Thursday, 24 April 2014

A totally new kind of golf, dude






Bubba Watson dons the famous green jacket for the second time after a three-shot triumph at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on Sunday, April 13.Bubba Watson dons the famous green jacket for the second time after a three-shot triumph at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on Sunday, April 13.

Watson strikes a typical pose during his final round at Augusta as he closed on his second Masters win in three years.Watson strikes a typical pose during his final round at Augusta as he closed on his second Masters win in three years.

An emotional Watson holds his son, Caleb, as he celebrates with fans by the 18th green at Augusta.An emotional Watson holds his son, Caleb, as he celebrates with fans by the 18th green at Augusta.

Large crowds gathered to watch the leaders fight it out for Masters supremacy on the final day at Augusta.Large crowds gathered to watch the leaders fight it out for Masters supremacy on the final day at Augusta.

Jordan Spieth opened a two-shot lead on the front nine in the final round before falling away on the back nine.Jordan Spieth opened a two-shot lead on the front nine in the final round before falling away on the back nine.

Resplendent in orange, Rickie Fowler milks the applause of the crowd after holing a monster putt on the ninth in the final round.Resplendent in orange, Rickie Fowler milks the applause of the crowd after holing a monster putt on the ninth in the final round.

Defending champion Adam Scott is in pensive mood as he weighs a shot with caddie Steve Williams on his way to a closing 72.Defending champion Adam Scott is in pensive mood as he weighs a shot with caddie Steve Williams on his way to a closing 72.

Sweden's Jonas Blixt maintained his challenge throughout the final day and finished as the leading European player.Sweden's Jonas Blixt maintained his challenge throughout the final day and finished as the leading European player.

Rory McIlroy's fiancee, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, had something to smile about on the last day as he carded a fine three-under-par 69 to finish level par for the tournament.Rory McIlroy's fiancee, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, had something to smile about on the last day as he carded a fine three-under-par 69 to finish level par for the tournament.









  • Golf is looking for changes because it's losing players and fans on television

  • Mike Downey says new ideas such as bigger golf holes would speed play

  • He says purists are going to be offended, but other sports have changed to woo audiences

  • Downey: Why not let golf crowds make noise? And slap sponsor stickers on golf carts?




Editor's note: Mike Downey is a former Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune columnist who writes frequently for CNN. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.


(CNN) -- George Plimpton, in the 1973 nonfiction book "Mad Ducks and Bears," describes a charity golf tournament. One of its organizers was Alex Karras, a pro football player with a sense of humor every bit as absurd as his big scene in the Mel Brooks cowboy spoof "Blazing Saddles," in which Karras' character, Mongo, punches a horse.


The tournament -- proceeds went to cystic fibrosis -- was a one-day event in Flint, Michigan, at a golf club called Shady Acres. Its participants included many a Michigan celebrity, NFL players like Mel Farr and Wayne Walker from the Lions. But this would be unlike any round of golf that any of them had ever known.


Karras and co-conspirators planted hidden tape recorders in the trees, blaring out jungle sounds. Detroit Lions in the woods, in the middle of a backswing, would hear the roar of a real lion. Bill Munson, a quarterback, about to hit a tee shot, jumped a foot because a cannon was shot off. A kicker, Errol Mann, was pranked with an exploding golf ball. A band of musicians stood by while guys tried to putt, playing Jarabe Tapatio -- "the Mexican hat dance" -- nonstop.


A totally new kind of golf.



Mike Downey


Good idea?


According to a recent New York Times article, a totally new kind of golf is exactly what this sport desperately needs, even if that means a bizarre kind of golf unlike any you have ever known.


"Golf holes the size of pizzas. Soccer balls on the back nine. A mulligan on every hole," the story by Bill Pennington of the Times tees it up, just for starters.





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See amazing trick golf shot

Pennington points out that U.S. courses have actually fooled around with goofy golf innovations like these. A round was played in Greensboro, Georgia, last week -- a couple of PGA Tour pros took part -- that featured a 15-inch hole. A standard cup on a green is just 4.25 inches wide.


That's right, a hole that looked like one Bugs Bunny would pop out of was used by the golfers at the Reynolds Plantation that day. It was like changing a basketball hoop to the size of a Hula Hoop.


Why on Earth would a golf greenskeeper dig such a huge hole?


Because a theory appears to be in play that golf desperately needs to something big, something dramatic, something drastic to keep the game's popularity from sinking like a dimpled Titleist into a pond.


"People under 35," Pennington writes, "have especially spurned the game, saying it takes too long to play, is too difficult to learn and has too many tiresome rules."


Larger holes = fewer putts. Ergo, faster golf. No more three-putt greens (or more). No more waiting for the slowpokes (or old fogeys) in front of you to play through.


A golf purist might be mortified. You don't redo the Mona Lisa with spray paint. You don't take Niagara Falls and stick a water slide in it. Golf shouldn't become a joke, like Ralph Kramden learning to play the game on "The Honeymooners," led to believe that to address a ball, the first thing you do is go, "Hello, ball."


But would it be preposterous for golf to offer an alternative way to play? This is what some visionaries ask. If a younger generation could be attracted by a radical approach, would that be so bad?


Boxing still exists, but as it began to fade, a new audience took to mixed martial arts. Track-and-field still exists, but as it began to fade, kids began doing jumps and sprints in extreme sports like the X-Games on boards or bikes. Volleyball evolved into beach volleyball. Skiing begat snowboarding. Pro football experimented (with less success) with indoor football. Pool turned to 9-ball. Stud poker turned to Texas Hold 'Em.


Adapt or die.


