The Vampire Diaries; Why Season 7 Would Probably Be It's Last.

On Monday night (April 6), “The Vampire Diaries” fans (and regular folk who are aware that “The Vampire Diaries” exists) received a massive shock when the show’s star Nina Dobrev announced she was leaving at the end of the show’s current sixth season.

more: Here’s What Nina Dobrev Had To Say About Her ‘Vampire Diaries’ Exit

“I always knew I wanted Elena’s story to be a six season adventure, and within those six years I got the journey of a lifetime,” Dobrev wrote in an Instagrampost.

A statement from “TVD” creator Julie Plec soon confirmed that the show would go on with Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Kat Graham and Candice Accola staying on as leads, but it’s time to start preparing ourselves for the fact that season seven could very well be the last for “The Vampire Diaries” — because television history has already proven that when the glue that holds a show’s gang together suddenly becomes undone, the rest of the pieces have a hard part believably sticking together.

Unlike, say, Brenda leaving “90210” or Diane leaving “Cheers,” Elena’s departure will leave little reason for much of the Mystic Falls group to hang out together. Other than Wesley’s Stefan and Accola’s Caroline, who are a couple of sorts, and Matthew Davis’ Alaric, who truly loves Damon, there really isn’t a reason for any of them to exist as a unit without Elena at the center — I mean, she even wrote the titular diaries, for Christ’s sake!

These below shows all faced the same problem, and pretty much all of them quickly found themselves facing a swift and merciful death:

1. Zach Braff, “Scrubs”

   ABC
   Much like with “Vampire Diaries,” “Scrubs” was a long-running, popular show that decided to stick with some of its main cast when Braff left for greener pastures in season nine. They also brought in some new blood (including the excellent Eliza Coupe, and future star Dave Franco), but the departure of the series’ point-of-view star and much of its writing cast led to quick cancelation.

   “Vampire Diaries” was The CW’s flagship show for years (before being replaced by “Arrow” and “The Flash”) and the network tends to be less harsh with its shows (“Beauty and the Beast”) when they dip in ratings, but they might not be so kind if a dip as bad as “Scrubs” hits after Dobrev’s departure.

2. Topher Grace, “That ’70s Show”

   Fox
   Even adding Tommy Chong to the show’s eighth and final season couldn’t make up for the fact that Grace and Ashton Kutcher both left to focus on their burgeoning film careers. “TVD” is losing Michael Trevino at the same time it loses Dobrev — which could breathe new life into the show, or could put it firmly in “’70s Show” territory, where the gang just didn’t quite feel right without them.

3. Steve Carell, “The Office”

   NBC
   For a while there, the search for Michael Scott’s replacement after Carell’s season seven departure breathed new life into “The Office.” But his replacement (James Spader) never really worked, and by the time season nine rolled around and an actor that could adequately take the reigns from Carell seemed less and less likely, NBC knew that it was time to pull the plus.

4. John Ritter, “8 Simple Rules”

   ABC
   Ugh. This one’s tough to write about since Ritter died suddenly while filming the acclaimed show’s second season, but still. “8 Simple Rules” changed its name, dropping the “for Dating My Teenage Daughter” after Ritter’s passing, but even that and David Spade couldn’t change the fact that fans saw Ritter as the anchor of the show. ABC moved it to Friday nights, then dropped the axe a year later.

5. David Duchovny, “The X-Files”

   Fox
   Much like with “Vampire Diaries,” “The X-Files” had the chemistry between its leads to thank for much of its popularity — so when Duchovny left Gillian Anderson alone at the end of season seven then returned only intermittently for eight and nine, it quickly became apparent that the end was near.

6. Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men”

   CBS
   Sometimes there is a silver lining, folks. Unlike the rest of the shows listed above, “Men” got lucky — megastar Ashton Kutcher was more than willing to accept the high paychecks that came with this ratings blockbuster after Charlie Sheen’s meltdown-related departure.

