Kurt Cobain

h1 style="background-color: #ababab; font-family: verdana; margin-top: 5px;"> This site serves as a tribute to Kurt Donald Cobain, and the mystery surrounding his "suicide note"

Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 - April 5, 1994)

Kurt Cobain was the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the Seattle-based rock band Nirvana. Nirvana served as outlet for millions of people the world over with their music and their passions. The last few years of Kurt Cobain's life were filled with drug addiction and the media pressures surrounding him and his wife Courtney Love.

On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle. His death was ruled by authorities as a suicide by self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head.

The circumstances surrounding Kurt Cobain's death have fueled much analysis and debate. One of the most compelling points surrounding his death was the suicide note that we left.

This site does not take an official stance on the arguments surrounding Kurt Cobain's death, just mearly supplies you with some tools so you can make your own decisions.

The bottom line is that Kurt Cobain's life was cut to short and he will be continue to be missed for generations to come.

source: http://kurtcobainssuicidenote.com/

Kurt Russell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951)[1] is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–64). In the 1970s, he signed a ten-year contract with the Walt Disney Company, where he became, according to Robert Osborne, the "studio's top star of the '70s".[2] In 1979, Russell was nominated for an Emmy Award for the made-for-television film Elvis.

In 1983, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for his performance opposite Meryl Streep in the 1984 film, Silkwood. During the 1980s, Russell was cast in several films by director John Carpenter, including anti-hero roles such as former army hero-turned robber Snake Plissken in the futuristic action film Escape from New York and its sequel, Escape from L.A., Antarctic helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in the horror film The Thing (1982), and truck driver Jack Burton in the dark kung-fu comedy/action film Big Trouble in Little China (1986), all of which have since become cult films.

In 1994, Russell had a starring role in the military science fiction film Stargate. In the mid-2000s, his portrayal of U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks in Miracle (2004) won the praise of critics. In 2006, he appeared in the disaster-thriller Poseidon, and in 2007 Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof segment from the film Grindhouse.

Peru quake

Magnitude 7 Offshore Quake Shakes Peru; No Deaths

LIMA, Peru September 25, 2013 (AP)

By FRANK BAJAK Associated Press

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 centered off Peru's sparsely populated southwestern coast shook much of the nation Wednesday but only minor damage and light injuries were reported.

The shaking broke windows and opened fissures in the walls of some adobe dwellings in the nearest sizeable town, Acari, Mayor Carlos Mejia told the TV station Canal N. He reported no injuries in the mining town of about 4,000 residents.

Sand shaken loose by the quake partially blocked a 1-mile (2-kilometer) section of the Pan-American Highway, said officer Luis Miguel Vizcarra of the highway patrol in the nearby town of Chala.

The Arequipa region's civil defense director, Miguel Alayza, told The Associated Press after nightfall that reports of artisanal miners killed or missing were incorrect.

"There are no deaths and there are no missing," he said. "There are injuries, but they are all minor."

Alayza said by phone that dozens of structures across the region did suffer damage. "This a poor region with a lot of bad construction," he said.

The quake was felt mildly in Lima, 310 miles (500 kilometers) away, and caused swaying in Arequipa, about 170 miles away (300 kilometers). A tsunami warning was not issued.

"Most people felt it, not everyone," Jose Vasquez, deputy director of civil defense in Arequipa, said right after the quake. "It lasted a little bit. It wasn't a big shake, just a release, like the movement of a hammock."

The quake's epicenter was 28 miles (46 kilometers) south of Acari and it hit at 11:42 a.m. local time (1642 GMT) at a depth of 27 miles (46 kilometers), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

source: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/magnitude-68-quake-off-south-peru-coast-20371434

Missing toddler's mom

(CNN) -- The mother of missing Maine toddler Ayla Reynolds on Tuesday disclosed new details about purported blood evidence discovered in the home where the 20-month-old was reported missing December 17, 2011.

Trista Reynolds told CNN that police shared the information with her in confidence last January, but in revealing details of that information now, she says she felt it was time "to let the world know" about it.

"What I thought right off my head was it was a murder scene," Reynolds told CNN in a network exclusive interview, referring to police photographs.

"There was just like Ayla's blood ... everywhere," she added.

Reynolds told CNN she was shown photographs of what appeared to be her daughter's blood discovered on the child's slippers and on a doll in her bedroom, and a silver-dollar-sized stain on a living room sofa.

Mother reveals secret evidence

2012: Who was inside Ayla's house?

2012: Blood found in home of Ayla's dad

2012: Ayla mystery deepens

In the basement, where Ayla's father, Justin DiPietro, slept, Reynolds says police allegedly found more of Ayla's blood and on the walls, the floor, in a "fist-sized stain" on the mattress and sheets, on the tongue of DiPietro's sneakers and on a wood pallet leaning against a wall.

An additional spot of what appeared to be Ayla's blood was found on a child's car seat in DiPietro's vehicle.

Reynolds police showed her some photographs of purported blood stains visible in the photos only because of chemical called luminal.

She said those images in particular were so disturbing, she could bear to see only a few.

"I had to actually... I shut it off. I asked them to stop. And there were three or four more pictures that they wanted to show me, and I just...I...I couldn't," she told CNN, her voice trailing off.

Publicly, Maine State Police investigators said in January 2012, that they had identified Ayla's blood in the basement, describing it as "more...than a small cut would produce."

According to Ayla's mother, she is making the disclosures in frustration that her daughter hasn't been found, and she wants three adults who were in the home when Ayla vanished -- the child's father, his girlfriend, and his sister -- arrested.

Reynolds posted details of the information police shared with her on her website devoted to her missing daughter.

"All three of those people were in that house that night ... all three of them know what happened to Ayla, and all three of them should be prosecuted for it," Reynolds told CNN.

DiPietro and his family maintain Ayla was abducted.

Is Ayla dead?

Police say there is no evidence of an abduction from the house, which belongs to DiPietro's mother. They've also said they don't think Ayla will be found alive.

Over time, authorities have repeatedly said they believe there was foul play and that the adults who were home that night haven't told everything they know. "I've said it in the past, their versions don't pass the 'straight-face test.' That statement stands," Maine State Police spokesman Steve McCausland recently told CNN.

DiPietro's mother and Ayla's grandmother, Phoebe DiPietro, stands by her son.

"Everyone's standards for what is or isn't believable is different," DiPietro said.

She wouldn't comment on the alleged blood evidence.

"Trista can say and do what she wants," Phoebe DiPietro wrote in a statement provided to CNN.

"We choose to hold on to hope that Ayla will be found, " she added.

McCausland said because of the ongoing investigation, which he describes as the biggest in state history, he won't comment one way or another on Trista Reynolds's disclosures including whether they're accurate or could adversely impact the investigation.

