Did you know that Pat DiNizio, a singer and songwriter who made popular rock songs
as the leader of The Smithereens, died on Tuesday at age 62, but no cause of death was provided?
Did you know that the
Smithereens and DiNizio had a string of hit songs that have persisted
among rock fans, from "A Girl Like You" and "Behind The Wall Of Sleep"
to "Only a Memory" and "Blood and Roses?"
Did you know that DiNizio's bandmates said. "He channeled
the essence of joy and heartbreak into hook-laden three minute pop
songs, infused with a lifelong passion for rock & roll?"
Did you know that The Smithereens were founded in Carteret, N.J., in 1980?
Did you know that They released their first full album, Especially for You,
in 1986 — after DiNizio sent a cassette tape of their music to Enigma
Records to help net a record deal, according to the band's website?
Did you know that the Smithereens had a particularly big influence in New Jersey,
their home turf and a place they always embraced?
Did you know that despite solo projects by DiNizio, the band had
remained active through the years?
Did you know that in 2011, they put out their first
new album in a decade; they were planning to go on tour in January,
touting their nickname: "America's band?"
Did you know that in the investigation by food website Eater, four women — three of whom have worked for Batali — said he touched them inappropriately?
Did you know that Batali
did not deny the allegations, saying in a statement that “although the
identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have
not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact,
match up with ways I have acted?”
Did you know that Batali said “That behavior was
wrong and there are no excuses,” he said. “I take full responsibility
and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have
caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family?”
Did you know that the revelation had immediate consequences
for Batali’s television career, but it’s unclear whether his other
ventures will be affected?
Did you know that Batali brand spans dozens of restaurants in six
U.S. states and Singapore, and his name is attached to several culinary
products, such as a line of pasta, sauces, oil, vinegar and slow-cured
meats?
Did you know that Batali, the author of 13 cookbooks, has a strong presence in Los
Angeles, including his Mozza restaurants and the Eataly marketplace
that opened at the Westfield Century City mall last month?
Did you know that according
to Eater, a woman who worked for Batali in the late 1990s said he came
up behind her in the dining room, "put his hand on half of my butt and
he squeezed it.” Another former Batali employee said he repeatedly
grabbed her from behind and held her tight against his body?
Did you know that another
former worker said he grabbed her breasts during an industry party a few
years after she stopped working for him?
Did you know that one woman who never worked for
Batali said the chef rubbed her breasts at a party about 10 years ago
after someone spilled wine down her shirt?
Did you know that the Eater did not publish the women’s names?
Did you know that Reaction
by TV executives was swift. Batali has co-hosted the ABC daytime
cooking and talk show “The Chew” since it launched in 2011; on Monday,
the network said that it asked him to step away from the show while it
reviews the allegations against him. During his absence, it will not air
reruns that feature him?
Did you know that the Food Network said it was putting plans to relaunch Batali’s show “Molto Mario” on hold?
Did you know that the Eataly
USA — which counts Batali as a minority shareholder — called the
allegations about the chef’s behavior toward women “extremely troubling”
and said it fully supported his decision to step away from active
involvement with Eataly?
Did you know that in addition to its Los Angeles store, the
company has locations in New York, Chicago and Boston?
Did you know that Nancy
Silverton, who co-owns several restaurants with Batali and restaurateur
Joe Bastianich, said the chef visited the team at their Mozza location
in Los Angeles only once or twice a year?
Did you know that Silverton said that “We’ve never
had a complaint against Mario,” ?
Did you know that Silverton — co-owner of
Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles,
Newport Beach and
Singapore, and Mozza2Go and Chi Spacca in Los Angeles — said she agreed
with Batali’s decision to remove himself from operations at all the
restaurants, noting that he did not deny the allegations?
Did you know that Silverton said “But it is sad for the industry,” she said. “He was a mentor to all. He taught so many of us how to cook and how to eat?”
Did you know that Silverton runs the restaurants under the distant supervision of Batali and Bastianich?
Did you know that Silverton also stated “When
I go in today to talk to the staff, I’m going to tell them that we will
remain a harassment-free zone, that nothing will change,” ?
