There are moments in history that we look back upon and understand how significant they are for us today, but at the time we may not have realized how profound they would be.

One of those moments occurred on Tuesday, October 23, 2001. That is the day that Steve Jobs changed the world with the introduction of the Apple iPod.

Throughout his career, Jobs took risks and chances in business, first with the launch of Apple, then by walking away from it and returning again in 1997.

In an era when most companies were trying to figure out ways to diversify, under Steve Job’s leadership, Apple shed businesses and products, to focus on relatively few areas. Job’s was even willing to bet the entire company on a single product or technology that he thought would generate future success for Apple.

Over a decade ago in a small theater at Apple Computers headquarters at One Infinite Loop, Jobs took to the stage to do just that. He introduced what was to become one of the most revolutionary and defining products ever for Apple – the iPod.

About the size of a deck of cards, it had enough space for about 1,000 songs and at the time, no one knew how this little portable music player was about to change the world.

Looking back now, we can comprehend how Steve Jobs extraordinary vision was able to see the future and recognize that day’s significance for us all. October 23, 2001 was the day that transformed and revolutionized the music industry forever.

Official press release from Apple Computer on October 23, 2001:

Apple Presents iPod

Ultra-Portable MP3 Music Player Puts 1,000 Songs in Your Pocket

CUPERTINO, California—October 23, 2001—Apple® today introduced iPod™, a breakthrough MP3 music player that packs up to 1,000 CD-quality songs into an ultra-portable, 6.5 ounce design that fits in your pocket. iPod combines a major advance in portable music device design with Apple’s legendary ease of use and Auto-Sync, which automatically downloads all your iTunes™ songs and playlists into your iPod, and keeps them up to date whenever you plug your iPod into your Mac®.

“With iPod, Apple has invented a whole new category of digital music player that lets you put your entire music collection in your pocket and listen to it wherever you go,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again.”

Next Generation Player


iPod represents the next generation of portable music players that store music on an internal hard drive, yet are only 20 percent of the volume of today’s hard drive-based players. iPod stores up to 1,000 CD-quality songs on its super-thin 5 GB hard drive, and features up to 20 minutes of shock protection for nonstop playback when running, biking or other activities.

iPod’s built-in FireWire® port lets you download an entire CD into iPod in under 10 seconds and 1,000 songs in less than 10 minutes—30 times faster than USB-based players.

iPod plays up to 10 hours of continuous music, powered by its rechargeable lithium polymer battery, and recharges automatically whenever iPod is connected to a Mac, using power supplied over the FireWire cable. Every iPod comes with a compact, FireWire-based power adapter for traveling. iPod’s high-capacity 5GB hard drive doubles as a portable FireWire hard drive for storing presentations, large documents, graphic images and digital movies.

iPod plays music in the popular MP3, MP3 VBR (variable bit rate), AIFF and WAV formats and can support MP3 bit rates up to 320-Kbps. Its upgradable firmware enables support of future audio formats. For CD-quality sound, iPod is equipped with a high-output 60-mW amplifier that delivers 20 to 20,000 Hz frequency response for deep bass and crystal-clear highs. iPod’s earbud-style headphones are built with neodymium magnets for enhanced frequency response and high-fidelity sound.

iPod also features a 160-by-128-pixel high-resolution display, with a white LED backlight to give clear visibility in daylight as well as low-light conditions.

Legendary Ease of Use


Apple has applied its legendary expertise in human interface engineering to make iPod the easiest to use digital device ever. Simply rotate iPod’s unique scroll-wheel with your thumb or finger to quickly access your entire music collection by playlists, artists or songs. The scroll-wheel makes it possible to hold and operate iPod with just one hand and features automatic acceleration when scrolling through long lists so you can find your music in seconds. iPod also features customizable settings such as shuffle, repeat, startup volume, sleep timer and menus in multiple languages including English, French, German and Japanese. iPod can display song data in any of these languages, enabling users to mix and match songs from all over the world.

Auto-Sync


iPod’s revolutionary Auto-Sync feature makes it easy to get your entire music collection into iPod and update it whenever you connect iPod to your Mac. Simply plug your new iPod into your Mac with the supplied FireWire cable, and all of your iTunes songs and playlists are automatically downloaded into iPod at blazing FireWire speed. Then just unplug and go. Whenever you plug iPod back into your Mac it will be automatically updated with your latest iTunes songs and playlists, usually in seconds. There has never been a faster and easier way to always have your up-to-the-minute music and playlists with you wherever you go.

