Ex-US Skating Champ Christopher Bowman found dead in Los Angeles Motel
HOLLYWOOD, California (AFP) — Two-time US national figure skating champion Christopher Bowman was found dead inside a Los Angeles motel, police said Thursday.
Bowman, who was known as "Bowman the Showman", was discovered face down on the floor at the Budget Inn motel on Sepulveda Ave in the early afternoon Thursday, Los Angeles police spokesman Paul McLaughlin said.
The 40-year-old Bowman died of unknown causes but the Detroit Free Press reported that the death might be the result of a drug overdose.
Bowman was born in Hollywood and had done some work in the movie industry as a child. He returned to acting since retiring from skating.
He appeared in American television series "Little House on the Prairie" as a youngster and had a role in an upcoming movie starring Gary Busey called "Down and Distance."
Police said they were alerted to the scene by a man who said he was a friend of Bowman's and they had been drinking together the night before.
The man told police he had been friends with the figure skater for the last three months. He said "he was with Bowman at midnight and he (Bowman) had been sitting at the edge of his bed drinking," McLaughlin said.
"When he went into his room this morning he found Bowman face down on the floor," McLaughlin added. "That's when he called us."
Bowman won US national championships in 1989 and 1992, was second in the 1989 world championships and third in 1990.
Bowman competed in two Olympics, finishing fourth in the 1992 Olympics.
It is not known if Bowman's death is accidental or suicide, but an autopsy is expected to be performed this weekend.
Bowman, who spent time in the Betty Ford Clinic after admitting to a cocaine habit, coached skating for 10 years in Detroit.
Bowman's ex-wife, Annette, and his daughter live in Michigan.
Article source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gA5NpM-dQxUdBPe-gwbllf7RCn8w
Friday, January 11, 2008
Ex-US Skating Champ Christopher Bowman found dead in Los Angeles Motel
What is Global Grind?
The Global Grind is a new start page offering that is specifically for the world of hip-hop. The site is currently in private beta.
The layout and design of Global Grind is very much like Pageflakes or Netvibes, though instead of one default tab offered to give you a running start with the service, there are several.
Each tab further filters web content to give you separate sections for gossip, music, news, sports, rap beef, etc. There is the ability to create your own tab as well.
Most of the content comes from feeds, which you can choose from those the Global Grind has already chosen, or add your own. There are also “grinds” which are widgets, and include things like Google Maps, Flickr photo search and Yahoo music search.
There doesn’t yet seem to be the ability to add your own “grind” widget, so that’s one thing I’m hoping to see in the future. One helpful thing the Global Grind has done is offer the option for the content to be viewed in an iFrame so you don’t have to leave the service or open links in new windows.
A slight trend towards the niche start pages with sites like Symbaloo or SportSnipe can be noticed, and what Global Grind has done is essentially taken a branded or customized Pageflakes Pagecast and made it its business.
Whether or not this particular model will work is yet to be determined; there may need to be the ability to incorporate more personalized content as well as the ability to share public tabs with others in order for this type of niche start page to take off.
For more details, go to Global Grind webpage.
Source: http://mashable.com/2007/07/25/global-grind/
The Gates Millennium Scholars - gmsp.org
From gmsp.org:
Due to high volume, the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) scholarship online Nomination process has been extended to Monday January 14, 2008 at 11:59 EST.
The Gates Millennium Scholars
The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding, low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Natives*, Asian Pacific Islander American**, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose. Continuing Gates Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence by providing thousands of outstanding students, who have significant financial need, the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The Gates Millenium Scholars scholarship was funded by a historic grant of more than 1 billion dollars to the United Negro College Fund, still the largest single gift to any scholarship organization. One of the most unique aspects of the GMS program is the partnership and collective efforts of the four partner organizations providing services to the Gates Scholars. GMS program staff members at the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars, the Asian Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the United Negro College Fund served students from all fifty states, the District of Columbia American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It has truly been a national effort.
Why GMS?
The increasing diversity of our society reminds us that all of America’s citizens must have access to higher education if our nation is to sustain and advance itself as a global, competitive democracy in the new millennium. The future of our economy and quality of life depend upon the preparation of a diverse cadre of leaders who can help build a stronger society. These potential leaders, especially those drawn from groups that have traditionally and historically been denied access to higher education, require the necessary support and opportunities to earn and complete a college education.
Who’s Eligible?
Nominees who meet all of the eligibility requirements and who are selected as GMS candidates must include a federal Pell Grant as part of their financial aid package for the 2008-2009 academic year. To determine their Pell Grant eligibility, Nominees must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid Programs. Nominees are urged to file a 2008-2009 FAFSA at the earliest opportunity and no later than February 1, 2008. Federal Pell Grants typically are awarded to families that demonstrate significant financial need. Eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant is a function of many factors, including dependency status, family income, family size, and the number of students in the family. To determine your eligibility, you and/or your parent(s)/guardian(s) should meet with your high school counselor or the financial aid officer at the college or university you plan to attend. For more information visit www.fafsa.ed.gov
Note: Please do not submit your FAFSA with your GMS application. If you are selected as a finalist, GMS will request your FAFSA information at that time.
