Paul G. Allen Cheap Will Dissly Jersey , who co-founded Microsoft with his childhood friend Bill Gates before becoming a billionaire philanthropist who invested in conservation, space travel, arts and culture and professional sports, died Monday. He was 65.He died in Seattle from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, his company Vulcan Inc. announced.Gates said he was heartbroken about the loss of one of his "oldest and dearest friends.""Personal computing would not have existed without him," Gates said in a statement."But Paul wasn't content with starting one company. He channeled his intellect and compassion into a second act focused on improving people's lives and strengthening communities in Seattle and around the world. He was fond of saying, 'If it has the potential to do good, then we should do it,'" Gates wrote.Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called Allen's contributions to the company, community and industry "indispensable.""As co-founder of Microsoft, in his own quiet and persistent way, he created magical products, experiences and institutions, and in doing so, he changed the world," Nadella wrote on Twitter.Allen, an avid sports fan, owned the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks.Allen and Gates met while attending a private school in north Seattle. The two friends would later drop out of college to pursue the future they envisioned: A world with a computer in every home.Gates so strongly believed it that he left Harvard University in his junior year to devote himself full-time to his and Allen's startup, originally called Micro-Soft. Allen spent two years at Washington State University before dropping out as well.They founded the company in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and their first product was a computer language for the Altair hobby-kit personal computer, giving hobbyists a basic way to program and operate the machine.After Gates and Allen found some success selling their programming language, MS-Basic, the Seattle natives moved their business in 1979 to Bellevue, Washington, not far from its eventual home in Redmond.Microsoft's big break came in 1980, when IBM Corp. decided to move into personal computers and asked Microsoft to provide the operating system.Gates and company didn't invent the operating system. To meet IBM's needs, they spent $50,000 to buy one known as QDOS from another programmer, Tim Paterson. Eventually the product refined by Microsoft — and renamed DOS, for Disk Operating System — became the core of IBM PCs and their clones, catapulting Microsoft into its dominant position in the PC industry.The first versions of two classic Microsoft products, Microsoft Word and the Windows operating system, were released in 1983. By 1991, Microsoft's operating systems were used by 93 percent of the world's personal computers.The Windows operating system is now used on most of the world's desktop computers, and Word is the cornerstone of the company's prevalent Office products.Gates and Allen became billionaires when Microsoft was thrust onto the throne of technology.With his sister Jody Allen in 1986 Cheap Earl Thomas III Jersey , Paul Allen founded Vulcan, the investment firm that oversees his business and philanthropic efforts. He founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science and the aerospace firm Stratolaunch, which has built a colossal airplane designed to launch satellites into orbit. He has also backed research into nuclear-fusion power.Over the course of several decades, Allen gave more than $2 billion to a wide range of interests, including ocean health, homelessness and advancing scientific research."Millions of people were touched by his generosity, his persistence in pursuit of a better world, and his drive to accomplish as much as he could with the time and resources at his disposal," Vulcan CEO Bill Hilf said in a statement.Allen was on the list of America's wealthiest people who pledged to give away the bulk of their fortunes to charity. "Those fortunate to achieve great wealth should put it to work for the good of humanity," he said.When he released his 2011 memoir, "Idea Man," he allowed 60 Minutes inside his home on Lake Washington, across the water from Seattle, revealing collections that ranged from the guitar Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock to vintage war planes and a 300-foot yacht with its own submarine.Allen served as Microsoft's executive vice president of research and new product development until 1983, when he resigned after being diagnosed with cancer."To be 30 years old and have that kind of shock — to face your mortality — really makes you feel like you should do some of the things that you haven't done yet," Allen said in a 2000 book, "Inside Out: Microsoft in Our Own Words."Two weeks ago, Allen announced that the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that he was treated for in 2009 had returned and he planned to fight it aggressively."My brother was a remarkable individual on every level," his sister Jody Allen said in a statement. "Paul's family and friends were blessed to experience his wit, warmth, his generosity and deep concern," she added.His influence is firmly imprinted on the cultural landscape of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, from the bright metallic Museum of Pop Culture designed by architect Frank Gehry to the computer science center at the University of Washington that bears his name.In 1988 at 35, he bought the Portland Trail Blazers professional basketball team. He told The Associated Press that "for a true fan of the game, this is a dream come true."He also was a part owner of the Seattle Sounders FC, a major league soccer team, and bought the Seattle Seahawks. Allen could sometimes be seen at games or chatting in the locker room with players. Maybe the Seahawks should play all their games in London. Or maybe they should just play all their games against the Raiders. Seattle flew to the other side of the world and buried the Raiders in the middle of the pitch. It probably wasn’t the thriller that the NFL was hoping for from their international exhibition but then again they rarely are. Instead, the British were treated to an old school American beatdown, courtesy of the Pacific Northwest.This game didn’t take long to establish its narrative. Seattle scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in one-hundred-and-thirty-four games with a drive that gave Schottenheimers everywhere a contact high. The Seahawks started at their own 18 and immediately ran a jet sweep(!) to Tyler Lockett for 7 yards. It was the first of seven consecutive running plays to start the game, which net the ‘Hawks 31 yards and pushed them up to midfield. That’s when Russell Wilson finally faked the handoff and the O-line — get this — stayed disciplined. Instead of running blindly down the field before the pass like they always do for some reason, they set up a fortress around rookie Rashaad Penny, who caught the screen pass and exploded up the field for 24 yards.After being a healthy scratch and pushed to third on the depth chart, it was encouraging to see Penny look swift and decisive.Six plays and a couple penalties later, Wilson converted a 2nd & goal from the six via a slick pass to Jaron Brown for the game’s opening score. 14 plays, 82 yards, 53 broken spirits. It was exactly the type of possession that the organization has bet everything on being able to win games in today’s NFL.The Raiders tried to answer back in kind Sebastian Janikowski Jersey , as they let their hellbeast Marshawn Lynch carry the ball on all three downs. Seattle’s defense was more than ready, and muzzled their former superstar to the tune of just one yard. It’s how the whole game would go, as the Seahawks tied the Raiders hands behind their backs and then spent the next three and a half hours slapping them with open palms.Seattle beat Oakland in every way from the spectacular to the mundane. They continued to run the ball at an anachronistic pace, logging 35 carries against just 24 pass plays. When they did throw, they used lots of play-action, protected well, and moved the pocket to give Russ space to create. He responded with his best game of the year, completing 17 of 23 passes for 222 yards and 3 TDs. He did have one interception when he tried to force a throw to Doug Baldwin between three defenders at the goal line, but the rest was a collection of finely calculated risks.I know I spent the whole first month complaining about Seattle’s offense so I need to give credit where it’s due. I don’t hate running the ball a lot, especially when your defense is playing this well, but I need to see some creativity in doing so. Today was the second straight game where we saw that, as Brian Schottenheimer incorporated pre-snap motion, well-executed draws, and a true read-option to keep Oakland on their heels. All three running backs were involved and each had at least a couple plays that showed they belong. Perhaps most importantly, we saw Wilson keep the ball a number of times, which he hadn’t done all season.It was the type of offense that makes you feel like they can keep up when they need to, and cement a lead when necessary. Meanwhile, the Seahawks defense put the Raiders offense inside of a giant plastic bag then vacuumed all the air out of it. Oakland never got anything going besides stringing a few cute first downs together in the second quarter. On a particular two-drive stretch, the Raiders somehow ran 25 plays for 94 yards and didn’t score a single point. Oakland wouldn’t crack the scoreboard until their final drive, settling for a face-saving field goal late in the fourth.The outcome was never in question and when the final horn sounded, it was Seattle trotting off the field with a dominating 27-3 win.SMOKE RINGS*Much was made about Marshawn Lynch squaring off against his former team. He is without question one of the most fascinating and impressive athletes in Seattle history and there’s no doubt he was looking forward to the chance to show out against his old boys. That never materialized, however, as Seattle’s front seven gave him next to no room to get going. It’s not like he wasn’t given opportunities, though. Despite trailing on literally every offensive snap, Lynch still received 16 touches, but could only manage 59 yards.*Russell Wilson looked like Russell Wilson today. Finally. I get that the team wants to protect him but so far this season the Seahawks have been like Ferrari owners that only use it to get groceries. On his first TD, Russ wiggled around in the pocket until Jaron Brown could slip free in the end zone. Wilson then uncorked his pea shooter and zipped the ball into an open window for the game’s first score. His next one was even more on brand.Facing 3rd & 5 on Oakland’s 19, Wilson mishandled an awkward shotgun snap. He calmly scooped the ball up, stepped into the pocket, faked a check down, then calibrated his sniper’s scope downfield. As he casually approached the line of scrimmage, Wilson threw a preposterously high pass towards glory. That’s where early-season sensation David Moore sprinted under it, tapping his feet in the color along the back of the end zone. His final TD was a sly rocket to Ty Lockett, who slipped inside of his man to catch the high-speed pass from 10 yards out.By the time the game was over, Wilson had a sterling passer rating of 125.4 on a phenomenal 9.7 yards per attempt. He ran the ball on purpose four times for 22 yards and looked sure and decisive. He looks so different from the unsettled QB who forced throws and skittered away from the slightest hint of pressure at the beginning of the year. Russell Wilson is at his best amid the maelstrom, and attempts to sterilize the offense around him only served to stifle one of the most creative players in football. His volume stats may not be crazy at year’s end Barkevious Mingo Jersey , but in this new, more dynamic offense he looks fantastic.*Wilson was helped out by a bevy of terrific efforts from the guys around him. First of all, the OL was incredible. For the fourth straight week they consistently won off the snap, getting positive push on running plays and creating an entire zip code from which Wilson could throw. His receivers came to play, too. Doug Baldwin is back, baby. He turned a team-high eight-targets into a team-high six catches for a team-high 91 yards. He looked quick for the first time today, and even made a sensational falling catch on a deep ball with a defender all over him. Speaking of great grabs, David Moore had two more of them today. The first was the ballet TD I previously mentioned and the second was a gorgeous twisting high-point catch over a cornerback down the sideline. How he grabbed the ball and got both feet in is beyond me. He’s only been targeted 9 times this year but he’s turned them into 7 catches for 124 yards and 3 TDs. Seahawks may have found themselves another weapon.The running backs were the story once again this week. Pete Carroll deployed all three of his halfbacks today, each of whom played well enough to continue earning a share of the offense. Here’s the breakdown:Chris Carson- 14 touches, 59 yardsRashaad Penny: 11 touches, 70 yardsMike Davis: 7 touches, 26 yardsNothing spectacular, but all of it steady. That Penny was the most effective is particularly rad, cuz we already know the other two are straight.*The defense was outstanding today. Aside from allowing a few long third down conversions in the first half, the Seahawks D was impenetrable in England. The Raiders ran 56 plays and only net 185 yards. That’s 3.3 yards per play. Not per rush. per play.They sacked Derek Carr 6 times this morning. Frank Clark led the way with 2.5, giving him 5.5 through 6 games. The other 3.5 were split between Jarran Reed (who’s been awesome this year), Branden Jackson, and Shemar Stephen. Barkevious Mingo led the team in tackles, incredibly, and the coverage from the secondary was sap-like. Just full-fledged domination of an inferior opponent.*How does 9/13 on third down sound? Two weeks after going 0/10 against the Cardinals, Seattle looked smooth and professional on third downs today, converting more than 2鈦? of their opportunities. If they do that they can beat anybody. Defensively, they held Oakland to 4/12. Winning on third down has a lot to do with winning on the scoreboard and it’s been extremely encouraging to see Seattle perform so well in that regard.The Seahawks now find themselves 3-3. Only two NFC teams have more wins than they do, which puts them right back in the fat part of the bell curve. There’s a ton of history saying teams that start 0-2 won’t make the playoffs but the Seahawks aren’t 0-2 anymore. This is a team that, despite the superstar losses, look gritty enough to compete with any team in this league.As the days have grown shorter, optimism surrounding this team has grown brighter. There is a ton of season left to be played, but the ‘Hawks have now outscored their opponents by 26 points on the season and clearly believe in themselves. Just hard to find anything to be overly critical of in this one.Today’s win resets the season, and gives Seattle a 10-game stretch in which to make the postseason. It’s a task they suddenly looked well-equipped to carry out. Onward, upward, go ‘Hawks.Jacson on Twitter | Cigar Thoughts Hub | Cigar Thoughts Facebook———The 2018 season of Cigar Thoughts is proud to be sponsored by Fairhaven Floors and Brandon Nelson Partners. Wrote this one at a restaurant cuz we’re moving into the new digs this weekend, and I’m sans cable. So it was Woodford Reserve and no stogie til after. When I did have a chance to light up, it was with an old fav, the Gurkha Centurian.