Sunday, February 22, 2009

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Richard Shelby, Alabama Senator, Questions Obama's Citizenship Top
The Cullman Times reports that Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, in a meeting with constituents, appeared to give some thought to rumors questioning President Obama's citizenship. Another local resident asked Shelby if there was any truth to a rumor that appeared during the presidential campaign concerning Obama's U.S. citizenship, or lack thereof. "Well his father was Kenyan and they said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven't seen any birth certificate," Shelby said. "You have to be born in America to be president." According to the Associated Press, state officials in Hawaii checked health department records during the campaign and determined there was no doubt Obama was born in Hawaii. Politico 's Ben Smith says he has emailed Shelby's spokesman to ask if the Senator actually believes there's truth in the repeatedly debunked rumor. More on President Obama
 
Democrats, Republicans spar over stimulus money Top
WASHINGTON — To take federal stimulus money for your state or not to take it. That is the big question for Democratic and Republican governors in town for the National Governor's Association meeting this weekend. Democrats claim those Republican governors who turn down money from the federal stimulus package are "fringe" Republicans eager to score political points. The head of the Republican governors says the Democrats are out of touch. Governors at the conference played down a split in Republican ranks over the stimulus plan, which will send billions to states for education, health care and transportation. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a likely 2012 presidential contender, has said he would reject a portion of the money aimed at expanding state unemployment insurance. Gov. Haley Barbour, R-Miss., said he was considering a similar move. Taking the unemployment dollars, he said, would force his state to eventually raise taxes when the stimulus money runs out, putting in place what he called an unfair tax on employers. "There is some (money) we will not take in Mississippi. ... We want more jobs. You don't get more jobs by putting an extra tax on creating jobs," Barbour told CNN's "State of the Union' on Sunday. Michigan's Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm said there are other states that want and need the new money. "We'll take it. We'll take your money." Gov. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., also has criticized the plan, as has Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the party's 2008 vice presidential nominee who traveled to Washington last month to press for her state's share of the money. Palin, busy with her state's legislative session, did not attend the NGA meeting. Florida GOP Gov. Charlie Crist, also a potential 2012 contender and strong supporter of the stimulus plan, said the criticism leveled by other Republicans wasn't rooted in politics. "I don't know that it's a partisan issue. It's different people, different CEOs _ governors _ who have a different perspective on how it would impact their states," Crist said in an interview. "I know it has a positive impact on Florida. A lot of that money has been paid to the federal treasury by my fellow Floridians and they deserve to get it back." At issue for Jindal and Barbour is a provision in the stimulus bill that could allow people ineligible for unemployment benefits to receive them anyway. That could eventually force a tax increase on employers, both governors have said. Some Democrats took a harder line at a press conference arranged by the Democratic Governors Association to praise Obama for his leadership on the stimulus. DGA Chairman Brian Schweitzer of Montana and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley dismissed GOP detractors as "fringe" Republicans eager to score political points. "All of us are committed to working with President Obama to pull our nation's economy out of the ditch that George W. Bush ran it into," O'Malley said. "If some of the fringe governors don't want to do that, they need to step aside and not stand in the way of the nation's interests." The line drew a rebuke from Sanford, the Republican Governors Association chairman. "I think in this instance I would humbly suggest that the real fringe are those that are supporting the stimulus," Sanford said. "It is not at all in keeping with the principles that made this country great, not at all in keeping with economic reality, not in keeping with a stable dollar, and not in keeping with the sentiments of most of this country." ___ On the Net: National Governors Association: http://www.nga.org/
 
Clinton Reassures China US Is A Good Investment Top
BEIJING — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Washington and Beijing must work together if the world is to rebound from the financial crisis and she wants the Chinese to remain committed to investing in America. "I don't think it's realistic to expect that we will see global recovery without Chinese and American cooperation and leadership," she said during an interview Sunday with the popular talk show "One on One." With the export-heavy Chinese economy reeling from the U.S. downturn, Clinton has sought in meetings with President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Premier Wen Jiabao to reassure Beijing that its massive holdings of U.S. Treasury notes and other government debt would remain a solid investment. Yang responded that China wants to see its foreign exchange reserves _ the world's largest at $1.95 trillion _ invested safely and to continue working with the United States. "I certainly do think that the Chinese government and central bank are making a smart decision by continuing to invest in Treasury bonds," Clinton said in the interview, shortly before departing for Washington. "It's a safe investment. The United States has a well-deserved financial reputation." To boost the economy, the U.S has to incur more debt, she said. "It would not be in China's interest if we were unable to get our economy moving," Clinton said. "So by continuing to support American Treasury instruments, the Chinese are recognizing our interconnection. We are truly going to rise or fall together. We are in the same boat and, thankfully, we are rowing in the same direction. "Our economies are so intertwined, the Chinese know that to start exporting again to their biggest market, namely the United States, the United States has to take some very drastic measures with this stimulus package, which means we have to incur more debt." During her trip to Beijing, Clinton's emphasis on the global economy, climate change and security were meant to highlight the growing importance of U.S.-China relations, which have often frayed over disagreements on human rights. Authorities in Beijing face a year of sensitive anniversaries _ 20 years since the crushing of the Tiananmen Square democracy movement and 50 years since the failed Tibetan uprising that forced the Dalai Lama into exile. As she wrapped up her trip to China, Clinton met with women's rights advocates and attended church, a day after talks with Chinese officials. Sunday's session at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing gathered female lawyers, academics, environmental activists, health care workers and entrepreneurs to highlight the growing leadership role of Chinese women. On Saturday, Clinton and Yang said regular dialogue on economic issues would now include terrorism and other security issues. Details will be finalized by President Barack Obama and the Chinese president at an economic summit in London in April. "We have every reason to believe that the United States and China will recover and together we will help lead the world recovery," she told reporters at a news conference with Yang. Ahead of her talks, Clinton said China's controversial human rights record would be largely off the table, a blunt admission that startled rights groups. Activists complained Saturday that Chinese police were monitoring dissidents and had confined some to their homes during Clinton's two-day visit. Several of those targeted had signed "Charter 08," an unusually open call for civil rights and political reforms. Along with cooperating on the financial crisis, the U.S. wants China to step up efforts to address threats from nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, and the tenuous security situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. With China surpassing the U.S. last year as the world's leading producer of greenhouse gases, Clinton said she and Chinese officials had agreed to develop clean-energy technology that would use renewable sources and safely store the emissions from burning coal. Visiting a new gas-fueled power plant in Beijing, Clinton urged China not to repeat the "same mistakes" that Western countries made when they developed. More on China
 
Iran First Nuclear Plant To Begin Operation Top
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's official news agency says the country's first nuclear power plant will begin preliminary phase operation on Wednesday after a series of delays. The Sunday report by the IRNA agency says "pilot stage operation" of the power plant will start on Wednesday during a visit by the head of Russia's state Rosatom Atomic Corporation, Sergey Kiriyenko. The long-awaited 1,000-MW power plant, which was built in the city of Bushehr with the help from Russia under a $1 billion contract, was expected to become operational in fall of 2008. Some 700 Iranian engineers were trained in Russia to operate the plant. Tehran also plans to build a 360-megawatt nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in the southwestern Khuzestan province. More on Iran
 
Ted Kennedy Says Hold The Eulogies, Eager For Work Top
After the president of Harvard hailed him as a "national leader but a local servant," after the pastor read the "Let us now praise famous men" passage from the Bible and after the cellist Yo-Yo Ma honored him by performing a Gershwin prelude, Senator Edward M. Kennedy lumbered across the antique stage. More on Ted Kennedy
 
TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads Top
Good morning and welcome to Your Sunday Morning Liveblog, the Huffington Post's exclusive weekly report on the thermodynamic exchange that occurs between televised gaseous discharges and what remains of my intelligence. My name is Jason. Today I will be pulling double liveblog duty here. This morning, we chronicle the gnashings and lamentations of the political press. This evening, you can join actor and comedian Taylor Negron, Jezebel blogger and Crappy Hourist Megan Carpentier, and myself in our liveblog of the Academy Awards ceremony. Bookmark this link for your future use . Between this liveblog and that one, I am rushing off to see Milk , the last of the best pitcure nominees I haven't seen. Seeing Milk may alter my state of mind on this, but for the moment, I'm predicting that the winners will be Cruz, Ledger, Winslet, Rourke, Danny Boyle, and Slumdog Millionaire . I am hoping, however, that the winners will be Henson, Downey, Winslet, Jenkins, David Fincher, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , plus a special award to Sam Rockwell for being the best thing in every movie he is in, why not. Anyway, let's get rolling on this Sunday nonsense. As always, leave a comment, send an email , follow me on Twitter , and sleep in as I die a thousand tiny deaths. Oh. Man On Wire . That should totally win, also. FOX NEWS SUNDAY Today on FNS, a roundtable of governors and a roundtable of pundits, talking about "race." GAH. Wallace says, OH NOES, LOOKIT THE STOCK MARKET, responding to the economy, and to Tim Geithner. I have a range of stupendous reactions to Tim Geithner as well! Trust me! But the stock market is not the economy, nor is it an indicator of overall quality of life. But the big number, it scares us! Anyway, Mark Sanford is not taking the stimulus money! Or he's saying he isn't, and counting on his legislature to overrule him. Guess we won't be seeing him cutting any ribbons, anytime soon. Anyway, I'd say that Sanford is a massive fool, but South Carolina gets back $1.35 for every dollar they contribute to the common weal, so maybe it's time South Carolina reached for those bootstraps that form the basis of SO MANY LECTURES. Granholm is taking the money, smart lady. Pawlenty is too, despite criticisms of the bill. Pawlenty's playing this game at a different level that most people. Ed Rendell, who holds the Guinness Record for most email press releases sent to reporters for a single states' most trivial public works projects, is also taking the money. So look for some more emails on Pennsylvania's awesome wastewater innovations. Granholm wants to strategically invest stimulus money, rather than mindlessly grow her state budget, and I hope she's got the projects in mind to do just that. I'd have liked a bill that was serious about increasing the number of high-speed rail corridors in the U.S. Those rust belt cities could use the benefits that come to the interconnected "Acela-ization" that those of us in the Northeast enjoy. It'd be a boon in the south, too. But eight billion isn't that serious. And being lied to about a phantom train to Las Vegas isn't serious either. Though their should, absolutely, be an Acela that connects L.A. to Vegas. I mean, why not. Sanford thinks that giving money to the Smithsonian, or to build parks, is not stimulative, because he is a kindergartener. Pawlenty is more concerned about a bubble in our Treasury bills - like I said, he's playing at another level. This is why I think you'll see Sanford jump into a 2012 presidential campaign, and Pawlenty will bide his time. Granholm has obviously read the housing plan, which is a relief. Sanford, on the other hand thinks that there's a class of people who have "played by the rules" when in reality, there's simple a class of people who prospered on the back of an economy that was founded on the active search for people to make bad investments. Anyway, what Sanford prefers for South Carolina is for his residents to helplessly watch prices fall, borrowers default, toxic home inventories grow, around and around again and again, all the while as local governments crater, the more capable residents flee to healthier climes, leading to brain drain and a drop in productivity, all of which speeds all these vicious cycles, until South Carolina is a crime-ridden failed state with vacant homes and no pot to piss in. Yes. That would be awesome. Sanford needs to read some Steven Pearlstein is he thinks that bailout money always freezes capital. It really depends on the bank! Granholm calls Sanford an "outlier in economic theory." Of course, the reason that other countries are stepping forward to assist their auto industry is because the products are better, their business plans more sound, their industry's been extricated from the health care economy...Granholm is better off making the case for universal health care. Wow. Mark Sanford seems to believe that the textile industry in the South has recovered! It has: overseas. Ed Rendell actually decides to say something! Relatively smart, at that: Clinton brought down the deficit, and Rendell has used similar tactics to keep costs in line in Pennsylvania, all the while - TRUST ME - launching all sorts of public works projects! Again, TRUST ME ON THIS. MY GOD. I used to get those emails all the time. Sanford responds, "Garble garble blah, when I was in Congress we helped the deficit out too, and anyway: SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE ARE SCARY [crosses fingers, hoping no one remembers that while they were in power, his party came up with zero solutions for MediCare/Medicaid. Rendell is not running for president. Neither is Granholm, who was born in Canada. Pawlenty denies it. I don't care what Sanford does or says. I sort of hope he does run! Just last night, a source I place great trust and great enjoyment in made it sound like the Vetting of Mark Sanford is going to be very entertaining!! Meanwhile, the Fox Panel is talking about race. I've fallen behind in my Tivoing, to the extent that I am at risk of missing the start of THIS WEEK, which I must watch live, so I'm going to watch the discussion in fastforward. Juan Williams is talking, and now Brit Hume is scolding him. And Juan is yammering back. And Hume is all, "GAH. SERIOUSLY." Now I'm admiring Wallace's pocket square. Mara Liasson didn't wear some eye-blinding shade of frock today, which is nice. Mark Santelli is yelling, like a moron. I'll give Ryan Avent the floor on this one: But the housing bust is an entirely different game, for several key reasons. One is that homeowners -- even the responsible ones -- were highly leveraged in the housing market. A good buyer might have put down 20% of a home's value, only to watch prices fall by 40%. Most investors can't lose more in the market than they put in. That's not true for homebuyers. It's also the case that many homeowners were using housing wealth to directly fund consumption, something few stock market investors do. What this means is that the economic viability of tens of millions of households, many of which weren't even recent buyers or weren't particularly irresponsible in their purchases, is threatened by the housing bust. And this threat continues to grow, because housing is in a vicious cycle -- prices fall, households default, banks are forced to sell off their growing inventories of foreclosed homes at rock bottom prices, and this places pressure on a new round of owners, some of which will default, and so on. Meanwhile, there are all kinds of other nasty effects from massive foreclosures. Local and state budgets are devastated, forcing officials to pursue procyclical budget policies. Job markets suffer dislocations as residents leave. Pain spreads to commercial real estate and local retail. And loan losses continue to undermine the financial system. It's very serious indeed. But Santelli doesn't seem to understand this, and probably wouldn't care if he did. And we've caught up! Hume says that the economy will recover is the plans work, and won't if they don't. O-KAY! Hey kids! If you think that Citibank is solvent, at this very minute, please send me an email with the subject line: "ALSO: UNICORNS EXIST." Oh well, let's see what's going on over at ABC. THIS WEEK, WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS Here's what I had to miss, in all the fastforwarding. Chris Blakely: I love it when William Kristol becomes outraged. Someone ought to make a Billy Kristol action figure: Captain Courage! This Sunday, Captain Courage is outraged about Eric Holders calling us a "nation of cowards" with respect to race. Inevitably, drop the word "coward," and Billy will soon be talking military in a heartbeat. We all know how much credibility Kristol has in that area. As this nation's leading chicken hawk pundit, nothing says courage like William Kristol calling out people for using the word "coward." One would almost think that Kristol believes his gig might be up; that someone finally sees Billy for what he really is. Let's face it, no Neo Con has shown more courage in the War on Terror than William Kristol. Every day from the cozy comfort of his DC trappings Captain Courage puts it on the line, boldly leading the charge and chastising cowardice where ever it might lurk -- even in the mirror. Ahh, yes. Hilariously, he also said, via Jeff Peckerman ...People should move to iraq if they cannot pay their mortgage. I'd point out that we've built an awesome social welfare system for those Iraqis, too. As soon as Kristol is safely vacationing in this paradise...outside the Green Zone, I'll start checking the condo market in Mosul, believe me! Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger is touting the fact that his state somehow emerged from the dysfunctional morass of their budgeting chaos. I wait and wait and wait until he gets to the key issue...there you go: WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO REQUIRE A 2/3 SUPERMAJORITY TO PASS A BUDGET? Honestly? That's just insane. California, how do you guys do it? Gail Collins, in the New York Times , just delciously riffed on all of this. WITH KOLCHAK THE NIGHT STALKER REFERENCES. Anyway, Arnold is taking the stimulus money as well. GS mentions Bobby Jindal's complaints over unemployment insurance. May as well drop some science: Ryan Powers : But it is not clear why participating in the expanded unemployment insurance program would result in tax increases for business. By Jindal's own estimate, the recovery package would have funded his state's unemployment expansion for three years, at which point the state could -- if it chose to do so -- phase out the program. As New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin suggested earlier today, perhaps Jindal's presidential ambitions are "clouding" his judgement. "I think he's been tapped as the up-and-coming Republican to petition a run for president the next time it goes around. So he has a certain vernacular, and a certain way he needs to talk right now," Nagin said. Arnold is very much in favor of greater cooperation between the parties in Washington, and that Obama's clarity should be met with calmness and clarity, even in opposition. (Instead of, let's say, inviting human-joke Joe The Plumber to address your caucus.) I think comity and colmness is great, but I'd rather have a tough debate than weak-willed tacking to "bipartisanship." I mean, what's the point in having a Congress is their default position is to work to pass weak bills? Better to have strong cases made, a winner, a loser, and the opportunity to lay out your case on referendum if the losers end up being right. Arnold believes that America cannot "nationalize" a bank, because surely we can come up with another, more exceptional sounding word for that. Arnold is also, like, the biggest booster the Obama administration could ask for. "Be patient!" "They're just getting warmed up!" OK! Can't wait to see, say, Mary Schapiro regulate the nutsack out of Wall Street once she's WARMED UP. I mean: let's maybe toss Larry Summers in a microwave or something! Let's introduce some heat to the body of Tim Geithner with a shiatsu massage, or something. Arnold's prescription for restoring the GOP? "Listen to the people," and do what they want. That's a good way for a single individual to get re-elected. I think that parties benefit when they successfully build the case for what is needed, even if it comes at the expense of what is "wanted." But, look: I think Arnold is closer to the truth than, say Michael Steele, who is going to revive the GOP with Hip-hop Jamz! Arnold picks the Reader as his Oscar favorite. OH NOES! Harvey Weinstein has gotten to Arnold! I mean...THE READER....it was all right. But it's so far my least favorite. And yeah, I'm rooting for Winslet, but she should have won for LITTLE CHILDREN. Arnold likes THE CANDIDATE, too. Flomax commercial! Time to show off what I can do, still, in that regard!
 
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John Lundberg: Listening To The Great Poets Top
When you consider that poetry was originally primarily an oral art form, it's remarkable how rarely contemporary poetry lovers listen to poets reading their work. I'd be surprised if most admirers of Robert Lowell have heard a recording of him reading "Skunk Hour," or if many admirers of Elizabeth Bishop know the sound of her actual voice. Granted, it's rare that a contemporary poet writes with the intention of performing a poem. There's an expectation that a poem should succeed in a quiet existence on the page. Even so, I find that listening to a poet read can give you valuable insight into how he interprets the musical qualities of his work, along with, at times, how he intended to manage the poem's emotional impact. In some cases, a poet's interpretation of his poem--or the simple reality of his actual voice--will surprise you. What follows is a sampling of the audio recordings available to you online. I expect you'll be surprised at how far back these recordings go. If you enjoy them, you should visit The Poetry Archive , the brainchild of Britain's poet laureate Andrew Motion. Extensive and well designed, the archive focuses heavily on British poets. The Academy of American Poets also has an excellent archive of almost 800 recordings available here . Audio collections available for purchase include Poetry Speaks , and The Voice of the Poet series from Random House. Alfred Lord Tennyson A wax cylinder recording of Alfred Lord Tennyson's " The Charge of the Light Brigade ." Barely audible, it's extraordinary to hear the ghostly voice of the great poet. Robert Browning This on is also hard to hear, but you can make out Browning's high-pitched voice as he reads " How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix ." The recording was made in 1889, the year of Browning's death. Walt Whitman An 1890 recording of Walt Whitman reading his poem " America ." Whitman would have been about 70 years old. William Butler Yeats Here's William Butler Yeats reading his poem " The Lake Isle of Innisfree ." Notice how he embraces the musical qualities of his verse. Robert Frost A collection of recordings is available at robertfrostoutloud.com Allen Ginsberg Here's Allen Ginsberg reading his famous poem " Howl ." Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Brooks performing her often anthologized poem " We Real Cool ," recorded when Brooks was 66. Elizabeth Bishop Contrast that with the lack of performance in Elizabeth Bishop's poem for Robert Lowell: " The Armadillo ". It was recorded in November of 1977, when Bishop was 66 years old. Robert Lowell A recording of Lowell's poem " Skunk Hour ," inspired by "The Armadillo" and written for Bishop. Listen to how Lowell emphasizes the music in the second half of the following stanza, evidence that he intended it as a crescendo. only skunks, that search in the moonlight for a bite to eat. They march on their soles up Main Street: white stripes, moonstruck eyes' red fire under the chalk-dry and spar spire of the Trinitarian Church.
 
Liane Weintraub: Bailing Out Babies Top
With the country in the midst of an economic crisis, and big business looking to the government for a bail-out, the American public is left to wonder, "What about us?" And as the co-founder of a small business that prides itself on social responsibility, I've been wondering, "What can we do to help out?" Now, we would definitely welcome someone bailing us out, too, but since no one is pounding down our door to hand us a pile of cash, it seems only right that we should step up and do something to ease everyone else's pain. So we decided to launch the Tastybaby Great American Stimulus Package and give away a lot of baby food for free! During the past 15 months that we've been in business, my company has given away plenty of product, mostly through food banks, which distribute much-needed supplies to families in need. It is sobering to realize how many people in our own communities are unable to provide healthy (or any) food for their children, and it's incredibly gratifying to be able to help out. This time, we decided to give our food directly to families, and we're handing out free cases of Tastybaby (a $40 value) to any family who signs up and comes to one of our four "Baby Food Bail-Out Tour" stops in Southern California on February 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th. Now we're planning to set up Baby Food Bail-Outs in other parts of the country, too. Tastybaby came about when my business partner, Shannan Swanson and I decided to help fill a gap in the market-place: the only baby food available in stores was in jars, and neither of us felt warm and fuzzy about feeding our own kids highly-processed foods every day. (Even if they're organic, jarred foods are highly processed and full of stabilizers and preservatives so they "keep" for years!) The more research we did, the more we became "moms on a mission," with a goal to inspire American families to start babies and children with healthy nutrition from day one (whether with our own product or not!) in an effort to stem the rise of such juvenile health risks as Diabetes & Childhood Obesity, which is now ranked as an "epidemic" by the National Institutes of Health. We're hoping that we'll inspire other companies to follow our lead and start paying it forward. The time has come for everyone - even those without a "mission" or a corporate mandate to "give back" - to step up. It's up to all of us. After all, we're only people who can truly going bail ourselves out. More on Giving
 
America's Top 15 Emptiest Cities: Recession Turns Boom Towns Into Ghost Towns Top
Call it a modern-day tale of two cities. For decades, Las Vegas, ripe with new construction and economic development, burgeoned into a shimmering urban carnival. Detroit, once the fulcrum of American industry, sagged and rusted under its own weight. These days, it's the worst of times for both. More on Recession
 
Investigating Bush Abuses Of Power: 4 Models From The Past Top
Two days after his re-election in 1864, with Union victory in the Civil War assured, Abraham Lincoln stood at a White House window to address a boisterous crowd of supporters. He spoke of the lessons of the nation's calamitous recent history. More on George Bush
 
Penelope Cruz And Tom Cruise's Awkward CAA Party Run In Top
IT was an awkward moment at Creative Artists Agency head Bryan Lourd's house party Friday night that kicked off Oscar weekend when Tom Cruise and his ex, Penelope Cruz, bumped into each other. Cruise was standing in the living room of Lourd's Wallace Neff-designed Beverly Hills home, talking with MGM head Mary Parent and producer John Goldwyn, when Cruz approached. A Page Six spy reports: "Penelope tapped him on the shoulder and timidly asked, 'Tom?' Tom turned around, got visibly flustered and awkwardly said, 'Oh, hey. Hi,' and gave her a small, distant hug before turning back around to his friends. It was weird." More on Award Season
 
Cameron Douglas On His Life, Love For Stepmom Catherine Zeta Jones Top
Now professing to be clean of drugs and about to get his first starring role in a movie, Cameron, in his first ever interview, tells of the complex relationship he has with his father and how his stepmother, the Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta Jones, helped him grow up, find a focus in life and 'cement' the family bond.
 
Frieida's Ex: "Slumdog" Tore Us Apart Top
THE heartbroken fiancé of Slumdog Millionaire beauty Freida Pinto today reveals how the film's success and her "infatuation" with co-star Dev Patel finished their relationship. Dumped Rohan Antao blames the hit movie and her on-screen lover for wrecking his wedding plans. As gorgeous Freida prepares to walk down the red carpet at tonight's Oscars on the arm of the Slumdog star, Rohan told the News of the World: "She ended it with me after getting close to Dev Patel. "Now everywhere I go I see them on billboards. I am devastated." Keep reading the News of the World interview -or- Read the reports of Freida's growing relationship with costar Dev More on Award Season
 
Dying TV star Jade Goody's marriage grips Britain Top
LONDON — A British reality TV star who is dying of cervical cancer got married Sunday in full glare of the cameras _ a wedding extravaganza auctioned off to the highest media bidder to pay for the education of her young sons. Jade Goody, the star Britons used to love to hate and now can't praise enough, has tied the knot with fiance Jack Tweed, according to her spokesman, Max Clifford. Goody, 27, and Tweed, 21, received a standing ovation from 200 guests once they were married at the Down Hall Country House Hotel in eastern England, he told reporters. "It was just a very beautiful, very moving service," Clifford added. The ceremony has received overwhelmingly positive coverage in the British media and marks a turnaround for Goody, a brash and buxom star who went from being the vulgar, in-your-face posterchild for British boorishness to an exemplar of bravery following her cancer diagnosis. While there were the usual trimmings of a celebrity wedding _ a helicopter, a fancy hotel, a television crew, a reported million pound (dollar) deal to secure photo and video rights to the ceremony _ the circumstances were far from typical. The bride, 27, is bald from chemotherapy and carried a pouch for painkillers concealed in her designer dress; the groom is on probation after assaulting a teenage boy with a golf club. Although Tweed is under curfew, he was given special dispensation by Britain's Justice Ministry allowing him to spend Sunday evening with his bride. "It might be their only night together," Clifford said. Now known to most Britons simply as "Jade," Goody was plucked from obscurity to play in "Big Brother," a British reality show, in 2002. Her eye-popping gaffes _ she infamously complained of being "an escape goat" and questioned whether English was spoken in the U.S. _ made her so mocked that her old south London school defended itself by saying she wasn't a typical pupil. Goody cashed in on her notoriety with an autobiography, fitness videos and a line of perfume, but her clashes with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, during the filming of "Celebrity Big Brother" in January 2007, saw her branded a racist and ejected from the show in disgrace. Goody tried her best to fix the damage, making up with Shetty, donating money to an Indian charity and offering to appear on the Indian version of the show. It was while she was filming that show in August that she learned she had cancer. Her decision to film her struggle with the disease _ to make as much money as possible to benefit her two young sons _ has drawn praise from all corners of British society. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called Goody's story tragic. The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, said Goody was "a brave woman." "A lot of people might say 'well, it's better if she did everything in quiet,'" Murphy-O'Connor told Sky News. "But I think she's made a decision that she wants the last months of her life to teach people something." Others have noted that the number of screenings for cervical cancer, which can catch the disease when it is more easily treatable, has spiked since Goody's condition hit the headlines. "Jade Goody has done what no public health campaign has been able to do in the past, which is get widespread public attention on to the screening issue," British lawmaker Dr. Liam Fox told Sky on Sunday.
 

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