10 killed as bus, truck carrying students collide

Massive flames are seen devouring both vehicles just after the crash, and clouds of smoke billowed into the sky Thursday April 10, 2014 until firefighters had quenched the fire, leaving behind scorched black hulks of metal. The FedEx tractor-trailer crossed a grassy freeway median in Northern California and slammed into the bus carrying high school students on a visit to a college. At least nine were killed in the fiery crash, authorities said. (AP Photo/Jeremy Lockett)

By FENIT NIRAPPIL and CHANNING JOSEPH ORLAND, Calif. (AP) -- A FedEx tractor-trailer crossed over a grassy median on a Northern California freeway and slammed into a bus carrying more than 40 high school students in an explosive crash that left 10 people dead, authorities said.
Among the students on the trip to visit Humboldt State University was Steven Clavijo, 18, a senior at West Ranch High in Santa Clarita, who planned to enroll in the school. Just as Clavijo was trying to catch a nap Thursday afternoon, he said he felt the big vehicle begin to shake from left to right and then he heard a loud boom.
"We knew we were in major trouble," he said.
Both the bus and semi driver were among those killed in the fiery crash, authorities said.
Many of those on the bus escaped through a window that someone had kicked open, Clavijo said, running for their lives to the other side of Interstate 5 before hearing an explosion and seeing the bus burst into flame.
Two more explosions soon followed, he said, and he and other survivors looked on knowing others were still trapped in an inferno.
Massive flames could be seen devouring both vehicles just after the crash, and clouds of smoke billowed into the sky until firefighters doused the fire, leaving behind scorched black hulks of metal. Bodies were draped in blankets inside the burned-out bus.
In addition to the drivers, three adult chaperones and five teenage students were killed in the crash, according to the California Highway Patrol. Their identities were not immediately released. The bus carried between 44 and 48 students, four chaperones and the driver, the patrol said.
Eric M. Weiss, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said a multi-disciplinary team of highway crash experts left on a flight Friday morning for the crash scene.
The crash happened a little after 5:30 p.m. on the interstate near Orland, a small city about 100 miles north of Sacramento.
The bus was one of two that the admissions office at Humboldt State University had chartered to bring prospective students from Southern California to tour the Arcata campus, Humboldt's Vice President of Administrative Affairs Joyce Lopes said.
The bus was owned by Silverado Stages, a tour bus company based in San Luis Obisbo. The company said in a statement on its website Thursday night that it was assisting authorities in gathering information.
"Our top priority is making sure that the injured are being cared for," the company said.
Humboldt State President Rollin Richmond issued a statement on the school's website. "Our hearts go out to those who have been affected, and we are here to support them, and their families, in any way possible," Richmond said.
The students came from a number of Southern California high schools and Humboldt spokesman Simon Chabel said the college was working to confirm where in Southern California all the were from.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy said late Thursday night that an unknown number of students from Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools were on the trip and possibly students from Manual Arts Senior High School, Banning High School and Augustus F. Hawkins High School. He did not know whether they were on the bus involved in the crash. District officials were headed up to the crash site Friday, said spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry.
A high school senior from Alliance Renee & Meyer Luskin Academy High School in Los Angeles said she and a few of her classmates who were accepted to the university were invited to go on the tour.
Sabrina Garcia said the tour began Thursday, with buses taking students in Southern California on the ride to the campus for a three-day stay there. She said she decided to postpone the tour because she had a school project to complete.
"I was devastated when I heard about the crash, and relieved that I didn't attend," Garcia said. "I can't imagine how those kids feel. You think you're going somewhere safe with your school - and you end up in an accident."
A CHP dispatcher says the bus and truck were on opposite sides of the freeway when the truck crossed the median and slammed into the bus, causing an explosion and fire.
Investigators say the truck driver might have been trying to avoid a passenger car that was also involved in the crash, which shut down north- and south-bound traffic on the freeway.
"There was a small white sedan in front of the truck," Heitman said. "The FedEx vehicle did sideswipe the sedan before it crossed the median."
No one in the car was injured.
A first responder who helped set up a triage at the scene said 36 or 37 people received injuries ranging from minor to severe burns, broken legs and noses, and head lacerations.
"The victims were teenage kids. A lot of them were freaked out. They were shocked. They still couldn't grasp what happened," said Jason Wyman of the Orland Volunteer Fire Department.
Eleven people were taken to Enloe Medical Center in Chico, hospital officials said. Two of those patients were listed in critical condition Friday morning.
Five people were taken to Mercy Medical Center in Redding in fair condition. Two patients were taken to University of California, Davis, Medical Center in critical condition. One patient died at 10:30 p.m. Thursday bringing the death toll from nine to 10.
A nursing supervisor said three people were taken to Oroville Hospital in Oroville. She declined to describe their conditions, citing patient privacy laws.
Bonnie Kourvelas, a FedEx spokeswoman, said in a statement Thursday night: "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the tragic accident on I-5 in California. We are cooperating fully with authorities as they investigate."
The American Red Cross set up a relief station at a Veterans Memorial Hall community center in Orland, about 5 miles from the crash site. Officer Joel Lynch said seven victims who were not hospitalized with injuries were staying the night with about 25 volunteers. A community member ordered pizza for the students.