"We understand her frustration. Trista has a right to be frustrated. She is Ayla's mom. At times during the past 21 months we're frustrated too," McCausland explained, "but we remember who we are working for. And we're working for Ayla. And that reinvigorates the investigative team."

Organized by supporters of Ayla's mother, an online petition drive has been mounted urging Maine Attorney General Janet Mills to arrest Ayla's father, his sister, and girlfriend in connection with the toddler's disappearance.

But Deputy Attorney General William Stokes said that is not how investigations are conducted.

"To allow this type of pressure to influence either the investigation or prosecution undermines the integrity of the investigation or any prosecutor's decision in the future, " Stokes tells CNN. "It simply cannot happen."

Items that might be linked to case recovered

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/24/us/ayla-reynolds-missing-toddler/index.html

N.Y. mall shooting

By KATE STANTON, UPI.com

Sang Ho Kim, a 63-year-old contractor, fired shots in an office building near East Garden City's Roosevelt Field Mall Wednesday, killing one employee and critically injuring his boss, authorities said.
The shootings kicked off a manhunt for Kim -- described as a "disgruntled contractor" -- who had been working as a vendor for lighting company Savenergy. He reportedly fled the scene in a white Honda pilot with New York plate number FMA 3648.
"At this point and time we believe that this suspect is armed and very dangerous," Nassau County Police Chief of Department Steven Skrynecki told reporters. "Right now we are involved in a very massive hunt for this individual."
Skrynecki said the gunman appeared to be targeting his business associates over a "bad business deal."
"There was some disgruntlement between him and the company that he was attacking," he added.
Nearby schools, including Nassau County Community College and Hofstra University, are no longer on lockdown, though no one is currently allowed to enter the mall.
"We're very confident he's not in this immediate area now," police said.

source: http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/09/25/NY-mall-shooting-Police-ID-gunman-in-work-related-shooting-on-Long-Island/6731380147384/

Message to Miley

Okay you're hurting. Okay you're in pain. Okay you're experiencing something that people do not have the right to judge. But does it give you the fucking permission to behave dirty like you already are? Does it justify the fact that you go around naked and looking desperate than you already are? Does it absolve you from all the offenses you keep committing against those who hold there values dear? Surely you can feel all the emotions if you can't help it, but does it have to be as bad and murky as you show it to be? Look at yourself in the mirror, you look desperate. You look miserable. It's no surprise that your fiance cannot even take you seriously. You think you deserve some respect? You cannot even spare just a bit of it for yourself. The world doesn't owe you anything, girl. You owe a lot of things to the world, to the youth, to the ones listening to your songs, to the ones watching you on stage, to your family, your children someday. Listen up. It's your life you're wrecking. 

Why Did Miley Cyrus Cry During Her iHeartRadio Afternoon Concert?

photo: Denise Truscello/Getty Images
There's a lot of truth to Miley Cyrus's single "We Can't Be Stopped." She's no quitter.

The singer is sticking to her guns, despite the backlash over her controversial Video Music Awardsperformance and recently incorporating dwarves into her show, and headlines over her breakup with "Hunger Games" actor Liam Hemsworth. 

Things were bittersweet Saturday afternoon at the iHeartRadio Music Festival Village, an outdoor event leading up to the night's main concert, when she performed her song "Wrecking Ball" for the first time. Cyrus is expected to reprise the hit when she joins Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney and others tonight for the festival's finale at the MGM Grand Arena.

Watch the entire show live on Yahoo. The pre-show begins at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.

Though she thanked the audience for making the song her first No. 1 record, the lyrics about coping with the demise of a relationship seemed to strike a chord, just days after she confirmed her split with Hemsworth. This was her first performance since the announcement.

Cyrus was teary eyed as she finished the song and her mascara was visibly smeared. Still, she appeared resilient.

While the likes of Pink, Cher and Elton John have voiced their concerns about her wild stage antics, Cyrus wore another skimpy outfit at the event. The white bikini bottoms and matching corset were just slightly less revealing than her VMA costume.

Criticisms of her use of dwarves during an appearance on the German TV show "Schlag Den Raab" didn't stop Cyrus from featuring little people in her iHeartRadio set. Two female dancers dressed in halter-tops and shorts twerked alongside her while others wore mushroom costumes.

Cyrus defended herself before performing a cover of Melanie Safka's "Look What They've Done To My Song."

"As you know there are always things that I'm doing that are getting me into trouble," she said. "Really, it's just me doing what my heart and my soul [are] telling me to do. And it's all inspired by my music."

It's fair to consider this teaser show as a good warmup for what she has in store for Saturday night, the second day of the iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Aside from Cyrus, there are plenty more good reasons to watch the live stream.

Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Drake, Zedd, Tim McGraw, Maroon 5, Phoenix and Thirty Seconds to Mars will perform, and there will also be an interesting pairing.

Ke$ha will be joined by Joan Jett. Last year, the rapping, pop princess referenced Jett's "I Love Rock And Roll" in her single "C'mon."

Britney Spears will be introducing an artist. Might the pop queen who just released her song "Work B-tch" perform?

We will find out soon enough.

Al Qaeda-linked Islamists hold hostages at Kenya mall after killing 39

This is really so scary and depressing to think this world is getting worse. How could these men not think of house precious life is? What does God think and feel looking at these horrific events plaguing the society these days? Why is there so much suffering? Why are there too many thugs and criminals around us? Why can't there be more good guys to create change and make a difference? Why is there too much evil in the world? I am just so robbed of hope seeing these sort of news these days. 

 



By Duncan Miriri and James Macharia

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan security forces were locked in a standoff on Sunday with gunmen who killed at least 39 people in an assault at an upmarket shopping mall in Nairobi, where the al Qaeda-linked militants were holding an unknown number of hostages.

The Somali Islamist group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack on the Kenyan capital's Westgate mall, which is frequented by Westerners as well as Kenyans. Several foreigners, including a Canadian diplomat, were among the dead.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said more than 39 people had been killed, among them close members of his own family. A senior government official said on his Twitter feed that more than 300 people had been wounded. The dead included children, and the wounded ranged in age from 2 to 78.

France said two of its citizens had been killed, and Canada said two Canadians had died, including a 29-year-old diplomat.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there were no Americans among the dead but that several U.S. citizens had been hurt and the wife of a U.S. diplomat working for the U.S. Agency for International Development was killed.

Police said the attackers were holding an unknown number of people on Sunday and the standoff was focused on the mall's Nakumatt supermarket, one of Kenya's biggest chains.

Kenyatta said the security forces were engaged in a "delicate operation," with the top priority being to safeguard the lives of people being held.

