Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Harlem Globetrotters: Airport Greenup #6
Airport Greenup was a Division II All-American at Shaw University in North Carolina, where Airport shot a mind-boggling 71 percent from the field during his junior and senior seasons to lead the nation. His many powerful dunks certainly played a part in that. 
As a senior, he was the only player in Division II to finish among the top 30 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and shooting percentage. He was also the Central College Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year for the 2003-04 season.
Airport hopes to open a clothing store following his basketball career.
Position: F
Date of Birth: 11/08/1979
Height: 6' 8" Weight: 225 lbs
College: Shaw University (N.C.) '04
Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
As a senior, he was the only player in Division II to finish among the top 30 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and shooting percentage. He was also the Central College Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year for the 2003-04 season.
Airport hopes to open a clothing store following his basketball career.
Position: F
Date of Birth: 11/08/1979
Height: 6' 8" Weight: 225 lbs
College: Shaw University (N.C.) '04
Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Succes 2011: Mike Pender, original founding member of Merseybeat group The Searchers
Mike Pender (born on 3 March 1942 in Kirkdale, Liverpool) was an original founding member of Merseybeat group The Searchers. He is best known as the lead vocalist on many hit singles by The Searchers, including the song "Needles and Pins". He pursued a solo career after leaving The Searchers and released one solo single before forming his current band, Mike Pender's Searchers who perform songs from his many years with The Searchers in addition to all-new material and a blend of popular rock standards by classic artists such as Buddy Holly, The Drifters and Roy Orbison. 
In his early years, Pender worked at a guitar shop as a day job in between playing nightly gigs with The Searchers. According to Pender, he is responsible for choosing the band name for The Searchers. "The Band was founded by myself and John McNally. In 1957 John and I went to see the movie The Searchers starring John Wayne. I was an ardent Western Fan and so I dragged John along with me to see it. I take the credit for choosing the name 'The Searchers' and for co-founding the Band in its original form."[citation needed] Some years ago,[when?] Mike Pender claimed to be a member of two fictitious groups he played in before his years with The Searchers. Hoping to build more credibility as a musician, Pender claimed to have played in early groups, The Wreckers and The Confederates.
Over the years, some of Pender's personal guitars have included his Gibson ES-345 with sunburst finish, the Burns Tri-Sonic in the colour of red with three pickups and the twelve-string Rickenbacker Rose Morris model 1993 coloured in a fireglo finish with deluxe features including the f-hole rather than the slash sound hole. Other guitars he has played include the Aria twelve-string guitar, his Danelectro Bellzouki twelve-string made from wood and hardboard, and the solid Rickenbacker 450/12 in an elegant mapleglo finish, which had a converter comb, which allowed it to be converted into either a 6-string or 12-string guitar. Pender's Rose Morris model 1993 was stolen several years ago; it had been used on many of The Searchers' studio recordings in addition to numerous live performances.
After The Searchers recorded the singles "Sweets for My Sweet" and "Sugar and Spice", Pender took over lead vocal duties from Tony Jackson. During the late 1970s, The Searchers were signed by Seymour Stein's Sire Records and recorded two modernised albums, including "The Searchers" and "Play for Today," which was retitled "Love's Melodies" outside the United Kingdom. The Searchers recorded what would become the final single with Pender, I Don't Want to Be the One. Pender left The Searchers in 1985 to pursue a solo career and in the 1980s,[when?] joined an all-star rock band known as The Corporation AKA "The Traveling Wrinklies", whose name was a parody of the popular rock group Traveling Wilburys. That band included Pender, Brian Poole, Clem Curtis, Tony Crane and Reg Presley, lead singer of The Troggs. With The Searchers continuing to perform, Pender was replaced by a new vocalist, Spencer James.
Selecting a group of talented musicians, Pender sought to re–create the unique sound that popularised The Searchers. Forming the band "Mike Pender's Searchers", they began touring in the late 1980s and re-recorded The Searchers hits plus 4 new tracks.Various CDs,featuring these new tracks and the re-recordings have been released in various countries around the world. Mike Pender's Searchers continue to book new shows and tour, targeting Britain, Australia, U.S.A., the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and The United Arab Emirates.
In 1994 Mike Pender's Searchers were the very first 1960's band to be invited to play on board the QE2 as part of the world famous liner's 25th anniversary celebrations. During live performances, Mike Pender's Searchers use their own custom built lighting and sound equipment and Mike Pender uses several different guitars including his famous 12-string Rickenbacker.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Fotbal: Cláudio Taffarel, campion mondial cu echipa Braziliei (1994)
Cláudio André Mergen Taffarel (born 8 May 1966 in Santa Rosa, Rio Grande do Sul) is a Brazilian former football goalkeeper. He is of German and Italian descent, and played for Brazil in their victory at the 1994 World Cup.
At club level, Taffarel played for Internacional (1985–90), Parma (1990–93 and 2001–03), Reggiana (1993–94), Atlético Mineiro (1995–98), and Galatasaray (1998–2001).
He had a key role in Galatasaray's UEFA Cup triumph over Arsenal in 2000, and was named the man of the match in the final. He also helped Galatasaray defeat Real Madrid 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup in 2000 and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2001, performing at the top of his game in victories against clubs such as AC Milan and Real Madrid. While with Parma he won the Coppa Italia.
He left Parma in 2002, and retired after refusing an offer from Empoli in 2003; after having accepted such offer, he changed his mind after his car broke while he was going to sign the contract, defining such event as a "sign of God". International career
Taffarel was the starting keeper for Brazil at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, in which he conceded only one goal in the first round and two in the knock-out phases (excluding two penalty kicks in the final). In addition to USA 1994, Taffarel helped lead Brazil to second place in the 1998 World Cup in France. In the semi-finals against Netherlands, he played a central role in the 4-2 penalty kick victory, saving the last two attempts. Upon his retirement in 2003, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira offered to arrange a farewell match. Taffarel refused, stating that he was not interested in such fanfare. He did return to play alongside Romário in late 2004 against Mexico to commemorate the 1994 World Cup victory in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Taffarel is the most capped goalkeeper in their history, with 101 appearances. Other than the 1994 triumph, he also played in the 1990 and 1998 World Cup tournaments. Taffarel was also Brazil's keeper at their Copa America success in 1989 and 1997.
At club level, Taffarel played for Internacional (1985–90), Parma (1990–93 and 2001–03), Reggiana (1993–94), Atlético Mineiro (1995–98), and Galatasaray (1998–2001).
He had a key role in Galatasaray's UEFA Cup triumph over Arsenal in 2000, and was named the man of the match in the final. He also helped Galatasaray defeat Real Madrid 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup in 2000 and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2001, performing at the top of his game in victories against clubs such as AC Milan and Real Madrid. While with Parma he won the Coppa Italia.
He left Parma in 2002, and retired after refusing an offer from Empoli in 2003; after having accepted such offer, he changed his mind after his car broke while he was going to sign the contract, defining such event as a "sign of God". International career
Taffarel was the starting keeper for Brazil at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, in which he conceded only one goal in the first round and two in the knock-out phases (excluding two penalty kicks in the final). In addition to USA 1994, Taffarel helped lead Brazil to second place in the 1998 World Cup in France. In the semi-finals against Netherlands, he played a central role in the 4-2 penalty kick victory, saving the last two attempts. Upon his retirement in 2003, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira offered to arrange a farewell match. Taffarel refused, stating that he was not interested in such fanfare. He did return to play alongside Romário in late 2004 against Mexico to commemorate the 1994 World Cup victory in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Taffarel is the most capped goalkeeper in their history, with 101 appearances. Other than the 1994 triumph, he also played in the 1990 and 1998 World Cup tournaments. Taffarel was also Brazil's keeper at their Copa America success in 1989 and 1997.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Internaționali români de fotbal: Florin Răducioiu, singurul fotbalist român care a evoluat în toate marile campionate naționale ale Europei
Răducioiu a debutat la centrul de juniori al clubului Dinamo București. A fost promovat în prima echipă de antrenorul Mircea Lucescu încă de la vârsta de 17 ani, făcând parte din echipa care se califica în sferturile de finală ale Cupei Cupelor în 1989 și în semifinalele aceleiași competiții în an mai târziu.
Florin Răducioiu a debutat la prima reprezentativă a României într-un meci amical împotriva Israelului, la data de 25 aprilie 1990. A jucat la Mondialul din 1990 în trei dintre cele patru meciuri ale României, dar nu a marcat niciun gol. Abia în decembrie 1990 a înscris pentru prima dată la națională, într-un meci din calificările pentru EURO 1992, împotriva echipei statului San Marino.
La EURO 1996, Răducioiu a înscris unicul gol al României, în meciul cu Spania, acesta fiind ultimul său gol pentru echipa națională.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Gheorghe Hagi, cel mai bun fotbalist român, în sutana unui călugăr pios
Alături de Nadia Comaneci şi Ilie Nastase, Gică a îmbrăcat sutana pentru a promova cardurile "editie limitata".
