RIP Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston, great man, great actor, great American, has died at the age of 84.

Charlton Heston received the Medal of Freedom from President Bush

My prayers are with his family.

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen:

R. Subveníte, Sancti Dei, occúrrite, Angeli Dómini, Suscipiéntes ániman ejus, Offeréntes eam in conspéctu Altíssimi. Suscípiat te Christus, qui vocávit te, et in sinum Abrahae Angeli dedúcant te. Suscipiéntes ánimam ejus, Offeréntes eam in conspéctu Altíssimi.
R. Come to his assistance, all you Saints of God: meet him, all you Angels of God: receiving him soul, offering it in the sight of the Most High. May Christ receive you, who hath called you, and may the Angels conduct you to Abraham's bosom. Receiving his soul and offering it in the sight of the Most High.

V. Réquiem aetérnam dona ei, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat ei. Offeréntes eam in conspéctu Altìssimi.
V. Eternal rest give to him, Lord: and let perpetual light shine upon him. Offering it in the sight of the Most High.

Kýrie eléison.
Christe eléison.
Kýrie eléison.
[Pater noster (silently)]... Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
[Our Father (silently)].....

V. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem. V. ...and lead us not into temptation.
R. Sed libera nos a malo. R. But deliver us from evil.
V. Réquiem aetérnam dona ei, Dómine. V. Eternal rest give to him, Lord.
R. Et lux perpétua lúceat ei. R. And let perpetual light shine upon him.
V. A porta ìnferi. V. From the gates of Hell.
R. Erue, Dómine, ánimam ejus. R. Deliver him soul, Lord.
V. Réquiescat in pace. V. May he rest in peace.
R. Amen. R. Amen.
V. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam. V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. Et clamor meus ad te véniat. R. And let my cry come to Thee.
V. Dóminus vobiscum. V. The Lord be with you.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo. R. And with thy spirit.
Orémus. Tibi Dómine, commendámus ánimam fámuli tui (fámulae tuae) N.____, ut defúnctus (defúncta) saéculo tibi vivat: et quae per fragilitátem humánae conversatiónis peccáta commìsit, tu vénia misericordìssime pietátis abstérge. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
Let us pray. To Thee, Lord, we commend the soul of your servant Charlton Heston, that being dead to this world he may live to Thee: and whatever sins he has committed in this life through human frailty, do Thou in Thy most merciful goodness forgive. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen. R. Amen.

I prefer Denzel!

Al-Reuters: Denzel Washington gets top billing in star poll---

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Denzel Washington, the star of "American Gangster" and "The Great Debaters," topped the list for the second year in a row as America's favorite movie star in a new survey.

The Academy-award winner was also the first choice of Democrats questioned in the annual Harris Poll, while Tom Hanks, the Republicans' favorite actor, captured the number two spot for the second consecutive year.

"I think what we're seeing here, is basically their types of movies," Regina Corso, director of the Harris Poll, said in a telephone interview.

"If you think of Tom Hanks -- 'Charlie Wilson's War' notwithstanding -- but if you go back to the 'Forrest Gumps,' the 'Apollo 13s' -- those very traditional, American values-type movies, I think that's why we're seeing Republicans leaning more toward him."

Corso added that that a lot of Washington's movies are racially-charged and most African-Americans are Democrats.

Johnny Depp, the star of "Sweeney Todd" and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, rose four places to take the number three position, followed by Julia Roberts, the highest ranked actress on the list.

Right. Since I'm a Republican Conservative, I'm supposed to dislike Denzel Washington because he's black (never mind that I absolutely adore him!) and love Tom Hanks because he's white (never mind that he's made some absolutely rotten movies like The Da Vinci Code---which told complete lies about my Catholic Church)? Why does it really matter? I would rather pay to see Denzel Washington read the phone book and sit in the nose bleed section than see Tom Hanks for free as Mr. Darcy and sit in the front row (and I LOVE Mr. Darcy---you know, from Pride & Prejudice).

Why do we have to interject race into every possible thing in this world? Why can't we just accept that we all have different opinions and rationales and criteria?

Denzel Washington is a good, Christian man who puts his money where his mouth is, lives his Faith, and has integrity and honor. That's why I love him.