Al Shabaab, which has links to al Qaeda and is battling Kenyan and other African peacekeepers in Somalia, had repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of the Horn of Africa country.

The group appeared to taunt the security forces, saying on its official Twitter handle @HSM_Press that there would be no negotiations whatsoever with Kenyan officials over the standoff.

"10 hours have passed and the Mujahideen are still strong inside #Westgate Mall and still holding their ground. All praise is due to Allah!", the group said.

The raid presents Kenyatta with his first major security challenge since a March election victory. He has vowed to defeat the militants who have said it is time to shift the war to Kenyan soil.
"We have overcome terrorist attacks before," he said.

The assault has been the biggest single attack in Kenya since al Qaeda's East Africa cell bombed the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi in 1998, killing more than 200 people. In 2002, the same militant cell attacked an Israeli-owned hotel on the coast and tried to shoot down an Israeli jet in a coordinated attack.

U.S. OFFERS HELP

Kerry said the United States had offered assistance to the Kenyan government.

"The perpetrators of this heinous act must be brought to justice, and we have offered our full support to the Kenyan Government to do so," he said in his statement.

Relatives of hostages thought still to be trapped inside the mall were keeping vigil in a nearby Hindu center, waiting for the next move by the security forces.

Kevin Jamal said his sister was taken hostage while shopping at the mall, and he had been waiting for more than six hours.

"I want her to come out alive," Jamal told Reuters as he joined Kenya Red Cross Society volunteers for a meal of hot curry and chips served by the center.

He said the Kenyan security agencies could have done better, saying, "They should not allow themselves to be outmaneuvered by less than 20 people."

Police said it was not clear how many attackers they were dealing with, and those rescued said at least one of the attackers was a woman. One of the attackers had been shot and arrested, but died shortly afterwards at a hospital.

A fierce gun battle erupted between the police and the militants after Saturday's initial assault. The shooting continued hours after the first attack and soldiers then managed to enter the building, hunting for the attackers shop by shop.

Witnesses said the attackers were armed with AK-47 rifles and wore ammunition belts.
Police said the attack occurred during a children's cooking competition hosted by a radio station at the mall, just as the winners were about to receive prizes.

There was a lull in activity in the hours after midnight. Troops were milling around at the mall, near two armored personnel carriers and two big fire trucks, one with a long, extendable ladder.

Music was still playing and a video screen was on at a gourmet burger shop. Journalists and curious bystanders were moved out of the mall onto a side road.

Kenya sent its troops into Somalia in October 2011 to pursue the militants it blamed for kidnapping tourists and attacking its security forces.

The major attack on a mall that draws tourists, expatriates and Kenya's wealthy elite risks hammering an already struggling tourism sector in Kenya and could puncture Kenyatta's plans to boost East Africa's biggest economy's reputation as a sound investment destination.

Al Shabaab's last big attack outside Somalia was a twin attack in neighboring Uganda, targeting people watching the World Cup final on television in Kampala in June 2010. Seventy-nine people died.

(Additional reporting by Edmund Blair; Writing by James Macharia and David Brunnstrom; Eiting by David Brunnstrom)

Amanda Knox

American Amanda Knox will not return to Italy for a retrial in the 2007 death of her British roommate, a spokesman for the Knox family said.



David Marriott said Knox had never agreed to attend, and there's "no requirement she be there." Still, there remains the possibility that Italy could request her extradition from the United States.

In an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo in May, Knox said she "didn't know" whether she'd return.
"It's a really complicated question," Knox said. "I mean, I'm afraid to go back there. I don't want to go back into prison."

Knox spent several years behind bars in Italy, after she was convicted in 2009 of murdering 21-year old British exchange student Meredith Kercher.
Kercher was found stabbed to death in November 2007 in the villa she rented with Knox, then 20, in the central Italian university town of Perugia.
The convictions of Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were overturned in 2011 for "lack of evidence."

After her acquittal, Knox returned to her hometown of Seattle, Washington, where she has been living since.
Italians ask: Can Americans get away with murder?

Italy's Supreme Court decided last year to retry the case, saying the jury that acquitted Knox didn't consider all the evidence, and that discrepancies in testimony needed to be answered.

The high court also said evidence could support prosecutors' initial argument -- that Kercher was killed in a twisted sex misadventure game, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

Knox says such claims were "a bombardment of falsehood and fantasy."
Timeline of the murder case

"No one has ever claimed that I was ever taking part in deviant sexual activity. None of my roommates, none of my friends, none of the people who knew me there. This is simply coming out of the prosecution," she told CNN in May. "I was not strapping on leather and bearing a whip. I have never done that. I have never taken part in an orgy. Ever."

Knox and Sollecito's retrial, which is expected to start this fall, should examine discrepancies in testimony, the high court said. These include differing witness accounts of when screaming could be heard from the home, ANSA reported.

Knox may be ordered to return to Italy for the retrial. If she refuses, the Italian government could appeal to the United States for her extradition. But even if it does, it's not clear whether the United States would extradite Knox.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/24/world/europe/amanda-knox-italy-trial/index.html

850 snakes

 An animal control officer on disability kept 850 snakes, including two 6-foot Burmese pythons, while running an illegal snake business out of his suburban New York home, according to authorities who made the discovery on Thursday.

Richard Parrinello, of Brookhaven, New York, kept the snakes in his detached garage, all neatly stacked in containers and at the right temperature, according to Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA.




 Burmese pythons are illegal in New York, and Parrinello's were taken from the house to a reptile sanctuary in Massachusetts while the rest of the snakes are still in his garage, according to Jack Krieger, communications director for the Town of Brookhaven on Long Island.

Gross said all the snakes appeared to be in good health and there was no animal abuse or neglect.
"It was a well-maintained facility, it was very clean and organized, it was a business," Krieger said.
By the numbers: Pets

Parrinello kept an online website, "Snakeman's Exotics," which advertised a collection of pythons, boa constrictors and hognose snakes available for sale both domestically and internationally.

After weeks of investigation into alleged workers compensation fraud, the town of Brookhaven, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Suffolk County Police and the SPCA executed a search warrant in Parrinello's home, where he lives with his wife and 10-year-old son, according to a news release from Brookhaven.

Undercover investigators spoke to Parrinello, who claimed to have $500,000 in inventory stored on the premises, including snakes, turtles and turtle eggs, the news release said.

Authorities also say they found a few tarantulas and a couple of freezers with frozen mice and alligator carcasses.

40 pythons seized from Ontario motel room
Krieger said Parrinello wasn't arrested or charged with any criminal activity, but he was running a business out of his residence in a residential area, which is a violation of the town code.

Town Law Department officials are still investigating and will likely issue numerous violations in the coming days.

When reached by telephone, Parrinello declined to comment.