Billy Joel surprises elementary school tribute concert

Long Island legend Billy Joel proves he's still a class act after making a surprise appearance at a local elementary school.

WNYW reports, "The Piano Man showed up to one elementary school spring concert. There he is in the lower left hand corner. The concert they were giving was called the River of Dreams: a Billy Joel Tribute."


The Glen Cove School District "spotted" Joel in the crowd in this photo provided to Newsday. He sat with awestruck parents and listened to students from Deasy Elementary School perform 15 of his hit songs.

Weeks before, the principal and parents made an effort to reach out to Joel via Facebook and wrote letters asking him to attend. No one guessed he would show up -- and right before showtime too. NBC has the details.

"There he is. Apparently the school is ten minutes from his home. He arrived on his motorcycle about five minutes before 9:30. The principal said the singer asked to sit in the back so he wouldn't make the kids nervous. That's so cute."

The kids might not have been nervous, but concert director and music teacher Rosita Mallo admitted to Newsday,

"I found out two minutes before the concert started that he was here and it totally freaked me out. My nerves went sky-high ... this was a very welcomed surprise. It gave the kids extra energy to perform."

Sources say after the kindergarten and first graders performed, fans rushed Joel for photos and autographs, so he decided to exit early.

There's no doubt the kids had the experience of a lifetime, and CBS This Morning says that the experience is also a lesson.

"He applauded them at the end and they were all thrilled to see him. A great example of how 'If you don't ask, you don't get.'"

That's true. In March of last year, a video of Long Island student Michael Pollack playing piano for Billy Joel went viral. WCBS says Pollack, who was in the crowd, simply asked Joel if he could play with him and the singer didn't hesitate to say "OK."

We're sure this won't be the last of Billy Joel's surprises.

Worlds FAVORITE is 7

Kids are often asked, "what's your favorite color?" and "what's your favorite number?" But one math blogger got asked the latter question so many times, he decided to turn the tables and find out if the world actually does have a favorite number.

Alex Bellos, author of math books like "Grapes of Math," asked people to provide their favorite number and within a few weeks he had more than 30,000 responses. Half of the submissions were between the numbers one and ten.

He published his findings on The Guardian, announcing that the number seven is the world's favorite number. It may just be random, but Bellos feels that if you look at history it may be something deeper than chance. Apparently, the seven "obsession" began in ancient times, and shows up in history more than any other number.

In case you're wondering, Bellos found the world's least favorite number is 110.

Bellos's new book "Alex Through The Looking Glass" investigates our psychological responses to numbers. The book is on sale now.

Ultimate Warrior Dead: James Hellwig, Pro Wrestler, Dies At 54

James Hellwig, a former professional wrestling superstar better known as the Ultimate Warrior, has died. He was 54.
The news comes just days after Hellwig was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
WWE confirmed the news on its website:

WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE Superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior. Warrior began his WWE career in 1987 and quickly went on to become one of the biggest stars in WWE history. Warrior became WWE Champion at WrestleMania VI, defeating Hulk Hogan in an epic encounter. We are grateful that just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame and was also able to appear at WrestleMania 30 and Monday Night Raw to address his legions of fans. WWE sends its sincere condolences to Warrior’s family, friends and fans. Warrior was 54 and is survived by his wife Dana and his two daughters.