"Who does she think she is?"

I'm more than a little sick of Hollywood Hypocrites who think they run the world or even think they are saving the world.

They should practice what they preach.

Case in point: the role model for creepy-weird, marriage-wrecking, globe-trotting,thinking-well-of-herself (but not her biological child), liberal whore hypocrites---Angelina Jolie.

Via Drudge---

Fox News: Angelina Jolie's Freedom of Press, on Her Terms---

Angelina Jolie's true colors came out Wednesday as she promoted a film about freedom of the press and then tried to censor all her interviews.

Jolie is touting press freedom these days, playing the widow of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in a new movie called "A Mighty Heart."

But Jolie turns out to be a mighty hypocrite when it comes to her own freedom of the press. Her lawyer required all journalists to sign a contract before talking to her, and Jolie instructed publicists at first to ban FOX News from the red carpet of her premiere.

Ironically, Wednesday night's premiere of the excellent Michael Winterbottom-directed film was meant to support an organization called Reporters Without Borders. Jolie, however, did everything she could to clamp down on the press and control it.

(all emphasis added)

No surprise. People who behave immorally don't like to allow those who do (or anyone, really) to question their choices. So, they try to control everything. And they especially don't like it when people point out their hypocrisy (well, who does, but still?).

So, Jolie said, no personal questions especially about her relationships (with Brad "I rock" Pitt), no using any part of the interview in any way other than promoting the film (which is about Freedom of the Press---go figure), "The interview will not be used in a manner that is disparaging, demeaning, or derogatory to Ms. Jolie," and if any of these things happen the tape cannot be released, but if it does Jolie can sue. Oh, yes, and she can leave at any time during the interview (should we call it an interview? After all, it doesn't sound like she wants to be interviewed. Does she want people to see her film?).

So, a number of media outlets said, "Hell no" and then Jolie got in a tizzy and canceled all the print interviews.

"I wouldn't sign it," a reporter for a major outlet said. "Who does she think she is?"

Excellent question! I would say, "Queen of the World?"

And as for Fox News,

That's not all: Jolie told Paramount Pictures publicists to ban FOX News Channel and all FOX News affiliates from covering the "Mighty Heart" premiere on the red carpet. It was only with the intervention of mortified Paramount staff that an FNC camera crew was allowed to be present.

Apparently, no one told Jolie of the highly positive review FOX News had given "A Mighty Heart" from Cannes.

Jolie and Pitt enjoy encouraging freedom of the press for some, but not all. Fox News' Roger Friendman's

column reported a year ago, on June 8, 2006, about how Jolie and Pitt were responsible for the expulsion of journalists in Namibia where the couple went to have their child, Shiloh. Their bodyguards regularly got into fights with local photographers hoping to make some money from the couple's colonial residency in their country.

After Shiloh was born, Jolie and Pitt gave a news conference, but limited it only to Namibian journalists. No reporters from neighboring countries were allowed.

The couple sat on the dais with Sam Nujoma, Namibia's first president, aka dictator, who ruled for 15 years. (Lady Jane: Like they were king and queen . . . of the world???)

In 2002, Nujoma abruptly appointed himself minister of information and broadcasting. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Nujoma has routinely attacked reporters from his country calling them "unpatriotic" and "the enemy."

During the time Pitt and Jolie were in the country, a former photographer for the Namibian, the daily newspaper, was arrested twice for trying to get a picture of the couple.

South African John Liebenberg was arrested on municipal property during the Jolie-Pitt stay and pronounced guilty of trespassing. His passport and camera equipment were confiscated as well.

Treatment of the press is so bad in Namibia, in fact, that an organization called the National Society for Human Rights was formed several years ago to protect reporters' rights.

Wow, some champions for the press they are.

Just another grand example of Hollywood Hypocrisy.

UPDATE-15 June 2006:
Now she's trying to play it off like she wasn't the one to make the rules:

Jolie’s defense this morning is that a) her lawyer was overzealous with the journalists’ contract; and b) an “oversight” caused FOX News not to be invited to the red carpet. Both the lawyer, Robert Offer, and Paramount Pictures, are ready to fall on their swords for the star.

