Barack Obama's Grandmother Dies

Just one day before Madelyn Dunham gets to see her grandson elected as President of the United States of America, she passes away.

Obama found out about his grandmother's passing about 8:00 this morning while campaigning in Jacksonville, Fl. This is a very sad day for Obama and his family. He will be finishing his campaign today. Ending at his home in Chicago.

Here is Obama's official statement about his grandmother's passing.

It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.
Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer.

Please take a moment of silence for the Obama family.......

Bernie Mac Dies At Age 50

Bernie Mac, King of Comedy, Died today in a Chicago hospital of pneumonia related problems. The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

He started his career as a stand-up comedian in Chicago's Cotton Pickin' Club. From there he went to do HBO's Def Comedy Jam, which put him in the hearts and lives of many people. Mac also had a talk show on HBO called Midnight Mac. Later he started acting in movies and some television shows. He played a great roll in Friday, as Pastor Clever. He also had rolls in Booty call, How to be a player, Life, and Whats the worst that could happen?, Ocean's Eleven, Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, as the new Bosley. He also had a hilarious roll in Bad Santa and starred in Guess who?. He also had a cameo in Transformers. In 2000, Mac returned to his stand-up comedy roots, touring the country as one of The Original Kings of Comedy. In 2001, Fox gave Mac his own sitcom called The Bernie Mac Show.In 2004, Mac had his first starring role as a retired baseball player in the movie Mr. 3000. In the 2003 NLCS, Mac sang "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" at Wrigley Field with the Cubs leading the Florida Marlins in the series 3-2 and up in Game Six 3-0. Instead of saying "root, root, root for the Cubbies" Mac said, "root, root, root for the champions!" The Cubs would go on to lose the game and the series, with some fans claiming that Mac helped to jinx the Cubs. Mac later admitted that he has hated the Cubs his whole life, is a die-hard White Sox fan, and was seen during the 2005 World Series at US Cellular Field.

Mac was number 72 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of all time. On March 19, 2007 Mac told David Letterman on CBS Late Show that he would retire from his 30-year career after he finished shooting the comedy film The Whole Truth, Nothing but the Truth, So Help Me Mac. "I'm going to still do my producing, my films, but I want to enjoy my life a little bit," Mac told Letterman. "I missed a lot of things, you know".

I will always remember you. Thank you for making me laugh. Here is one of my fav parts of your stand-up, Milk and Cookies. Rest In Peace Bernie.

Beloved Braves Announcer Skip Caray Dies At 68

I grew up listening to you Skip. You will be missed here in my house. The games will not be the same with out you. Thank you for all the great years and memories. "YES!,YES!,YES!...."

The Braves family lost one of its most beloved members on Sunday, when Skip Caray passed away at his Atlanta-area home.
Caray, who would have celebrated his 69th birthday on Aug. 12, went to take a nap Sunday afternoon and didn't awake. He is survived by his wife, Paula, two sons, Chip and Josh, two daughters, Shayelyn and Cindy, and seven grandchildren.

"Our baseball community has lost a legend today," said Braves president John Schuerholz. "The Braves family and Braves fans everywhere will sadly miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Paula and his children."

"I'm just in shock," Chip said. "I know he wasn't feeling good, but this was unexpected. He hung the moon for me. I got to talk to him [on Saturday], and the last thing I got to say to him was, 'I love you.'"

"I'm 68," Caray said on April 2. "If I go tonight, I've had a hell of a life."

While his presence may be gone, Caray's voice will continue forever live with the history of the Braves. His most memorable call arguably came when he exclaimed, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" after Braves center fielder Marquis Grissom caught the final out of the 1995 World Series.

Caray's arrival in Atlanta allowed him the opportunity to develop a friendship and working relationship with Ted Turner, whose innovative media initiatives allowed Caray and his close friend, Pete Van Wieren, to broadcast Braves games to a national audience on a superstation that would become TBS.

Caray and Van Wieren began broadcasting Braves games together in 1976 and were still serving as broadcast partners during radio broadcasts this season. Both of them were inducted in the Braves Hall of Fame in 2004.

Last year, when TBS ended its 30-year affiliation with the Braves, Caray was saddened to know he was saying goodbye to a number of people that had been so good to him. He was always extremely grateful for the outpouring of sympathy he received after his father died in 1998.

"In essence, you're saying goodbye to people who you've been part of their life for a long time," Caray said last August. "My access to them will now be denied."

Via MLB.com

Tim Russert dies at 58

Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after suffering a heart attack at the bureau.

Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” broadcast when he collapsed. He was rushed to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, where resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Timothy John Russert Jr. was born in Buffalo on May 7, 1950. He was a graduate of Canisius High School, John Carroll University and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He was a member of the bar in New York and Washington, D.C.

In April 1985, he supervised the live broadcasts of NBC’s TODAY show from Rome, negotiating and arranging an appearance by Pope John Paul II, a first for American television.

Russert wrote two books — “Big Russ and Me” in 2004 and “Wisdom of Our Fathers” in 2006.

He was “one of the premier political journalists and analysts of his time,” Tom Brokaw, the former longtime anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” said in announcing Russert’s death Friday afternoon. Brian Williams, managing editor and anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” called his death a “staggering, overpowering and sudden loss.”

“This is a tragic loss for journalism and for all who were privileged to know him,” said Walter Cronkite, the retired anchor and managing editor of ”The CBS Evening News.”

Earlier this year, Time magazine named Russert one of the 100 most influential people in the world.



Tim, I here at PETERPAN will miss you. You were a great man and sunday will never be the same with out you. Every sunday i would wake-up to the sound of your voice on my t.v. Thank you for all the great years. Rats off to ya Tim.

Via msnbc