Leo Kirch, German media entrepreneur died he was , 84.

Leo Kirch was a German media entrepreneur who founded the Kirch Group died he was , 84.


(21 October 1926 – 14 July 2011^[1])

Life

Kirch was born in Volkach, Bavaria, but shortly afterward his family moved to the nearby town of Würzburg. After completing High school he studied marketing and management as well as mathematics at the University of Munich, graduating in 1952. It was during this time that he gained an interest in electronic media.
In 1956 he purchased the German rights for the Italian movie La strada.^[2] He borrowed money for this venture through an enterprise with a complicated and unclear structure, with ownership distributed amongst himself and various daughters. As his company rose to become one of the most important private media companies in the then West Germany, the country's second public broadcaster, ZDF, came to depend on it heavily for films and other programs, partly as a result of companies that appeared to be competing actually being owned by Kirch. This situation remained for many decades, until the launch of commercial television in 1984. Kirch was the owner of the first private channel, Sat.1 and withdrew his series from ZDF.^{[citation needed]}
In 1985 he purchased a stake in the leading tabloid Bild after the death of former owner Axel Springer. During the 1990s he set up the subscription television service Premiere and became a key player in sports broadcasting rights, paying massive amounts for the rights to the German Bundesliga, eventually to the point where even players of moderate ability could earn multi-million mark salaries. This was consistent with trends happening across much of Europe at the same time. In addition, in 1996 he purchased the rights to the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups for some €1.9 billion^[3] and purchased the rights to Formula One for €1.5 billion.^[4][5]
Even during this decade there were reports of the group being on the edge of insolvency. His large investments in sports broadcasting rights and in pay television were major reasons. In other countries of Europe pay television could be operated profitably, because there were few freely receivable channels. Many programs also aired on Premiere at the same time that they aired on terrestrial television. This resulted in an investment of some €3 billion for only 2.4 million subscribers. Combined with the fact that many of the packages were more expensive than similar packages available, the decoder was easy to crack, resulting in large amounts of piracy. In 2002 these difficulties came to a head and KirchMedia declared itself insolvent on April 8. Kirch himself withdrew itself from the enterprise, but kept up participation in the Swiss arms on his business, transferring sports broadcasting rights to the subsidiary. The insolvency represents the largest insolvency of an enterprise in German postwar history. The next month Kirch sued Deutsche Bank for €100m, claiming that they had questioned the status of the group and disclosed confidential business information in the process.^{[citation needed]}

Kirch and Kohl

Leo Kirch and former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl were on friendly terms for decades. Kirch was always accused of preferential coverage and advertising. Kohl arranged the creation of commercial television as one of his first official acts as Chancellor in 1982; this allowed Kirch to own a TV station and sports broadcasting rights. During the 1999 CDU contributions scandal, it was revealed that Kirch had donated six million DM to the CDU during Helmut Kohl's tenure as chancellor. In addition, Kohl, along with various other CDU/CSU politicians, was revealed to be an adviser to the firm during the insolvency process.^{[citation needed]}

Kirch and Deutsche Bank

Kirch was identified by the Wall Street Journal to be a target of Deutsche Bank's spying scandal.^[6] Moreover, according to the WSJ, the lawfirm that was representing Kirch was the target, and perhaps victim of, an effort to infiltrate a "mole" into the firm in furtherence of the Bank's spying.^[6]

Death

Kirch suffered from diabetes and a heart condition, and due to these became partially blind. He passed away in Munich, aged 84.

Family

Kirch had been married since 1956 to Ruth Kirch and had a son, Thomas.

 

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Kennedy Ondiek, Kenyan Olympic athlete died he was , 44.

Kennedy Ondiek was a Kenyan runner, who specialised in sprinting. He competed at the Olympics and World Championships died he was , 44.

