Dolly Parton as smokies to celebrate 75th Anniversary Rededication Event

FILE - In this Feb. 19, 1977 file photo, Les Paul, right, and Chet Atkins, left, are presented Grammies by Dolly Parton and Freddie Fender, second from right, at 19th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Paul, 94, the guitarist and inventor who changed the course of music with the electric guitar and multitrack recording and had a string of hits, died, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 in White Plains, N.Y., according to Gibson Guitar.

Country music entertainer Dolly Parton performed during the 75th Anniversary Rededication Event at the Rockefeller Memorial at Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009 at the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

Homegrown superstar Dolly Parton sang "My Mountain, My Home" as leaders rededicated the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on its 75th anniversary in a ceremony Wednesday.

Dolly Parton said "These are my mountains, my valleys. These are my rivers flowing like a song," sang Parton, her voice rising with emotion amid the surrounding forest as some 2,000 people gathered at America's most-visited park.

Park supporters, lawmakers and others applauded Parton atop Newfound Gap on the Tennessee-North Carolina line as guests, including elderly former residents, recalled fond memories and great pride about the park's 1934 founding.

Dolly Parton said "I have always been an ambassador for the Smoky Mountains because I tell everybody how beautiful these mountains are," Parton said. "And no matter where I go, if you say something about the Smoky Mountains, even if the people have not been here, they just smile."

Wednesday marked the anniversary of then-president Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech in 1940 from the same stone stage as he lauded the park's creation. Roosevelt's chair was placed empty on the stage built by Civilian Conservation Corps volunteers.

"I remember seeing the president. I was only 5 years old, but I remember everybody was having a good time," said Eva Ogle Webb, 74, whose family lived on land that became part of the park at its 1934 formation.

Roosevelt remains the only sitting president to ever come to the 520,000-acre Smokies, the most-visited national park with more than 9 million visitors annually. President George W. Bush got as far as Knoxville's airport a few years ago, but a storm blocked his planned trip into the park.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called for continuing investment and commitment to such parks, calling them "treasured landscapes for future generations."

"I am here today on behalf of President Barack Obama to celebrate Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to honor our ancestors who left us this treasure, and to rededicate an American icon for a new century," Salazar said.

Every member of the Tennessee and North Carolina congressional delegation who represents the Smokies attended the ceremony along with Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.

"My left foot is in North Carolina, my right foot is in Tennessee," Perdue exclaimed. "And the beauty of this place is that when you are here there is no North Carolina or no Tennessee. There is only one gift from God."

Bredesen noted the Smokies' formation is unique in the park system. The land was purchased with private donations, state funding and even pennies collected from children across the country.

The Smokies "is a gift of the people to the government, not a gift of the government to people," Bredesen said. "We are the beneficiaries of that forethought."

Gay black writer E. Lynn Harris died at 54

Author E.lynn Harris died at 54 on Thursday night E. Lynn Harris, the author who introduced millions of readers to the "invisible life" of black gay men, was a literary pioneer whose generosity was as huge as his courage, friends said Friday.Laura Gilmore said E.lynn Harris collapsed at a Los Angeles hotel on Thursday and could not be revived. Harris was on a business trip to the city to Los Angeles, California, said Laura Gilmore, his publicist. Publicist Laura Gilmore said E.lynn Harris died Thursday night after being stricken at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, and a cause of death had not been determined. She said E.lynn Harris, who lived in Atlanta, fell ill on a train to Los Angeles a few days ago and blacked out for a few minutes, but seemed fine after that.

E. Lynn Harris
Born	June20,1955	Flint, Michigan
Died	July 23,2009	,Los Angeles, California
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Arkansas
Occupation	Author

In this July 7, 2008 file photo, author E. Lynn Harris poses in the living room of his home in Atlanta.

Long before the secret world of closeted black gay men came to light in America, bestselling author E. Lynn Harris introduced a generation of black women to the phenomenon known as the "down low."

E.lynn Harris endeared such characters to readers who were otherwise unfamiliar with them, using themes and backdrops familiar to urban professionals, conditioned by their upbringings, their church leaders or their friends to condemn and criticize homosexuality in the African-American community. A proud Razorback cheerleader at the University of Arkansas who struggled with his own sexuality before becoming a pioneer of gay black fiction, E.lynn Harris died Thursday at age 54 while promoting his latest book in Los Angeles.

Harris was born in Michigan and worked as a computer salesman before taking up writing. He self-published his first book, "Invisible Life," in 1991.

After struggling with his sexuality he became one of the pioneers of gay, black fiction. He wrote 11 books, many of them best sellers including "A Love of My Own," "Abide With Me" and the memoir "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted."

E.lynn Harris's most recent novel, "Basketball Jones," was published in January. Gilmore said he had another book set for release in October.

