Bill Gates

Born: October 28, 1955
Seattle, Washington
American businessman, chief executive officer, and software developer
Microsoft cofounder and chief executive officer Bill Gates has become the wealthiest man in America and one of the most influential personalities in the ever-evolving computer industry.

Love of computer technology

William H. Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. He was the second child and only son of William Henry Gates Jr., a successful Seattle attorney, and Mary Maxwell, a former schoolteacher. Kristi, his older sister, later became his tax accountant and Libby, his younger sister, lives in Seattle raising her two children. Gates enjoyed a normal, active childhood and participated in sports, joined the Cub Scouts, and spent summers with his family in Bremerton, Washington.

Although Gates's parents had a law career in mind for their son, he developed an early interest in computer science and began studying computers in the seventh grade at Seattle's Lakeside School. Lakeside was a private school chosen by Gates's parents in the hopes that it would be more challenging for their son's intellectual drive and curiosity. At Lakeside, Gates came to know Paul Allen, a classmate with similar interests in technology who would eventually become his business partner. Immediately, Gates and Allen realized the potential of the young computer industry.

Early experience

Gates's early experiences with computers included debugging (eliminating errors from) programs for the Computer Center Corporation's PDP-10, helping to computerize electric power grids for the Bonneville Power Administration, and founding with Allen a firm called Traf-O-Data while still in high school. Their small company earned them twenty thousand dollars in fees for analyzing local traffic patterns.

While working with the Computer Center's PDP-10, Gates was responsible for what was probably the first computer virus, a program that copies itself into other programs and ruins data. Discovering that the machine was connected to a national network of computers called Cybernet, Gates invaded the network and installed a program on the main computer that sent itself to the rest of the network's computers, making it crash (became damaged). When Gates was found out, he was severely punished, and he kept away from computers for his entire junior year at Lakeside. Without the lure of computers, Gates made plans for college and law school in 1970. But by 1971 he was back helping Allen write a class scheduling program for their school's computer.

The article that started it all

Gates entered Harvard University in 1973 and pursued his studies for the next year and a half. His life changed in January of 1975, however, when Popular Mechanics carried a cover story on a $350 microcomputer, the Altair, made by a firm called MITS in New Mexico. When Allen excitedly showed him the story, Gates knew where he wanted to be: at the forefront of computer software (a program of instructions for a computer) design.

Gates dropped out of Harvard in 1975, ending his academic life and beginning his career as a software designer. At this time, Gates and Allen cofounded Microsoft. They wrote programs for the early Apple and Commodore machines. One of Gates's most significant opportunities arrived in 1980, when IBM approached him to help with their personal computer project, code name Project Chess. Gates developed the Microsoft Disk Operating System, or MS-DOS. (An operating system is a type of software that controls the way a computer runs.) Not only did he sell IBM on the new operating system, but he also convinced the computer giant to allow others to write software for the machine. The result was the rapid growth of licenses for MS-DOS, as software developers quickly moved to become compatible with (able to work with) IBM. By the early 1990s Microsoft had sold more than one hundred million copies of MS-DOS, making the operating system the all-time leader in software sales. For his achievements in science and technology, Gates received the Howard Vollum Award in 1984 from Reed College in Portland, Oregon.

Gates's competitive drive and fierce desire to win has made him a powerful force in business, but it has also consumed much of his personal life. In the six years between 1978 and 1984, he took a total of only two weeks vacation. But on New Year's Day 1994 Gates married Melinda French, a Microsoft manager, on the Hawaiian island of Lanai. The ceremony was held on the island's Challenge golf course, and Gates kept it private by buying out the unused rooms at the local hotel and by hiring all of the helicopters in the area to keep photographers from using them. His fortune at the time of his marriage was estimated at close to seven billion dollars. By 1997 his worth was estimated at approximately $37 billion, earning him the title of "richest man in America."

The future for Microsoft

Many criticize Gates not just for his success, but because they feel he tries to unfairly—and maybe even illegally—dominate the market. As a result of Microsoft's market control, the U.S. Department of Justice brought an antitrust lawsuit (a lawsuit that is the result of a company being accused of using unfair business practices) against the company in 1998, saying the company had an illegal stronghold on the software industry.


Gates maintained Microsoft's success over rivals such as Oracle and IBM was simply the result of smart, strategic decision making. U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Jackson did not agree, and in November 1999, he found Microsoft to be a monopoly (a company with exclusive control) that used its market power to harm competing companies. Because of the ruling, Gates faced the prospect of breaking up Microsoft.

On January 13, 2000, Gates handed off day-to-day management of Microsoft to friend and right-hand man Steve Ballmer, adding chief executive officer to his existing title of president. Gates held on to his position as chairman in the reshuffle, and added the title of chief software architect.

In the spring of 2002 Gates himself was scheduled to testify on behalf of Microsoft. The final ruling on the fate of Microsoft has the potential to be a landmark decision on the future of the computer industry.

Gates as philanthropist

Aside from being the most famous businessman of the late 1990s, Gates also has distinguished himself as a philanthropist (someone working for charity). He and wife Melinda established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on helping to improve health care and education for children around the world. The foundation has donated $4 billion since its start in 1996. Recent pledges include $1 billion over twenty years to fund college scholarships for about one thousand minority students; $750 million over five years to help launch the Global Fund for Children's Vaccines; $50 million to help the World Health Organization's efforts to eradicate polio, a crippling disease that usually attacks children; and $3 million to help prevent the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS; an incurable disease that destroys the body's immune system) among young people in South Africa. In November 1998 Gates and his wife also gave the largest single gift to a U.S. public library, when they donated $20 million to the Seattle Public Library. Another of Gates's charitable donations was $20 million given to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to build a new home for its Laboratory for Computer Science.

