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Miss (pronounced /ˈmɪs/) is an English language honorific traditionally used only for an unmarried woman (not entitled to another title such as "Doctor" or "Dame"). Originating in the 17th century, it is a contraction of mistress, which was used for all women. A period is not used to signify the contraction. Its counterparts are Mrs., usually used only for married women, and Ms., which may be used regardless of marital status.

The plural Misses may be used, such as in The Misses Doe. The traditional French "Mesdemoiselles" (abbreviation "Mlles") may also be used as the plural in English language conversation or correspondence.

Use as a title (honorific)[link]

The usage of "Miss" as a title in the United States is most frequently seen when referring to girls under eighteen.^[1] Though Miss is less commonly used as a title by unmarried adult women in the United States than in the past, some still prefer to be referred to as such. Twenty-first century etiquette honors an adult woman's personal preference of title. However, if the preference is not known, "Ms." is used. "Ms." is becoming the preferred choice as this female title in business. It is the equivalent to the male title "Mr." as neither is marital status specific.

Miss was formerly the default title for businesswomen, but has largely been replaced by Ms. in this context. It was, and to some extent remains, a default title for actresses (Miss Helen Hayes, Miss Barbara Stanwyck) or other celebrities (Miss Amelia Earhart). Such default usage has also proved problematic; the poet Dorothy Parker was often referred to as Miss Parker, even though Parker was the name of her first husband and she herself preferred Mrs. Parker. Later in the century, the use of "Miss" or "Mrs." became a problem for The New York Times in referring to political candidate Geraldine Ferraro, a married woman who did not use her husband's surname, since Mrs. has been used with a woman's maiden name only in limited circumstances in public life before the 1980s. (See more at Mrs.)

Use alone as a form of address[link]

"Miss" is the proper form for addressing all young ladies. It is sometimes used for younger adult woman, for example, "May I help you, Miss?" In the United States, "Ma'am" is more common for all adult women regardless of marital status, as it may be taken as patronizing, and it is presumptive to assume marital status based solely on apparent age. "Miss" alone is often used by schoolchildren to address female teachers regardless of marital status.

Other uses[link]

In some American subcultures, such as the American South and some urban cultures, Miss is sometimes used irrespective of marital status with a woman's first name in direct or indirect informal address, as Miss Ellen from Gone with the Wind or Miss Ellie from Dallas. This form was also used in upper class households in some English-speaking countries by servants to address or refer to the unmarried ladies of the household, and occasionally in family-run businesses in the same manner, though more commonly it was used to address servants if they were addressed by title at all. This is also common with female child-care givers, small children will refer to their preschool teacher or nanny as "Miss" and their first name, regardless of marital status.

In some styles of etiquette^[which?], the eldest daughter of a family was addressed on paper simply as Miss Doe, with the younger daughters being addressed as Miss Jane Doe and Miss Rebecca Doe. In person, as in when making introductions, the styling would have been extended to unmarried cousins with the same surname.

Another notable use of Miss is as the title of a beauty queen (given that in most pageants it is a requirement that contestants be unmarried), such as Miss America, Miss World, and Miss Universe. Other languages, such as French, Spanish, Bulgarian, and Portuguese, have borrowed the English Miss to refer to the winner of a beauty pageant.

In some Mexican schools (particularly, but not exclusively, in bi-lingual schools) the term Miss and female teacher are used interchangeably, students often address their female teachers simply as Miss.

References[link]

Mac Miller
Mac Miller performing at the Governor's Ball in 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Malcolm McCormick
Also known as	Easy Mac
Born	(1992-01-19) January 19, 1992 (age 20) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper, producer, actor, songwriter
Years active	2007 – present
Labels	Rostrum Records, Most Dope Entertainment
Associated acts	Wiz Khalifa, Beedie, The Ill Spoken, I.D. Labs, Big Jerm
Website	www.macmillerofficial.com

Malcolm McCormick (born January 19, 1992),^[1] known by his stage name Mac Miller (previously Easy Mac), is an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is signed to Rostrum Records and released his debut album Blue Slide Park on November 8, 2011.^[2]

Early life[link]

Malcolm McCormick was born on January 19, 1992, the son of an architect and a photographer, and raised in the Point Breeze part of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^[1][3] His father is Christian and his mother is Jewish; Miller was raised Jewish and had a Bar Mitzvah.^[4][5][6] Before attending Taylor Allderdice High School, Miller attended Winchester Thurston School.^[7] In high school, Miller decided to focus on his hip-hop career, later noting, "Once I hit 15, I got real serious about it and it changed my life completely ... I used to be into sports, play all the sports, go to all the high school parties. But once I found out hip-hop is almost like a job, that's all I did."^[1] Miller, a self-taught musician, plays piano, guitar, drums, and bass.^[1][8]

Career[link]

Before embarking on a solo career, Miller was part of rap group The Ill Spoken together with fellow Pittsburgh rapper, Beedie. The Ill Spoken released the mixtape How High in 2008. Prior to changing his name to Mac Miller, he was known as EZ Mac and released the mixtape But My Mackin Ain't Easy in 2007 at 15 years old. In 2009 Mac Miller released two mixtapes The Jukebox: Prelude to Class Clown and The High Life before getting signed to Rostrum Records.