"His pioneering novels and powerful memoir about the black gay experience touched and inspired millions of lives, and he was a gifted storyteller whose books brought delight and encouragement to readers everywhere," Alison Rich, publicity director at publisher Doubleday, said in a statement.In 15 years, Harris became the genre's most successful author, penning 11 titles, ten of them New York Times .

In 2000, Harris told the magazine Entertainment Weekly how important "Invisible Life" was for him.

''When I wrote "Invisible Life," it had to be the first book out of me -- it helped me to deal with my own sexuality,'' Harris said. "'For me, my 20s and early 30s were spent just hiding and running, because there was no one to tell me that my life had value and the way I felt was okay.''

Standing room only at his book events

"It's heartbreaking; he had such a generous spirit," said Tananarive Due, author of "Blood Colony."

"When I was just starting out, he flew me to an event out of his own pocket and put me up just because he thought more people should know my work," Due said.

E.lynn Harris was as generous with his fans as he was with his friends, some said.

They describe an author who held dinner parties for aspiring writers at his home, loved meeting and hugging fans at book readings, and never seemed to let his fame change him.

"You could get trampled at an E. Lynn Harris reading," Ansa said. "People loved him."

Due said Harris would answer up to 200 e-mails from his fans each day. She said Harris had been a cheerleader in college "and a spirit of joy followed him through his life."

"He genuinely loved being around people and remembered names," Due said. "I remember seeing him at an event in Florida, and one woman in the crowd raised her hand and he said, 'Oh, Mary, you were here for my hardcover book signing.'"

Nonetheless, E.lynn Harris had his share of personal pain.

E.lynn Harris grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. In his 2003 memoir, he wrote about enduring abuse by his stepfather and an attempted suicide in 1990.

And he had critics. Some said Harris was a mediocre writer who stumbled on a winning literary formula. Boykin says Harris was stung by some of the criticism.

"He always said 'I'm not a James Baldwin,'" Boykin said, referring to the openly gay black author from the 1960s. "He was writing accessible literature for the masses."

Boykin said E.lynn Harris received most of his criticism not from outraged straight critics, but people within the black community.

"He was hurt by some of the criticism from some black gay men who felt he wasn't portraying them accurately and others who thought he was telling too much," Boykin said.

In a 2003 Detroit Free Press interview, Harris said he resisted becoming an advocate for gay rights.

"It's such a small part of who I am, " he said. "It's what I do when I'm with my partner that puts this label on me. Most of my friends are straight. I tend to have a regular life, if you will."

Due said there has traditionally been a lot of pain associated with homosexuality in the black community. Harris took a little of that pain away with his life and his books.

"He really helped let the air in," Due said. "He helped us all breathe a little better."

2 died after collapse of Madonna stage

A second person has died during construction for Madonna's upcoming concerts in Marseilles, France, authorities said Friday.
Firefighters leave the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille after the accident on Thursday.

The Marseille hospital authority says the second person is a British worker died Friday from injuries suffered in the accident.The second fatality was a British citizen, the British Foreign Office said. It was not clear whether the person was a man or woman, but the next of kin had been informed, the Foreign Office said.A French worker was killed immediately when the roof fell apart on top of several workers Thursday.A 53-year-old French man was killed when a crane collapsed at the venue, a fire department spokesman in the southern French city said.Eight other people were seriously hurt, including an American who was hospitalized in a life-threatening condition.More than 30 people suffered minor injuries and shock, according to authorities.None of the victims' identities has been released.

The 60,000-seater Velodrome is France's second-biggest sports arena and home to the Olympique de Marseille football club.Fire-fighters said the accident occurred when the roof of the stage became unbalanced as it was being lifted by four cranes, toppling one of them.Madonna performs during her concert on 11 July in Belgium.The planned concert was part of Madonna's Sticky and Sweet tourAbout 50 people from a range of nationalities were working to set up the structure, city sports official Richard Miron said.The roof "started shaking and collapsing" gradually, said Marseilles city councilor Maurice Di Nocera.

Technicians had been setting up the stage at the city's Velodrome stadium when the partially-built roof fell in on Thursday, bringing down a crane.Madonna said she was "devastated" by the news. Her concert, planned for Sunday, has been canceled. Madona said "I am devastated to have just received this tragic news," she said in a statement released by Live Nation, the organizers of the concert.

"My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families, along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news."

Hot and unseen photograph of top 100 Hollywood Actress

' Pledge This! promoted by Paris Hilton to the best of her capability'

From different information sources it is known that Paris Hilton has insisted that she promoted the 2006 film Pledge This! with best of her ability amid allegations.
Paris Hilton poses on the red carpet Photo: REUTERS .The hotel heiress acknowledged that the film was a box office flop, but said she plugged it for all she was worth.

The 28-year-old is facing a $8.3 million dollar (£5.1 million) investor's lawsuit over claims that she broke her contract by failing to promote the film on talk shows and in media interviews.It is claimed as a breach of contract..

Pledge This! made just $2.9 million (£1.8 million), prompting the action by lawyer Michael Goldberg, a court-appointed receiver for the now defunct entertainment firm that was the major investor in the film.

