Indy Champion Dan Wheldon dies in tragic crash

Indy Champion Dan Wheldon dies in tragic crash 

Dan Wheldon 33 ,died from injuries shortly after a collision at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, . Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon born 22 June 1978 was from England. Weldon was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011

Wheldon was as they say born to race and moved to the United States in 1999, where he spent several years in lower open-wheeled circuits like the U.S. F2000 Championship Series, the Toyota Atlantic series and the Indy Lights series.

For Wheldon Indy racing started In 2002, when Wheldon moved up to the IRL IndyCar Series for two events, with Panther Racing . The following year Wheldon joined Andretti Green Racing, taking the spot of Michael Andretti following Michael's  retirement. Weldon collected Rookie of the Year honors and in 2004, he won his first IRL race at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, ultimately finishing as runner-up to teammate Tony Kanaan in the championship with three wins.

Wheldon met his untimely death this week at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The tragic 15-car pile up came during lap 11. The multi-car pile-up resulted in a race stopping red flag. Wheldon had to be extricated from his car and airlifted to a local hospital with what were described as "serious injuries."Weldon subsequently died .

The IndyCar officials and drivers decided that the race should be abandoned, and held a five-lap salute in Wheldon's honour, with his number 77 being displayed alone at the top of the scoring pylon.Michael Andretti later revealed that Wheldon had just signed with Andretti Autosport for a multi-year deal to replace driver Danica Patrick.

Lady Gaga Shoots ‘Marry The Night’ in Harlem

Lady Gaga Shoots ‘Marry The Night’ in Harlem

Back in September it was announced that Lady Gaga’s fifth single off of Born This Way would be “Marry The Night,”. This week Lady Gaga was spotted Uptown in Harlem shooting the music video for the single.

After shooting "You and I," in Nebraska Lady Gaga returned to her home town the big apple for her fifth single off "Born This Way". The weather was not so kind and greeted her with gloomy weather and raindrops as she shot an epic dance number uptown.

Earlier in the week, Gaga filmed at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Staten Island, where extras donned ballerina attire, hospital gowns and of coarse leopard print. While Gaga keep her costume under wraps by reportedly hiding behind a sheet, she did appeared happy to show off her oversized headgear and icy blue lipstick to photographers.

The Annual Columbus Day Parade

The Annual Columbus Day Parade 

The Annual Columbus Day Parade features 35,000 marchers and over 100 groups, including bands, floats and contingents. Nearly one million spectators.

On October 10, 2011, Fifth Avenue will be transformed by the Columbus Day Parade, into the world’s largest celebration of Italian-American culture. The parade was led by Grand Marshal Joseph Plumeri, philanthropist, and Chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings. The Annual Columbus Day Parade features 35,000 marchers and over 100 groups, including bands, floats and contingents. Nearly one million spectators.The Columbus Day Parade has been organized by the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York since 1929.

The Columbus Day Parade is a fun filled Parade that gets bigger and better every year.The Parade Committee has spent countless hours reviewing many talented Bands and entertaining acts in an effort to make this year’s Columbus Day Parade the most exciting event yet! This year, the Parade will be marching up Fifth Avenue from 44th to 72nd Street and the grandstands are located on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets.

This year features many talented performers like Pia Toscano from American Idol as well as the Italian Musical, “The Italian Fairy” .The Sacred Heart University Marching Band as well as Stony Brook University Marching Band will be just a few of the dozen high school bands, as well as virtuosi professional groups from the United States and Italy, marched up Fifth Avenue and filled the canyons of midtown with joyous, heart-pounding music.Traditional folk groups will perform centuries-old dances, and cutting-edge designs were brought to the parade route in displays of the vibrant culture that is Italy today.

The Annual Columbus Day Parade celebrates the spirit of exploration and courage that inspired Christopher Columbus’s 1492 expedition and the important contributions Italian-Americans have made to the United States.

Al Davis NFL icon, Raiders owner dies at 82

Al Davis NFL icon, Raiders owner  dies at 82

Al Davis, maverick owner of the Oakland/Los Angles Raiders whose iconoclastic reign over the Raiders led to three Super Bowl titles and made the silver-and-black franchise a symbol of renegade toughness, died this past Saturday at age 82.

Davis was known as brilliant, enigmatic and unapologetically independent turning the Raiders into one of the most successful franchises in pro football in the 1960s and '70s.Davis was a keen judge of talent, and was willing to accept other team's castoffs and troublemakers and he was able to get the best out of them.