In early 2010, Miller signed with Rostrum Records.^[9] Rostrum president Benjy Grinberg met Miller while recording with Wiz Khalifa at ID Labs.^[10] Although Grinberg started giving Miller advice, he didn't show any interest in getting involved with his career until the artist began work on the K.I.D.S. mixtape, when, as he later told HitQuarters, Grinberg "noticed a maturation in his sound and approach to his music."^[10] By that point Miller had started attracting interest from different record companies but chose Rostrum due to its location in his hometown and association with Wiz Khalifia.^[10] K.I.D.S. was released by the label in August 2010.^[1] The mixtape was inspired by the movie Kids. A significant breakthrough came in late 2010 when Miller embarked on his first "Incredibly Dope Tour", selling out at every location on the tour.^[10]

Miller's 5th^[when?] release was a mixtape titled Best Day Ever. The mixtape features his single "Donald Trump" and the hit songs "Wear My Hat", "BDE Bonus" and "All Around The World." The mixtape featured mainstream producers such as Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, and Chuck Inglish. On November 22, 2010 his first single "Knock Knock" premiered its video on YouTube.^[11]

On March 29, 2011, he released an EP called On And On And Beyond. The six-track work was produced by Rostrum Records.

On July 5, 2011, Miller announced the title of his first album Blue Slide Park on his YouTube channel, set for a Fall release.^[12] In September 2011 it was revealed that Miller would release a mixtape titled 92 Til Infinity hosted by DJ Jazzy Jeff prior to the release of Blue Slide Park.^[13] However, the release did not happen, and it was since then left in planning.

Prior to his 2011 national Blue Slide Park tour, Miller traveled Europe on his "Incredibly Dope Tour" visiting cities such as London, Manchester, and Amsterdam.

On October 14, 2011, Mac Miller released a 13 song mixtape called I Love Life, Thank You for reaching 1,000,000 followers on Twitter. It had features from Sir Michael Rocks of The Cool Kids, Talib Kweli, and Bun B.

On November 2011, Blue Slide Park debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 144,000 copies.^[14]

On March 23, 2012, Mac Miller released his seventh mixtape called Macadelic. He released "Loud" as a single off the mixtape as well as filiming a music video. Miller also released a video for "Thoughts From A Balcony".

Awards and honors[link]

In 2009 at age 17, he made it to the final four in Rhyme Calisthenics, the MC competition at Shadow Lounge.^[15] In 2010, he won two awards at the Pittsburgh hip-hop awards.^[16] His video "Live Free" won video of the year and he also won Best Artist Under 21. In September 2011 Maroon 5 announced that Mac Miller will be featured on their remix of their top chart song "Moves Like Jagger".^[17] In 2011 Miller was one of eleven rappers featured in XXL magazine's Freshman Class of 2011.^[18] The video for the first single released from this mixtape, "Donald Trump", has reached over 53 million views on YouTube^[19] and Donald Trump himself, who is referenced on the song, acknowledged the video on the social networking site Twitter when it reached 20 million views stating "Who wouldn't be flattered?". He declared that Miller was the “new Eminem,” and stated “I am very proud of him.”^[20] Endorsements by Donald Trump helped Miller become increasingly more popular. The song also charted on iTunes debuting at #73 and peaking at #40,^[21] before Miller was signed to a major label. In 2011, his first TV appearance took place in the VH1 show Single Ladies; he played a fictionalized version of himself that succeeded in selling one of his mixtapes to one of the main characters. Also in 2011, he was a part of MTV Jams Fab Five artists.^[22]

Musical philosophy[link]

Mac Miller includes Big L, Lauryn Hill, The Beastie Boys, Outkast, and A Tribe Called Quest among his influences.^[8] He also has a close relationship with fellow Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa, saying "Wiz has been a big brother to me with this music thing so far. Our relationship is beyond music. He really is just my homie, whether I will be making music or not."^[23]

As an artist, Mac Miller has performed in a number of different styles. His classic musical style contains lyrics focused on marijuana, women, and "a dream". However, Miller has lately been experimenting with new styles in his music, such as in his 2012 mixtape Macadelic. Most songs have a heavy psychedelic influence, and include lyrics with deeper meaning. Also, older artists and music performers are praised on some of Mac's new works (the beginning of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by the Beatles is used as an interlude for the song "Loud").