(December 12, 1966 – July 14, 2011)

Ondiek participated in three events the 1988 Olympic Games. He reached the quarterfinals (second round) in the 100 and the 200 metres races. In the 4x100 metres relay race he was part of the Kenyan team that reached semifinals. Other runners in the team were Peter Wekesa, Simeon Kipkemboi and Elkana Nyang'au.^[2]
He finished 8th at the 1990 Commonwealth Games 200 metres race.^[3] He reached 200 metres quarterfinals at the 1991 World Championships.^[4]
At the 1992 Summer Olympics he competed in 100 and 200 metres races, reaching quarterfinals in the latter. Year later, at the 1993 World Championships he reached 200 quarter-finals again.^[5] He competed at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, but did advance to finals.^[3]
He also won several Kenyan championships ^[6] and won the 100 metres at the 1988 East and Central African Championships.^[7]

 

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W. K. Brown, American politician, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives (1960–1972), died from Alzheimer's disease he was , 88

William K. Brown was from 1960 to 1972 a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Grant and Rapides parishes in Central Louisiana  died from Alzheimer's disease he was , 88. His service corresponded with the administrations of Governors Jimmie Davis and John J. McKeithen.


(January 7, 1923 – July 13, 2011)

Brown represented only Grant Parish from 1960 to 1968, at which time each Louisiana parish had at least one representative regardless of population. In his final term from 1968 to 1972, however, Brown was paired with colleagues T. C. Brister, R. W. "Buzzy" Graham, and Robert J. Munson, from a combined Grant-Rapides district. When single-member districts were created in 1972, Brown was succeeded in the House by Richard S. Thompson of Colfax, the seat of Grant Parish.^[2]
Brown was the last surviving of twelve children born to Richard Brown, Sr., and the former Irene Rhodes. A native of Grant Parish, he graduated from Dry Prong High School, now Grant High School, in Dry Prong. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy. He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. After the war, Brown enrolled at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, from which he received his Bachelor of Science in 1949 and a Master of Education degree in 1956. From 1960 to 1974, he owned W. K. Brown Insurance Agency in Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish. From 1974 to 1977, he headed the manpower program of the Rapides Parish Police Jury. Thereafter, from 1977 to 1984, he was a special assistant to the Louisiana Superintendent of Education.^[3]
Brown was still residing in Alexandria at the time of his death from Alzheimer's disease^[3] at the age of eighty-eight in a hospital there.^[4]He was interred with full military honors on July 18, 2011, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Ball north of Pineville, Louisiana.^[3]

 

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Per-Erik Burud, Norwegian businessman, died from a boating accident he was , 48.

Per-Erik Burud was a Norwegian billionaire and head of the grocery chain Kiwi died from a boating accident he was , 48.. He joined Kiwi in 1991, and by 2007 he was Norway's 134th richest man with a fortune of NOK 1.1 billion.
(15 October 1962 – 13 July 2011^[1])

Early life

As a five-year-old, Burud worked in his father's shop in Drammen, sorting bottles and wrapping clementines.^[3] He later went to business school, and was also an active gymnast.

Kiwi

Burud bought a share post in Kiwi in 1991, when the chain had eight stores. During Burud's time in charge of the grocery chain it has expanded, and by 2008 had almost quadrupled the number of employees and stores, and increased revenues six-fold.^[4] In 2007 the chain had 413 stores.^[3] In 2011 the chain had 450 stores, 8,000 employees and the company had a turnover of NOK 20 billion.
Burud was known for his use of inventive marketing campaigns. In 2000, Burud started a campaign in which the chain gave away every fifth pack of diapers for free. The agreement was the start of a fierce price competition in the Norwegian market for diapers. At the same time a campaign started in which the stores promised the customer the item for free if they discovered items that had reached their expiration date. In 2007, Burud launched a campaign against the value added tax on fruit and vegetables, in which the group covered the VAT on 14 percent of all fresh fruits and vegetables, and he challenged the authorities to make the tax cut permanent.^[3]

Boating accident

On 13 July 2011, Burud was reported missing after a boating accident outside Tjøme, where his wife was confirmed dead.^[5] The police declared on the evening of 13 July that they assumed Burud was dead.^[6] After several days of intensive search, on 21 July the body of a man was found in the area where Burud went missing.^[7] The next day the man was identified as Burud.^[8]

 

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Al Debbo, South African comedian died he was , 87.