Supranumit Regele fotbalului românesc și Maradona din Carpați, Hagi este cel mai bun marcator din istoria naționalei României, cu 35 de goluri înscrise.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Top Gun: Oare şi-o fi închipuit Tom Cruise 'Maverick' că se va transforma într-un dumnezeu al scientologilor? Poză de grup cu Anthony Edwards 'Goose' şi Val Kilmer 'Iceman'
Top Gun is a 1986 American action film directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, in association with the Paramount Pictures company. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps, Jr., and was inspired by the article "Top Guns" written by Ehud Yonay for California magazine.
The film stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt. Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young Naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Edwards) are given the chance to train at the Navy's Fighter Weapons School. The film depicts Maverick's progress through the training, his romance with a female instructor (McGillis), and his overcoming a crisis of confidence following a fatal training accident.
United States Naval Aviator LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) LTJG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) fly the F-14A Tomcat aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65). They, with Maverick's wingman "Cougar" (John Stockwell) and his RIO "Merlin" (Tim Robbins), intercept MiG-28s over the Indian Ocean. After one of the MiGs missile locks on Cougar, he is too shaken to land, despite being low on fuel. Maverick defies orders and assists Cougar in landing despite also being low on fuel, but Cougar gives up his Wings of Gold citing his newborn child whom he has never seen. Despite disliking Maverick's reckless flying and repeated violation of rules, due to his talent CAG "Stinger" (James Tolkan) must send him and Goose—now his top crew—to attend the Top Gun school at NAS Miramar.
The single Maverick flies recklessly in part to compensate for his father Duke Mitchell, a Naval Aviator with VF-51 aboard the USS Oriskany (CV-34) during the Vietnam War. The elder Mitchell died when his F-4 Phantom II was shot down in an incident Maverick refuses to believe was his fault. Goose is cautious and devoted to his wife Carol (Meg Ryan) and child. The two officers are nonetheless close friends and effective partners, whose mantra is "I feel the need...The need for speed!". At a bar the day before the Top Gun program starts, Maverick, assisted by Goose, unsuccessfully approaches a girl by singing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". He learns the next day that she is Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood (Kelly McGillis), an astrophysicist and civilian Top Gun instructor.
Maverick's reckless flying both annoys and impresses LCDR Rick "Jester" Heatherly (Michael Ironside) and other instructors. He defeats Jester in combat, but violates two rules of engagement in the process; becomes a rival to top student LT Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer), who considers Maverick's methods "dangerous"; and continues to pursue Charlie. During class she analyzes Maverick's engagement with the MiG-28, calling it "an example of what not to do." Later, Charlie admits to him that she admires his tactics but criticized them to hide her feelings for him from the others, and they begin a relationship.
During a training sortie Maverick abandons his wingman "Hollywood" to chase chief instructor CDR Mike "Viper" Metcalf (Tom Skerritt). Although Maverick effectively challenges the older pilot, Viper maneuvers Maverick into a position from which his wingman Jester—who has already defeated Hollywood—can shoot down Maverick from behind, demonstrating the value of teamwork over individual ability.
Near the end of the training program, Maverick and Iceman both chase Jester, the latter attempting to gain a missile lock on the target. Under intense pressure from Maverick, Iceman breaks off. Maverick's F-14 flies through the jet wash of Iceman's aircraft and suffers a flameout of both engines, entering a flat spin from which he cannot recover, forcing him and Goose to eject. Goose ejects directly into the jettisoned aircraft canopy and is killed on impact.
Although the board of inquiry clears Maverick of responsibility he feels guilt for Goose's death, losing his aggressiveness when flying. Charlie and others attempt to console him, but Maverick considers leaving the Navy. Unsure of his future, he seeks Viper's advice. Viper reveals that he served with Maverick's father in VF-51, and tells him classified details that show that Duke Mitchell died heroically. He informs Maverick that he can graduate from Top Gun, if he can regain his self-confidence. Maverick chooses to graduate, but Iceman wins the award for top pilot.
During the graduation party, Iceman, Hollywood, and Maverick are ordered to immediately report to Enterprise to deal with a "crisis situation", providing air support for the rescue of a stricken communications ship, the SS Layton, that has drifted into hostile waters. Maverick and Merlin are assigned to one of two F-14s as back-up for those flown by Iceman and Hollywood, despite Iceman's reservations over Maverick's state of mind. The subsequent hostile engagement with six MiGs sees Hollywood shot down; Maverick is sortied alone due to catapult failure and nearly retreats after encountering circumstances similar to those that caused Goose's death. Upon finally rejoining Iceman they shoot down four MiGs and force the others to flee, and return triumphantly to Enterprise. Offered any assignment he chooses, Maverick decides to return to Top Gun as an instructor.
At a bar at Miramar, Maverick hears "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and recalls meeting Charlie. She enters the bar and the two reunite.
The film stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt. Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young Naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Edwards) are given the chance to train at the Navy's Fighter Weapons School. The film depicts Maverick's progress through the training, his romance with a female instructor (McGillis), and his overcoming a crisis of confidence following a fatal training accident.
United States Naval Aviator LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) LTJG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) fly the F-14A Tomcat aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65). They, with Maverick's wingman "Cougar" (John Stockwell) and his RIO "Merlin" (Tim Robbins), intercept MiG-28s over the Indian Ocean. After one of the MiGs missile locks on Cougar, he is too shaken to land, despite being low on fuel. Maverick defies orders and assists Cougar in landing despite also being low on fuel, but Cougar gives up his Wings of Gold citing his newborn child whom he has never seen. Despite disliking Maverick's reckless flying and repeated violation of rules, due to his talent CAG "Stinger" (James Tolkan) must send him and Goose—now his top crew—to attend the Top Gun school at NAS Miramar.
The single Maverick flies recklessly in part to compensate for his father Duke Mitchell, a Naval Aviator with VF-51 aboard the USS Oriskany (CV-34) during the Vietnam War. The elder Mitchell died when his F-4 Phantom II was shot down in an incident Maverick refuses to believe was his fault. Goose is cautious and devoted to his wife Carol (Meg Ryan) and child. The two officers are nonetheless close friends and effective partners, whose mantra is "I feel the need...The need for speed!". At a bar the day before the Top Gun program starts, Maverick, assisted by Goose, unsuccessfully approaches a girl by singing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". He learns the next day that she is Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood (Kelly McGillis), an astrophysicist and civilian Top Gun instructor.
Maverick's reckless flying both annoys and impresses LCDR Rick "Jester" Heatherly (Michael Ironside) and other instructors. He defeats Jester in combat, but violates two rules of engagement in the process; becomes a rival to top student LT Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer), who considers Maverick's methods "dangerous"; and continues to pursue Charlie. During class she analyzes Maverick's engagement with the MiG-28, calling it "an example of what not to do." Later, Charlie admits to him that she admires his tactics but criticized them to hide her feelings for him from the others, and they begin a relationship.
During a training sortie Maverick abandons his wingman "Hollywood" to chase chief instructor CDR Mike "Viper" Metcalf (Tom Skerritt). Although Maverick effectively challenges the older pilot, Viper maneuvers Maverick into a position from which his wingman Jester—who has already defeated Hollywood—can shoot down Maverick from behind, demonstrating the value of teamwork over individual ability.
Near the end of the training program, Maverick and Iceman both chase Jester, the latter attempting to gain a missile lock on the target. Under intense pressure from Maverick, Iceman breaks off. Maverick's F-14 flies through the jet wash of Iceman's aircraft and suffers a flameout of both engines, entering a flat spin from which he cannot recover, forcing him and Goose to eject. Goose ejects directly into the jettisoned aircraft canopy and is killed on impact.
During the graduation party, Iceman, Hollywood, and Maverick are ordered to immediately report to Enterprise to deal with a "crisis situation", providing air support for the rescue of a stricken communications ship, the SS Layton, that has drifted into hostile waters. Maverick and Merlin are assigned to one of two F-14s as back-up for those flown by Iceman and Hollywood, despite Iceman's reservations over Maverick's state of mind. The subsequent hostile engagement with six MiGs sees Hollywood shot down; Maverick is sortied alone due to catapult failure and nearly retreats after encountering circumstances similar to those that caused Goose's death. Upon finally rejoining Iceman they shoot down four MiGs and force the others to flee, and return triumphantly to Enterprise. Offered any assignment he chooses, Maverick decides to return to Top Gun as an instructor.
