The Pope seems like an amazing man. He’s the first Pope from the Americas. Many other Cardinals in his position enjoyed very large houses, limos, personal chefs… This Pope instead chose to take the bus, live in a modest apartment, and cook his own food. I really don’t think that the Pope would have been this to run for Pope, because you can’t really run for Pope, because you don’t really know when the incumbent will resign.

Obviously the Catholic Church is not without its problems. I hope that Pope Francis can lead the church through turbulent, and mend some fences along the way.

-JH

The cause was complications from pancreatic cancer, her family announced.

By the mid-1970s, Franklin was a theater veteran who had earned a Tony nomination for her performance in the Broadway musical “Applause” when she was offered a different kind of role, one that was not then the usual fare on network television.

Developed by Norman Lear, the new CBS series would tell the story of Ann Romano, a divorced woman in her 30s who was raising two teenagers and building a new life for herself in her hometown of Indianapolis. Franklin’s character wasn’t the first divorced woman on network television; but the role, like those of other characters in Lear’s groundbreaking sitcoms, was infused with a new level of social realism.

Although network executives thought she looked too young for the part, Franklin was “a wonderful actress and woman — she ran very deep — and she was able to pull it off,” Lear told The Times on Friday.

“She brought a unique kind of wisdom — wisdom in someone who looks that young is especially appealing — and she was very good with those kind of lines,” he said. “She was an upper, really an upper, in terms of her attitude and her energy.”

On the show, Romano faced the same challenges that many newly divorced women confronted in real life: finding a job for the first time in years and struggling to collect child support payments and pay the bills.

Many episodes also detailed the character’s struggles as the all-but-only parent to her daughters: Julie, the older, rebellious one played by Mackenzie Phillips, and Barbara, the younger, less troubled sibling portrayed by Valerie Bertinelli.

Bertinelli said she regarded Franklin as a second mother.

“She taught me how to navigate this business and life itself with grace and humor, and to always be true to yourself,” the actress said Friday in a statement.

Pat Harrington Jr. played Dwayne Schneider, the nosy superintendent of the family’s apartment building, who provided comic relief during the show’s tense moments. Harrington was awarded an Emmy in 1984 as best supporting actor in a comedy series.

Franklin was nominated for an Emmy in 1982 and twice nominated for Golden Globe awards for her portrayal of Romano.

During its run from 1975 to 1984, which made its tenure among the longest of Lear’s series, the show tackled such provocative issues as teen sex, birth control and infidelity.

Franklin said she appreciated Lear’s willingness to explore sensitive themes — and his steady hand — in making the series a long-lasting hit.

“Norman sticks pins in people and makes them think about things they wouldn’t normally think about,” she told a reporter for The Times in 1987. “He made it possible to talk about subjects on television that had never been talked about before: mental retardation, teen pregnancy and the effects of divorce on a family.”

On Friday, the producer voiced his own admiration. “You didn’t ask me if I loved her, and I did,” Lear said. “If anybody defined joy, she did.”

Bonnie Gail Franklin was born in Santa Monica on Jan. 6, 1944. Her parents were immigrants; her father, an investment banker, came to the United States from Russia and her mother from Romania. (She once noted that her red hair and freckles made people skeptical about her Jewish heritage.)

The family lived in Hermosa Beach, later moving to Beverly Hills. And early on, her parents enrolled Franklin and her siblings in dance and acting lessons.

“I was a bookworm, and my mom felt I should get out of myself,” she told The Times in 1987. “My four brothers and sisters also had lessons, but I’m the only one who took them seriously.”

At age 9 Franklin made her television debut, tap-dancing with Donald O’Connor on “The Colgate Comedy Hour.” She later had guest roles on such popular TV series as “Gidget” and “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”

A graduate of Beverly Hills High School, she attended Smith College in Massachusetts before transferring to UCLA, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1966.

After an early marriage ended in divorce, Franklin focused anew on acting. She won critical praise and a Tony nomination in 1970 for her Broadway performance in “Applause,” a musical interpretation of the 1950 film “All About Eve.” Franklin emerged from the chorus to sing the show’s title song.

Throughout her career, Franklin remained a multifaceted performer, putting together nightclub acts and taking on both comedic and dramatic roles. She played the main character in the 1980 CBS television movie “Portrait of a Rebel” about birth control activist Margaret Sanger, a serious turn that Franklin described as one of her most significant.

She also turned to directing, including episodes of “Charles in Charge,” “The Munsters Today” and “One Day at a Time.”

In 1980, she married television and film producer Marvin Minoff, with whom she had worked on the set of “Portrait of a Rebel.” They were married until his death in 2009.

Survivors include her mother, Claire Franklin; stepchildren Jed Minoff and Julie Minoff; two grandchildren; her brothers, Dr. Bernard Franklin and Richard Franklin; and sisters, Victoria Kupetz and Judith Bush.

(via Los Angeles Times)

We’re updating all the winners here as they’re announced, so stay tuned!

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Best Animated Short Film: Paperman

Best Animated Feature Film: Brave

Achievement in Cinematography: Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda

Achievement in Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Achievement in Costume Design: Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran

Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling: Les Misérables

Best Live-Action Short Film: Curfew

Best Documentary Short Subject: Inocente

Best Documentary Feature: Searching for a Sugar Man

Best Foreign-Language Film: Amour (Austria)

Achievement in Sound Mixing: Les Misérables

Achievement in Sound Editing: Zero Dark Thirty & Skyfall

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Seth MacFarlane’s opening act includes groans, boobs and Channing Tatum dancing

Achievement in Film Editing: Argo

Achievement in Production Direction: Lincoln

Original Score: Life of Pi, Mychael Danna

Original Song: “Skyfall,” Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth; Skyfall

Adapted Screenplay: Argo, Chris Terrio

Original Screenplay: Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino

Kristen Stewart on crutches at the Oscars red carpet, still looks great

Achievement in Directing: Ang Lee, Life of Pi

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Best Motion Picture: Argo

(eonline!)

A source tells E! News that neighbors reportedly heard gunshots at McCready’s house and called the police. “She shot herself and the dog,” the insider adds.

No other details have been released on her death, but the Daily News is reporting that it was an apparent suicide. According to TMZ, McCready attempted to take her own life twice before, once in 2005 and again in 2008. She also made several trips to rehab and appeared on the VH1 reality show “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in 2010.

The troubled star had been struggling following the sudden death of her boyfriend, 34-year-old David Wilson, on Jan. 13, 2013. Although she claimed she had nothing to do with Wilson’s passing, McCready’s two children Zander, 6, and her son with Wilson, Zayne, 9 months, were taken by authorities on Feb. 6 after family members claimed she was unfit to care for them. She decided to enter an in-patient facility for treatment.

“Since boyfriend (David Wilson) shot himself she has been in bed for 3 wks,” her father said in court documents earlier this month. “Sleeps all day. Drinks all night and is taking Rx drugs. Not bathing or even helping take care of her 2 children.”

But just a day after being ordered by a judge to enter a facility for a mental-health and alcohol-abuse evaluation, McCready was released to undergo outpatient treatment instead, according to E! News.

In her final interview before her death, McCready told NBC’s Andrea Canning, “I have never gone through anything this painful. He didn’t just touch my heart, he touched my soul. He was my soulmate.”

(via Huffington Post)

Illinois is known for being a nanny state. But this woman was arrested for refusing to allow the city to install a smart meter on HER PROPERTY. Not sure when property rights will be respected. Interestingly enough, you should read the book “Agenda 21″ by Glenn Beck, it will explain almost all of it.

-JH

Women in all branches of the military soon will have unprecedented opportunities to serve on the front lines of the nation’s wars.

Leon Panetta, in one of his last acts as President Obama’s defense secretary, is preparing to announce the policy change, which would open hundreds of thousands of front-line positions and potentially elite commando jobs after more than a decade at war, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.

The groundbreaking move recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff overturns a 1994 rule banning women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units. Panetta’s decision gives the military services until January 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women.

“This policy change will initiate a process whereby the services will develop plans to implement this decision, which was made by the secretary of defense upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” a senior defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Some front-line military roles may open to women as soon as this year. Assessments for others, such as special operations forces, including Navy SEALS and the Army’s Delta Force, may take longer.

A defense official told the Associated Press that the military chiefs must report back to Panetta with their initial implementation plans by May 15. The announcement on Panetta’s decision is not expected until Thursday, so the official spoke on condition of anonymity.

Panetta’s move expands the Pentagon’s action nearly a year ago to open about 14,500 combat positions to women, nearly all of them in the Army. This decision could open more than 230,000 jobs, many in Army and Marine infantry units, to women.

Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., said he supports Panetta’s decision.

“The fact is that American women are already serving in harm’s way today all over the world and in every branch of our armed forces,” he said in a statement. “Many have made the ultimate sacrifice, and our nation owes them a deep debt of gratitude.”

In recent years the necessities of war propelled women into jobs as medics, military police and intelligence officers that were sometimes attached — but not formally assigned — to units on the front lines.

Women comprise 14 percent of the 1.4 million active military personnel.

Panetta is preparing to step down as Obama begins his second term, with former Sen. Charles Hagel nominated to take Panetta’s place.

Democrats also brought up a point of the lack of funding for consulate security. But last I checked, it was Democrats that were pining to cut funding from the military. There was especially a very heated debate that Hillary had with Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson:

This proves to me that Hillary does not have the temperance to be President. Much like her husband, she is quick-tempered, and I’d frankly be worried as to what she would do as President.

President Barack Obama issued a statement today celebrating the 40-year-old Roe v. wade decision that allowed for virtually unlimited abortions.

The decision, handed down on January 22, 1973, overturned pro-life laws offering protection for unborn children in most states across the country, and made abortions legal and virtually unlimited. Almost 56 million unborn children have been killed in abortions since.

“Today and every day, my Administration continues our efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, and minimize the need for abortion,” Obama said in his statement.

The full statement follows:

“On the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we reaffirm its historic commitment to protect the health and reproductive freedom of women across this country and stand by its guiding principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters, and women should be able to make their own choices about their bodies and their health care. Today and every day, my Administration continues our efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, and minimize the need for abortion. On this anniversary, we recommit ourselves to supporting women and families in the choices they make and redouble our efforts to promote safe and healthy communities.”

The statement is similar to his 2011 one, which celebrated abortion while trying to stake out a middle position.

It’s going to be a long 4 years!!

I honestly like it when it’s not the same Super Bowl is someone different each year. I know a lot people would get pretty annoyed when the same people won every yeah (New England Patriots.) My money is on the 49ers. Well not money, I’m not much of a betting man.