Father-er

Hmmm... Now I know why/how he injured his back even though he did not play any competitive match since losing (and crying) last February 1.

=====

Roger Federer says girlfriend is pregnant

BASEL, Switzerland (AP)—Roger Federer is going to be a father.

The second-ranked Swiss tennis player says on his Web site that girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec is pregnant with the couple’s first child.

Federer says: “This is a dream come true for us. We love children and we are looking forward to being parents for the first time. Mirka is feeling great and everything is going well.”

The 13-time Grand Slam champion is in Indian Wells, Calif., for the Masters tournament, which starts Thursday. He also says his injured back is “feeling better.”

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Off-Court - Great News

Dear Fans

I arrived in Indian Wells earlier this week and I am eager to get back out on court. My back is

feeling much better and I am ready to go.

I also have some really awesome news to share with all of you: Mirka and I are excited to let you know that we will be parents this summer! Mirka is pregnant and we are so happy to be starting a family together. This is a dream come true for us. We love children and we are looking forward to being parents for the first time. Mirka is feeling great and everything is going well.

Speak soon and thanks for all your continued support!

Roger

=====

Retirement, anyone?

Maybe, if he wants to be a full-time dad...

Well, anyway, congrats Rodge!

Every Month of 2008

January

Crude oil prices surge past US$100 per barrel. Benazir Bhutto is assassinated. 6.5 earthquake hits Greece. Hillary Clinton wins first US primaries held in New Hampshire. Sun Microsystems acquires MySQL AB. Millions are stranded ahead of Chinese New Year. Neil & Moanna tie the knot. Actor Heath Ledger dies of medication overdose. Novak Djokovic wins maiden grand slam at Melbourne as Maria Sharapova bags 3rd distinct major title.


February

New York Giants upset New England Patriots 17-14 in Superbowl XLII. UP Fair stages Loverage 2. Blu-ray replaces HD-DVD. Kosovo declares independence from Serbia. Egypt wins Africa Cup of Nations over Cameroon 1-0. Fidel Castro retires and resigns as Cuban president and is succeeded by his brother Raul. Academy honors No Country For Old Men as best motion picture and the Coen Brothers as best in directing. Leap year day is observed.


March

Forbes names Warren Buffet as world's richest man. Wales achieves Grand Slam by defeating France 29-12 in their Rugby Union RBS Six Nations match. Tibetans claim 80 people killed in the continuing unrest. Manny Pacquiao scores a split decision over Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBC super featherweight crown. Corazon Aquino is diagnosed with colon cancer. Liechtenstein, Norway and South Korea recognize Kosovo as a nation.


April

Protesters confront Olympic torch in Paris. I celebrate my first year anniversary in HP and as an electronics engineer. Trevor Immelman wins The Masters ahead of second-place Tiger Woods. Danica Patrick becomes the first woman to win in IndyCar's 2008 Indy Japan 300. Joe Calzaghe earns a split decision victory over Bernard Hopkins for The Ring light heavyweight belt. HP Labs announces the creation of the memristor - the fourth basic electronic element.


May

George Bush calls for US$700m relief aid for global food crisis. Cyclone Nargis devastates Myanmar. Dmitry Medvedev assumes Russian presidency. Olympic torch reaches peak of Everest. Over 70,000 killed by 7.9 quake in China's Sichuan province. Nel & OJ tie the knot. HP buys EDS for US$13.9b. Bloodiest bank robbery in the Philippines claims 10 lives. David Cook wins Idol. ManU pulls a 1-1 (6-5 p.s.o) victory over Chelsea to grab UEFA trophy.


June

Barack Obama wins Democratic nomination. Ana Ivanovic secures first major as Rafael Nadal earns 4th Roland Garros. Limping Tiger Woods ends season prematurely after US Open triumph. Boston Celtics defeats old rivals Los Angeles Lakers for their 17th NBA ring. UP@100. Typhoon Fengshen leaves 155 dead in the Philippines. Manny Pacquiao KO's David Diaz to become the first Asian 4-division titlist. Spain beats Germany 1-0 in Euro 2008 final.


July

Inquest on the MV Princess of the Stars disaster continues in the Philippines. Venus Williams thrashes sister Serena for her 5th Wimbledon crown while Rafael Nadal dismisses Roger Federer in the longest men's final in The Championship's' history 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7. Pope Benedict XVI celebrates World Youth Day in Sydney. Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela is Miss Universe 2008. Carlos Sastre of Spain wins Tour de France.