At a bar at Miramar, Maverick hears "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and recalls meeting Charlie. She enters the bar and the two reunite.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Succes 2011: Charles Simonyi, un turist spaţial miliardar
Charles Simonyi is a Hungarian-American computer software executive who, as head of Microsoft's application software group, oversaw the creation of Microsoft's flagship Office suite of applications. He now heads his own company, Intentional Software, with the aim of developing and marketing his concept of intentional programming. In April 2007, aboard Soyuz TMA-10, he became the fifth space tourist and the second Hungarian in space. In March 2009, aboard Soyuz TMA-14, he made a second trip to the International Space Station. His estimated net worth is US$1 billion.
He was hired by Denmark's A/S Regnecentralen in 1966 and moved to the United States in 1968 to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his B.S. in Engineering Mathematics & Statistics in 1972.
Simonyi then went to Stanford University for graduate studies and was hired by Xerox PARC[1] during its most productive period, working alongside luminaries such as Alan Kay, Butler Lampson and Robert Metcalfe on the development of the Xerox Alto, the first personal computer. He and Lampson developed Bravo, the first WYSIWYG document preparation program, which became operational in 1974. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford in 1977 with a dissertation on a software project management technique called "metaprogramming". This approach sought to defeat Brooks' law by requiring all programmers to communicate through the manager rather than directly. Simonyi remained at PARC until 1981.
Microsoft
In 1981, at Metcalfe's suggestion, he applied directly to Bill Gates for a job at Microsoft. At the firm, Simonyi oversaw the development of what became its most profitable products, Word and Excel, as well as Excel's predecessor Multiplan. With Multiplan, Simonyi pursued a strategy called the "revenue bomb", whereby the product ran on a virtual machine that was ported to each platform. The resulting application was highly portable, although Simonyi did not foresee the rapid adoption of MS-DOS that made such efforts less important. Simonyi introduced the techniques of object-oriented programming that he had learned at Xerox to Microsoft. He developed the Hungarian notation convention for naming variables. Originally these standards were part of his doctoral thesis. The Hungarian notation has been widely used inside Microsoft.
Own company
Simonyi remained at Microsoft during its rapid rise in the software industry, becoming one of its highest-ranking developers. He left abruptly in 2002 to co-found, with business partner Gregor Kiczales, a company called Intentional Software. This company markets the intentional programming concepts Simonyi developed at Microsoft Research. In this approach to software, a programmer first builds a toolbox specific to a given problem domain (such as life insurance). Domain experts, aided by the programmer, then describe the program's intended behavior in a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)-like manner. An automated system uses the program description and the toolbox to generate the final program. Successive changes are only done at the WYSIWYG level.
In 2004, Simonyi received the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award for the industry-wide impact of his innovative work in information technology.
Simonyi has been an active philanthropist. In 1995 he established an endowed chair, the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University, first held by the now retired Richard Dawkins. He also established a Charles Simonyi Professor for Innovation in Teaching endowed chair at Stanford University. In January 2004, Simonyi created the $50 million Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, through which Simonyi plans to support Seattle-area arts, science, and educational programs. Initial grant recipients include the Seattle Symphony ($10 million), and the Seattle Public Library ($3 million). In 2005, the Fund donated $25 million to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. In January, 2008 the Simonyi Fund and Bill Gates pledged $20 million and $10 million respectively to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.
In early 2006, Simonyi expressed interest in becoming a space tourist and signed agreements with the space tourism company, Space Adventures, Ltd., for a ten-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
In August 2006, he passed a pre-qualification medical exam by the Russian Federal Space Agency, called the State Medical Commission (GMK). He started training at Star City in September 2006.
He launched on April 7, 2007 (GMT), on board Soyuz TMA-10. He shared a ride with two Russian cosmonauts to the International Space Station, and returned aboard Soyuz TMA-9, scheduled to depart from the ISS on April 20, 2007.
Upon arrival to the ISS on April 9, 2007 Simonyi said, "It is amazing how it appears from the blackness of the sky. It was very, very dramatic. It was like a big stage set, a fantastic production of some incredible opera or modern play. That's what I was referring to when I said I was blown away."
Simonyi's expected return on April 20, 2007 was delayed by one day due to 'boggy ground'. He returned to Earth on April 21, 2007 along with an American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut.
In October 2008, he booked for a second trip to the ISS through Space Adventures on board Soyuz TMA-14. On March 26, 2009 he returned to space aboard Soyuz TMA-14.He returned to Earth on board Soyuz TMA-13. Along with Soyuz Commander Yuri Lonchakov and Michael Fincke he landed in Kazakhstan on April 8, 2009
Simonyi then went to Stanford University for graduate studies and was hired by Xerox PARC[1] during its most productive period, working alongside luminaries such as Alan Kay, Butler Lampson and Robert Metcalfe on the development of the Xerox Alto, the first personal computer. He and Lampson developed Bravo, the first WYSIWYG document preparation program, which became operational in 1974. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford in 1977 with a dissertation on a software project management technique called "metaprogramming". This approach sought to defeat Brooks' law by requiring all programmers to communicate through the manager rather than directly. Simonyi remained at PARC until 1981.
Microsoft
In 1981, at Metcalfe's suggestion, he applied directly to Bill Gates for a job at Microsoft. At the firm, Simonyi oversaw the development of what became its most profitable products, Word and Excel, as well as Excel's predecessor Multiplan. With Multiplan, Simonyi pursued a strategy called the "revenue bomb", whereby the product ran on a virtual machine that was ported to each platform. The resulting application was highly portable, although Simonyi did not foresee the rapid adoption of MS-DOS that made such efforts less important. Simonyi introduced the techniques of object-oriented programming that he had learned at Xerox to Microsoft. He developed the Hungarian notation convention for naming variables. Originally these standards were part of his doctoral thesis. The Hungarian notation has been widely used inside Microsoft.
Own company
Simonyi remained at Microsoft during its rapid rise in the software industry, becoming one of its highest-ranking developers. He left abruptly in 2002 to co-found, with business partner Gregor Kiczales, a company called Intentional Software. This company markets the intentional programming concepts Simonyi developed at Microsoft Research. In this approach to software, a programmer first builds a toolbox specific to a given problem domain (such as life insurance). Domain experts, aided by the programmer, then describe the program's intended behavior in a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)-like manner. An automated system uses the program description and the toolbox to generate the final program. Successive changes are only done at the WYSIWYG level.
In 2004, Simonyi received the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award for the industry-wide impact of his innovative work in information technology.
Simonyi has been an active philanthropist. In 1995 he established an endowed chair, the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University, first held by the now retired Richard Dawkins. He also established a Charles Simonyi Professor for Innovation in Teaching endowed chair at Stanford University. In January 2004, Simonyi created the $50 million Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, through which Simonyi plans to support Seattle-area arts, science, and educational programs. Initial grant recipients include the Seattle Symphony ($10 million), and the Seattle Public Library ($3 million). In 2005, the Fund donated $25 million to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. In January, 2008 the Simonyi Fund and Bill Gates pledged $20 million and $10 million respectively to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.
In early 2006, Simonyi expressed interest in becoming a space tourist and signed agreements with the space tourism company, Space Adventures, Ltd., for a ten-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
In August 2006, he passed a pre-qualification medical exam by the Russian Federal Space Agency, called the State Medical Commission (GMK). He started training at Star City in September 2006.
He launched on April 7, 2007 (GMT), on board Soyuz TMA-10. He shared a ride with two Russian cosmonauts to the International Space Station, and returned aboard Soyuz TMA-9, scheduled to depart from the ISS on April 20, 2007.
Upon arrival to the ISS on April 9, 2007 Simonyi said, "It is amazing how it appears from the blackness of the sky. It was very, very dramatic. It was like a big stage set, a fantastic production of some incredible opera or modern play. That's what I was referring to when I said I was blown away."
Simonyi's expected return on April 20, 2007 was delayed by one day due to 'boggy ground'. He returned to Earth on April 21, 2007 along with an American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut.
In October 2008, he booked for a second trip to the ISS through Space Adventures on board Soyuz TMA-14. On March 26, 2009 he returned to space aboard Soyuz TMA-14.He returned to Earth on board Soyuz TMA-13. Along with Soyuz Commander Yuri Lonchakov and Michael Fincke he landed in Kazakhstan on April 8, 2009
Monday, March 28, 2011
Succes 2011: Candy Dulfer: The Sax Woman & the Smooth Jazz
Candy Dulfer (born 19 September 1969) is a popular Dutch smooth jazz alto saxophonist. She started to play saxophone at the age of six. She has had her own band, Funky Stuff, since she was fourteen. Her debut album Saxuality (1990)received a Grammy Award nomination. Over the years she released nine studio albums, two live albums, and one compilation album. She has performed and recorded songs with several other musicians, such as her father Hans Dulfer, Prince, Dave Stewart, René Froger, Van Morrison, and Maceo Parker. For the Dutch television series Candy meets... (2007), she interviewed musicians she worked with.
