Obituaries 01 (Sep 08 - Jul 11)

[winston]

Revered Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba dies at age 84 By AIJAZ RAHI

Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba, revered by millions worldwide, died after nearly a month of hospital treatment near his southern Indian headquarters. He was 84.

The news that Sai Baba died Sunday brought an outpouring of grief from his followers, including high Indian officials, who remembered him as a pious person who worked selflessly to help others with the billions of dollars donated to his charitable trust.

Women selling marigold garlands broke down in tears outside his ashram, or spiritual retreat, while devotees began flocking to the temple complex where the guru's body will lie through Tuesday.

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, where Sai Baba spent the past weeks on breathing support and dialysis, appealed for calm. Police, heavily deployed since Sai Baba was hospitalized March 28, kept tight control over road traffic and crowds. Shops were told to close to limit the number of people in town.

Sai Baba had a huge following, with ashrams in more than 126 countries and devotees in India including high-placed politicians, movie stars, world-class athletes and industrialists.

He was said to perform miracles, conjuring jewelry, Rolex watches and "vibhuti" — a sacred ash that his followers applied to their foreheads — from his halo of wild, frizzy hair.

But rationalist critics led campaigns against him, calling him a charlatan and his miracles fake. Several news reports alleged that he sexually abused devotees — accusations he denied as vilification campaigns.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to pay last respects in Puttaparti, where a funeral with state honors is planned for Wednesday morning.

Indian television ran nonstop news coverage Sunday of the guru's death, while officials and celebrities expressed sadness over an "irreparable loss."

"Sri Satya Sai Baba was a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life, even as they followed the religion of their choice," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement. "The nation deeply mourns his passing away."

Andhra Pradesh state, where Puttaparti is located, declared four days of mourning, with its top official calling Sai Baba "a symbol of love, affection and passion."

"Sri Satya Sai Baba has given his great self to the service of humanity," Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said. "He will be remembered for ages to come by all sections of people all over the world."

Born Nov. 23, 1926, as Sathyanarayana Raju, he was said as a child to display a tendency toward spirituality and unusual intelligence, which he expressed through music, dance and writing poetry and plays.

In 1940, at the age of 14, he declared himself an "avatar," or reincarnation, of another Hindu holy man called the Sai Baba of Shirdi, a town in western Maharashtra state, who died in 1918.

As the young guru attracted followers, his home of Puttaparti grew from a sleepy village into a vibrant town, with the sprawling "Prasanthi Nilayam" ashram built in 1950, as well as a large hospital, a university and schools run by his Satya Sai Central Trust, set up in 1972 with donations from devotees.

The trust — estimated to be worth at least $8.9 billion and possibly much more — also established spiritual centers in the cities of Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. It built another hospital in Bangalore, where Sai Baba had a summer home, and funded water supply projects in several southern states.

Though no successor has been named to run the trust, "there is or will be no vacuum," a statement released after the guru was hospitalized said.

Health woes over recent years had forced Sai Baba to cut down on public appearances. He survived a stroke and a series of heart attacks in 1963. In 2005, he began using a wheelchair, and a year later he fractured his hip when a student fell from a stool onto him.

Sai Baba was also mired in controversies, with several news reports about allegations of sexual abuse and fake miracles.

A 2004 BBC television program called the "Secret Swami" featured interviews with at least two American male devotees who claimed the guru had fondled their genitals and exposed himself to them while claiming it was part of a healing ritual.

Though he denied the allegations and was never charged with any crime, the reports led some to break with the guru.

The ashram also said Sai Baba had survived an attempt against his life, with six devotees, including the guru's personal assistant, killed in his bedroom in June 1993 after allegedly trying to attack him. Facts of the case remain a mystery.

Sai Baba was never married and has no children.

___

Source: Associated Press

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/revered-hindu- ... 55329.html

[winston]

Osama Bin Laden slain near Islamabad, Pakistan: CNN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed at a mansion outside the Pakistani capital Islamabad, CNN reported on Sunday.

Source: Reuters US Online Report Top News

[kennynah]

who knows for sure who was responsible for 9/11 attacks ??

so people say bin laden was the mastermind, and we just believe ??

[winston]

I think Osama did admit to the 911 Attack.

In one of the interviews, he did mentioned that despite his Engineering background, he did not expect the towers to collapse...

[winston]

If you've lived in Canada before, you would have probably bought his frozen food and processed meat eg. ham, bacon, etc. before....


Wallace McCain, Canadian frozen food mogul, dies

TORONTO (AP): Wallace McCain, a billionaire frozen food mogul and philanthropist who helped turn a small Canadian french fry plant into the global McCain Foods empire and later went on to control meat processor Maple Leaf Foods, has died. He was 81.

McCain, co-founder of McCain Foods and chairman of Maple Leaf Foods, died Friday night in Toronto after a 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer. The death was announced by the board of directors of Maple Leaf Foods on Saturday.

This year, Forbes Magazine listed Wallace McCain as No. 512 on its annual list of the world's billionaires, estimating his personal net worth at $2.3 billion.

Former Prime Minister Paul Martin praised McCain as a great Canadian.

"What he built in business is now part of our history," Martin said in a statement. "But what should be known as well was his infectious sense of humor, his compassion and his generosity to so many causes dedicated to making the lives of Canadians better."

McCain and brother Harrison McCain founded New Brunswick-based McCain Foods Ltd. in 1956, building it into one of the globe's largest frozen food companies which now operates in 44 countries and produces more frozen french fries than any other company in the world.

