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wisdom 40 Memorable Quotes Of Ex-World Heavyweight Champion, Muhammed Ali [1942 – 2016]

Muhammad Ali Taunted Opponents With Razor-sharp Rhymes, Comical One-liners And The Type Of Boxing Braggadocio That Both Endeared Him To And Angered The Masses.

Ali was a loudmouth threat to the establishment. Muhammad Ali could make heavyweight rivals Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston and George Foreman feel like unwitting participants at their own roast. He was king of the world and a clown prince, who fought for both championships and his rights as a conscientious objector.

Muhammad Ali mouth roared, never bored, with wit as sharp as a sword, who went full bore into each fight with a silver tongue and heavyweight gold.

No one could say it better than Ali.

Below are some of his quotes:

1. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see. Now you see me, now you don’t. George thinks he will, but I know he won’t.

2. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

3. “I’m young; I’m handsome; I’m fast. I can’t possibly be beat.”

4. “Don’t count the days; make the days count.”

5. “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it.”

“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it.” #MuhammadAlipic.twitter.com/9R2nQXH193
— Muhammad Ali (@MuhammadAli) April 21, 2016

6. “It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.”

7. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

8. “If you even dream of beating me you’d better wake up and apologize.”

9. “Braggin’ is when a person says something and can’t do it. I do what I say.”

10. “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”

11. “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”

12. “I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”

13. “I should be a postage stamp. That’s the only way I’ll ever get licked.”

14. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

15. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

16. “A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”

17. “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”

18. “I shook up the world. Me! Whee!”

19. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”

20. “At home I am a nice guy: but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far.”

21. “A man who has no imagination has no wings.”

22. “He’s (Sonny Liston) too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty like me!”

23. “I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I’m in a world of my own.”

24. “I’ve wrestled with alligators. I’ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. And throw thunder in jail.”

25. “Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.”

“How tall are you? So I can know in advance how far to step back when you fall down!” #MuhammadAlipic.twitter.com/8rrmqL1fUP
— Muhammad Ali (@MuhammadAli) April 6, 2016
26. “It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”

27. “I’m the most recognized and loved man that ever lived cuz there weren’t no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn’t know about them.”

28. “It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.”

29. “I’m not the greatest, I’m the double greatest.”

30. “Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.”

31. “When will they ever have another fighter who writes poems, predicts rounds, beats everybody, makes people laugh, makes people cry, and is as tall and extra pretty as me? In the history of the world and from the beginning of time, there’s never been another fighter like me. Eat your words! Eat your words! I am the greatest.”

32. “Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn’t choose it, and I didn’t want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name – it means beloved of God – and I insist people use it when speaking to me and of me.’”

33.”I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.”

34. “I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I’m in a world of my own.”

36. “If you even dream of beating me you’d better wake up and apologise.”

37.”I’m so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.”

38.”He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

39. “I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.”

40.”The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

41.”I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world.”

42.”It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.”

43.”I’m No 1. After me, it don’t matter.”

43.Muhammad Ali, considered to be the greatest heavyweight boxer, died late Friday night in a Phoenix-area hospital at 74 years old.

Nigerian Quadruplets Become UK’s 1st To Simultaneously Graduate With Masters Degrees

Graduating from university is normally an occasion for a family get-together.

And this was certainly a big celebration for the Ogunsanya quadruplets who were handed their well-deserved degrees from the same university on the same day.



The 23-year-old quads, identical sisters and the oldest by four minutes, Toks and Temi Ogunsanya, and identical brothers, Tobi and Tolu, graduated from Warwick University with Master Degrees.




Quadriple grads

Fabulous foursome! (Left to right) Tolu, Toks, Temi and Tobi have walked away with degrees and City jobs

And there was not a jot of sibling rivalry as all four have landed jobs in the City already.

Toks graduated with an MEng in manufacturing and engineering and Temi, Tobi and Tolu all gained an MSC in management from Warwick Business School.

‘The fact we all chose to study at the University of Warwick was a natural decision,’ says Tobi, who thinks a bit of sibling rivalry is essential for success.

‘We are a close-knit family and were all attracted by the strength of the courses on offer.

