Tatum O'Neal

Tatum Beatrice O'Neal, born November 5, 1963 is an American actress best known for her film work as a child actress in the 1970s. She is the youngest to win a competitive Academy Award, at the age of 10.

Family background

O'Neal was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of actors Ryan O'Neal and Joanna Moore, who had appeared in various motion pictures and television shows. Her brother, Griffin, was born in 1964. In 1967, her parents divorced and her father quickly remarried. Her father's marriage to actress Leigh Taylor-Young produced Tatum's half-brother, Patrick, but the union ended in divorce in 1973. Tatum has another half-brother, Redmond, from Ryan O'Neal's relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett. O'Neal's mother died in 1997 of lung cancer at age 63, after a career in which she had appeared in such movies as Walk on the Wild Side and Follow That Dream.

Personal life

One of O'Neal's first public boyfriends was pop star Michael Jackson, whom she dated in the late 1970s to early '80s. In 1986, O'Neal married tennis player John McEnroe. No one from her family attended the ceremony. The couple have three children: Kevin (born 1986), Sean (born 1987) and Emily (born 1991). They separated in December 1992 and were divorced in 1994. Following the divorce, O'Neal's drug problems reemerged and she developed an addiction to heroin. As a result of her drug problems, McEnroe obtained custody of the children in 1998.

O'Neal was estranged from her father for 20 years.

Career

Child actress

In 1974, Tatum O'Neal became the youngest person ever to win a competitive Academy Award. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress for her performance in Paper Moon. O'Neal played the role of Addie Loggins, a child con artist being tutored by a Depression-era grifter played by her father, Ryan. She was 10 years old at the time she won the award.

During her childhood and teenage years, O'Neal starred in notable films such as The Bad News Bears (1976) with Walter Matthau, International Velvet (1978) with Christopher Plummer and Anthony Hopkins, and Little Darlings (1980) with Kristy McNichol. She also appeared in the less-successful film Nickelodeon (1976) with her father Ryan, and in Circle of Two (1980) with Richard Burton. She appeared as the title character in the Faerie Tale Theatre episode Goldilocks and the Three Bears (1984).

Adult career

O'Neal's acting career took a backseat to her 1986 marriage to John McEnroe, a professional tennis player, for many years. Their relationship began in 1984 during which time she moved into his Central Park West condo in New York City. She would appear in only five films during the next 15 years. One notable role of hers was in Basquiat (1996).

In the early 2000s, O'Neal began acting more frequently and made guest appearances on Sex and the City, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, and Law and Order: Criminal Intent. In 2005, O'Neal began a recurring role as Maggie Gavin on the firehouse drama series Rescue Me, portraying the unbalanced and lively sister of Tommy Gavin, played by Denis Leary.

In January 2006, she participated in the second season of ABC's reality series Dancing with the Stars but was eliminated in the second round. She went on to do commentary for the series on Entertainment Tonight.

From 2006 to 2007, she starred as the vindictive and psychotic Blythe Hunter in the My Network TV prime-time drama Wicked Wicked Games. She appears opposite Nashawn Kearse and Vanessa L. Williams in the Liberty Artists feature film My Brother (2007).

Arrest

On June 1, 2008, she was arrested for allegedly buying crack cocaine near her Manhattan apartment building. When police searched her, they allegedly found two bags of drugs — one of crack cocaine, one of regular cocaine — and an unused crack pipe. She was charged with a misdemeanor, criminal possession of a controlled substance. Authorities released her without bail. On July 2, 2008, O'Neal pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with the arrest and agreed to spend two half-day sessions in a drug treatment program.

Autobiography claims

In her autobiography, A Paper Life, O'Neal alleged that she had been molested by a male friend of her father. She also alleges physical and emotional abuse from her father, much of which she attributed to drug use. She also detailed her own heroin addiction and its effects on her relationship with her children. Her father, Ryan, denied these allegations. In a prepared statement, Ryan O'Neal said: "It is a sad day when malicious lies are told in order to become a 'best-seller'.

O'Neal writes in her autobiography that when she was 13, her father took her and her friend Melanie Griffith (18 at the time) on a trip to Europe, where she caught him having sex with Griffith in their hotel room.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes

1973 Paper Moon Addie Loggins Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress

Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year – Actress

1976 The Bad News Bears Amanda Whurlizer

Nickelodeon Alice Forsyte

1978 International Velvet Sarah Brown

1980 Circle of Two Sarah Norton

Little Darlings Ferris

1981 Prisoners Christie (never released)

1985 Certain Fury Scarlet

1992 Little Noises Stella

1996 Basquiat Cynthia Kruger

2002 The Scoundrel's Wife Camille Picou US video title: The Home Front

2003 The Technical Writer Slim

2006 My Brother Erica

2008 Saving Grace Grace

Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal Lorene Tippit

2010 The Runaways Marie Harmon

Last Will Hayden Emery

Sweet Lorraine Lorraine Bebee completed

Mr. Sophistication Kim Waters filming

US builds net for cyber war game

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have established a pilot program with leading private defense contractors and ISPs called DIB Cyber Pilot in an attempt to strengthen each others' knowledge base regarding growing security threats in cyberspace, a high-ranking DOD official told a gathering of global security experts this week.