"What makes this case especially egregious is that this individual was allegedly operating this reptile business out of his home, posing an unknown threat to the neighbors of this community," said Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine.

Peter Constantakes, spokesman for the DEC, said Parrinello was interviewed and issued two summonses for possessing wild animals without a permit and for possessing alligator parts without a permit, each one carrying a maximum fine of $250.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has banned the importation of Burmese pythons, along with three other exotic snake species and their eggs.

While the pythons can run to double-digit lengths, University of Florida wildlife ecologist Frank Mazzotti said the average snake runs about 6 to 9 feet. They have no known predators.
Florida tackling python problem with hunting contest

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/19/us/new-york-snakes-home/index.html

Saudi princess

Colleen Curry
By Colleen Curry
Sep 20, 2013 4:52pm
AP meshael alayban jef 130711 16x9 608 Saudi Princess Cleared of Human Trafficking Charge in California
Irvine Police Department/AP Photo

A human trafficking case against a Saudi princess living in California was dropped today after prosecutors said they could not find evidence of any wrongdoing.

Lawyers for Meshael Alayban, 42, applauded the decision by Orange County prosecutors to drop the charges in what they say was a “scam” being run by Alayban’s former maid.

Alayban is a wife of Saudi Arabian Prince Abdulrahman bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz al Saud. She was arrested in July on one count of human trafficking and released on $5 million bond. She had to surrender her passport and wear a GPS tracking device.

Alayban was charged after the maid, a 30-year-old Kenyan woman, alleged that Alayban stole her passport and paid her miniscule wages. Prosecutors said they could not find any evidence of wrongdoing during a hearing in court today, according to the Associated Press.

“The District Attorney made the right call in dismissing this case,” attorney Paul Meyer said in a statement. ” The princess is innocent of human trafficking… The claims were a scam to gain permanent resident status in the United States.”

The maid, whose name has not been released, made the allegations to a stranger on a bus earlier this summer, claiming she worked more than 100 hours a week for less than $220 a month. The maid had signed a contract for 40 hours a week and $1,600 a month.

“No one was overworked or held against her will.  The claims are lies,” Meyer said.
Alayban faced 12 years in prison for the charge.

The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from ABC News.


http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/09/saudi-princess-cleared-of-human-trafficking-charge-in-california/

Cloud computing

Let's say you're an executive at a large corporation. Your particular responsibilities include making sure that all of your employees have the right hardware and software they need to do their jobs. Buying computers for everyone isn't enough -- you also have to purchase software or software licenses to give employees the tools they require. Whenever you have a new hire, you have to buy more software or make sure your current software license allows another user. It's so stressful that you find it difficult to go to sleep on your huge pile of money every night.

 Soon, there may be an alternative for executives like you. Instead of installing a suite of software for each computer, you'd only have to load one application. That application would allow workers to log into a Web-based service which hosts all the programs the user would need for his or her job. Remote machines owned by another company would run everything from e-mail to word processing to complex data analysis programs. It's called cloud computing, and it could change the entire computer industry. In a cloud computing system, there's a significant workload shift. Local computers no longer have to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to running applications. The network of computers that make up the cloud handles them instead. Hardware and software demands on the user's side decrease.

The only thing the user's computer needs to be able to run is the cloud computing system's interface software, which can be as simple as a Web browser, and the cloud's network takes care of the rest. There's a good chance you've already used some form of cloud computing. If you have an e-mail account with a Web-based e-mail service like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or Gmail, then you've had some experience with cloud computing. Instead of running an e-mail program on your computer, you log in to a Web e-mail account remotely. The software and storage for your account doesn't exist on your computer -- it's on the service's computer cloud.

source: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing.htm

iOS 7 download problems

Apple released its operating system update at around 18.00 GMT yesterday. However, thousands of Apple customers immediately took to social media complaining that they were unable to download the software.
In many cases, users reported that the update stopped half way through and they were met with an error message saying: "Software Update Failed." Others said they could connect to the iTunes Store to update apps.

Bill Rancic

Bio
Award-winning personality Bill Rancic hosts the successful nationally-syndicated television show, America Now, and serves as co-executive producer with his wife Giuliana Rancic on the top-rated reality show, Giuliana and Bill. The duo will also share hosting duties for the upcoming NBC prime time program Ready for Love, scheduled to debut in December 2012.

Bill’s unique life experiences as an entrepreneur, best-selling author, television personality and restaurateur of the popular Chicago restaurant RPM-Italian chain have given him the opportunity to travel the world and experience different lifestyles and numerous cultures.

Nearly a decade ago, Bill burst on the scene as the first-ever winner of the NBC hit show The Apprentice. With tremendous experience that ranges from Main Street to Wall Street, Bill has had a first-hand look at peoples' personal and professional codes, choices, values and behaviors. Addressing the many challenges individuals face, Bill directly relates his discussions to the corporate arena and explores important topics, such as working professional relationships and surviving the daily ethical challenges in business.

A published author of New York Times best-selling book, Bill wrote You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life and Beyond The Lemonade Stand, Most recently Bill and Giuliana co-authored the best-seller I Do… Now What where the duo share secrets to everlasting love and understanding.

Bill believes that it is necessary for successful people to give back to the community, and he demonstrates this in his volunteer work. He serves as a national spokesperson for the Starkey Hearing Foundation (SHF) to help the organization on its mission to change the social consciousness of hearing and health care. Much of his efforts have been focused on helping those in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake. In addition to SHF, Bill is a Spokesperson for the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, a Chicago-based organization that betters the lives of children and families in need.

Throughout his career, Bill has been blessed with opportunities to meet many leaders in business and politics and has seen the world through the eyes of others. He is a cultured man, with strong messages of leadership, entrepreneurship, dedication and volunteerism.

source: http://billrancic.com/

Morbidly obese BMI

As of 2009, more than 10 million American adults were morbidly obese, according to an article published in "Archives of Surgery." A morbidly obese person has a body mass index of 40 or more, while a super morbidly obese individual's BMI is 50 or more. Super morbid obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, gout, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease and early death, and patients often find that conventional weight loss measures are unsuccessful. Want to get in great shape?

Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM's nutrition and fitness program!
BODY MASS INDEX

BMI, a number calculated from an individual's height and weight, correlates to the person's body fat. BMI does not measure fat directly but it is often a good estimate of the percentage that would be round using direct body fat methods of measurement. Used as a screening tool, BMI serves as an indicator that the individual needs further assessment by a health care provider to determine if he is overweight or obese. More direct methods of body fat measurements, including skin-fold thickness measurement, underwater weighing, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and isotope dilution, are more expensive or require special training.

