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(NaturalNews)”What is finished is the idea that this great country is dedicated to the freedom and flourishing of every individual in it. It’s the individual that’s finished. It’s the single, solitary human being that’s finished. It’s every single one of you out there that’s finished…

According to multiple publications, a United States Air Force F-15 operating out of Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan has crashed. The report, generated by the Associated Press, also indicates the pilot ejected and survived the incident:

A U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter crashed off the southern Japan island of Okinawa early Tuesday after the aircraft developed problems in flight. The pilot ejected and was recovered safely.

The Wikipedia entry for Kadena reveals the base has been open since 1945, and is the home of the USAF’s largest combat wing, and there are two squadrons responsible for the F-15C Eagles used by this particular wing branch. For those who haven’t seen the F-15 in action in either video or an air show, here’s an idea of just how impressive these machines really are.

Also, keep in mind you’re watching an aircraft that, as of 2008, has a 104-0 air-to-air combat record, which is much better than your favorite sports team:

A Bardstown, Kentucky police officer was shot and killed on Saturday, May 25, in what is being termed as a potential ambush. Details about the homicide are still being filled in, as the police officer, Jason Ellis, was not using a dashboard camera, nor did he radio his dispatch before he stopped his car. Reports reveals the officer shot “multiple times” with a shotgun:

Nelson County Coroner Rayfield Houghlin told The Courier-Journal that Ellis was shot “multiple times” with a 12-gauge shotgun. Houghlin said the officer’s service weapon was in its holster, suggesting the possibility of an ambush.

The Kentucky State Police indicated in a televised interview that they were not sure Ellis was even the target:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the loss of one of our finest officers. Officer Jason Ellis started his Police career in 2006 at the Bardstown Police Department. He was our K-9 Officer. He was active in the community and quickly earned the respect of his peers. He served Bardstown with dignity and honor. He wore the uniform well and he will be missed more than mere words can express. We ask for your prayers and that you pray for his wife and two children…

Currently, the assailant is still at large. If you have any information concerning Officer Ellis’ death, you can contact the Kentucky State Police’s Text a Tip line at 67283. Earlier this evening, Bardstown held a candlelight vigil for their fallen policeman, and the funeral is scheduled for Thursday of this week.

Shop class, that course in high school that was a breeze to get through that you probably didn’t take all that seriously. However, if you were told you would have a chance to end up as talented as Tom Eckert, you might have paid closer attention.

These photos below are actual wood carvings, which double as optical illusions, especially the fabric & high heels. In case you think they’re fake, there’s also a YouTube video below. It’s an interview with Eckert, showing off his techniques, along with some of the finished products in the photos shown as works in progress.

Eckert goes on to say in the film that he’s pleased people want more of his work, and also says he sees his craft as an evolutionary process. I certainly can’t wait to see him top his works below.

[H/T: Reddit]

Keeping with the spirit behind the Memorial Day celebration, the Rolling Thunder “Ride For Freedom” event is another fantastic way to honor those who have served for the United States. The focus, however, of the Rolling Thunder event is to draw attention to those soldiers who are either Missing In Action or listed as Prisoners of War, and it’s pretty clear the 2013 ride, the organization’s 26th annual, was a smashing success.

According to local news reports, over 500,000 riders participated in the Ride For Freedom. One spectator was able grab about two-plus minutes of the ride’s footage–which is obviously not near enough to capture all of the riders who participated–but it does give you a good idea of why the event got its name:

Standing alongside his Harley-Davidson, Pete Clark, 65, said this was his first year riding with Rolling Thunder and his first visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As a Vietnam veteran himself, the McKinney, Texas, resident said he spent several hours at the memorial wall Saturday.

“It was emotional,” said Mr. Clark, who served as a staff sergeant in the Army. Despite the heartache, Mr. Clark said he was glad he traveled the hundreds of miles to be a part of Rolling Thunder.

“I just texted my wife to tell her I’m going to do this every year now,” he said.

If you need further indication of the event’s importance to those who are involved, a simple trip through the Washington Post’s photo gallery should suffice.

Mermaids have captured our imaginations for years now. From eerie stories about wild creatures luring sailors to their deaths to lovely fantasy tales about long-haired beauties grooming themselves on rocks, people can’t seem to get enough. When Animal Planet aired a documentary last year about a mermaid body being found inside a great white shark, viewers went nuts. And now, the Discovery channel has aired another special which shows what mermaids would look like if they were real.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association issued a statement last year declaring mermaids fictional creatures, just to be on the safe side.