Candy Dulfer played her first solo on stage with her father's band De Perikels ("The Perils"). At the age of eleven, she made her first recordings for the album I Didn't Ask (1981) of De Perikels.[3] In 1982, when she was twelve years old, she played as a member of Rosa King's Ladies Horn section at the North Sea Jazz
Festival. According to Dulfer, King encouraged her to become a band leader herself. In 1984, at the age of fourteen, Dulfer started her own band Funky Stuff. In 1987, the band performed as opening act at two concerts of Madonna's European tour. In 1988, the band's lineup was completely changed. In the following years, Funky Stuff gave sold-out concerts all over the Netherlands.
In 1988, Funky Stuff was booked as the supporting act for three Prince concerts in the Netherlands. Prince canceled the supporting act, but invited Dulfer on stage to play an improvised solo. After this encounter, she starred in the video of the single "Partyman" (1989), where Prince sings:
When I need trombone, my dog is Handy.
But when I want sax, I call Candy.
This appearance led to session work with Eurythmics guitarist and producer Dave Stewart, who gave Dulfer a credit on "Lily Was Here" (the title song of a Dutch movie starring Marion van Thijn), reaching number six in the UK singles chart and number one in the Dutch radio charts in 1990. She also played with Pink Floyd at the band's performance at Knebworth '90 in June 1990.
Dulfer's debut album, Saxuality, was released later in 1990. With her funky alto sax stylings proving popular with fans of contemporary jazz at several recently launched smooth jazz radio stations in the United States, Saxuality was nominated for a Grammy and certified gold for worldwide sales in excess of half a million. "Lily Was Here" also crossed over to the pop charts in America, reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though Dulfer has had no other pop hits in the U.S., she has had a number of major smooth jazz chart hits, including "For The Love Of You" and "Finsbury Park, Cafe 67".[citation needed]
Dulfer was also the featured saxophonist for Van Morrison's A Night in San Francisco, an album made from live recordings in 1993.
Dulfer collaborated with her father Hans Dulfer on the duet album Dulfer Dulfer (2001).
In 2007, she released her ninth studio album Candy Store. The album reached a #2 position in Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz charts.[8] Of the album Candy Store, the song "L.A. Citylights" reached a #1 position in National Airplay charts in the United States
Candy Dulfer played her first solo on stage with her father's band De Perikels ("The Perils"). At the age of eleven, she made her first recordings for the album I Didn't Ask (1981) of De Perikels.[3] In 1982, when she was twelve years old, she played as a member of Rosa King's Ladies Horn section at the North Sea Jazz
Festival. According to Dulfer, King encouraged her to become a band leader herself. In 1984, at the age of fourteen, Dulfer started her own band Funky Stuff. In 1987, the band performed as opening act at two concerts of Madonna's European tour. In 1988, the band's lineup was completely changed. In the following years, Funky Stuff gave sold-out concerts all over the Netherlands.
In 1988, Funky Stuff was booked as the supporting act for three Prince concerts in the Netherlands. Prince canceled the supporting act, but invited Dulfer on stage to play an improvised solo. After this encounter, she starred in the video of the single "Partyman" (1989), where Prince sings:
When I need trombone, my dog is Handy.
But when I want sax, I call Candy.
This appearance led to session work with Eurythmics guitarist and producer Dave Stewart, who gave Dulfer a credit on "Lily Was Here" (the title song of a Dutch movie starring Marion van Thijn), reaching number six in the UK singles chart and number one in the Dutch radio charts in 1990. She also played with Pink Floyd at the band's performance at Knebworth '90 in June 1990.
Dulfer's debut album, Saxuality, was released later in 1990. With her funky alto sax stylings proving popular with fans of contemporary jazz at several recently launched smooth jazz radio stations in the United States, Saxuality was nominated for a Grammy and certified gold for worldwide sales in excess of half a million. "Lily Was Here" also crossed over to the pop charts in America, reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though Dulfer has had no other pop hits in the U.S., she has had a number of major smooth jazz chart hits, including "For The Love Of You" and "Finsbury Park, Cafe 67".[citation needed]
Dulfer was also the featured saxophonist for Van Morrison's A Night in San Francisco, an album made from live recordings in 1993.
Dulfer collaborated with her father Hans Dulfer on the duet album Dulfer Dulfer (2001).
In 2007, she released her ninth studio album Candy Store. The album reached a #2 position in Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz charts.[8] Of the album Candy Store, the song "L.A. Citylights" reached a #1 position in National Airplay charts in the United States
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Autograph from The Handcuff King. 137 years ago, a certain Harry Houdini escaped in this world
Harry Houdini (născut Ehrich Weisz; 24 martie 1874 – 31 octombrie 1926) a fost un magician, actor și producător de film. Iluzionistul Harry Houdini, nascut pe data de 24 martie 1874, la Budapesta, a fost una dintre figurile legendare ale magiei. Numele lui era asociat intotdeauna cu intamplari iesite din comun, eliberari spectaculoase si cascadorii care sfidau moartea. Chiar daca Houdini a murit acum 81 de ani, oamenii isi mai amintesc de el atunci cand sunt intrebati numele unui faimos magician.
Houdini a petrecut ani intregi invatand cum functioneaza mecanismele lacatelor si catuselor, pana a ajuns unul dintre cei mai mari experti din lume in domeniu. Maestru in deschiderea dispozitivelor de securitate de orice tip, avea talentul de a-si prezenta numerele de iluzionism intr-o maniera unica. Aducea carisma si magnetism spectacolelor sale, hipnotizand audienta care ajungea sa creada in miracole.
Magicianul, al carui nume real era Erik Weisz, s-a nascut in Ungaria si era de origine evreu. A plecat in Statele Unite impreuna cu familia la varsta de patru ani, principalele motive ale plecarii raman incerte, dar se banuieste ca antisemitismul a stat la baza acestei decizii. Tatal lui Houdini a acceptat un post de rabin in Appleton, Wisconsin, unde a gasit o comunitate de unguri. Din nefericire insa, era foarte conservator, neputandu-se adapta ideilor liberale americane. De aceea, a fost nevoit sa plece. S-a mutat mai intai in Milwaukee si apoi la New York.
Familia avea tot timpul nevoie de bani, asa ca tanarul Eric a acceptat tot felul de slujbe ciudate pentru a o ajuta. A plecat de acasa la 12 ani sa-si caute norocul, dar dupa nici doi ani s-a intors la New York, unde familia lui inca mai locuia.
La 17 ani a fost captivat de memoriile marelui magician francez Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin si nu este de mirare ca a fost atras in lumea stralucitoare a spoectacolului si magiei, unde a gasit faima si bani. A fost atat de impresionat de viata lui Houdin incat, atunci cand i s-a cerut un nume de scena, pur si simplu a mai adaugat un "i" la numele acestuia, devenind Houdini.
Initial, Houdini se specializase pe trucurile cu carti de joc. La un moment dat, el chiar se autointitulase "Regele Cartilor", insa adevarata faima a castigat-o dupa ce a inceput sa apara pe scena cu numere din ce in ce mai bizare si mai incitante. In 1895, cautand ceva diferit fata de ceilalti artisti, el s-a gandit sa provoace politistii unei sectii, sustinand ca poate scapa de catuse si din celula. In anii 1898-1899, in primul rand datorita acestor evadari spectaculoase, a inceput sa fie cunoscut si apreciat, au aparut angajamente mai bune. Unul dintre numerele cu care a ramas in legenda este cel in care, pe hipodromul din Londra, a reusit sa faca sa "dispara" un elefant impreuna cu dresorul sau. In acea perioada o cunoaste pe Wilhelminia Beatrice Rahner - "Bess", cu care se casatoreste pe data de 22 iunie 1895. Mariajul celor doi a insemnat unirea a doua familii rigide, una catolica si cealalta evreiasca. Dar cei doi au invins prejudecatile. La inceputul anului 1900 plecat in turneu in Europa, alaturi de sotia lui, unde a continuat sa puna la cale trucuri de iluzionism prin care insela moartea. Cu timpul, datorita publicitatii, au venit angajamente din Franta, Olanda, Germania si Rusia. El si Bess au petrecut urmatorii cinci ani bucurandu-se de succesul european. Pe masura ce faima ii crestea, Houdini depasea toate recordurile de audienta in fiecare oras, devenind cel mai bine platit artist pe continent si in insulele britanice. In 1920, dupa decesul mamei sale, Houdini si-a canalizat intreaga energie in incercarea sa de a demasca falsii clarvazatori sau mediumi. Vasta sa experienta in ceea ce priveste numerele de magie i-a permis sa demaste multi escroci care reusisera sa pacaleasca pana atunci oameni de stiinta si cercetatori renumiti. Mai mult decat atat, el a fost un membru al comitetului American Stiintific care oferea un premiu in bani oricarui medium care isi putea demonstra clar abilitatile paranormale.
