Cheers to Bono & Gates' as "Persons of the Year"

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

U2 frontman Bono and Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, have been named "Persons of the Year" by Time magazine.

The magazine says its aim is to honor "the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or for ill."

The Irish rocker has been instrumental in the debt relief campaign for poor countries. In 2002, he co-founded DATA - Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa - to help troubled African nations. The Gates' were praised for their creation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has become the world's biggest charity with a $29 billion (£16.3 billion) endowment which, among other things, helps in the fight against infectious diseases.

The article reads "For being shrewd about doing good, for rewiring politics and re-engineering justice, for making mercy smarter and hope strategic and then daring the rest of us to follow, Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono are Time's Persons of the Year."

Mad Max vs. Arnold: Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 8:51 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

They don't need another hero, they don't need to know the way home, all California voters want is a warrior king to lead them out of debt and bickering. Are they ready to shut down the terminator and replace him with Mad Max?

California's Actor Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is losing support because of his proposals, and another actor, Mel Gibson, is being sought as a possible replacement by the California Republican Assembly, which was announced this week with the creation of the new website, melgibsonforgovernor.com.

The Governator's approval rating has dropped 25 points from the start of this year and his agenda suffered defeats last month when four of his ballot measures failed to pass in the state's special election. The president of the California Republican Assembly, Mike Spence, says there are several reasons for putting Gibson's name out there, and he thinks that the decline in the poll numbers may cause Arnold to think twice about running again next November.

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Kevin Smith Auctions Walk-On Part in "Clerks 2" for Charity

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 8:36 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

"Clerks" director Kevin Smith is doing his part to raise money and help out Hurricane Katrina evacuees by putting himself up for auction. Visit his View Askew site and see the auction items which include:

Attend a barbecue at Kevin Smith's house
Win walk-on role in "Clerks 2: The Passion Of The Clerks"
Win a visit to the "Clerks 2" set.
Or win a "Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash" T-shirt extravaganza.

The original cult film captured a day in the life of two convenience store clerks as they battled with girlfriend problems, a dead guy in the restroom, closing the store to attend a hockey pick-up game, gum in locks, irate customers, and absent bosses - all in one day. The sequel picks up the action 10 years on and brings back Dante, Randal, Jay and Silent Bob.

Hurricane Relief Concerts Start This Weekend

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 7:05 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

This weekend kicks off a number of live concerts and benefits by various organizations to raise money for hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

The major networks and more than two dozen cable outlets in 95 countries will air "shelter from the storm: a concert for the gulf coast" tonight. Performers in los angeles and new york will include Mariah Carey, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Alicia Keys, Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Rod Stewart and Randy Newman, among others. The fund-raiser will include appeals for donations throughout the day, beginning at 7 a.m. and ending with the networks' late shows.

Also tonight, bet will air a relief telethon of its own called s.o.s. (saving ourselves). The artists who will perform include Wynton Marsalis, Master P, Alicia Keys, Diddy, Jay-z, Kanye West, Usher, Omarion, Pharrell Williams, Ciara, Ludacris, Twista, Stevie Wonder, Brandy, Wyclef Jean and Erykah Badu.

MTV, VH1 and cmt will air "react now: music & relief" 8 p.m. saturday with artists including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Alan Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, The Neville Brothers and Kanye West.

Sean Penn's Effort to Rescue Flood Victims Sinks

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Well, Mr. Hand, i've been giving this a lot of thought...

Storm chaser, publicity hound, and would-be rescue Sean Penn got in over his head when he rented a small boat with the intention of personally saving lives in the new orleans floodwaters following hurricane Katrina.

Not being familiar with boats, the actor-turned-political activist had trouble from the get-go. crammed with penn's entourage (including a personal photographer), there was hardly room for any flood victims to board the craft.
Then the motor wouldn't start.
And he had launched the dingy before inserting the plug in the drain hole in the bottom. the tiny craft immediately began to take on water as penn quickly paddled back to shore after their 50-foot tour.

While he was furiously bilging out his dingy with a red plastic cup, some wiseacre heckled at him: "how are you going to get any people in that thing?"
, Since there were already 3 people in the 2-man duck-hunting boat (with reed camoflage!), Penn's intention to "rescue children" looked downright silly. And what's up with the white flak jacket, Spicoli? If your publicity crew gets shot, you'll be fine in your thin Kevlar vest that probably costs more than my monthly rent.

At least the Cajuns on shore finally got some comic relief after their horrific week.

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Brett Favre Says Relatives Safe but Home Destroyed

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 7:53 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

One of Mississippi greatest exports and america's favorite quarterback Brett Favre has had his life turned upside down by hurricane Katrina. The green bay packers legend told reporters yesterday that his childhood home in kiln, miss., was destroyed, and that his current home near hattiesburg was damaged, but that his family members were all right.

"To think that the water would rise up to the level of [my mother's] house is just beyond my belief. To even think that it could get 8 feet up into that house is even more amazing," Favre said. "fortunately, they survived. they got up in the attic."

"I probably slept two hours last night, and the whole time i slept, i had nightmares about should i go or should i stay? if i go, what do i do? if i don’t go, how guilty will i feel for not being there?" favre said. "If i come down, will i be more in the way, even if i’m at my house? if you’re struggling to find food, i’m not going to come in and all of a sudden be able to get food. Am i getting in the way? am i eating one more sandwich that the kids could have shared?"

"Until power is hooked back up, until there are places where you can go get gas and you can go get something to eat, i’m better off being here."

More on favre's personal story at green bay packers website.

New Orleans' Native Ellen DeGeneres Reacts to Flood News

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres told the New York Daily News that she has been glued to the tv in recent days, frantically worried about friends and family in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana.

"New Orleans is my hometown, and it's gone," she told the Daily News yesterday. "for me, it's pretty heavy."

DeGeneres said her 82-year-old aunt, who lives in Mississippi, was able to grab four paintings before leaving her home. Her cousins in the same area also got out safely. However, they've all lost everything they've owned, including their homes.

DeGeneres was born in New Orleans and has watched her childhood get washed away.
"It's freaking my mother out. It's pretty hard. ... i don't think people have grasped this, it's a million people who are homeless."

read more of ellen's comments at the nydailynews.com.

Lucy Lawless Among Stars Fleeing Hurricane's Path

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 7:52 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

The aftermath and flooding of hurricane Katrina on the big easy and the rest of the coast has stopped production on several Hollywood movies that were being filmed in the area.

Stars such as Lucy Lawless and michael keaton were in New Orleans filming, while Hilary Swank's "The Reaping" was in production in nearby Baton Rouge.

Lucy, who is making the tv movie "Vampire Bats," was caught in the exodus of people trying to get out of the path of the hurricane. she gave her account to the National Ledger: "I've been staying in a lovely little house in the french quarter, and at first, i was planning to ride out the storm. Then we heard it was going to be a category 5 storm, and i rang the producer and said, 'let's get out of here. This is crazy.'"
, The Xena Warrior Princess said they were unable to fly out and decided to drive. "We lowered our sites and thought we'd get to Houston. Then we found that was impossible and thought, 'Hell, let's try to get to Baton Rouge.' Our choices were eroding by the hour." She and the producers were the last out from the production. "The local crew left days ago. We took the film stock with us, and the payroll."

About the trip Sunday evening before the hurricane's arrival she said, "It took us nine hours to travel a distance that usually takes 50 minutes. We knew they were going to sandbag off the road, and our big fear was that we'd be turned back and get caught in the storm."

Get more information on Katrina's effects on Hollywood at news.yahoo.com, and at variety.com.

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Katrina Aftermath Turning New Orleans into a Lake

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

There's no good news out of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama even though "only" 100 people have been found dead (so far) in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There are an estimated 80,000+ people still trapped in the city of New Orleans with no place to go as water continues to pour in from two broken levees. As 80% of the city is under water, pumps will fail soon and 9 more feet of water is expected to flow in today. Since the city sits in a natural bowl below sea level, the mucky water will not drain off. Ever. As bad as it is now, it will get worse ... Updates online at New Orleans' WWLTV.com

, Among the organizations offering relief to victims of the devastation:

American Red Cross: 1-800-HELP-NOW
Episcopal Relief & Development: 1-800-334-7626
Catholic Charities: 1-800-919-9338
United Methodist Committee on Relief: 1-800-554-8583
Jewish Federation of St. Louis: www.jewishinstlouis.org
The Salvation Army: 1-800-SAL-ARMY

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Bulletin from Hell: Ozzy's House Up in Smoke

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

SEVENTH LEVEL, HELL - The Prince and First Lady of Darkness escaped unharmed from the flames that licked the walls of their doomed mansion in Buckinghamshire, England, yesterday.

Glad to hear our beloved Ozzy, that rascally tattooed, wild-eyed godfather of heavy metal, is safe but as for the burned house - it's toast. Boos all around.

Sharoooooooon!

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne fled to safety, with their dogs, to an outdoor garden. Some folks were treated for smoke inhalation but I sure it couldn't have been as bad as the smoke machine at a Black Sabbath concert. Sharoooooooon!, "I am beginning to wonder when this bad luck's ever going to stop," Sharon, 51, is quoted as telling Britain's Sun tabloid about the fire.

Besides Sharon's recent battle with cancer and son Jack's battle with drugs, last November thieves broke into the mansion and stole jewelry. Then there was the scene a few months ago when Ozzy suffered a near-fatal crash on a friggin' four-wheeler, at high speeds, while on the grounds of the estate. And he's got arthritis.

Let's hope this nasty streak of hard luck ends soon for the Osbournes . . .

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