      In July 2000 the foundation gave John Hopkins University a five-year, $20 million grant to study whether or not inexpensive vitamin and mineral pills can help save lives in poor countries. On November 13, 2000, Harvard University's School of Public Health announced it had received $25 million from the foundation to study AIDS prevention in Nigeria. The grant was the largest single private grant in the school's history. It was announced on February 1, 2001, that the foundation would donate $20 million to speed up the global eradication (to completely erase) of the disease commonly known as elephantiasis, a disease that causes disfigurement. In 2002 Gates, along with rock singer Bono, announced plans for DATA Agenda, a $24 billion fund (partially supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) that seeks to improve health care in Africa.

Although many describe Gates as cold and distant, his friends find him friendlier since his marriage and since the birth of his daughter, Jennifer, in April 1996. Further, he recognizes his overall contribution to both the world of technology and his efforts in philanthropy. In Forbes magazine's 2002 list of the two hundred richest people in the world, Gates was number one for the eighth straight year, coming in with a net worth of $52.8 billion.

Michael Jackson

Dubbed the King of Pop, singer-song writer Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958. As a child, he was lead singer of the Jackson family's popular Motown group, TheJackson 5. Michael Jackson went on to become one of the most internationally famous award-winning solo pop sensations to date. His 2009 death stirred controversy and was ultimately ruled an accidental overdose.

Early Life

                    Jackson was born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an African-American working-class family. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a guitarist but had put aside his musical aspirations to provide for his family as a crane operator. Believing his sons had talent, he molded them into a musical group in the early 1960s. At first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael's older brothers Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie. Michael joined his siblings when he was five, and emerged as the group's lead vocalist. He showed remarkable range and depth for such a young performer, impressing audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions. Older brother Marlon also became a member of the group, which evolved into the The Jackson 5.


Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent endless hours rehearsing and polishing up their act. At first, the Jackson 5 played local gigs and built a strong following. They recorded one single on their own, "Big Boy" with the b-side "You've Changed," but it failed to generate much interest.
The Jackson 5 moved on to working an opening act for such R&B artists as Gladys Knight and the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers were signed to the legendary Motown record label, and it has been reported that Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell Motown founder Berry Gordy about the Jackson 5. Impressed by the group, Gordy signed them to his label in 1968.


Relocating to Los Angeles, Michael and his brothers started work on their music and dancing with their father as their manager. They lived with Gordy and also with Supremes singer Diana Ross when they first arrived there. In August 1969, the Jackson 5 was introduced to the music industry at a special event, and later served as the opening act for the Supremes. Their first album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, hit the charts in December of that year. It's first single, "I Want You Back," hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1970. More chart-topping singles quickly followed, such as "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There."
Solo Career

At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with "Got to Be There" from the album of the same name. His 1972 album, Ben, featured the eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single.


For several years, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 maintained a busy tour and recording schedule, under the supervision of Berry Gordy and his Motown staff. Gordy wrote many

of the songs recorded by the group and by Michael Jackson as a solo artist. The group became so popular that they even had their own self-titled cartoon show, which ran from 1971 to 1973.

Despite Jackson's individual achievements and the group's great success, there was trouble between the Jacksons and their record company. Tensions mounted between Gordy and Joseph Jacksonover the management of his children's careers, and their level of participation in making their music. The Jacksons wanted more control over their recordings, which led to most of the Jacksons breaking ties with Motown in 1975. Jermaine Jackson remained with the label and continued to pursue a solo career, having previously released several albums—none of which had matched the success of his younger brother Michael.

Now calling themselves the Jacksons, the group signed a new recording deal with Epic Records. With 1978's Destiny, Michael Jackson and his brothers (which by now included younger brother Randy) emerged as talented songwriters, penning all of the record's tracks. Working with producer Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson wowed the music world with his next solo album, 1979's Off the Wall. It featured an infectious blend of pop and funk with such hit tracks as the Grammy Award-winning "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," and the title track. He also found success with the ballad "She's Out of My Life."

The overwhelmingly positive response to Michael's latest solo album also helped buoy the Jacksons' career as well. Triumph (1980) sold more than one million copies, and the brothers went on an extensive tour to support the recording. Jackson, however, began to branch out on his own more. Teaming up with rock legend Paul McCartney, Jackson sang on their 1982 duet, "The Girl Is Mine," which nearly reached the top of the pop charts.

The song also appeared on his next solo album, Thriller (1982), which generated seven Top 10 hits. On a television special honoring Motown, Jackson performed "Billie Jean"—eventually a No. 1 hit—and debuted his soon-to-be-famous dance move called "The Moonwalk." Jackson, a veteran performer by this time, created this step himself and choreographed the dance sequences for the video of his other No. 1 hit, "Beat It."

His most elaborate video, however, was for the album's title track.John Landis directed the horror-tinged video, which featured complex dance scenes, special effects, and a voice-over done by actor Vincent Price. The video for "Thriller" became immensely popular, boosting sales for the already successful album. It stayed on the charts for 80 weeks, holding the No. 1 spot for 37 weeks. In addition to its unparalleled commercial achievements, "Thriller" earned 12 Grammy Award nominations and won eight of those awards.