The application process for GMS awards is highly competitive, and we urge students to submit their nomination packets as early as possible.
Eligibility Criteria
Students are eligible to be considered for a GMS scholarship if they:
* Are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian Pacific Islander American** or Hispanic American
* Are a citizen, national or legal permanent resident of the United States
* Have attained a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) or have earned a GED
* Will be enrolling for the first time at a U.S. accredited***college or university as a full-time, degree-seeking, first-year student in fall 2008
* Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities
* Meet the federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria
* Have completed and submitted all three required forms (Nominee Personal Information Form, Nominator Form, and Recommender Form) by the deadline
* American Indian/Alaska Native Requirements: American Indian/Alaska Natives will be asked to provide proof of tribal enrollment or certificate of descent from a state or federally recognized tribe if selected as a GMS Candidate.
** Asian and Pacific Islander Americans include persons having origins from Asia and/or the Pacific Islands. Asian includes persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian subcontinent. Pacific Islander includes persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawai’i, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands. Citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau are also eligible to be nominated.
***To be eligible for the GMS scholarship, the student must matriculate at a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary on Education. The following are accreditation resources: Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education Programs Candidates; American Council of Education published in consultation with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation; Higher Education Directory published by Higher Education Publications, Inc.
The Deadline for Submission of Nomination Materials is as follows:
All paper applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2007.
All online applications must be submitted by January 11, 2008 11:59 p.m. EST.
Forms To Submit
The nomination process consists of three interdependent components:
1. Nominee Personal Information Form (to be submitted by the student)(click Nominee Tab)
2. Nominator Form (click Nominator Tab)
3. Recommender Form (Click Recommender Tab)
In addition to the three forms, American Indian/Alaska Native Nominees will be asked to submit proof of tribal enrollment or a certificate of descent if selected as finalists. Omission of any of the required documents will render the nomination incomplete and ineligible for consideration.
Selection Process & Award Notification
Eligible individuals who have submitted complete nomination packages (Nominee Personal Information, Nominator, and Recommender forms) by the deadline will be considered for scholarships. All paper applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2007. All online applications must be submitted by January 11, 2008 11:59 p.m. EST. Because competition for these awards is substantial, Nominees, Nominators, and Recommenders should make every effort to provide a complete picture of each Nominee’s qualifications.
Nominees are evaluated by independent readers according to three primary criteria: academic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. Nominees who emerge from the selection process as candidates for the GMS award will be asked to submit their official transcripts, college/university admission letter, student aid report, financial aid award details, and other information that may be requested at the discretion of the GMS program. Finalists who are selected as Gates Scholars will be notified of the amount of their awards. Gates Millennium Scholars Awards Individuals selected as Gates Scholars will receive funds in an amount to be determined by GMS based on financial need. The award will be based on the cost of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses for the 2008-2009 academic year, as well as the availability of grants and other scholarships reported on the submitted financial aid award letter. The scholarship, for the undergraduate award, may be renewed annually based on satisfactory academic progress, full-time, and the timely submission of required documents. Support for graduate degrees may be pursued for the following fields: education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health, science.
The Deadline for Submission of Nomination Materials is as follows:
All paper applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2007.
All online applications must be submitted by January 11, 2008 11:59 p.m. EST.
Get full details here: https://www.gmsp.org/GMSP_App/
The new U.S. $20 dollar bill contains hidden pictures of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks!
hidden pictures of
the World Trade Center
and Pentagon attacks!
Yes! see for yourself...
Compare your fold precisely to this picture.
exactly as you folded the left side.
You'll immediately see the Pentagon ablaze! (red circle)
hit and smoking.
would accidentally contain a representation of both terror attacks?
COINCIDENCE? YOU DECIDE!
What's The Second Sport?
Judge Says Stonewall Jackson Can Sue Opry
Judge Says Stonewall Jackson Can Sue Opry
A federal judge has allowed 75-year-old country singer Stonewall Jackson to sue the Grand Ole Opry for age discrimination, breach of contract and retaliation.
He filed a lawsuit against Gaylord Entertainment and the Opry's general manager in January, seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. Gaylord had stated that Jackson, who joined the Opry in 1956, was not an employee of the Opry.
His hits include "Waterloo" and "B.J. the D.J."
Source: http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1578026/20071221/jackson_stonewall.jhtml
The Honda Civic Tour presents Panic At The Disco...
The Honda Civic Tour presents Panic At The Disco...
It’s that time of year again – time to get fired up for the Honda Civic Tour and this year’s electrifying headliners, Panic At The Disco.
These four nice young men from Las Vegas have created quite the buzz for their theatrical performances, sharp lyrics and pop-driven tunes. And it shouldn’t come as any surprise to see PATD following last year’s band, Fall Out Boy, since PATD is signed by Pete Wentz’s record label.
The tour starts on April 10, 2008 in San Francisco, CA, but start planning your musical rendezvous ASAP.
PATD is thrilled to follow in the tradition Fall Out Boy, The Black Eyed Peas and Maroon 5 to promote environmental consciousness with the Civic Hybrid.