August

Magnitude 6.0 tremor once again strikes Sichuan. Conflict in South Ossetia worsens. The Bird's Nest hosts the start of the Summer Olympics on 08-08-08. ARMM holds first electronic voting in the Philippines. Michael Phelps sets 7 world records and bags 8 gold medals in swimming as Usain Bolt goes 3-for-3 in athletics in Beijing. Rafael Nadal supplants Roger Federer as world number 1 tennis player after triumphs in Toronto Masters and the Olympics.


September

Serena Williams wins her 9th slam; Roger Federer salvages year with 5th straight US Open. I celebrate my 24th birthday. Civil war erupts in Bolivia; power-sharing pact in Zimbabwe calms the situations. World remembers 9/11. Russia claims Fed Cup. Sebastian Vettel becomes youngest F1 grand prix winner after topping the Italian GP. Milk scandal further intensifies China's bad year. USA wins Ryder Cup. Mortgage crisis triggers US recession snowball.


October

Dow Jones records biggest intraday drop finishing below the 10,000-point mark. European markets fall steeply while Asian stock exchanges tumble. Nobel Prizes are awarded to the discoverers of papilloma and HIV viruses, among others. Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Portugal and UAE recognize Kosovo. Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother are murdered. Philadelphia Phillies edges Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in 2008 World Series.


November

Lewis Hamilton edges Felipe Massa 98 to 97 becoming the youngest F1 Drivers' Champion. Sebastien Loeb wins WRC for fifth consecutive time. Barack Obama is USA's first African-American president. Chrysler, Ford and GM testify before US Congress for bailout package. Peru hosts APEC Summit amidst global financial crisis. Protesters lock up Bangkok airports. Spain wins Davis Cup. Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams prevail in yearend championships.


December

Zimbabwe cholera outbreak claims 425 lives. Micronesia recognizes Kosovo. Manny Pacquiao ends season as Fighter of the Year with 3 victories in 3 weight classes after a lopsided win over Oscar Dela Hoya. Toyota announces first operating loss in 70 years. Israel launches offensive strikes against Palestine in Gaza Strip in the middle of holiday season. Glenn and May tie the knot. CKT01 reunites. Eustaquio Family welcomes 2009 together.

Lewis and Felipe are still here, Kimi and Fernando nowhere

Last year, the World Drivers' Championship was won and lost by only 1 point - involving Kimi Raikkonen of Finland, Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Fernando Alonzo of Spain (pictured below). Now that Kimi and Fernando are out of the picture, Lewis finds a new nemesis in Felipe Massa.

Who will win this year's WDC? The penultimate Grand Prix at Shanghai this Sunday will give us a clearer picture of the race to the finish - with 5 points separating Hamilton and Massa. Join us at Phi Bar on October 19 3pm (Manila time) for the free viewing.

Then, Bamboo was everywhere... Now, BamBOO is nowhere.

Look at the difference...

I almost strangled him two years ago. He was just hanging around with the VIPeeps backstage. Now, everything's changed. He is out of our reach already. Actually, there was no problem with him or even Ira last night, it was just the obnoxious bodyguard who kept on pushing us (or them) away. Still, I managed to capture a video clip with them waving to the camera and Dyan managed to sneak a shot of me with Bamboo trying to get out of the venue as fast as he (or his damn bodyguard) could.

Ala-Eli Buendia talaga. Haha.

Their itinerary last night: CAR --> DRESSING TENT --> STAGE --> CAR.

Tae.

Bands Here, There, Everywhere

(Copied from Cholle's blog entry)

MONDAY - LOVERAGE 2: OUTLOUD! (Adelfe Enu Crea Sorority and Pan Xenia Fraternity)
Bamboo, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikazee, 6Cyclemind, MYMP, UPdharmadown, Itchyworms, Kitchie Nadal, Imago, Chicosci, Stonefree, Moonstar88, Silent Sanctuary, Mayonnaise, Soapdish, Shamrock, Gloc 9, Cookie Chua, Queso, Treadstone, Blue Ketchup, Protein Shake, Ciudad, Fuse, Paraluman, Manibela, Chubibo, Tha-R, Zelle, and many more...

TUESDAY - RAKESTRA 2008: LOST IN OBLIVION (Beta Epsilon Fraternity)
Sandwich, Urbandub w/ Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikazee, 6Cycle Mind, Sugarfree, Itchyworms, Moonstar88, Chicosci, Silent Sanctuary, Callalily, Hale, Imago, Mojofly, Rocksteddy, Mayonnaise, The Dawn, Slapshock, Radioactive Sago Project, Kiko Machine, Pedicab, Hilera, Pinup Girls, Ciudad, Chilitees, Taken by Cars, Cambio, Manibela, Zelle, Boy Elroy, Oi Wag D2, Bembol Rockers, The Dorques, Angulo, Too Late The Hero, Duster, Aizo, Bagetsafonik, The Ronnies, Concrete Sam, El Mercurio, Peryodiko and many more...

