Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple

This is the letter from Steve Jobs himself:

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:
I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.
I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.
As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.
I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.
I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.
Steve

Apple has confirmed that Apple COO Tim Cook will replace Jobs as CEO, following Jobs’ own recommendation. Considering that Cook has filled in for Jobs in the times of his medical leaves (including the one he has been on this year), this kept everyone wondering if and when it came time for Jobs to step down.

Also as requested, Jobs has been elected as Chairman of the Board and will remain with the company in that capacity. Cook will join the Board as well.

Happy Birthday Mick Jagger, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey!...

Sir Michael Philip Jagger, the only member of the Rolling Stones to be granted knighthood, turns 68 today.

Sandra Bullock (1964) turns 47 today, while Kevin Spacey (1959) turns 52.

Happy Birthday to everyone else celebrating today, July 26th!!!

Royal wedding festivities are underway in Monaco

Wedding festivities have started in Monaco, where the principality's ruler, Prince Albert II, is marrying South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock in a civil ceremony Friday followed by a religious ceremony on Saturday.

The wedding is expected to be the biggest event in Monaco since 1956 when Albert's mother, American film star Grace Kelly, married Prince Rainier.

The 3-day wedding began with a concert held by Eagles who rocked the party in American style. After the concert the band signed a guitar for Price Albert II and they all took a few pictures together. Photo here.

On Friday, Albert will marry Wittstock in a civil ceremony in the Throne Room of the Prince's Palace. On Saturday, the couple will marry for a second time in a religious ceremony in the palace's main courtyard.

The 53-year-old bachelor prince has acknowledged fathering two illegitimate children: a daughter with an American tourist and a son with a Togolese flight attendant. Neither can be considered in line for the throne. Rumors of a third out-of wedlock child have been denied and seem to only exist in the attempt to damage the reputation of the monarch and that of his bride.

First Lady's plane did a "go around"

First Lady Michelle Obama was on a plane that had to abort landing at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington on Monday trying to avoid a cargo jet already on the runway. The plane did a go around, a standard procedure that happens even daily on airports all over the world and are not considered an incident, but made the front page only because the First Lady was on board.

No dangerous maneuvers were needed and nothing else happened except for a less than 10 minutes delay of the landing.

Each and every pilot has encountered such a situation and this one was definitely not posing any risks to the plane that was some 3 miles away the other aircraft, a distance kept to avoid air turbulence behind airplanes. Everybody is sure the pilot saw the cargo jet way before it got dangerous. At an average speed of an estimated 200 mph used by planes at that moment of the landing the pilot had enough time to avoid a collision. A slow down procedure that could have been the alternative was not an option for the pilot who preferred the much safer go around. Pilots do prefer a go around when spacing does not work, instead of slowing down.

Although this happens all the time, pilots are not happy to go around after they are cleared to land the runway and they notice planes on the tarmac that should have been seen by the controller. Also, Andrews Air Force Base is among the last where a controller is expected to fail. A more serious problem would have been if the landing continued and the plane touched down too close to the cargo jet.

Air traffic controllers are glad that the whole issue stirred discussions that have again surfaced the problems of the sector. Awful work schedules and severely understaffed personnel schemes with sometimes only one controller in the tower are only part of the issues that cause severe fatigue and stress and a shorter active period for them. Their retirement under the normal 56 years of age is more and more common as fewer and fewer of them can work all their 25 years to pension.

Most probable the media will spin the story way out of control and they may recall many other recent incidents involving air traffic controllers caught sleeping or watching videos at work. The go around is like measles: almost everybody gets it, but it is breaking news when it happens to a celebrity.

Elizabeth Taylor dead at 79

Elizabeth Taylor, the violet-eyed beauty whose hectic off-screen love life often eclipsed her most sultry film roles, has died. She was 79.

According to NBC, the actress suffered a heart attack. A statement from her publicist said that Liz died "peacefully today in Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles".

She was hospitalized six weeks ago with congestive heart failure, "a condition with which she had struggled for many years. Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home. Sadly, this was not to be."

Considered the "last old-time Hollywood star", actress Elizabeth Taylor had an impressive career. She was a two-time Oscar winner - for "Butterfield 8" (1960) and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (1966) - and received from the American Film Institute the Lifetime Achievement Award. She starred in over 80 films, but probably remained in the memory of the people firstly because of her beauty, glamor, outgoing personality and flamboyant lifestyle.

Elizabeth Taylor was born on 27 February 1932, at Hampstead, near London. She had her first role as a child, at the age of 9, and her innocence and beauty immediately captured the audience.

On 6 May 1950, she married Nick Hilton, the billionaire son of Conrad Hilton. This was just one of many marriages to follow. The first divorce came after only six months.

In 1958 Liz was 26 years old and she had already starred in 28 movies and had been nominated three times for an Oscar. She was seen as the most spoiled Hollywood actress, while critics say that she was also one of the most "expensive" ones. It is said that "Cleopatra" alone brought her in 1962 over one million dollars.

She became an early AIDS activist, raising millions for research and treatment. BBC once noted that her charity work had grossed as much as her film career.

In 1999, she was made a Dame of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth Taylor lived her life similar to her successful movie roles: with passion and dedication. May she rest in peace.