But neither statement is even remotely true. Jolie, the Ambassador, would never let her attorney distribute a contract without approval. And the good folks at Paramount Vantage know all too well what really happened. They cannot be blamed.

But, The Smoking Gun has a copy of the document she wanted reporters to sign! Oops!

Children Gone Wild

Great post by actress Jamie Lee Curtis over at Huff-Po. It is titled "Mom, It's Not Right". In it, Curtis questions how young women like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan have gone so wrong, asks where they got the idea that rules don't apply to them, and wonders why their mothers allowed them to grow up believing such things. It is an excellent column and asks very important questions.

Here is a portion:

As the denouement of a really upsetting celebrity scandal came to its close, a tearful child pleaded to her mother... "Mom, it's not right."

It was a painful episode to watch. A young woman, begging her mother, the person who should have taught her right from wrong, to help her, to teach her the rules of life. It was a little too late. And so she wept as the Universe was bringing the teaching and settling the score.

We reap what we sow. Paris, Britney, and Lindsay behave the way they do because their parents did not raise them to be good, upstanding, moral people . . . and they have chosen to continue making bad choices.

I hope their mothers are worried sick and wondering, "What could I have done differently?" And our culture should be asking the same question too.

What we need to do is look long and hard at our part in all this. Where did our children get the message that the rules don't apply to them? And where did we, the Mothers, get the message that if we abdicate our responsibilities as Mothers, the Universe will do our job for us? And it does, but without any of the love and tenderness and compassion that we could have given, along with the lessons.

Our culture should be asking the same question. Have you noticed how absolutely rude and ill-mannered children are these days? And their parents laugh bad behavior off or think it is adorable. Even at church! I really can't stand it.

Too often I see (and hear) children, in public, behaving in a way I never behaved at my worst. They run around like they own the world, screaming, shouting, making noises, running into people, throwing things, hitting their parents or others, and more. What ever happened to teaching good manners?

There is a time and place for children to be noisy and enjoy themselves, but church (during Mass) is not a place for loud laughing, screaming, and talking. Most children do not naturally know how to be quiet or sit still; they must be taught these behaviors by their parents and other well-mannered adults. Unfortunately, from the looks of things, well-mannered adults (especially around my age of 26) are becoming scarce.

And because our culture has become so focused on forcing self-esteem, no one tells children that certain behaviors are bad or ill-mannered or rude. Everything goes.

That's not how I want to live. I don't want to have to sit patiently in church while that rude child makes so much noise I can't hear the homily and his mother laughs and doesn't do anything about it. I want to live in a society where, first of all, the child doesn't make noise, but sits quietly, and, failing that, the mother takes him out until he quiets down. Is that too much to ask?

And when these children grow up, they think the world of themselves. They can do no wrong and anyone who tells them to behave is a stick-in-the-mud or the one being rude. They don't make good students because they talk back, won't work on their assignments, and don't know how to sit still (and as a teacher I have first-hand experience of this!).

And when they get a little older, they think nothing about drinking and experimenting with drugs and sex. They don't even care about laws or possibly hurting or killing themselves or others. They just want to have a good time and do whatever they want, whenever they want to do it. And we end up with Paris Hiltons, Britneys and Lindsays.

Let's clean up our culture. Let's teach manners and personal responsibility. Let's be respectful, responsible, and right.

My previous post on Paris Hilton: It's So Right

Paris' Slammer Syndrome

Over at Townhall.com, Janet M. LaRue (chief counsel for CWA) has a great column:

Hilton’s Slammer Syndrome Results in Premature Evacuation

LaRue seems to have a great sense of humor. Here is a portion:

Until Barbara Walters or Diane Sawyer attends to Paris Hilton’s obsessive compulsive media attention disorder, or until her publicist appears at a press conference to explain her “medical condition,” we can only guess at the affliction that served to spring Paris’s privileged posterior from the Los Angeles County jail.

Some common afflictions of the rich and shallow come to mind:

* Beverly Hills Nervosa: Tremors associated with residing outside the 90210 zip code

* Follicle Phobia: Fear of combing her own hair

* Congenital Servantitis: Catatonic state caused by separation from hot and cold running servants

* Media Aphasia: Inability to speak with anyone not wearing a press badge

* Jumpsuit Fever: Shortness of breath from wearing ugly clothing

* Disconjunctivitis: Inability to look at regular people

You really should read the rest of these "common afflictions of the rich and shallow" (not to mention the rest of the column).