For those who pull another old adage from a bag -- that if something isn't broken, there is no need to fix it -- keep in mind that nobody's trying to eliminate golf as we know it. There will still be holes, still be clubs and balls, still be (depending where you play) a caddy or a cart.


Golf courses have been going out of business, however. (In late 2013, for example, five Charlotte clubs faced foreclosure, as did three in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.) Public ones need new customers. Private ones need a way to entice new members.


Women's professional golf is losing TV exposure and tournament sponsors. Men's pro golf seems super-popular, but at the Masters tournament, where Tiger Woods withdrew due to an injury and Phil Mickelson failed to qualify for the weekend's rounds, CBS reportedly had its lowest television ratings since 1993.


Woods, 38, has undergone surgery -- a "microdisectomy," according to his website -- for a pinched nerve in his back. His return date is uncertain. Winner of 79 PGA Tour events, including four Masters championships, Woods has been able to take part in just three tournaments in 2014. He tied for 25th place in one, tied for 80th in another, withdrew from the third. Tiger is golf's go-to guy; without him, TV networks could lose many viewers who couldn't care less how many shots below par a Rory McIlroy or a Bubba Watson is.


So, perhaps a surprisingly large percentage of today's audience is more interested in a certain golfer than in golf.


"Foot golf," according to the New York Times piece, is one new way to play, using a large hole, a soccer ball and no hands. Silly? Stupid? What have you got, you say, a hole in your HEAD? Hey, there was a time in America when night baseball seemed silly, as did a game of basketball played with a shot clock. A lush, landscaped country club would have seemed silly to men from St. Andrews, Scotland, who learned how to play the game on bumpy, lumpy links.


Golf of the future?


A few possibilities spring to mind:


No more "Quiet, please"


Let the spectators speak up. Cheer. Chant. Heckle. Do the kinds of things basketball or football fans do. Make some noise. Hold a tournament that -- not unlike that Karras concept -- invites the crowd to get involved. TV ratings could be big, too. Instead of some dude yelling "Get in the hole!" after a golfer's swing, he could yell "Watch out for that pond!" while the guy is in his stance. Baseball hitters don't require quiet.


Winner take all


Whichever golfer wins the tournament wins the $$$. No one else gets a cent. No $20,000 for placing 20th. No "appearance fee." Come one, come all to the Master tournament -- one Master, not plural -- in which the victor gets $5 million and the runner-up gets a bag of lovely parting gifts.


Golf Polo


You play it in a golf cart. You never leave it. You drive it, and you drive your ball from it. You chip from it and putt from it. We categorize this game under "motor sports." Each golfer gets to slap sponsor stickers all over their carts, just like NASCAR.


Strip Golf


Each time you don't make a par, you need to remove a ... nahhh, it'll never work. (Except maybe at golf courses by the Jersey Shore.)


3-in-One Golf


Who decided golf has to have one hole per green? Today's greens are so large, you could put a cup on the left, a cup on the right and a cup smack in the middle. A golfer could decide which one to go for upon reaching the green. This also would triple the opportunities for a hole-in-one.


Oh, and one more:


The Golf X Games


Bikes. Skateboards. Rollerblades. Fastest to finish 18 holes wins. A really steep ramp by the 18th green. Let's go play some golf, dude!


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11 assassination spots you can visit






John Wilkes Booth entered the theater box (on left) where Abraham Lincoln was attending a performance of "Our American Cousin" and shot him in the back of the head. Ford's Theater is now a museum and education center, as well as a playhouse.John Wilkes Booth entered the theater box (on left) where Abraham Lincoln was attending a performance of "Our American Cousin" and shot him in the back of the head. Ford's Theater is now a museum and education center, as well as a playhouse.

Lee Harvey Oswald shot John F. Kennedy from the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository -- now the Sixth Floor Museum dedicated to the assassination and legacy of JFK. A white "X" marks the spot where the bullets entered the president in November 1963.Lee Harvey Oswald shot John F. Kennedy from the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository -- now the Sixth Floor Museum dedicated to the assassination and legacy of JFK. A white "X" marks the spot where the bullets entered the president in November 1963.

Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was attacked by four knights in the cathedral in 1170. A large broken sword point is on display at the Altar of the Sword's Point in the Martyrdom, a memorial to Becket.Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was attacked by four knights in the cathedral in 1170. A large broken sword point is on display at the Altar of the Sword's Point in the Martyrdom, a memorial to Becket.

Up to 60 senators were involved in Julius Caesar's assassination plot in 44 BC. He was stabbed 23 times in a senate room just off the porticoes of the Theatre of Pompey. The site is now buried several meters beneath the Teatro Argentina, the white building at the back of this photograph.Up to 60 senators were involved in Julius Caesar's assassination plot in 44 BC. He was stabbed 23 times in a senate room just off the porticoes of the Theatre of Pompey. The site is now buried several meters beneath the Teatro Argentina, the white building at the back of this photograph.

John Lennon was shot four times inside the driveway of The Dakota as he was returning from his studio on December 8, 1980. Yoko Ono, who still lives in the building, funded a memorial area inside Central Park called Strawberry Fields with "Imagine" written in mosaic. John Lennon was shot four times inside the driveway of The Dakota as he was returning from his studio on December 8, 1980. Yoko Ono, who still lives in the building, funded a memorial area inside Central Park called Strawberry Fields with "Imagine" written in mosaic.

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. He was in Memphis to lead a protest in support of striking city workers. The site is now the National Civil Rights Museum.On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. He was in Memphis to lead a protest in support of striking city workers. The site is now the National Civil Rights Museum.

Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was killed with an ice pick in the Mexico City villa he shared with his wife. The house has been preserved as it was during the bespectacled communist's residency -- his desk diary is still open at the day of his death.Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was killed with an ice pick in the Mexico City villa he shared with his wife. The house has been preserved as it was during the bespectacled communist's residency -- his desk diary is still open at the day of his death.

Mahatma Ghandhi had left Birla House to lead a daily prayer meeting when he was shot in the chest at close range. The government bought the property and renamed it Gandhi Smriti, a memorial and museum dedicated to the life and teachings of Gandhi.Mahatma Ghandhi had left Birla House to lead a daily prayer meeting when he was shot in the chest at close range. The government bought the property and renamed it Gandhi Smriti, a memorial and museum dedicated to the life and teachings of Gandhi.

Malcolm X was shot during a weekly meeting at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights. The original facade of the building has been preserved and the second floor is now the Shabazz Center, an education center and memorial to Malcolm X.Malcolm X was shot during a weekly meeting at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights. The original facade of the building has been preserved and the second floor is now the Shabazz Center, an education center and memorial to Malcolm X.

Gavrilo Princip shot Franz Ferdinand as the archduke of Austria's motorcade was driving down the street. Princip stood on the sidewalk of what's now the Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918. The assassination triggered a sequence of events that escalated to World War I.Gavrilo Princip shot Franz Ferdinand as the archduke of Austria's motorcade was driving down the street. Princip stood on the sidewalk of what's now the Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918. The assassination triggered a sequence of events that escalated to World War I.

Offing Rasputin was no easy feat. First, poisoned cakes failed to fell him, then two bullets. Eventually, he suffered a fatal shot and endured a brutal beating before his body was dumped in the icy waters of the Moikain in St. Petersburg, Russia.Offing Rasputin was no easy feat. First, poisoned cakes failed to fell him, then two bullets. Eventually, he suffered a fatal shot and endured a brutal beating before his body was dumped in the icy waters of the Moikain in St. Petersburg, Russia.









  • The Theater of Pompey where Julius Caesar was killed is now meters below ground, roughly where Rome's Teatre Argentina now stands

  • A white "X" marks the spot in Dealey Plaza where John F. Kennedy was shot

  • Yoko Ono funded the memorial area inside Central Park called Strawberry Fields




(CNN) -- Death -- one of life's great unknowns, yet it comes to all of us.


This perhaps explains our fascination not just with death, but, in some cases, with the very places people have died.


So-called "dark tourism" has become a popular pastime in recent years, with tour agencies guiding travelers around catacombs in Paris, the killing fields of Cambodia and Chernobyl, among many others.


Such locales needn't have seen the demise of hundreds of people -- the loss of an individual cultural or political icon can be just as emotive.


These places and the events that occurred there, often combining death, fame and power, can become a final reminder of the movements or messages their victims represented.


We've picked out nine assassinations that have echoed down the years, some from as far back as 2,000 years ago, that still evoke curiosity.


You can walk all these areas yourself, take guided tours or visit museums to learn more.


1. Julius Caesar, stabbed in the Theater of Pompey, Rome, 44 BC


The stabbing of Julius Caesar was a bloody, political killing that makes subsequent assassinations look dull in comparison.


It also set a precedent for conspiracy; up to 60 senators were involved in the plot to put an end to Caesar's one-man rule.


He suffered 23 stab wounds, though only one was fatal.


It took place in a senate room just off the porticoes of the Theater of Pompey -- not, as is often said, in the senate house in the Roman Forum.


The exact location is now buried several meters below ground.


According to local tour guide Stuart Harvey, it would have been roughly under the spot where Rome's Teatro Argentina now stands.


Just across the busy road is the archaeological attraction known as Area Sacra di Largo Argentina, which gives a good view of the Roman temples that still stand just meters from where Caesar was stabbed.


"The senators were so sure they were doing the right thing in murdering Julius Caesar -- they believed they were killing the dictator in order to preserve democracy -- that they carried out the killing themselves, calling themselves 'liberators,'" says Harvey.


It didn't turn out quite as they planned.


The republic came to an end within a year and 17 years later, Octavian (Augustus) became Rome's first emperor.


According to Suetonius's account, few of the conspirators lived more than three years after the assassination.


Rome Personal Tours ; stuartharveyguide@yahoo.co.uk


MORE: 10 of the best Italian restaurants in Rome




Dealey Plaza: tours are available around the most infamous assassination spot of the 20th century.

Dealey Plaza: tours are available around the most infamous assassination spot of the 20th century.



2. John F. Kennedy, shot in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, November 22, 1963


By late 1963, President John Kennedy was preparing for the election the following year, in which he fully hoped to be re-elected.


As his motorcade drove through the open space of Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Lee Harvey Oswald is alleged to have taken aim from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building.


The subsequent Warren Commission that investigated the assassination failed to establish a clear motive for the shooting, but it concluded that Oswald, a social "misfit" with possible anti-American sentiments, acted as a "lone gunman."


Conspiracy theories have abounded and many believe Oswald, who was himself shot dead two days after Kennedy's assassination by Texas nightclub manager Jack Ruby, didn't act alone or that he was framed.


Since 1989, the Dallas County Historical Foundation has run a museum on the sixth and seventh floors of the building, telling the story of JFK's life, his assassination and legacy.


Up to 350,000 visitors now come through the doors of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza each year.


Gary Mack, the museum's curator, says that the museum was originally conceived as a place of remembrance, although most visitors today -- 25 years after it was first opened -- don't personally remember President Kennedy.


"As a history museum, we present the past and the Kennedy legacy," says Mack. "The facts don't change but the importance people place on them over time does."