“Mermaids – those half-human, half-fish sirens of the sea – are legendary sea creatures chronicled in maritime cultures since time immemorial. But are mermaids real? No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found.”

The synopsis for the newest doc reads:

Once upon a time, there lived a little mermaid in an underwater kingdom. She ventured to surface, longing to communicate with people on land…

What if there’s a kernel of truth that lives beneath the legend of the mythic mermaid? Now, in MERMAIDS: THE BODY FOUND, premiering Sunday, May 27, from 9-11 PM ET/PT, Animal Planet brings viewers into the world where the legend is real. The film blends real-life events and phenomena with the story of two scientists who testify they found the remains of a never-before-identified sea creature. Spectacular CGI animates a world where mermaids really do swim below the water’s surface, cooperatively hunt with dolphins and may continue to survive in an intricate society where they stay hidden in fear of their Earth-bound relatives.

They may not be real, but you can pretend they are while watching CGI versions on the show. Check out Monster Week until tomorrow, May 28th.

Hotel developer and philanthropist John. Q. Hammons has died at the age of 94.

According to a statement released by Hammons’ company, he died “peacefully” at his home in Springfield, Missouri on Sunday.

Hammons grew up in Fairview, Missouri and attended Missouri State University before becoming a middle school teacher in 1939. During World War II, Hammons served in the Merchant Marines. Following the war, Hammons began building houses in Springfield.

In 1958, Hammons began his famed career in the hotel industry, investing in ten Holiday Inns with Roy E. Winegardner. He and Winegardner started the Winegardner & Hammons Incorporated development company, which built dozens of hotels in the 60s.

In 1969, Hammons struck out on his own, founding the John Q Hammons Hotels company. The company now operates 78 hotels in 24 states.

In addition to his hotels, Hammons was known for his philanthropic efforts. He and his wife, Juanita, founded many projects throughout Missouri, including the Hammons Heart Institute at Springfield’s St. John’s Regional Health Center, a performing arts center at Missouri State University, and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

“Hammons was a giant in the hospitality industry and was unwavering in his commitment to exceptional quality and service and to giving back to the community,” said Jacqueline Dowdy, CEO of John Q Hammons Hotels & Resorts. “He was a great mentor and friend and will be missed by all who came to know him, but his legacy will live on forever.”

Montréal-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. has agreed to buy eye care specialist Bausch + Lomb Holdings Inc. from U.S. private equity Warburg Pincus, which acquired the Rochester, New York-based company in 2007. The agreement, which has been approved by the directors of both companies, provides that Valeant will pay $8.7 billion in cash, of which around $4.5 billion will go to Warburg Pincus and other investors, and around $4.2 billion will be used to repay Bausch + Lomb’s debt. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013.

PRESS RELEASE

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. To Acquire Bausch + Lomb For $8.7 Billion

LAVAL, Quebec and ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE: VRX) (TSX: VRX) and Bausch + Lomb Holdings Incorporated, the global eye health company, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Valeant will acquire Bausch + Lomb for $8.7 billion in cash.

Bausch + Lomb is a leading global eye health company that operates in three segments: Pharmaceutical (including prescription brands, generics and over-the-counter (OTC)), Vision Care (contact lenses and solutions), and Surgical (intraocular lenses and surgical equipment). Bausch + Lomb has a broad portfolio of eye health products, including well-known prescription and OTC brands Besivance, Lotemax, Ocuvite and PreserVision; vision care brands Biotrue ONEday, PureVision, renu and Boston; and surgical brands enVista, Storz, Stellaris and VICTUS.

Under terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of both companies, Valeant will pay aggregate consideration of $8.7 billion in cash, of which approximately $4.5 billion will go to an investor group led by Warburg Pincus and approximately $4.2 billion will be used to repay Bausch + Lomb’s outstanding debt. Valeant expects to achieve at least $800 million in annual cost savings by end of 2014. Bausch + Lomb expects to have revenues of approximately $3.3 billion and adjusted EBITDA in 2013 of approximately $720 million. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to Valeant’s cash earnings per share. Assuming the transaction occurred on January 1, 2013 and assuming the full realization of synergies, the acquisition would have been approximately 40% accretive to Valeant’s expected 2013 Cash EPS.

The transaction will be financed with debt and approximately $1.5 – $2.0 billion of new equity. Valeant has secured fully committed debt financing for the transaction from Goldman Sachs Bank USA. Taking into account the anticipated equity raise, Valeant’s debt to pro forma adjusted EBITDA ratio will be approximately 4.6 times.

