The tumultuous 37-year reign of George Steinbrenner as owner of the New York Yankees came to an end

http://www.manhattanstyle.com/arts-entertainment/new-york-icon/the-boss-george-steinbrenner-dies-at-80/

The "BOSS" George Steinbrenner Dies at 80


The tumultuous 37-year reign of George Steinbrenner as owner of the New York Yankees came to an end this morning with the death of the Boss from a massive heart attack. Steinbrenner or the BOSS led the Yankees to 11 American League Pennants and 7 World Series .

He was one of those larger than life heroic New York Personalities. Outspoken and brash like the city it self .Who’s raise and fall and raise again was so much a part of the New York experience. Love him or hate the Boss was one of those people that makes New York what it is.Steinbrenner had a huge impact on the city, baseball and was an inspiration for a generation of 70's kids who grew up through the worst of times in New York City. Through the crime ,the fiscal crisis ,son of sam ,the Bronx is burning and even disco Steinbrenner delivered back to back titles in 77 and 78 when Yankee fans and New Yorkers needed it the most .And later even after the September 11th attacks the Yankees played ball.

Steinbrenner headed a group of investors who bought the Yankees from CBS in 1973 for mere $10 million. Today the franchise is the most valuable sports franchise in the world ,worth somewhere near $1 billion.

After the purchase in 1973, Steinbrenner quickly established himself as a larger than life unique firebrand, earning fame, admiration and ire for his impulsive personnel moves, pioneering business strategies, and win-at-all-costs New York mentality. Representing the will to overcome all odds in precisely the same will New Yorkers display meeting every challenge they face daily.

The Boss spared with managers and players and was perhaps more known in his early Yankee years for having it out with the likes of Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin and Dave Winfield.

The Boss was a larger than life figure and a force in the industry. His truly heroic rise and success of his teams on the field and in the business area are a testament to his skill, drive, and determination. It was his trade make and became the Yankee way ,the winning way .

As the wild days of the 1970's gave way to the class acts of the Joe Torre years the Yankees became the most popular and profitable team in the nation. Pardoned by President Reagan, feuded with Hall of Fame’er Yogi Berra suspended from baseball by Bowie Kuhn ,owner ,business man and number one fan ,going though managers like most men go though socks ,there will never be another one like the “BOSS” George Steinbrenner.

http://www.manhattanstyle.com/arts-entertainment/new-york-icon/the-boss-george-steinbrenner-dies-at-80/

Free Masons founders of the USA

SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Known Masons (8): Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, Robert Treat Payne, Richard Stockton, George Walton, William Whipple

Evidence of Membership And/or Affiliations (7): Elbridge Berry, Lyman Hall, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Nelson Jr., John Penn, George Read, Roger Sherman

Summary: 15 of 56 Signers were Freemasons or probable Freemasons.

SIGNERS OF THE CONSTITUTION

Known Masons (9): Gunning Bedford, Jr., John Blair, David Brearly, Jacob Broom, Daniel Carrol, John Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, Rufus King, George Washington

Evidence of Membership And/or Affiliations (13): Abraham Baldwin, William Blount, Elbridge Gerry, Nicholas Gilman, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, John Lansing, Jr., James Madison, George Mason, George Read, Robert Morris, Roger Sherman, George Wythe.

Peter Frampton "baby I love your way "

A Contemplative Cigar in the Garden one of Life's Small Pleasures

Oakland Athletics Dallas Braden hurls perfect game.

Dallas Braden,Oakland Athletics lefty, fired a perfect game against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-0 victory. It was the 19th perfect game in major league history and only the 18th victory of Braden’s career. Braden recently gained a measure of fame when he criticized the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez for breaking the number one unspoken rule of crossing the mound after a foul ball, considered a major break with baseball etiquette.

Braden threw his perfect game on 109 pitches. He retired Gabe Kapler on a grounder to shortstop Cliff Pennington for the final out. In Chicago last July, Kapler was also the last out hitting a deep fly ball in the ninth inning against he White Sox . DeWayne Wise corralled the ball at the wall, saving Mark Buehrle’s perfect game.

Braden, 26, is the youngest pitcher to throw a perfect game since the Angels’ Mike Witt in 1984, when he was 24. The last pitcher with fewer career victories at the time of his perfect game was Charlie Robertson, whose 1922 gem for the White Sox was his second career win.

Punk rock guru Malcolm McLaren dies aged 64

By VIRGINIA WHEELER


Published: Today

MALCOLM McLaren was the outrageous icon who boasted that he invented punk rock - and unleashed the Sex Pistols on the world.

The legendary impresario, who died yesterday, achieved notoriety when the band's anti-establishment single God Save The Queen hit No1 during Her Majesty's 1977 silver jubilee.

Last night Pistols frontman John Lydon, dubbed Johny Rotten , said: "For me Malc was always entertaining, and I hope you remember that.