In addition, WWE chief Vince McMahon shared the news on Twitter:
There is no word on cause of death.
The Ultimate Warrior was a brash and colorful character known for face paint, arm tassels and big entrances where he would race to the ring and then run around inside it, shaking and pulling on the ropes as if he was trying to rip them off the posts.
Although billed as hailing from "parts unknown," Hellwig was raised in Indiana.
He defeated Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI in 1990 with one of his signature moves, "the big splash," to become champion of what was then known as the WWF (World Wrestling Federation).
He was also known for the gorilla press, and at one point managed to pick up and slam the 7'4" 520-pound Andre the Giant.
However, Warrior and the organization had a falling out, with lawsuits filed over the name and character. In 1993, he legally changed his name to Warrior to help with his effort.
The two eventually settled, but didn't reconcile until recently, culminating in his Hall of Fame induction last week.
“If you really want the biggest bang for your buck, do something self-destructive, get exiled and still come back to headline the Hall of Fame," Hellwig told the Orlando Sentinel last week.
On Monday night, he appeared on WWE's "Raw," donning a mask that mimicked his old face paint.
"Every man's heart one day beats its final beat, his lungs breathe their final breath," he said at the event. "And if what that man did his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them believe deeper and something than larger than life then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever."
Fellow wrestlers paid tribute to the Ultimate Warrior on Twitter:

Taylor Swift Dances To 'Wagon Wheel' At ACM Awards

Taylor Swift sure knows how to "rock like a wagon wheel." (Whatever that means?)
The 24-year-old, who is almost as famous for her award show dance moves as she is for her catchy tunes, brought her boogying skills to the ACM Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 6, as she danced along to Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum's performance of "Wagon Wheel."

Swift shook her groove thing in a crop top as she took in all the onstage action with her guest, brother Austin.
Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Tay's awkward yet epic dance moves.
Here she is at the 2014 Grammys:

And at the 2013 VMAs with Selena Gomez:

And at the ACM Awards in 2013:

And at the 2013 Grammys:

Here's to many more sweet moves.

Mickey Rooney Dead: Legendary Actor Dies at 93

Anthony McCartney, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mickey Rooney, the pint-size, precocious actor and all-around talent whose more than 80-year career spanned silent comedies, Shakespeare, Judy Garland musicals, Andy Hardy stardom, television and the Broadway theater, died Sunday at age 93.

Los Angeles Police Commander Andrew Smith said that Rooney was with his family when he died at his North Hollywood home.

Smith said police took a death report but indicated that there was nothing suspicious and he had no additional details on the circumstances of his passing. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office said it was not their case because Rooney died a natural death.

There were no further immediate details on the cause of death, but Rooney did attend an Oscar party last month.

Rooney started his career in his parents' vaudeville act while still a toddler, and broke into movies before age 10. He was still racking up film and TV

credits more than 80 years later - a tenure likely unmatched in the history of show business.

"I always say, 'Don't retire - inspire,'" he told The Associated Press in March 2008. "There's a lot to be done."

Among his roles in recent years was a part as a guard in the smash 2006 comedy "A Night at the Museum."

Rooney won two special Academy Awards for his film achievements, and reigned from 1939 to 1942 as the No. 1 moneymaking star in movies, his run only broken when he joined the Army. At his peak, he was the incarnation of the show biz lifer, a shameless ham and hoofer whom one could imagine singing, dancing and wisecracking in his crib, his blond hair, big grin and constant motion a draw for millions. He later won an Emmy and was nominated for a Tony.

"Mickey Rooney, to me, is the closest thing to a genius I ever worked with," Clarence Brown, who directed his Oscar-nominated performance in "The Human Comedy," once said.

Rooney's personal life matched his film roles for color. His first wife was the glamorous - and taller - Ava Gardner, and he married seven more times, fathering seven sons and four daughters.

Through divorces, money problems and career droughts, he kept returning with customary vigor.

"I've been coming back like a rubber ball for years," he commented in 1979, the year he returned with a character role in "The Black Stallion," drawing an Oscar nomination as supporting actor, one of four nominations he earned over the years.

That same year he starred with Ann Miller in a revue called "Sugar Babies," a hokey mixture of vaudeville and burlesque. It opened in New York in October 1979, and immediately became Broadway's hottest ticket. Rooney received a Tony nomination (as did Miller) and earned millions during his years with the show.

"I loved working with Mickey on 'Sugar Babies.' He was very professional, his stories were priceless and I love them all ... each and every one. We laughed all the time," Carol Channing said.

To the end, he was a non-stop talker continually proposing enterprises, some accomplished, some just talk: a chain of barbecue stands; training schools for talented youngsters; a Broadway show he wrote about himself and Judy Garland; screenplays, novels, plays.