WEDNESDAY - ROCK-LOVE-AN: SANDAAN: KAMI N'APO ULIT (Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity)
Sugarfree, Spongecola, Typecast, Callalily, Silent Sanctuary, Urbandub, Barbie Almalbis, Imago, 6cyclemind, Itchyworms, Hale, Greyhoundz, Proteinshake, Pedicab, Kjwan, Soapdish, Stonefree, Mayonnaise, Fuse, Mojofly, RockSteddy, ChicoSci, Check, Melanie, Hilera, VinceNoir, Paraluman, Manibela, Ciudad, Blue Ketchup, and many more…

THURSDAY - SISFIRE 6 (Sigma Beta Sorority)
Kamikazee, Urbandub, Rivermaya, Sugarfree, Chicosci, Imago, Stonefree, Up dharma Down, Mojofly, Radioactive Sago Project, Silent Sanctuary, Juana, Giniling Festival, Moonstar 88, Chubibo, Session Road, Purplechickens, Pumping Pluto, and many more...

FRIDAY - (University Student Council)

SATURDAY - EUFAIRIA: 100 YEARS AT THE EDGE OF SANITY (Delta Pi Omicron Sorority)
Urbandub, The Dawn, Pupil, Slapshock, Kjwan, Queso, Greyhoundz, Chicosci, Kiko Machine, Stonefree, Acel, Sugarfree, Moonstar 88, Mojofly, Paramita, Hilera, Cambio, Chubibo, Giniling Festival, Datu's Tribe, The Wudz, The Jerks, Radioactive Sago Project, Aizo, Cathexis, Sunflower Day Camp, Threadstone, Fuse, Ursaminor, Nickty Nasty, Kampai, and many more...

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"Many more..." is very much in demand. Haha. I wonder how great a performer he is.

Swipe Here, There, Everywhere

I have been my sister’s CITIBANK Master Card supplement since 2005. So every time I use my card, I earn her points. Two weeks ago, my very own HSBC Mabuhay Miles Visa Card application got approved. I activated it right away and planned to use it to purchase Incubus concert tickets. Mabuhay Miles has a promo – for an accumulated initial spending of PhP5000.00, I will get a round trip ticket to anywhere in the Philippines (except Mindanao). And from now on, I will finally get the hard-earned points in exchange of my own expenditures. Haha.

Earlier this evening, I went out with my college friends, Carlo, Cholle, Fil, Ige, Neil&Daphne, Roma, Ron&Kelly, and Teejay. We met at CTBL Gateway; though, I opted to buy coffee from Starbucks because I have a hundred bucks worth of GC. Ige and I then went to the Ticketnet outlet just in front of the main entrance of Araneta Coliseum to purchase 7 concert tickets. I gave my new Visa card to the cashier and alas, the machine flashed “CARD ERROR”. I didn't know what to do because the total price I owe the lady is around PhP14000.00. Phone booths are nowhere in the vicinity and when I asked the guard about where phone booths are, I was directed to a far place. To make the long story short, I was lucky to make a call to my bank and the service agent assured me that my card is functioning well – she instructed me to go back to the ticketing outlet and ask the saleslady to swipe my card again, this time slowly and surely. Holding my breath while she was trying to make the transaction again, I was finally relieved when I saw two sheets of receipts coming out of the card reader – meaning, my card was accepted. What a way to make “binyag” of the first credit card under my name.

We then moved to Dencio’s to dine. We had 5 sizzling plates of sisig, 2 servings of krispy kangkong, a dozen and a half of baked tahong, 200g of blue marlin, a plate of asparagus in garlic, sizzling mushroom and krispy hipon. Wow! As always, I was tasked to collect each and everyone’s contribution to the bill. A bright idea popped out of my head – I could use my new credit card to pay our bill, then I just have to pay my credit card bills using the money I collected from my friends. In return, I get more mileage. Bwahaha. Imagine, I consumed PhP16351.00 in one day? How many miles have I converted with that spending? I just need to pay my bills before the month ends so it won’t incur any interest.

Anyway, the night ended there. We parted ways around 9pm and as we headed to Gateway’s parking lot, Ige and I realized that no one took pictures of our night out. But this morning, I visited Cholle’s multiply site and saw that she and Teejay had a couple of shots taken in front of CBTL. Haha. Sila lang ang may picture.