November 2013 marked the 50th anniversary since the assassination but conspiracy theories still thrive.


"If it was an open and shut case, there wouldn't be the intrigue there is today -- a lot of people dedicate their whole lives to studying it," says Freda Dillard, owner of DFW Historical Tours in Dallas.


The plaza is relatively unchanged since that fateful day.


A white X marks the spot where the president was when the bullets struck.


To view the scene from Oswald's point of view, see the Dealey Plaza Cam , a webcam positioned in the exact location where the assassin is believed to have stood on that day.


The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza , 411 Elm St., Dallas; +1 214 747 6660; in 2014 the museum is running a special program of events to celebrate its 25th year


DFW Historical Tours ; +1 214 676 1510


3. Abraham Lincoln, shot in Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., April 14, 1865


Abraham Lincoln was famously opposed to slavery and its spread across the United States and its new territories.


He was also a theater-lover and is quoted as saying, "Some think I do wrong to go to the opera and to the theater; but it rests me. I love to be alone, and yet to be with people."


He was at Ford's Theatre with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and two other guests, watching a stage performance of "Our American Cousin" when the actor John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate supporter who opposed the abolition of slavery, entered Lincoln's theater box and shot him in the back of the head.


Lincoln died the next morning.


Today, Ford's Theater is still in use as a playhouse, education center and museum.


"At Ford's, people can connect with the history of Lincoln but also with his humanity," says Ford's Theater director Paul R. Tetreault.


"We strive to bring history to life for the 700,000 visitors who walk through our doors annually. It's a fitting tribute to Lincoln's legacy and love of the arts -- especially theater."


Ford's Theatre , 511 Tenth St. NW, Washington, D.C.; +1 202 347 4833


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4. Mohandas K. Gandhi, shot in the grounds of Birla House, New Delhi, January 30, 1948


On his way to a daily prayer meeting, Mahatma Gandhi was shot by Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a Hindu extremist who opposed Gandhi's non-violent teachings, perceiving them to favor Muslims over Hindus.


Godse also believed Gandhi was responsible for the partition of India in August 1947, which had led to religious violence.


Gandhi's death in January 1948 sent shock waves across the world.


A report that evening in the New York Times said: "His death left all India stunned and bewildered as to the direction that this newly independent nation would take without its 'Mahatma.'"


At the time Gandhi was staying at the home of a friend, the Indian businessman G. D. Birla.


Birla House was subsequently bought by the government and renamed Gandhi Smriti -- a memorial and museum dedicated to the life and teachings of Gandhi.


It's open to visitors and holds cultural and social activities -- recent events include a film and literature festival, and conferences on disability and women's peace.


Gandhi Smriti , 5, Tees January Marg, New Delhi; +91 11 2301 2843




Chapman wrote in \

Chapman wrote in "The Catcher in the Rye": "This is my statement."



5. John Lennon, shot outside the Dakota, New York, December 8, 1980


As he returned from his recording studio late one December night, John Lennon was shot four times just inside the driveway of his home at the Dakota apartments on 72nd Street and Central Park West.


There's no memorial at the Dakota itself.


Yoko Ono still lives there.


But just inside Central Park there's a memorial area called Strawberry Fields, funded by Ono, which features a mosaic depicting the word "Imagine."


The Dakota is a major sight on New York tourist itineraries -- it's also the former home of Leonard Bernstein, Boris Karloff and Rudolph Nureyev and was used as the set for movies "Rosemary's Baby" and "Vanilla Sky."


"The Dakota was the city's first luxury apartment house -- prior to that wealthy people lived in mansions or townhouses, not -- the shame of it! -- with other people under the same roof!" says New York guide Mark Levy.


"When it was built in the 1870s it was so far uptown from the rest of developed New York that a critic said 'You might as well build it in the Dakotas' and the owner, having a sense of humor, named it the Dakota."


Mark David Chapman, who had mental health problems although he didn't in the end plead insanity in court, is currently serving a 20-year-to-life sentence for the murder of John Lennon.


He was a born-again Christian and felt angry about Lennon's comment (made in 1966) that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus."


He also resented Lennon's wealth, which he thought didn't fit with the messages and lyrics of Lennon's music ("imagine no possessions").


The Levy's Unique New York , 72nd St., Central Park West, New York; +1 877 692 5869


MORE: How to be a New York local: 11 tips for faking it


6. Martin Luther King Jr, shot at the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee, April 4, 1968


The Nobel Peace Prize winner was shot as he stood on the balcony of his motel in Memphis, where he had gone to lead a march in support of striking city workers.


Just as with JFK's assassination four and a half years earlier, not everyone was convinced that James Earl Ray was the assassin, or that he acted alone.


Conspiracy theories took root that government agencies could have been involved.


The possible motive? Dr. King had posed a threat to the status quo and had also been an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War.


The Lorraine Motel was eventually turned, with funding from local people, into the National Civil Rights Museum.


Rooms 306 and 308 -- rooms King often stayed in -- were preserved, as was the motel's exterior.


"The museum exists because everyday people in Memphis, mostly black Americans, committed themselves and their dollars to help make the museum a reality," says Barbara Andrews, director of education and interpretation at the museum.


"Dr. King was assassinated here and for too many African Americans who paid the ultimate price for rights guaranteed in the Constitution but withheld because of race, there are too few markers or notations of their sacrifices to help move America to a more perfect union."


National Civil Rights Museum , 450 Mulberry St., Memphis, Tennessee; +1 901 521 9699




The Yusupov Palace still stands by the Moika today and includes a Rasputin exhibition.

The Yusupov Palace still stands by the Moika today and includes a Rasputin exhibition.