Rooney was among the last survivors of Hollywood's studio era, which his career predated. Rooney signed a contract with MGM in 1934 and landed his first big role as Clark Gable as a boy in "Manhattan Melodrama." A loanout to Warner Bros. brought him praise as an exuberant Puck in Max Reinhardt's 1935 production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," which also featured James Cagney and a young Olivia de Havilland.

Rooney was soon earning $300 a week with featured roles in such films as "Riff Raff," ''Little Lord Fauntleroy," ''Captains Courageous," ''The Devil Is a Sissy," and most notably, as a brat humbled by Spencer Tracy's Father Flanagan in "Boys Town."

The big break came with the wildly popular Andy Hardy series, beginning with "A Family Affair."

"I knew 'A Family Affair' was a B picture, but that didn't stop me from putting my all in it," Rooney wrote. "A funny thing happened to this little programmer: released in April 1937, it ended up grossing more than half a million dollars nationwide."

The critics grimaced at the depiction of a kindly small-town judge (Lionel Barrymore) with his character-building homilies to his obstreperous son. But MGM saw the film as a good template for a series and studio head Louis B. Mayer saw the series as a template for a model American home. With Barrymore replaced by Lewis Stone in subsequent films and Rooney's part built up, Andy Hardy became a national hero and the 15 Hardy movies became a gold mine.

Rooney's peppy, all-American charm was never better matched than when he appeared opposite his friend and fellow child star Garland in such films as "Babes on Broadway" and "Strike up the Band," musicals built around a plot of "Let's put on a show!" One of them, the 1939 "Babes in Arms," brought him his first Oscar nomination. He was also in such dramas as "The Human Comedy," 1943, which gained Rooney his second Oscar nomination as best actor, and "National Velvet," 1944, with Elizabeth Taylor.

But Rooney became a cautionary tale for early fame. He earned a reputation for drunken escapades and quickie romances and was unlucky in both money and love. In 1942 he married for the first time, to Gardner, the statuesque MGM beauty. He was 21, she was 19.

"I'm 5 feet 3, but I was 6 feet 4 when I married Ava," he said in later years. The marriage ended in a year, and Rooney joined the Army in 1943, spending most of his World War II service entertaining troops.

Rooney returned to Hollywood and disillusionment. His savings had been stolen by a manager and his career was in a nose dive. He made two films at MGM, then his contract was dropped.

"I began to realize how few friends everyone has," he wrote in his second autobiography. "All those Hollywood friends I had in 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941, when I was the toast of the world, weren't friends at all."

His movie career never regained its prewar eminence. "The Bold and the Brave," 1956 World War II drama, brought him an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor. But mostly, he played second leads in such films as "Off Limits" with Bob Hope, "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" with William Holden, and "Requiem for a Heavyweight" with Anthony Quinn. In the early 1960s, he had a wild turn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" as Audrey Hepburn's bucktoothed Japanese neighbor and was among the fortune seekers in the all-star comedy "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World."

Rooney's starring roles came in low-budget films such as "Drive a Crooked Road," ''The Atomic Kid," ''Platinum High School," ''The Twinkle in God's Eye" and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini."

But his later career proved his resilience: The Oscar nomination for "Black Stallion." The "Sugar Babies" hit that captivated New York, London, Las Vegas and major U.S. cities. Voicing animated features like "The Fox and the Hound," ''The Care Bears Movie" and "Little Nemo." An Emmy for his portrayal of a disturbed man in the 1981 TV movie "Bill." Teaming with his eighth wife, Jan, off-Broadway in 2004 for a musical look back at his career called, fittingly, "Let's Put On a Show."

"He was undoubtedly the most talented actor that ever lived. There was nothing he couldn't do. Singing, dancing, performing ... all with great expertise," actress Margaret O'Brien said. "I was currently doing a film with him, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde" - I simply can't believe it. He seemed fine through the filming and was as great as ever."

Over the years, Rooney also made hundreds of appearances on TV talk and game shows, dramas and variety programs. He starred in three series: "The Mickey Rooney Show" (1954), "Mickey" (1964) and "One of the Boys" (1982). All lasted one season and a co-star from "One of the Boys," Dana Carvey, later parodied Rooney on "Saturday Night Live," mocking him as a hopeless egomaniac who couldn't stop boasting he once was "the number one star ... IN THE WOOORLD!"

In 1983, the Motion Picture Academy presented Rooney with an honorary Oscar for his "60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances." That matched the 1938 special award he shared with Deanna Durbin for "bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth."