Quadriple 2

Quite brilliant quads: The foursome, originally from Nigeria, all went to boarding school before heading to Warwick University

‘We all gravitated to similar courses because we’ve always been interested in business and management and our father is a successful businessman in Nigeria.’

The quads, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, have been living in the UK since the age of seven when they began boarding schools. Since leaving university they have all landed top city jobs.

Quadriple 3

No sibling rivalry: The brothers and sisters are so close they were even attracted to the same sort of courses

Toks is due to started working for RBS in London after graduation, Temi, who interned at Santander over the summer, has been offered a permanent position with the bank, and Tolu soon strated working for one of the ‘Big 4’ accountancy firms in the City.

‘Our parents are four times as proud of us,’ added Tobi, who is mulling over two offers from two major City firms.

‘They’ve supported us financially and have encouraged us all the way – without their help we wouldn’t be here today.’

A battle over the future of movies Now playing in Hollywood

NEW YORK (AP) — Now playing in Hollywood: A battle over the future of the movie business, starring some of its most famous filmmakers. The Screening Room, a startup backed by Napster co-founder Sean Parker and music executive Prem Akkaraju, has sent tremors through the movie industry since word of its ambitions were first reported Saturday. Parker and company are seeking to upend the theatrical model and bring first-run films, through a $150 encrypted set-box, directly into the home for $50 a pop.

(1 of 1) Sean Parker arrives at the 5th Annual Sean Penn & Friends HELP HAITI HOME Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif. Some 17 years after Napster shook the music industry Sean Parker is now rattling the movies. The Screening Room, a startup backed by Parker and Prem Akkaraju, is seeking to upend the theatrical release of movies and bring films, through an encrypted set-box service, directly into the home. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

March 17, 2016 The service has the support of some major filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and J.J. Abrams, but its existence depends on the cooperation of studios and exhibitors — and that appears unlikely.

Yet the Screening Room has thrown Hollywood into something resembling an existential crisis, with round-the-clock debate about its prospects that has pitted some of the movies' biggest names against each other. Is this the meteor headed straight for the big screen, or is it — like previous efforts — nothing but a storm of hype that will sail past?
"It frightens me," Tim League, chief executive of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the Texas-based theater chain, said of the Screening Room. "What I'm afraid of is that chasing short-term additional revenue might open up a situation where piracy really hurts the entire industry."
And the industry, he says, is thriving. "We're in the business of getting out of the house," says League. Whether the Screening Room succeeds or not, it has added to a growing sense that the traditional theatrical model will one day fall, a casualty-in-waiting of an increasingly digital and instantaneous media world.
But such prophecy doesn't account for some economic realities: Box office in North America, alone, was a record $11 billion last year. Despite a growing horde of barbarians at the gate — Netflix among them — the theatrical release window has held so far. The marketing splash of a theatrical release continues to drive the industry's revenues — and not just at the box office, but through merchandising and subsequent windows of release.
Yet some see a chance to profit more from those who prefer to stay home. According to the Motion Picture Association, 11 percent of the U.S. population qualifies as regular moviegoers (going 18 times a year), and they make up half of box-office receipts. The Screening Room is aimed at the couches of the other 89 percent.
Jackson said the Screening Room — which is proposing to split revenues between studios, theater operators and itself — is "designed to capture an audience that does not currently go to the cinema." But many of the filmmakers speaking out for the service (including Ron Howard and Brian Grazer) are advisers or shareholders. Others without a financial stake, such as James Cameron and Christopher Nolan, have denounced it as a misguided effort that will devalue the big-screen experience.
The six major studios declined to comment about the Screening Room. But numerous interviews with studio executives, who requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the matter, described the presentation by Parker and Akkaraju (a former SFX Entertainment executive) as polished and interesting enough to warrant consideration, but said the service was doubtful to gain studio participation.
Major theater chains, which split box-office revenue with distributors, were also courted by the Screening Room, which proposes to give them a hefty cut of each $50 rental. The two largest chains, AMC Theaters and Regal Cinemas, declined to comment. Mark Zoradi, chief executive of the third largest chain, Cinemark, said "any day-and-date propositions must be critically evaluated to avoid the devaluation of the exhibition window and all subsequent revenue streams of our content providers."
The National Organization of Theater Owners, a trade organization, acknowledged that "more sophisticated window modeling may be needed for the growing success of a modern movie industry." But NATO added that such changes should be developed by distributors and exhibitors — the traditional twin powers of the movie industry — "not by a third party."
Nevertheless, the stir caused by the Screening Room promises to be the all-consuming topic at NATO's annual convention, Cinema-Con, in Las Vegas in April. Some studios and even exhibitors may want to hedge their dependence on theaters, where all but the most prepackaged blockbusters often struggle to find audiences. Paramount Pictures has recently experimented with a shorter theatrical window (usually 90 days) for a pair of low-budget horror films: "Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse" and the fifth "Paranormal Activity." Neither performed well, however, nor did the improvised day-and-date release of Sony's "The Interview."
But for the first time, the question of theatrical release isn't just up to studios and exhibitors. Netflix has been aggressively buying up new movies for its streaming service, though it's had difficulty getting them into theaters. Many simply refuse to screen day-and-date releases. To play last year's "Beasts of No Nation" in theaters, Netflix had to "four-wall" some theaters, buying up the tickets themselves.
The latest upstart, Amazon Studios, has taken a different tact, however. It has embraced theatrical releases for its films, happy to simply add the movies to its streaming offerings after a run in cinemas.