Jackson's Grammy victories showcased the diverse nature of his work. For his songwriting talents, he receive

dhe Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song for "Billie Jean." Jackson also won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for "Thriller" and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male for "Beat It." With co-producer Quincy Jones, he shared the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Pepsi, Bad and Neverland

At the top of his game creatively and commercially, Jackson signed a $5 million endorsement deal with Pepsi-Cola around this time. He, however, was badly injured while filming a commercial for the soda giant in 1984, suffering burns to his face and scalp. Jackson had surgery to repair his injuries, and is believed to have begun experimenting with plastic surgery around this time. His face, especially his nose, would become dramatically altered in the coming years.

That same year, Jackson embarked on his final tour with the Jacksons to the support the album Victory. The one major hit from the recording was Michael Jackson's duet with Mick Jagger, "State of Shock." In 1985, Jackson showed his altruistic side, co-writing and singing on "We Are the World," a charity single for USA for Africa. A veritable who's who of music stars participated in the project including Lionel Ritchie, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner.

Releasing his follow-up to Thriller in 1987, Jackson reached the top of the charts with Bad. It featured five No. 1 hits, including "Man in the Mirror," "The Way You Make Me Feel," and the title track, which was supported by a video directed by Martin Scorsese. Jackson spent more than a year on the road, playing concerts to promote the album. While successful, Bad was unable to duplicate the phenomenal sales of Thriller.

Raised as a Jehovah's Witness, Jackson was a shy and quiet person off-stage. He was never truly comfortable with the media attention he received and rarely gave interviews. By the late 1980s, Jackson had created his own fantasy retreat—a California ranch called Neverland. There he kept exotic pets, such as a chimpanzee named Bubbles, and had his own amusement rides. To some, it seemed that Jackson perhaps was exploring a second childhood. He sometimes opened up the ranch for children's events. Rumors swirled around him, including that he was lightening the color of his skin to appear more white and slept in a special chamber to increase his life span.

In 1991, Jackson released Dangerous, featuring the hit "Black or White." The video for this song included an appearance by child starMacaulay Culkin, and was directed by John Landis. In the video's final minutes, Jackson caused some controversy with his sexual gesturing and violent actions. Many were surprised to see the Peter Pan-like Jackson act in this manner.

Jackson's music continued to enjoy wide-spread popularity in the upcoming years. In 1993, he performed several important events, including the half-time show at Superbowl XXVII. Jackson gave a rare television interview, which aired that February. Sitting down with Oprah Winfrey, he explained that the change in his skin tone was the result of a disease known as vitiligo. Jackson also opened about the abuse he suffered from his father.

Molestation Allegations and Career Decline

In 1993, allegations of child molestation against Jackson emerged. A 13-year-old boy claimed that the music star had fondled him. Jackson was known to have sleepovers with boys at his Neverland Ranch, but this was the first public charge of wrongdoing. The police searched the ranch, but they found no evidence to support the claim. The following year, Jackson settled the case out of court with the boy's family. Other allegations emerged, but Jackson maintained his innocence.

In August 1994, Jackson announced that he had married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock icon Elvis Presley. The couple gave a joint television interview with Diane Sawyer, but the union proved to be short-lived. They divorced in 1996. Some thought that the marriage was a publicity ploy to restore Jackson's image after the molestation allegations.

Later that same year, Jackson wed nurse Debbie Rowe. The couple had two children through artificial insemination. Son Prince Michael Jackson was born in 1997 and daughter Paris Michael Jackson was born in 1998. Rowe and Jackson divorced in 1999 with Jackson receiving full custody of their two children. He would go on to have a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, with an unknown surrogate.

Jackson's musical career began to decline with the lukewarm reception to 1995's HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I, which featured some of his earlier hits as well as new material. The record spawned two hits, "You Are Not Alone" and his duet with sister Janet Jackson, "Scream." "Scream" earned Michael and Janet a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form that year. Another track from the album, "They Don't Care About Us," however, brought Jackson intense criticism for using an anti-Semitic term.


By the release of 2001's Invincible, Jackson was better known as an eccentric whose quirks were reported in the tabloids than as a performer. The album sold well, but stories of his odd behavior started to overshadow his talent. He often appeared in public wearing a surgical mask, and he hid his children's faces under veils.

In 2002, Jackson made headlines when he seemed confused and disoriented on stage at an MTV awards show. Soon after, he received enormous criticism for dangling his son, Prince Michael II, over a balcony while greeting fans in Berlin, Germany. In a later interview, Jackson explained that "We were waiting for thousands of fans down below, and they were chanting they wanted to see my child, so I was kind enough to let them see. I was doing something out of innocence." But many were unforgiving of the star's behavior, with former fans and media outlets clamoring to have Child Protective Services take Jackson's children from him.

Jackson's reputation was served another blow in 2003 with the television documentary, Living with Michael Jackson. British journalist Martin Bashir spent several months with Jackson, and he got Jackson to discuss his relationships with children. He admitted that he continued to have children sleepover at his ranch, even after the 1993 allegations. Jackson said that sometimes he slept with the children in his bed. "Why can't you share your bed? That's the most loving thing to do, to share your bed with someone," Jackson told Beshir. 