So there… I can’t wait for March 9 – Incubus will be coming to Manila for their Pacific Rim Concert Tour. But before that, the gang planned to attend Monday and/or Tuesday nights of UP Fair (Loverage 2 and Rockestra 2). See you guys there!

Maria's and Nole's Stories Everywhere

Maria Sharápova wins her 1st Australian Open Championship

Maria Sharapova of Russia collected her third major tennis trophy - the Australian Open 2008 (adding to her Wimbledon 2004 and US Open 2006 wins) at Melbourne Park Saturday afternoon after dispatching Serbian sensation Ana Ivanovic in straight sets 7-5 6-3.

On her way to the finals, she never dropped a single set nor got engaged in any tiebreak. Seeded fifth this year, she defeated Jelena Kostanic Tosic 6-4 6-3 in the 1st Round, former world #1 Lindsay Davenport 6-1 6-3 in the 2nd Round, fellow Russians Elena Vesnina 6-3 6-0 and Elena Dementieva 6-2 6-0 in the 3rd and 4th Rounds, top seed and current world #1 Justine Henin 6-4 6-0 in the Quarterfinals and third seed Jelena Jankovic 6-3 6-1 in the Semifinals.

Read more of the stories of her successful comeback here.

Novak Đoković wins his 1st Grand Slam Championship at Melbourne

Serbian Novak Djokovic ended Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's suprising run at the Australian Open 2008 by defeating the Frenchman at Rod Laver Arena Sunday evening 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6 (2) to grab his first ever Grand Slam trophy.

On his way to the finals, he never dropped a single set and even managed to conquer current world #1 Roger Federer in straight sets 7-5 6-3 7-6 (5) during their Semifinal showdown last Friday - ending Federer's run of 10 successive Grand Slam finals appearance and freezing his hopes to match Pete Sampras's record of 14 major championships. Seeded #3, he thrashed German Benjamin Becker 6-0 6-2 7-6 (5) in the 1st Round, Simone Bolelli 6-1 6-2 6-2 in the 2nd Round, Sam Querry 6-3 6-1 6-3 in the 3rd Round, local bet and former world #1 Lleyton Hewitt 7-5 6-3 6-3 in the 4th Round, and #5 seed David Ferrer 6-0 6-3 7-5 in the Quarterfinals.

Read more of the stories of this fast-rising tennis star here.

Dynasty

The San Antonio Spurs claimed its fourth NBA Championship in as many NBA Finals appearances after defeating NBA Finals first-timers Cleveland Cavaliers 83-82 in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series Thursday night (Eastern Time). They are now ranked among other franchises that have multiple trophies such as Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls. Tony Parker was named as Finals MVP.

For more stories regarding the sweep of Spurs over the Cavs, visit Yahoo! Sports.

LGN

I was admitted to HP's Gold's Gym fitness program. The benefit came in perfect timing as the HP SAP-ADSI umbrella group (one of the two HP teams in San Miguel Propeties Center Ortigas) goes to Grande Island Resort in Subic, Zambales on June 1 and 2. I must look good naked (Ige's terminology) before that summer event.

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I watched Spider-Man 3 last night with my fellow new hires at Shangri-La Mall's Cineplex. Like its two prequels, the film is high-budgeted (advertised as the most expensive motion picture of all time) and overflowing with special effects. For me, it is the best of the three Spider-Man movies or even the best superhero movie ever. I admit that I am a huge fan of Spidey and his love story with MJ, that's why I was carried away by the dramas featured in the movie.

The third installment's storyline was the best of the three, not to mention the inclusion of three villains, tag-team fight scenes and unexpected twists. The conclusion was a combination of tragedy and happy-ending and my favorite director, Sam Raimi, lets us imagine our own final scene for the two protagonists.

I guess, it's all I can say so as not to spoil my readers who have not yet seen the movie.

*Do you recall the wrestling ring announcer in Spider-Man 1 and the obnoxious theatre usher in Spider-Man 2? He once again appeared in Spider-Man 3 as the Frenchman waiter/receptionist of Restaurant Constellation. He is none other than Bruce Campbell a.k.a. Ashley Williams of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy. He also appeared as Liam Neeson's alter-ego in Sam Raimi's Darkman. Haha. I am really a fan of Sam Raimi.

*Stan Lee, one of the two creators of Spider-Man, also had a cameo as the pedestrian who talked to Peter Parker in front of one of New York's theatres.

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On May 7, I, with 888 other ECE board passers, will be officially inducted to the Board of Electronics and Communications Engineers of the Philippines. The oath taking will be held at the Fiesta Pavilion of The Manila Hotel - that is why, the admission tickets are sold at a whopping PhP900 each.