highest grossing domestic movie ever Star Wars' becomes

Star Wars' becomes

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Move over, "Avatar," there's a new force in town. In just 20 days in theaters, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has unseated the James Cameron pic as the No. 1 North American movie of all time.

(1 of 2) Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca and Harrison Ford as Han Solo in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." (Film Frame/Lucasfilm via AP)

January 06, 2016 According to Disney, J.J. Abrams' "Star Wars" earned enough on Wednesday to pass "Avatar's" $760.5 million lifetime gross. As of Tuesday, the film was just shy of the record at $758.2 million. The worldwide record still belongs to "Avatar," though, and that may continue. "The Force Awakens" has earned $1.6 billion to date, as compared to "Avatar's" $2.8 billion.

Death toll in Japan twin quakes rises to 39 The Latest

MASHIKI, Japan (AP) — The latest on the earthquakes in Japan (all times local): 9:50 p.m. Japanese media say the death toll from the two earthquakes in southern Japan has risen to 39. Kyodo News agency, citing officials in Kumamoto prefecture, says 30 people died in the magnitude-7.3 quake that struck early Saturday morning. The other victims died in the magnitude-6.5 quake on Thursday night.

(1 of 11) The stonewall of Kumamoto Castle is seen damaged by earthquakes in Kumamoto city, Japan, Saturday, April 16, 2016. Powerful earthquakes shook southwestern Japan, trapping many others beneath flattened homes and sending thousands of residents to seek refuge in gymnasiums and hotel lobbies. (Kyodo News via AP) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT

April 16, 2016 Officials had said earlier Saturday that 10 had died in Thursday's quake and 22 in Saturday's. Kyodo says four people remain missing in Minamiaso. The village near Mount Aso volcano appears to have been the hardest hit by the second earthquake.

7:05 p.m.

Hundreds of people have lined up for rations at shelters before nightfall, bracing for rainfall and strong winds that may set off more devastating mudslides in Japan's earthquake-struck southern region.

Local stores quickly ran out of stock and shuttered their doors Saturday, and people said they were worried about running out of food.

Ayuko Sakamoto, who was among those in line for the food, said: "I could hear the noise of all my dishes come crashing down, the rattling, and I was shocked and sad, now I've lost all my dishes."

Elsewhere on the southwestern island of Kyushu, the military also cooked rice and soup outdoors for those who had evacuated or were not able to cook in their homes.

Back-to-back deadly earthquakes on successive nights near the city of Kumamoto toppled buildings, triggered landslides and killed at least 32 people.

4 p.m.

Among the buildings destroyed in Japan's twin earthquakes are parts of the historic Aso Shrine, a picturesque complex with a number of buildings with curved tiled roofs, some of which were flattened on the ground.

A towering gate, known as the "cherry blossom gate" because of its grandeur especially during spring, when cherry trees bloom, had collapsed and is totally damaged.

The shrine, more than 1,700 years old, is designated an "important cultural property" by the Japanese government, and has been a popular tourist spot in Kyushu.

3:30 p.m.

