Wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton

The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, second in the line of succession to Queen Elizabeth II, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, whilst both were studying at St. Andrews University. Their engagement on 20 October 2010 was announced on 16 November 2010.

The build-up to the wedding and the occasion itself attracted much media attention, with the service being broadcast live around the world, and being compared and contrasted in many ways with the 1981 marriage of William's parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. It was estimated that the wedding would be watched by a global television audience of two billion people.

Much of the attention focused on Middleton's status as a commoner (i.e., not of royal blood or a part of the aristocracy) marrying into royalty. Hours before the service, the Queen conferred the titles Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus upon William. Upon her marriage, Middleton therefore became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, but is not styled as 'Princess Catherine'.

As William was not the heir-apparent to the throne, the wedding was not a full state occasion and many details were left to the couple themselves to decide, such as much of the the guest list of about 1,900. It was, however, a public holiday in the United Kingdom and featured many ceremonial aspects, including use of the state carriages and roles for the Foot Guards and Household Cavalry. It was attended by most of the Royal Family, as well as many foreign royals, diplomats, and the couple's chosen personal guests.

Middleton wore a white dress with a 270-centimetre (110 in) train, by British designer Sarah Burton, as well as a tiara lent to her by the Queen. Prince William wore the uniform of his honorary rank of Colonel of the Irish Guards. William's best man was his brother, Prince Harry, while the bride's sister, Pippa, acted as her maid of honour. The wedding ceremony began at 11:00 am BST (UTC+1). John Robert Hall, the Dean of Westminster, conducted the service, with Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, conducting the marriage ceremony itself and Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, giving the sermon. A reading was given by the bride's brother, James. After the ceremony, the newly-married couple travelled in procession to Buckingham Palace for the traditional appearance on the balcony and a flypast before crowds assembled in The Mall.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org

Tips to Protect in a Train Accident

Under the state law, a train is considered a common carrier. And being a common carrier, trains are expected to take extreme care of their passengers and in most cases, can be held liable for even the slightest and minor accidents that may occur while passengers are onboard the train.

Train transport is considered as one of the most popular means of transportation in California. The Metrolink, for example, runs 7 line routes with 54 stations and provides about 40,000 commuters in Southern California, including Los Angeles, with fast and reliable transportation daily.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, more than 2500 accidents involving trains were reported in 2006 in California. These resulted in about 172 injuries and 6 deaths in the same year.

Causes of Train Accidents

The Department of Transportation reported that a train accident occurs every ninety minutes in the country which are often caused by violations in inspections and maintenance that resulted to death and injuries.

In general, the causes of train accidents may be grouped into five major categories:

1. human factor
2. track and structure changes
3. equipment failure
4. signal and train control
5. other factors such as weather or natural disasters

However, in a recent five year study, it has been determined that majority of train accidents are caused by human factors or track and structure changes. Similar causes are also blamed for many serious events in recent years involving train collisions or derailments resulting in release of hazardous material, or harm to rail passengers.

Safety Measures While Traveling By Train

Here are guidelines to keep you safe during train travel:

On the Passenger Platform

• Always wait behind the line while standing on the platform. Train stops are brief; board immediately.
• Never run on or toward the station platform.
• Never push or shove the person in front of you while standing in line on the platform.

On Board the Train

• Always hold the handrail when climbing or descending the stairs on board the train.
• Always store your belongings under your seat or on your lap, not in the aisles.
• Collect your belongings and move toward the exit only after your station stop has been announced.
• Avoid making frequent walks inside the train.
• Do not crowd the corridors, aisles, walkways, exit ways, or rest room entrances.
• Train stops are brief; be ready to exit immediately.
• Always secure bicycles with the straps located across from the restrooms on each car. Only two bicycles may be stored at each location.
• Never lean on the doors or hold them open.

At Crossings and Tracks

• Never walk or play along the tracks. It is illegal and could result in serious injury or death.
• Never cross the tracks when the gates are down or when the signal indicates that a train is coming. Flashing lights and ringing bells mean STOP and wait for the train to pass.
• Always cross the tracks at designated locations only.
• Always look both ways and use extreme caution.

Protection In Case of Train Accidents

Train commuters should never assume that a train company will always be responsible for injuries that passengers sustained during accidents. In some instances, you will need the services of Los Angeles train accident attorneys to establish who is at fault in the accident. An attorney who has the experience in handling train accident cases can help you pursue your case and claim recovery from injuries or damages. A knowledgeable train accident attorney will ensure that your rights will be protected during a train accident.

Seek the aid of our highly skilled train accident attorneys and be assured quality legal services. Just log on to our website and our Los Angeles personal injury defenders do promise to help you in obtaining positive resolution for your legal action.

By Manuel S