Pana la moartea sa, comitetul nu daduse nici un premiu. Pe masura ce faima sa de "vanator de fantome" crestea, el chiar incepuse sa se deghizeze si sa participe la sedinte de spiritism, impreuna cu un reporter si cu un ofiter de politie. Probabil ca cel mai faimos medium pe care l-a demascat a fost Mina Crandon, din Boston, care era cunoscuta ca "Margery". Aceste activitati l-au costat pe Houdini prietenia sa cu Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creatorul lui Sherlock Holmes. Doyle credea cu tarie in spiritism, desi Houdini insista asupra ideii ca mediile spiritiste se folosesc de anumite trucuri.
Acesta a fost convins ca Houdini insusi poseda puteri supranaturale, o parere exprimata in cartea sa Granita necunoscutului. Se pare ca Houdini nu a reusit sa-l convinga ca folosea doar elemente de scamatorie, in fata un public insuficient de antrenat ca sa-si dea seama ca era tras pe sfoara.Din aceasta cauza, din prieteni, cei doi au ajuns sa fie adversari in mod public. Halloween - o data magica pentru caderea cortinei in cazul lui Houdini Pe 22 octombrie 1926, in timpul unui spectacol la Princess Theater din Montreal, un student de colegiu, J. Gordon Whitehead, a cerut permisiunea de a testa duritatea muschilor abdominali ai maestrului si l-a lovit. Acesta era un moment obisnuit al spectacolului, asa ca magicianul a ignorat durerile abdominale care l-au cuprins pentru ca nu avusese timp sa contracte muschii inainte de lovitura, continuand reprezentatia. Ajuns la Detroit a doua zi, a fost diagnosticat cu apendicita acuta, dar a insistat sa continue spectacolele.
Ultima aparitie pe scena a lui Houdini a fost la teatrul Garrick din Detroit, Michigan la data de 24 octombrie. Urmatoarea zi, el a fost dus de urgenta la Spitalul Grace din cauza temperaturii ridicat, unde i-a fost extirpat apendicele cangrenat, insa peritonita deja se instalase. Houdini a murit de peritonită, în urma unei rupturi de apendice. Evenimentul care a dus la moarte, se crede a fi o reprezentație la universitatea McGill, unde un student, J. Gordon Whitehead, l-a întrebat pe Houdini dacă poate suporta să fie lovit în abdomen fără a simți nici o durere. Primind răspuns afirmativ, acesta l-a lovit de repetate ori pe magician, cauzându-i ruptura de apendice. Cum Houdini suferea de apendicită de câtva timp, el a refuzat tratamentul medical, continuând să călătorească. Harry Houdini moare la spitalul Detroit's Grace, la ora 1:26 pm, în camera 401, pe 31 octombrie 1926, în vârstă de 52 de ani. Houdini a murit de Halloween, pe data de 31 octombrie 1926, la varsta de 52 de ani. Trupul neinsufletit a fost dus la New York. Servicul religios a avut loc in sala de festivitati a Lojii Elks, din W. 43rd Street., la care au asistat peste 2000 de persoane. Houdini a fost elogiat de rabini, apoi a avut loc o ceremonie de rupere a baghetei, oficiata de Societatea Magicienilor Americani. Inmormantarea a avut loc la cimitirul Machpelah din Brooklyn, un loc pe care Houdini insusi il alesese. Sedinte de spiritism pentru Houdini Inainte de moartea sa, Houdini a spus ca ii va trimite sotiei sale un mesaj din lumea de dincolo, daca va fi posibil. In fiecare an, de Halloween, sotia sa organiza sedinte de spiritism, dar sotul ei nu a aparut niciodata. Dupa zece ani, in 1936, dupa o ultima incercare de a a lua legatura cu sotul ei defunct, ea a stins lumanarea pe care o tinea aprinsa inca de la moartea acestuia, spunand ca "am asteptat destul. Zece ani sunt o perioada de timp suficienta pentru a astepta un barbat". In orice caz, traditia a ramas, si chiar si in prezent, de Halloween, se organizeaza sedinte de spiritism pentru Houdini, tinute de Sidney H. Radner, un magician care poseda cea mai mare colectie de obiecte care i-ar fi apartinut lui Houdini.
Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts. He was also a skeptic who set out to expose frauds purporting to be supernatural phenomena.
Harry Houdini was born as Erik Weisz (he later spelled his birth name as Ehrich Weiss) in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874. From 1907 on, however, Houdini would claim in interviews to have been born in Appleton, Wisconsin, on April 6, 1874.
His parents were Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss (1829–1892) and his wife, Cecelia (née Steiner; 1841–1913). Houdini was one of seven children: Herman M. (1863–1885); Nathan J. (1870–1927); Gottfried William (1872–1925); Theodore "Theo" (1876–1945); Leopold D. (1879–1962); and Gladys Carrie (born 1882–unknown year of death).
Weiss came to the United States on July 3, 1878, sailing on the SS Fresia with his mother (who was pregnant) and his four brothers. The family changed the Hungarian spelling of their German surname into Weiss (the German spelling) and the spelling of their son's name into Ehrich. Friends called him "Ehrie" or "Harry".
They first lived in Appleton, Wisconsin, where his father served as Rabbi of the Zion Reform Jewish Congregation. According to the 1880 census, the family lived on Appleton Street.On June 6, 1882, Rabbi Weiss became an American citizen. Losing his tenure at Zion in 1887, Rabbi Weiss moved with Ehrich to New York City. They lived in a boarding house on East 79th Street. They were joined by the rest of the family once Rabbi Weiss found permanent housing. As a child, Ehrich Weiss took several jobs, making his public début as a 9-year-old trapeze artist, calling himself "Ehrich, the Prince of the Air". He was also a champion cross country runner in his youth. Weiss became a professional magician and began calling himself "Harry Houdini" because he was heavily influenced by the French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, and his friend Jack Hayman told him, erroneously, that in French, adding an "i" to Houdin would mean "like Houdin" the great magician. In later life, Houdini would claim that the first part of his new name, Harry, was a homage to Harry Kellar, whom Houdini admired.
Houdini began his magic career in 1891. At the outset, he had little success. He performed in dime museums and sideshows, and even doubled as "The Wild Man" at a circus. Houdini focused initially on traditional card tricks. At one point, he billed himself as the "King of Cards". But he soon began experimenting with escape acts.
In 1893, while performing with his brother "Dash" at Coney Island as "The Houdini Brothers", Harry met fellow performer Wilhelmina Beatrice (Bess) Rahner, whom he married. Bess replaced Dash in the act, which became known as "The Houdinis." For the rest of Houdini's performing career, Bess would work as his stage assistant.
Houdini's "big break" came in 1899 when he met manager Martin Beck in rural Woodstock, Illinois. Impressed by Houdini's handcuffs act, Beck advised him to concentrate on escape acts and booked him on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Within months, he was performing at the top vaudeville houses in the country. In 1900, Beck arranged for Houdini to tour Europe. After some days of unsuccessful interviews in London, Houdini managed to interest Dundas Slater, then manager of the Alhambra Theatre. He gave a demonstration of escape from handcuffs at Scotland Yard, and succeeded in baffling the police so effectively that he was booked at the Alhambra for six months.
Houdini became widely known as "The Handcuff King." He toured England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Russia. In each city, Houdini would challenge local police to restrain him with shackles and lock him in their jails. In many of these challenge escapes, Houdini would first be stripped nude and searched. In Moscow, Houdini escaped from a Siberian prison transport van. Houdini claimed that, had he been unable to free himself, he would have had to travel to Siberia, where the only key was kept. In Cologne, he sued a police officer, Werner Graff, who alleged that he made his escapes via bribery. Houdini won the case when he opened the judge's safe (he would later say the judge had forgotten to lock it). With his new-found wealth and success, Houdini purchased a dress said to have been made for Queen Victoria. He then arranged a grand reception where he presented his mother in the dress to all their relatives. Houdini said it was the happiest day of his life. In 1904, Houdini returned to the U.S. and purchased a house for $25,000, a brownstone at 278 W. 113th Street in Harlem, New York City.
From 1907 and throughout the 1910s, Houdini performed with great success in the United States. He would free himself from jails, handcuffs, chains, ropes, and straitjackets, often while hanging from a rope in plain sight of street audiences. Because of imitators, on January 25, 1908, Houdini put his "handcuff act" behind him and began escaping from a locked, water-filled milk can. The possibility of failure and death thrilled his audiences. Houdini also expanded repertoire with his escape challenge act, in which he invited the public to devise contraptions to hold him. These included nailed packing crates (sometimes lowered into water), riveted boilers, wet-sheets, mailbags, and even the belly of a Whale that had washed ashore in Boston. Brewers challenged Houdini to escape from his milk can after they filled it with beer.