"[F]or all the military capability that information technology enables, it also introduces vulnerabilities," said Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn, speaking at the 28th Annual International Workshop on Global Security in Paris on Thursday. "We learned this lesson in 2008 when a foreign intelligence agency used a thumb drive to penetrate our classified computer systems—something we thought was impossible. It was our worst fear: a rogue program operating silently on our system, poised to deliver operational plans into the hands of an enemy.

"The cyber threat continues to grow, posing new dangers to our security that far exceed the 2008 breach of our classified systems."

The Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cyber Pilot program was started last month, Lynn said. The voluntary program involves sharing the DOD's classified threat intelligence with defense contractors and their private Internet service providers (ISPs), "along with the know-how to employ it in network defense.

More than $500m (£309m) has been allocated by the Department of Defense to develop "cyber technologies".

The National Cyber Range project is being overseen by the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (Darpa), which was also involved in early network research that led to the internet.

When ready, it will function as a test-bed for defensive and possibly offensive technologies such as network protection systems.

Having a controllable mini-internet would allow researchers to carry-out experiments "in days rather than the weeks it currently takes," Darpa spokesman Eric Mazzacone told the Reuters news agency.

Unlike the real internet, the in-house version could be wiped or reset between tests, explained Mr Mazzacone.

Development of the National Cyber Range is currently in the hands of several organisations, including Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Lockheed Martin.

One of their prototypes will be selected to go into operation later in the year.

United blames outage on network connectivity issue

An unexplained computer glitch that forced United Airlines to cancel 31 flights and delay 105 more Friday night left thousands of passengers still stranded in airports Saturday.

Flights resumed early Saturday, but the airline said it could take several days to get stranded travelers home. It is allowing them to change or delay trips without charge.

At Detroit Metro Airport, most of United's 24 daily flights were on time, and there were no major delays on others.

The outage started around 7:15 p.m. CDT Friday and lasted for about five hours. As a result, long lines of passengers formed at airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago. Some passengers ended up spending the night at airports or found hotel rooms in the cities where they were stranded.

United said its flight departures, airport processing and reservation system, including its website, were affected by the outage.

United didn't say how many passengers or flights were affected. But Los Angeles International Airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles said the outage affected about 2,500 people at that airport alone.

Nina and Mark Whitford of Brockville, Ontario, ended up in Chicago while on a layover on their flight home from Minneapolis. They said they were headed to a hotel to spend the night and were dismayed when an airline worker told them they would have to mail in their hotel receipt to get reimbursed.

"We've been waiting here for about two hours for our baggage, and nothing's come," said Nina Whitford, 35.

She said several people were still at the airport around 1 a.m. CDT Saturday, and others on their flight had rented cars to complete their trip to Canada.

"Some people were sleeping and some people were getting very angry because no one was giving us any answers," she said.

Ron Schaffer, an Apple Inc. engineer, was trying to connect with a flight to Grand Junction, Colo., after flying into Denver from Orlando, Fla.

"A hundred yards of kiosks, and every one of them closed," he said, adding there were no flights listed on monitors. "Workers were trying to answer questions. They have no ability to do anything manually. They can't check baggage. You can't get baggage. You are really stuck."

At the San Francisco International Airport, hundreds of passengers stood shoulder-to-shoulder.

Still, some people took the delays in stride.

Steve Cole, 51, of Bloxwich, England, was at the San Francisco airport waiting for a flight to Las Vegas.

"These are the things you have to expect when you're on holiday." Cole said. "I'm missing a night of gambling," he added with a grin.

George Papandreou

Georgios A. Papandreou, born 16 June 1952, is the current Prime Minister of Greece following his party's victory in the 2009 legislative election. His family comes from a long standing political dynasty. He previously served as Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs 1988–1989 and 1994–1996 and was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004. Following his grandfather George Papandreou, Sr. and his father Andreas Papandreou, he is the third member of the Papandreou family to serve as the country's prime minister. Papandreou has been leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party since February 2004. In 2006 he became President of the Socialist International. George Papandreou became the 182nd Prime Minister of Greece on 6 October 2009.