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BMI AND OBESITY
BMI categories help evaluate the degree of obesity in a particular person. A person with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered to be in the healthy range. An individual with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. A person with a BMI of 40 to 49.9 is morbidly obese and an individual with a BMI of 50 or more has super obesity or super morbid obesity, according to a 2009 article published in "Archives of Surgery."
SUPER MORBID OBESITY

Super obese individuals, those with a BMI of 50 or greater, may carry 150 or more excess pounds on their bodies. For example, a healthy weight for a person 5 ft. 7 in. tall is 121 to 153 pounds. A person of the same height with a BMI of 50 would weigh approximately 319 pounds -- 166 to 198 pounds more than a person in the healthy weight range.
RISKS OF SUPER MORBID OBESITY

Morbid obesity was responsible for 82,066 deaths in 2000, according to a 2009 article in "Archives of Surgery." Morbidly obese individuals are at higher risk for high blood pressure, digestive diseases, kidney stones, diabetes, gallstones and joint pain, and their life spans are reduced by an estimated four to 20 years. Treatment for super morbid obesity may include a very low-calorie diet supervised by a physician and accompanied by an exercise rehabilitation program, but weight loss surgery offers better long-term results. Unfortunately, super morbidly obese individuals are more susceptible to postoperative complications, according to a 2009 study, and are more likely to get blood clots, wound infections, hypertension, obstructive lung disease and complicated diabetes mellitus.

source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/369944-super-morbid-obesity-body-mass-index/

Jessa Duggar

Could a Duggar daughter be preparing to start a family of her own?

Jessa Duggar, 20, the third daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of Tontitown, Ark.,has entered into a courtship with Ben Seewald, 18, who lives in nearby Hot Springs, Ark., PEOPLE confirms.

The couple's relationship will be featured on the family's TLC show, 19 Kids & Counting, which returns Tuesday at 9 p.m.

"We are so excited for Ben and Jessa," Jim Bob, 48, tells PEOPLE. "They are enjoying getting to know each other and are recommending sermons to one another."

Keep up with your favorite celebs in the pages of PEOPLE Magazine by subscribing now.


So what are the differences between courtship and dating?

Jim Bob explains: "Courting is getting to know each other in a group setting, both families spending time together and the couple setting goals together to determine if they are meant to marry. With dating, a couple will often pair off alone and that sometimes leads to a more physical relationship."

Jessa and Ben met in church, Jim Bob says, and then asked to correspond via text and on the phone. The Duggars agreed – and were kept in the conversation as the couple texted each other, mostly asking each other questions about theology and scripture.

"Jessa has a very steady personality," says Michelle. "It has been interesting to watch their interactions because for her personality type, they share very similar beliefs. It has been fun to watch them and both of our phones are going off back and forth, ping, ping, ping."

"Courtship is not just about having fun," she continues. "You are really considering if this person could be your life partner – you pray about it and see what happens."

Though other men have approached Jim Bob to ask if they could begin a relationship with Jessa – as well as his other older daughters – Jim Bob says that Ben is the first to make the cut.

"He's the first one she has shown interest in that has a spiritual focus and legitimate calling about ministry work," he says. "When a guy is pursing your daughter, you want to check him out and see if there are any red flags and with Ben, there hasn't been. He is very sharp. It appears like a match made in heaven."

Like her older brother, Josh, whose courtship with now-wife Anna was documented on their reality show, Jessa will save her first kiss for marriage.

"Dad allowed them to do a side hug when they were officially courting," Michelle, 47, explains. "Jessa and Ben have said that was the only contact they would have, when they initially greet each other, when he comes to visit for their first hello, they have a quick 30 second or less side hug and a goodbye side hug and they agreed that would be the only contact they should have."

"They want to wait on the physical relationship until later," she adds. "If there is an engagement that comes about, they will work together on their goals and standards for that."

Jessa and three of her sisters – Jana, Jill and Jinger – have just completed the book Growing Up Duggar, to be released next year, about their relationships, including their thoughts about boys and what goes into deciding who and when to marry.

"It is sweet as a mom to watch Jessa go through this," says Michelle. "She's always been the organizer in our family unit and right now she is a little distracted. She and Ben are open to encourage others who may be considering relationships that you can stay morally pure and wait for the one God has for you and then on your wedding day, begin the physical aspects of your relationship."

"All the girls are excited for Jessa," says Jim Bob, whose other children are Joshua, 25 – who is married to Anna, 25 and has Mackynzie, 3, Michael, 2 and Marcus, 3 months –, twins Jana and John-David, 23; Jill, 22; Jinger, 19; Joseph, 18; Josiah, 17; Joy-Anna, 15; twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah, 14; Jason, 13; James, 12; Justin, 11; Jackson, 9; Johanna, 7; Jennifer, 6; and Jordyn, 4, and Josie, 3, who was born prematurely).

"All of our family is involved in this relationship. It is an exciting time."

source: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20735445,00.html

Female priests defy the Vatican

I read this on the net today:  

It's still a small underground movement but it is nevertheless gaining momentum: female priests. One hundred and fifty women have now been ordained around the world. They're automatically excommunicated by the Catholic Church but that hasn't stopped a growing number of them from answering God's call. Our reporters speak to the first woman to be ordained as a priest in San Francisco.

I actually dreamed of becoming a priest when I was a young girl. I was so drawn to the life of the priests that I saw, my family being close to them as I was growing up. I would listen to their sermons intently and I was always amazed at the idea of such a privilege being able to preach to the people and representing God. But now that I am already an adult I have realized that indeed  this special vocation is certainly for the men only. The Bible does says and gives much emphasis on patriarchal leadership in the Church. 

X Factor 2013 contestants

“X Factor” 2013 contestants are talented and ready to strut their stuff this year, but one contestant — Rion Paige — is already a star in the making after earning four yeses from the amazed judges during her now viral audition. All four of the “X Factor” judges, being Kelly Rowland, Demi Lovato, Simon Cowell, and Paulina Rubio, were understandably “blown away” at 13-year-old Rion Paige’s rendition of the hit Carrie Underwood song, UPI.com reports this Monday, Sept. 16.




While “X Factor” 2013 contestants have some tough judges to get past this year (let alone four yeses from each judge), Rion Paige is already looking to be one star contender whose singing talent is well-liked by the panel. Paige comes to the little screen and “X Factor” stage from Jacksonville, Florida, and suffers from a rare disease known as arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, which detrimentally affects and ultimately limits her joints. She also admitted to the judges panel prior to her singing audition that she is blind in one eye.

“Sometimes, I just get really frustrated whenever I can’t accomplish something that I think I could. So music helps me to be able to explain my feelings,” the new star said of her condition.