   However, it seems highly unlikely at this point that “TVD” will try to replace Dobrev with a similar-yet-different character, and it’s even more unlikely that they’ll have the budget to replace her with a well-liked celebrity like Kutcher. (Though Mila Kunis would probably work just fine.)

2016 Honda Pilot shed weights, looks sleek

2016 Honda Pilot

Honda has given the Pilot a sleek look, after shedding about 300 pounds for the 2016 model. This is aimed at propelling the three-row sport utility vehicle to the top of the sales chart in the crossover market.

The new Honda Pilot unveiled at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show has lost its boxy roots.

The new Pilot adopts a new platform with wider use of high and ultrahigh strength body materials that will reduce noise and vibration as well as improve its handling and the rigidity.

A report by Auto News on Tuesday quoted the manufacturer as noting the overhaul was massive and about the most extensive in the Honda brand, with a body that is 3.5 inches longer than the outgoing version, a new V-6 engine, two new transmissions, new all-wheel-drive system and additional optional safety and creature comforts.

The General Manager, Honda Division, Mr. Jeff Conrad, was quoted in a statement as predicting the redesigned Pilot would set a new benchmark for safety, fuel efficiency and driving dynamics in the midsize SUV segment.

The Pilot had been a dependable mainstay for Honda selling about 1.4 million in North America alone since it was introduced in 2002, accounting for a quarter of the brand’s light truck sales, said a report by an online journal, US Today.

It said, “The Pilot was last redesigned in 2008, as a 2009 model, when SUVs fell out of favour amid spiking fuel prices and the collapse of the US auto market. The Pilot’s overhaul was delayed because of a major earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan in 2011 and other priorities such as a rush makeover for the Civic compact,” attributing this to some Honda officials.

Fuel economy

Honda said the redesigned Pilot would offer improved and class-leading fuel economy with most of the gains coming from a new powertrain and weight savings.

The outgoing Pilot, which offered only a five-speed automatic transmission, delivered 21 mpg combined for the front-wheel-drive model and 20 mpg combined for the awd model — right on par with its top competitors.

Engine performance

The 2016 Pilot is powered by a 3.5-litre, direct-injected i-VTEC V-6 engine with cylinder deactivation technology.

The engine is mated to one of two automatic transmissions. There will be a Pilot-first six-speed automatic, or a Honda-first nine-speed automatic offered on upper-trim models.

2016 Honda Pilot

In addition, stop-start technology will be available for the first time. The system shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped and instantly resumes power when the driver lifts his foot off the brake pedal.

It will be offered in forward drive and awd configurations. The awd system is new.

The latest Pilot, designed in California and engineered in Ohio, has a long list of challenges, an AutoPacific analyst, Mr. Dave Sullivan, said.

He said, “It needs to have a smooth launch with no recalls and deliver quality, fuel economy and comfort,” referring to the troubled launch of the redesigned Fit last year at Honda’s new plant in Mexico.

“These vehicles need to be very flexible to [address] multiple situations: cargo at Home Depot, hauling kids or even commuting. Customers are looking for a no-compromise vehicle.”

The width of the lower portion of the third-row entryway has been increased by 2.5 inches and the step-over height has been lowered by one inch, making it easier to enter and exit the last row.

The redesigned Pilot will also be available with 20-inch wheels for the first time.

Safety

Honda said the new Pilot would feature the most comprehensive set of advanced safety and driver-assisting technologies ever offered on any of its vehicles.

Available gear designed to help the driver identify potential road hazards includes Honda’s LaneWatch display, blind spot indicators and a standard multiangle rearview camera.

Other optional safety features are a collision mitigation braking system, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross traffic monitor, adaptive cruise control and — in a first for Honda — a road departure mitigation system.

“Honda won’t make it unaffordable,” an IHS Automotive analyst, Stephanie Brinley, said, adding, “The Pilot tends to have higher profit margins and it’s [too] important to Honda’s overall image.”