Prime Minister

The inauguration of George Papandreou as the 182nd Prime Minister of Greece took place on October 6, 2009.

Upon inauguration, Papandreou's government revealed that its finances were far worse than previous announcements, with a budget deficit of 12.7% of GDP, four times more than the eurozone's limit, and a public debt of $410 billion. This announcement only served to worsen the severe crisis the Greek economy was undergoing, with an unemployment rate of 10% and the country's debt rating being lowered to BBB+, the lowest in the eurozone. Papandreou responded by promoting austerity measures,reducing spending, increasing taxes,freezing additional taxes and hiring and introducing measures aimed at combatting rampant tax evasion and reducing the country's public sector. The announced austerity program caused a wave of nationwide strikes and has been criticised by both the EU and the eurozone nations' finance ministers as falling short of its goals.

On a poll published on the 18th of May 2011, 77% of the people asked said they have no faith in Papandreou as Prime Minister in handling the Greek economic crisis.

Party leadership

In anticipation of the 2004 national elections in Greece, polls indicated that PASOK was very likely to lose as the conservative New Democracy party was heading towards a landslide. In January 2004, the incumbent PM Costas Simitis announced his resignation as leader of PASOK, and passed the leadership to Papandreou by recommending him as the new leader.

On February 8, 2004 PASOK introduced for the first time the procedure of open primaries for the election of party leadership. Even if Papandreou had no opponent, this was a move designed to solidify the open primaries, democratise the party, and make a clean break with a tradition of “dynastic politics.”

In December 2003 European Voice in the publication "The Europeans of the Year" named him as "The Bridge-Builder" and "Diplomat of the Year. Le Monde has called him the "architect of Greek-Turkish rapprochement". He is a founding member of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly.

In May 2005, Papandreou was elected Vice President of the Socialist International following a proposal by the former President, António Guterres. In January 2006, Papandreou was unanimously elected President of the Socialist International.

Personal life

Apart from Greek and English, he is also fluent in Swedish, French, and Spanish.

Papandreou and his wife Ada have a daughter, Margarita-Elena. He also has a son, Andreas, (born 1982) from a previous marriage, 1976–1987, to Evanthia Zissimides, born in Cyprus and raised in England. He has two younger brothers, Nikos Papandreou and Andreas Papandreou, and two younger sisters, Sophia Papandreou and Emilia Nyblom.

Honours and decorations

1996: Commander of the Order of the Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine)

1996: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion (Finland)

1996: Grand Commander of the Order of the Polish Republic (Poland)

1998: Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (Spain)

1999: Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (Sweden)

1999: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Star (Estonia)

1999: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, first class (Austria)

2000: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, first class (Germany)

2001: Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain)

2001: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)

2002: Grand Cross of the Order of Infante dom Henrique (Portugal)

2002: Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX (Vatican)

2003: Grand Commander of the Order of Merit (Hungary)

2003: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Italy)

2003: Gran Cruz El Sol du Peru (Peru)

Awards

1988: " Botsis's Foundation for the Promotion of Journalism " award for "his multifaceted struggles, which established the Free Radio as part of our democratic institutions"

1996: SOS against anti-Semitism, and affiliated organizations" Committee award, for his work against anti-Semitism

1997: Abdi Ipekci special award for Peace and Friendship ( June 1997) "for his activities in favor of Greek-Turkish approach during the period 1995–1996 while serving as Minister of National Education and Religion"

2000: Eastwest Institute 2000 Awards – Peace Building Awards . The 2000 "Statesman of the Year Award" given to Foreign Minister George Papandreou of Greece and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem of Turkey for their great efforts at improving relations between their respective countries

2002: Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award (United States Sport Academy)

2003: Recipient: Defender of Democracy (Parliamentarians for Global Action)

2006: Open Fields Award (Truce Foundation USA)

2010: Quadriga Award (Werkstatt Deutschland, Germany), for The Power of Veracity (transparency regarding the state of the Greek economy)

Greek prime minister asks for opposition support

Athens - Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Sunday called for a vote of confidence into his government and said a referendum on changes to the political system would take place in the autumn.

The country was 'at a crossroads,' he told parliament. 'I ask parliament to renew its confidence in the government.' The vote is to take place late Tuesday. The governing Socialists have 155 seats in the 300-seat parliament.

Antonis Samaras, the head of the largest opposition party, Nea Dimokratia (ND), said Papandreou's drastic savings measures had not achieved any results. 'We will not give you our trust,' he said.

The Greek debt problem had not yet ended, Papandreou said, and the country and its EU partners had to concentrate on avoiding bankruptcy, or 'sudden death.' This could only be achieved with the support of all the country's political and social forces, he said.