Come back soon to see what’s new at HondaCivicTour.com, the official tour site. We’ll bring you band and tour information. And don’t forget to sign up for e-mail updates so you always know what’s up.
Check out more details at : http://civictour.honda.com
Source: http://civictour.honda.com/index.aspx
The Eye Movie Trailer
The Eye Movie Trailer
In horror, horses and children see all and know all. Like arthritic knees hurting two days before a rain, they sense that the dead walk, or that spirits are nearby, or that a young woman’s transplanted eyes have given her an unobstructed view of the paranormal underworld. Apparently this happens at least some of the time in The Eye, the Jessica Alba vehicle that’s also a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong cinema chiller of the same name (Jian gui). We have a feeling the original was scarier than Jessica’s.
Then again, Parker Posey is in the remake, and whenever she goes mainstream (Blade: Trinity), the results can be kind of awesome. Plus, Alessandro Nivola plays Jessica’s doctor, and he’s always awesome. So maybe there’s something to this remake. Then again, maybe it’s another Hollywood remake of an Asian Cinema horror classic that lights the world in inky gray-green and does everything wrong but the close-ups of its comely centerpiece. See the 2006 Kristen Bell vehicle Pulse for reference. — Johnny Loftus.
For The Eye Movie Trailer, click here.
To check out some of the nice The Eye Movie wallpapers, go here.
Article source: http://detour-mag.com/assets/2008/01/02/blind-faith-will-the-the-eye-be-any-good/
Tornado touches down in Vancouver
Tornado touches down in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, Wash. - A rare tornado touched down Thursday in a residential area of Vancouver, downing power lines, uprooting trees, tossing shopping carts into cars and causing moments of fear for residents.
So far, no injuries have been reported but damage was severe in some areas, including a home completely demolished near Vancouver Lake.
Authorities confirmed that the tornado hit at about 12:20 p.m. and was followed by several funnel clouds, which are twisters that remain above ground.
Jerome Nye was in his car and saw the funnel pass directly over him. He said it was about 25-30 feet wide as it came across a field, then passed over traffic.
"I thought 'Wizard of Oz,' here we come," he said.
A severe thunderstorm was later issued for Hood River, Skamania and Multnomah Counties. Residents from Clark County and eastern Multnomah County reported seeing funnel clouds in the area.
KGW meteorologist Dave Salesky says it was likely an F-0 or F-1 tornado, the lowest level possible on the scale with wind speeds of 75-100 miles an hour. This level of tornado typically knocks down trees and power lines, but isn't powerful enough to lift automobiles or mobile homes.
Several witnesses reported seeing shopping carts flying, roofs being ripped off from homes and power lines falling. One semi-truck in Hazel Dell was toppled by the winds and a woman said strong winds almost lifted her car.
Leah Edwards, of Clark County Fire, estimated the weather event caused about four miles worth of damage.
"From here on out, we're continuing to do assessments of damage," she said late in the afternoon.
One Vancouver resident said he saw funnel clouds uproot trees and tear down metal billboards as he drove down the street. Homeowner Paul Robinson said he heard what sounded like road construction as the tornado touched down near his home.
"It sounded like a jet aircraft right outside my house," said Robinson, whose home was undamaged.
About 2,500 customers in Clark County were reportedly without power at some point due to downed power lines.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Clark and Skamania Counties at about 12:20 p.m. and then canceled them less than an hour later. NWS meteorologists said they had detected the tornado but couldn't clearly estimate its wind speed.
"We saw the tornado on the radar ... and issued a tornado warning," said Steve Todd, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland. "About the time we were issuing it, we got a report over there from the emergency management folks that they had gotten a touchdown and some damage."
Todd said the region of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon sees only one or two tornadoes a year, most often in sparsely populated areas.
"We do see more of actually what we call funnel clouds," he said. "Those are the same type of phenomenon only they don't touch down. As soon as they touch down a funnel cloud changes from a funnel cloud to a tornado."
The last time a tornado hit the Vancouver area was back in April 5th, 1972. That tornado was more severe, a level F-2. It flattened buildings, threw boats onto land, and sent massive amounts of debris flying.
An F-2 storm has winds up to 157 miles an hour.
Photo source: http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/01/photo_tornado_blows_over_truck.html
News source: http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_011007WAB_tornado_vancouver_LJ.c5fd76b.html
Check out the Cole Haan Shoes...
ABOUT COLE HAAN
In 1928 Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan designed the first Cole Haan shoe. It was Chicago, the jazz age. Quality was everything – and style, like the sound, was smooth and sophisticated.
Today Cole Haan is America’s premier style and luxury brand. Each season they introduce an exciting new collection of high-quality men’s and women’s footwear, iconic handbags, personal leather goods and hand-tailored coats. Cole Haan are inspired by a passion for innovation and beauty, from authentic handcraft to the fast-forward excitement of NIKE AIR Technology.
A dynamic luxury brand, Cole Haan defines the ultimate in artisan quality and detail … chic, on-trend fashion … ‘downtown’ style that is unique and eclectic … and beautiful products that people love to own.
A wholly owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc, they have their global headquarters in New York City and Yarmouth, Maine.
Find out more about the Cole Haan shoes collection at: http://www.colehaan.com/