           Jackson faced more legal woes in 2004 when he was arrested on charges related to incidents with a 13-year-old boy the previous year. Facing 10 counts in all, he was charged with lewd conduct with a minor, attempted lewd conduct, administering alcohol to facilitate molestation, and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. The resulting 2005 trial was a media circus with fans, detractors, and camera crews surrounding the courthouse. More than 130 people testified, including Macaulay Culkin who appeared on Jackson's behalf. He said that he had been friends with Jackson as a young teen. While he had stayed over at the Neverland Ranch, he told the court that Jackson never tried to molest him. Jackson's accuser also appeared via videotape and described how Jackson had given him wine and molested him. 

Final Months

On June 14, 2005, Jackson was acquitted of all charges. His reputation, however, was effectively destroyed, and his finances were in shambles. Thanks to mounting legal bills, the singer no longer had a bank account and was unable to maintain even his most basic finances. Jackson soon found refuge in his friendship with the prince of Bahrain, Prince Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, who wired Jackson the money needed to pay Neverland's utility bills. He then invited the pop star to his country as a personal guest.

In Bahrain, the prince provided Jackson with more than $7 million, not including living expenses. He also built the singer a recording studio, hired him a "motivational guru" and helped Jackson to entertain family at Christmas. In return, Jackson promised to collaborate with the prince on a new album on Al-Khalifa's record label, as well as write an autobiography, and create a stage play. None of the work materialized, however, and Jackson soon faced litigation from his friend for reneging on his promises. In even greater financial straits, Jackson defaulted on the $23.5 million loan owed on his Neverland Ranch in 2008. Unable to part with certain items, including the crystal gloves he used in performances, Jackson sued to block the auction of some of his personal items from the home the following year.



Around this same time, the largely reclusive Jackson announced that he would be performing a series of concerts in London as his "final curtain call." There had been some speculation regarding whether the fragile singer would be able to handle the rigors of 50 concerts. Despite all of the allegations and stories of odd behavior, Jackson remained a figure of great interest, as demonstrated by the strong response to his concert plans; set to appear at the O2 Arena in London, England, beginning July 8, 2009, Jackson saw all the tickets to his This Is It tour sell out in only four hours.

Death and Aftermath

Jackson would never get to experience the success of his comeback tour. On June 25, 2009, Jackson suffered cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles home. He was rushed to the hospital after his heart stopped and CPR attempts failed, but he died later that morning. He was 50 years old at the time of his death.

News of Jackson's death resulted in an outpouring of public grief and sympathy. Memorials to Jackson were erected around the world, including one at the arena where he was set to perform and another at his childhood home in Gary, Indiana. On July 12, 2009, a televised memorial was held for fans of the King of Pop at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. While 17,500 free tickets were issued to fans via lottery, more than an estimated one billion viewers watched the memorial on television and the Internet.
The Jackson family held a private funeral on September 3, 2009, for the immediate family and 200 guests at Forest Lawn Memorial park in Los Angeles. The celebrity mourners included former child starMacaulay Culkin, ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley, and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

                     A film documenting Jackson's preparations for his final performance entitled This Is It, hit theaters in October of 2009. The film, featuring a compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson, made $23 million in its opening weekend and sky-rocketed to No. 1 at the box office. This Is It would go on to make more than $260.8 million worldwide, and become the highest grossing documentary of all time. With this final tribute, the family hoped to finally have closure on the passing of Michael Jackson.

But in February 2010, the coroner released an official report detailing the cause of Jackson's death. The results revealed that the singer died from "acute propofol intoxication." The overdose worked in combination with a lethal prescription drug cocktail—which included the pain killer Demerol, as well as lorazepam, midazolam, benzodiazepine, diazepine and ephedrine—to shut down the star's weakened heart. Jackson reportedly used the drugs, with the aid of personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray, to help him sleep in the evenings. Conrad later told police that he believed Jackson had developed a particular addiction to propofol, which Jackson referred to as his "milk." He had the drug administered by I.V. in the evenings in 50 mg dosages, and Murray was attempting to ween the pop star off the drug at the time of Jackson's death.

A police investigation revealed that Murray was not licensed to prescribe most controlled drugs in the state of California. The steps he took to save Jackson also came under scrutiny, as evidence showed that the standard of care for administering propofol was not met, and the recommended equipment for patientmonitoring, precision dosing and resuscitation were not present. As a result, Jackson's death was ruled a homicide, and Murray found himself at the center of an involuntary manslaughter investigation. The Jackson family also began pursuing measures that would have Murray's medical license revoked. The family is in continuing litigation with Murray.

Meanwhile, the Jackson family has attempted to move forward with their lives. As dictated in his will,Jackson's children were placed in the care of their grandmother,Katherine Jackson. In respect to their father's wishes, Paris, Prince Michael and Prince Michael II (also known as "Blanket") have been kept largely out of the limelight, appearing publicly only a few times in the last year. They stepped up to the mic in 2009 to speak to fans at their father's funeral, and again in January 2010 to accept a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for their father at the Grammys. In June 2010, it was announced that the children were headed to private school in the fall.