7. Grigory Rasputin, killed at the Yusupov Palace, St. Petersburg, December 1916


Months before they were hounded out by the 1917 revolution, Russia's already stressed nobles had another problem on their plate: Grigory Rasputin.


They feared Rasputin, a big-bearded bear of a man who claimed mystical healing powers, was exerting undue control over the Russian royal family and sought to bump him off one evening at the Yusupov Palace.


This proved no mean feat.


First poisoned cakes failed to fell him, then two bullets.


Eventually, he suffered a fatal shot and endured a brutal beating before his body was dumped in icy waters of the Moika, just to make sure.


The elegant yellow Yusupov Palace still stands by the Moika today and there are tours in English and Russian, as well as a Rasputin exhibition.


Alternatively, you can hear about "Russia's greatest love machine" via the classic '70s "Rasputin" disco track by Boney M.


Yusupov Palace , Naberezhnaya Reki Moyki 94, St. Petersburg; +7 812 314 9883 (by appointment)


8. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, shot in Sarajevo, Bosnia, June 28, 1914


At his trial, Gavrilo Princip described himself as a Yugoslav nationalist who wanted independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


He was standing outside a grocery store in a side street just off Sarajevo's Lateiner Bridge moments before Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria pulled up in a car.


"The side street is very small, so Princip was standing just a few meters from Ferdinand's open-top car," says Neno Novakovic, who runs Sarajevo Walking Tours.


"Of course the location is of great interest to visitors -- there is a plaque on the building where Princip stood -- but the sequence of events triggered by the assassination are what make it so significant."


The Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918 now stands on the corner where events leading up to World War I began to escalate.


Princip, just 19 years old at the time, shot Ferdinand in the neck, and shot his wife Sophie in the stomach; both died as or soon after they were taken to the governor of Sarajevo's residence.


Sarajevo Walking Tours ; info@sarajevowalkingtours.com


Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918 , Zelenih Beretki 1, Sarajevo; +387 33 533 288


MORE: How to watch a war crimes trial in The Hague




Malcolm X was killed by members of the Nation of Islam, an organization he was once part of.

Malcolm X was killed by members of the Nation of Islam, an organization he was once part of.



9. Malcolm X, shot in the Audubon Ballroom, New York, February 21, 1965


The Audubon Ballroom was a theater, ballroom and music hall in Upper Manhattan where Malcolm X's Organization of Afro-American Unity held weekly meetings in 1964-5.


It was at one of these meetings that he was shot and killed by members of the Nation of Islam, the organization advocating black supremacy, which Malcolm X had repudiated the year before his assassination, having been one of its most prominent members for more than a decade.


The convicted killers were Talmadge Hayer and two other men identified as Norman Butler and Thomas Johnson. However, the latter two maintained their innocence.


Although the ballroom was (controversially) converted into a biotechnology research center in 1992, its original facade has been preserved and the second floor now has a mural depicting the life of Malcolm X and is home to the Shabazz Center (Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz).


"I think it's a very moving and effective space, which is inclusive to tourists and visitors," says tour guide Mark Levy.


The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center , 3940 Broadway, New York; +1 212 568 1341


10. Thomas Becket, killed at Canterbury Cathedral, England, December 29, 1170


Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry II, had angered the king by excommunicating three of the most powerful clergymen in the land.


Enraged, Henry II is said to have muttered that he wished to get rid of Becket, who was once his close friend.


Four of the king's knights took him at his word and made their way to Canterbury Cathedral.


Becket was warned the knights were coming but he refused to bar the cathedral door, saying "the House of God shall be barred to no man."


According to Lis Hamlin, director and guide at Guided Walks in Canterbury, Becket was making his way up the stone steps in the northwest transept, now known as The Martyrdom, when the knights entered.


"Becket would not recognize the area today; it was reordered in the 1470s but the northwest buttress (containing a spiral staircase) still remains from the Romanesque building," says Hamlin.


"When Pope John Paul II came to Canterbury in May 1982 to pray in the Martyrdom with Archbishop Robert Runcie, he apparently commented that there was no reference to Thomas Becket.


"There is now a symbolic, modern (1986 by Giles Blomfield) Altar of the Sword's Point in the Martyrdom. This is a reference to the severing of Becket's 'crown' by Richard de Breton (one of the four knights) during which his sword broke on the flagstones; the broken sword point was placed by the monks on an altar."


Canterbury Guided Tours , Christ Church Gate, Canterbury, Kent; +44 1227 459 779; guided walks from £7($12) per adult, £6.50 ($11) per student, £5 ($9) per child under 12


Canterbury Cathedral , Cathedral House, 11 The Precincts, Canterbury, Kent; +44 1227 762862


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Trotsky\'s former home opened as a museum on the 50th anniversary of the assassination.

Trotsky's former home opened as a museum on the 50th anniversary of the assassination.



11. Leon Trotsky, killed by icepick, Coyoacán, Mexico City, August 21, 1940


Exiled to Mexico after losing a political battle of wills with Stalin, Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky wound up with an ice pick in the back of his head.


The fortified compound in which Trotsky met his end was opened as a museum in 1990 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination.


At its center, the villa he shared with his wife has been preserved as it was during the bespectacled communist's residency -- his desk diary is still open at the day of his death.


The surrounding gardens include Trotsky's tomb, replete with hammer and sickle, while additional buildings are used to display photos from his life.


Museo Casa De Leon Trotsky , Rio Churubusco 410, Playa del Carmen, Mexico City; +52 55 5658 8732


Bija Knowles is a writer and journalist based in Rome, with experience in historical, social and cultural stories, particularly in Italy.