One massive landslide from Japan's deadly earthquakes tore open a mountainside in Minamiaso village in Kunamato Prefecture all the way from the top to a highway below, destroying a key bridge that could cut off food and other relief transport to the worst hit area.

A trail of brown earth streamed down the hillside like a muddy river.

Another landslide gnawed at a highway, collapsing a house that fell down a ravine and smashed at the bottom. In another part of the village, houses were left hanging precariously at the edge of a huge hole cut open in the earth.

2:50 p.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed concerns about secondary disasters as the weather forecast for southwestern Kyushu is showing rain and strong winds later Saturday.

Rainfall can set off mudslides because the soil has already been loosened by quake jitters.

Abe say "daytime today is the big test," for rescue efforts.

Landslides have already cut off roads and destroyed bridges, imperiling rescue and relief efforts.

At least 29 people have been confirmed dead in two powerful earthquakes that struck southern Kyushu island on Thursday evening and early Saturday, and many more are trapped underneath fallen homes.

12:40 p.m.

Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga says 1,500 people have been injured, 80 of them seriously, in twin earthquakes on southern Kyushu island.

Suga did not mention the death toll, which local officials put at 29, saying the numbers are likely to rise.

He says the military will be boosted to 20,000 for rescue efforts. Police and firefighters are also being ordered to the southwestern region.

In a nationally televised news conference, Suga asked people not to panic.

He says: "Please let's help each other and stay calm."

12:30 p.m.

Japanese media are reporting the eruption of Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan located on Kyushu island where twin earthquakes killed at least 29 people, buried houses and set off landslides.

That's the first eruption in a month.

Smoke is rising about 100 meters (328 feet) in the air, but no damage has been reported.

It's not immediately clear if there's a link the seismic activity and the eruption.

Aso is 1,592 meters (5,223 feet) high and consists of five peaks. It's about 1 ½ hour drive from Kumamoto Prefecture, the epicenter of the quakes.

Noon

A Japanese official says the death toll in the second earthquake to hit southern Kyushu island early Saturday has risen to 19.

That's in addition to 10 people killed in Thursday's magnitude-6.5 quake.

10:10 a.m.

A fresh earthquake measuring 5.4 has hit southern Kyushu island on Saturday morning, following a 7.3-magnitude quake that killed at least six people overnight.

Kumamoto Prefectural official Tomoyuki Tanaka says the death toll is still unclear, with the fire department reporting a higher number of at least seven.

More than 400 people are reported injured.

Japanese TV news footage showed collapsed and flattened houses, and said people are trapped in buildings.

The Japan Meteorological Agency gave a preliminary reading of magnitude-7.3 for the temblor that struck early Saturday. A magnitude-6.5 quake struck late Thursday, killing 10 people. Aftershocks are rattling various areas in Kyushu, one of Japan's main four islands.

9:50 a.m.

Police in southern Japan say the second earthquake that struck the same region in 24 hours has killed at least six people.

The magnitude-7.3 quake shook the Kumamoto region at 1:25 a.m. Saturday. On Thursday night, the area was hit by a magnitude-6.5 quake that left 10 dead and more than 800 injured.

Room VOD debate heats up Sean Parker plays coy as Screening

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The spotlight was on Sean Parker and the Screening Room at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this past week, but while the nation's theater owners and studio executives mulled the implications of the proposed at-home viewing service, Parker played coy.

(1 of 3) Alexandra Parker, left, and Sean Parker arrive at Sean Parker and the Parker Foundation's Gala Celebrating a Milestone in Medical Research on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP)

April 16, 2016 When The Associated Press asked Parker about his latest venture at the Wednesday launch of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy in Los Angeles, the Napster co-founder said with a laugh: "I don't even know what that is."