Bausch + Lomb will retain its name and become a division of Valeant. Valeant’s existing ophthalmology businesses will be integrated into the Bausch + Lomb division, creating a global eye health platform with estimated pro forma 2013 net revenue of more than $3.5 billion. The acquisition positions Valeant to capitalize on growing eye health trends driven by an aging patient population, an increased rate of diabetes and demand from emerging markets. The combined business will also benefit from access to a strong product portfolio and a late stage pipeline of innovative, new products.

Valeant’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, J. Michael Pearson, said, “We are excited to announce the acquisition of Bausch + Lomb, which will transform Valeant into a global leader in eye health by significantly strengthening our capabilities in ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses and lens care products, and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Bausch + Lomb’s world-renowned brand, comprehensive portfolio of leading eye care products, and promising late stage pipeline are an ideal strategic fit for our current ophthalmology business and we are strongly committed to continuing to build a sustainable eye health business. With this transaction, Valeant will be a worldwide leader in both dermatology and eye health.”

Bausch + Lomb’s Chief Executive Officer, Brent Saunders, said, “Bausch + Lomb has undergone a profound transformation over the last few years. We introduced innovative new products for patients; built a robust pipeline; expanded into new markets; and strengthened our relationships with eye care professionals around the world. Valeant’s acquisition of our company is a testament to the tremendous value our talented employees have created over the past several years.” Saunders continued, “Our companies have a shared commitment to providing innovative and high quality products and exceptional service to customers. I am confident that under their stewardship, the Bausch + Lomb brand will continue to stand for excellence and innovation in eye health.”

Following the closing, Mr. Saunders will join Valeant in an advisory role to help ensure a seamless transition and integration and Fred Hassan, Chairman of Bausch + Lomb’s Board of Directors, will join Valeant’s Board of Directors. In addition, Dan Wechsler, Executive Vice President and President of Bausch + Lomb’s Global Pharmaceuticals, will join Valeant as Executive Vice President and Company Group Chairman, Ophthalmology and Eye Health. Bausch + Lomb’s Chief Medical Officer Calvin W. Roberts, M.D. will also join Valeant as its Chief Medical Officer, Ophthalmology and Eye Health. We also anticipate additional members of the senior management team to join Valeant.

The transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter, is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP served as Valeant’s legal counsel, and Bausch + Lomb was advised by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J. P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as financial advisors to Bausch + Lomb.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Valeant will host a conference call and a live Internet webcast along with a slide presentation on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. ET (5:00 a.m. PT), to discuss the transaction. The dial-in number to participate on this call is (877) 876-8393, confirmation code 77049719. International callers should dial (973) 200-3961, confirmation code 77049719. A replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the conference call through June 28, 2013 and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056, or (404) 537-3406, confirmation code 77049719. The live webcast of the conference call may be accessed through the investor relations section of Valeant’s corporate website at www.valeant.com.

About Valeant

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE/TSX:VRX) is a multinational specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of pharmaceutical products primarily in the areas of dermatology, neurology and branded generics. More information about Valeant can be found at www.valeant.com.

About Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb is a leading global eye health company that is solely focused on protecting, enhancing, and restoring people’s eyesight. Its core businesses include ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses and lens care products, and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. It globally develops, manufactures and markets one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the eye health industry, which are available in more than 100 countries. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, NY, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding, among other things, the proposed business combination between Valeant and Bausch + Lomb, Valeant and Bausch + Lomb’s financial position, market position, product development and business strategy, expected cost synergies, expected timing and benefits of the transaction, as well as estimates of Valeant’s future expenses and future sales and earnings per share. Statements including words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” “guidance” or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Because these statements reflect Valeant or Bausch + Lomb’s current views, expectations and beliefs concerning future events, these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Investors should note that many factors could affect the proposed business combination of the companies and their future financial results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These factors include, but are not limited to: the risk that the acquisition will not close; the risk that Valeant’s business and/or Bausch + Lomb’s business will be adversely impacted during the pendency of the acquisition; the risk that the operations of the two companies will not be integrated successfully; Valeant and Bausch + Lomb’s ability to successfully develop, commercialize and market new products; Valeant and Bausch + Lomb’s ability to obtain regulatory approval of any of their respective pipeline products; competition for the business of Valeant and Bausch + Lomb’s products; market acceptance of Valeant and Bausch + Lomb’s future products; government regulation of the companies’ industries; the outcome of any pending or future litigation or claims by third parties or the government; the risk of changes in governmental regulations; the impact of economic conditions; the impact of competition and pricing and other risks and uncertainties, including those (i) detailed from time to time in the Valeant’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”), including current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K, particularly the discussion under the caption “RISK FACTORS” in their annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, which have been filed with the SEC and the CSA and (ii) the risk factors detailed in Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-1 Registration Statement on WP Prism Inc. (the former name of Bausch + Lomb Holdings Incorporated), filed with the SEC on April 26, 2013, which has not been declared effective by the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release are qualified by these risk factors. These are factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause the companies’ actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results. The companies assume no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Contact Information:

Media Contacts:

Sard Verbinnen & Co

Bausch + Lomb

Jonathan Doorley / Meghan Gavigan

Adam Grossberg

212-687-8080

973-360-6439

[email protected]

[email protected]

Investor Contacts:

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.

Bausch + Lomb

Laurie W. Little

Alex Kelly

949-461-6002

908-303-5445

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Valeant Acquires PE-Backed Bausch + Lomb for $8.7B appeared first on peHUB.

Club Mediterranee’s top shareholders–which include Fosun International and AXA Private Equity–  plan to take over the French holiday firm in a bid that values it at around 541 million euros ($700 million), to accelerate its shift to fast-growing emerging markets, Reuters reports.

(Reuters) – Club Mediterranee’s top shareholders plan to take over the French holiday firm in a bid that values it at around 541 million euros ($700 million), to accelerate its shift to fast-growing emerging markets.

Chinese investor Fosun International said on Monday they would team up with management to offer 17 euros a share for the stock they do not already own – a 23 percent premium to Friday’s closing price.

Chief Executive Officer Henri Giscard d’Estaing, who has spearheaded Club Med’s upmarket shift and expansion away from recession-hit Europe, said the friendly bid would give the group the group freedom to focus on emerging markets.

“We need to be free from short-term constraints for the next four to five years,” he said.

Founded in 1950 and listed since 1966, Club Med was a pioneer of the all-inclusive holiday resort.

But it fell on hard times in the past decade because of stiff competition and an unsuccessful expansion into services, and its more recent drive to recast itself as an upmarket operator has been hampered by a flagging European economy.

One Paris-based trader, who declined to be named, said Fosun’s involvement would help Club Med’s achieve its aim to make China its second-biggest market after France.

Club Med aims to operate five villages in China by 2015, including three by the end of this year, Giscard d’Estaing said.

Beyond China, Club Med is speeding up expansion in Russia and Brazil, with the goal to lift the contribution of emerging markets to sales to 33 percent by 2015 from around 25 percent.

At 1355 GMT, Club Med shares were up 22.4 percent at around the proposed 17 euros offer price, but well short of its 2007 high of almost 50 euros.

Club Med, which operates around 70 resorts, said it would appoint a committee of independent directors to assess the offer, which is expected to be filed in the next few days.

WEAK EUROPE

The bid comes as travel firms and airlines across Europe have seen bookings fall in recent months.

Club Med said on Monday operating income at its holiday villages in the first-half ended April 30 fell 6.4 percent.

Bookings in Europe over the last eight weeks were down 4.6 percent, mostly due to a weak French market, while they jumped 13.9 percent in Asia. Net debt at the end of April stood at 112 million euros, down from 123 million a year ago.

Club Med competes with global hoteliers Intercontinental and Accor  as well as tour operators TUI Travel  and Thomas Cook.

The move does not necessarily signal a new wave of takeovers in the sector, according to Christian Jimenez, who heads the Diamant Bleu Gestion fund.

This is “a very specific takeover,” he said. “Fosun was already in the capital and intended to raise its stake and Club Med’s management backs the deal.”

AXA Private Equity holds 9.4 percent of Club Med, while Fosun owns 9.96 percent.

Giscard d’Estaing, who became CEO in 2002 and who is the son of former French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing, is also taking part in the deal. He currently owns less than 0.01 percent of the share capital. He will remain CEO if the takeover goes ahead, with Michel Wolfovski remaining deputy CEO.

Control of Club Med will exercised through a joint venture that will be 46 percent owned by Fosun, 46 percent by Axa Private Equity, and 8 percent by 400 Club Med managers.

Should the buyers secure 95 percent of Club Med, they reserve the right to squeeze out other shareholders.

Dominique Gaillard, managing director of Axa Private Equity, said that after four years, shares may also be listed in Hong Kong.

($1 = 0.7734 euros)

The post Top Investors Seek to Buy Club Med in $700 Million Deal appeared first on peHUB.

An Australian man this week pleaded guilty to murdering 11 elderly residents of a nursing home where he worked briefly in 2011.