"Above all else he was an entertainer. I'll miss him and so should you."

Mellowed ... Malcolm McLaren with partner Young Kim last month

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2925233/King-of-punk-Malcolm-McLaren-dies-aged-64.html#ixzz0kZDCMDlX

NEW YORK CITY'S 25th ANNUAL APRIL FOOLS' DAY PARADE

The New York April Fools' Committee Is Proud to Announce:
NEW YORK CITY'S 25th ANNUAL


"Up, Up and Away!"New York, New York, March 24, 2010 -- The 25th Annual April Fools' Day Parade will begin at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street at 12 noon, Thursday, April 1, 2010. Rain or shine, the parade will march down 5th Avenue to Washington Square Park for the post-parade festivities and selection of the King or Queen of Fools from the costumed marching look-alikes.

The theme for this year's parade is "Up, Up and Away." Led by Grand Marshall Ben Bernanke, the parade will kick off with the Where's-the-Money Marching Band playing this year's theme song by the Fifth Dimension "Up, Up and Away in My Beautiful Balloon." Color commentary will be provided by Sarah Palin for her new Fox TV show "We Make It Up, You Believe It." Thanks to a contribution by a secret donor in honor of the parade's 25th anniversary, 10,000 red, white and blue helium balloons, each with a crisp one-dollar bill attached, will be released along the parade route.

The floats this year will be led by Richard and Mayumi Heene with their Homemade Helium Flying Saucer Float. Next will be the Northwest Airlines Flight 188 "Siesta" Cockpit Float with pilot Timothy B. Cheney and first officer Richard I. Cole napping. Then a North Korea Missile Launch Float will launch H2O bombs into the crowd. The OK Corral Float will follow featuring Washington Wizards basketball stars Gilbert Arena and Javaris Crittenton with their guns a'blazing. Although we don't know what will be going on inside, Washington's "C" Street House Float will come next. Then comes the Late Night TV Roman Chariot Race with Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and David Letterman pulled by network execs instead of horses as they battle for position.

The marching celebrity look-alikes will include Michael Jackson's dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein shouting "Who wants my sperm?" followed by South Carolina Republican Representative Joe Wilson proclaiming "You lie!", Ex-CNN Commentator Lou Dobbs demanding "Where's Obama's birth certificate?" and Charlie Sheen threatening "I'm gonna kill you!". Tiger Woods will be swinging a golf club yelling "Fore...Play" while Glenn Beck declares "Obama is a racist!" Joan Rivers will take up the rear screaming at anyone who will listen "How dare they! Don't they know who I am?"

As the parade ends at Washington Square Park, the party begins, featuring live music, food, concessions & entertainment. There will be an Interracial Marriage Chapel officiated by Louisiana Judge Keith Bardwell; a Gay Marriage Counseling Booth manned by Miss California, Carrie Prejean; a Marriage Counseling Booth manned by South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford; and a David Carradine Enhanced Sexual Techniques Booth. The U.S. Secret Service will stand guard by a Meet-the-President Booth where President Obama will dispense "change pills" for change you can swallow. White House Gate Crashers Michele and Tareq Salahi were not invited but are expected to show up anyway. There will also be a Concealed Bomb Fashion Show featuring underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab; a Free Toys-for-Tots Giveaway of Cadmium-Enriched Toys, sponsored by the Chinese Manufacturers Association; and, in the FDA's effort to dispose of excess vaccines, a Free Swine Flu Vaccine Booth. Jerry Springer will conduct a Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform funded by multimillionaire ex-hospital CEO Rick Scott, whose company was charged with the largest case of financial fraud in U.S. history.

The New York April Fools' Day Parade was created in 1986 to remedy a glaring omission in the long list of New York's annual ethnic and holiday parades. These events fail to recognize the importance of April 1st, the day designated to commemorate the perennial folly of mankind. In an attempt to bridge this gap and bring people back in touch with their inherent foolishness, the parade annually crowns a King of Fools from parading look-alikes.

The public is encouraged to participate, in or out of costume, with or without floats, and may join the procession at any point along the parade route. Floats can be no wider than 10' and no longer than 25'. They can be self-propelled, towed, pushed or pulled. Customized bicycles, tricycles, baby carriages and aerial balloons are welcome. All participants are costumed look-alikes, and the Parade Committee assumes no liability for damages caused by satire. Parade floats and marchers must be at 59th Street and Fifth Ave no later than 11:30 a.m.

We are grateful to the New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts and Mayor Michael Bloomberg for their support of this year's parade. Also, in honor of this parade's 25th anniversary, we humbly thank the thousands of talented artists and craftsmen who have contributed to the parade's success over the years. The King or Queen of Fools will be chosen based on the loudest cheers at Washington Square Park. The winner will reign through March 31, 2011.