Many of these challenges were pre-arranged with local merchants in what is certainly one of the first uses of mass tie-in marketing. Rather than promote the idea that he was assisted by spirits, as did the Davenport Brothers and others, Houdini's advertisements showed him making his escapes via dematerializing, although Houdini himself never claimed to have supernatural powers.
In 1912, Houdini introduced perhaps his most famous act, the Chinese Water Torture Cell, in which he was suspended upside-down in a locked glass-and-steel cabinet full to overflowing with water. The act required that Houdini hold his breath for more than three minutes. Houdini performed the escape for the rest of his career. Despite two Hollywood movies depicting Houdini dying in the Torture Cell, the act had nothing to do with his death. Throughout his career, Houdini explained some of his tricks in books written for the magic brotherhood. In Handcuff Secrets (1909), he revealed how many locks and handcuffs could be opened with properly applied force, others with shoestring. Other times, he carried concealed lockpicks or keys, being able to regurgitate small keys at will. When tied down in ropes or straitjackets, he gained wiggle room by enlarging his shoulders and chest, moving his arms slightly away from his body, and then dislocating his shoulders.
His straitjacket escape was originally performed behind curtains, with him popping out free at the end. However, Houdini's brother, (who was also an escape artist, billing himself as Theodore Hardeen), discovered that audiences were more impressed when the curtains were eliminated so they could watch him struggle to get out. On more than one occasion, they both performed straitjacket escapes whilst dangling upside-down from the roof of a building for publicity.
In 1904, the London Daily Mirror newspaper challenged Houdini to escape from a special handcuff that it claimed had taken Nathaniel Hart, a locksmith from Birmingham, seven years to make. Houdini accepted the challenge for March 17 during a matinée performance at London's Hippodrome theater. It was reported that 4000 people and more than 100 journalists turned out for the much-hyped event. The escape attempt dragged on for over an hour, during which Houdini emerged from his "ghost house" (a small screen used to conceal the method of his escape) several times. On one occasion, he asked if the cuff could be removed so he could take off his coat. The Mirror representative, Frank Parker, refused, saying Houdini could gain an advantage if he saw how the cuff was unlocked. Houdini promptly took out a pen-knife and, holding the knife in his teeth, used it to cut his coat from his body. Some 56 minutes later, Houdini's wife appeared on stage and gave him a kiss. It is believed that in her mouth was the key to unlock the special handcuff. Houdini then went back behind the curtain. After an hour and ten minutes, Houdini emerged free. As he was paraded on the shoulders of the cheering crowd, he broke down and wept. Houdini later said it was the most difficult escape of his career.
After Houdini's death, his friend, Martin Beck, published in his book, Sensational Tales of Mystery Men, in which he said that Houdini was bested that day and had appealed to his wife, Bess, for help. Goldstone goes on to claim that Bess begged the key from the Mirror representative, then slipped it to Houdini in a glass of water. However, it was stated in the book "The Secret Life of Houdini" that the key required to open the specially designed Mirror handcuffs was 6" long, and thus could not have been smuggled to Houdini in a glass of water. Goldstone offered no proof of his account, and many modern biographers have found evidence (notably in the custom design of the handcuff itself) that the entire Mirror challenge was pre-arranged by Houdini and the newspaper, and that his long struggle to escape was pure showmanship. In support of this, it has been reported that the sterling silver replica of the Mirror cuffs presented to Houdini in honor of his escape was actually made the year before the escape actually took place (again from "The Secret Life of Houdini").
Harry Houdini died of peritonitis, secondary to a ruptured appendix. Eyewitnesses to an incident in Montreal gave rise to speculation that Houdini's death was caused by a McGill University student, J. Gordon Whitehead, who delivered multiple blows to Houdini's abdomen to test Houdini's claim that he was able to take any blow to the body above the waist without injury.
The eyewitnesses, students named Jacques Price and Sam Smilovitz (sometimes called Jack Price and Sam Smiley), proffered accounts of the incident that generally corroborated one another. The following is Price's description of events:
Houdini was reclining on his couch after his performance, having an art student sketch him. When Whitehead came in and asked if it was true that Houdini could take any blow to the stomach, Houdini replied groggily in the affirmative. In this instance, he was hit three times before Houdini could tighten up his stomach muscles to avoid serious injury. Whitehead reportedly continued hitting Houdini several more times and Houdini acted as though he were in some pain.
Houdini reportedly stated that if he had time to prepare himself properly he would have been in a better position to take the blows. He had apparently been suffering from appendicitis for several days prior and yet refused medical treatment. His appendix would likely have burst on its own without the trauma. Although in serious pain, Houdini continued to travel without seeking medical attention.
When Houdini arrived at the Garrick Theater in Detroit, Michigan on October 24, 1926, for what would be his last performance, he had a fever of 104 °F (40 °C). Despite a diagnosis of acute appendicitis, Houdini took the stage. He was reported to have passed out during the show, but was revived and continued. Afterwards, he was hospitalized at Detroit's Grace Hospital.
Houdini died of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix at 1:26 p.m. in Room 401 on October 31, aged 52.
After taking statements from Price and Smilovitz, Houdini's insurance company concluded that the death was due to the dressing-room incident and paid double indemnity.
Houdini a petrecut ani intregi invatand cum functioneaza mecanismele lacatelor si catuselor, pana a ajuns unul dintre cei mai mari experti din lume in domeniu. Maestru in deschiderea dispozitivelor de securitate de orice tip, avea talentul de a-si prezenta numerele de iluzionism intr-o maniera unica. Aducea carisma si magnetism spectacolelor sale, hipnotizand audienta care ajungea sa creada in miracole.
Magicianul, al carui nume real era Erik Weisz, s-a nascut in Ungaria si era de origine evreu. A plecat in Statele Unite impreuna cu familia la varsta de patru ani, principalele motive ale plecarii raman incerte, dar se banuieste ca antisemitismul a stat la baza acestei decizii. Tatal lui Houdini a acceptat un post de rabin in Appleton, Wisconsin, unde a gasit o comunitate de unguri. Din nefericire insa, era foarte conservator, neputandu-se adapta ideilor liberale americane. De aceea, a fost nevoit sa plece. S-a mutat mai intai in Milwaukee si apoi la New York.
Familia avea tot timpul nevoie de bani, asa ca tanarul Eric a acceptat tot felul de slujbe ciudate pentru a o ajuta. A plecat de acasa la 12 ani sa-si caute norocul, dar dupa nici doi ani s-a intors la New York, unde familia lui inca mai locuia.
La 17 ani a fost captivat de memoriile marelui magician francez Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin si nu este de mirare ca a fost atras in lumea stralucitoare a spoectacolului si magiei, unde a gasit faima si bani. A fost atat de impresionat de viata lui Houdin incat, atunci cand i s-a cerut un nume de scena, pur si simplu a mai adaugat un "i" la numele acestuia, devenind Houdini.
Initial, Houdini se specializase pe trucurile cu carti de joc. La un moment dat, el chiar se autointitulase "Regele Cartilor", insa adevarata faima a castigat-o dupa ce a inceput sa apara pe scena cu numere din ce in ce mai bizare si mai incitante. In 1895, cautand ceva diferit fata de ceilalti artisti, el s-a gandit sa provoace politistii unei sectii, sustinand ca poate scapa de catuse si din celula. In anii 1898-1899, in primul rand datorita acestor evadari spectaculoase, a inceput sa fie cunoscut si apreciat, au aparut angajamente mai bune. Unul dintre numerele cu care a ramas in legenda este cel in care, pe hipodromul din Londra, a reusit sa faca sa "dispara" un elefant impreuna cu dresorul sau. In acea perioada o cunoaste pe Wilhelminia Beatrice Rahner - "Bess", cu care se casatoreste pe data de 22 iunie 1895. Mariajul celor doi a insemnat unirea a doua familii rigide, una catolica si cealalta evreiasca. Dar cei doi au invins prejudecatile. La inceputul anului 1900 plecat in turneu in Europa, alaturi de sotia lui, unde a continuat sa puna la cale trucuri de iluzionism prin care insela moartea. Cu timpul, datorita publicitatii, au venit angajamente din Franta, Olanda, Germania si Rusia. El si Bess au petrecut urmatorii cinci ani bucurandu-se de succesul european. Pe masura ce faima ii crestea, Houdini depasea toate recordurile de audienta in fiecare oras, devenind cel mai bine platit artist pe continent si in insulele britanice. In 1920, dupa decesul mamei sale, Houdini si-a canalizat intreaga energie in incercarea sa de a demasca falsii clarvazatori sau mediumi. Vasta sa experienta in ceea ce priveste numerele de magie i-a permis sa demaste multi escroci care reusisera sa pacaleasca pana atunci oameni de stiinta si cercetatori renumiti. Mai mult decat atat, el a fost un membru al comitetului American Stiintific care oferea un premiu in bani oricarui medium care isi putea demonstra clar abilitatile paranormale.