Did you know that Seattle-raised
Batali revolutionized the idea of Italian fine dining in America,
taking it from its proprietor-driven status quo to a place where the
chef’s vision reigned supreme, wines were likely to come from ambitious
young winemakers, offal was as common as veal chops, and the dining room
echoed with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley cranked up to 10?
Early
in his career, he cooked for notoriously difficult chef Marco Pierre
White in London. He first came to prominence at Po, a small trattoria in
New York’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
Did you know that Batali gained mainstream
recognition with the 1997 debut of his TV show “Molto Mario” on Food
Network?
Did you know that Batali a year later, he and Bastianich opened the New York restaurant
Babbo.
Batali and Bastianich would end up opening 30 businesses together, including several popular restaurants in Las Vegas?
Did you know that Batali in 2002, was recognized by the prestigious James Beard Foundation as the best chef in New York City?
Did you know that B&B
Hospitality Group, which provides back-office and operational services
to 24 restaurants owned by Batali, Bastianich and others, said Monday
that it took the allegations “very seriously?”
Did you know that The
Hospitality company said it has had systematic policies and training about sexual
harassment for more than 10 years, and that all members of management,
including Batali, have participated in that training?
Did you know that a
company spokesman said B&B received one complaint in October from an
employee at one of the restaurants, reporting inappropriate behavior by
Batali?
Did you know that the company investigated the report, reprimanded Batali and
required him to get additional training from outside legal counsel,
which the spokesman said Batali did?
Did you know that the spokesman also
said Batali volunteered not to visit the restaurant listed in the
complaint, plus he declined to identify the restaurant or describe the
inappropriate behavior?
Did you know that in October, celebrity chef and New Orleans
restaurateur John Besh stepped down from his company after more than two
dozen women accused him of sexual harassment?
Did you know that The New Yorker Fires Star Reporter Ryan Lizza Over ‘Improper Sexual Conduct’?
Did you know that “The New Yorker recently
learned that Ryan Lizza was engaged in what they believe was improper sexual
conduct?
Did you know that The New Yorker reviewed the matter and, as a result, have severed ties
with Lizza,” a spokesperson for the magazine said. “Due to a request
for privacy, we are not commenting further?”
Did you know that Lizza disputed the magazine’s description of his
firing: “I am dismayed that The New Yorker has decided to characterize a
respectful relationship with a woman I dated as somehow inappropriate?
Did you know that The New Yorker was unable to cite a company policy that was violated?”
Did you know that Lizza felt that the decision, which was made hastily and
without a full investigation of the relevant facts, was a terrible
mistake?”
Did you know that Wigdor LLP, the law firm is representing Lizza’s
accuser, issued a statement in response: “In no way did Mr. Lizza’s
misconduct constitute a ‘respectful relationship’ as he has now tried to
characterize it?
The Law firm went on to say that our client reported Mr. Lizza’s actions to ensure that
he would be held accountable and in the hope that by coming forward she
would help other potential victims.”
The firm noted that the accuser would like their identity to remain confidential?
Did you know that Lizza
is perhaps best known for inadvertently ending the short-lived White
House career of Anthony Scaramucci?
Did you know that upon
hearing of Lizza’s dismissal from the magazine, a CNN spokesperson told
The Daily Beast: “We have just learned of the New Yorker’s
decision. Ryan Lizza will not appear on CNN while we look into this
matter?”
Did you know that Lizza serves as an adjunct lecturer, at Georgetown University, the university statement said he will not return next semester?
Did you know that there was a search for two people who were aboard a tug boat that reportedly sank in the Mississippi River near Mud Island Friday?
Did you know that Lt. Rita Walter with the U.S. Coast Guard said they received a report about the 66-foot boat going down at 11:45 a.m. at mile marker 733, three miles south of Mud Island?
Did you know that the Coast Guard identified the vessel in a news release as the Ricky Robinson, owned by Wepfer Marine Inc?
Did you know that the Coast Guard received a notification of a mayday emergency broadcast, the news release said although It wasn't clear whether the people on board the boat made the broadcast or someone else did?
Did you know that Shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Third Class Brandon Giles said the search was ongoing?.