His glibness about the revolutionary service, which would stream first-run films to the home at $50 a pop, thus blowing up Hollywood's traditional model of theatrical exclusivity, came at an interesting time. It was the middle of CinemaCon, where the overriding message was that Hollywood is still very committed to the idea of the theatrical experience.
CinemaCon, a gathering of theater owners, exhibitors and industry types whose livelihoods depend on box office, has always been a brazen celebration of the movie theater. During the week-long conference each year, major studios typically trot out big stars and exclusive footage of upcoming films, and technology providers roll out their latest and greatest innovations in sound, screen and immersive experiences.
The death of the cinema comes up every so often, too, whether it's television, VHS, smart phones or streaming services. This year, Screening Room was the threat du jour. Most studio heads and filmmakers at CinemaCon spoke about the Screening Room in broad, vaguely hostile strokes. "Avatar" director James Cameron was one of the few to address the initiative by name.
"Regardless of what the folks associated with the Screening Room say, I think it's absolutely essential for movies to be offered exclusively in theaters upon initial release," Cameron said on Thursday. "My producing partner Jon Landau and I are committed to the sanctity of the in-theater experience. And that's creatively and from a business standpoint."
Yet most chose to address the proposal indirectly, like Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara, who told exhibitors "we are not going to let a third party or middle man come between us." "When there are new technologies," he added, "we will explore them with each of you. We know the status quo is not an option."
"Hangover" director Todd Phillips spoke more sentimentally about the preservation of theatrical exclusivity. "Why are we in such a rush to turn movies into television? It doesn't make sense to me. Movies are special," Phillips said. "We need to do everything we can to protect that part of the experience."
Even execs for Amazon Studios, an emerging producer of digital content and a newcomer at the conference this year, stressed that traditional theatrical releases were planned for most of their feature-length films.
But there was hardly a consensus at CinemaCon, even among some of cinema's most influential voices. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams and veteran producer Frank Marshall ("Jurassic World," ''Indiana Jones") both urged theater owners to be open minded about the technology.
Back in Los Angeles, at Parker's event Wednesday, "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, a Screening Room backer, stressed that the service is not meant to detract people from going to theaters, but to add audiences.
"The idea of screening room is to try to make movies exist for the people who don't go to the cinema," Jackson said. "If we can try to get that added to the box office of films, that means the films are more successful, which means more films get made and a wider variety of films get made."
"Theater owners should not be concerned and I don't think filmmakers should be," he added. "Honestly, I've kicked the tires of this for so long now, trying to find any fault in it, and I think it's sound. I think it's going to be a very, very positive thing for the industry in a time that we need it."
The big question now is whether or not these two factions will ever see eye-to-eye, and many at CinemaCon were already off-put by the idea of an outsider's business proposal disrupting their industry.
"More sophisticated window modeling may be needed for the growing success of a modern movie industry," said John Fithian, Chairman and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners. "But those models will be developed by distributors and exhibitors in company-to-company discussions."

Man wrongly convicted in 1957 Illinois murder is released

CHICAGO (AP) — A 76-year-old man who a prosecutor says was wrongly convicted in the 1957 killing of an Illinois schoolgirl was released Friday shortly after a judge vacated his conviction, meaning one of the oldest cold cases to be tried in U.S. history has officially gone cold again.

(1 of 8) Jack McCullough, left, smiles from the backseat of his stepdaughter Janey O'Connor's rental car after he was released from the DeKalb County Jail in Sycamore, Ill., Friday, April 15, 2016. An Illinois judge vacated the conviction of the 76-year-old man in a 1957 killing and ordered his immediate release from prison Friday, meaning that one of the oldest cold cases to be tried in U.S. history has officially gone cold again. (Danielle Guerra/Daily Chronicle via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT; CHICAGO TRIBUNE OUT

April 15, 2016 Jack McCullough was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 in the death of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph in Sycamore, about 70 miles west of Chicago. In a review of documents last year, a prosecutor found evidence that supported the former policeman's long-held alibi that he had been 40 miles away in Rockford at the time of Maria's disappearance.