But Ms Hilton's lawyer Michael Weinsten insisted she was a "promotion machine"."For two-and-a-half years she relentlessly promoted that movie," said Mr Weinstein.He said the reality TV star did participate in a number of public appearances for the movie, but admitted she was unavailable to meet many requests by the film's producers because of her busy schedule.

Worldwide Entertainment Group claims Ms Hilton's inaction directly led to the release being a flop."It might have made a difference. It would have done better," said lawyer, Mr West.Mr Weinstein said Ms Hilton had the right to refuse some promotion events that might harm her "brand" and never agreed to plug the DVD release of Pledge This! from December 2006 through to May 2007.

An artistic impression of Paris Hilton in courtMs Hilton is expected to take the stand on Friday in court.In court, Mr Weinsten acknowledged that Ms Hilton was not pleased with the final cut of the movie, but insisted she did what she could to publicise it.

Speaking in court, one of the movie's executive producers, James DiLorenzo, claimed those looking after Ms Hilton had refused a series of suggested promotional ideas, including late-night talk shows.

"In order to make the public aware of the product, she was the most powerful way of doing that," he said.The heiress and actress was in court on Thursday and is expected to testify Friday.

She flew in from Dubai where she has been filming episodes of her reality TV show My New Best Friend Forever.

Victoria and David Beckham to Sell Their French Home amd wanna buy house in London

Soccer star David Beckham and wife Victoria are planning to sell their house in the south of France on the market.The celebrity couple bought the 19th Century villa surrounded by woodland in France’s Var region for $3million six years ago.But they’re now looking to offload the property.

“They fell in love with the place when they first saw it but now Victoria thinks it’s a bit too far away from the action,” a source told British newspaper The Sun.They’re there now and will come to a decision when their holiday comes to an end.It was reported Thursday that Victoria are looking to buy a house in London.“ UK.The superstar couple, who already own a mansion in Hertfordshire dubbed ‘Beckingham Palace’, are keen to splash out on a second home in the Victoria and David have business interests in London and want somewhere more convenient than Hertfordshire,” a source said.They want somewhere more convenient than Hertfordshire.” The pair have instructed estate agents to compile a list of suitable properties for them to view. David (34) and Victoria (35) have also been looking at schools in the UK capital for their three sons - ten-year-old Brooklyn, Romeo (6) and four-year-old Cruz. The house-hunt has sparked reports David could return to his home country to play football.

Oprah Winfrey attentds on art festival at her SAfrican school

Oprah Winfrey says she had a great dream for the poor girls attending the school she established in South Africa is coming true.The talk-show host spoke to The Associated Press on Friday after watching some pupils put on a show at the end of the school's annual arts festival.The festival included dance classes, photography workshops, and even cooking sessions with Art Smith, Winfrey's former personal chef.

Oprah Winfrey sat rapt Friday in the front row of the state-of-the-art theater during a show put on by the poor girls she has built an exclusive school for.The talk show host clapped enthusiastically, tapped her foot during a musical item and had a warm hug for one young girl who recited an essay she wrote describing her broken poverty-stricken family and her desire to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
"I am moved by the stories," Winfrey told The Associated Press at the end of the school's annual week long arts festival. "When you think about these little girls three years ago carrying buckets of water on their heads and (living) with no running water. Now they are talking about going to Harvard and winning a Nobel Peace Prize.

"I am moved by the fact that I have a vision for them and it now feels like they have embodied that vision for themselves. They are living the dream," she said.

The girls were treated to acting classes by British actress Thandie Newton and learnt about art and design from Greg Lauren, nephew of American fashion designer Ralph.British actress Thandie Newton was one of the instructors at the week long festival, in which the girls take part in acting, photography and fashion design workshops.
Winfrey said she was overwhelmed by the talent of the girls and that they were "living the vision" she had for them.

"Their tenacity, their enthusiasm, their ability has just surpassed all of my expectations, I have had an amazing time," she said.

During the week's festivities, the girls got a chance to show their rhythm in rap classes with a popular South African musician and learnt the art of storytelling from the legendary African storyteller Gcina Mhlope.

In the finale of Friday's ceremony, the audience cheered when a group of girls donned Wellington boots for a raucous performance of gumboot dancing. Gumboot dancing — where performers rhythmically slap and stamp their feet — is a form of dance made popular by workers at South Africa's many mines.

The lavish $40 million Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, outside Johannesburg was opened in January 2007. It is the fulfillment of a promise she made to Nelson Mandela and aims to give girls from deprived backgrounds a quality education in a country where schools are struggling to overcome the legacy of apartheid.
The school is spread across a 22-acre campus with neat lawns and garden paths decorated with mosaics. It has computer and science labs, a library and a wellness center.The school is home to about 300 girls from across the country. They each live in two-bedroom suites — a far cry from their humble surroundings at home. In one dormitory lounge.