Pana la moartea sa, comitetul nu daduse nici un premiu. Pe masura ce faima sa de "vanator de fantome" crestea, el chiar incepuse sa se deghizeze si sa participe la sedinte de spiritism, impreuna cu un reporter si cu un ofiter de politie. Probabil ca cel mai faimos medium pe care l-a demascat a fost Mina Crandon, din Boston, care era cunoscuta ca "Margery". Aceste activitati l-au costat pe Houdini prietenia sa cu Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creatorul lui Sherlock Holmes. Doyle credea cu tarie in spiritism, desi Houdini insista asupra ideii ca mediile spiritiste se folosesc de anumite trucuri.
Acesta a fost convins ca Houdini insusi poseda puteri supranaturale, o parere exprimata in cartea sa Granita necunoscutului. Se pare ca Houdini nu a reusit sa-l convinga ca folosea doar elemente de scamatorie, in fata un public insuficient de antrenat ca sa-si dea seama ca era tras pe sfoara.Din aceasta cauza, din prieteni, cei doi au ajuns sa fie adversari in mod public. Halloween - o data magica pentru caderea cortinei in cazul lui Houdini Pe 22 octombrie 1926, in timpul unui spectacol la Princess Theater din Montreal, un student de colegiu, J. Gordon Whitehead, a cerut permisiunea de a testa duritatea muschilor abdominali ai maestrului si l-a lovit. Acesta era un moment obisnuit al spectacolului, asa ca magicianul a ignorat durerile abdominale care l-au cuprins pentru ca nu avusese timp sa contracte muschii inainte de lovitura, continuand reprezentatia. Ajuns la Detroit a doua zi, a fost diagnosticat cu apendicita acuta, dar a insistat sa continue spectacolele.
Ultima aparitie pe scena a lui Houdini a fost la teatrul Garrick din Detroit, Michigan la data de 24 octombrie. Urmatoarea zi, el a fost dus de urgenta la Spitalul Grace din cauza temperaturii ridicat, unde i-a fost extirpat apendicele cangrenat, insa peritonita deja se instalase. Houdini a murit de peritonită, în urma unei rupturi de apendice. Evenimentul care a dus la moarte, se crede a fi o reprezentație la universitatea McGill, unde un student, J. Gordon Whitehead, l-a întrebat pe Houdini dacă poate suporta să fie lovit în abdomen fără a simți nici o durere. Primind răspuns afirmativ, acesta l-a lovit de repetate ori pe magician, cauzându-i ruptura de apendice. Cum Houdini suferea de apendicită de câtva timp, el a refuzat tratamentul medical, continuând să călătorească. Harry Houdini moare la spitalul Detroit's Grace, la ora 1:26 pm, în camera 401, pe 31 octombrie 1926, în vârstă de 52 de ani. Houdini a murit de Halloween, pe data de 31 octombrie 1926, la varsta de 52 de ani. Trupul neinsufletit a fost dus la New York. Servicul religios a avut loc in sala de festivitati a Lojii Elks, din W. 43rd Street., la care au asistat peste 2000 de persoane. Houdini a fost elogiat de rabini, apoi a avut loc o ceremonie de rupere a baghetei, oficiata de Societatea Magicienilor Americani. Inmormantarea a avut loc la cimitirul Machpelah din Brooklyn, un loc pe care Houdini insusi il alesese. Sedinte de spiritism pentru Houdini Inainte de moartea sa, Houdini a spus ca ii va trimite sotiei sale un mesaj din lumea de dincolo, daca va fi posibil. In fiecare an, de Halloween, sotia sa organiza sedinte de spiritism, dar sotul ei nu a aparut niciodata. Dupa zece ani, in 1936, dupa o ultima incercare de a a lua legatura cu sotul ei defunct, ea a stins lumanarea pe care o tinea aprinsa inca de la moartea acestuia, spunand ca "am asteptat destul. Zece ani sunt o perioada de timp suficienta pentru a astepta un barbat". In orice caz, traditia a ramas, si chiar si in prezent, de Halloween, se organizeaza sedinte de spiritism pentru Houdini, tinute de Sidney H. Radner, un magician care poseda cea mai mare colectie de obiecte care i-ar fi apartinut lui Houdini.
Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts. He was also a skeptic who set out to expose frauds purporting to be supernatural phenomena.
Harry Houdini was born as Erik Weisz (he later spelled his birth name as Ehrich Weiss) in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874. From 1907 on, however, Houdini would claim in interviews to have been born in Appleton, Wisconsin, on April 6, 1874.
His parents were Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss (1829–1892) and his wife, Cecelia (née Steiner; 1841–1913). Houdini was one of seven children: Herman M. (1863–1885); Nathan J. (1870–1927); Gottfried William (1872–1925); Theodore "Theo" (1876–1945); Leopold D. (1879–1962); and Gladys Carrie (born 1882–unknown year of death).
Weiss came to the United States on July 3, 1878, sailing on the SS Fresia with his mother (who was pregnant) and his four brothers. The family changed the Hungarian spelling of their German surname into Weiss (the German spelling) and the spelling of their son's name into Ehrich. Friends called him "Ehrie" or "Harry".
Houdini began his magic career in 1891. At the outset, he had little success. He performed in dime museums and sideshows, and even doubled as "The Wild Man" at a circus. Houdini focused initially on traditional card tricks. At one point, he billed himself as the "King of Cards". But he soon began experimenting with escape acts.
In 1893, while performing with his brother "Dash" at Coney Island as "The Houdini Brothers", Harry met fellow performer Wilhelmina Beatrice (Bess) Rahner, whom he married. Bess replaced Dash in the act, which became known as "The Houdinis." For the rest of Houdini's performing career, Bess would work as his stage assistant.
Houdini's "big break" came in 1899 when he met manager Martin Beck in rural Woodstock, Illinois. Impressed by Houdini's handcuffs act, Beck advised him to concentrate on escape acts and booked him on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Within months, he was performing at the top vaudeville houses in the country. In 1900, Beck arranged for Houdini to tour Europe. After some days of unsuccessful interviews in London, Houdini managed to interest Dundas Slater, then manager of the Alhambra Theatre. He gave a demonstration of escape from handcuffs at Scotland Yard, and succeeded in baffling the police so effectively that he was booked at the Alhambra for six months.
From 1907 and throughout the 1910s, Houdini performed with great success in the United States. He would free himself from jails, handcuffs, chains, ropes, and straitjackets, often while hanging from a rope in plain sight of street audiences. Because of imitators, on January 25, 1908, Houdini put his "handcuff act" behind him and began escaping from a locked, water-filled milk can. The possibility of failure and death thrilled his audiences. Houdini also expanded repertoire with his escape challenge act, in which he invited the public to devise contraptions to hold him. These included nailed packing crates (sometimes lowered into water), riveted boilers, wet-sheets, mailbags, and even the belly of a Whale that had washed ashore in Boston. Brewers challenged Houdini to escape from his milk can after they filled it with beer.
Many of these challenges were pre-arranged with local merchants in what is certainly one of the first uses of mass tie-in marketing. Rather than promote the idea that he was assisted by spirits, as did the Davenport Brothers and others, Houdini's advertisements showed him making his escapes via dematerializing, although Houdini himself never claimed to have supernatural powers.
In 1912, Houdini introduced perhaps his most famous act, the Chinese Water Torture Cell, in which he was suspended upside-down in a locked glass-and-steel cabinet full to overflowing with water. The act required that Houdini hold his breath for more than three minutes. Houdini performed the escape for the rest of his career. Despite two Hollywood movies depicting Houdini dying in the Torture Cell, the act had nothing to do with his death. Throughout his career, Houdini explained some of his tricks in books written for the magic brotherhood. In Handcuff Secrets (1909), he revealed how many locks and handcuffs could be opened with properly applied force, others with shoestring. Other times, he carried concealed lockpicks or keys, being able to regurgitate small keys at will. When tied down in ropes or straitjackets, he gained wiggle room by enlarging his shoulders and chest, moving his arms slightly away from his body, and then dislocating his shoulders.
His straitjacket escape was originally performed behind curtains, with him popping out free at the end. However, Houdini's brother, (who was also an escape artist, billing himself as Theodore Hardeen), discovered that audiences were more impressed when the curtains were eliminated so they could watch him struggle to get out. On more than one occasion, they both performed straitjacket escapes whilst dangling upside-down from the roof of a building for publicity.