Al Debbo was a South African comedian and actor died he was , 87.
.
(June 22, 1924 – July 13, 2011)

Debbo made his film debut in Die Kaskenades van Dokter Kwakin 1949.^[1] He appeared in over twenty films in a movie career that spanned more than 60 years.^[1] His last film role was in the 2004 movie, Oh Schuks... I'm Gatvol, which was directed by Leon Schuster.^[1]
Debbo was known for recorded comedic pieces, including Bolandse Nooientjie and Die Tantes van Nantes.^[1] He released his last album, Pieringoog Potpourri, in 2000, which contained some of his best known comedic work.^[1]
In 2011, Al Debbo was awarded the Comics Choice Awards' lifetime achievement honor for his contributions to South Africa's entertainment industry.^[1]
Debbo was admitted to the Bloemfontein Medi-Clinic in June 2011 for treatment of a lung infection and a heart condition.^[2] He died three weeks later at the hospital in Bloemfontein on July 13, 2011, at the age of 87.^[1]

 

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Allan Jeans, Australian football player and coach, died from pulmonary fibrosis he was , 77.

Allan Jeans was an Australian rules football coach and police sergeant  died from pulmonary fibrosis he was , 77.. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at its inception in 1996.^[1] Jeans was known for his oral motivation skills as a coach and led St Kilda and Hawthorn to a total of four premierships.
(21 September 1933 – 13 July 2011)

Football

After a modest 77-game playing career with the St Kilda Football Club (1955–1959), Jeans, known as "Yabby", took the reins of the Saints in 1961 for a remarkable 16-year career as senior coach. He coached St Kilda to successive grand finals, in 1965 and 1966, including the Saints' first (and only) VFL premiership in 1966. He took the Saints to another grand final appearance in 1971. Claiming "burn-out" he retired from coaching the team at the end of 1976.^[2]
In 1981 Jeans revived his coaching career when he was appointed coach for the Hawthorn Football Club. He coached them until 1990 (excepting a year off in 1988 due to brain injury) establishing them as the dominant VFL team of the 1980s with premierships in 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989 from seven consecutive grand finals.
Finally, he had a short-lived one year stint at Richmond in 1992, winning only five out of 22 games.

Later life

Jeans, following his retirement, became an avid social lawn bowls player at Cheltenham Lawn Bowls Club. His most recent public appearance was during the post-match presentations at the 2006 AFL Grand Final. He died following years of ill-health on 12 July 2011.^[3][4]

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John Mosca, American restaurateur (Mosca's), died from prostate cancer he was , 86.

John Mosca (pronounced "Mohsca")was an American restauranteur and owner (and co-founder) of the famed Mosca's, a Louisiana Creole and Italian restaurant located in Avondale, Louisiana, near New Orleans died from prostate cancer he was , 86.

(May 6, 1925 Chicago Heights, Illinois - July 13, 2011, Harahan, Louisiana)

Mosca was born, raised and attended high school in Chicago Heights, Illinois.^[1][3] He worked for his parents, Provino and Lisa Mosca, at their local restaurant, which was also named Mosca's.^[3]
Mosca enlisted in the United States Army during World War II and served in the European Theater as an infantryman.^[1] He was wounded in action by shrapnel during battle in Italy.^[3] Mosca was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his service.^[2] He was transferred to the British military forces, who assigned him as a waiter for officers and visiting dignitaries due to his restaurant experience prior to the war.^[1][3] He served British Prime Minister Winston Churchill future Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito in 1944 when they eat together at the Villa Rivalta in Naples, Italy.^[3]
Mosca's parents and brother, Nick, moved to New Orleans during World War II because their daughter, Mary Mosca, had married a New Orleans resident named Vincent Marconi.^[3] John Mosca also moved to New Orleans following the end of the war and his honorable discharge from the United States Army.^[3]
In 1946, Mosca and his parents opened a new restaurant, called Mosca's, in an Avondale, Louisiana, building that was once a tavern.^[1][3] Mosca decided to offer a menu similar to his parents former restaurant in Illinois, specializing in family-style platters.^[1][3] However, they decided to include local Louisiana ingredients and cuisine, including seafood, such as oysters and crabs.^[3] Among the newer entrees added by Mosca were marinated crab salad, barbecued shrimp and baked oysters.^[3] The menu has remained virtually unchanged since the restaurant's founding, as of 2011.^[3] Mosca's was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but rebuilt and reopened just ten months later.^[1]
Mosca would wake-up at 5 a.m. to shop for ingredients and make the pasta by hand.^[3] He worked at Mosca's consistently until approximately a month before his death in 2011.^[1]
John Mosca died from prostate cancer at his home in Harahan, Louisiana, on July 13, 2011, at the age 86.^[1][3] He was survived by his wife, Mary Jo, and daughter, Lisa Mosca.^[1] His wife still runs Mosca's, including the kitchen.^[1]

 

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