He said that citizens would be given the chance to decide on 'the modernization of the state' in the autumn referendum, without giving further details.

The programme is a pre-condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union, who are due to approve the next tranche of a bailout fund for the country worth 12 billion dollars this week.

Greece has also asked for a second bailout - thought to be worth about 80 to 120 billion euros - needed to keep Greece solvent beyond 2012, when coverage from the current rescue package starts to tail off.

Meanwhile, a survey published survey by the weekly To Vima newspaper said that 47.5 of Greeks were against the measures, though 79.8 per cent of people still supported membership of the European Union.

Over 70 per cent of Greeks said they wanted a cross-party government to take the country through the time of crisis.

Care and concern

Key to implementing accountable care organizations (ACOs) could already live in your institution--the registered nurse, according to an America's Health Insurance Plans .

With today's expanded role of the nurse going beyond traditional responsibilities, nurses act as care coordinators, disease managers, data analysts, and process managers, among other things, according to the article.

As ACOs increasingly focus on improved care coordination and delivery, nurses may be the perfect fit for evaluating current resources and staffing levels, as well as solving problems effectively.

"Well-designed analytics are critical to clearly understanding the opportunities for improving outcomes, setting goals, and assessing downstream measures of progress in the ACO model," said Patty Jones, RN, MBA, in the article. "Nurses have the opportunity to play a role in accurately reviewing information about the targeted populations and identifying members who will be well-served by the organization's programs, as well as measuring progress.

Although some nursing experts appear to embrace the general tenants of the proposed ACO rules, some are less enthused and issues remain unresolved.

Case management and care coordination concerns

“The focus is that we support the goals of nursing integration into ACOs, but the language specific to care coordination is a concern. We feel that it has neglected to recognize the contribution of nursing,” said Lisa Summers, CNM, DrPH, senior policy fellow, department of nursing practice and policy, American Nurses Association.

“Care coordination is a building block on which much of the ACO quality improvement and cost control provisions are built. And care coordination is a core competency for the nursing profession; it is what nurses do. Yet the proposed rule largely disregards the contributions of professional nursing in both clinical services and patient management, and as a result, loses the opportunity for real cost savings,” Summer said.

Another professional organization that includes nurses has a different take on the issue of care coordination: “We strongly support the emphasis placed by [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] in the proposed rule on the importance of improving care coordination for Medicare beneficiaries,” said Patrice V. Sminkey, RN, chief staff executive, Commission for Case Manager Certification. “Our position is that a board-certified case manager is uniquely positioned to improve care coordination performed in an ACO by implementing plans of care.”

The difference in positions is that not all certified case managers are nurses; they can include many healthcare professionals that “practice independently,” such as social workers. The difference hinges on the emphasis of RNs’ role in care coordination.

The ANA’s position is: “The care coordinator should be a health professional from any of several different disciplines for most patients; however, for many, a registered nurse is often the best care coordinator.

J&J unit recalls 16,000 bottles of Risperdal

Approximately 16,000 bottles of schizophrenia drug - Risperdal - have been recalled by Johnson & Johnson company, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. because of an "uncharacteristic odor".

The smell is thought to be caused by traces of a byproduct of a chemical preservative which is applied to wooden pallets - 2, 4, 6 tribromoanisole (TBA). The company says TBA is not toxic, but can give off an unpleasant smell. A very small number of patients may experience temporary gastrointestinal symptoms.

The recall affects one lot each of Risperdal (risperidone) 3 mg tablets and risperidone 2 mg tablets. While the former is marketed by Janssen Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals; the latter is marketed by Patriot Pharmaceuticals - Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals’ wholly owned subsidiary.

The recalled Risperdal lot - comprised 3mg bottles of 60 tablets; NDC Code 50458-330-06 and lot number 0GG904 - was shipped between August 27, 2010 and February 15, 2011.

Meanwhile, the recalled respiredone lot – comprising 2mg bottles of 60 tablets; NDC Code 50458-593-60 and lot number OlG175 - of approximately 24,000 bottles was shipped between November 10, 2010 and January 1, 2011.

The offensive smell, which prompted the recall of the mentioned products, was apparently a result of traces of 2, 4, 6 tribromoanisole (TBA) - a byproduct of a chemical preservative which is applied to wooden pallets. According to JNJ, even though TBA is not toxic, it can give off an unpleasant smell.

Even though it is being assured that only a very small number of patients may experience temporary gastrointestinal symptoms due to the TBA traces, JNJ has apparently worked out ways to institute a number of actions that may lower TBA contamination risk.

