Thursday, October 20, 2011

More on the death of Gadhafi.

The world only learned gradually this morning of the death of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. But now multiple news outlets are piecing together the dramatic account of Gadhafi's final moments.

Jalal al-Galal, a spokesman for the rebels' provisional governing alliance, the National Transitional Council told Reuters, that Gadhafi "was killed in an attack by the fighters. There is footage of that." Gadhafi is now officially the first leader killed as a result of the Arab Spring uprisings, as the Associated Press notes in its obituary of the leader.

According to reports from several sources, Gadhafi was fleeing a NATO-led rebel attack on the former leader's hometown of Sirte, which had been a last remaining stronghold for Gadhafi forces. According to the Reuters report, the rebels found the former Libyan strongman hiding in a hole in the ground; the rebel fighter who found Gadhafi said that the Libyan leader repeated "Don't shoot, don't shoot" upon his capture. The BBC reported that the same rebel fighter was "brandishing" a golden pistol which he said belonged to the Libyan strongman.
Al Jazeera English posted footage of Gadhafi's body on the street in Sirte. The Guardian has posted a longer version of the same clip. You can watch the footage below, but readers should be warned that it is very graphic:


Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's strongman, 1942-2011



Reuters quotes Abdel Majid of the Libyan transitional government as saying that a wounded Moammar Gaddafi has been captured.

Update at 8:39 am. ET: Bel Haj, the military chief for the National Transition Council, tells Al Jazeera that Gadhafi has been killed.

More as it comes in!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Steve Jobs, Co-Founder and CEO of Apple INC. 1955-2011



Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes, has died, Apple said. Jobs was 56.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," read a statement by Apple's board of directors. "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."

The homepage of Apple's website this evening switched to a full-page image of Jobs with the text, "Steve Jobs 1955-2011."

Clicking on the image revealed the additional text: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 and, with his childhood friend Steve Wozniak, marketed what was considered the world's first personal computer, the Apple II.

Shortly after learning of Jobs' death, Wozniak told ABC News, "I'm shocked and disturbed."
Industry watchers called him a master innovator -- perhaps on a par with Thomas Edison -- changing the worlds of computing, recorded music and communications.

In 2004, he beat back an unusual form of pancreatic cancer, and in 2009 he was forced to get a liver transplant. After several years of failing health, Jobs announced on Aug. 24, 2011 that he was stepping down as Apple's chief executive

A sad day for all of us who are Apple product owners. May he rest in Peace.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Ofelia Dacosta, Actriz. 1927-2011


La actriz Ofelia Dacosta falleció esta mañana en el Hospicio Jardín de Oro en Guaynabo, según confirmó a Primera Hora su hijo Jorge Acosta.

Acosta explicó que la veterana actriz, de 86 años, había venido sufriendo varias condiciones de salud y la semana pasada sufrió un infarto cerebral que la mantuvo en cama hasta la mañana de hoy, sábado, cuando finalmente falleció.

Dacosta se destacó en el quehacer cultural del país, comenzando en la actuación y la televisión tras su llegada a Puerto Rico desde Cuba en 1962.

“Ella llegó a Puerto Rico en el ‘62 y prácticamente desde la década del '70 comenzó su carrera compartiendo escenarios con Braulio Castillo, Axel Anderson, Mona Marti y Lucy Boscana, entre muchos otros”, comentó el hijo.

En la pantalla chica protagonizó el melodrama “Esclavos del rencor” con Benjamín Morales, Ricardo Palmerola y Orlando Rodríguez en una producción del Canal 2.

Otras telenovelas en las que participó Dacosta fueron: “Cuando la rival es una hija” donde laboró al lado de los actores Axel Anderson y Camille Carrión; “La sombra de Belinda”; “Preciosa” donde actuó como Flor; “Mili” proyecto en el cual interpretó a Sor Teresa y “Coralito” donde le dio vida a Ceferina. En la popular telenovela “Tanairí” encarnó a la soberbia Emperatriz y en “Escándalo”, compartió estelares junto a Charitín Goyco e Iris Chacón.

Acosta informó que los restos de su madre serán expuestos a partir de mañana domingo a la 1:00 p.m. en la Funeraria Buxeda donde el lunes se celebrará una misa a las 3:00 p.m. Luego sus restos serán cremados. “Se estará velando con la caja cerrada como era su deseo”, explicó Acosta.

El lunes en la mañana, el féretro estará expuesto en la Sala Antonio Paoli del Centro de Bellas Artes de San Juan, informó Myrna Casas, gerente general de esa institución.

A la actriz le sobreviven sus hijos Jorge, Ofelita y Néstor y sus nietos, biznietos y tataranietos. Su otro hijo Tinito falleció.

Que en Paz descanse, Doña Ofelia.
Aquí esta un vídeo de su intervención en la versión cinematográfica de la novela "El Hijo de Ángela Maria"