Nude Paris Hilton Autopsy to Warn Teens

A naked and outstretched Paris Hilton autopsy sculpture will now warn teens about the dangers of underage drinking.

A public service announcement featuring a tiara-wearing and provocatively posed yet dead Paris Hilton has been created by Capla Kesting Fine Art to caution teenagers about the hazards of underage drinking.

The display, which also features a very creepy looking Tinkerbell, Hilton's forlorn pet Chihuahua wearing a matching tiara and climbing over Hilton’s breast, will be unveiled in the trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn, neighborhood, which is a favourite hangout place for prom-oers.

"Campaign to Rescue Women of Youth" featuring "The Paris Hilton Autopsy" features Hilton’s internals, which include her small intestines, and other elements.

These body parts are removable in order to assist teens with an empathetic view of drunk driving tragedy from the coroner’s perspective.

The sculpture was created to counter “the disturbingly glamourized trend of Hollywood’s ‘girls gone wild,’” according to gallery director David Kesting.

Paris Hilton, arrested for a DUI last year, previously released a slightly effective PSA pertaining to drunk driving. This newest PSA consists of a website by Capla Kesting, which offers high school educators an opening for discussing drunk driving's consequences.

The PSA also looks into the teen pregnancy problem related with alcohol impaired decision.

Bridget Jones tops favourite bed scene poll

A bedroom scene from 2001 hit 'Bridget Jones Diary' has topped a poll of the UK’s ten favourite bed scenes.

The moment where the hapless singleton, played by Renee Zellwegger, answers the phone, saying "Bridget Jones, wanton sex goddess, with very bad man between her thighs... Dad . . . Hi . . . ” has been voted the best bed scene, beating other memorable favourites from films such as 'Basic Instinct' and 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory'.

Second place went to Basic Instinct’s ice-pick murder scene, while the portrayal of a possessed teenager lying on a bed in the 1970s horror film The Exorcist came in third.

Fourth in the poll, commissioned by bed manufacturer Silentnight on over 3,000 people, was all four grandparents in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory lying top-to-toe in bed, followed by the Pink Ladies sleep over and the rendition of Sandra Dee in 1960s hit flick Grease.

“The survey results were surprising as none of the bed scenes actually involved sleeping. That goes to show that people are starting to associate their beds with a lot of other activities,” The Sun quoted a Silentnight spokesman, as saying.

Love Scene Costs Jessica Alba Her Tooth

If there’s one thing that Jessica Alba is regretting these days, it would be the rough love scenes in her upcoming flick, for they resulted in her not only chipping a tooth, but also losing a pearly white.

The ‘Sin City’ star showed off the gaps at an event for BeMoreYou.com, an organization which helps empower and improve the self esteem of teenage girls, and revealed that she had lost her tooth while filming love scenes with her ‘Good Luck Chuck’ co-star Dane Cook.

“We did all of our love scenes in one day and I chipped a tooth and I lost a tooth, isn't that disgusting? We're smashing our faces together, it's not the slowest, most romantic love scene,” TMZ.com quoted her, as saying. But Alba's publicist Brad Cafarelli is playing down the incident, stating, "She chipped a tooth and it was easily fixed."

Koufax Comeback?

By Steve

Sandy Koufax was the final player chosen in the inaugural draft of the Israel Baseball League, drafted by the Modi'in Miracle. "His selection is a tribute to the esteem with which he is held by everyone associated with this league," said Miracle manager Art Shamsky. "It's been 41 years between starts for him. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team."

Of course, if they'd checked this out beforehand, they'd have known it was a waste of time...

Around the Horn

By Mitchell

Elsewhere,

• At 2Blowhards, Michael offers an excellent piece on the latest disturbing, exhaustingly trying trend: crying at the office. In this confessional, Oprahfied, touchy-feely culture we've developed, I suppose this shouldn't be surprising. The stat of the day, from Michael: "One shrink estimates that 'the average college student in 2006 was 30% more narcissistic than the average student in 1982.' Given how self-centered college kids were back in the early '80s, that's a frightening figure." And that, as I am wont to say, explains a lot.
  
• At Architecture and Morality, Relievedebtor asks whether the Imus flap hurts or helps conservatives. Does the almost complete ban on serious discussion of issues such as race mean, as Relievedebtor fears, that "unless there is enormous push-back among voters and consumers, the sensitive nature of political correctness in America Imus exposed will make it much harder for a conservative to now be elected president," or will it be that "If the frustration over what happened to Imus and the subsequent debate about hip-hop and hypocrisy in the media builds, an outspoken conservative may be able to awaken the sleeping Republicans." I hope for the second, but fear the first. But I agree wholeheartedly with his conclusion, that "ideas must continue to be of primary importance, not the opinions of others." Including bloggers!
  
• Two wildly differing opinions on Puccini's Il Trittico, which appears tomorrow afternoon as the Met's final moviecast of the season. An Unamplified Voice was distinctly unimpressed with it, while Jay Nordlinger at the New York Sun was far more favoribly disposed. I always enjoy reading Nordlinger; his opinions are frequently reliable, and when he doesn't like something he has a way of letting you know without resorting to the cattiness so often present in reviews of this type. So who's right? Perhaps we'll know after the live broadcast tomorrow.
  
• Mstislav Rostropovich, one of the greatest cellists ever and a staunch opponent of Communism, died earlier today. A friend of Solzhenitsyn, Rostropovich was outspoken in fighting for the rights of dissidents and eventually fled the Soviet Union in the 70s. He memorably performed Bach at the base of the crumbling Berlin Wall, returned to Russia during the abortive Communist coup attempt in 1991, and will remain a giant of classical music long for as long as there is classical music. R.I.P.

Pakistan gets its first 'Miss Bikini'

Mariyah Moten, a 22-year-old US-based Pakistani, is being billed as "Pakistan's first Miss Bikini" after she topped the 'Best in Media' category at the Miss Bikini Universe pageant in China last week. Having won the title at Beihai resort in southern China, wowing crowds there and alarming conservatives in Pakistan, Moten is currently in Mumbai for a "special interview" assignment with a major Indian newspaper chain.