Davis one of the NFL's most enigmatic personalities feuded with NFL commissioners, coaches, and cities on his way to three Super Bowl titles. Those who grew close to him often referred to him as 'Coach Davis' a tribute to his stint as head coach in the early years of the franchise and to his wealth of football expertise.

A Raiders spokesperson said Davis died at his home, which in his final years was a hotel near the Oakland airport , cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

The NFL will feature a moment of silence for Davis at every game this weekend. The Raiders posted a stirring, 90-second tribute video on their website and issued the following statement :

"Al Davis was unique - a maverick, a giant among giants, a true legend. ... He was an innovator, a pioneer with a deep love ... for the game of football. His contributions to the game are innumerable and his legacy will endure. ... Al Davis was a champion of diversity who maintained the courage of his convictions. His passion for the game we all love is best exemplified by his famous phrase, 'COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.' "

Multimillion dollar re-design for Times Square

Multimillion dollar re-design for Times Square 

(NEW YORK- NEW YORK ) The architects behind the National September 11 Memorial & Museum have unveiled their yet to be finalized plans to spruce up the Theater District's cross roads of the world . The pedestrianized area of Times Square will get  a multimillion-dollar face lift.Under the new proposal the curbs will be removed and the shabby blue-and- beige painted asphalt replaced with stone or concrete. The large benches and chairs will be replace the red metal seats currently scattered around the area reducing the clutter.

The street will be leveled to remove traces of the old curbs and sidewalks, and it will be embedded with stainless steel "pucks" no bigger than a nickel to reflect the lights coming off Times Square's vibrant super sized signs and lighting. The number of light poles will be reduced.

Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, who has been working closely with the architects,"We wanted to reduce the clutter ... and create a unified identity for the heart of Times Square". he went on ,"It'll look dramatically different, but we like that in some ways the design is about more being less,"

Construction is scheduled to begin next fall and be completed by 2014. So far "The general reaction was very favorable," said Wally Rubin, Community Board 5 district manager. "It's taken years of thought and work and dialogue to make Times Square the kind of place that looks good and works for the purposes that it's designed for." continued Rubin .

Officials are hoping the zone, running from W. 42nd to W. 47th Sts., will provide a place for tourists to congregate while still enabling frenetic New Yorkers who live and work in the area to pass through unhindered.

Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! is a musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of the 1970's super group ABBA. Music is composed by former members of the band Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is not biographical.

Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, who composed the original music for ABBA, were involved in the development of the show from the beginning. Anni-Frid Lyngstad has been involved financially in the production and she has also been present at many of the premieres around the world. The musical includes such hits as "Super Trouper", "Lay All Your Love On Me", "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Take A Chance On Me", "Thank You for the Music", "Money, Money, Money", "The Winner Takes It All", "Voulez Vous" and "SOS".

Momma Mia!  made its US debut in San Francisco, California at the Orpheum Theatre from 17 November 2000 to 17 February 2001,moving next to Los Angeles, California at the Shubert Theatre from 26 February 2001 to 12 May 2001, and finally to Chicago, Illinois at the Cadillac Palace from 13 May 2001 to 12 August 2001.The Broadway opening was at the Winter Garden Theatre on 18 October 2001 and is currently running, as of September 14, 2011. The director is Phyllida Lloyd with choreography by Anthony Van Laast.

Over 42 million people have now seen Mamma Mia! which has grossed $2 billion dollars worldwide. A film adaptation starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters was released in July 2008.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name.In 1952, Shepherd Mead's satirical book, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, became a national bestseller.

In 1955 playwrights Willie Gilbert and Jack Weinstock created a dramatic interpretation ithat went unproduced for five years. Agent Abe Newborn brought the work to the attention of producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin, with the intention of retooling it as a musical. Feuer and Martin had had great success with the 1950 adaptation of Guys and Dolls . The tow brought in the creative team from Guys and Dolls to work on How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying .Abe Burrows and Frank Loesser set to work on the new adaptation, with rehearsals beginning in August 1961. Burrows collaborated on the book with Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, also serving as director. The new adaptation was even more satirical than the original and added romance to the story

The October 1961 the musical opened at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway and ran for 1,417 performances. The show won seven Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle award, and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

In 1967, a film based on the musical was released by United Artists, staring many of the original cast  In 1995 a revival was mounted at the same theater as the original production now called the Richard Rodgers Theatre and ran for 548 performances. The revival starred Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally. On March 27, 2011 a 50th anniversary revival directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford and starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.