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"There has been no collateral damage, except for a bit."

Expo event proves it's hot stuff
Friday, June 05, 2009, 06:30

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SIX people have been injured after taking part in a fire walk at the city's prestigious Business Week event.

The injuries happened at the Chamber Expo 2009 event, which has been taking place at the KC Stadium this week.

Motivational speaker and behavioural change guru Robert Purfield, a qualified firewalker, was invited by Hull Chamber of Commerce to lead three fire walks.

During the first walk, four people suffered burns, with one of the injured being treated at Hull Royal Infirmary's accident and emergency department.

A further two people suffered blisters, which are classed as second degree burns, according to Mr Purfield.

Twelve people completed the walk without injury.

Mr Purfield said he was sorry people had been injured walking on the coals, that were smouldering at 1,200F, which is 700C.

He claimed if people are in the right state of mind before completing the walk, they are not affected by the heat.

"It is all about self-reliability and understanding yourself. People have to think 'I know it's dangerous and I know I may get hurt and it's totally my decision to do it'.

"I can't decide when people are ready to do it, I can only rely on what people tell me."

Mr Purfield said he saw the injuries of people who took part and spoke to them afterwards.

He said that after seeing the injuries, he decided to undertake the firewalk himself to investigate what had gone wrong. He suffered a blister.

He said: "But I wasn't doing it for the right reasons. I wasn't focused. I was walking across wondering why people had been hurt."

Shaun Gibbons, 24, of SoluTech Systems Limited, Cottingham, who suffered blistering, said: "It was worth every blister. I did it because I thought if I have the belief to do something like that, it would give me the belief to do other things.

"As I walked across I could feel the heat, but nothing bad."

Gemma Way, who also works at the Cottingham firm, successfully completed the walk on Wednesday. She said: "It was empowering. I did it because I want to feel more confident and I think it has given me confidence."

But one person, who called the Mail on behalf of a friend, said: "I think it is terrible. My friend is having trouble walking and is in a lot of pain."

In a press release issued before the Chamber Expo event, Mr Purfield was quoted as saying: "Completing a firewalk is an exciting experience that lifts your spirits and opens your mind to the endless possibilities for achievement in your life – both professional and personal."

Hull Daily Mail brings the lolquotes.

'Poet' is thrown out of art show

Published Date: 12 June 2009
A MAN was thrown out of a college show after reciting explicit poetry in front of female students.
Police were called after the man refused to leave the Cleveland College of Art graduate preview show at Christ Church Art Gallery, Church Square, Hartlepool.

The man had initially been chatting to students and asking if they wanted to hear his poetry at the ticket-only event that showcased work from degree students during the final year on their courses.

But staff were alerted when the his poetry became increasingly bizarre and littered with sexual references and abusive language.

He was asked by exhibitions manager Ed Norton if he had a ticket and was asked to leave the building after he could not produce a ticket.

Police were called and attended the scene, but the man had run off down Church Street by the time they arrived after he was ejected from the venue.

One shocked onlooker Emma Lee, 34, from Ryhill Gardens Hartlepool, said: "The show was really good, people had put in so much hard work and it was a shame that this man caused problems on the night when the artists were celebrating their achievements."

Tricia McKenzie, programme leader at Cleveland College of Art and Design, said: "The incident happened very quickly, early on in the evening and was dealt with professionally and without causing disruption. Ed Norton was extremely professional and I would extend my thanks to him.

"The work put in this year is of an extremely high standard and some of our students will be taking their work to a prestigious exhibition in at the Business Design Centre in London in July. I am very proud of them all."

A spokesman for Hartlepool Borough Council, which runs the Christ Church Art Gallery, said: "A man had entered the event without invitation and was acting very inappropriately.

"He was asked to leave by a member of gallery staff, became verbally abusive and was promptly escorted from the building.

"The incident was over within a couple of minutes and certainly did not spoil what was a marvellous evening."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "It was a minor incident where there was a verbal altercation.

"No offence was committed."

NEWS

google news r.i.p.

anybody know any aggregators as good? people are looking at bing news now cause its laid out the same as the old gn but with no customization, suck

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/100716-002201

btw in my search for a replacement icurrent is probably worth a look, google news still isnt all the way back to normal but they brought back some of the good elements. there's a greasemonkey script that worked pretty well also, basically just like the old format but the font/sizing is kind of weird

Kim Zolciak jogs so hard her bra breaks

There is such a thing as over exercise! Kim Zolciak was getting in some quality time with her hubby, Kroy Biermann, on Monday, when she learned the dangers of pushing too hard. First she documented the run on Snapchat, with one of her daughters holding up the camera and writing, "Relationship goals." After posting a selfie in her black sports bra and leggings, Zolciak wrote, "Sweating bullets." Apparently the heat and the challenge of the workout was too much. The "Don't Be Tardy" star later grabbed the camera in one hand, while clutching her bra to her chest with the other. "My bra broke so I gotta hold it," she said while continuing to jog.

Fox News

i’m not a huge fan of the atlantic usually and this area of media is one i ran decisively away from as kid, but this is a nice piece abt a topic important in the uk as well as the us:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/10/gannett-local-newspaper-hawk-eye-iowa/619847/