Hi 27C° Low 15C° | 
Minor Matters
13 minutes ago
Common Dialogue
1 hour, 17 minutes ago
Good Times
6 hours, 56 minutes ago
The 5th Official
7 hours, 16 minutes agoView all Times LIVE Blogs
I have been supporting Madonna’s adoption process. I have been soft about Madonna’s attempt to circumvent the Malawian legal system. I’ve been thinking that the press, especially the British press have been way too hard on the rock-star. I’ve been wondering whether the bad press is related to her being a sexually active, attractive 50-year-old who has recently divorced the father of one of her children. Not quite the role model mother/housewife.
But this story has pretty much shocked me:
Before Madonna “adopts” another child from Malawi, maybe someone should ask her where the money went from her big star studded 2008 fundraiser for that country.
We tried: this column has tried to ascertain from The Gucci Foundation and from Madonna’s Kabbalah-backed Raising Malawi where the estimated $3.7 million has gone from the February 6, 2008 extravaganza. So far: No answers.
And how about a bit of manipulation:
Meantime — call it a coincidence, but day after tomorrow — Thursday, April 2nd — Madonna is suddenly launching a charity auction on ebay for Raising Malawi. The auction is so last minute that there are no details. It’s supposedly timed to the publication of a book tied in to I Am Because We Are, her self-serving and unsuccessful documentary about Madonna discovering poverty and hunger in Africa. (The film, which was never picked up by a distributor, is often called “We Are Because I Am.”)
Yesterday David Banda met his father Yohane Banda for this first time since he was adopted by Madonna in 2006. With all the discussion and media reports about the controversial attempts to adopt a second child in Malawi, it’s interesting to note what Yahane said after meeting his son. Here are some quotes from the Daily Mail:
’It’s amazing how David has grown; I can’t believe he is the same small and sickly baby we left at Home of Hope.
‘He seems to be a polite boy for he asked if he could sit on my lap. Then he started playing with my nose; I don’t know why.
‘I sometimes shudder to think that David could also have met the same fate had Madonna not adopted him. I am really grateful to her for saving David from possible early death.’
In this photo made available by Madonna’s publicist, Liz Rosenberg, Madonna holds her adopted son David as they meet with the boy’s biological father, Yohane Banda, left, at a lodge where the pop star is staying in Lilongwe, Malawi, Monday March 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Monroe)
As he flies to the UK for the G20 later this week, the world reads the Economist’s leader which says that his performance has been weak, many of his strongest supporters have started to question him, he has failed to grapple as fast and as single-mindedly with the economy as he should have done, he has failed to staff the Treasury…
But at last week’s press conference
Mr Obama reminded the world what an impressive politician he can be. He has a capacity to inspire that is unmatched abroad or at home. He holds a strong hand when it comes to the Democrats, many of whom owe their seats to his popularity at last year’s election. Now he must play it.
AP picture above: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 31, 2009, as they departed for a trip to the United Kingdom to attend the G-20 Summit. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Madonna is getting some rough treatment. Local human rights spokesman Undule Mwakasungura said: “Madonna is behaving like a bully because she has status, money and a name. She thinks she can fast-track the adoption.”
…. here we go again. As we try to understand what the controversy about Madonna’s adoption of a Malawian baby is all about, Brangelina is thinking about adopting another child. From India. Somehow, because Angelina is not making up and breaking up with husbands and young men, looks sweetly demure and has Brad on her arm, she will be forgiven for robbing India of its children.
Azharuddin Mohammed, 10, a young star of Slumdog Millionairem asked the actress at last month’s Oscars if she planned to bring up an Indian orphan. Angelina is said to have replied: “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon.”
Apparently Naomi is jetting into South Africa to meet with her friend Mandela and to help out at an orphanage in Cape Town. Anybody know more about this?
She will flying from India where she paid tribute to the victims of the Mumbai’s terror attacks last November. She took to the catwalk wearing a collection of traditional Indian clothes for the show called ‘Mai Mumbai’. The show was held to raise money and awareness for Citizens for Peace and Justice.
After spending a weekend fretting about meningitis again (my three children were hot and feverish all weekend long) I feel exhausted and sleep deprived which of course leads to irrational fretting about well everything, and meningitis.
Stories of more deaths a past one this time, and the story of Barack Obama’s daughter being hospitalised with meningitis didn’t help. I was reminded a few days ago that an aunt died of meningitis. And Politico.com reports:
When Sasha – “our little precious pea” – was just three months old, she was hospitalized with life-threatening meningitis, Obama said at an unprecedented White House Internet town-hall meeting Thursday.
“Very dangerous,” the President said, responding to a health-policy question from a nurse in the audience. “The doctors did a terrific job, but frankly it was the nurses that were there with us when she had to get a spinal tap, and all sorts of things that were just bringing me to tears.”
The result: Sasha, now 7, got better, and Obama will always appreciate RNs.
“I’m biased toward nurses,” he said. “I just like nurses.”
Obama said todaythat both General Motors nor Chrysler have not proposed enough change to justify further bailout. He has demanded “painful concessions” from creditors, unions and others as their price for survival. He did say that he is committed to the auto industry but only on terms that will allow it to compete internationally. Does this mean a greener car industry? Ultimately, Yes! He said in his announcement that:
I am confident that if we are each willing to do our part, then this restructuring, as painful as it will be in the short-term, will mark not an end, but a new beginning for a great American industry; an auto industry that is once more out-competing the world; a 21st century auto industry that is creating new jobs, unleashing new prosperity, and manufacturing the fuel-efficient cars and trucks that will carry us toward an energy independent future. I am absolutely committed to working with Congress and the auto companies to meet one goal: the United States of America will lead the world in building the next generation of clean cars.
Here are his full remarks:
One of the challenges we have confronted from the beginning of this administration is what to do about the state of our struggling auto industry. In recent months, my Auto Task Force has been reviewing requests by General Motors and Chrysler for additional government assistance as well as plans developed by each of these companies to restructure, modernize, and make themselves more competitive. Our evaluation is now complete. But before I lay out what needs to be done going forward, I want to say a few words about where we are, and what led us to this point.
Poor girl. Her father doesn’t think she is a capable parent. Here is a clip of a private voicemail message, leaked on the internet, that Britney Spears sent to a lawyer in January, saying that her father has threatened to take her children away from her.