It is this love of music that stands out as a gift for Rion. Even with the odds seemingly stacked against this 13-year-old, she nevertheless used her beautiful voice to literally blow the judges away. She quickly got four yeses as votes from the judges, getting her into the second upcoming round of competition by singing Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away.”

Simon Cowell, often known as a harsh critic, even said that Paige was “literally extraordinary.”

"I'm gonna remember this audition for a long, long time," Cowell said, later adding, "This is the easiest 'yes' I have given anyone in my life.”

Do you think that 13-year-old Rion Paige will give the other 2013 “X Factor” contestants a real run for their money, and possible take this year’s competition as the winning star?

source: http://www.examiner.com/article/x-factor-2013-contestants-four-yeses-on-x-factor-make-rion-paige-a-star

James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



James Joseph Gandolfini, Jr. (September 18, 1961 – June 19, 2013) was an American actor best known for his role in The Sopranos as Tony Soprano, a troubled crime boss struggling to balance his family life and career in the Mafia. Gandolfini garnered enormous praise for this portrayal, winning three Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Golden Globes for Best Actor – Drama Series as well as two further SAG Awards as a member of the series' ensemble. Gandolfini's other roles include the woman-beating Mob henchman Virgil in True Romance, enforcer/stuntman Bear in Get Shorty, and the impulsive Wild Thing Carol in Where the Wild Things Are.

Gandolfini produced the 2007 documentary Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq, in which he interviewed ten injured Iraq War veterans. His second documentary Wartorn: 1861–2010, released in 2010, analyzes the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder on soldiers and families through several wars in American history, from 1861 to 2010. TV Guide ranked him 28 on its "50 Sexiest Stars of All Time" list in 2005.[3]

Early life[edit source | editbeta]

Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey.[4] His mother, Santa (née Penna), a high school lunch lady, was born in the United States, of Italian ancestry, and raised in Naples, Italy.[5][6] His father, James Joseph Gandolfini, Sr., a native of Borgotaro, Italy, was a bricklayer and cement mason and was later the head custodian at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey.[5][7][8] James, Sr. earned a Purple Heart in World War II.[9] Gandolfini's parents were devout Roman Catholics and spoke Italian at home. Due to the influence of his parents, he developed a strong sense of being Italian and visited Italy regularly.[7][10]
He grew up in Park Ridge, New Jersey and graduated from Park Ridge High School in 1979, where he played basketball, acted in school plays,[11] and was awarded the title "Class Flirt" in his senior yearbook. He attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies from Rutgers University in 1982, where he worked as a bouncer at an on-campus pub.[12] He also worked as a bartender and club manager in Manhattan prior to his acting career.[12] He was introduced to acting as a young man living in New York City, when he accompanied friend Roger Bart to a Meisner technique acting class,[13] where he studied for two years under Kathryn Gately at The Gately Poole Conservatory.[14]

Career[edit source | editbeta]

Gandolfini performed in a 1992 Broadway production of On the Waterfront for six weeks. One of his best-known film roles was that of Virgil, a brutal woman-beating mob enforcer, in the romantic thriller True Romance (1993),[5] for which Gandolfini said one of his major inspirations was an old friend of his who was a hitman.[5] In the film Terminal Velocity (1994), Gandolfini played Ben Pinkwater, a seemingly mild-mannered insurance man who turns out to be a violent Russian mobster. In Get Shorty (1995), he appeared as a bearded ex-stuntman with a Southern accent, and in The Juror (1996), he played a mob enforcer with a conscience.[5]
Gandolfini's most acclaimed role was Tony Soprano—the lead character in the HBO drama The Sopranos—a New Jersey mob boss and family man whose constant existential questioning includes regular psychiatric appointments. The show debuted in 1999 and was broadcast until 2007. For his depiction of Soprano, Gandolfini won three Emmys for "Best Actor in a Drama" and Entertainment Weekly listed him as the 42nd Greatest TV Icon of All Time.[15]


Gandolfini and Tony Sirico visit with a member of the U.S. Air Force during a USO visit to Southwest Asia, March 31, 2010.

In 2007, Gandolfini produced a documentary with HBO focused on injured Iraq War veterans and their devotion to America, while surveying the physical and emotional costs of war. Gandolfini interviewed ten surviving soldiers, who revealed their thoughts about the challenges they face reintegrating into society and family life. They also reflected on their memories of the day when they narrowly escaped death and what life may have been like in other circumstances.[citation needed]

That same year, Gandolfini returned to HBO as the executive producer of the Emmy-nominated documentary special, Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq, his first project after The Sopranos and the first production for his company Attaboy Films, which was opened in 2006 with producing partner Alexandra Ryan. He returned to the stage in 2009, appearing in Broadway's God of Carnage with Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis, and Jeff Daniels.[16] He played the Mayor of New York in the 2009 remake of The Taking of Pelham 123.

In 2010, Gandolfini produced another documentary with HBO, which analyzed the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) throughout American history, from 1861 to 2010. It featured interviews with American military officials on their views of PTSD and how they are trying to help soldiers affected by it. Letters from soldiers of the American Civil War and World War I who were affected by PTSD are examined, along with interviews with soldiers affected by PTSD and their families.[citation needed]

Vanessa Lachey

Vanessa Minnillo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Vanessa Joy Lachey (née Minnillo; born November 9, 1980) is an American television personality, television host, fashion model, and actress. Minnillo was also named Miss Teen USA in 1998. She has been a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and hosted Total Request Live on MTV.

Biography[edit source | editbeta]

1980–1997: Early life[edit source | editbeta]

Minnillo was born in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines on November 9, 1980. Her father, Vincent Minnillo, is an American citizen of Italian and Irish descent, while her estranged mother, Helen Bercero, is Filipino.[1][2][3] Minnillo has an adopted brother, Vincent Jr.,[4] who is two years older. Her father moved the family frequently because of his service in the Air Force. She lived in Washington, California, Nevada, Florida, Germany and Japan and attended eight different schools in nine years.[5] Minnillo's parents separated in 1983 and were divorced in 1986.[6]

Minnillo's parents both remarried. She and her brother Vincent Jr. relocated to Turkey with their mother and new stepfather. By 1991, in the wake of Operation Desert Shield, they returned to their father's home, eventually settling in Hanahan, South Carolina, where Minnillo attended the Roman Catholic Bishop England High School and was a cheerleader.[7] From then on, she lived with her father and stepmother, Donna. She also attended Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School, in San Bernardino, California, for one year.
1998–2007[edit source | editbeta]

Minnillo was crowned Miss South Carolina Teen USA and went on to win the title Miss Teen USA in 1998, the first Miss Teen USA from South Carolina and also the first from South Carolina to be named the pageant's Miss Congeniality. She was a host on MTV's Total Request Live (TRL) from 2003 to 2007[8] and became a New York City correspondent for Entertainment Tonight in 2005. Minnillo hosted Miss Teen USA (2004) and co-hosted Miss Universe (2007).