From then on, call me Engineer Eustaquio, ECE # 39710...

...Signing On!!!

Nth Time

Before anything else, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all!!!

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I'll be having my 5th interview at HP Ayala tomorrow morning. Apart from the four previous interviews I had at Robinson's Summit Center, I also had one at San Miguel Properties Center in Ortigas.

I hope, now that I am out of Trend Micro, I will finally land an acceptable position (and compensation) in Hewlett-Packard. Wish me luck guys!

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Saying that last night's LOVERAGE Rock Concert (UP Fair's Tuesday show) was a blast is an understatement. It was my org's first UP Fair stint and we kicked asses!!! (Especially those of the other orgs... Haha!) Bamboo was the main and exclusive performer of the night and other notable bands such as Calla Lily, Sugarfree, Itchyworms, etc. literally and figuratively made some noise.

More about this on my next post. 'Til then...

Express

Federer beats Gonzales, wins his third Aussie Open

Roger Federer has claimed his third Australian Open crown and tenth Grand Slam overall, sweeping aside #10-seed Fernando Gonzalez in three outstanding sets on Rod Laver Arena. The Swiss tennis master outscored the Chilean, conqueror of Nadal and Haas this year, via a 7-6(2) 6-4 6-4 victory. Federer remained at the top of the world rankings after winning last year's Australian, Wimbledon and US Open cups and the yearender ATP Masters' Series. He has yet to win a single French Open title.

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To all UP Circuit Barkadahan members, here is our PHOTOBUCKET account.

Demolition

Serena crushes Sharapova to take her 3rd Aussie Trophy

Serena Williams, recovering from her injuries and the death of one of her siblings during the 2006 seasons, smashed her way towards winning her third Australian Open Women's Singles title and eighth Grand Slam trophy overall by routing World #1 and topseed Maria Sharapova in the finals, 6-1 6-2.

Sharapova had no answer to Williams' booming serve and blistering returns as the American completed a fairytale return from injury with a third Australian title to join her 2003 and 2005 trophies.

Coming into the final as the underdog, the 25-year-old made a mockery of her world ranking of 81 to humiliate Sharapova and become the first unseeded player since 1978 to claim the Australian title. She finished the match in just an hour and three minutes.

Williams won the tournament in 2003 and 2005; in 2005 she defeated Sharapova in the semifinals with a score of 2-6 7-5 8-6.

FEDERER-Express soars anew in Melbourne

World #1 Roger Federer also had his demolition job in Melbourne Park done after an emphatic 6-4 6-0 6-2 semifinal win over sixth-seed Andy Roddick. He will face tenth-ranked Fernando Gonzales in the finals where he will target his third Australian Open Men's Singles title.

Gonzales also trashed another semifinalist Tommy Haas 6-1 6-3 6-1 in the other semis duel.


Within every PATTERN, there is a TREND

You got it right! I am currently on a job-training stint at TREND MICRO in IBM Plaza Eastwood City. These coming weeks will determine the career path that I will take for the next couple of weeks.

By the way, I and Jeff are on the same level of apprenticeship at TREND MICRO. Gordon will also be with us soon.

Celebrity Look-alikes

From the face recognition tool of MyHeritage.com, I found out that I really am a typical Filipino-looking guy even though I have a pinch of German blood from my paternal grandmother.

Here are some of the my celebrity look-alikes with Jericho Rosales appearing the most number of times and some female stars being also shown.

Royal Birthday

My birthday was also the day when Japan's first prince since 1965 and possible heir apparent to the Emperor's throne was born.

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Courtesy of:



Wednesday 6 June 2006
TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese newspapers have celebrated the birth of the first new prince in four decades but said the nation still must consider female succession to avert a future crisis.

Princess Kiko was doing well a day after giving birth and the new-born baby, who has yet to be named, was moved into her hospital room, television networks said.

Workers remodeled the house of Kiko and her husband Prince Akishino for the baby, installing a fresh carpet and putting a small kitchen near the newborn prince's room, media said.

Kiko and Akishino, the emperor's second son, have two daughters, the last of whom was born in 1994.

"This is the happiest event for the Imperial family and we would like to congratulate them from the bottom of our hearts," the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun said in an editorial.

The boy becomes third in the line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, preserving male succession for another generation. Just a year ago, the government looked set to introduce female succession to alleviate a looming crisis.

(More...)
(The Imperial Family)

Stingray

Courtesy of:

CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.

Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called "Ocean's Deadliest" when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous barb on their tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said.

"He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat at the time.

Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said.

Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter." First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity.

He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!'"

(More...)
(What is a stingray?)