Judge William P. Brady said Friday that Maria's abduction and slaying had haunted the small town of Sycamore for decades, and that he had also lost sleep over the case. "I'm not blind to the importance of this proceeding to many people," he said, minutes before ordering McCullough's release.
McCullough, in handcuffs, appeared shaken by the decision, rocking back and forth, then taking a deep breath. Family members behind him hugged and cried. Moments later, McCullough, of Washington state, looked back, winked and smiled broadly.
On the other side of the room, Maria's brother and sister displayed little emotion. Hours later, McCullough's stepdaughter, Janey O'Connor, drove him from a jail near the courthouse. McCullough, wearing street clothes, grinned at reporters from the back seat. His request for a first meal out of prison, she said in a phone interview later, was for pepperoni pizza.
O'Connor said she'd been convinced of her stepfather's innocence from the start. "Jack was just a normal person doing his grandpa thing, and this happened to him," she said. She said he told her he's looking forward to shopping for his children and grandchildren, because he has "a lot of birthdays and Christmases to catch up on." She said he has been studying Japanese while in prison and wants to travel to Japan.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack, who pushed hard for McCullough's release, told Brady earlier that his office wouldn't retry McCullough if a retrial was ordered. He said prosecutors were fully convinced of McCullough's innocence.
Schmack, elected as state's attorney as McCullough's 2012 trial was coming to an end, filed a scathing report with the court last month. He had conducted a six-month review of evidence, including newly discovered phone records, and his report picked the case apart, point by point.
He said in an email that he was reviewing the judge's ruling and would not be commenting Friday. Maria's brother, 70-year-old Charles Ridulph, said at the hearing that he would continue to push for a special prosecutor to take over the case. Brady will consider that motion April 22.
McCullough, who was living in the Seattle area when he was arrested, was released on a recognizance bond and isn't allowed to leave Illinois until the state attorney announces a formal decision on a retrial.
Maria's disappearance made headlines nationwide in the 1950s, when reports of child abductions were rare. She had been playing outside in the snow with a friend on Dec. 3, 1957, when a young man approached, introduced himself as "Johnny" and offered them piggyback rides. Maria's friend dashed home to grab mittens, and when she came back, Maria and the man were gone.
Forest hikers found her remains five months later. At his trial four years ago, prosecutors said McCullough was the man who called himself Johnny in 1957, noting that he went by the name John Tessier in his youth. They said McCullough, then 18, dragged Maria away, choked and stabbed her to death.
McCullough has maintained his innocence throughout, saying he had "an iron-clad alibi" that he had been in Rockford, attempting to enlist with the U.S. Air Force at a military recruiting station, on the night Maria disappeared.
New phone records, Schmack said, helped to prove McCullough had made a collect call to his parents at 6:57 p.m. from a phone booth in downtown Rockford, which is 40 miles northwest of where Maria was abducted between 6:45 p.m. and 6:55 p.m.
Schmack reviewed police reports and hundreds of other documents, which he said had been improperly barred at trial and contained "a wealth of information pointing to McCullough's innocence, and absolutely nothing showing guilt."
He also noted that Maria's friend had identified McCullough as the killer five decades later from an array of six photographs; McCullough's picture stood out, partially because everyone but him wore suitcoats and their photos were professional yearbook photos.
McCullough, who was born in Belfast, Ireland, came to the U.S. with his mother in 1946 and settled in Sycamore, where he lived until he was 18, he said in a 2011 interview after his arrest. He said the town had the wholesome feel of the fictional town in the television show "Happy Days." He served four years in the Air Force and 10 years in the Army, including a stint in Vietnam.

had a red arm in ‘The Force Awakens’Now we know why C-3PO

There are plenty of mysteries in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and one of them involved iconic droid C-3PO. In case you didn’t notice, C-3PO had a red left arm instead of his usual gold-colored arm. This mysterious change was totally unexplained in the movie itself and we’ve never had any answer for it… until now.
Per iO9, the first issue of the new Marvel comic Star Wars: C-3PO #1 offers details about how C-3PO got his not-so-shiny new red arm. Spoilers obviously follow below.

 10 secrets you missed while watching ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
The story starts off when C-3PO and a group of allied droids land on an unidentified planet to rescue Admiral Ackbar, who has been kidnapped by the First Order. As you might have guessed with anything involving Admiral Ackbar, the droids’ plan to rescue him is… well… “It’s a trap!”
In the ensuing fights with a number of different monsters on the planet, all of C-3PO’s droid companions are killed and C-3PO himself has his arm ripped off. The final droid to die in his crew just happened to have a red arm that C-3PO attached to his own body and decided to keep there as a reminder of his fellow droids’ sacrifices.

During Kanye West’s Fashion Show Anna Wintour Cried

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers to chat about her experience at Kanye West’s massive fashion show/record release party back in February — which involved her sitting alone for a large amount of time while waiting for the Kardashians to arrive, before getting lost in the basement of Madison Square Garden and crying by herself. 

