The ACT (pronounced as an initialism, /ˌeɪˌsiːˈtiː/ ay-see-tee; originally abbreviation of American College Testing) is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the US produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test.

The ACT test has historically consisted of four tests: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning. In February 2005, an optional Writing test was added to the ACT, mirroring changes to the SAT that took place later in March of the same year. All 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S. accept the ACT, but different institutions place different emphases on standardized tests such as the ACT, compared to other factors of evaluation such as class rank, G.P.A., and extracurricular activities.

The main four tests are scored individually on a scale of 1-36, and a Composite score is provided which is the whole number average of the four scores. In 2005 the company established ACT International. 

This organization is composed of ACT Education Solutions, Limited, and ACT Business Solutions, B.V. ACT Education Solutions is directed toward helping non-native speakers learn English in preparation for studying at an English-speaking educational institution. ACT Business Solutions attempts to help employers assess their employees' level of English proficiency through use of the WorkKeys assessment.

Christie Brinkley (born February 2, 1954) is an American model best known for her 3 consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage to musician Billy Joel.

Brinkley has also worked as an actress, illustrator, photographer, writer, and designer, and as an activist for human and animals rights and the environment.

Her financial holdings are worth an estimated USD $80 million, primarily as the owner of real estate, much of it in the Hamptons.

One of the original super models, Christie Brinkley - another woman of 57 who looks more than a decade younger - has landed a Broadway musical role, that of Roxy Hart in Chicago. First of all, I had really only been half-interested in Christie of late as, really, her life seemed to have come down to multiple failed marriages and drama. 

And then Oprah interviewed her on the show, and I was taken in all over again. I busted out my 80s ramp walk (based on Christie Brinkley - no, in fact a homage to her) in the office again yesterday. Everyone loves that turn. And then today I caught sight of these images of her on US television, demonstrating some of her moves.

Seriously. Good for her. I hope that the run on Broadway is a massive success. She is really an amazingly beautiful woman. How is it even possible?

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British entrepreneur, best known for his Virgin Group of over 400 companies.

Sir Richard Branson has set his sights on conquering the world's oceanic depths in a revolutionary carbon fibre and titanium "flying" submarine.

The Virgin supremo's Virgin Oceanic project will encompass 5 dives over the next 2 years to "the deepest part of each of Earth's 5 oceans".

The submarine is described as "the only piloted craft in existence that has 'full ocean depth' capability". Designed by Graham Hawkes, the "Deep
 Flight 
Challenger" was originally commissioned by Branson's pal Steve Fossett, and the former "intends to finish what his friend started and then go on to help explore and unlock the wonders of the oceans still unknown to humankind or science".

Virgin Oceanic explains: "The one person sub has an operating depth of 37,000ft (7 miles) and is capable of operating for 24hrs unaided. Once fully descended, the submarine's hydroplanes (the equivalent of wings for submarines) and thrusters will allow it to 'fly' up to 10km over the ocean floor whilst collecting video and data, something submersibles could only dream of."

The vehicle's maximum speed is three knots, with a cruise cruise speed of 2.2 knots. Its descent/ascent rate of 76 metres per minute (350ft p/m) should allow it to achieve "full ocean depth and back" in five hours.

Steve Fossett's monster racing catamaran, the 125ft Cheyenne, has been converted to act as mothership for sub operations – a suitably planet-hugging means of transport in keeping with the Deep
 Flight
 Challenger's eco credentials.

Graham Hawkes' blurb explains: "
Instead
 of
 using
 massive
 arc 
lights,
 typical 
of
 conventional 
submersibles, 
which
 undoubtedly 
blind 
most 
of 
the 
deep 
water 
species,
 Deep 
Flight
 Challenger 
uses
 low
 wattage 
LED 
lights 
and 
laser
 'feeler' 
beams
 to 
aid
 the
 pilot’s 
navigation.
 Additionally, 
the 
sub emits minimal noise 
and
 electrical
 currents
 so
 as 
not
 to
 disturb
 the
 marine 
life/environment
 it
 works 
in."

First up on the hadal descent roster is a trip to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, 11,033 metres (36,201ft) beneath the surface of the Pacific. At the controls will be pilot Chris Welsh.