After leaving MTV and Entertainment Tonight, Minnillo was featured in print and web-based advertising for BONGO Jeans' Spring/Summer 2007 collection.[9] She has been spokeswoman for Flirt! Cosmetics, a line she helped create which debuted in August 2007, in Kohl's department stores.[10] In May 2006, Maxim magazine ranked Minnillo #15 in its annual Hot 100 issue.[11] She has been featured on the covers of Maxim (October 2005, October 2006), Shape (March 2007), and Lucky (July 2007).
2007–present[edit source | editbeta]

Minnillo was a finalist in E!'s competition to replace Brooke Burke as host of Wild On.[6] She also hosted True Beauty, a competition in which 10 contestants vie for $100,000 and inclusion in People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People issue. The series premiered on ABC on January 5, 2009, with a first season that ran through February 23, 2009. ABC renewed the series for a second season which ran from May 31, 2010 through July 19, 2010. Minnillo became a co-host of ABC's Wipeout beginning in winter 2011.[12] Her first appearance was on December 8, 2011. She left the show in late 2012 to have a baby and was replaced by Jill Wagner.

Minnillo has appeared in television series including That's Life, City Girls, 30 Rock, The Bold and The Beautiful, Psych, Hawaii 5-0 and Maybe It's Me. In 2008, she played Ashlee in the How I Met Your Mother episode "No Tomorrow". She starred in the 2008 comedy Disaster Movie, a spoof of big-budget Hollywood disaster movies. Released on August 29, 2008, the film had moderate box office success, earning $34,624,652 worldwide. The film received extremely negative reviews, earning six Razzie Award nominations. As of January 2011, it stands at number sixteen on the IMDb Bottom 100.

Minnillo signed on to appear in Redefining Love, a 2009 romantic comedy,[13] but she is not listed in the final cast.[14] In November 2009, TVGuide.com announced that Minnillo would guest star alongside Disaster Movie co-star Kim Kardashian on CBS's CSI: NY. "The ladies [Vanessa and Kim] portray two women who've managed to concoct a very interesting scheme that ends in murder," confirmed executive producer Pam Veasey.[15] Minnillo's former MTV colleague and close friend, La La Vasquez, as well as the band Train, also appeared in the episode.[15] In 2011, she guest starred on 30 Rock as Carmen Chao, Avery's coworker at NBC who is competing for the same promotion. Minnillo later guest starred on the new series of Hawaii Five-0 with then fiancé Nick Lachey.
Personal life[edit source | editbeta]

Beginning in 2003, Minnillo was in a relationship with Derek Jeter, which ended in 2005.[16][17]
She dated Nick Lachey in 2006 until their split in 2009.[18] The couple reconciled several months later.[19] On July 15, 2011, Minnillo and Lachey married on Sir Richard Branson's private Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands,[20] with an intimate party of 35 close friends and family.[21] On September 12, 2012, Minnillo gave birth to their first child, a son named Camden John Lachey.[22][23]

Cincinnati bus crash

Investigators on Monday examined the brakes and other parts of a Greyhound bus that ran off an interstate and flipped over in southwest Ohio over the weekend.




The Ohio State Highway Patrol was getting help from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Butler County Sheriff's office in trying to determine what happened along Interstate 75 in the early morning hours Saturday. At least 35 people were injured; six remained hospitalized Monday.

"We're still putting together pieces of the puzzle," said Highway Patrol Lt. Edward Mejia. "We haven't determined the cause."

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Mejia said the 64-year-old driver was injured after being trapped inside the overturned bus, but Mejia didn't have an update on the extent of his injuries or condition. He said the driver, Dwayne Garrett of Cincinnati, gave a statement to investigators and voluntarily had blood drawn for testing. Results from the state laboratory in Columbus probably won't be known for at least a week, he said.

A passenger told WCPO-TV that he thought Garrett might have experienced a medical problem. Mejia said the driver was "conscious and alert" at the scene, but declined to discuss any details about him.

Greyhound Lines Inc. spokeswoman Alexandra Pedrini said the driver was rested and has 15 years of experience "with a clean record." Greyhound also said the bus had recently undergone an annual inspection.

She referred other questions to the highway patrol.

The patrol had investigators checking the bus' brakes and other mechanical systems on Monday, Mejia said.

Highway Patrol spokeswoman Lt. Anne Ralston in Columbus said investigators also want to view bussurveillance video to see if it offers any clues to what happened in the minutes before the crash. She said they will work with Greyhound to review the video.

U.S. Department of Transportation spokesman Duane DeBruyne said its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was working with state and local authorities in the investigation.

The crash happened at about 4 a.m. on I-75 near Monroe, some 25 miles north of Cincinnati. The bus was going from Cincinnati to Detroit when it ran off the interstate, hitting a tree and fence before coming to a stop in a cornfield.

source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0916/Cincinnati-bus-crash-We-re-still-putting-together-pieces-of-the-puzzle

Pittsburgh Steelers

When the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals there is really only one thing that’s certain: cornerback Ike Taylor is going to be a busy man.

You can expect that Taylor will be on young Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green every play and will hopefully be up for the challenge of shutting down one of the NFL’s best weapons.

If history is any indication, Taylor should be just fine.

Green is coming off of a game in which he caught nine passes for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Bengals’ season-opening loss to the Bears on Sunday. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton looked his way 13 times in the opening week.

However while Green is capable of being a difference-maker, the Steelers should be plenty confident in Taylor’s abilities to stay with him.

In the three previous meetings in which Taylor and Green were matched up, the No. 4 pick of the 2011 NFL draft has caught a combined nine passes for 131 yards.

Green did have an impressive 10 catches for 116 yards the last time the Steelers played the Bengals, but Taylor missed that game with a broken ankle.

However you can’t just count on the fact that Taylor has had success against Green in the past, as the Georgia product has become one of the league’s most complete receivers over the course of the past two years. At 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, Green is not only tall and fast, but is an outstanding route runner.

Being the complete package that he is, Green will present Taylor with one of his toughest challenges of the season. Given the fact that Taylor has had some success before, you have to wonder how much help he is going to get with Green.

Whoever wins the Taylor-Green matchup will play a large role in who wins this Monday night division battle.

One thing is for sure: if Taylor doesn’t have success, the Steelers won’t have a chance.

source: http://cityofchampionssports.com/2013/09/16/pittsburgh-steelers-ike-taylor-x-factor-vs-bengals/

Walking Dead spinoff

2015 continues to be a big year for genre fans. Not only will it bring a new Star Wars movie, a second Avengers film and the much-discussed debut of Ben Affleck as Batman in the still-unnamed sequel to Man of Steel, but this morning AMC announced that it’ll also be the year when The Walking Dead spins off a brand-new television series set in the same post-apocalyptic world.