It's So Right

While I was eating my lunch, I was watching the Fox News coverage of Paris Hilton's jail-break and court appearance. Ann Coulter was on with Neil Cavuto and much to my great surprise, I completely disagree with her opinion on the matter.

I think that Paris was appropriately sentenced, considering her probation violations, and am very glad that the judge has ruled she will now serve all 45 days in jail.

Come on, she is put on probation, which she violates twice. Then she is late to her hearing, where she is sentenced to 45 days, which the Sheriff immediately drops to 23 days. When she begins to serve it, she spends three days there and finds she isn't enjoying it (imagine that!), and he sends her home. Why not just send her to Las Vegas to have fun?

It was very wrong of Sheriff Baca to release her after only a few, short days in jail and put her on house arrest in her mansion. What a hard way to pay consequences (See here.). According to the Smoking Gun, the Los Angeles officials have received thousands of e-mails from ordinary citizens, outraged over the Celebrity Treatment Paris Hilton has received. You can read some of the letters there.

And the reason: she's ill or suffering from poor mental health?!? That's ridiculous. How many sick and crazy people are in that jail---still in that jail---despite their diseases/mental illnesses? We don't let people out of jail, when they have been properly tried and convicted and sentenced, just because they are ill or crazy. Jails/prisons have medical facilities just for these sorts of situations.

So, today, she has a court hearing, which she arrives at late, and the judge, thankfully, throws the book at her: she'll be serving all 45 days.

Ann Coulter thinks this is taking the celebrity treatment too far the other way, but others on the panel with Neil Cavuto, including Fox News business analyst Dagen McDowell, think that that celebrities ought to be held to a high standard. I agree. Paris Hilton thinks she's fabulous and all that is wonderful, just because she's rich and famous (because she's rich and slutty and blonde), and she needs to understand that no one is above the law. It shouldn't matter how much money you have or how famous you are.

I agree that Paris ought to be made an example of. She and her little fellow slutty-drunk friends (Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, etc.) need to grow up and face their consequences. They get away with anything they want: drinking under age, driving while drunk, etc., etc., etc. This has to stop and Paris being forced to pay the consequences is a good place to start.

Of course, she doesn't think so:

Paris Hilton was taken from a courtroom screaming and crying Friday seconds after a judge ordered her returned to jail to serve out her entire 45-day sentence for a parole violation in a reckless driving case.

"It's not right!" shouted the weeping Hilton. "Mom!" she called out to her mother in the audience.

(emphasis added)

No, Paris, what's not right is you getting to leave jail early just because you're sad! Wah, wah! What's not right is people being killed by drunk drivers who weren't sentenced to jail after being caught and ended up killing people. Paris didn't hurt anyone . . . this time, but there's always a next time. Pray she's learned her lesson.

I heard Greta Van Susteren, who was in the court room, on Fox News earlier saying that anyone who saw Paris would have known that she obviously needed medical attention. Too bad. Immature children often seem to be under psychological distress when they are upset; that sort of behavior is rightly known as a "temper tantrum." Children throw them when they don't get their way and they are sad and angry. That doesn't mean Paris shouldn't be made to accept the consequences of her actions. Perhaps, in the future, she'll think before she drives drunk, violates her probation, shows up late for court, or accepts special treatment (in regards to the law, that is, as, obviously, she's treated specially everywhere for some silly reason). And let's not even talk about Geraldo Rivera who was behaving as though poor Paris was being guillotined for her crimes. Please!

This situation only serves to remind us all that everyone, regardless of how wealthy or poor, ought to follow the law and be given the appropriate consequences. I hope all those silly teenage girls who want to emulate Paris and Britney and Nicole and Lindsay look at Paris in jail and realize that the same thing will happen to them if they decide to drink and drive.

Mostly, I hope that her 45 days in jail will help Paris Hilton grow up. She is an immature, skanky child and needs to stop acting like she's so important and fabulous and God's Gift to the world. She isn't, though she is God's child. Pray that she learns to listen to Him.

More at Hot Air.