Pols rip rancher's race remarks





  • Cliven Bundy stands by comments suggesting blacks were better off as slaves

  • He tells CNN that African-Americans "have nothing to do," "their family unit is ruined"

  • The rancher fought the feds attempts to stop his cattle from grazing on public land

  • Bundy: "I might be a welfare queen. But ... I'm producing something for America"




(CNN) -- Cliven Bundy -- the Nevada rancher turned conservative folk hero for bucking the federal government's attempts to stop his cattle from grazing on public land -- admits he doesn't understand the bipartisan uproar over his comments suggesting blacks might have been better off under slavery.


But he understands what he meant by those comments, and he's not backing down.


"I don't think I'm wrong," Bundy told CNN's Bill Weir on Thursday night. "I think I'm right."


For two decades, Bundy's cattle have fed off of government-owned land without paying grazing fees like thousands of other ranchers.





Bundy: I believe in federal government




Bundy: Fox News misunderstood me




Bundy: I spoke from my heart




GOP now running from Bundy's comments

He claims, then and now, that he won't do business with the federal government -- because, in his view, nowhere in the Constitution does it say that Americans can't use land owned by the federal government. Bundy told CNN that he'd only be willing to talk to county and state authorities, opining that they have a more rightful claim to the land than anyone in Washington.


This stance made him a darling of conservatives in the media and Republican circles upset over what they've deemed government overreach. Militiamen literally rallied by the side of the 67-year-old rancher as armed federal rangers tried to force him off his land.


Bundy won that standoff. But he didn't stop talking. That's where his new trouble began, which threatens to overshadow his original fight.


Speaking to reporters over the weekend, he recalled driving by a public-housing project in North Las Vegas and seeing "at least a half-dozen (black) people sitting on the porch, they didn't have nothing to do."


"Because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?" he added in comments first reported by the New York Times and later seen on video. "They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton.


"And I've often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn't get no more freedom. They got less freedom."


The remarks have since gone viral, drawing widespread condemnation from Democrats and Republicans alike. The rancher said he doesn't feel "abandoned" by the uproar by the likes of right-wing radio firebrand and Fox News host Sean Hannity, who has ripped what he called the "ignorant, racist, repugnant, despicable comments."


Asked Thursday by CNN to elaborate, Bundy explained he'd been simply "wondering whether (blacks) are that much better off in the situation we're in now."


He backtracked somewhat, insisting he "didn't really mean it to compare (African-Americans' current plight) with slavery. I meant to compare it with maybe life on the farm or life in the South, where they had some chickens and the gardens, and they had something to do."


At the same time, Bundy stood by his general premise that blacks once had better lives -- stating that, right now, "they don't have nothing to do with their children, their family unit is ruined ... That's what I was referring to I don't think they have the life that they should have" because of the government.


How did he arrive at these generalizations?


"I feel that, because I see that," Bundy explained.


CNN's Weir at one point challenged the Nevada rancher about whether he was any more or less a "welfare queen" as those who get entitlement checks -- since his cattle have been feeding off the government, literally, by eating grass on public land.


Bundy's response: "I might be a welfare queen. But I'll tell you I'm producing something for America and using a resource that nobody else would use or could use. I'm putting red meat on the table."



Taiwanese tourists rescue Ronda woman


A mugger attempted to steal a woman’s mobile phone in Spain’s Ronda, but his attempts were foiled by two Taiwanese tourists.


The pair subdued the Spanish mugger by using a martial arts move.


The woman was in the middle of taking a photograph of Ronda’s famous 18th century "Puente Nuevo" (or new bridge), when the 35-year-old opportunist would-be-mugger jabbed her in the back.


While the woman was looking about and confused over the blow, the man tried to steal her phone, with the attacker and victim getting into a tussle.


Luckily, the woman’s cries were heard by the two nearby Taiwanese men, part of a tour group visiting the picturesque mountaintop town.


One of the men acted quickly, immobilizing the assailant him with a martial arts submission hold, while his friend helped to restrain the man until the local police arrived shortly afterwards.


The attack caused a stir in the normally peaceful area, a popular stop-off for tourists visiting the province of Malaga.


The attacker, a local resident, was charged for the crime and faces court for the attempted robbery with violence.



Spain police seize cocaine haul at port


Spanish authorities have seized 345 kilos (760 pounds) of high-grade cocaine.


The drugs were discovered inside sports bags that arrived on a shipping container at the port of Valencia from Chile, they revealed today (Thursday).


According to the police the cocaine was 85%, with a government official putting its estimated street value at 30 million Euros.


Police made the haul this month, finding the drugs stuffed inside 10 sports bags in the Mediterranean port of Valencia.


The bags were inside a container that arrived from Valparaiso on Chile's Pacific coast.


The police statement read:


"Each of the bags had 30 cocaine packages with a total weight of 345 kilos."


Police have arrested five men between the ages of 33 and 46 as part of the ongoing investigation, which began at the end of 2013.


The men were of Spanish, Colombian and Dominican nationality.


Spain has close ties to Latin America, and this has made it a key entry point for cocaine bound for Europe.



Austerity cuts put Spain drivers at risk


Following years of economic woes and budget cuts Spain’s roads have been somewhat neglected and are in the worst state of disrepair since records began in 1985.


A Spanish Road Association (AEC) study has found that huge investment is required to fix the problems, which are putting drivers at risk.


The AEC has warned that an immediate investment of €6.2 billion is required to repair damaged road surfaces and maintain signs and markings.


The most noticeable deterioration was found to be with road surfaces. One out of every four kilometres showed significant cracking and one of every three kilometres had potholes.