The 2016 Pilot will come available with advanced features such as LED projector headlights with auto high beam technology, LED daytime running lights and taillights and a Pilot-first panoramic roof option.

Interior/ Infortainment

The interior will offer an optional heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats. Upper-trim Pilot models will also be available with second-row captain’s chairs.

The redesigned Pilot has numerous connectivity and power options. They include about five USB ports, an HDMI port for a gaming console, two headphone jacks, two 12-volt power outlets and a 115-volt outlet.

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Court refuses to stop impeachment proceedings against Fayose, deputy

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, on Wednesday failed in their legal bid to stop the impeachment moves being made against them by the All Progressives Congress members of the state House of Assembly.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday rejected their prayers contained in an ex parte application seeking interim injunction to set aside the impeachment notice served on them and halt further moves to remove them from office.

The court only granted prayers contained in the ex parte application relating to service of the court processes on the defendants.

Rather than granting the prayers for interim injunction, Justice Ahmed Mohammed ordered the defendants in the suit, including the APC factional Speaker of the House of ‎Assembly, Adewale Omirin, and the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, to appear in court on April 16.

The court ordered the defendants to appear in court to show cause why the order of interim injunction being sought by the plaintiffs halting the impeachment proceedings should not be granted.

‎Apart from Omirin and Justice Daramola, other defendants in the suit are the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the Speaker of the House of Assembly (described as being occupied by the Peoples Democratic Party factional Speaker, Olugbemi Joseph Dele); Ekiti State House of Assembly, Fayose and Olusola.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Mr. Ahmed Raji, had sought ‎the interim injunctions halting the impeachment moves through an ex parte application dated and filed on April 7, 2015.

He had urged the court to grant the interim injunction setting aside the impeachment notice already served on the governor and the deputy and also restraining the defendants from taking any further steps in the impeachment moves.

The lawyer argued that the act by Omirin to issue an impeachment notice and serve same on the governor and the deputy governor as Speaker of the House of Assembly amounted to ‎impersonating the incumbent Speaker.

“The gravamen of our complaint is that a former Speaker of the parliament, the Ekiti State House of Assembly, in the person of the 1st respondent (Omirin) is trying to impersonate the 1st plaintiff (Dele) who is the current Speaker of the parliament,” Raji said.

Part of the orders sought in the ex parte application are “An order of injunction restraining the 1st defendant (Dele) and other errant members of the 2nd plaintiff (Ekiti State House of Assembly) from further taking any step or engaging in unlawful activities relating to the impeachment of Peter Ayodele Fayose and Dr. Kolapo Olusola as governor and deputy governor of Ekiti State.

“An interim order of injunction restraining the Chief Judge of Ekiti State from taking any step or action in relation to the request of the 1st defendant (Omirin) for the purpose of appointing a panel of seven persons to investigate the purported allegations of gross misconduct against Peter Ayodele Fayose and Dr. Kolapo Olusola.

“An interim order of injunction restraining the police from continuing to abet, give cover, protection or lend credence to the activities of the 1st defendant and other errant members of the 2nd plaintiff for self-help in disruption of legislative proceedings in the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

“An interim order of injunction setting aside the purported notice of impeachment and all the steps taken by the 1st defendant and other errant members of the 2nd plaintiff in relation to the purported issuance and service of the notice of impeachment for the purpose of commencing. And concluding impeachment proceedings against Peter Ayodele Fayose. And Dr. Kolapo Olusola.”

The plaintiffs had urged the court to grant the prayers and make the interim injunctions to subsist pending the determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunctions seeking the same set of prayers.

Raji urged the court to grant the prayers “in the interest of justice, public order, peace and safety of the people of the state”.

‎But the judge in his ruling rather than granting the interim injunctions ordered the parties to appear in court to convince the court why the plaintiffs’ prayers for interim injunction should not be granted.