Pricing & Availability


iPod will be available beginning on Saturday, November 10, for a suggested retail price of $399 (US) from The Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. An iTunes 2 CD, earbud-style headphones, FireWire cable, and FireWire-based power adapter are all included. iPod requires iTunes 2.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings.

A true love story for animal lovers…

Once upon a time there was a lion named Christian, who was adopted by John Rendall and Ace Bourke. They saved him from a confined life of misery by purchasing him from Harrods department store. After a number of years, they released him back into the African wild so he could have a better life. However, the lion was dearly missed by the two men, so they traveled back to Africa a year later to seek out and find Christian. Both Rendall and Bourke were told that they would be in great danger though as Christian was now the leader of his pride and it was likely that he would have forgotten who his former human companions were. The fear was that Christian would no longer remember them and his natural lion instincts would result in him attacking them.

Experts were wrong though, as Christian The Lion immediately embraced Rendall and Bourke like longtime brothers when he first saw them. It’s a scene that displays a “once in a lifetime” precious moment between the two men and Christian The Lion.

This high quality video from Elvis Presley’s Wedding Day in 1967 was recently released by the British Pathe news service from their historical newsreel archives on August 4, 2011.

Elvis Aaron Presley (born January 8, 1935) married Priscilla Ann Beaulieu (born May 24, 1945) at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 1, 1967. This wedding day footage shows the couple at a quick press conference at the hotel reception following the ceremony.

Here is the British Pathe description of the newsreel footage:

Footage from Elvis Presley’s Wedding Day – May 1, 1967.

• Singer Elvis Presley walking into reception with his bride Priscilla Beaulieu
• Couple sitting at a table in front of press photographers.
• Priscilla shows off her ring and then feeds Elvis cake from a fork!

Elvis and Priscilla first met in 1959 while Elvis was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. Priscilla was only 14 years old at the time, but she made a huge and lasting impression on Elvis who was 24 when they met. Their friendship grew and they were frequently together until Elvis left Germany in March 1960.

After Elvis’ return to America, the couple stayed in contact over the phone, though they would not see each other again until the summer of 1962.

The couple’s dating relationship continued until shortly before Christmas 1966 when Elvis proposed to Priscilla.

The wedding between the 32-year-old Elvis Presley and his 22-year-old bride, Priscilla Beaulieu took place on Monday, May 1, 1967 in Las Vegas at the Aladdin Hotel.

Following the ceremony, the couple attended a quick press conference and a $10,000 breakfast reception, accompanied by friends, family, and business associates. Elvis and Priscilla then boarded a private jet for their honeymoon in Palm Springs, California.

Welcome to the future!

Over the weekend, deceased American rapper Tupac Shakur came back to life as a hologram during a live event at the Coachella 2012 Music Festival in California, performing several of his greatest hits, including “Hail Mary” and “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” with Snoop Dogg, who was singing on stage with the hologram.

The hologram appearance of Pac, which appeared very life-like, surprised many partiers in the crowd. No one attending the music festival was expecting this futuristic performance of the still legendary hip-hop artist.

At one point during the live performance, the Tupac hologram began speaking to the audience and was even having a back and forth conversation with Snoop Dogg on stage.

Put together by Digital Domain and AV Concepts, the holographic technology was licensed from Musion Eyeliner for use in the United States. The ghostly re-appearance of west coast rap legend Tupac Shakur at Coachella 2012 is a sign that our legends will live on into the future in ways we could not have ever imagined possible.

The 1996 Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle revealed in April 2011 that he was planning a comeback to amateur wrestling for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. However, upon being able to survive chair shots and terrifying maneuvers off the top of steel cages in professional wrestling, Angle’s body couldn’t keep up on the amateur circuit.

After warning the world on March 29, 2012 through a call-in on TMZ Live about suffering a possible hamstring tear, Angle said, “there’s a chance I may not go” to the Olympics this summer.

However, Angle told TMZ, “I still plan on going to the Olympics, I’ve been training for a whole year now. I’ve been very serious about this, TNA has backed me up 100%, so it all depends on how it heals.”

Angle’s plans to still go to the Olympics though are now no longer a reality.

On Thursday, April 12, 2012, the former champion of WWE and TNA Wrestling backed out of next week’s US Olympic Team Trials at the University of Iowa for a chance to earn a spot on the US freestyle team.