Box office update: 'Green Lantern' wins with $21.6 million

Judging from what we've seen via the various trailers, TV spots and concept art, the special effects teams assembled for "Green Lantern" had their work cut out for them. Sure, they had the comics as reference material, but the act of constructing the more sci-fi elements of the character's storied history proved slightly more painstaking than all out, let-your-imagination-run-wild-type fun.

MTV News caught up with "Green Lantern" creature design guru Neville Page at the film's premiere to talk about the specific challenges his team faced. Unsurprisingly, the names Tomar-Re and Kilowog came up.

Rounding out the top five, X-Men: First Class fell 55 percent from last Friday, with an estimated $3.4 gross. Nipping at its heels in a race for fourth place, The Hangover Part II earned $3.2 million — a decent 44 percent drop-off for the comedy sequel, which has already grossed $226 million domestically. Both films should finish the weekend with about $10-12 million.

On the indie scene, The Art of Getting By grossed a just-okay $296,000 in 610 theaters. Conversely, The Tree of Life continued to grow with $323,000 on a mere 114 theaters. Hey, when you think about it, The Tree of Life is sort of the art-film version of Green Lantern: Daddy issues, cosmos-spanning narrative, and, er, I’m pretty sure Brad Pitt wears a ring?

Be sure to check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report! Here’s your Friday top five:

1. Green Lantern — $21.6 mil

2. Mr. Popper’s Penguins — $6.4 mil

3. Super 8 — $6 mil

4. X-Men: First Class — $3.4 mil

5. The Hangover Part II — $3.2 mil

Sax man Clarence "Big Man" Clemons dies at 69

Clarence Clemons, the legendary saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen''s E Street Band breathed his last at the age of 69, after being hospitalised a week ago with a stroke.

The 'larger-than-life saxophone player' succumbed to multiple complications from the stroke at his home in Singer Island, Florida, reports the Fox News.

Famously known as the 'Big Man' because of his imposing 6-foot-5-inch, and 270-plus pound frame, Clemons has produced key songs, including 'Jungleland,' and 'Born To Run.'

His booming saxophone solos became a signature sound for the E Street Band and he was a major influence in Bruce Springsteen''s life and music through four decades.

Clemons had been pulled down by health issues in recent years. He endured a major spinal surgery in January 2010 and at the 2009 Super Bowl, he rose from a wheelchair to perform with Springsteen after a double knee replacement surgery.

Fighting severe, chronic pain and post-surgical depression, Clemons still managed to maintain a sense of humour.

Beach, Fla., a band spokeswoman said. He was 69.

Clemons was a key influence in Springsteen's music. He was hospitalized about a week ago after suffering a stroke at his home in Singer Island, Fla.

Known as the Big Man for his 6-foot-5-inch, 270-plus pound frame, Clemons and his ever-present saxophone spent much of his life with The Boss. His solos became a signature sound for the band on many songs, including "Jungleland," a solo he spent 16 hours perfecting, and "Born to Run."

In recent years, he was slowed by health woes. At the 2009 Super Bowl, he rose from a wheelchair to perform after double knee replacements; he endured spinal surgery in 2010.

But his health seemed to be improving. In May, he performed with Lady Gaga on the season finale of "American Idol," and played on two songs on her "Born This Way" album.

Clemons said in a 2010 interview that he was winning his health battles.

"God will give you no more than you can handle," he said. "All this pain is going to come back and make me stronger."

Clarence Clemons

Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011, also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985 had a hit single with "You're a Friend of Mine", a duet with Jackson Browne. As a guest musician he also featured on Aretha Franklin's classic "Freeway of Love" and on Twisted Sister's "Be Chrool to Your Scuel" as well as performing in concert with The Grateful Dead and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. As an actor Clemons featured in several films, including New York, New York and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. He also made cameo appearances in several TV series, including Diff'rent Strokes, Nash Bridges, The Simpsons and The Wire. Together with his television writer friend Don Reo he published his autobiography, Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales, in 2009. Clemons suffered a stroke on June 12, 2011 and died due to complications from the stroke on June 18.