A lifelong storyteller, Rooney wrote two memoirs: "i.e., an Autobiography" published in 1965; "Life Is Too Short," 1991. He also produced a novel about a child movie star, "The Search for Sonny Skies," in 1994.

In the autobiographies, Rooney gave two versions of his debut in show business. First he told of being 1½ and climbing into the orchestra pit of the burlesque theater where his parents were appearing. He sat on a kettle drum and pretended to be playing his whistle, vastly amusing the audience. The theater owner kept him in the show.

The second autobiography told a different story: He was hiding under the scenery when he sneezed. Dragged out by an actor, the toddler was ordered to play his harmonica. He did, and the crowd loved it.

Whatever the introduction, Joe Yule Jr., born in 1920, was the star of his parents' act by the age of 2, singing "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" in a tiny tuxedo. His father was a baggy-pants comic, Joe Yule, his mother a dancer, Nell Carter. Yule was a boozing Scotsman with a wandering eye, and the couple soon parted.

While his mother danced in the chorus, young Joe was wowing audiences with his heartfelt rendition of "Pal o' My Cradle Days." During a tour to California, the boy made his film debut as a midget in a 1926 Fox short, "Not to Be Trusted."

Young Joe Yule played another midget in a Warner Bros. feature, "Orchids and Ermine," starring Colleen Moore. Then he tried out for the lead in a series of Mickey McGuire comedies, meant to rival Hal Roach's "Our Gang."

"I was ready to be Mickey McGuire," Rooney wrote in his memoirs, "except for one thing: his hair was black, mine was blonde."

His mother dyed his hair black the night before the audition, and her son won the role. He also acquired a new name: Mickey McGuire. He starred in 21 of the silent comedies, 42 with sound.

The boy was also playing kid parts in features, and his name seemed inappropriate. His mother suggested Rooney, after the vaudeville dancer, Pat Rooney.

After splitting with Gardner, Rooney married Betty Jane Rase, Miss Birmingham of 1944, whom he had met during military training in Alabama. They had two sons and divorced after four years. (Their son Timothy died in September 2006 at age 59 after a battle with a muscle disease called dermatomyositis.)

His third and fourth marriages were to actress Martha Vickers (one son) and model Elaine Mahnken.

The fifth Mrs. Rooney, model Barbara Thomason, gave birth to four children. While the couple were estranged in 1966, she was found shot to death in her Brentwood home; beside her was the body of her alleged lover, a Yugoslavian actor. It was an apparent murder and suicide.

A year later, Rooney began a three-month marriage to Margaret Lane. She was followed by a secretary, Caroline Hockett - another divorce after five years and one daughter.

In 1978, Rooney, 57, married for the eighth - and apparently last - time. His bride was singer Janice Darlene Chamberlain, 39. Their marriage lasted longer than the first seven combined.

After a lifetime of carrying on, he became a devoted Christian and member of the Church of Religious Science. He settled in suburban Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles.

In 2011, Rooney was in the news again when he testified before Congress about abuse of the elderly, alleging that he was left powerless by a family member who took and misused his money.

"I felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated," Rooney told a special Senate committee considering legislation to curb abuses of senior citizens. "But above all, when a man feels helpless, it's terrible."

That year Rooney sued his stepson Christopher Aber and others on allegations that they tricked him into thinking he was on the brink of poverty while defrauding him out of millions and bullying him into continuing to work. Aber declined comment on the suit except to say, "this lawsuit is not from Mickey Rooney - it's from his conservators who are stealing from him." Both Rooney and his conservator were named as plaintiffs.
___

Biographical material in this story was written by late AP reporter Bob Thomas. National Writer Hillel Italie in New York contributed to this report.

Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Barbecue Chicken Bread

This Barbecue Chicken Bread makes for a fun and flavorful dinner or lunch. It's easier than a barbecue chicken pizza, but has all the same fun flavors!

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 loaf sweet Italian or French bread
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Spread 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce over each piece of the bread.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat together the chicken and remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce until warmed through and the chicken is thoroughly coated in sauce.
Spread the barbecue chicken evenly over the bread. Top with the bacon, onion, and cheddar cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
Cut each slice of bread into fourths. Serve hot, with extra barbecue sauce if desired.

Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/05/13/barbecue-chicken-bread/#MOL54dFJ5rRWgrkt.99

Barbecue Chicken Bread

This Barbecue Chicken Bread makes for a fun and flavorful dinner or lunch. It's easier than a barbecue chicken pizza, but has all the same fun flavors!