Justice Mohammed ruled, “The order is hereby made directing the 1st to 4th defendants (Omirin, IGP, INEC and Ekiti CJ), ‎to appear before this court on April 16, 2015 and show cause why the interim order sought by the plaintiffs via an ex parte motion dated April 7, 2015 should not be made by this court.”

But the court granted other prayers contained in the ex parte motion relating to service of the court processes, including the main suit) on the defendants.

The court granted leave to serve Omirin and Justice Daramola, who reside in Ekiti State, outside jurisdiction.

It also ordered that Omirin and the Ekiti State Chief Judge be served through advertisement in a national newspaper.

It also made a separate order that the Chief Judge be served with processes of court through the office of the Chief Registrar of of the Ekiti State High Court.

In their main suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/302/2015, ‎the plaintiffs are seeking nine prayers among which is “an order setting aside the purported notice of impeachment and all steps taken by the 1st defendant (Omirin) with other errant members of the 2nd plaintiff (Ekiti State House of Assembly) in relation to the purported issuance and service of the said notice of impeachment for the purpose of commencing and concluding the impeachment proceedings against Peter Ayodele Fayose and Dr. Olusola Kolapo, except and until there is absolute compliance with provisions of section 36(1) and section 188(1), (2), (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Other prayers being sought by the plaintiffs include, “An order prohibiting the 1st defendant (Omirin) and other errant members of the 2nd plaintiff (Ekiti State House of Assembly) from further taking any step, or engaging in unlawful activities relating to the impeachment of Peter Ayodele Fayose and Dr. Olusola Kolapo, except and until there is absolute compliance with provisions of section 36(1) and section 188(1), (2), (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“An order prohibiting the Chief Judge of Ekiti State from taking any step or action in relation to the request of the 1st defendant (Omirin) for the purpose of appointing a panel of seven persons to investigate and purported allegations of gros misconduct against Peter Ayodele Fayose and Dr. Olusola Kolapo, except and until there is absolute compliance with provisions of section 36(1) and section 188(1), (2), (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).‎”

Justice Mohammed on Wednesday ordered that hearing notices be served on all the defendants and adjourned the matter till April 16.

2005 Pope John Paul II Dies

On this day in 2005, John Paul II, history’s most well-traveled pope and the first non-Italian to hold the position since the 16th century, dies at his home in the Vatican. Six days later, two million people packed Vatican City for his funeral, said to be the biggest funeral in history.
John Paul II was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland, 35 miles southwest of Krakow, in 1920. After high school, the future pope enrolled at Krakow’s Jagiellonian University, where he studied philosophy and literature and performed in a theater group. During World War II, Nazis occupied Krakow and closed the university, forcing Wojtyla to seek work in a quarry and, later, a chemical factory. By 1941, his mother, father, and only brother had all died, leaving him the sole surviving member of his family.
Although Wojtyla had been involved in the church his whole life, it was not until 1942 that he began seminary training. When the war ended, he returned to school at Jagiellonian to study theology, becoming an ordained priest in 1946. He went on to complete two doctorates and became a professor of moral theology and social ethics. On July 4, 1958, at the age of 38, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Krakow by Pope Pius XII. He later became the city s archbishop, where he spoke out for religious freedom while the church began the Second Vatican Council, which would revolutionize Catholicism. He was made a cardinal in 1967, taking on the challenges of living and working as a Catholic priest in communist Eastern Europe. Once asked if he feared retribution from communist leaders, he replied, “I m not afraid of them. They are afraid of me.”
Wojtyla was quietly and slowly building a reputation as a powerful preacher and a man of both great intellect and charisma. Still, when Pope John Paul I died in 1978 after only a 34-day reign, few suspected Wojtyla would be chosen to replace him. But, after seven rounds of balloting, the Sacred College of Cardinals chose the 58-year-old, and he became the first-ever Slavic pope and the youngest to be chosen in 132 years.
A conservative pontiff, John Paul II s papacy was marked by his firm and unwavering opposition to communism and war, as well as abortion, contraception, capital punishment, and homosexual sex. He later came out against euthanasia, human cloning, and stem cell research. He traveled widely as pope, using the eight languages he spoke (Polish, Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin) and his well-known personal charm, to connect with the Catholic faithful, as well as many outside the fold.
On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot in St. Peter s Square by a Turkish political extremist, Mehmet Ali Agca. After his release from the hospital, the pope famously visited his would-be assassin in prison, where he had begun serving a life sentence, and personally forgave him for his actions. The next year, another unsuccessful attempt was made on the pope s life, this time by a fanatical priest who opposed the reforms of Vatican II.
Although it was not confirmed by the Vatican until 2003, many believe Pope John Paul II began suffering from Parkinson s disease in the early 1990s. He began to develop slurred speech and had difficulty walking, though he continued to keep up a physically demanding travel schedule. In his final years, he was forced to delegate many of his official duties, but still found the strength to speak to the faithful from a window at the Vatican. In February 2005, the pope was hospitalized with complications from the flu. He died two months later.
Pope John Paul II is remembered for his successful efforts to end communism, as well as for building bridges with peoples of other faiths, and issuing the Catholic Church s first apology for its actions during World War II. He was succeeded by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict XVI began the process to beatify John Paul II in May 2005.