Early years

Clemons was the son of Clarence Clemons, Sr., a fish market owner, and his wife Thelma. He was the oldest of their three children. His grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher and, as a result, the young Clemons grew up listening to gospel music. When he was nine, his father gave him an alto saxophone as a Christmas present and paid for music lessons. He later switched to baritone saxophone and played in a high school jazz band. His uncle also influenced his early musical development when he bought him his first King Curtis album. Curtis, and his work with The Coasters in particular, would be become a major influence on Clemons and led to him switching to tenor saxophone. As a youth Clemons also showed potential as a football player, and he attended Maryland State College on both music and football scholarships. He played as a lineman on the same team as Emerson Boozer and attracted the attention of the Cleveland Browns, who offered him a trial. However, the day before he was involved in a serious car accident which effectively ended any plans of a career in the NFL. At age 18, Clemons had one of his earliest studio experiences, recording sessions with Tyrone Ashley's Funky Music Machine, a band from Plainfield, New Jersey that included Ray Davis, Eddie Hazel and Billy Bass Nelson, all of whom later played with Parliament-Funkadelic. He also performed with Daniel Petraitis, a New Jersey and Nashville legend. These sessions were eventually released in 2007 by Truth and Soul Records as Let Me Be Your Man. While at Maryland State College Clemons also joined his first band, The Vibratones, which played James Brown covers and stayed together for about four years between 1961 and 1965. While still playing with this band he moved to Newark, New Jersey where he worked as a counselor for emotionally disturbed children at the Jamesburg Training School for Boys between 1962 and 1970.

Bruce Springsteet

The story of how Clemons first met Bruce Springsteen has entered into E Street Band folklore. In concerts Springsteen would introduce "The E Street Shuffle" with a monologue about how they met and the event was also immortalized in "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out". They allegedly met for the first time in September 1971. At the time Clemons was playing with Norman Seldin & The Joyful Noyze at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Seldin was a Jersey Shore musician/entrepreneur who, as well as playing piano and leading various bands, had his own record label, Selsom Records. In 1969 Clemons had recorded an eponymous album with this band. In 2008 tracks from this album were reissued on an anthology, Asbury Park — Then And Now, put together by Seldin. It was Karen Cassidy, lead vocalist with The Joyful Noyze, who encouraged Clemons to check out Springsteen who was playing with The Bruce Springsteen Band at the nearby Student Prince. Clemons has recalled their meeting in various interviews.

One night we were playing in Asbury Park. I'd heard The Bruce Springsteen Band was nearby at a club called The Student Prince and on a break between sets I walked over there. On-stage, Bruce used to tell different versions of this story but I'm a Baptist, remember, so this is the truth. A rainy, windy night it was, and when I opened the door the whole thing flew off its hinges and blew away down the street. The band were on-stage, but staring at me framed in the doorway. And maybe that did make Bruce a little nervous because I just said, "I want to play with your band," and he said, "Sure, you do anything you want." The first song we did was an early version of "Spirit In The Night". Bruce and I looked at each other and didn't say anything, we just knew. We knew we were the missing links in each other's lives. He was what I'd been searching for. In one way he was just a scrawny little kid. But he was a visionary. He wanted to follow his dream. So from then on I was part of history.

Solo career

Outside of his work with the E Street Band, Clemons recorded with many other artists and had a number of musical projects on his own. The best known of these are his 1985 vocal duet with Jackson Browne on the hit single "You're a Friend of Mine", and his saxophone work on Aretha Franklin's 1985 hit single "Freeway of Love". 

Acting career

Clemons appeared in movies and on television making his debut in Martin Scorsese's 1977 musical, New York, New York in which he played a trumpet player. He played one of the Three Most Important People In The World in the 1989 film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. In 1985, Clemons was a special guest star in Diff'rent Strokes episode "So You Want to Be a Rock Star", in which he played the role of Mr. Kingsley, a young saxophonist helping Arnold Jackson to learn to play his sax. He has also been a guest voice in an episode of The Simpsons. In 1990, he co-starred in the pilot episode of Human Target, a Rick Springfield action series intended for ABC. He also played the role of Jack in Swing starring opposite Lisa Stansfield and Hugo Speer, directed by Nick Mead. He appeared alongside Michael McKean and David Bowe as a miner in one episode of musician "Weird Al" Yankovic's children's television show The Weird Al Show. He appeared in an episode of Damon Wayans' television show, My Wife And Kids as a musician and performed an original composition, co written with bassist, Lynn Woolever, called "One Shadow In The Sun". 

Personal

Clemons was married five times. He fathered four sons, Clarence III, Charles, Christopher and Jarod. He was legally blind in one eye. Clemons stated "It's not something you can replace. If it goes out, that's it."

Philanthropy

On October 22, 2009, Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and revitalizing music education in public schools, presented Clemons with the inaugural "Big Man of the Year Award" at the Right to Rock charity benefit. He helped raise money to put musical instruments and curriculum into underfunded public schools across the country. He also performed "Jailhouse Rock" with a student band from the Bronx, in addition to a number with legendary producer, John Colby.

Death

Clemons suffered a stroke on June 12, 2011 and died from complications caused by the stroke on June 18.