Angle took to Twitter yesterday to announce the news with a series of tweets:

• Due to Hamstring@Knee Injuries, I’m forced to Pull Out of trials.Had a talk W/ Usa Wrestling Coach Zeke Jones Who has Supported Me all Year
• I trained Extremely hard for a full Year. I’m Very Disappointed. I want to thank All the fans for Ur Support. U Motivated Me.
• I Must focus On TNA and Lockdown Ppv, Which Has Always Been My 1st Priority. I Hope to Be Able to Put On the Best Performance I Can.
• TNA Has Supported My Olympic Dream Since the Day I Approached Dixie Carter about My Quest for Gold! Thank You. I injured My MCL in My Knee
• The Doctors Say It’s a partial tear which will take 4-6 Months w/ rehab. I Will have It Heavily Protected at Lockdown.
• I’ve Had Prior Knee Injuries More Serious than this @ Still Won Ncaa’s but I Must Put My Job in Tna 1st. Again, thank You all for Us Support
• Ur Support. Your Prayers and Support Have motivated Me to Put On the Best Performance I Can at Lockdown, Considering My injuries.
• As Zeke Jones told Me, We Were Hoping that Father time Would Hold Off Until After London Olympics. Unfortunately It Hit Me Hard 1 Month Prior to Olympic trials.
• Thank You to All My training Partners,Especially Edinboro Univ Wrestlers and Coach Tim Flynn and Tony Dipietro

“I feel like it was a waste of time,” Angle told The Associated Press. “I get the worst injury I’ve gotten in the last year. I’ve had four or five injuries, but I’ve worked around them. This one, I can’t work around.”

At 43 years old, it just wasn’t safe for Angle to go forth with the trials, which is why US Olympic Team coach Zeke Jones advised him to withdraw from the competition.

Despite winning the gold in 1996 by defeating Iranian Abbas Jadidi via officials’ decision in the heavyweight (90-100kg; 198-220 lbs) weight class, Angle faced hardships while taking part in the 1996 Olympic Trials. He suffered a severe neck injury, fracturing two of his cervical vertebrae, herniating two discs, and pulling four muscles. Continuing on without proper care, Angle competed with several pain-reducing injections in his neck, which later led to him becoming addicted to the analgesic Vicodin.

Overcoming the horrifying addiction to Vicodin was a 10-year lesson for Angle, who ultimately left a stellar WWE career in 2006 to clean up.

He would quickly jump over to work with TNA Wrestling though, where TNA President Dixie Carter was more than willing to help Angle clean up, and today he is happily clean.

“We have such incredible, awesome competition, that with my MCL injury, they would have torn me apart,” Angle said.

Kurt Angle will continue his commitments with professional wrestling organization, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which airs IMPACT WRESTLING every Thursday on Spike TV at 9 PM ET. This Sunday, the Olympic gold medalist battles the popular Jeff Hardy inside a steel cage at the company’s Lockdown pay-per-view event in Nashville, Tennessee.

UFC fighter, no more – call him a WWE Superstar again. Brock Lesnar made his sports entertainment return live on Monday Night RAW on April 2, 2012.

Literally 30 seconds before Lesnar made his grand entrance, he arrived on location for the show in Miami. WWE officials wanted to keep the surprise from leaking online.

As CYGY.com was able to 100% confirm on Sunday, April 1, 2012 though, the news of former mixed martial arts fighter Brock Lesnar signing a new 1-year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment was already being spread online.

“We want Lesnar,” the fans continued to chant on RAW as Cena was speaking about his loss against The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII.

“Always an interesting crowd at Monday Night RAW, I actually want The Rock,” said Cena, as it was hard to ignore the loud chant in Miami.

So the WWE Universe fans continued to chant, “We want Lesnar,” among other chants, as Cena later said with a chuckle, “This is why I love RAW.”

Finally, Cena called The Rock down so he could make peace with the man who defeated him at WrestleMania, only to make way for surprise or not, the return of Brock Lesnar.

When Lesnar emerged onto the Monday Night RAW stage ramp way, the Miami audience began chanting “holy sh*t.” Surprised or not, the fans were still stunned to see the former MMA fighter, who left the sport with a 5-3 record.

Upon entering the ring, Lesnar delivered his signature WWE finisher to John Cena, which is a variation of the fireman’s carry bodyslam, labeled the “F5.”

Lesnar’s return to the WWE on April 2, 2012 comes full circle.

Eight years ago on April 2, 2004, he left to pursue a career in the National Football League, before finding success in Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2008. He retired from the UFC in 2011 after two consecutive losses following recurring battles with his diverticulitis disease, an intestinal disorder.