2JOECALYPSE

APRIL FOOLS TRADTION POPULARIZED

On this day in 1700, English pranksters begin popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools’ Day by playing practical jokes on each other.
Although the day, also called All Fools’ Day, has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, its exact origins remain a mystery. Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. These included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person.
Historians have also linked April Fools’ Day to ancient festivals such as Hilaria, which was celebrated in Rome at the end of March and involved people dressing up in disguises. There’s also speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather.
April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.
In modern times, people have gone to great lengths to create elaborate April Fools’ Day hoaxes. Newspapers, radio and TV stations and Web sites have participated in the April 1 tradition of reporting outrageous fictional claims that have fooled their audiences. In 1957, the BBC reported that Swiss farmers were experiencing a record spaghetti crop and showed footage of people harvesting noodles from trees; numerous viewers were fooled. In 1985, Sports Illustrated tricked many of its readers when it ran a made-up article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch who could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour. In 1996, Taco Bell, the fast-food restaurant chain, duped people when it announced it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and intended to rename it the Taco Liberty Bell. In 1998, after Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper,” scores of clueless customers requested the fake sandwich.

WHO AM I BECOMING?

A great man once said "when a purpose of a thing is not known, the abuse is inevitable". to be one of the greats in life, you must be able to answer the following questions;
1. What am i on earth for?
2. What part of my life is really worth loving?
3. Who am i becoming?
 There are different kinds people you can be;
- Small people
- Average people, and,
- Great people

The first category of people are likened to the pessimist, the one who never take risk, they make mistakes and don't learn from it. They are the people the bible calls the one with "Reprobate mind". They don't bother about their purpose in life neither do they want to be better than the way they are.

The second category of people  are the average people, they take little risk and are quick to learn from their mistakes. They are the set of people that the bible called the "Doubting Thomas". They believe only when things happen. They are short-sighted people. They are quite comfortable.

The third category of people are the great people they take high risks, they always learn from the mistakes of other so not to make them, they see their mistakes as a platform for success as they try harder to succeed. "Success lies not in eliminating our troubles and mistakes but in growing through and with them". - John Maxwell

They learn fast because they take responsibility. Colin Powell said :there are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning  from failure". They understand their purpose in life and they strive hard to three better than their yesterday. We find examples in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob where the bible described them as being great, greater and exceedingly great respectively.
It is now left to you to know who you want to be. For those who wants to leave their footprints on the sand of time, their eyes would be on their set goals and they dwell among the greats.

2JOECALYPSE