Ernesto (CHE) Guevara

          Ernesto (Che) Guevara was born in Rosario in Argentine in 1928. After studying medicine at theUniversity of Buenos Aires he worked as a doctor. While in Guatemala in 1954 he witnessed the socialist government of President Jacobo Arbenz overthrown by an American backed military coup. Disgusted by what he saw, Guevara decided to join the Cuban revolutionary, Fidel Castro, inMexico.In 1956 Guevara, Castro and eighty other men and women arrived in Cuba in an attempt to overthrow the government of General Fulgencio Batista. This group became known as the July 26 Movement. The plan was to set up their base in the Sierra Maestra mountains. On the way to the mountains they were attacked by government troops. By the time they reached the Sierra Maestra there were only sixteen men left with twelve weapons between them. For the next few months Castro's guerrilla army raided isolated army garrisons and were gradually able to build-up their stock of weapons.  
       When the guerrillas took control of territory they redistributed the land amongst the peasants. In return, the peasants helped the guerrillas against Batista's soldiers. In some cases the peasants also joined Castro's army, as did students from the cities and occasionally Catholic priests.

In an effort to find out information about the rebels people were pulled in for questioning. Many innocent people were tortured. Suspects, including children, were publicly executed and then left hanging in the streets for several days as a warning to others who were considering joining the revolutionaries. The behaviour of Batista's forces increased support for the guerrillas. In 1958 forty-five organizations signed an open letter supporting the July 26 Movement. National bodies representing lawyers, architects, dentists, accountants and social workers were amongst those who signed. Castro, who had originally relied on the support of the poor, was now gaining the backing of the influential middle classes.

                General Fulgencio Batista responded to this by sending more troops to the Sierra Maestra. He now had 10,000 men hunting for Castro and his 300-strong army. Although outnumbered, Castro's guerrillas were able to inflict defeat after defeat on the government's troops. In the summer of 1958 over a thousand of Batista's soldiers were killed or wounded and many more were captured. Unlike Batista's soldiers, Castro's troops had developed a reputation for behaving well towards prisoners. This encouraged Batista's troops to surrender to Castro when things went badly in battle. Complete military units began to join the guerrillas.

                The United States supplied Batista with planes, ships and tanks, but the advantage of using the latest technology such as napalm failed to win them victory against the guerrillas. In March 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower, disillusioned with Batista's performance, suggested he held elections. This he did, but the people showed their dissatisfaction with his government by refusing to vote. Over 75 per cent of the voters in the capital Havana boycotted the polls. In some areas, such as Santiago, it was as high as 98 per cent.

              Fidel Castro was now confident he could beat Batista in a head-on battle. Leaving the Sierra Maestra mountains, Castro's troops began to march on the main towns. After consultations with the United States government, Batista decided to flee the country. Senior Generals left behind attempted to set up another military government. Castro's reaction was to call for a general strike. The workers came out on strike and the military were forced to accept the people's desire for change. Castro marched into Havana on January 9,1959, and became Cuba's new leader.

                In its first hundred days in office Castro's government passed several new laws. Rents were cut by up to 50 per cent for low wage earners; property owned by Fulgencio Batista and his ministers was confiscated; the telephone company was nationalized and the rates were reduced by 50 per cent; land was redistributed amongst the peasants (including the land owned by the Castro family); separate facilities for blacks and whites (swimming pools, beaches, hotels, cemeteries etc.) were abolished.

                  In 1960 Guevara visited China and the Soviet Union. On his return he wrote two books Guerrilla Warfare and Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War. In these books he argued that it was possible to export Cuba's revolution to other South American countries. Guevara served as Minister for Industries (1961-65) but in April 1965 he resigned and become a guerrilla leader in Bolivia.

             On October 9th, 1967, Ernesto "Che" Guevara was put to death by Bolivian soldiers, trained, equipped and guided by U.S. Green Beret and CIA operatives. His execution remains a historic and controversial event; and thirty years later, the circumstances of his guerrilla foray into Bolivia, his capture, killing, and burial are still the subject of intense public interest and discussion around the world.

           As part of the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Che Guevara, the National Security Archive's Cuba Documentation Project is posting a selection of key CIA, State Department, and Pentagon documentation relating to Guevara and his death. This electronic documents book is compiled from declassified records obtained by the National Security Archive, and by authors of two new books on Guevara: Jorge Castañeda's Compañero: The Life and Death of Che Guevara (Knopf), and Henry Butterfield Ryan's The Fall of Che Guevara (Oxford University Press). The selected documents, presented in order of the events they depict, provide only a partial picture of U.S. intelligence and military assessments, reports and extensive operations to track and "destroy" Che Guevara's guerrillas in Bolivia; thousands of CIA and military records on Guevara remain classified. But they do offer significant and valuable information on the high-level U.S. interest in tracking his revolutionary activities, and U.S. and Bolivian actions leading up to his death.

Dr. A.P.J.ABDUL KALAM

Abdul Kalam was born in 1931.

             Dr. A.J.P. Abdul Kalam is the chief architect of India’s missile programme. The name Dr.Abdul Kalam and Indian missile have become synonymous.This is the reason why Abdul Kalam has earned nick name the “Missile Man”.
             Dr. Kalam has devoted his life to building up India’s missile defense technology to be on a par with other            developed countries.It was Dr.Kalam’s hard work and perseverance that India has successful tested missiles like Agni and Prithvi which have put China and Pakistan within the reach of India’s missile range.

         Dr.Kalam graduated in science from St.Joseph’s College in Tiruchi.He completed his DMIT in Aeronautical Engineering at the MIT,Madras.Later,Dr. Kalam joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL),Bangalore,as a trainee.In 1958 Dr. Kalam joined the Directorate of Technical Development and Production(DTD & P) in the post of senior scientific assistant,where he worked at the Technical Center(Civil Aviation).