Branson himself will take the helm for the second dive into the Puerto Rico Trench, 8,605 metres (28,232ft) down, conveniently close to his home on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. The 3 further excursions will take in the sights in the Molloy Deep in the Arctic Ocean, South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean (Antarctic) and Diamantina in the Indian Ocean.

Both Branson and Welsh are aware that "should anything go wrong, there is no rescue team that can reach them". Virgin Oceanic notes that the sub's quartz cockpit "dome" alone is "under 13 million pounds of pressure, the weight of three space shuttles", so it's safe to say there won't be much left if the pressure hull fails at depth.

Before braving the depths, the Virgin Oceanic team will do three months pressure testing to ensure their sponsor doesn't get squashed. In anticipation of a successful outcome, Branson said: "There is just so much to explore, so much to discover. We are going to obviously come across some fascinating creatures and learn some fascinating things that will hopefully be useful for mankind."

Cobain's artistic endeavors and struggles with heroin addiction, illness and depression, as well as the circumstances of his death have become a frequent topic of fascination, debate, and controversy throughout the world. He is one of the well known members of 27 Club.

Following a tour stop at Terminal Eins in Munich, Germany, on March 1, 1994, Cobain was diagnosed with bronchitis and severe laryngitis. He flew to Rome the next day for medical treatment, and was joined there by his wife on March 3, 1994. The next morning, Love awoke to find that Cobain had overdosed on a combination of champagne and Rohypnol. Cobain was immediately rushed to the hospital, and spent the rest of the day unconscious. After 5 days in the hospital, Cobain was released and returned to Seattle. Love later stated that the incident was Cobain's first suicide attempt.

On March 18, 1994, Love phoned Seattle police informing them that Cobain was suicidal and had locked himself in a room with a gun. Police arrived and confiscated several guns and a bottle of pills from Cobain, who insisted that he was not suicidal and had locked himself in the room to hide from Love. When questioned by police, Love said that Cobain had never mentioned that he was suicidal and that she had not seen him with a gun.

Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. April 5, 1994) was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana.

Cobain formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1985 and established it as part of the Seattle music scene, having its debut album Bleach released on the independent record label Sub Pop in 1989. After signing with major label DGC Records, the band found breakthrough success with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from its second album Nevermind (1991). Following the success of Nevermind, Nirvana was labeled "the flagship band" of Generation X, and Cobain hailed as "the spokesman of a generation". 

Cobain however was often uncomfortable and frustrated, believing his message and artistic vision to have been misinterpreted by the public, with his personal issues often subject to media attention. He challenged Nirvana's audience with its final studio album In Utero (1993).

During the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with heroin addiction, illness and depression, his fame and public image, as well as the professional and lifelong personal pressures surrounding himself and his wife, musician Courtney Love. On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle, the victim of what was officially ruled a suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. The circumstances of his death have become a topic of public fascination and debate. Since their debut, Nirvana, with Cobain as a songwriter, sold over 25 million albums in the US alone, and over 50 million worldwide.

Arraignment today in Dunwoody killing

Hemy Neuman, accused of gunning down Rusty Sneiderman outside a Dunwoody day care facility last fall, will be arraigned at the 9 a.m. Monday in DeKalb County Superior Court.

Neuman, 48, was arrested Jan. 4 in the killing of the 36-year-old Sneiderman. The attorney for Neuman's wife has said Neuman was having an affair with the victim's wife, Andrea Sneiderman. However, Neuman's attorneys have not commented on that, and police have not implicated Andrea Sneiderman in her husband's slaying.

Neuman was Andrea Sneiderman's supervisor at General Electric Energy.

Rusty Sneiderman was shot dead after he dropped off his two-year-old son at the daycare facility on Nov. 18.

Happy 119th anniversary to the ice cream sundae! Yes, 119 years ago, in Ithaca, NY, 2 men invented the first ice cream sundae. To celebrate the day and bring awareness to this event, Google has a special ice cream sundae logo.

The 2 men, John M. Scott and Chester Platt, first called the dish the “Cherry Sunday” and tried to trademark the term “Sunday.” That never happened and later on it became known as the “Sundae.”

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy a refreshing and delicious ice cream sundae today!

If not, you can at least enjoy the Google logo.