James Gandolfini Death

James Gandolfini has died at age 51, leaving fans in shock and mourning for the actor best known as Tony Soprano in the HBO TV series, "The Sopranos."

James Gandolfini won multiple Emmy awards and Screen Actors Guild awards for his portrayal of New Jersey mafia boss Tony Soprano from 1999 to 2007.

A television, film and Broadway actor, James Joseph Gandolfini, Jr. was born on September 18, 1961 in Westwood, New Jersey.  Now Tony Soprano dies along with the Hollywod actor who made him a global icon.

James Gandolfini's cause of death was coronary heart failure while preparing for a film festival in Sicily, according to doctors who pronounced the actor dead in Italy.  A full autopsy and toxicology report are pending.

Gandolfini is survived by wife Deborah Lin Gandolfini, son Michael and daughter Liliana, along with countless friends and fans who mourn the death of James Gandolfini.

James Gandolfini 1961-2013

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Johnny Rockets Diners Sold

Johnny Rockets, the California hamburger restaurant chain, has been sold.

Orange County's Johnny Rockets Restaurant Group Inc. has sold its post-WWII diner-themed chain to a Sun Capital Partners affiliate for $128 million, according to a restaurant industry source in Southern California.

The sale of the Johnny Rockets business was announced by advisory firm North Point Advisors of San Francisco.

Billionaire Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, 48, and his company, Red Zone Capital Management Co., sold the Johnny Rockets burger chain after only six years of ownership.

Just months ago, Red Zone sold its interest in Dick Clark Productions of Santa Monica for $175 million after only five years of ownership.

Johnny Rockets was founded by Ronn Teitelbaum in Los Angeles in the summer of 1986 with the original hamburger diner located on trendy Melrose Avenue.

The company now has more than 300 restaurant locations, including franchises at Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags amusement parks, at Yankee Stadium and FedEx Field, and on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Johnny Rockets and corporate CEO John Fuller have been famously featured on the hit TV show, "Undercover Boss."

Sun Capital Partners bought Johnny Rockets to minimize expenses, maximize profit and further expand the popular restaurant chain internationally.

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Cher Rocks 'The Voice'

Cher sang her new hit song "Woman's World" on the TV season finale of "The Voice."  Cher looked hot in a goth costume and punk hairstyle as the audience cheered wildly for the music diva.

"The Voice" crowned the show's Season 4 winner, Danielle Bradbury, and the young champion singer was awed to share the same stage with Cher, the Goddess of Pop, exclaiming, "I'm so thankful.  I'm sorry.  I'm speechless."

Also wowing the TV audience on "The Voice" was superstar Pitbull with former judge Christina Aguilera, the stunning singer who co-starred with Cher in the smash Hollywood movie, Burlesque.

Cher was the TV show's hands-down highlight, though, looking every inch the unmitigated megastar she is in all her eye-popping glory.

The entertainment legend's electro-dance performance of "Woman's World" ended with explosions of pink fog to match the pink highlights in her mohawk-ish hairdo.  So totally Cher!

Not that Cher emphasized it, but her vocal performance on "The Voice" commemorated the 50th anniversary of Cher's first L.A. recording session as a backup singer on the classic megahit song "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes in 1963.

Famously, Cher went on to international teenage superstardom, and The Beatles were her opening act.  Not bad for a native California girl from El Centro.

In 2013, Cher doesn't even look like she's 50 years old yet --- and she never will, babe.  She is the undisputed Queen of Californiality.

Crank up the volume and watch Cher singing "Woman's World" on "The Voice" in the following video.

CHER IS BACK!

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Digg Reader Launches June 26

Google Reader will shut down on July 1, but Digg Reader will debut on June 26 to satisfy users' RSS feed read need.

Digg.com announced the launch of Digg Reader as a work-in-progress by saying, "RSS aggregation is a hard thing to do at scale, and we want to make sure the experience is as fast and reliable as possible."

There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth when Google announced the impending death of Google Reader, the free RSS feed organizing tool used by millions of Internet users around the world.

Can you Digg it?

Digg.com said the business will make it as easy as possible to migrate users' existing feeds from Google Reader to Digg Reader, which will feature a mobile app and sharing options.

Ironically, Digg held juicy talks with Google five years ago for a $200 million acquisition plan that never panned out amid a ton of buzz.

Digg.com, the popular social news website founded in San Francisco, was sold last year to other parties including venture capitalists at Betaworks, who invite all Google Reader users to try Digg Reader on June 26.

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California Firestorm Apocalypse

California fire officials are warning Californians to take extreme caution during an apocalyptic 2013 fire season that firefighters say may be the worst in a century.

State fire authorities say the combination of warm winds, abysmal rainfall and bone-dry conditions points to a devastating brushfire season, especially in Southern California.

"Fire conditions in Southern California are at levels we have not seen in many, many years," declared California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director Ken Pimlott.  "These are fires that directly impact the state's natural resources and the very water that we drink and the air that we breathe."

Firefighters are bracing for literally thousands of projected fires in California, including some horrifying, fast-moving walls of fire associated with destructive firestorms that can kill all life forms in their path.

"Look on the news and see what's occurring in Colorado and Colorado Springs," Ken Pimlott emphasized. "The exact same conditions exist in California."

City, county and state fire officials are desperately urging all California property owners to clear out all dry brush as far away from homes and buildings as possible to minimize fire destruction, injuries and loss of life.

An apocalyptic California fire season is officially underway for the next few months, so prepare for natural disaster immediately with emergency supplies and survival essentials.

For those who may think California firestorms are a joke:

Watch the following fire video captured by a driver on a burning California freeway --- a firestorm full of flames that no Californian would want to face head-on.

CALIFORNIA FIRESTORM APOCALYPSE

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California Governor Candidates 2014

California governor candidates for 2014 are being discussed as 2014 gubernatorial campaigns are now being organized.

Which potential candidates for California governor are generating the most political buzz as the 2014 California governor's race begins?

Which Democratic, Republican, Independent and third party candidates might battle for the nomination in the 2014 California primary election?

Who will politically survive all the way to the November 4, 2014 general election?

Many things will change during the 2014 gubernatorial campaign season, but here are some names and faces in California politics currently being thrown around in serious political conversations about the 2014 California governor's race:

List of California Governor Candidates
2014 
Declared and Potential

Alphabetically

Jerry Brown, 75
Northern California, Democratic Party
34th and 39th Governor of California
Jerry Brown for Governor campaign website.

Tim Donnelly,47
Southern California, Republican Party
California Assemblyman, Minute Man Founder
Tim Donnelly for Governor campaign website.

Jim Gray, 68
Southern California, Libertarian Party
Former U.S. Vice-Presidential Candidate and Judge.

Abel Maldonado, 45
Southern California, Republican Party
Former Lt. Governor, State Senator, Assemblyman.

Robert Newman, 69
Southern California, Independent
Conservative Christian Doctor of Psychology
Robert Newman for Governor campaign website.

Michael Reagan, 68
Southern California, Republican Party
News Media Pundit, Conservative Activist, Author.

Condoleezza Rice, 58
Northern California, Republican Party
Stanford Professor, former U.S. Secretary of State.

Antonio Villaraigosa, 60
Southern California, Democratic Party
41st Mayor of Los Angeles.

Rick Williams, 66
Southern California, Republican Party
Attorney, Economist, former U.S. Senate Candidate.

California Gubernatorial Election 2014
Candidates for Governor of California

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