The News International newspaper reported with the comment: "A few Pakistani women in the past have ventured to compete in beauty pageants but none has gone this far in terms of unsheltered territory." The Houston girl has "created a frenzy by participating in an international bikini contest and even landed a prize - even if not exactly for skin", the newspaper said. Mariyah represented Pakistan at the pageant.

She received a trophy, plus cash in the 'Best in Media' section for being "the most photographed and interviewed girl in the entire pageant". Since the pageant, Mariyah has created a splash on television channels like Zee News as well as Khaleej Times, China Daily, Hangzhou Newspaper and various other newspapers in China and elsewhere.

Born and brought up in Karachi, Mariyah moved to the US with her family eight years ago, the newspaper said. "It's the first time that Pakistan is participating in the bikini pageant, as we're an Islamic country," Moten was quoted as excitedly telling China Daily. "Now, there's less reproach in Pakistan on women's participation in such beauty contests," she said. "All my family supports me and I'm excited to have the chance to participate in the event."

She is studying hotel management at the University of Houston, Texas, where she did her high schooling. Mariyah was among 47 other participants who paraded at the Great Hall of The People. The candidates, all aged between 18 and 25, paraded before the cameras representing their countries. India did not participate.

Mariyah was crowned Queen Pearl and received $5,000 in prize money. The second and third place earned the title Miss Pearl and received $3,000 and $2,000 respectively, according to the pageant's organising committee. This is the second award Mariyah has received in her pageant career after she was titled Miss Charity at the Miss Tourism Queen International pageant in July 2006.

Wish I'd Written That...

By Judith

"But feminism was always wrong to pretend that women could 'have it all.' It is not male society but mother nature who lays the heaviest burden on woman. No husband or day-care center can ever adequately substitute for a mother's attention. My feminist models are the boldly independent and childless Amelia Earhart and Katharine Hepburn, whohas been outspoken in her opposition to the delusion of 'having it all.'

"Women must take personal responsibility for the path they choose and stop whining about the options they have thereby lost. There is nothing more important than motherhood - not because it is 'caregiving' but because it is the primal source of all life and contains its own dark, ambiguous dualities.

"The well-heeled yuppies who dump their newborns off at day care six weeks after deliver and streak back to the office with screeching tires don't have a clue about motherhood or anything else."

Camille Paglia, Sex, Art, and American Culture

Britney’s Breasts under shrinking transformation

It seems that Britney Spears’ post rehab vigorous exercise regime has had a little extra effect on her breasts.

It was clear that Spears’ formally buxom cleavage had reduced, after she was spotted in a lavender sundress with a plunging neckline.

A source told the American magazine Star that with Britney already eyeing the revival of her flagging career, the first thing she wants to get back in shape is her figure.

"Britney wants to look better than she ever has in her life. She has a plan and has already started working on it.She is a size 6 (UK size 10) and wants to be a size 2 (UK size 6) when she is done in three months," the Daily Mail quoted the source, as telling Star.

However, her smaller frame has already fuelled rumours that her weight loss could be due to cosmetic surgery.

The singer was spotted a week ago emerging from a cosmetic surgery clinic showing signs of losing some of the weight she has put on due to her back to back pregnancies.

The Moral Responsibility of the Writer

By Mitchell

The latest issue of First Things has an intriguing article (not yet available online) by Ross Douthat entitled “Lost and Saved on Television.” Douthat writes about the underlying questions of religion, morality and salvation (some obvious, others allegorical) that appear in several of today's most successful TV shows, such as Lost (obviously, judging from the title of the article), Battlestar Galactica, and The Sopranos (full disclosure: these are shows that don't air in this household, although any good cultural archaeologist would certainly be familiar with them). It's a good piece, one that should be read on its own merits.

However, of particular interest, especially to the aspiring artist, is the following section:

The question, of course, is whether the audience gets the point, or whether The Sporanos’ faithful viewers are in it for the same reasons the mobsters are: the adrenaline rush that comes with any violent or sexual encounter, no matter how degrading it may be. This is the problem for any artist who seeks to show sin as it is. Does depicting an act make you complicit in it, even when you stand in judgment? Last Tango in Paris makes loveless sex look like hell on earth, for instance, but there are still people who watch it for titillation, just as there must be some segment of The Sopranos’ audience – young men, in particular – who spend their time cheering on the killers, identifying with the mobsters instead of profiting from their hell-bound example.

[...]

[I]s it the chance to see the story of Christ’s Passion as Mel Gibson reimagined it – blood-drenched and harrowing and brilliant – worth giving the same R-rated carte blanche to Quentin Tarantino, or worse, the makers of torture-porn thrillers like Hostel and The Hills Have Eyes?

I don't know how far Douthat intended to go down this particular avenue, but here we have an issue that works on many levels, radiating from one central question which Douthat asks: Are you glamorizing sin?

We've talked often in these pages about the relationship between art and the artist, and the moral responsibility thrust upon the artist by his art. This gets dangerously close to Drew’s territory (Nazi artists and whatnot), so we'll defer to him for the most part on the historical analysis.

But one cannot look at this without thinking of art as a creation, and the artist as creator. And while the idea of art for art's sake is an old one, it would seem that at least a secondary effect of art is the depiction - the revelation, if you will - of the artist himself. Art doesn't create itself, and it seems as if separating the art from the artist, even if one could do so, would leave the creation incomplete, lacking in some fundamental way. For example, we cannot know that God is good simply by looking at His creation, but we can know that His creation is good by looking at Him.

And therefore, one must read into the creation itself the personality of the creator, which in turn will tell you not only about the creation, but the creator as well.

Taking this back into the world of art, specifically the medium of the written word, it seems safe to say that much of what a reader knows about an author comes from the author's own words. The conclusions they draw about the author are to a great extent based on what they read, and that judgment of the author's character in turn helps to determine the weight to which they give those words.

So the writer returns to the question posited by Douthat - are you responsible for how people interpret your art? Can you plead innocence, even in cases where you ought to know better, as to what that interpretation is? Can you be held responsible for drawing your readers into, say, the proximate cause of sin? As Douthat asks, "Does depicting an act make you complicit in it, even when you stand in judgment?" For the author who attempts to portray man's rise from sin to salvation, what kind of risks does he assume when he takes on the mantle of sin itself?

This is an issue that confronts me directly in several of the fictional stories I work on, one of which features as its heroine a stripper, another with a professional assassin as the protagonist. What can be gained, despite the literary quality of these stories, by delving into such territory? Can it be justified by invoking the name of Art Itself? And does the author assume the responsibility for everything the reader takes from his work, even if it runs contrary to the author's own desire?

Is there a psychological or sociological justification which can be cited, for example, the desire to explore the Big Question? For one with a fertile, inquiring mind it is a road that begs invitingly. Certainly I think such a case exists, or else I wouldn't be investing time in it myself. I think that in terms both of self-expression and the desire to lead the reader into areas of the mind that might not previously have been considered, the author has a responsibility to honestly confront these issues as best he can.

It's possible, of course, that this could also simply be some kind of self-justification wrapped in denial. I wouldn't dismiss it.

But there can be no denying that the work will rub off on in some way on the writer, and will color the impression of said writer in the eyes of the reader. Which is why, once again, it is so important for the writer to assume responsibility - good or bad - for what he writes. If the writer wants to be taken seriously, if the writer seeks to influence or inspire, if the writer intents to pose serious questions to which he requests serious answers - all this will depend on how he conducts himself, both in public and in private. His writing may appear to apply only to the public arena, but surely the reader will interpolate its contents into the writer's private life as well.

So do I worry about glamorizing sin, about making sex too sexual and violence too violent? Absolutely. It presents a constant struggle within the creative process. A good many writers whose work I admire appear to go through similar struggles, with varying outcomes - some of which I quesiton, some with which I disagree totally. I can never know completely how they arrived at that process (although in the confessional world of the blogosphere I can come closer), and so I must content myself with my own personal struggles.

But this is a question worth posing, not only for the moral theorist but for the creative writer. In choosing the subjects one pursues and the words one sets down, the consideration of the effect these words have on those who read it can never be put far from one's mind.

Or, in other, simpler terms, think before you write.

It's a lesson those in the blogosphere could mull over more often.

This Just In

By Steve

Nation Prepares for Unveiling of Bonds-Landis Monument
Famed Cultural Archaeologist Looks Back at His Landmark Find

(April 25, 2274, Jerrylewisburg) – This Saturday the nation prepares for the formal dedication of what is already considered one of its greatest monuments: the unveiling of the sculptures of the landmark 21st Century leaders Barry Bonds and Floyd Landis at the picturesque mountain that bears their names.

On the eve of the ceremony of Mount Bonds-Landis, Dr. Walter Leibowitz took time out from his busy schedule to discuss the discovery which brought him overnight fame.

It was Leibowitz, currently the Hadley Chair of Cultural Archaeology at Harris University, who as a young man was responsible for one of the greatest cultural finds of the 23rd Century, the discovery of the Bonds-Landis civilization.

“As is the case with so many great finds, the discovery of the Bonds-Landis civilization was purely accidental,” Leibowitz said with his characteristic modesty. “While rummaging through what we assumed was some type of storeroom, we came across several small vials containing an amber liquid. Subsequent analysis showed that they were samples of body fluids which had been carefully preserved for at least two centuries. Many of these vials were unlabeled, but we found two with faded writing that our cryptologists were able to decipher: B. Bonds and F. Landis. At first we didn’t know what we had, but even then it was clear we’d stumbled onto something of great significance.

“The rest,” Leibowitz said with a smile, “was history.”

Almost six years of continuous research followed, allowing archaeologists to fill in some of the blanks surrounding the lives of Bonds and Landis, and while many aspects of their lives remain unknown, Leibowitz says one thing is for certain.

“These two men were widely admired and respected. There can be no doubt of this. For a civilization to preserve these mementos and enshrine them as relics speaks volumes to the regard in which they were held. We can only speculate as to some of their accomplishments, but the scattered references we’ve discovered lead us to believe that they were certainly leaders, quite probably warrior-kings of some kind.”

The eventual collapse of the Bonds-Landis civilization, occurring sometime in the mid-21st Century, indicates an inability to replace the two men, Leibowitz said. “Evidence of the ‘Great Man’ theory of history is prevalent throughout the ages. Some leaders are simply irreplaceable, as were Bonds and Landis.”

Of the two men, Bonds is the most accessible to historians. “The evidence regarding the greatness of Bonds is undeniable,” Leibowitz said. “Why else would anyone seek to preserve the body fluids of another individual except as an act of reverence? We are currently searching for traces of ceremonies that might have been performed using the specimen in some fashion.

“In addition, we have fragments of announcements made by what appears to be an oracle of some type, judging by his stentorian voice, named Ber-Man, in which he refers to ‘Barry “U.S.” Bonds,’ which we take to be proof that Bonds was, indeed, considered the father of his country.

“And finally,” Leibowitz added, “there are the pictures.” He gestured toward the climate-controlled container encased in bullet-proof transparent glass, behind which are displayed the two portraits believed to be those of Bonds himself. Pointing to the word “GIANTS” written across the front of Bonds’ shirt, Leibowitz cited the pictures as the most graphic evidence of Bonds’ stature in his society. “The fact that Bonds was required to wear this – I suppose you’d call it a uniform of some type, although the helmet he’s wearing and club he’s holding suggest it might have been armor used in warfare – the fact that he wore this in public would indicate that his own people recognized his greatness in his own time. We can surmise that he must have worn it with some reluctance – it would be quite uncomfortable for a man of such humility to have it proclaimed across his chest like that.”

The historical evidence for Landis’ greatness is more obscure, Leibowitz said. “The mentions of ‘Floyd Landis’ appear to be confined to a relatively brief period, perhaps no longer than a year or two.” Fellow historians speculate that Landis may have been a boy king who died at an early age, or perhaps a martyr for the faith. However, "the existence of the ‘Landis’ specimen is clearly proof of his importance to this society.”

The use of the plural form of “Giant,” Leibowitz continued, probably was a reference to Landis’ co-equal status in his countrymen’s eyes. “A picture of Landis wearing the “GIANTS” shirt would probably be the greatest archaeological find of the century,” he said wistfully. “But such is the life of a cultural archaeologist – one challenge after another.” Security measures, Leibowitz said, probably prevented the two men from appearing together in public.

Referring to the nameless vials, Leibowitz said the full story would probably never be known. “Who can imagine those other pioneers of this civilization, their names known but to God? It’s not a stretch to think that we owe much to these unknown heroes.”

With regard to Bonds and Landis, however, history has given us clear evidence of their greatness. “One thing we can be sure of is that neither man disgraced himself in the eyes of his fellow countrymen,” Leibowitz concluded. “To have lived and died with such admiration from their peers – well, the shirts say it all. They truly were giants.”

Don't Try This at Home

By Drew

As you know from some of the posts we put up here, we're all about things like classic TV (although I'm not sure about Mitchell's TV Guide collection...) which is one reason we link to great classic TV sites like TVParty. They've got a pretty good blog too, which is one reason why it troubles me to see posts like the March 30 entry, in which Billy Ingram sticks up for Rosie O'Donnell's 9/11 conspiracy theories. (There doesn't appear to be a direct link to each post, so I'll simply link to the blog and you can check out the entry for yourself.)

Rosie O'Donnell (not a big fan) has stated on The View that the collapse of the Twin Towers looks like it was done with explosives. If she thinks she's been slimed before, the talking bobble heads will really go after her now. I have to say, however, after looking at the 'evidence' it looks like that could be the case. The whole official storyline of 9/11 stinks to high heaven and I haven't even seen Michael Moore's movie.

Now, it doesn't bother me in the least (well, maybe a little bit) that Rosie O'Donnell talks about things like this - after all, this is a free country (despite what some of the liberals might think). But conspiracies have become such a crutch for a souless society that seems increasingly unable to believe in anything.

And a couple other things: first of all, I don't think it's accurate to say that anyone who disagrees with Rosie (especially those who refer to the comprehensive Popular Mechanics investigation into 9/11) is "sliming" her. Unless, that is, free speech doesn't extend to pointing out the facts. But have you noticed how many times someone will accuse you of "sliming" them, but it's "pointing out the facts" when they do it? (As Ben Franklin once said, rebellion is always legal in the first person - such as "our" rebellion. It's only in the third person - "their" rebellion - that it is illegal.)

Second, I don't know if it really serves any purpose to use such loaded words as "bobble heads" to describe Rosie's critics. Recall that a week or two ago Mitchell asked the question whether or not we could ever use the phrase "honest difference of opinion." When you have so little respect for your intellectual adversaries, you're really not going to get a very productive conversation out of it. Perhaps Billy would be open to honest dialogue about the scientific analysis of 9/11 - but based on what we see here (which is all we have to go on), it doesn't seem likely. (Especially when you consider the "evidence" he cites.)

I know from reading the TV Party blog that Billy Ingram has a somewhat liberal slant, and I'm fine with that - we have a somewhat conservative slant at Our Word. Besides, Billy usually has some pretty great stuff on his site. But why, oh why, do so many writers (particularly, though not exclusively liberal) feel like they've got to interject their own personal idological opinions into an otherwise perfectly enjoyable situation? I know, we've been over this before (and before, and before) but the question continues to beg itself. Is there nowhere we can leave well enough alone and just stick to doing well what we do well?

Or do we all have to feign knowledge, to pretend that we're informed and educated about a topic, in order to fool others - and perhaps ourselves?

UPDATE: I always want to give credit where credit is due, especially to a site I'm inclined to like. In his piece on the Virginia Tech massacre, I thought Billy was particularly reasoned (without seeming to be snarky) on the hottest button issue, that of gun control:

There will be the inevitable conflict over whether more or less guns on campus are called for. Here's a paragraph from a CBS News report: "Ironically, the school specifically banned the possession of firearms in dormitories or classrooms - the exact locations of today's unthinkable violence." What some might see as a 'ironic' others will see as the reason the second massacre was allowed to happen. If there had been armed students in the dorms could lives have been saved? Would the gunman have thought twice if he knew the students in that building were potentially armed? Of course, I find the idea of readily available guns and college students a recipe for disaster.

I know that we have our differences about the media, but if he's not offended by it I'd like to offer that this paragraph is a good example of what being "fair and balanced" really means!

Abi Titmuss

Abigail Evelyn Titmuss, best known as Abi Titmuss, (born 8 February 1976 in Ruskington near Sleaford, Lincolnshire), is an English television personality, glamour model and occasional actress.Titmuss was born on 8 February 1976 and graduated from City University in St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1998 and became a staff nurse at London's University College Hospital.

Titmuss met TV presenter John Leslie at a party in 1998. The pair quickly formed a relationship, and Titmuss lived between her student nurse accommodation at the hospital and Leslie's home in Barnes, south-west London.

In 2002 presenter Ulrika Jonsson released her autobiography, suggesting she had been raped earlier in her career by a now well-known TV presenter. Weeks later the News of the World ran front page pictures of John Leslie snorting cocaine in a cafe. The following week, pictures appeared in the paper of Leslie, Titmuss and other women taking part in sex-sessions at Leslie's home, including Lanre Onabowale, posing as basketball player Jayson Blayde, and his girlfriend.

Longoria too sexy to be a politician

EVA LONGORIA

Despite being actively involved in politics, ‘Desperate Housewives’ star Eva Longoria insists that she will never be able to make the shift from actress to politician, for she’s sure that people will always think of her as her character on the hit show.

Speaking to a group of Latin political leaders at a lunch in Washington on Wednesday (15 Nov) Longoria, who plays the seductive Gabrielle Solis on the show, joked that though she wanted to run for President of the United States, her past on the show, which included an affair with a teenage gardener, faking a paternity test, and having a husband who was imprisoned, would be just too chequered for the American people.

However, one place where Longoria was confident she would win, was California, which also voted to make ‘Terminator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger the Governor.

"I'm here today to announce my candidacy for president. Oh, wrong speech! In the last two years, I've had an affair with the gardener and a teenager, I've faked a paternity test, my husband went to prison, and I threw him out of a window. I would probably win in California," Femalefirst quoted her, as saying.

The feisty Latina also joked that their wild sex lives on the show had left the cast of the hit series extremely confused about their political leanings.

"I think everybody on Wisteria Lane has the money of a Republican, but the sex life of a Democrat so it's a really political show," she added.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman (Hebrew: נטלי פורטמן), born Natalie Hershlag (Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג) on June 9, 1981, is a Golden Globe-winning, Academy Award-nominated Israeli-American actress.
As a young child, Portman spent her school holidays attending theater camps where she developed her love of acting. After some experience in an off-broadway musical, she was cast in Leon (aka The Professional) at age 12. During the mid-1990s, Portman had roles in the films Heat, Everyone Says I Love You and Mars Attacks!, as well as a major role in Beautiful Girls.
In the late 1990s, she was cast as Padme Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. She placed a priority on her education, and pursued tertiary studies at Harvard University as a psychology major, despite the chance it might conflict with her acting career. Her recent roles include Garden State, Closer, and V for vendetta. For Closer, she received a Golden Globe, and was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA.

Supreme Court Victory

By Bobby

It is finally pleasing to see that the United States Supreme Court, which has long tilted towards allowing foreign countries to overrule the United States when it comes to lawmaking (and metaphorically, make Bruxelles, Belgique our nation's capital), has been put down to its pieces by this week's 5-4 ruling declaring legal a federal law making a crime an act where a baby in the process of being born in breach (feet comes first through the birthcanal) is then decapitated before the head appears.

It is the first time since the gruesome and tragic day of January 22, 1973 (a day where in Jamaica that night, Howard Cosell called "Down goes Frazier!" in the Foreman-Frazier fight) that the United States Supreme Court has restored sanity to this battle in favor of life.

After over 34 years, it is a scene to see sanity has been partially restored by prohibiting the practice of infanticide which had been declared legal by courts using "invented lawmaking" which has created the "constitutional right to an abortion," and "constitutional right to sodomy," both of which declared legal by a "right to privacy" to invent these rights.

The "right to privacy" not only has created incentives to do immoral acts, even criminals have taken advantage of this. Over the Christmas week, a criminal went to our shop and paid for a computer repair bill with a forged check, looking perfectly legitimate, with someone else's name and address, and phone number on the front, and a second victim's Community Resource Bank (AMEX: SCB) account number on the check, with the bank's former name written on the check and base city misspelled, and a different bank's code numbers on the top, and topped it off with a false driver's license. The check initially cleared the bank, but two months later, after the victim of the check fraud reported the incident, the check was returned unpaid. I contacted authorities and they could not continue the investigation because the officer noted the right to privacy made it impossible to trace the phone number of the criminal.

Considering the costs of "right to privacy," and who pays for the criminal acts which are being permitted, it is a blessing finally to see the United States Supreme Court return to some form of sanity by banning this gruesome form of infanticide.

The Big Fat Ash-Abhishek wedding

The Big Fat Ash-Abhishek wedding

With Abhi-Ash's not-so-ordinary wedding just around the corner, the buzz outside Prateeksha, the famous Bachchan residence, has reached a fever pitch. From excited fans to the media, everybody is snooping outside the main gate to get a glimpse of what's happening inside.

Abhishek Bachchan, the scion of Bollywood's first family, and Aishwarya Rai, one of the most beautiful women in the world, who got engaged in January following the premiere of their film "Guru", are set to tie the knot in the presence of close family members and friends at the Bachchan bungalow in the posh locality of Juhu, Mumbai.

No stone is being left unturned by the Bachchans for the upcoming nuptials. From the 16-page gold-embossed wedding card to the Z-grade security ring with 300 guards and rumoured swipe cards for entry, the minutiae of the celebrity event have plunged all into a tizzy.

Though the April 20 wedding date has neither been confirmed nor denied by the two families concerned, ongoing hectic preparations are proof that the mega wedding is going to take place as scheduled.

The two Bachchan bungalows - Prateeksha and Jalsa - now resemble well-guarded fortresses and workers can be seen constructing the mandap (dais) within the bungalow premises. The ceremonies are set to start from April 18 with mehndi (henna), followed by sangeet (music) the next day.

According to reliable sources, a special kind of mehndi has been ordered for the ceremony, like the one brought by Liz Hurley for her marriage with Arun Nayar last month. Aishwarya will wear a traditional hand-embroidered sari with intricate gold work on her wedding day, said the actor's favorite designer in an interview published on Tuesday.

Neeta Lulla said, she designed the sari and a red and gold embroidered flowing skirt and cropped blouse for the actor to wear at a "mehendi'' ceremony on Wednesday. In Indian weddings, mehendi, or henna, is applied in elaborate tattoos on the bride's hands and legs.

Lulla told Mumbai-based newspaper that while she had designed some of Rai's outfits, the actor would also wear a sari created by famous Indian designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.

A red and blue air-conditioned tent with huge mirrors is being readied in a garden adjoining the Bachchan's suburban family home for what is billed as India's "wedding of the year.''

The sangeet preparations are apparently entrusted to Abhishek's sister Shweta Nanda. Shweta's friends are queuing up to her, as they want to perform to the song "Kajra-re" from "Bunty Aur Babli" for the ceremony.. Ace choreographer Sandeep Soparker has been roped in to teach dance steps to Abhishek's friends for the occasion Both Rai and Bachchan have been practicing a dance routine they plan to perform before a selected group of relatives and friends during a musical ceremony on Thursday, the daily said.

Security has been beefed up to 'Z' grade and over 300 guards are deployed to tackle any eventuality, like gatecrashers or crazy fans breaking in.

Rumour has it that the guests will have to use swipe cards for entry. Some last-minute invitees are being included in the guest list, this time from the bride's side. The wedding card along with boxes of cookies-chocolates is now being dashed off to the bride's filmmaker-friends along with a personal request from the bride to be, her mother or her secretary.

The wedding is going to be a close-knit affair as Amitabh's mother Teji Bachchan is ailing. Invitees have been sworn to secrecy about the wedding details and also about the contents and look of the wedding card, the dress code etc.

"The fact is every guest is under an unwritten oath of secrecy. We aren't even allowed to talk about the wedding among ourselves. I'm not even discussing it with my wife. We're being offered money by sections of the media to divulge details.

One newspaper, which wanted to be shown the wedding card, even offered me the equivalent of what I make for five days of shooting. I naturally refused," said an invitee.

Among those invited are director Yash Chopra, filmmaker Karan Johar, industrialist Anil Ambani and influential politician friends of the Bachchan family.

"I have not been invited to the wedding. Regardless, I wish the couple best," Shah Rukh Khan told Mumbai tabloid . "The Bachchans have asked us to keep this wedding a private issue and therefore we are maintaining silence," said actor Suniel Shetty, who has been invited to the exclusive function.

Media reports said that jewellery for the Ash had been specially brought from eastern Kolkata city, while henna used to decorate the bride's hands came from Rajasthan state.

The bride will also receive famed silk saris from the city of Varanasi, in northern Uttar Pradesh state.

The wedding card is embossed in gold and personally signed by the groom's father Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya's parents. Gregarious pals of the Bachchans, like Karan Johar, have retreated into a shell, pretending to be immersed in work or shooting to avoid talking about the wedding.

"The Tawdry Culture"

By Mitchell

Last night in Indy. Tomorrow at this time I'll be somewhere between here and Minneapolis. But in the meantime, I wanted to empty my inbasket and pass along this thought. Stella Borealis Ray (formerly Hadleyblogger Ray) forwards us this terrific piece from Tony Long (The Luddite) at Wired, entitled "The Blogosphere, Where a Tawdry Culture Goes to Die."

Long makes many points similar to those you've read here in the past:

Before you can expect a bunch of utterly spoiled, self-indulgent bloggers (i.e. the kind who indulge in their online mudslinging) to practice civility, you might try restoring a bit of it to what passes for civilization these days.

Civility is all about self-restraint. It's not about being told by someone else to say "no," but finding the inner resolve to say it to yourself. Call it self-discipline. Call it having a little class. Whatever name you give it, it's almost completely absent from modern society.

And in a culture where idolatry of the crass and vulgar encourages the mantra of instant gratification and me-so-important, what the hell do you expect?

He dismisses as unlikely Tim O'Reilly's call for a code of conduct in the blogosphere. As Long says, "you can't just pass a bunch of rules to make incivility go away." Nonetheless, I think members of the blogosphere - especially the Catholic blogosphere - have an obligation to give it a try. The way some of us carry on while we're online, we should be spending most of our time in the Confessional.

One of the harsh lessons learned from almost 25 years in organized politics is that you can't change the world by passing laws. You can do it only by converting hearts, and that's the kind of think that usually happens only one at a time. It starts with your family, your friends, your loved ones; your neighbors, your co-workers, people you come in contact with. It's not only the standard to which you hold yourself, it's that which you use as an example for others. And trust me, that kind of witness does not go unnoticed.

As our friend Cathy of Alex has noted, we have leaned heavily on this issue at this blog. While we speak of it mostly in terms of the blogosphere, it is a problem that extends to society as well, for it is from that society, that culture (or lack of it) that the problem occurs in the first place. But while we may be a champion of blog civility, we by no means seek to corner the market on it.

And so that's why I want to address this to our friends in the blogosphere, again especially in the Catholic sector. We have an obligation to rise above pettiness and common cruelty, to truly serve as witnesses to our faith. Too many of us fail that obligation, especially in the blogosphere, where our failures may not only be more obvious but may affect more people. So if you agree with us on this, please speak up. You don't have to link to this article; post one of your own. But pass the message along - in your blogs, via email, to those who share your feeling. As responsible bloggers, we need to start a serious conversation on it, rather than simply complain about it. It won't change the entire blogosphere, but it may change one corner of it. Even if it's only your own corner - because trust me, it won't stop there.

And if we don't - the consequences won't stop there, either.

Kitty Carlisle, R.I.P.

By Mitchell

It's hard to put together much of any length while you're on the road (Indianapolis, third day), but TV and pop culture fans can't let the moment go by without acknolwedging the death of Kitty Carlisle Hart today, at the age of 96.

She was a staple of the game show circuit, always bringing class and dignity to whatever show she appeared on. She was a regular on To Tell the Truth, but she also appeared on What's My Line (most famously on the first program following Dorothy Kilgallen's death) and other Goodson-Todman shows, was in the Marx Brothers classic "A Night at the Opera," and even appeared at the real opera, the Met, in Die Fledermaus.

She was a graceful presence who graced the entertainment industry for seven decades. Her son Christopher said, "She had such a wonderful life, and a great long run, it was a blessing." A blessing for her, and for all of us who enjoyed her.

Gillian Anderson (Celebrity of the day)

Gillian Anderson

Gillian Leigh Anderson (born August 9, 1968) is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning American actress, best known for her roles as FBI Agent Dana Scully in the American TV series The X-Files and Lady Dedlock in the BBC TV series Bleak House.

Early life
Anderson was born in Chicago to Edward and Rosemary Anderson. Soon after her birth, her family moved to Puerto Rico for fifteen months and then to Crouch End in London so her father could attend the London Film School. When she was eleven, her family moved again, this time to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she attended Fountain Elementary and then City Middle/High School, a program for gifted students with a strong emphasis on the humanities; she graduated in 1986. With her English accent and background, she felt out of place in the American Midwest, and developed a reputation as a strong-willed and rebellious teenager. Anderson, mocked because of her British accent, soon developed a Midwest dialect. In addition, she had her nose pierced in the early 1980s, and dyed her hair various colors.

She found an outlet for her talents when she began acting in high school and community theater productions. She had wanted to be a marine biologist, but at 17 after a couple of auditions for the Grand Rapids Community Theater, she gained a few roles and never looked back. She attended Goodman Theater School of Drama at DePaul University in Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1990, and a few summer schools with the National Theatre of Great Britain at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Career
Anderson moved to New York when she was twenty-two, and started her career in Alan Ayckbourn's play Absent Friends at the Manhattan Theatre Club where she played alongside Brenda Blethyn. For this role she won a 1990-91 Theatre World "Newcomer" Award. Her next theatrical role was in Christopher Hampton's The Philanthropist at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, CT. To support herself when she started out, she worked as a waitress.

She moved to Los Angeles in 1992, spending a year auditioning. Although she had once vowed she would never do TV, being out of work for a year changed her mind. Anderson did Home Fires Burning for a cable station as well as the audio book version of Exit to Eden. She broke into mainstream television in 1993, with a guest appearance on the collegiate drama Class of '96 on the fledgling Fox Network.

As a result of her guest appearance in Class of 96, Anderson was sent the script for The X Files at the age of 24. She decided to audition because "for the first time in a long time the script involved a strong, independent intelligent woman as a lead character." Producer Chris Carter wanted to employ her, but FOX wanted someone with previous TV exposure who was more "bimbo-like". Fox sent in more actresses, but Carter stood by Anderson, and she was cast as Special Agent Dana Scully. She got the part assuming it would run for thirteen episodes, the standard run for American TV networks. Filmed in Vancouver, the series eventually ran for nine seasons, and included one film. During her time on The X Files, Anderson won several awards for her portrayal of Agent Scully, including an Emmy Award, Golden Globe, and two SAG awards for Best Actress in a Drama Series. While filming she met assistant art director Clyde Klotz, whom she married. She had roles in a handful of films during the run of The X-Files and starred in The House of Mirth, an adaptation of the Edith Wharton novel of the same name.

Since The X-Files ended, she has performed in several stage productions and worked on various film projects. She has also done narrative work for documentaries on scientific topics. In 2005, she appeared as Lady Dedlock in a BBC television adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Bleak House, had a starring role in the Irish film The Mighty Celt (for which she won an IFTA award for Best International Actress) and performed in A Cock and Bull Story, a film version of the novel Tristram Shandy.

Not the First Time

By Drew

As a postscript to this week's Virginia Tech shootings, you hear a lot about how this was the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. It was not, however, the first to occur on a college campus. Charles Whitman was the sniper who, on August 1, 1966, killed 15 people from his perch atop the 27-story tower at the University of Texas.

Read here for more information about this equally bleak moment in American history. And if you get a moment, check out You Tube for KRLN-TV's disturbing live coverage of the shooting as it happened. (We'll try to provide a link for this later in the week.)

The sexiest bodies in the world

Participants of yet another poll -- there seem to be a great many these days -- have spoken. Glamour magazine chose to rank the world's hottest bodies. And, of all the women of Hollywood, these are the goddesses people chose. Leading the pack is the talented Scarlett Johansson, and for very good reason.

Jessica Alba, long a favourite pin-up on walls around the world, comes in at second position.

The lovely, leggy, lively Gisele Bundchen is third on the list.

Years of living under constant scrutiny have done nothing to diminish Jennifer Aniston's loveliness.
Will we ever get enough of the stunning Angelina Jolie? Nope.
Expect a lot more of the young Mischa Barton in future.

Rachel Bilson has the kind of look that few men would manage to resist.

Beyonce -- the eighth most bootylicious bod!
Rumours of Jennifer Lopez getting parts of her body insured still make perfect sense.

Speaking of Irony

By Mitchell

Mitchell here, still live from Indianapolis.

For those of you still doubting the existence of God, you need look no further than the July 8, 1965 episode of the classic game show Password, which I just finished editing. On that episode, the celebrity contestants were Nancy Sinatra and Woody Allen.

I'm sure some of you already see the irony in this paring. For the rest of you, I'll continue.

Nancy Sinatra's father was, of course, Frank Sinatra. Just over a year from the airing of this show, Frank Sinatra married Mia Farrow. (The marriage lasted less than two years.) In the late 1980s, Mia Farrow began a long relationship with - Woody Allen. The same Woody Allen who would later cheat on her with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi, an incident which prompted Frank to offer to have Allen's legs broken for.

So, in other words, Nancy Sinatra's father winds up threatening severe bodily harm against the guy with whom she's currently playing Password. And, of course, none of them have any clue as to what the future holds in store.

And therefore, you need no further proof that God exists, for no mere mortal could make something like this up.

Greetings from Indianapolis!

By Mitchell

Yes, Our Word is on the road this week, in the Hoosier State for a work conference. Reporting will be occasional, but we'll try to keep in touch.

One of the interesting things about conferences like this is the people you meet. For example, today I was sharing the room with not one, but two former Miss America contestants. (It's a tough life.)

On the other hand, one of the gentlemen in our class was receiving constant text messages from his son, who is a student at Virginia Tech and was in the dorm next to the one that figured in the shooting today. Fortunately, he was all right. Interestingly enough, nobody in class made a big deal out of this - a few people had talked to him during one of the breaks (people were gathered around the TVs watching the continuous coverage on the news channels) and knew what was going on, but it isn't as if there was a big announcement or anything. I guess there are places where decorum still rules.

Speaking of which, a thought with which to leave you - the Virginia Tech football coach was quoted as saying something to the effect that he couldn't believe how much one person could affect things. Well, in a way this should provide some consolation to those who wonder if one person can still make a difference. Of course they can. One person can always make a difference - sometimes it's for the better, sometimes for the worse. And when that one person (or one Person, if you will) makes a difference for good, it can make all the difference.

Stay tuned for more from Indianapolis tomorrow!

Brooke Hogan

Brooke Hogan

Brooke Ellen Bollea (born May 5 1988) better known by her stage name, Brooke Hogan, is a singer and reality television star. Brooke Hogan was born in Tampa, Florida), and is the oldest child of Terrence Gene "Terry" Bollea (professional wrestler Hulk Hogan) and his wife Linda. Brooke gained fame from her appearance on the reality television series Hogan Knows Best, which spotlights her family, and which premiered on July 10,2005 on VH1. In addition to Brooke and her parents, the Bollea family includes her brother Nick. Hogan is currently pursuing a pop music career with her parents acting as her managers.

Both Hogan and her brother Nick were home-schooled. While in high school, she took dance classes, voice lessons, gymnastics, and cheerleading. She joined the squad of her St. Petersburg school, Admiral Farragut Academy, in her freshman year. Brooke graduated from high school at the age of sixteen.When Brooke Hogan was thirteen, her parents arranged for her to meet with record executive Lou Pearlman. Pearlman, who had worked with such artists as Britney Spears, the Backstreet boys and 'N Sync, was impressed by the thirteen-year-old singer, but thought she could use a few years to mature and improve. In early 2002, she returned to Lou Pearlman, and proceeded to sing for him again and perform a piano medley. Pearlman was impressed, and Hogan was immediately signed as a Trans Continental Records artist. At one time she was handled by the management services of Larry Rudolph, well-known for representing famous clients like Britney Spears and Nick Lachey. Her first song in the United States singles charts was "Everything to Me". Hogan was the first artist signed to Scott Storch's record label Storchaveli. Hogan's video premiered on the season two finale of Hogan Knows Best.

Hogan has also found success alongside her father. The two teamed up for an hour-long profile on VH1, (Inside) Out: Hulk Hogan, Stage Dad. The success of this special spawned an entire series: Hogan Knows Best debuted in July 2005 and was the highest-rated series premiere in VH1's network history. The series, which helped her become a household name, was according to Hulk Hogan intended in part to promote Brooke's music career

Her father is extremely strict on dating. He enjoys enforcing stringent restrictions on prospective suitors, as seen on Hogan Knows Best. According to an interview with Hulk Hogan in Maxim magazine, he threw Aaron Carter out of his house after less than an hour after finding Carter to be arrogant and disrespectful. On Hogan Knows Best, Hulk placed a GPS tracker on her vehicle that enables him to track her whereabouts and can even remotely shut down the engine of Brooke's car if he feels the need to do so. However, in a later interview, she reveals, among other things, that her father has loosened up a bit upon her 18th birthday.Hogan appeared in FMM November 2006 editon becoming the first ever FHM Cover Model under twenty-one. As a result, the November issue had no liquor advertising: "In the very rare instance that you might have a cover star under the age of 21, they don't want to be in the position of seeming to market to anyone under age".

That Face in the Crowd

By Drew

In what can only be thought of as extreme irony in light of this week's Don Imus fiasco, I was surfing Friday night and ran across the 1958 Elia Kazan-Budd Schulberg classic A Face in the Crowd. And if ever there was a movie to fit this sordid story, this is it.

In A Face in the Crowd, Andy Griffith gives one of his greatest dramatic performances (and that's not sarcasm; Griffith was a terrific dramatic actor who must have been frustrated by the lack of range available to him in his long run as Sheriff Andy Taylor) as Lonesome Rhodes, a small-time crook turned radio personality who makes it in local TV with his outrageous personality, charming his audience with tricks such as insulting his sponsors (with a twinkle in his eye). This "Peck's Bad Boy" act of biting the hand that feeds you (think Arthur Godfrey) strikes a cord with his audience, and soon Rhodes has his own network show, "Cracker Barrel."

Rhodes becomes a huge star, and it's no wonder why; he's the very image of down-home common sense, with his homespun words of wisdom striking a cord with his audience. In private, however, he's an egomaniac, dominating and berating his staff, including head writer Mel (Walter Matthau), abusing and betraying his lover Marcia (Patricia Neal), who discovered promoted him, and speaking scornfully of his adoring audience as suckers who will fall for anything he pitches. As his sponsor says, "the masses had to be guided with a strong hand by a responsible elite." Soon, Rhodes begins to cultivate the support of politicians, who crave identification with Rhodes' popularity. With his sponsor's encouragement, he assumes the role of kingmaker to the somewhat stuffy Senator Worthington Fuller, presidential wannabe. He quickly dubs the balding Fuller "Curly" and creats for him a friendly, folksy style. Fuller's popularity grows, and with it Rhodes' power. He now fancies himself a real powerbroker, one whose advice and wisdom is sought-after by politicians everywhere.

Like many a woman with low self-esteem, Marcia has turned a blind eye to Rhodes' abuses and indiscretions, continuing to come back for more. However, when Rhodes announces that he will be hosting a party for the nation's political elite, at which he will be named "U.S. Secretary for National Morale," Marcia realizes she's created a monster, one that only she can bring down.

As the final credits roll on his show that night, Marcia, up in the control booth, secretly turns up the sound on the set, allowing the viewers to hear Rhodes mocking them as slobs and gullible fools. The damage is done - the network is deluged by complaints from viewers, sponsors withdraw their support, and the politicians desert him in droves. Marcia, with Mel's support, tells Rhodes it was she who sabotaged his program. Rhodes vows he'll come back, and tries to talk her into staying with him, but she and Mel turn to leave. Rhodes, in the movie's verison of an operatic mad scene, is left in his hotel suite, alone and deserted, the empty chairs and drooping banners the only sign of the party that never was, posing to the sound of pre-recorded applause.

Not before Mel delivers Rhodes the final verdict, however, playing the Greek chorus, with his parting shot: "What's going to happen to you? I'll tell you what's going to happen to you. You'll get a show all right, but it won't be a major network like you had before. Some station after a little while will say, 'Let's try him again. He was big.' You'll have an audience, but it won't be hundreds of millions you had before. You'll make money, but it won't be the same kind of money..." And soon someone will come along, a new flavor of the month to captivate the public, and they'll wonder whatever happened to what's-his-name, you remember?...

And so the movie fades to black, much as Don Imus' career appears to have done. I couldn't help but think, though, that Matthau's speech could just as easily be about Imus. For he will be back, I suspect - the public does have a short memory, and has always been eager to forgive. Then too, there is the sense of hypocracy about the whole thing - Imus being nailed for comments that pale in comparison to some of the language used by blacks and hip-hoppers, not to mention the roles played by bottom-feeders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.

But the lesson for Don Imus has been a harsh one, and he finds, like Lonesome Rhodes, that fame is fleeting. He may find, as Fitzgerald said, that there are no second acts in America - few to compare to the first acts, at least. Yes, they'll remember Imus when he comes back (probably on satellite radio), and yes, he'll be a star. But it won't be the same - not the fame, perhaps, not the money, and almost certainly not the influence that he so obviously enjoyed. Those that used him have deserted him, those that befriended him will lay low for awhile, those that listened to him will find other amusements to preoccupy them.

The irony of it all is so heavy it could be cut with a knife. It truly is spellbinding, to watch Matthau's final speech with Imus in mind, substituting the names as appropriate. If nothing else, it proves that there really is nothing new under the sun. Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad. A more suitable movie for this time, I could not have chosen.