Ah, being fashion’s most powerful person is such sweet sorrow

destroys 400 illegal refineries in Bayelsa NSCDC

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The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Bayelsa says it has destroyed more than 400 illegal mini refineries operated by oil thieves in state.

The NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Desmond Agu, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa that the illegal refineries were destroyed between January and March.

Agu said that the command now had a gunboat to fortify its operational capacity and had intensified patrols in the coastal settlements and waterways in the state.

He said that the intensified patrols by the command had led to the arrest of ex-militant leader and his gang, whom he said, were being prosecuted.

Agu said that the corps had deployed its personnel to provide security to critical national assets and oil facilities across the state.

He said, “We are on ground to ensure safety and protection of vital oil infrastructure and property within the command.

“The command is determined to deal with the oil thieves and end their illegal businesses.

“We have made some arrests concerning the recent cases of vandalism at Agip’s oil fields in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.”

He added, “The corps recovered the bodies of the three oil workers that died in the explosion in one of the fields on March 26. We have handed over the bodies to Agip.

“The case has also been handed over to the Bayelsa State Police Command because it involves death and falls outside our mandate.”

The Director-General, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, Dr. Peter Idabor, had earlier attributed the death of the oil workers to poor safety procedures at the oil field.

Meanwhile, officials of Nigeria Agip Oil Company in Bayelsa and its parent company, Eni, have declined comment on the Easter Sunday’s explosion.

Media Relations Manager, Eni , Mr. Fillippo Cotalini, has yet to respond to the request sent to him through e-mail for a reaction on the explosion.

APC winner of Bwari council FCT poll INEC declares

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Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared the All Progressives Congress Chairmanship candidate, Mr Musa Dikko as the winner of the Bwari Area council election.

The result of the election was announced by the INEC Returning Officer for the area, Mr Abubakar Abba.

Abba said Dikko who polled 18,066 votes defeated his closest rival, Mr. Andrew Gwani of the People’s Democratic Party who recorded 13,279 votes.

He said that the area council had a total of 162,786 registered voters, while only 33,162 voters were accredited for the election.

The collation of the results which commenced at few minutes past midnight lasted till the early hours of Sunday.

Announcing the results of other contestants, the INEC returning officer said Mr. Wada Abdu of the Action Alliance scored 93 votes while Kenneth Olabaniji of Citizens Popular Party had 72 votes.

As soon as Dikko was declared winner of the polls, there was jubilation within the area as many youths said to be supporters of APC took to the streets.

Some of them who moved in convoy drove round streets such as the Sabon-road, Action layout and Kuduru road among others displaying the APC flags in the process.

proud surrogates — but not Republicans Ivanka and Eric Trump: Loyal offspring

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Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump attend a news conference in New York, May 1, 2014. (Photo: Brendan McDermid/Reuters)Donald Trump’s three oldest children have campaigned with their father and served as surrogates during the presidential race. But only one of them is actually a member of the party Trump hopes to lead.Records from the New York State Board of Elections show that neither Ivanka Trump nor Eric Trump is enrolled in a political party. Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is a Republican.Both Eric and Ivanka Trump have also donated money to Democrats. Campaign finance reports show Eric gave $1,000 to Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in 2010. Eric has made 11 other contributions totaling over $138,000 that all went to Republican candidates.Ivanka’s campaign contributions have a more bipartisan bent. Records show she has donated over $240,000 to both Democrats and Republicans. Ivanka has given money to Schumer, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.,, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., District of Columbia Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid. On the Republican side, Ivanka has given money to the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. In 2010, Ivanka gave $2,000 to Carly Fiorina’s U.S. Senate campaign. Fiorina ran against Donald Trump in this year’s Republican primary and the pair had several contentious exchanges. Fiorina ended her presidential bid in February and endorsed another Trump rival, Sen. Ted Cruz last month. In addition to giving money to both Republican and Democratic candidates, Ivanka has donated to committees benefiting both parties.Neither Ivanka and Eric Trump responded to requests for comment from Yahoo News. The Trump campaign also did not respond to a request for comment. Along with Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, Trump has two younger children. Tiffany Trump, 22, has not been as active in the campaign as her older siblings and Yahoo News could not find voting records for her. Trump’s youngest son, Barron, is just 10 years old.New York State Board of Elections records show that both Trump and his wife, Melania, are members of the Republican Party. But Trump has a rather unusual relationship with the Republican Party, and has sometimes been at odds with the Republican National Committee. Like his daughter, Trump has given money to members of both parties.Referrer World

not sure she’d vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump Susan Sarandon says she’s