In 1904, the London Daily Mirror newspaper challenged Houdini to escape from a special handcuff that it claimed had taken Nathaniel Hart, a locksmith from Birmingham, seven years to make. Houdini accepted the challenge for March 17 during a matinée performance at London's Hippodrome theater. It was reported that 4000 people and more than 100 journalists turned out for the much-hyped event. The escape attempt dragged on for over an hour, during which Houdini emerged from his "ghost house" (a small screen used to conceal the method of his escape) several times. On one occasion, he asked if the cuff could be removed so he could take off his coat. The Mirror representative, Frank Parker, refused, saying Houdini could gain an advantage if he saw how the cuff was unlocked. Houdini promptly took out a pen-knife and, holding the knife in his teeth, used it to cut his coat from his body. Some 56 minutes later, Houdini's wife appeared on stage and gave him a kiss. It is believed that in her mouth was the key to unlock the special handcuff. Houdini then went back behind the curtain. After an hour and ten minutes, Houdini emerged free. As he was paraded on the shoulders of the cheering crowd, he broke down and wept. Houdini later said it was the most difficult escape of his career.
Harry Houdini died of peritonitis, secondary to a ruptured appendix. Eyewitnesses to an incident in Montreal gave rise to speculation that Houdini's death was caused by a McGill University student, J. Gordon Whitehead, who delivered multiple blows to Houdini's abdomen to test Houdini's claim that he was able to take any blow to the body above the waist without injury.
The eyewitnesses, students named Jacques Price and Sam Smilovitz (sometimes called Jack Price and Sam Smiley), proffered accounts of the incident that generally corroborated one another. The following is Price's description of events:
Houdini was reclining on his couch after his performance, having an art student sketch him. When Whitehead came in and asked if it was true that Houdini could take any blow to the stomach, Houdini replied groggily in the affirmative. In this instance, he was hit three times before Houdini could tighten up his stomach muscles to avoid serious injury. Whitehead reportedly continued hitting Houdini several more times and Houdini acted as though he were in some pain.
Houdini reportedly stated that if he had time to prepare himself properly he would have been in a better position to take the blows. He had apparently been suffering from appendicitis for several days prior and yet refused medical treatment. His appendix would likely have burst on its own without the trauma. Although in serious pain, Houdini continued to travel without seeking medical attention.
Houdini died of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix at 1:26 p.m. in Room 401 on October 31, aged 52.
After taking statements from Price and Smilovitz, Houdini's insurance company concluded that the death was due to the dressing-room incident and paid double indemnity.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tom Hanks & Michael Clarke Duncan. The Green Mile
The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name. The film is told in a flashback format and stars Tom Hanks as Paul Edgecomb and Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey and tells the story of Paul and his life as a corrections officer on Death Row during the Great Depression and the supernatural events he witnessed.
The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture, Best Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
In a Louisiana nursing home in 1999, Paul Edgecomb (Dabbs Greer) begins to cry while watching the film Top Hat. His elderly friend, Elaine, shows concern for him and Paul tells her that the film reminded him of when he was a corrections officer in charge of Death Row inmates at Cold Mountain Penitentiary during the summer of 1935. The cell block Paul (Tom Hanks) works in is called the "Green Mile" by the guards because the condemned prisoners walking to their execution are said to be walking "the last mile"; here, it is a stretch of faded lime green linoleum to the electric chair.
One day, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a giant African-American man convicted of raping and killing two young white girls arrives on death row. Coffey demonstrates all the characteristics of being 'developmentally challenged': keeping to himself, fearing darkness, and being moved to tears on occasion. Soon enough, John reveals extraordinary powers by healing Paul's urinary tract infection and resurrecting a mouse. Later, he would heal the terminally-ill wife of Warden Hal Moores (James Cromwell), who suffered from a large brain tumor. When John is asked to explain his power, he merely says that he "took it back."
At the same time, Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison), a sadistic and unpopular guard, starts work. He "knows people, big people" (he is the nephew of the governor's wife), in effect preventing Paul or anybody else from doing anything significant to curb his behavior. Percy recognizes that the other officers greatly dislike him and uses that to demand managing the next execution. After that, he promises, he will have himself transferred to an administrative post at Briar Ridge Mental Hospital and Paul will never hear from him again. An agreement is made, but Percy then deliberately sabotages the execution. Instead of wetting the sponge, used to conduct electricity and make executions quick and effective, he leaves it dry, causing inmate Eduard "Del" Delacroix's (Michael Jeter) execution to be botched.
Shortly before Del's execution, a violent prisoner named William "Wild Bill" Wharton (Sam Rockwell) arrives, due to be executed for multiple murders committed during a robbery. At one point he seizes John's arm and John psychically senses that Wharton is the true killer of the two girls, the crime for which John was convicted and sentenced to death. John "takes back" the sickness in Hal's wife and regurgitates it into Percy, who then shoots Wharton to death and falls into a permanent catatonic state. Percy is then housed in the Briar Ridge Mental Hospital. In the wake of these events, Paul interrogates John, who says he "punished them bad men" and offers to show Paul what he saw. John takes Paul's hand stating that he has to give Paul "a part of himself" in order to see and imparts the visions of what he saw, of what really happened to the girls.
Paul asks John what he should do, if he should open the door and let John walk away. John tells him that he is ready to die because there is too much pain in the world, which he is aware of and sensitive to, stating that he is "rightly tired of the pain" and is ready to rest. When John is put in the electric chair, he asks Paul not to put the traditional black hood over his head because he is afraid of the dark. Paul agrees and after Paul shakes his hand, John is executed.
As Paul finishes his story, he notes that he requested a transfer to a youth detention center, where he spent the remainder of his career. Elaine questions his statement that he had a fully-grown son at the time and Paul explains that he was 44 years old at the time of John's execution and that he is now 108 and still in excellent health. This is apparently a side effect of John giving a "part of himself" to Paul. Mr. Jingles, Del's mouse resurrected by John, is also still alive — but Paul believes his outliving all of his relatives and friends to be a punishment from God for having John executed. Paul explains he has deep thoughts about how "we each owe a death; there are no exceptions; but, Oh God, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long." Paul is left wondering, if Mr. Jingles has remained alive for all of this time being but a mouse, how long will it be before his own death?
The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture, Best Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
In a Louisiana nursing home in 1999, Paul Edgecomb (Dabbs Greer) begins to cry while watching the film Top Hat. His elderly friend, Elaine, shows concern for him and Paul tells her that the film reminded him of when he was a corrections officer in charge of Death Row inmates at Cold Mountain Penitentiary during the summer of 1935. The cell block Paul (Tom Hanks) works in is called the "Green Mile" by the guards because the condemned prisoners walking to their execution are said to be walking "the last mile"; here, it is a stretch of faded lime green linoleum to the electric chair.
One day, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a giant African-American man convicted of raping and killing two young white girls arrives on death row. Coffey demonstrates all the characteristics of being 'developmentally challenged': keeping to himself, fearing darkness, and being moved to tears on occasion. Soon enough, John reveals extraordinary powers by healing Paul's urinary tract infection and resurrecting a mouse. Later, he would heal the terminally-ill wife of Warden Hal Moores (James Cromwell), who suffered from a large brain tumor. When John is asked to explain his power, he merely says that he "took it back."
At the same time, Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison), a sadistic and unpopular guard, starts work. He "knows people, big people" (he is the nephew of the governor's wife), in effect preventing Paul or anybody else from doing anything significant to curb his behavior. Percy recognizes that the other officers greatly dislike him and uses that to demand managing the next execution. After that, he promises, he will have himself transferred to an administrative post at Briar Ridge Mental Hospital and Paul will never hear from him again. An agreement is made, but Percy then deliberately sabotages the execution. Instead of wetting the sponge, used to conduct electricity and make executions quick and effective, he leaves it dry, causing inmate Eduard "Del" Delacroix's (Michael Jeter) execution to be botched.
Paul asks John what he should do, if he should open the door and let John walk away. John tells him that he is ready to die because there is too much pain in the world, which he is aware of and sensitive to, stating that he is "rightly tired of the pain" and is ready to rest. When John is put in the electric chair, he asks Paul not to put the traditional black hood over his head because he is afraid of the dark. Paul agrees and after Paul shakes his hand, John is executed.
As Paul finishes his story, he notes that he requested a transfer to a youth detention center, where he spent the remainder of his career. Elaine questions his statement that he had a fully-grown son at the time and Paul explains that he was 44 years old at the time of John's execution and that he is now 108 and still in excellent health. This is apparently a side effect of John giving a "part of himself" to Paul. Mr. Jingles, Del's mouse resurrected by John, is also still alive — but Paul believes his outliving all of his relatives and friends to be a punishment from God for having John executed. Paul explains he has deep thoughts about how "we each owe a death; there are no exceptions; but, Oh God, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long." Paul is left wondering, if Mr. Jingles has remained alive for all of this time being but a mouse, how long will it be before his own death?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Succes 2011: Dean Yeagle, the father of 'Mandy'. He served four years in the Navy during the Vietnam era before becoming a famous animator
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