        Under the able guidance of Dr.Neelakantan,director of DTD & P,Dr. Kalam worked on designing the models of combat aircraft.After three productive years Dr.Kalam was sent to lead a team out at the        Aeronautical Development Establishment(ADE) in Bangalore,where he worked as a senior scientific assistant.Dr.Kalam and his small team of young scientist developed a prototype hovercraft.It was India’s first ever indigenously made hovercraft which was driven by Dr.Kalam himself.Dr. Kalam was made director of DRDO in 1982,where he was at the helm of India’s most ambitious defense project,the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme  (IGMDP).The IGMDP had programmed five measure project to consolidate India’s defense capability and they were scheduled to be completed in 10 years time .

                  The successful launch of Nag,Prithvi,Akash,Trishul and Agni firmly established India’s reputation in the eyes of developed countries as a force to be reckoned with,and the full of credit goes to Dr.Kalam.                                                                      Life took a new turn when Dr.Kalam was sworn in as the 11th President of India.

in brief

       AVUL PAKIR JAINULABDEEN ABDUL KALAM,popularly known as Abdul Kalam ,was born on 15th October 1931 at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.Abdul Kalam was born into a middle class Tamil family. As a young boy Kalam was very fascinated by the flight of birds.At seeing birds flying freely in the sky was fulfilled when he became the first man from Rameshwaram to fly an aircraft.


      His father,Jainulabudeen didn’t have any formal education,he was a man of great wisdom and intelligence also.He was a very religious man and believed in the service of humanity.He naturally Jainulabudden would take his son Kalam to the mosque where the father will seat for prayers to Allah,sitting in a corner,and very curious,his little son,Kalam would watch his father in a amazement. Although there were many members in the family,Kalam’s childhood was spend in relative ease and comfort.He was the beloved son of his father.


          Kalam has primary education in the Rameswaram Elementary School.At the age of 15 he joined the Schwartz High School in Ramanathapuram.Teachers at the Schwartz High School were very gentle and encouraged him to do something very special in life.Mr.Soloman would often tell to his students not to get disappointed at the failures and said we must learn a lesson from a mistakes and failure.Kalam was one of the favorite student of Mr.Soloman.Abdul Kalam completed his high school education at the Schwartz High School,and then joined St.Joseph’s College,Tiruchchirappalli,in 1950 at the age of 19.


              During his time in St.Joseph College,he shared his room with two other students from different religious backgrounds.In spite of this,these students were very cooperative and helpful to each other.Kalam lived in St.Joseph’s College for four years.While living in St.Joseph’s college,Kalam came very close to the revered Father T.N Sequeira,who used to teach English,it was due to Sequeria that Kalam began to like English literature and started reading Tolstoy,Scott,Milton,Hardy,and so on.Kalam even wrote some poems in Tamil and English.One of the poems that Kalam wrote in the memory of his mother is given here.

MY MOTHER

Sea waves,golden sand pilgrims’faith,

Rameswaram Mosque steet ,all merge into one,

My Mother !

You come to me like heaven’s caring arms.

I remember the war days when life was challenge and toil-

Miles to walk, horus before sunrise,

Walking to take lessons from the saintly teacher near the temple.

Again miles to the Arab teaching school,

Climb sandy hills to Railway Station Road,

Collect, distribute newspapers to temple city citizens,

Few horse after sunrise,going to school.

Evening ,business time before study at night.

All this pain of a young boy,

My mother you transformed into pious strength

With kneeling and bowing five times

For the Grace of the Almighty only,My Mother.

Your strong piety is your children’s strength,

You always shared your best with whoever needed the most,

You always gave,and gave with faith in Him.

I still remember the day when I was ten,

sleeping on you lap to the envy of m elder brothers and sisters

It was full moon night,my world you knew

MOTHER! MY MOTHER!

When at midnight I woke with tears falling on my knee

You knew the pain of your child,My Mother.

Your caring hands,tenderly removing the pain

Your love,your care,your faith gave me strength

To face the world without fear and with His strength.

We will meet again on the great judgement Day,My Mother!

      After graduating from St.Joseph,s College,Kalam joined the Madras Institute of Technology(MIT).He managed to get his name published among the successful candidates,but admission at the MIT was not so easy.He had to have around Rs.1000 rupees for the admission fee into the college and his father was unable to find that much money.This made Kalam feel hopeless and unable to find that much money.This made Kalam feel hopeless and unable  to think which way to turn for help.But luckily his sister Zohara came to the rescue and she mortgaged her bangles and her necklaces and gave the money to Kalam.Zohara had total confidence in the success of her brother ,she would often say that one day her brother would be a great man -and she was proved right.Kalam was indebted to his sister for her timely assistance and he vowed to pay off the debt and get all the bangles and necklaces back with his own earnings one day.


Kalam as a child

Kalam received the most apprropriate practical education at the MTS,this was the place where Kalam could fulfill his long cherished dream to fly an aircraft.He was thrilled when he found himself standing among the planes for the first time ever.He always felt a strange attraction while watching those aircraft.As he liked aircraft so much he opted for aeronautical engineering as his major subject to study at the MIT.

At the MIT Kalam came under the influence of three teachers.They were Professor Sponser,Kav Pandalai,and Narasingha Rao,these three teachers shaped Kalam’s thinking and made him even more ambitious than he was before.Also these teachers instilled a sense of self-confidence in Kalam that later helped tremendously in his life.