So what direction will WWE go with Brock Lesnar? And what does UFC President Dana White think about Lesnar’s return to pro wrestling?

Whatever White thinks, my bet is that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon will setup a blockbuster showdown with 10-time WWE Champion John Cena against 3-time WWE Champion and former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at the SummerSlam pay-per-view in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center on August 19, 2012.

The WWE tweeted this photo last night, where the stage is set for WrestleMania XXVIII today on April 1, 2012 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida where the main event attraction features 10-time WWE Champion John Cena taking on Hollywood actor and 7-time WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

This will be The Rock’s first WrestleMania match since 2004, when he teamed with Mick Foley in a losing effort against Randy Orton, Ric Flair, and Batista.

Here is the full lineup for WrestleMania XXVIII:

• The Rock vs. John Cena
• WWE Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. Chris Jericho
• Hell in a Cell Match: Triple H vs. The Undertaker (with Shawn Michaels as the Special Guest Referee)
• World Heavyweight Championship Match: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Sheamus
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Big Show
• Randy Orton vs. Kane
• 12-Man Tag Team Match to determine the General Manager of both RAW and SmackDown: Team Teddy (Santino Marella, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, The Great Khali, & Booker T) vs. Team Johnny (David Otunga, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, The Miz, & Drew McIntyre)
• Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos vs. WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres
• Pre-Show – WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Primo & Epico (c) vs. Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd vs. The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso)

Former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is also scheduled to make an appearance. For more details regarding Lesnar’s new 1-year contract with WWE, click here.

WrestleMania goes live tonight at 6:30 PM ET with the free pre-show streaming on WWE’s YouTube Channel and Facebook Page before transitioning to pay-per-view at 7:00 PM ET.

Reports have been surfacing over the last 24 hours, alledging that former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has signed a new 1-year contract with the WWE. Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer broke the news, but has not 100% confirmed Lesnar’s signing.

Lesnar reportedly arrived in Miami at the Miami International Airport, surrounded by security and a large group of people shielding him from the media.

The former MMA fighter originally gained his popularity on a national level while being an active professional wrestler during an explosive two-year career with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2004. During that time, he defeated Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to earn his first of three WWE Championship reigns, and also wrestled against top superstars, such as The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, and Triple H.

It was after wrestling Bill Goldberg at WrestleMania XX in 2004 that Lesnar decided to step away from sports entertainment. After giving his best shot at establishing an NFL career, Lesnar found himself fighting again, but this time for real with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Lesnar lost his initial battle inside UFC’s Octagon against Frank Mir on February 2, 2008, but quickly picked up four consecutive wins against Heath Herring, Randy Couture for the UFC World Heavyweight Championship, Frank Mir in a rematch, and Shane Carwin. However, Lesnar would lose his next two fights after dealing with two recurring bouts of diverticulitis, an intestinal disorder, in 2009 and 2010.

During the UFC 105 post-fight conference on November 14, 2009, President Dana White said, “He’s not well and he’s not going to be getting well anytime soon.”

On October 23, 2010, Lesnar made his UFC return at UFC 121, losing his UFC World Heavyweight Championship to Cain Velasquez by TKO. A subsequent TKO loss came against Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 on December 30, 2011.

“I’ve had a really difficult couple of years with my disease. I’m going to officially say tonight was the last time you’ll see me in the Octagon,” Lesnar said following the loss to Overeem.

“I want to thank the Fertittas, Dana White; Brock Lesnar is officially retired. I promised my wife (Rena Lesnar; former WWE Diva Sable) and my kids if I won this fight that I would get a title shot and then that would be my last one, but if I lost tonight I would retire, everybody you’ve been great.”

Lesnar is rumored to be appearing live on tonight’s WWE WrestleMania XXVIII broadcast in some fashion. If he has indeed signed with WWE, he’s expected to work a limited schedule, much like the way The Undertaker currently works once a year at WrestleMania or the way The Rock appears sporadically. In fact, WWE could be placing Lesnar into a program with either of those two men, in addition to John Cena being tossed around as another possibility.

WWE wants to announce a WrestleMania 29 main event one year in advance, much like the company did last year with John Cena vs. The Rock.

For the first time in modern day professional wrestling history, one of the industry’s highest profile legends will contractually be lent over from one company to another and that man is the man, Ric Flair, 16-time World Heavyweight Champion.

