterfeiters. What remains in question is the consistency of enforcement,” he added.

The U.S. delegation also highlighted food safety as a concern with imports from China. The example of melamine-tainted pet food ingredients imported from China recently was used as an example of weak health and environmental controls in China. U.S. trade delegate Susan Schwab said the issue of food safety was raised by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt. “This is not necessarily reflective of more protectionism or anti-Chinese sentiment, but rather that there are concerns there and we need to be responsive,” said Schwab.

It is hoped that breakthroughs will be reached on issues such as U.S. complaints of high Chinese import duties on U.S. energy technology products and the restriction on U.S. airline flights to China.

In the US Congress, a number of potential bills that would impose trade restrictions on China, are being pursued. Recently, a trade panel voted to impose a 44.3 percent tariff on polyester imports. Meanwhile, the Bush administration increased duties on certain types of glossy paper from China. A bill imposing 27 percent tariff on all Chinese goods has been proposed in Congress but hasn’t yet passed.

“The frustration that I and many of my colleagues in the Senate feel is that China is not satisfying its obligations as a member of the WTO and as a major beneficiary of open trade,” wrote Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, in a letter sent to Wu in advance of the summit.