In ‘Wings of fire’,an autobiography of Kalam,he writes:”Professor Sponder taught me technical aerodynamics.He was an Austrian with a great deal of practical experience in aeronautical engineering.Prof. Sponder preserved his individually and maintained high professional standards.


Professor KAV Pandalai taught me aero structure design and analysis.He was a cheerful,friendly and enthusiastic teacher,who brought a fresh approach to every year’s teaching course.It was Professor Pandalai who opened up the secrets of structural engineering to us.Even today I believe that everyone who has been taught by Professor Pandalai would agree that he was a man of great intellectual integrity and scholarship-but with no trace of arrogance.


Professor Narsingha Rao was a mathematician,who taught us theoretical aerodynamics.I still remember his method of teaching fluid dynamics.After attending his classes,I began to prefer mathematical physics to any other subject.”


Kalam completed his third year at the MIT,then he joined the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL)at Bangalore,where he was as a trainee.Kalam received very important practical training there.His first training was to overhaul the engines of aircraft;it was quite educational to get practical knowledge of every part of the engine-come-drum operations was very important.He also receive training to check a crankshaft for twist were also very educational.


He joined the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTD & P) as a Senior Scientific Assistant in 1958,age 27.Soon after that he was posted to the Technical Center (Civil Aviation).Before Kalam joined the DTD & P he tried to get admission into the Indian Air Force,but he narrowly missed that opportunity.His dream actually of flying an aircraft was not fulfilled,so he was at the DTD & P,where his job was to make airplanes airworthy.


During his period in the DTD & P,he was entrusted to design the model of a supersonic target aircraft.He worked on the model of this aircraft and sent it to the Aircraft and Armament Testing Unit(A & ATU) at Kanpur.Later he was informed that the design of a DART target had been accepted. Kalam worked in the DTD and P for the three years.During this period the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE)was established in Bangalore where Kalam was posted to take up new assignments and also to face the real challenges of life.


At the ADE a project tea of four scientists was formed and their prime task was to design and develop an indigenous hovercraft.The team was led by Kalam .This team of young scientists were terribly lacking in the practical knowledge of  how to make this type of aircraft.The procedure for making hovercrafts baffled Kalam ‘s brains for quite a long time,but after a great deal of thought his team started to work on the project.With Kalam’s preservance and able leadership the young scientists succeeded in building India’s first indigenious hovercraft that took successfully with Defense Minister Krishan Menon and Kalam at the controls.


Abdul Kalam as president

Despite the scintillating success of the hovercraft the project did not get more recognition .Kalam was sad end disappointed at seeing such a cold reaction from the authorities in charge.Then one day Professor MGK  Menon,Director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR),came to meet Kalam and asked his permission to fly the hovercraft,Kalam readily accepted the offer.Later on,Professor Menon invited Kalam to attend an interviewed by the famous personalities like Dr.Vikram  Sarabhai ,Professor M.G.K.Menon,and Mr.Saraf.


After his appointment to the TIFR,Kalam began to work to his full capacity.Sometime later the TIFR decided to send Kalam to America to receive six months special training on sounding rocket launching techniques at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)work centers.Dr.Kalam started working at NASA at the Langely Research Center(LRC) in Hampton,Virginia.This was a basically Research and Development  Center for advanced aerospace technology.After sometime Kalam was sent to the Goddard Space Flight Centre (GSFC)at Greenbelt,Maryland.


Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launch Station (TERLS)was established with the active collaboration of France,USA,and USSR.


After having failed in the first SLV-3 launch,Kalam and his team was very disenchanted for quite a long time,but they had still not lost their confidence and began to work on the project with an even greater amount of zeal and gusto.After examining,testing,and correcting the previous faults,the SLV-3 lifted  off in July 18,1980.This was a successful launch?The Rohini Satellite was put into orbit.This was indeed a great success in the space history of India and India became among the very few countries which possessed satellite launching capability.


The group of senior Indian scientists including Kalam had realized the need for a ‘Guided Missile Development Programme’to fortify India’s defence against enemy’s invasion.In the absence of powerful guided missiles the fortification of the our country,and Indian territories were still insecure and largely vulnerable.Hence,under the chairmanship of Kalam,a  committee was formed.The committee members were Z.P Marshall,chief of Bharat Dynamics Limited,Hyderabad,N.R Iyer,A.K Kapoor and K.S Venkataraman.The different missile launching programmes were conducted as per schedules.


“Trishul”,surface to air missile with short range was successfully launched in 1985.


“Prithvi”surface to surface battlefield missile,launched in 1988.”Agni”,an intermediate range ballistic missile,launched during 1990.


During to his long-standing service to Indian science and technology,Kalam was awarded the “Padma Vibhushan “in 190,the “Bharat Ratna”in 1997,and the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration”in 1997.


Kalam rose to the highest pedestal of his career when he was sworn in as the 11th President of India on July 25th 2002.At the age of 71 as a scientists and president of India every Indian is proud of Kalam


 .Some inspirational quotes of  Kalam:


“Unless India stands up to the world,no one will respect us.In this world,fear has no place.Only strength respects strength”.


We have not invaded anyone,we have not conquered anyone,and we have not grabbed their land,their culture,their history and tried to enforce our way of life on the.Why?Because,I guess,we respected the freedom of others.


We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power.Both must go hand in hand.


I have this big library at home and my favorite poets are Milton,Walt Whitman and Rabindranath Tagore.I write poetry too.My book of poems,Yenuday Prayana,has now been translated into English.It is called “My Journey”.