Earle Farrell
Did you know that agencies involved in the search included the Coast Guard, as well as the Memphis police, who launched a boat and a police helicopter?
Did you know that the Shelby County Sheriff's Office also joined the search with their water
rescue unit, said Shelby County Sheriff's Office spokesman Earle Farrell?
Did you know that Lee was a Seattle-born son of Chinese immigrants who spent part of his
childhood in public housing and attended Franklin High School?
Did you know that “Mayor Ed Lee has a long history of breaking barriers — he was the
first member of his family to attend college then became the first Asian
American to lead San Francisco?
Gary Locke
Did you know that Lee was mentored
by older student Gary Locke, who went on to become a
Washington
governor?
Did you know that Like Locke, Lee served as class president?
Did you know that a history teacher encouraged Lee to apply to private Bowdowin College
in Maine, setting the young man on a path that led to a law degree from
the University of California at Berkeley?
Did you know that earlier in Lee's career he was dedicated to
renters and civil rights and an introduction to politics?
Did you know that Lee headed San Francisco’s Human Rights Commission, then held several
other roles in the city’s government, including public-works director?
Did you know that in 2011, he was elected San
Francisco mayor?
Did you know that Lee, was a married father of two, grappled with a tech boom
and a housing crisis while defending his city’s sanctuary policies
toward immigrants?
Did you know that Lee's statement to the people was “I am able to make a link to the Asian communities,” he told Northwest Asian Weekly the year he was elected. “Being mayor helps them to know that they no longer are second-class citizens?”
Daredevil climber dies during stunt on 62-story skyscraper in China
A well-known climber who has thousands of followers
on the social network Weibo died while performing a skyscraper stunt in
China.
Did you know that a well-known climber who has thousands of followers on the social
network Weibo died while performing a skyscraper stunt in China, BBC News reports?
Did you know that Wu Yongning, 26, died on Nov. 8 after falling from a 62-story building in the city of Changsha?
Did you know that Yongning was known to post dramatic videos of himself perched on top of tall buildings without the use of safety equipment?
Did you know that according
to Chinese media reports, he was participating in a challenge to win a
substantial amount of money when he recorded the Weibo video?
Wu Yongning posted videos of his climbs to Chinese social platform Weibo.
Weibo / BBC
Did you know that Yongning had martial arts training, and previously took part in some television and film productions?
Did you know that the act of "rooftopping" has become increasingly popular across the world, according to the BBC?
Did you know that 2017 Bugatti Chiron is worth $2.6 million (aboutR34 million)?
Did you know that not only is Bugatti Chiron one of the most expensive cars in the world, the 2017 Bugatti Chiron is also one of the fastest cars currently on the Did
ou market?
Did you know Ferrari Pininfarina Sergio sells for $3 million (about R39 million)?
Did you know that Ferrari Pininfarina
Sergio is the ultimate car for Ferrari fan not only is it probably out of your price range, but only six of these were ever created and it was
available for purchase by invite only?Did you know that the Lamborghini Veneno cost about $4.5 million (about R59 million)?
Did you know that Veneno is one of the most exclusive and expensive cars in the world plus only nine have been made and sold to very wealthy owners?
Did you know that the Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita cost $4.8 million (about R63 million)?
Did you know that boxing champion Floyd "Money" Mayweather owns a CCXR Trevita is a
limited edition with unique, white carbon fibre body work?Did you know that only two of
these expensive cars were produced in 2009?
Did you know Mercedes-Benz Maybach Exelero cost 8 million (about R104 million)?
IDid you know that Maybach Exelero was built
way back in 2004 and only one of these expensive cars have ever been
produced? Did you know that the Maybach Exelero belongs to
Jay-Z’s and can be seen in 2009 Lost One music video?
Did you know that the average human brain contains approximately 86 billion neurons? These remarkable cells form intricate networks, allowing us to think, feel, and experience the world around us. Each neuron communicates with others through electrical impulses, creating a symphony of thoughts, memories, and emotions. So next time you ponder life’s mysteries, remember that your brain is orchestrating a cosmic dance of neurons!