Obama, Boehner tee off for a friendly golf

President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner took a mulligan when it came to competing on the links Saturday — teaming up to beat Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

The Obama-Boehner team — who are still wrangling over trillions in budget cuts and tax hikes — won $2 off Biden-Kasich in what was arguably the most anticipated golf round in U.S. political history.

The president and the speaker were joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio’s Republican governor, John Kasich, for a 9:30 a.m. tee time at the course at Joint Base Andrews, where the president is a frequent weekend golfer.

The White House made a rare exception and allowed the press to watch Obama and his playing partners finish the first hole, a par five.

Biden was cool under pressure, sinking a 15- to 20-foot putt.

“Did you all catch that?’’ Obama shouted to reporters.

The president, dressed in dark pants, a white polo shirt and a baseball cap, putted for par, tapping home a short shot after missing a 12-footer.

Kasich, a former congressman, missed a long 30-footer, then tapped in for par. Boehner, one of the best golfers in Congress, gave a hearty “Oh yeah!’’ after draining a short putt.

Obama, who is not in Boehner’s links league, patted the speaker on the back as they headed toward the second hole, the president driving their cart.

While Obama is an avid golfer, he rarely plays with anyone outside of his small cadre of close aides. His rounds run long, usually well over five hours, and those close to the president say he revels in the chance to get out of the spotlight.

Obama’s penchant for privacy extends to his social life. He surrounds himself with a tight inner circle of family and friends, and rarely socializing with other politicians in Washington.

Yesterday’s golf outing was one of the first times Obama and Boehner have gotten together for anything other than a policy meeting.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said early last week that the outing was “meant to be an opportunity for the speaker and the president, as well as the vice president and Ohio governor, to have a conversation, to socialize in a way that so rarely happens in Washington.’’

Being father is challenging and rewarding, Obama says

WASHINGTON — President Obama says being a father is sometimes his hardest job, but also the most rewarding.

Just ahead of Father’s Day, the president devoted his radio and Internet address yesterday to fatherhood. He talked about growing up without a father, his own failings as a father, and the values he hopes to teach his daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 10. He described the responsibilities that all fathers have to their children and said his administration is trying to help during tough economic times and long deployments for US troops.

The president spoke of helping to coach Sasha’s basketball team. “In the end, that’s what being a parent is all about — those precious moments with our children that fill us with pride and excitement for their future; the chances we have to set an example or offer a piece of advice; the opportunities to just be there and show them that we love them.’’

Obama was raised largely by his grandparents in Hawaii after his father left when Obama was very young. “I felt his absence. And I wonder what my life would have been like had he been a greater presence,’’ the president said.

The president said he has learned that what children need most is their parents’ time and a structure that instills self-discipline and responsibility, noting that even in the White House, Malia and Sasha do their chores and walk the dog.

“Above all, children need our unconditional love,’’ the president said, “whether they succeed or make mistakes; when life is easy and when life is tough.’’

Republicans used their weekly address to call for progress on pacts to expand trade with South Korea, Panama, and Colombia.

The Obama administration wants lawmakers to expand retraining assistance for American workers who lose their jobs because of foreign competition.

Stop the Glitter Campaign

Gay rights activist threw glitter at Michele Bachmann here Saturday, but it didn't stick.

The Republican presidential candidate was leaving the stage at the end of her 40-minute speech to the RightOnline conference when a Minneapolis lawyer unloaded a container full of glitter.

It all fell to the stage, and none appeared to even stick to the congresswoman's dress.

"You can run, but you can't hide," Rachel E. B. Lang yelled, as she was quickly detained by a security guard and escorted away.

Bachmann, totally unfazed, began shaking hands with audience members.

The whole episode unfolded in about 10 seconds.

She later ignored a question from POLITICO about it as she left the Hilton.

Lang, who is straight but has at least two gay family members, said she dropped the glitter on Bachmann to protest her opposition to gay rights and her support for a ministry that also opposes them.

Throwing something, no matter how innocuous it may seem, at someone, no matter who that person might be, is not “disarming.” It’s startling and, I can imagine, it might also be a bit frightening.

The first three victims of this wave of political theater are all high-profile leaders in this country and, as such, are potential targets for something much more serious than what these activists are doing. We have no idea what, if any, threats have been made against them. This “nonviolent” action might look great to critics of these Republican presidential candidates, but it might feel quite different being on the receiving end, especially if there are legitimate reasons why the candidates need to be concerned for their safety.

"Glitter bombing" public official also sets a terrible precedent. How is the other side going to respond now that one side is throwing glitter? What will be the nonviolent weapon of choice for conservative activists? How are we going to feel when it’s Senator Amy Klobuchar being “disarmed” by some action equally as discomfiting as glitter bombing?