$TEVE JOB$

         Steve Jobs was born February 24, 1955, to two University of Wisconsin graduate students who gave him up for adoption. Smart but directionless, Jobs experimented with different pursuits before starting Apple Computers with Stephen Wozniak in the Jobs' family garage. Apple's revolutionary products, which include the iPod, iPhone and iPad, are now seen as dictating the evolution of modern technology.

 Apple Computers

                     After high school, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Lacking direction, he dropped out of college after six months and spent the next 18 months dropping in on creative classes. Jobs later recounted how one course in calligraphy developed his love of typography.

                       In 1974, Jobs took a position as a video game designer with Atari. Several months later he left Atari to find spiritual enlightenment in India, traveling the continent and experimenting with psychedelic drugs. In 1976, when Jobs was just 21, he and Wozniak started Apple Computers. The duo started in the Jobs family garage, and funded their entrepreneurial venture after Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus and Wozniak sold his beloved scientific calculator.

                     Jobs and Wozniak are credited with revolutionizing the computer industry by democratizing the technology and making the machines smaller, cheaper, intuitive, and accessible to everyday consumers. The two conceived a series of user-friendly personal computers that they initially marketed for $666.66 each. Their first model, the Apple I, earned them $774,000. Three years after the release of their second model, the Apple II, sales increased 700 percent to $139 million dollars. In 1980, Apple Computer became a publically traded company with a market value of $1.2 billion on the very first day of trading.

Departure from Apple

However, the next several products from Apple suffered significant design flaws resulting in recalls and consumer disappointment. IBM suddenly surpassed Apple sales, and Apple had to compete with an IBM/PC dominated business world. In 1984 Apple released the Macintosh, marketing the computer as a piece of a counter culture lifestyle: romantic, youthful, creative. But despite positive sales and performance superior to IBM's PCs, the Macintosh was still not IBM compatible. Scully believed Jobs was hurting Apple, and executives began to phase him out.

In 1985, Jobs resigned as Apple's CEO to begin a new hardware and software company called NeXT, Inc. The following year Jobs purchased an animation company from George Lucas, which later became Pixar Animation Studios. Believing in Pixar's potential, Jobs initially invested $50 million of his own money into the company. Pixar Studios went on to produce wildly popular animation films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Pixar's films have netted $4 billion. The studio merged with Walt Disney in 2006, making Steve Jobs Disney's largest shareholder.

Reinventing Apple

Despite Pixar's success, NeXT, Inc. floundered in its attempts to sell its specialized operating system to mainstream America. Apple eventually bought the company in 1997 for $429 million. That same year, Jobs returned to his post as Apple's CEO.

Much like Steve Jobs instigated Apple's success in the 1970s, he is credited with revitalizing the company in the 1990s. With a new management team, altered stock options, and a self-imposed annual salary of $1 a year, Jobs put Apple back on track. His ingenious products such as the iMac, effective branding campaigns, and stylish designs caught the attention of consumers once again.

Pancreatic Cancer

In 2003, Jobs discovered he had a neuroendocrine tumor, a rare but operable form of pancreatic cancer. Instead of immediately opting for surgery, Jobs chose to alter his pescovegetarian diet while weighing Eastern treatment options. For nine months Jobs postponed surgery, making Apple's board of directors nervous. Executives feared that shareholders would pull their stocks if word got out that their CEO was ill. But in the end, Job's confidentiality took precedence over shareholder disclosure. In 2004, he had a successful surgery to remove the pancreatic tumor. True to form, in subsequent years Jobs disclosed little about his health.

Recent Innovations

Apple introduced such revolutionary products as the Macbook Air, iPod, and iPhone, all of which have dictated the evolution of modern technology. Almost immediately after Apple releases a new product, competitors scramble to produce comparable technologies. In 2007, Apple's quarterly reports were the company's most impressive statistics to date. Stocks were worth a record-breaking $199.99 a share, and the company boasted a staggering $1.58 billion dollar profit, an $18 billion dollar surplus in the bank, and zero debt.

In 2008, iTunes became the second biggest music retailer in America-second only to Wal-Mart. Half of Apple's current revenue comes from iTunes and iPod sales, with 200 million iPods sold and six billion songs downloaded. For these reasons, Apple has been rated No. 1 in America's Most Admired Companies, and No. 1 amongst Fortune 500 companies for returns to shareholders.

Personal Life

Early in 2009, reports circulated about Jobs' weight loss, some predicting his health issues had returned, which included a liver transplant. Jobs had responded to these concerns by stating he was dealing with a hormone imbalance. After nearly a year out of the spotlight, Steve Jobs delivered a keynote address at an invite-only Apple event September 9, 2009.

In respect to his personal life, Steve Jobs remained a private man who rarely discloses information about his family. What is known is Jobs fathered a daughter with girlfriend Chrisann Brennan when he was 23. Jobs denied paternity of his daughter Lisa in court documents, claiming he was sterile. Jobs did not initiate a relationship with his daughter until she was 7 but, when she was a teenager, she came to live with her father.

In the early 1990s, Jobs met Laurene Powell at Stanford business school, where Powell was an MBA student. They married on March 18, 1991, and lived together in Palo Alto, California, with their three children.

Final Years

On October 5, 2011, Apple Inc. announced that co-founder Steve Jobs had died. He was 56 years old at the time of his death.