The findings follow in the wake of news that at least 35 people were killed on Spanish roads over the latest Easter break, up from 26 in 2013.


President of Spain’s AEC, Juan Francisco Lazcano, said: “Spanish roads are facing unprecedented deterioration and only a sudden change of tack in the 2015 budget can prevent a debacle.


Spain’s national budget for management and maintenance of roads has earmarked a mere €878 million for 2014, 30% less than in 2009.


For the study the AEC analysed 3,000 sections of road across Spain and concluded that some 330,000 road signs needed replacing and road markings along some 32,000 miles of thoroughfares require repainting.


The AEC blamed the falling standards on recent years of cost-cutting as part of national austerity measures.


Warning of the false economy of such deep cuts, Mr Lazcano said:


“One Euro not invested in time, means five Euros need to be spent in three years and 25 Euros after five years.


“Turning this situation around requires an investment of €6.2 billion, of which 94% must go toward pavement repair.”


Published earlier this month, the “study on investment needs in road maintenance” also called for a review of 82% of road lighting.


The AEC warned that the poor road conditions have resulted in a number of consequences, such as a decline in the safety and comfort of road travel, increased maintenance costs for vehicles and a higher level of emissions.



2014's big-name graduation speakers






The president of the United States is to deliver the commencement address at University of California-Irvine on June 14. Here, he delivers the commencement speech at Morehouse College in 2013.<!-- --> </br> The president of the United States is to deliver the commencement address at University of California-Irvine on June 14. Here, he delivers the commencement speech at Morehouse College in 2013.

The vice president of the United States will give commencement addresses at Miami-Dade College on May 3 and at the University of South Carolina on May 9. Here, he gives the commencement address at University of Pennsylvania in 2013.The vice president of the United States will give commencement addresses at Miami-Dade College on May 3 and at the University of South Carolina on May 9. Here, he gives the commencement address at University of Pennsylvania in 2013.

The first lady will deliver the commencement address at Dillard University in New Orleans on May 10. She'll also <a href='http://ift.tt/1iiExxA'>speak to seniors in Topeka, Kansas, just before their graduation</a> and the District of Columbia College Access Program in Washington this year. Here, she's introduced for the commencement address at Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School in Nashville in 2013.The first lady will deliver the commencement address at Dillard University in New Orleans on May 10. She'll also speak to seniors in Topeka, Kansas, just before their graduation and the District of Columbia College Access Program in Washington this year. Here, she's introduced for the commencement address at Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School in Nashville in 2013.

The former president of the United States will deliver the commencement address at New York University-Abu Dhabi on May 25. Here, Clinton delivers a commencement address at West Virginia University in 2010.The former president of the United States will deliver the commencement address at New York University-Abu Dhabi on May 25. Here, Clinton delivers a commencement address at West Virginia University in 2010.

The former secretary of homeland security, now president of the University of California, is to deliver the commencement address at Northeastern University in Boston on May 2. Here, she gives a farewell address at the National Press Club in Washington in 2013.The former secretary of homeland security, now president of the University of California, is to deliver the commencement address at Northeastern University in Boston on May 2. Here, she gives a farewell address at the National Press Club in Washington in 2013.

The creator of "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy" will speak at Dartmouth College's commencement on June 8. Rhimes is a 1991 graduate of the college. Here, Rhimes attends the New Yorker Festival in 2013.The creator of "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy" will speak at Dartmouth College's commencement on June 8. Rhimes is a 1991 graduate of the college. Here, Rhimes attends the New Yorker Festival in 2013.

The "Science Guy" will deliver a commencement address at University of Massachusetts-Lowell on May 17. Here, he speaks at a celebration for Carl Sagan in 2013.The "Science Guy" will deliver a commencement address at University of Massachusetts-Lowell on May 17. Here, he speaks at a celebration for Carl Sagan in 2013.

The entrepreneur and entertainment mogul will deliver the commencement speech at Howard University on May 10. Here, Combs attends a ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.The entrepreneur and entertainment mogul will deliver the commencement speech at Howard University on May 10. Here, Combs attends a ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.

The host of "Fareed Zakaria GPS" on CNN will deliver the commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College on May 23. Here, he attends the annual meeting of the Harvard University Alumni Association during commencement in 2012.The host of "Fareed Zakaria GPS" on CNN will deliver the commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College on May 23. Here, he attends the annual meeting of the Harvard University Alumni Association during commencement in 2012.

The screenwriter and director of Disney's "Frozen" will speak at University of New Hampshire's commencement on May 17. Lee is a 1992 graduate of the school. Here, Lee accepts the Oscar for best animated feature film along with producer Peter Del Vecho, left, and director Chris Buck in March.The screenwriter and director of Disney's "Frozen" will speak at University of New Hampshire's commencement on May 17. Lee is a 1992 graduate of the school. Here, Lee accepts the Oscar for best animated feature film along with producer Peter Del Vecho, left, and director Chris Buck in March.

The businessman and former mayor of New York City will speak at Harvard University's commencement on May 29 and at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on June 8. Here, Bloomberg speaks at the Real Estate Board of New York in 2013.The businessman and former mayor of New York City will speak at Harvard University's commencement on May 29 and at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on June 8. Here, Bloomberg speaks at the Real Estate Board of New York in 2013.

The U.S. secretary of labor will speak at Oberlin College's commencement on May 26. Here, he speaks during a bus tour stop in Washington in April.The U.S. secretary of labor will speak at Oberlin College's commencement on May 26. Here, he speaks during a bus tour stop in Washington in April.