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Blue Slide Park (2011)

Extended plays

• On and On and Beyond (2011)

Mixtapes

• But My Mackin' Ain't Easy (2007)
• The Jukebox: Prelude to Class Clown (2009)
• The High Life (2009)
• K.I.D.S. (2010)
• Best Day Ever (2011)
• I Love Life, Thank You (2011)
• Macadelic (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Mac Miller Website

Modest Mouse
Background information
Origin	Issaquah, Washington, United States
Genres	Indie rock, experimental rock, indie folk, lo-fi (early)
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Epic, Up, K, Matador
Associated acts	Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Seasick Steve, Ugly Casanova, The Smiths, The Cribs, The Flaming Lips, The Shins, Built to Spill, Grandaddy, The Helio Sequence, Zeus Jimenez, Big Boi, Mister Heavenly, Satisfact
Website	www.modestmousemusic.com
Members
Isaac Brock Eric Judy Jeremiah Green Joe Plummer Tom Peloso Jim Fairchild
Past members
Robin Peringer John Wickhart Dann Gallucci Benjamin Weikel Johnny Marr

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band based in Portland, Oregon.^[1][2] They were formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, their lineup has centered around Brock, Green and Judy. Guitarist Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths) joined the band in May 2006, along with percussionist Joe Plummer (formerly of the Black Heart Procession) and multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso, to work on the album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Guitarist Jim Fairchild joined the band in February 2009. Their name is derived from a passage from the Virginia Woolf story "The Mark on the Wall" which reads, "I wish I could hit upon a pleasant track of thought, a track indirectly reflecting credit upon myself, for those are the pleasantest thoughts, and very frequent even in the minds of modest, mouse-coloured people, who believe genuinely that they dislike to hear their own praises."^[3]

History[link]

Formation and early years: 1994-1999[link]

In 1994, Isaac Brock, Jeremiah Green, Eric Judy and John Wickhart recorded their first EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?, at Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios. It was released by K Records. A single, "Broke", followed under Sub Pop that was recorded by Steve Wold (now better known as bluesman Seasick Steve) at Moon Studios. During this time, Modest Mouse also recorded what would have been their first album, Sad Sappy Sucker, but constant delays caused the album to be shelved and forgotten. It was not until 2001 that it was officially released. Until making waves in the pop music world in 2004, many of their tours included stops at DIY/punk venues.

After moving to Up Records,^[4] Modest Mouse released two full-length albums and other recordings recorded at Moon Studios, including the 1996 LP This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. This album was produced and recorded by Steve Wold (at the time Wold was assisting in the recordings as well, but was not officially part of the band). The next offering was Interstate 8, also produced by Wold. The 1997 album, The Lonesome Crowded West, (also recorded at Moon Studios, by Scott Swayze) turned out to serve as the band's breakthrough. The Lonesome Crowded West gained the band a cult following, and is now popularly considered to be one of the defining albums of mid-1990s indie rock. Prior to its release, the band had recorded the EP The Fruit That Ate Itself. In 1999, Up Records released a singles and rarities collection entitled Building Nothing Out of Something, which included the entirety of Interstate 8 except for the songs "Edit the Sad Parts" and "Buttons to Push the Buttons".

Critical success: 2000-2002[link]

In 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon & Antarctica, their first album on Epic Records. Due in large part to a broken jaw Brock suffered a few months prior, the album ended up being more instrumental than their previous works. Not knowing if he would be able to sing, Brock focused on making a more instrumental and experimental album.^[5] The band enjoyed some success on alternative radio with the singles "3rd Planet" and "Gravity Rides Everything." The album was critically well-received^[6] including a 9.8 out of 10 score from online music magazine, Pitchfork Media.^[7] It has subsequently gone on to receive further acclaim.^[8] Brock has since released an album with his side project Ugly Casanova on Sub Pop, which was the only side project allowed due to the contract. The band licensed "Gravity Rides Everything" for a commercial for Nissan's Quest minivan, a move that Brock has publicly acknowledged as blatantly commercial but necessary to achieve financial stability. Regarding the commercial, Brock stated, "People who don't play music for a living can criticize my morals while they live off their parents' money or wash dishes for some asshole."^[9]

In 2001, Modest Mouse released the EP Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks, a collection of unused songs from the recording sessions of The Moon and Antarctica. In 2002, they joined Cake, De La Soul, The Flaming Lips, The Hackensaw Boys and Kinky on the Unlimited Sunshine Tour.