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 loaf sweet Italian or French bread
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Spread 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce over each piece of the bread.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat together the chicken and remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce until warmed through and the chicken is thoroughly coated in sauce.
Spread the barbecue chicken evenly over the bread. Top with the bacon, onion, and cheddar cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
Cut each slice of bread into fourths. Serve hot, with extra barbecue sauce if desired.

Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/05/13/barbecue-chicken-bread/#MOL54dFJ5rRWgrkt.99

Barbecue Chicken Bread

This Barbecue Chicken Bread makes for a fun and flavorful dinner or lunch. It's easier than a barbecue chicken pizza, but has all the same fun flavors!

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 loaf sweet Italian or French bread
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Spread 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce over each piece of the bread.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat together the chicken and remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce until warmed through and the chicken is thoroughly coated in sauce.
Spread the barbecue chicken evenly over the bread. Top with the bacon, onion, and cheddar cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
Cut each slice of bread into fourths. Serve hot, with extra barbecue sauce if desired.

Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/05/13/barbecue-chicken-bread/#MOL54dFJ5rRWgrkt.99

Samuel L. Jackson Facts: 19 Things You (Probably) Don't Know About the 'Captain America' Star

Samuel L. Jackson has been hard to miss since Quentin Tarantino's 1994 "Pulp Fiction" catapulted the actor to stardom as the Bible-preaching hitman Jules Winnfield.

In case you've been living under a rock, Jackson has starred in dozens upon dozens of films since the action-packed cult-classic, including the "Star Wars" prequels and, more recently, in the Marvel superhero movies, like "Iron Man" and "The Avengers." This Friday, the actor reprises his role as the iconic Nick Fury in the latest Marvel blockbuster, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," opposite Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson.

From his early days battling

drug addiction to his weird connection with Bill Cosby, here are 19 things you probably don't know about Samuel L. Jackson.

1. Born in Washington D.C., the actor grew up an only child in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. Jackson only met his father, who died from alcoholism, twice during his life.

2. At 19, Jackson attended Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral in Atlanta as an usher.

3. He made his feature film debut in "Together for Days" (1972), an independent blaxploitation movie.

4. In 1969, Jackson was suspended for two years from Morehouse College and convicted of a second-degree felony when he and several other students held members of the college board of trustees hostage in exchange for school reform. In 1972, the actor earned his Bachelor's Degree from the college.

5. Early in his career, Jackson struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction to the extent that he was replaced in two plays when the productions transitioned to the Broadway stage.

6. Days after completing rehab for cocaine, the actor starred in Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever" (1991) as a crack-cocaine addict. Jackson acknowledged the role was cathartic for him as he recovered from his addiction and, subsequently, won the Supporting Actor award at Cannes -- an award created just for him.

7. Jackson began using the curse word "motherf*****" in his daily speech in order to overcome a stuttering problem during childhood.

8. For three years, Jackson worked as a camera stand-in for Bill Cosby on "The Cosby Show."

9. The actor's movies have made more money than any other actor's in Hollywood actor -- exceeding $7 billion worldwide. The residuals alone earn him about $300,000 a year!

10. It wasn't until Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" (1994) -- when he was 46 years old -- that Jackson broke out as a star. The actor was nominated for his iconic role as Jules Winnfield in what was his 30th film role. Altogether, Jackson has appeared in more than 100 movies.

11. He is a vegetarian. No Big Kahuna Burger for him!

12. Before discovering his love of acting, Jackson studied to become a marine biologist as well as an architect in college.

13. From 1993 to 2000, he appeared in four films with Bruce Willis: "Loaded Weapon 1," "Pulp Fiction," "Die Hard: With a Vengeance," and "Unbreakable."

14. Jackson is such an avid golfer that he includes a clause his contracts that permits him easy access to golf courses no matter the film shoot's location.

15. He's been eaten on screen by a dinosaur and a shark in "Jurassic Park" and "Deep Blue Sea," respectively.

16. Mace Windu (played by Jackson) is the only character in the "Star Wars" films to have a purple lightsaber. According to the actor, George Lucas explained that lightsabers don't come in purple, but Jackson insisted he have one. Because he's Sam Jackson.

17. Quentin Tarantino wrote the popular role of Jules Winnfield in "Pulp Fiction" specifically for Jackson.

18. He played the french horn and trumpet in the school symphony orchestra from elementary school through high school.

19. The actor is a huge fan of graphic novels, having read "Locke & Key" and "Scalped," just to name a few.

[Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia, Digital Spy]