The former secretary of state and Stanford University professor will give the commencement address at Rutgers University on May 18. Here, she speaks at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, in 2012.The former secretary of state and Stanford University professor will give the commencement address at Rutgers University on May 18. Here, she speaks at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, in 2012.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki will speak at Johns Hopkins University's commencement on May 22. Here, she speaks at a 2011 conference in New York.YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki will speak at Johns Hopkins University's commencement on May 22. Here, she speaks at a 2011 conference in New York.

The actor from "The Office" and "The Hangover" will speak at Cornell University's senior class convocation on May 24. Here, Helms speaks at the Fulfillment Fund's Annual Star Gala in Beverly Hills, California, in 2013.The actor from "The Office" and "The Hangover" will speak at Cornell University's senior class convocation on May 24. Here, Helms speaks at the Fulfillment Fund's Annual Star Gala in Beverly Hills, California, in 2013.

The assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will deliver a commencement address at University of Massachusetts-Lowell on May 17. Here, he announces the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in Washington in 2010.The assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will deliver a commencement address at University of Massachusetts-Lowell on May 17. Here, he announces the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in Washington in 2010.

The General Motors CEO will deliver the commencement address at the University of Michigan on May 3. Here, she prepares for a news conference in January.The General Motors CEO will deliver the commencement address at the University of Michigan on May 3. Here, she prepares for a news conference in January.

The former vice president will give the commencement address at Princeton University on June 2. Here he attends a We Day event at London's Wembley Arena in March.The former vice president will give the commencement address at Princeton University on June 2. Here he attends a We Day event at London's Wembley Arena in March.

The founders and co-chairs of the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation will give the commencement address at Stanford University on June 15. Here, the wife and husband are seen at an awards ceremony in 2013.The founders and co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will give the commencement address at Stanford University on June 15. Here, the wife and husband are seen at an awards ceremony in 2013.

The secretary of state will speak at Yale University's commencement on May 18. Kerry is a 1966 graduate of Yale. Here, Kerry addresses an investment summit in Washington in 2013.The secretary of state will speak at Yale University's commencement on May 18. Kerry is a 1966 graduate of Yale. Here, Kerry addresses an investment summit in Washington in 2013.

The Grammy-winning singer and songwriter will deliver the commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania on May 19. Legend graduated from Penn in 1999. Here, he performs at the Emerson Theatre in Los Angeles in April.The Grammy-winning singer and songwriter will deliver the commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania on May 19. Legend graduated from Penn in 1999. Here, he performs at the Emerson Theatre in Los Angeles in April.

The Federal Reserve chairwoman will deliver the commencement speech at New York University on May 21. Here, Yellen speaks at the Economic Club of New York in April.The Federal Reserve chairwoman will deliver the commencement speech at New York University on May 21. Here, Yellen speaks at the Economic Club of New York in April.

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund will deliver the commencement address at Smith College on May 18. Here, Lagarde speaks during a media briefing at IMF Headquarters in Washington.The managing director of the International Monetary Fund will deliver the commencement address at Smith College on May 18. Here, Lagarde speaks during a media briefing at IMF Headquarters in Washington.

The former chief executive of Microsoft will speak at the University of Washington's commencement on June 14. He's shown here at the opening of the Microsoft Center Berlin in 2013.The former chief executive of Microsoft will speak at the University of Washington's commencement on June 14. He's shown here at the opening of the Microsoft Center Berlin in 2013.

The U.S. Navy admiral will deliver the keynote address at the University of Texas at Austin's commencement on May 17. Here, McRaven is shown at the USO Armed Forces Gala &amp; Gold Medal Dinner in 2013.The U.S. Navy admiral will deliver the keynote address at the University of Texas at Austin's commencement on May 17. Here, McRaven is shown at the USO Armed Forces Gala & Gold Medal Dinner in 2013.

The Denver Broncos quarterback will speak to graduates of the University of Virginia on May 17. Here, he speaks to the media before playing in the Super Bowl in Jersey City, New Jersey, in February.The Denver Broncos quarterback will speak to graduates of the University of Virginia on May 17. Here, he speaks to the media before playing in the Super Bowl in Jersey City, New Jersey, in February.








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  • Every year, colleges compete for memorable college commencement speakers

  • President Barack Obama will speak at University of California-Irvine in June

  • Sean Combs, Shonda Rhimes and Jennifer Lee will speak at schools they attended




(CNN) -- It's that time of year when colleges around the country announce the people who will offer the last lesson to soon-to-be graduates: the commencement speakers.


This year, some universities are drawing on famous alumni: The University of New Hampshire will feature 1992 New Hampshire graduate Jennifer Lee, the Oscar-winning screenwriter and director of Disney's hit film "Frozen." Others will compete for high-profile speakers like President Barack Obama, who will speak at University of California-Irvine, and first lady Michelle Obama, who will speak at Dillard University in New Orleans, as well as a high school senior recognition ceremony in Topeka, Kansas, and a college access program in Washington.


Regardless of the school, expect some tough talk, quotable wisdom and a few zingers.



Don't miss out on the conversation! Follow us on Twitter @CNNschools or on CNN Living on Facebook for the latest stories and to share your perspective.


"Nobody cares how tough your upbringing was," President Obama told graduates of Morehouse College in Atlanta in 2013. "Nobody cares if you suffered some discrimination. And moreover, you have to remember that whatever you've gone through, it pales in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured -- and they overcame them. And if they overcame them, you can overcome them, too,"


The gallery above shows some high-profile commencement speakers that grads will hear from this spring.


Who was your graduation speaker? Share your memories in the comments, on Twitter @CNNschools or on CNN Living's Facebook page !