On March 31, 2012, World Wrestling Entertainment will be honoring “The Nature Boy” one more time when the company inducts the current TNA Wrestling Superstar into the WWE Hall of Fame for a second time. His first induction took place in 2008, the night before his Retirement Match at WrestleMania XXIV against Shawn Michaels in Orlando, Florida. This time around, Flair receives the honors alongside his Four Horsemen stablemates – Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, and J.J. Dillon.

As most wrestling fans know though, Flair did not commit to the stipulations of his “retirement” match at WrestleMania in 2008. He instead debuted for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in January 2010 with 2005 WWE Hall of Fame inductee Hulk Hogan and television producer Eric Bischoff.

Flair has since wrestled numerous matches for the promotion’s weekly IMPACT WRESTLING series on Spike TV, several pay-per-view shows, and various live events. He even formed a new stable in TNA that played off of The Four Horsemen, which was called Fortune, with AJ Styles, Frankie Kazarian, Bobby Roode, James Storm, and Christopher Daniels.

So on March 27, 2012, Legacy Talent and Entertainment, the talent management service in charge of representing TNA Wrestling Superstar Ric Flair, issued a press release to set the record straight on whether or not their client would be attending the WWE Hall of Fame event on March 31, 2012.

Here is a statement from that press release:

The news of Flair’s second induction was followed by a firestorm of controversy. Questions flew about whether Flair would attend the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony as he is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling. Understanding what a huge honor this is for Flair, TNA is graciously supporting him in the decision to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony alongside his fellow inductees.

“Being inducted once was one of the greatest accomplishments of my career, so I’m humbled and honored to be recognized again,” said Flair. “I wouldn’t miss the ceremony for the world.”

TNA President Dixie Carter released an official statement, saying “We are proud of Ric’s many accomplishments and contributions he has made to the world of professional wrestling and beyond. We wish to congratulate him on yet another honor he truly deserves.”

On March 31, 2012, Flair will be the only person in the WWE Hall of Fame to be a two-time inductee. At age 63, the record 16-time World Heavyweight Champion continues to make history in the world of professional wrestling, no matter where he is.

The word making rounds from today’s WrestleMania XXVIII media conference is that WWE will be announcing a major main event match for next year’s WrestleMania 29 in New Jersey on Monday Night RAW, following the pay-per-view this Sunday in Miami.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who is scheduled to wrestle against John Cena this Sunday in his first WrestleMania bout since the 20th edition took place in 2004 in New York, said he wasn’t “saying a thing” when The Associated Press brought up the possibilities of Brock Lesnar appearing the same night he wrestles Cena.

The possibility of former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar appearing to setup a match one year from now against The Rock at WWE’s grandest stage would not be unusual though.

The Rock was in the same situation last year at WrestleMania in Atlanta when he interfered in the main event and gave John Cena his signature “Rock Bottom” finishing move. This assisted the win for The Miz in the WWE Championship bout.

The next night on RAW, the main event match between one of Hollywood’s top action star actors and WWE’s poster superstar was set one year in advance. The two top wrestlers of their respective decades will collide this Sunday in what WWE is dubbing “Once in a Lifetime.” John Cena is a 10-time WWE Champion, while The Rock is a 7-time champion of the same title.

Another scenario that could possibly be planned by World Wrestling Entertainment for next year’s WrestleMania main event is a match that fans have been anxious to see – Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. CM Punk.

Both of these star-studded wrestlers are brisk in their witty behavior and carry the same sort of careless bold attitude in and outside of the ring, which made Steve Austin one of the most popular household superstars in WWE history, and has made CM Punk a fast rising star today as the current WWE Champion. Fans can adapt to these characters and it’s a match, like The Rock vs. John Cena, that would pit two stars from two different eras against each other to see who is the quintessential “Best in the World.”

On March 26, 2012, CM Punk tweeted Steve Austin saying, “29, son,” in reference to next year’s WrestleMania. This was tweeted by CM Punk after on-going speculations have pointed to an upcoming match between the two being possible next year.

Steve Austin responded to Punk’s tweet, telling the WWE Champion to “just worry about 28″ before next year’s grand showcase of WrestleMania. Austin has not competed in a WWE ring since he last faced The Rock in 2003 at WrestleMania XIX in Seattle, Washington.

At WrestleMania XXVIII this Sunday, CM Punk defends his WWE Championship against 6-time World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho, to see who is the “Best in the World” this Sunday. It’s a motto that CM Punk lives by, in addition to living a straight edge lifestyle.