Mainstream success and line-up changes: 2003-2009[link]

In March 2003, Green left the band after suffering a nervous breakdown;^[10] the official word was that he was leaving to work with his side project, Vells. The same year, he and bass guitarist Eric Judy appeared on Adam Forkner's first solo album, VVRSSNN. Green was replaced by two new members, drummer Benjamin Weikel (who also drummed for The Helio Sequence, as well as playing keyboard) and guitarist Dann Gallucci (who had been a member of Modest Mouse previously, and appears on Sad Sappy Sucker and The Lonesome Crowded West). On April 6, 2004, Modest Mouse released their fourth album, the platinum-selling Good News for People Who Love Bad News, which had two hits with "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty" (both of which they performed on Saturday Night Live on November 13, 2004^[11]). The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Rock Album that year. Later that year, Green returned to the band, and Weikel returned to drumming exclusively for The Helio Sequence. Gallucci left the band in August.

In May 2006, Dann Gallucci (who had left the band amicably in September 2004) was replaced on guitar by Johnny Marr, former guitarist for The Smiths. Their next album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, was released on March 20, 2007^[12] after being delayed from December 19, 2006. It was the first Modest Mouse album to reach number one on the US Billboard 200 charts, and had the hit single "Dashboard", as well as "Missed the Boat" and "We've Got Everything". Modest Mouse released singles for the songs "Satellite Skin", "Autumn Beds" and "Perpetual Motion Machine" in limited editions (a run of 4,000 each) vinyl 7 inches, featuring artwork by art director and illustrator Joshua Marc Levy, J.Alex Stamos, and Natasha Wheat.

The band began a North American tour in June 2008. The band returned to Florida for the first time since their November 2006 Bang Music Festival show where they were cut off stage early, with three shows in Miami, Orlando and St. Augustine.^[13] While an update on the Modest Mouse blog was subtitled catching up on some words for the next tour, it is in fact the lyrics to Heart Cooks Brain.^[14] Modest Mouse finished their tour supporting We Were Dead after two years of promoting the record.

Jim Fairchild of Grandaddy and All Smiles replaced Marr as guitarist, when Marr left the band after joining The Cribs, beginning with the support of No One's First and You're Next, which was released on August 4, 2009,^[15] composed of unreleased tracks from the recording sessions of Good News for People Who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.^[16]

Recent years: 2010-present[link]

In 2010 The Moon & Antarctica was re-released on vinyl for the first time in ten years as part of Record Store Day.^[17]

On July 4, 2010 the band headlined the second day of the 80/35 Music Festival in Des Moines, Iowa, ^[18] and the first day of the End Of The Road Festival in Dorset, England, on September 10, 2010.^[19] At the end of August 2010, Modest Mouse played on the main stage at the Leeds and Reading festivals.

On April 28, 2011, Big Boi said via Twitter that he had been in the studio with Modest Mouse working with them on their next LP.^[20] On May 29th Modest Mouse played two new songs during their headline of the Sasquatch festival. The songs were called "Poison the Well" and "Lampshades on Fire".^[21] They then contributed a cover of the Buddy Holly song "That'll Be The Day" to the compilation Rave On Buddy Holly, which was released on June 28, 2011. Recently Modest Mouse had played at Splendour in the Grass in Woodford, Queensland on July 29th, 2011,^[22] and The Warfield in San Francisco on January 25th, 2012.

According to e-mails sent from Glacial Pace which responded to fans confused about the large gaps between albums, Modest Mouse is indeed currently writing and recording material and have been for quite some time. But despite this, the e-mail also reminds fans that the fact that Isaac named his record label "Glacial Pace" was not an accident. Thus, it remains unclear when Modest Mouse will finally release their next album.

Members[link]

Current

• Isaac Brock – lead vocals, guitars, banjo, ukulele (1993–present)
• Eric Judy – bass guitar, Acoustic Guitar (1993–present)
• Jeremiah Green– drums, percussion (1993–2003, 2004–present)
• Joe Plummer – drums, percussion (2004–present)
• Tom Peloso – guitars, upright bass, keyboards, fiddle, horns (2004–present)

Touring members

• Jim Fairchild – guitars, vocals (2005, 2009–present)
• Robin Peringer – guitar (2000–2003)

Former

• John Wickhart – bass guitar (1994–1995)
• Dann Gallucci – guitars (1997–1998, 2003–2004)
• Benjamin Weikel – drums (2003–2004)
• Johnny Marr – guitars, vocals (2006–2009)^[23]

Discography[link]

• This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About (1996)
• The Lonesome Crowded West (1997)
• The Moon & Antarctica (2000)
• Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004)
• We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007)

References[link]

No One's First and You're Next Release Date: Sat, 08/01/2009

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Modest Mouse

• Official Modest Mouse website
• Epic Records' Modest Mouse site
• Modest Mouse on Myspace
• Modest Mouse at Virb
• Modest Mouse at Allmusic

Billy Cundiff

Practice at M&T Bank Stadium August 2011
No. 7     Baltimore Ravens
Placekicker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1980-03-30) March 30, 1980 (age 32)
Place of birth: Valley Center, California
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight: 201 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College: Drake
Undrafted in 2002
Debuted in 2002 for the Dallas Cowboys
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (2002–2005) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006)* Green Bay Packers (2006)* New Orleans Saints (2006) Atlanta Falcons (2007)* Kansas City Chiefs (2008)* Detroit Lions (2009)* Cleveland Browns (2009) Baltimore Ravens (2009–present) *Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
4× First-team All-PFL (1998–2001) First-team I-AA All-American (2001) 1× Pro Bowl selection (2010) 1× All-Pro selection (2010) PFWA Golden Toe Award (2010) NFL Record for most touchbacks in a season, 44 (2011)[1]
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2011
Field goals made 131 Field goals attempted 171 Field goal % 76.6 Long field goal 56 Stats at NFL.com

William Andrew "Billy" Cundiff (born March 30, 1980) is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Drake University.

Cundiff has suited up for nine different teams in just as many seasons, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, and the Cleveland Browns.

Early years[link]

Cundiff attended Harlan Community High School in Harlan, Iowa where he was a three-time All-Iowa quarterback who helped lead the Cyclones to the Class 3A state championship in 1998. He also established state career kicking records for most points (179) and field goals (22), both of which have since been surpassed.^[2] He was also a starting point guard in basketball.

College career[link]

Cundiff played college football at Drake University where he broke five Pioneer Football League (PFL) career records including most points (284), field goals (49) and points after touchdown (137). He made eight field goals over 50 yards during his career with the Bulldogs, including a PFL-record 62-yarder as a junior in 2000 against San Diego.^[3] He also was part of the Drake University Men's Basketball team during his time at Drake. He played sparingly, partly due to several members of the team being ruled academically ineligible. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 2003. He was presented the highest honor for a student-athlete at the university when he received the Drake Double D Award on February 12, 2012.^[3]

Professional career[link]

Dallas Cowboys[link]

Cundiff was brought to the 2002 training camp as a free agent, and won out over incumbent Tim Seder as the team's kicker. He played four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 2002 to 2005. He kicked a then-record seven field goals in a game against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football on September 15, 2003.^[1]

In 2005, which would have been his fourth season with the team, he was waived/injured during training camp following a quadriceps injury, and briefly replaced by kickoff specialist José Cortéz, who had not been expected to make the team. Cundiff was later re-signed on November 19, 2005 (directly following the mandatory period after an injury waiver) having recovered from his training camp injury. He replaced kicker Shaun Suisham, in the hope of providing greater consistency to the Cowboys' special teams. In his first game back with the Cowboys, Cundiff made a 56-yard field goal at the end of the first half to set a record for longest field goal in franchise history. Cundiff played six games that season before being released by the Cowboys on December 26, 2005 after missing two field goals in a critical game against the Carolina Panthers. The Cowboys re-signed Suisham to replace him for the season finale.^[2]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers[link]

On February 15, 2006, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Cundiff to a contract but released him after kicker Matt Bryant was re-signed.^[3]

Green Bay Packers[link]

Cundiff signed with the Green Bay Packers on March 28, 2006 and was expected to compete with Dave Rayner for the starting kicking position before being cut by Green Bay on August 17, 2006.^[4]

New Orleans Saints[link]

On November 22, 2006, the New Orleans Saints signed Cundiff as a kickoff specialist, easing the workload of John Carney.

Atlanta Falcons[link]

After being released by the Saints, Cundiff signed with the Atlanta Falcons on May 4, 2007, but was released at the end of the preseason after losing the starting job to Matt Prater.

Kansas City Chiefs[link]

In January 2008, Cundiff was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs to a two-year contract. He was released prior to the regular season.

Detroit Lions[link]

Cundiff was signed by the Detroit Lions on August 26, 2009 after an injury to placekicker Jason Hanson. He was cut on September 5, 2009.

Cleveland Browns[link]

Cundiff was signed by the Cleveland Browns on September 26, 2009 after an injury to placekicker Phil Dawson.^[4] Cundiff beat out Matt Bryant in a workout with the Browns' and was signed after the Browns first choice of Matt Stover declined to sign with the team.^[5] In week 5 of the 2009 NFL season, Cundiff hit the game-winning field goal to help the Browns beat the Buffalo Bills, 6-3. He was waived on November 3, 2009.