According to an Australian Associated Press report, 37-year-old Roger Dean admitted during his Australian Supreme Court trial to setting a fire that killed 11 residents of the Quakers Hill nursing home in Sydney. Dean started the fire in the early morning hours of November 18, 2011 by lighting an empty bed in the nursing home.

Some of the eleven residents who died were unable to move without assistance. In addition to the murder charges, Dean also pleaded guilty to injuring eight other nursing home residents in the fire.

The AAP report also states that Dean admitted taking prescription drugs from the nursing home. He had apparently been caught on a security camera entering a medication a storage room multiple times. The incident was reported, but police were not able to arrive immediately. Dean started the fire soon after, and then played the part of rescuer by helping some residents escape the flames. During the chaos, Dean managed to steal the facility’s drug logs, which he later destroyed.

Facebook introduced something great along with Facebook Home – chat heads. You’re probably already familiar with them, but the general gist of the feature is notification bubbles that appear on the screen, in which you can directly deal with the notification in an overlaying panel. The feature was initially available for only Facebook Messenger, but Paranoid Android expanded the feature to include notifications for all apps in the HALO feature of their ROM. Now a developer by the name of crazyfool_1 has also developed the feature to support all apps with his Floating Notifications app.

Right now, Floating Notifications is a great concept, and supports most apps, but is still a little confusing to use. Set-up is easy, but the controls and gestures are a little hard to get used to, as they aren’t exactly the same as Messenger. Still, the app is pretty cool and worth a download, and you can try it out by downloading the APK from the source link. Try it out and let us know what you think.

Source: XDA Developers

Come comment on this article: Floating Notifications app adds chat head notifications to all apps

Today President Obama traveled to Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Memorial Day, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and delivering remarks.

The President thanked members of the armed forces and veterans for their service to the United States, and paid tribute to our fallen heroes laid to rest at Arlington:

It is here, on this hallowed ground, where we choose to build a monument to a constant thread in the American character — the truth that our nation endures because it has always been home to men and women who are willing to give their all, and lay down their very lives, to preserve and protect this land that we love.

That character — that selflessness — beats in the hearts of the very first patriots who died for a democracy they had never known and would never see. It lived on in the men and women who fought to hold our union together, and in those who fought to defend it abroad — from the beaches of Europe to the mountains and jungles of Asia. This year, as we mark the 60th anniversary of the end of fighting in Korea, we offer a special salute to all those who served and gave their lives in the Korean War. And over the last decade, we’ve seen the character of our country again — in the nearly 7,000 Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice on battlefields and city streets half a world away.

President Barack Obama participates in a Memorial Day wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., May 27, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

President Obama noted that, as of last year, Americans are no longer fighting and dying in Iraq, and that there is now a transition underway in Afghanistan as well. "This time next year," the President said, "we will mark the final Memorial Day of our war in Afghanistan."

The President closed by asking Americans to keep the fallen in their hearts: 

On this Memorial Day, and every day, let us be true and meet that promise. Let it be our task, every single one of us, to honor the strength and the resolve and the love these brave Americans felt for each other and for our country. Let us never forget to always remember and to be worthy of the sacrifice they make in our name.

Watch the President's full remarks.

The Nexus 4 has been spotted many, many times in white. Let’s add another appearance to the list. A white 16 GB version of Google’s phone is reportedly on sale from “local retailers” in India. With the same specs sheet as the black version, the white phone is available for 360 euros, close to the 349 euros the black version runs for.

It’s unknown if the phone will come with Android 4.2 or the upcoming 4.3, but the phone is rumored to be announced by Google along with Android 4.3 and a Nexus 7 tablet on June 10. We’ll be here providing you with all the information you need.

Source: Into Mobile
via: Tutto Android

Come comment on this article: White Nexus 4 spotted yet again, for sale in India

The unannounced Samsung Galaxy Note 3 might feature an enhanced camera, according to a report. According to the report, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a technology with capabilities to reduce motion blur when taking pictures or recording video, will be included in the upcoming phone. 3x optical zoom was also considered, but seems improbable as it would increase the thickness of the device. Many phones today already have software-based image stabilization, but OIS technology would actually deal with issues caused by motion at the lens or sensor level.

It’s not surprising that Samsung is improving camera features, as they are reportedly launching a camera-focused Galaxy S 4 Zoom with a 16-megapixel camera in the near future. Stay tuned to TalkAndroid as we continue to learn details of the Note 3.

Source: Electronic Times
Via: Android Authority

Come comment on this article: Galaxy Note 3 could feature Optical Image Stabilization, according to report