As a form of “activism” these activities are counter-productive. No supporter of Bachmann, Gingrich or Pawlenty is going to look at them, covered in glitter, and change their opinions of them. If anything, this kind of attempt at public humiliation of politicians will only serve to further engage their base. It reinforces the very perceptions that need to change if we are to see progress on the issues that have motivated the glitter activists in the first place.

The decline of any sense of decorum in the political arena is part of the problem. Think what you will of Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann, but they still are a former Governor, a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a current member of the U.S. House. We may, to the very core of our being, disagree with their policies; but by virtue of the offices they hold, or have held, they deserve better than having glitter thrown at them. No matter how “great” someone might think it looks.

Glitter

Glitter describes an assortment of very small roughly 1 mm² pieces of copolymer plastics, aluminum foil, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride or other materials painted in metallic, neon and iridescent colors to reflect light in a sparkling spectrum. Glitter is usually sold and stored in canisters somewhat similar to salt shakers, which have openings that control the flow of glitter. These canisters may contain one or many colors. It can be permanently applied with strong glue, or temporarily applied with other sticky materials, such as makeup. It is not to be confused with confetti, which contains larger pieces, and should also not be confused with sequins, which are larger yet.

Glitter is used in craft projects, especially for children, because of the brilliant effects which can be achieved relatively easily. Glitter is used as an element of decorations, and can be added to rubbers and plastics. It is also often put into cosmetic products like lip gloss and eyeshadow. Glittery cosmetics are popular with youth, but are also worn by adults.

Glitter was invented by Henry Ruschmann. Accounts conflict as to when glitter was invented—some say 1934 and others shortly after World War II.

The word "glitter" is often used euphemistically to refer to brilliantly gorgeous but superficial glamour. From this meaning comes the term glitterati to refer to pop stars and socialites. The word is derived from "glitter" and "literati".

Rick Perry is hot button topic at Republican conference

NEW ORLEANS – Rick Perry’s closest political adviser said Saturday that the Texas governor is “50-50” about whether to run for the White House.

That was before Perry brought down the house here with a rousing speech at the Republican Leadership Conference.

On the RLC’s final day, the governor got a rapturous response from over a thousand GOP activists, demonstrating why both donors and the party’s grassroots want to coax him into the still-unsettled primary.

Perry has for years denied any interest in the presidency, but his speech suggested otherwise—and served as a reminder that he’d be an instant contender if he did decides to run.

He spoke of his decade-long tenure as Texas governor, the longest of any chief executive in the country, and his successful effort to bring jobs to the state. He detailed a raft of conservative legislation he’s signed on issues ranging from tort reform to abortion rights to voting restrictions.

Perry also proved he could authentically speak the language of the Tea Party, offering a robust defense of the 10th Amendment, repeatedly invoking of the founding fathers and launching an assault on what he portrayed as an ever more menacing federal government.

“They will never willingly give up an ounce power in Washington, D.C. until the American people stand up and demand that we get the government we want,” he thundered.

Earlier at the conference, more than 150 people queued up to have Perry sign copies of his book, Fed Up. Tim McGough, 41, a marketing director and former legislator in New Hampshire, was the first in line at the signing, getting there an hour early. "I am impressed with his record in Texas. The Republican party still needs a true leader. I think he will shake it up," he said. "He is telegenic, a handsome guy, articulate and governor of one of the largest economies in the world."

McGough described himself as a conservative moderate, favouring limited government, and if Perry did not stand he would support Romney. But he knows people around Perry and thinks he will go for it. "He will have a huge bump initially and will immediately catapult to the front. He will then settle into a race with Romney. I think it will be close," McGough said.

Perry initially ruled himself out of the race but over the last few weeks has confirmed he is thinking about it. His wife is urging him to run and Dave Carney, a veteran campaign strategist, quit Gingrich's team to join Perry's.

Perry signs copies of his book. Photograph: Lee Celano/Reuters

Texas journalists who have long covered Perry say they think he will stand but it is still 50-50, with the governor concerned about whether he can raise the hundreds of millions of dollars needed and whether he has left it too late to develop a campaign organisation.

If he runs, Perry will face questions about his refusal to grant a stay of execution in cases such as that of Cameron Todd Willingham, believed to be innocent. He will also have to deal with a comment he made last year in which he appeared to support the idea of the secession of Texas from the United States.

Trish Fleming, 41, who works in advertising in Houston, Texas, was second in line at the Perry book signing. A Republican who named one of her children George W, she supported Gingrich at first and then Bachmann after seeing her speak at the conference on Friday. But Fleming hopes Perry will stand. "I think he is a game-changer," she said. "The Texas economy is the only one that is booming."

Tag: Rick Perry