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CAMPAIGN 2016

 

 

Susan Sarandon listens as Bernie Sanders speaks at a rally in Iowa in January. (Photo: Chris Carlson/AP)

Actress Susan Sarandon says she isn’t sure she’d vote for Hillary Clinton in the fall if the former secretary of state beats Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Sarandon, one of Sanders’ most visible surrogates, told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes that she’s concerned that Clinton doesn’t represent the progressive values that the Vermont senator and self-described democratic socialist preaches on the campaign trail.

“She doesn’t,” Sarandon said. “She’s accepted money from all those [Wall Street] people. She doesn’t even want to fight for a $15 minimum wage.”

The 69-year-old Academy Award winner said her fellow Sanders supporters — many of them first-time voters — won’t turn out for Clinton in a general election.

“You really think that?” Hayes asked.

“I think there’s a good possibility,” Sarandon replied. “They feel like she’s not authentic, that she’s a liar, that they don’t trust her, so what difference does it make?”

She said Sanders would probably urge his supporters to support whoever the Democratic nominee is, particularly if the Republican nominee is Donald Trump.“I think Bernie would probably encourage people, because he doesn’t have any ego in this thing,” Sarandon said. “But I think a lot of people are [saying], ‘Sorry, I just can’t bring myself to do that.”“How about you personally?” Hayes asked.“I don’t know,” Sarandon said. “I’m gonna see what happens.”“Really?” Hayes responded. “I cannot believe, as you’re watching the rise of Donald Trump. …”“Well, you know, some people feel Donald Trump will bring the revolution immediately,” Sarandon said. “If he gets in, then things will really explode.”In January, while stumping for Sanders in Iowa, Sarandon compared Trump to a “drunk uncle at a wedding.”“He’s made hatred and racism normal,” Sarandon said. “I can’t even address him seriously.”But there’s one thing Sarandon shares with Trump: A disdain for the status quo.“It’s dangerous to think that we can continue the way we are,” she said.

Lagos Police Assures Residents Of Security During Easter Holidays

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The Lagos State Police Command on Sunday said adequate security measures have been put in place to safeguard residents ahead of the Easter celebrations.

“The police will not hesitate to carry out its responsibilities at all times that will include the Easter period,” Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“Already, the operational strategy is still on the ground to ensure safety of lives and property of all, and this will continue either during festive or non-festive period.
“Lagosians who are not criminally minded should enjoy their Easter celebration, but for the criminals, they should know that we will continue to bring them down.
“Residents should also be security alert and report any suspicious character and observation to the police for further investigation.
“The command will not stop to provide security for Lagosians and will ensure that the state is free from any form of criminality, “ she said.
Badmos wished residents a peaceful Easter celebration and urged them to always help the police with useful information.

IGP Orders Tight Security At Easter

As Nigerian Christians join their counterparts in other parts of the world to mark Easter in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, has directed all zonal and state commands to beef up security around worship centres, recreational areas and places with high concentration of people to ensure safety.

A statement issued, yesterday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Olabisi Kolawole said Arase “directed all zonal (Assistant Inspectors General) AIGs and state Command Commissioners of Police (CPs) to take all necessary measures towards ensuring the provision of adequate security for worshippers, travellers, picnickers and all citizens across the country before, during and after the festive season.
“Command Commissioners of Police are to personally ensure that all key and vulnerable points within their jurisdictions, including places of worship, recreation centres, motor parks, highways, financial institutions and all places of public resort are adequately and effectively protected.”
Arase also advised operators of motor parks, shopping malls and recreational centres to work very closely with the police and other security agencies as they strive to strengthen general security in their respective facilities.

Psquare Set Netherlands On Fire With Electrifying Performance

Psquare gave their fans in Netherlands a taste of what they are likely to miss if they end up splitting as they entertained them with an electrifying performance at the Palmundo world festival.

See more photos below: