Actor Louis Gossett, Jr. has cancer

Oscar-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. announced he has early-stage prostate cancer this week.  Gossett said he was going public with his illness "to set an example for the large number of African-American men who are victims of this disease because of the comparatively low emphasis in our community on preventive examinations and early treatment...I count this diagnosis among the many challenges I have faced in my life and overcome...I expect this to be no different."

source

President Clinton Hospitalized

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was hospitalized for chest pains yesterday.  The president reported to the hospital under his own power, was evaluated, and eventually had two wire mesh stents placed in his coronary arteries to maintain blood flow to his heart.  He was discharged early this morning.  Pres. Clinton has a history of heart disease; his cardiologist maintains this is a normal course of events for those suffering from the disease.

30 Rock Star is waiting for a kidney transplant

Grizzwald "Grizz" Chapman, member of the Emmy winning "30 Rock" cast, is on the waiting list for a kidney
transplant.

"Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief"

MTV Networks has just announced more powerhouse stars were added to the line up for Friday's "Hope for Haiti Now:  A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" international telethon.  Wyclef Jean will host the show from New York, George Clooney will join in from L.A., and CNN's Anderson Cooper will give reports from the ground in Haiti.

Jay-Z and Rihanna will perform from London along with U2's the Edge and Bono and Coldplay.  Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Wyclef, Shakira, Sting, and Bruce Springsteen will sing from New York, while Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews, and John Legend will perform from L.A.

Viewers can purchase the night's performances for 99 cents each through iTunes starting Saturday with all proceeds going towards earthquake relief, according to the networks.  The "Hope for Haiti" benefit will be broadcast from New York, Los Angeles, London and Haiti. It will be televised on all the major networks at 8 p.m. EST, as well as MTV, VH1, CMT, BET, PBS, CNN, Bravo, and a host of other networks. In addition, the telethon will be streamed live on Web sites including YouTube, MySpace and AOL.  Please consider supporting the relief efforts with your iTunes purchase.

Major Leage Baseball player Miguel Tejada travels to Haiti

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Major League Baseball player Miguel Tejada brought money, food, water, and himself to Haiti on Sunday to help in the aftermath of last week's devastating earthquake.  Tejada is a native of the Dominican Republic.  The DR shares a border with Haiti on the island of Hispanola.  He said he felt a compelling need to help those he views as brothers.  Despite his troubled past with performance-enhancing drugs, he sets a fine example for other celebrities and sports stars to follow.

Wyclef Jean defends himself against accusations of grift for YELE

Wyclef Jean defended himself against allegations he misappropriated funds from his charity, Yele Haiti.  Critics have alleged Wyclef used hundreds of thousands of dollars from the charity to pay for studio recording time, trips, hotels, and even a $100,000 appearance fee for himself to appear at a concert.  Wyclef defended the foundation and his commitment to Haiti relief efforts.
"Let me be clear: I denounce any allegation that I have ever profited personally through my work with Yele Haiti," Jean said in a statement released Saturday. "These baseless attacks are simply not true."

Wyclef has been hard at work on the ground in Haiti assisting with rescues, medical attention, and recovery efforts.

The devastation in Haiti continues

The devastation in Haiti continues to spread as the poor island nation goes yet another day without food, water, shelter, medicine, or the means to search for and treat wounded survivors of Tuesday evening's massive 7.0 earthquake. Aid organizations estimate as many as 500,000 may have lost their lives in this latest of Haiti's endless string of natural disasters. Everywhere the eye can see there is destruction: buildings collapsed, the wounded walking and wandering, dead strewn in the streets. Clinics are so overrun the wounded lay beneath makeshift tents made from bloody sheets. The presidential palace crumbled leaving the Haitian president just as homeless as the people he governs. The Catholic Archbishop is dead, a victim of the collapse of the Port-au-Prince cathedral.

If you would like to donate, please contact The American Red Cross or Oxfam in the U.K.

Pat Robertson says Haiti got what was coming to it

Pray for Haiti

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince yesterday devastating the streets of the metropolis more than 3 million people call home.  It was the strongest earthquake to hit the Caribbean nation in more than 200 years.  The tremors demolished thousands of buildings ranging from lean-to's and shacks to the Presidential Palace, which was apparently at the epicenter of the quake.  The U.N. peacekeeping headquarters were also destroyed and the head of the peacekeeping mission is thought to be among the dead.  The quake cut off communications to and within the island so it is impossible to determine the extent of the damage or the number of missing and dead at this time. 

If you would like to help, please log into http://www.redcross.org/ to make a donation earmarked for Haiti.

Today is the 5th anniversary of the massive 2004 Tsunami

Thousands attended prayers and ceremonies of remembrance around the world on Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami   The huge waves left hundreds of thousands displaced on coastlines across Africa and Asia and killed about 250,000 people in 14 countries five years ago.

Breaking News: A U.S. plane has skidded off the runway in Jamaica

An American Airlines flight overshot a runway in Kingston, Jamaica, skidded and crashed into a fence some 10 feet from the ocean late Tuesday night. Unconfirmed reports say the fuselage broke into three pieces. All of the 148 passengers and 6 crew members survived, though some 91 of them have injuries. The accident happened during heavy rains in the area.

Chris Henry is fighting for his life

Cincinnatti Bengals receiver Chris Henry is fighting for his life after falling out of the bed of a pickup truck. Henry was involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend when she hopped in a truck and began driving away. Henry jumped in the bed of the truck to continue the argument. At some point down the road, he fell out of the truck. Neighbors found him in the middle of the road with life-threatening injuries. He was airlifted to a trauma unit where he remains under armed guard. Our prayers are with him.

Breaking News: Madea has passed away

Tyler Perry announced on his website today, his mother, Willie Maxine Perry, passed away Tuesday at the age of 64. Mrs. Perry was the inspiration for Tyler Perry's trademark character Madea. Perry thanked his many fans for their prayers and words of encouragement. He offered no other information about his mother's death. Our prayers go out to him.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar has just revealed

Former NBA star Kareem Abdul Jabbar has just revealed he suffers from a rare form of leukemia. Our prayers are with him. He is one of the good ones.

T-Boz has a brain tumor

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins revealed in the latest issue of People Magazine she has been battling a brain tumor for years. The former TLC member underwent a seven-hour surgeryto remove the tumor from her brain stem in 2006. According to T-Boz, it has since returned; she hid her condition during this year's filming of "Celebrity Apprentice" with Donald Trump because she did not want to focus on her. "I didn't want pity. I was there to help sick children. I won't let you feel sorry for me." T-Boz also has sickle cell anemia and competed on the reality show to raise funds and awareness for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia.

Sherri Shepherd doesn't believe in evolution

Rhodes Scholar and panelist on The View Sherri Shepherd doesn't believe in evolution, not in the least bit. She also doesn't believe the world is round. It is really sobering to be confronted head on with the failures of our educational system...

Samoa devastated by tsunami

An undersea earthquake of magnitude 8.2 midway between Samoa and American Samoa triggered a massive tsunami that devastated the island nations. Residents of the islands fled at least four waves of 15 to 20 feet high as cars, people, and buildings were washed out to sea. An earthquake in Indonesia triggered a smaller tsunami, though the extent of that damage was faar less than the Pacific destruction. Hundreds of people were injured and so far 113 total are confirmed dead in American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga, and Australia. President Obama has declared a state of emergency in American Samoa and FEMA officials are en route from Hawaii.

Stafon Johnson had emergency throat surgery

Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson had emergency throat surgery Monday after a weightlifting accident. The senior who scored the Trojans’ touchdown against Ohio State two weeks ago was bench-pressing in the weight room when the weight bar slipped from his right hand and fell onto his throat. He was being spotted by an assistant coach at the time.

Source: AP newswire

They say....

According to ContactMusic.com, Jennifer Hudson’s sister Julia Hudson is pregnant with her second child.

September 11, 2001 Never Forget

People I knew died in the September 11th attacks.

Never forget.

Work tirelessly for peace and freedom.