Baltimore Ravens[link]

Cundiff was brought in by the Baltimore Ravens for a workout on November 10, 2009^[6] and was signed on November 18, 2009^[7] to replace Steve Hauschka, who was waived on November 17.^[8]

Cundiff re-signed with the Ravens to return for the 2010 season. Cundiff was voted to the 2011 Pro Bowl as the AFC placekicker after successfully completing 26 of 29 field goal attempts and a league-high 40 touchbacks. On January 2, 2011, Cundiff recorded his league-leading 40th touchback, which tied the NFL record set by Mitch Berger. Berger performed his feat in 1998 with the Minnesota Vikings, playing at home in the indoor Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome before the NFL instituted the K-ball rule (where a brand new set footballs had to be used for every special teams play each game). Cundiff currently plays at home in the outdoor M&T Bank Stadium and set the record after the institution of the K-ball rule. He averaged 71.1 yards per kickoff to lead the league and had touchbacks on 51.3% of his kickoffs.

Cundiff signed a five-year, $15 million contract to become Baltimore's long-term kicker on January 23, 2011.^[9]

In the closing seconds of the 2012 AFC Championship Game on January 22 against the New England Patriots, Cundiff missed a potential 32-yard field goal that would have tied the game and the Ravens lost the game to the Patriots 20-23.^[10]

NFL records[link]

• Most touchbacks in a season with 44 in 2010.

Personal[link]

Cundiff is married to his college sweetheart, Nicole. They have two children.

In July 2007, Billy enrolled in a full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business. He graduated with his MBA from ASU in May, 2009.

Notes and references[link]

1. ^ Game Recap from Record-Tying Game Retrieved October 21, 2007.
2. ^ Billy Cundiff NFL players profile Retrieved June 23, 2006.
3. ^ Cowboys release Cundiff, re-sign Suisham for finale, ESPN.com Retrieved June 23, 2006.
4. ^ Tampa Bay signs kicker Cundiff as insurance, ESPN.com Retrieved June 23, 2006.
5. ^ Billy Cundiff news on Yahoo! Sports Retrieved August 23, 2006.

External links[link]

• Official website
• Cleveland Browns bio

Lisa Loeb
Loeb in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Lisa Anne Loeb
Born	(1968-03-11) March 11, 1968 (age 44) Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Origin	Dallas, Texas, United States
Genres	Contemporary Folk / Rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, actress
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Geffen (1995-1999) A&M (2000-2002) Artemis (2002-2004) Zoe (2004-present)
Associated acts	Liz and Lisa
Website	Lisa Loeb Official Site

Lisa Anne Loeb (born March 11, 1968),^[1] is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her last name is pronounced "lobe," as in "globe." She launched her career in 1994 with the song, "Stay (I Missed You)", which was included in the film Reality Bites. She was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract.^[1] Her five studio CDs include her major label debut, the gold-selling Tails and its follow-up, the Grammy-nominated, gold-selling Firecracker.^[2]

Loeb has also worked in film, television, voice-over work and children’s recordings. Loeb has appeared in two television series, Dweezil & Lisa, a weekly culinary adventure for the Food Network^[3] and Number 1 Single, a reality show on the E! Network in 2006 focused on her quest for love, success, career, and family.^[4]

Her children's music includes the albums Catch the Moon (2003),^[5] and Camp Lisa (2008).^[6] Her first joint children's book and album Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs was published in 2011.^[7] In 2010 she founded the Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection, which is based on her own designs.^[8]

Early life[link]

Lisa Loeb was born in Bethesda, Maryland on March 11, 1968. She was raised in Dallas, Texas with her three siblings,^[1] all of whom became involved with music: conductor Benjamin Loeb, musician Debbie Loeb, and mix engineer Philip Loeb. As of 2012, her parents continue to live in Dallas. Her mother Gail was the president of the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance and Foundation and her father, Dr. Peter Loeb, is a gastroenterologist.^[9] As a child she studied piano, but later switched to guitar.^[1] She attended The Hockaday School, an all-girls private school. For three years she had her own radio show on the St. Marks School's FM station, 88.5, KRSM.^[10]

Early music career[link]

After graduating from high school in 1986, she went to Brown University, where she graduated in 1990^[1] with a degree in comparative literature. At Brown, she and Elizabeth Mitchell formed a band named Liz and Lisa,^[5] with future singer/songwriter and classmate Duncan Sheik as a guitarist. The duo released the albums Liz and Lisa (1989) and Liz and Lisa - Days Were Different (1990) independently.^[1] After college, bassist Rick Lassiter and TV and drummer Chad Fisher joined the band. After developing a following together, Loeb and Mitchell parted ways a few years after college.

She attended Berklee School of Music in Boston for a session of summer school, and in 1990 formed a full band called Nine Stories. The band, which was named after the book by J.D. Salinger, included Tim Bright on guitar, Jonathan Feinberg on drums, and Joe Quigley on bass. Loeb began working with producer Juan Patiño to make the cassette Purple Tape in 1992.^[1] It included the earliest recordings of later popular tracks such as “Do You Sleep?,” “Snow Day,” “Train Songs,” and “It’s Over.”^[5][11] Loeb sold the violet-colored cassette to fans at gigs and used it as a sonic calling card to industry gatekeepers.^[1] Loeb and her band also made a recording of her song "Stay (I Missed You)" during the same time.^{[citation needed]}

Loeb also developed a following from her solo acoustic performances on the New York City coffeehouse circuit and the rock club circuit. She travelled to cities such as Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Dallas, but focused mainly on New York City. She played acoustically and with her band in folk and rock clubs, including CBGBs. Loeb also performed at music festivals such as the New Music Seminar and South by Southwest.^[1]

Music career[link]

1990s[link]

"Stay (I Missed You)" (1994)[link]

Loeb's big break came through her friendship with actor Ethan Hawke,^[10] who lived in an apartment across the street from her in New York City. They met through mutual friends in the NYC theater community.^{[citation needed]} Loeb gave Hawke the Juan Patiño-produced version of "Stay (I Missed You)",^[10] who in turn gave it to director Ben Stiller during the making of the 1994 film Reality Bites, with Stacy Sher. Stiller subsequently decided to use the song in the film’s ending credits,^[10] and it was included by Ron Fair on the soundtrack on RCA records.^[1] Hawke also directed a rare one-take video of “Stay” with no edits.

"Stay" ultimately went on to become a number one hit on the American charts.^[12] When her song hit number one, Loeb earned the distinction of being the only artist to top the Hot 100 before being signed to any record label.^[1] The single reached Gold status on July 12, 1994, just over three months after its official release date.^[2] Loeb and Nine Stories received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Group, and were named Best International Newcomer in the Brit Awards.^[1]

[edit] Tails (1995)

In September 1995, Loeb's debut album, Tails, was released on Geffen Records.^[13] The album was co-produced by Juan Patiño, her then longtime boyfriend.^[13] "Stay" was included on the album, and Loeb also managed a top 20 hit with "Do You Sleep?" and two moderately successful radio hits with "Taffy" and "Waiting for Wednesday." The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 1, 1995.^[2] Critics were also favorable to the album, with Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly, in particular, noting that "Loeb has an undeniable gift for creating an air of intimacy and vulnerability, which may well be enough for "Stay" fans looking for additional doses of contemplative melancholy."^[13][14]

[edit] Firecracker (1997)

In 1997, Loeb released a second major-label album on Geffen, Firecracker, and began experimenting even more with orchestrations done with Dan Coleman. At this point, Loeb started going under her own name for the albums instead of using the band name, although she still continued to tour worldwide with Nine Stories and acoustically as she had done from the start.^{[citation needed]} Firecracker included hit singles such as "I Do," which received radio success, peaking at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and music television.^{[citation needed]} The album was certified Gold on June 10, 2008.^[2] She subsequently toured with The Wallflowers and Chris Isaak, and also performed at Lilith Fair.^[1]

2000s[link]

In 2000, Loeb participated in the Ozzy Osbourne tribute album Bat Head Soup performing "Goodbye to Romance" with Dweezil Zappa on guitar. She also contributed to An All Star Tribute To Cher with “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” and to An All Star Tribute To Shania Twain with “Don’t Be Stupid,” both of which were released in 2005. Other international work includes Loeb’s guest performance on the song “Anti-Hero” for an all-female Japanese musical group Rin''s album Inland Sea.^{[citation needed]} Loeb contributed vocals to New Found Glory's cover of "Stay," from their 2007 LP From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II, as well as performing the song live with the band.^[15]

Though Reality Bites was the first, Loeb’s music has been featured in additional soundtracks. The popular single "How" was included on the soundtracks for films Twister and Jack Frost, and was heard in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Homecoming." “We Could Still Belong Together” earned a spot on the Legally Blonde soundtrack (2001), while “I Wish” can be heard on the soundtrack for Anywhere But Here (1999).

[edit] Cake and Pie (2002)

Cake and Pie, Loeb’s third album and debut for A&M/Interscope, was released in 2002. She co-produced the album and collaborated with Glen Ballard, then boyfriend Dweezil Zappa, Randy Scruggs (Vince Gill, Sawyer Brown, Waylon Jennings), and Peter Collins (Rush, Bon Jovi, Indigo Girls). It peaked at 199 on tfhe Billboard Charts.^[16]

In mid-2002, Loeb inked a deal with Artemis Records, a new boutique label run by record company veterans Danny Goldberg and Daniel Glass, after Interscope allowed her to buy the rights to her masters. Artemis had offered to re-release the record with more promotion. With new artwork, some songs added and some removed, Cake and Pie was re-launched as Hello Lisa, a play on Sanrio’s signature Hello Kitty, who appears on the album cover wearing Lisa Loeb's trademark glasses.^[1]

She released an EP with just the new songs on it, as well as an alternate version of the song "Underdog" for fans who'd already purchased the Cake and Pie CD. She also co-directed a video with Dweezil for "Underdog" co-starring Hello Kitty playing guitar. Loeb toured the world again, making special stops in Sanrio stores for in-store autographs while appearing with Hello Kitty at the Japanese MTV Music Awards.

[edit] The Way It Really Is (2004)

Performing in 2008

In 2004, Loeb signed to the more experienced and established independent label Zoe/Rounder Records, home of Grammy Award winners Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. The Way It Really Is was released August 2004 as Loeb's fifth studio-recorded album, based on the song "The Way It Really Is."^[17] Although the album was not as commercially successful as its predecessors, critics who noted on the mature and strong writing by Loeb.^[18] Stephen Erlewine called it "the best, most cohesive record she's made, a clean, crisp collection of well-crafted, gentle tunes that slowly, surely work into the subconscious."^[17]

Her greatest hits compilation, The Very Best of Lisa Loeb, was released through Universal in January 2006 as well as a Japanese version of the album. Loeb was a judge for the 1st and 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.^[19]

In 2008 she released her Purple Tape album remixed and remastered on a double CD. It included an interview by Andy Denemark, highlighting the creative process behind each song.^[1] There were also extensive liner notes and photos documenting her early history in NYC.^[11] Loeb tours with and without her band, recently touring with Daru Oda and Adam Levy. Other band members include: Mark Spencer, Matt Beck, Ronny Crawford, Joe Quigley, Joe Travers, Mark Meadows, Michael Eisenstein, Dave Gibbs, and Leland Sklar.^{[citation needed]}

Children's material[link]

In 2003, Loeb reunited with her college music partner Elizabeth Mitchell on children’s CD and companion book Catch the Moon through Artemis Records.^[1] According to Allmusic, "The songs are rendered in a folk/country acoustic minimalism that is, in a word, enchanting."^[20] Videos from this album as well as the single “Jenny Jenkins” have been featured on the Noggin TV network for children.^[5]

In 2006, Loeb contributed to the album A World of Happiness, designed to disseminate messages of kindness, compassion, tolerance, and self-reliance to children of all ages. She performed as Lady Leonali the Ladybug singing “In the Details.”

[edit] Camp Lisa (2008)

In 2008 she released Camp Lisa, also released by Loeb’s own Furious Rose Productions with distribution through Redeye, and produced by Loeb with Michelle Lewis and Dan Petty. The disc includes a mix of 21 original and classic camp songs and guest performers including Kay Hanley, Dave Gibbs, Nina Gordon, Jill Sobule, Lee Sklar, Maia Sharp and funnyman/banjo player Steve Martin.^[6]

As Loeb spent many summers of her childhood at summer camp,^[5] Camp Lisa is inspired by her camp memories as well as '70s-style rock and pop. Camp Lisa garnered NAPPA Honors, 2008 Parents' Choice and NPR's year-end Top 10 list of the best kids music for 2008. In July 2010 she debuted her children's musical Camp Kappawanna, which is based on the songs from Camp Lisa.^[5]

In conjunction with Camp Lisa, she launched her own non-profit, The Camp Lisa Foundation, designed to help underprivileged kids attend summer camp through its partnership with SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Provide an Edge, Inc.).^[21] In 2009, The Camp Lisa Foundation provided funding for many "camperships," enabling economically disadvantaged children to attend ACA accredited camps.^[22]

[edit] Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along (2011)

In September 2011, Loeb released Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs, illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke. The book was published on Sterling Publishing, and also includes acivities, choreography, and recipes. The book is published with an included CD, with four original songs and six classics.^[7]

Media appearances[link]

On January 16, 2004, Loeb's reality show Dweezil & Lisa first aired on Food Network, in which she shared title billing with then-boyfriend, Dweezil Zappa. The series showed the two musicians touring the country together and sampling unique and diverse dishes. In the opening for each episode Loeb announced she was a vegetarian who enjoyed eating an occasional piece of bacon.^[3]

In the fall and winter of 2005, following her breakup with Zappa,^[4] Loeb taped a reality show, Number 1 Single,^[1] premiering in January 2006 on the E! Channel in New York City. The show focused on her quest for love, success, career, and family.^[4]

Loeb has made several guest appearances on television shows such as The Nanny in 1997, and Cupid, the following year.^{[citation needed]} In September 1999, she made an appearance on the comedy show MADtv, singing the theme song for a WB drama sketch called "Pretty White Kids with Problems."^[23] In 2007, Loeb appeared on an episode of Jack's Big Music Show singing the song "Jenny Jenkins."^{[citation needed]} In 2008, she made a guest appearance on Gossip Girl,^[10] followed by a cameo on an episode of The Sarah Silverman Program—where the cast formed a mock band called the “Loeb Trotters.”