Behind the Headlines – World Book Student
  • Search

  • Archived Stories

    • Ancient People
    • Animals
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Industry
    • Civil rights
    • Conservation
    • Crime
    • Current Events
    • Current Events Game
    • Disasters
    • Economics
    • Education
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Food
    • Government & Politics
    • Health
    • History
    • Holidays/Celebrations
    • Law
    • Lesson Plans
    • Literature
    • Medicine
    • Military
    • Military Conflict
    • Natural Disasters
    • People
    • Plants
    • Prehistoric Animals & Plants
    • Race Relations
    • Recreation & Sports
    • Religion
    • Science
    • Space
    • Technology
    • Terrorism
    • Weather
    • Women
    • Working Conditions
  • Archives by Date

Posts Tagged ‘depression’

Comedian Robin Williams Found Dead

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

August 12, 2014

The unexpected death on August 11 of comedian-actor Robin Williams left millions of people with an almost personal sense of loss. For more than three decades, Williams had dazzled audiences with his quick wit and high-energy “what will he say next” improvisational style and eccentric but endearing personality. The shock of Williams’s death was intensified by the news that he probably committed suicide after suffering for years from depression as well as alcoholism and cocaine addiction.

Williams was born in Chicago on July 21, 1951. He began his show business career as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco and Los Angeles nightclubs and became a national favorite on television starting in the late 1970’s. Williams’s big break came in 1978 when he made a guest appearance on the hit television series “Happy Days” as a space alien named Mork. The success of the character led to a starring role in the popular TV comedy series “Mork and Mindy” (1978-1982).

Actor and comedian Robin Williams was known for his skill at improvising and his frantic comic style. (AP/Wide World)

Williams became a major motion-picture star in the 1980’s. In his first major role, Williams played the famous cartoon character in Popeye (1980). He won international respect as an actor in such movies as The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), the animated feature Aladdin (1992)—as a high-spirited genie—and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). He won the Academy Award for best supporting actor his performance as a psychotherapist in the drama Good Will Hunting (1997).

Williams was active in charity work. Starting in the 1980’s, he joined with comedians Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg to offer “Comic Relief” fundraising events to benefit the homeless.

Tags: comedy, depression, robin williams
Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Current Events, People | Comments Off

Saints Punished for Bounty System That Injured Players

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

March 22, 2012

National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell announced severe disciplinary actions against the management and coaching staff of the New Orleans Saints for running a program that rewarded members with cash bonuses for injuring opposing players. From 2009 through the 2011 football season, New Orleans coaches operated a “bounty system” that targeted specific players for injury. The cash bounty was increased if a key player on the opposing team was injured and had to leave a game. The NFL investigation found that bounties up to $10,000 were placed on opposing teams’ quarterbacks in key games during that time. Targeted quarterbacks included Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers), Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers), Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals), and Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings).

New Orleans head coach Sean Payton was suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season. Saints defensive coordinator Greg Williams, who was found primarily responsible for operating the bounty program, was suspended indefinitely. Williams joined the St. Louis Rams in 2012. The Saints’ general manager also received an eight-game suspension, and the team will have to pay a substantial fine. Commissioner Goodell stated that their actions were a severe violation of league rules and constituted conduct detrimental to the league and players.

 

Members of the Saints team were paid a bounty if they injured such players as quarterback Brett Favre (holding ball) during a game. (Courtesy of Icon Sports Media Inc.)

The unprecedented penalties were announced at a time when the NFL is facing increasing criticism over its commitment to player health and safety. In December 2011, 21 former NFL players claimed in a lawsuit that they had suffered severe and permanent brain damage from concussions received in games. The players claim the NFL misrepresented the long-term health consequences of head injuries to players. They also claim the NFL promoted a more violent style of play to attract fans. In recent years, nearly two dozen former NFL players have been diagnosed after death with a progressive brain disorder known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Many had struggled with depression, memory loss, mental confusion, and other symptoms. Many medical experts believe that the CTE in these players resulted from brain trauma received during their NFL careers.

Additional World Book articles:

  • Dementia
  • Mental illness

Tags: aaron rodgers, bounty, brain, brett favre, cam newton, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, concussion, conference, confusion, depression, football, kurt warner, memory loss, national football league, new orleans saints, nfl, penalties, st. louis rams, suicide, super bowl
Posted in Current Events, Health, Medicine, Recreation & Sports | Comments Off

  • Most Popular Tags

    african americans ancient greece archaeology art australia barack obama baseball bashar al-assad basketball black history month china climate change conservation earthquake european union football france global warming iraq isis japan language monday literature major league baseball mars mexico monster monday mythic monday mythology nasa new york city nobel prize presidential election russia space space exploration syria syrian civil war Terrorism ukraine united kingdom united states vladimir putin women's history month world war ii