The cable channel revealed today that it is in “the initial stages of developing a companion series” to its hyper-successful adaptation of the long-running Image Comics series co-created and written by Robert Kirkman about a group of human survivors in a world filled with the undead. Kirkman is part of the group developing the spinoff, acting as executive producer on the project alongside Walking Dead execs Gail Anne Hurd and David Alpert.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of The Walking Dead universe,” said Kirkman in a statement included the network’s announcement, adding that “the opportunity to make a show that isn’t tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing.” AMC president Charlie Collier promised that the show would feature “an entirely new story and cast of characters,” while offering “another unforgettable view of the zombie apocalypse.”

Today’s news is another example of AMC strengthening its core offerings; last week, the channel announced Better Call Saul, a prequel spinoff from Breaking Bad focusing on popular character Saul Goodman as the original series winds down to its finale. Given the 2015 premiere date for the Walking Dead spinoff, it’s possible that the network is planning for this second zombie series to ultimately replace Dead in the same way that Saul will replace Breaking Bad, which ends in two weeks.

source: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/09/walking-dead-spinoff-show/

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia





Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow (/ˈtiːboʊ/; born August 14, 1987) is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He previously played quarterback for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. He played college football for the University of Florida, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and appearing on BCS National Championship-winning teams in the 2006 and 2008 seasons. Tebow was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Tebow became the University of Florida Gators' starting quarterback during the 2007 season when he became the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.[1] In 2008, Tebow led Florida to a 13–1 record and its second national championship in three years, and was named the offensive MVP of the national championship game. The Gators again went 13–1 in 2009, his senior year. At the conclusion of his college career, he held the Southeastern Conference's all-time records in both career passing efficiency and total rushing touchdowns, appearing second and tenth (respectively) in the NCAA record book in these categories.[2]

As a member of the Denver Broncos, he started the last three games of his rookie season and became the team's full-time starting quarterback beginning in the sixth game of 2011. The Broncos were 1–4 before he became the starter, but began winning with him on the field, often coming from behind late in the fourth quarter until they won their first AFC West title and first playoff game since 2005, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime.[3] Tebow was traded to the New York Jets during the offseason after the Broncos acquired free agent quarterback Peyton Manning.[4] Tebow received little playing time for the Jets and on April 29, 2013, the Jets released Tebow after drafting quarterback Geno Smith.[5] He signed a two-year, non-guaranteed contract with New England on June 11, 2013 before being cut from the team on August 31, 2013.[6]

Tebow is also known for his outspoken Christian faith.[7][8]

Tim Tebow is a descendant of Andries Tibout, who immigrated from Bruges in Flanders in Belgium to New Amsterdam.[9]Tebow's parents met while attending the University of Florida in the late 1960s. Pamela, his mother, was a freshman and his father, Robert, was a sophomore at the time. The couple married on June 12, 1971, before Pamela's graduation from the University.[10] In 1985, the family moved to the Philippines where they served as Baptist missionaries and built a ministry.[10] Prior to becoming pregnant with Tim, his mother contracted amoebic dysentery and fell into a coma. She discovered she was pregnant while recovering. Because of the medications used to treat her, the fetus experienced a severe placental abruption.[10]Doctors expected a stillbirth and recommended an abortion. The Tebows decided against it citing their strong faith (abortion was illegal in the Philippines in any case). On August 14, 1987, she gave birth to Tim in Manila.[10]

Tim Tebow is the youngest of five children.[10] He and his siblings were all homeschooled by their parents, who worked to instill the family's Christian beliefs.[11] In 1996, legislation was passed in Florida allowing home-schooled students to compete in high school sporting events.[12] The law, which later became known as the Tim Tebow law,[12] specifies that home-schooled students may participate on the team of the local high school in the school district in which they live.[13] Tebow took advantage of this law when he decided to attend Trinity Christian Academy, the local high school in his hometown of Jacksonville, where he played tight end.[14] In 2003, he moved into an apartment in nearby St. Johns County, making him eligible to play for the struggling football program at Allen D. Nease High School where he could play quarterback. His performance led to a minor controversy regarding the fact that, although home-schooled, he had his choice of school for which to play.[14]

Tebow came to national prominence as a junior at Nease, known for his running and throwing abilities, as well as an intense competitiveness. Later that year, he suffered an injury to his right leg late in the first half of a game. Originally believed to be suffering from a bad cramp, he actually played the entire second half with a broken fibula, at one point rushing for a 29-yard touchdown. After the game the extent of the injury was discovered and he was held out for the remainder of his junior season.[15] Nevertheless he was named Florida's Player of the Year and became a major college football quarterback prospect.[16]

During his senior season he led the Nease Panthers to a state title, earned All-State honors, was named Florida's Mr. Football and a Parade magazine high school All-American, and repeated as Florida's Player of the Year.[16][17] He played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas which featured the top 78 senior high school football players in the nation and was shown nationally on NBC television.[18]
Tebow was the subject of an ESPN "Faces in Sports" documentary. The segment was titled "Tim Tebow: The Chosen One", and focused on Tebow's home school controversy and missionary work in the Philippines, his athletic exploits, and the college recruiting process.[19] Tim Tebow was also featured in Sports Illustrated on the "Faces in the Crowd" page.[20] In 2007, he was named to FHSAA's All-Century Team that listed the Top 33 football players in the state of Florida's 100-year history of high school football.[21] Despite family ties to the University of Florida, where his parents met as students,[11] Tebow considered other schools, including the University of Alabama.[22] One of the reasons he gave for choosing Florida was coach Urban Meyer's spread option offense, an offense for which Tebow was deemed an archetypal quarterback. Prior to enrolling at the University of Florida, he spent three summers in the Philippines, helping with his father's orphanage and missionary work.[23]
Effect on homeschooling movement

On January 7, 2007, Tebow was featured prominently in an ESPN "Outside The Lines" feature on home-schooled athletes seeking equal access to high school athletics in other states. Because a home-schooler's access to public and private school athletic functions vary by state, Tebow and former defensive end Jason Taylor (who was allowed to play at his local high school in Pennsylvania) argued in favor of extending the right to play for local teams to more states.[24] Upon becoming the first home-schooled athlete to be nominated for the Heisman Trophy, he remarked, "That's really cool. A lot of times people have this stereotype of home-schoolers as not very athletic – it's like, go win a spelling bee or something like that – it's an honor for me to be the first one to do that."[25][26][27][28] Tebow received the 2008 Quaqua Protégé Award as outstanding home-education graduate.[29]