"Wallace made an indelible impact on Maple Leaf Foods, our country and the food industry globally," said Purdy Crawford, lead director of the board of directors.

The two brothers followed in the steps of their father, who owned a seed potato exporting business in their hometown of Florenceville, New Brunswick.

They hired 30 employees at their new plant and sold $152,000 worth of fries in their first year.

But as consumers craved the convenience of prepared foods, the company grew into more than small potatoes - expanding into the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States over a 15-year period.

Throughout the 1970s, '80s and '90s, McCain snapped up European and American businesses, expanding into the frozen pizza, vegetable and fish processing markets, and juice business, and ramping up its number of plants around the world.

But in 1994, Wallace McCain was forced out as co-CEO after a bitter public feud with his older brother about who would take over the company. Wallace wanted his son Michael to take the reigns, but Harrison preferred outside managers. Millions in legal fees later, the courts sided with Harrison, who later went on to name his nephew Allison McCain as his successor. Harrison died in 2004.

Although Wallace McCain left the New Brunswick food company, he remained a board member and still held a one-third interest, but he couldn't stay out of the business that made him a billionaire.

In 1995, he became an Officer of the Order of Canada - one of the country's highest honors. That same year he and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan bought Toronto-based Maple Leaf Foods, maker of deli meats, bread and other prepared foods. That company grew to more than 21,000 employees under his supervision.

His son Michael now runs Maple Leaf as its CEO.

McCain was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 1993 and its current head praised him for business leadership that has increased Canada's profile around the world.

"He has demonstrated the qualities necessary to ensure the success and competitiveness of Canada in a global marketplace," Ross Maund, the hall of fame's president and CEO said in a statement.

McCain was also known for his philanthropic activities, fundraising for the National Ballet School, establishing an entrepreneur training institute in his name at the University of New Brunswick, and sitting as a board member of Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital Foundation.

"I liked making money," Wallace once said, "but I love giving it away even more."

Mavis Staines, artistic director and co-CEO of the National Ballet School, said the organization had lost a great supporter.

Wallace is survived by his wife Margaret, his four children and nine grandchildren.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.as ... c=business

[winston]

Hmm.... I have seen this guy on those Wrestling shows in the 80s ...

Famed pro wrestler "Macho Man" dies in crash

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (Reuters) - Professional wrestling great "Macho Man" Randy Savage died after a car crash on Friday near his home in Seminole, Florida, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The colorful champion -- known for his husky voice, gaudy costumes and "oooh, yeah!" catch phrase -- appeared to have lost control of his 2009 Jeep Wrangler on Friday morning, crash investigators said.

Savage, 58, drove over a concrete barrier into oncoming traffic lanes before crashing head-on into a tree. He died of his injuries at a nearby hospital, a crash report said.

Though some media outlets quoted his brother as saying the former wrestler suffered a heart attack while driving, the Florida Highway Patrol said that could not be confirmed until an autopsy is performed.

The crash was not alcohol-related, authorities said.

The wrestler, whose legal name was Randy Mario Poffo, and his wife Barbara, who was a passenger in the car, were both wearing seat belts. His wife suffered minor injuries.

Once a minor league baseball player, the wrestler rose to fame as "Macho Man" in the 1980s.

He was "an iconic figure," said hall of fame professional wrestler Dusty "The American Dream" Rhodes on Friday.

Under contract with the WWE from 1985 to 1993, he sparred against Hulk Hogan and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. He clinched two WWE Championships, two World Heavyweight Championships and held a 14-month reign as Intercontinental Champion.

His entrance music was "Pomp and Circumstance" and his signature accessories were sunglasses, bandannas and cowboy hats.

"WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of one of the greatest Superstars of his time," read a statement posted on the WWE site on Friday. "Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends."

Source: Reuters US Online Report Domestic News

[kennynah]

i'm still waiting...

[winston]

i'm still waiting...

Karma will not let bad boys go easily. They will need to suffer first before they can be allowed to go ...

[winston]

What are you trying to prove by running 5km ?

Businessman dies in 5km PAssion Run event By Kai Fong

A 55-year-old businessman collapses from sudden cardiac arrest about 300m from the finishing point (AFP)

The death of a "health conscious" man on Saturday at the 100PLUS PAssion Run has shocked his family and friends.

Businessman Lee Khoon Bok, 55, collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest about 300m from the finishing point near the East Coast Food Centre during the 5km run, reported The Straits Times.

Two doctors, who were bystanders, applied cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the event's medical staff used an automated external defibrillator, a portable electronic device for halting arrhythmia.

Yet, Lee never regained consciousness.

"I got a call but could not make it out," said the man's elder son Jun Yi, 28, who was also competing in the run. "Mum took the phone and told me Dad had lost consciousness. I rushed there and saw people trying to revive him."

His family lamented that it took about half an hour for emergency services to send him to Changi Hospital. Said his younger son, Jun Yue, 24, a student, "We are not trying to say my father would have lived if he had been sent there earlier, but we were caught in a jam on one stretch."

Lee stuck to a healthy diet and exercised regularly since a check up two years ago revealed he had high blood pressure, said his family.

He had taken part in several 5km runs over the past two years and regularly jogged more than 5km on weekends and 2km on weekdays. Lee also checked his blood pressure levels with a home kit every week.

Said Duke-National University of Singapore medical school associate professor Fatimah Lateef who specialises in emergency cardiac care, "There was no lack of medical attention given to him on-site."

Prof Fatimah is also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GC (Geylang Serai). The annual run is organised by Geylang Serai Community Club.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singapor ... 03284.html

[kennynah]

it's just a tragic accident lah...