Paz Vega

Today in history - Jan. 2

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 2, the second day of 2007. There are 363 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Jan. 2, 1900, Secretary of State John Hay announced the "Open Door Policy" to facilitate trade with China. On this date: In 1492, Muhammad XI, the sultan of Granada, the last Arab stronghold in Spain, surrendered to Spanish forces. In 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In 1921, religious services were broadcast on radio for the first time as KDKA in Pittsburgh aired the regular Sunday service of the city's Calvary Episcopal Church. In 1929, the United States and Canada reached agreement on joint action to preserve Niagara Falls. In 1935, Bruno Hauptmann went on trial in Flemington, N.J., on charges of kidnapping and murdering the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh. (Hauptmann was found guilty, and executed.) In 1942, the Philippine capital of Manila was captured by Japanese forces during World War II. In 1960, Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1965, the New York Jets signed University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath for a reported $400,000. In 1974, President Nixon signed legislation requiring states to limit highway speeds to 55 mph (however, federal speed limits were abolished in 1995). In 1986, former baseball owner Bill Veeck, remembered for his well-publicized stunts and promotional gimmicks, including an exploding scoreboard and a midget pinch-hitter, died in Chicago at age 71. Ten years ago: Rain and melting snow swamped the West, trapping visitors in Yosemite National Park, closing casinos in Reno, Nev., and forcing the evacuation of 50,000 Californians. Five years ago: The new Afghan government confirmed that American bombs had killed the Taliban's intelligence chief (Qari Ahmadullah). Eduardo Duhalde was sworn in as Argentina's president. The No. 5 Florida Gators crushed No. 6 Maryland 56-23 in the Orange Bowl. One year ago: A methane gas explosion at the Sago Mine in West Virginia claimed the lives of 12 miners, but one miner, Randal McCloy Jr., was eventually rescued. The roof of a skating rink collapsed in the German town of Bad Reichenhall, killing 15 people. No. 4 Ohio State beat No. 5 Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl. Today's Birthdays: Country musician Harold Bradley is 81. Former television evangelist Jim Bakker is

68. Actress Wendy Phillips is 55. Actress Gabrielle Carteris is 46. Movie director Todd Haynes is 46. Actress Tia Carrere is 40. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is 39. Model Christy Turlington is 38. Actor Taye Diggs is 36. Rock musician Scott Underwood (Train) is 36. Rock singer Doug Robb (Hoobastank) is 32. Actor Dax Shepard is 32. Actress Paz Vega is 31. Country musician Chris Hartman is 29. Actress Kate Bosworth is 24.

Some say Oprah went overboard with school

Oprah Winfrey might be the only person in the world who could build a school for impoverished girls in South Africa and wind up getting criticized for it. Then again, Winfrey might be the only person in the world who would build a school for impoverished girls in South Africa and decide that it needs 28 fireplaces (one in each building), a yoga studio, indoor and outdoor theaters and a beauty salon. Winfrey spent five years and $40 million to build the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, a school for 12- and 13-year-olds on 22 lush acres outside Johannesburg. The school is scheduled to open this month. The school has drawn criticism in the United States and South Africa from those who say it is too lavish for such an impoverished country. "I understand that many ... feel that I'm going overboard, and that's fine," Winfrey told Newsweek magazine. "This is what I want to do. I wanted to take girls with that 'it' quality and give them an opportunity to make a difference in the world. ... These girls deserve to be surrounded by beauty, and beauty does inspire. I wanted this to be a place of honor for them because these girls have never been treated with kindness. They've never been told they are pretty or have wonderful dimples. I wanted to hear those things as a child." Winfrey, who does have some pretty cute dimples, selected the 152 girls who will attend the school out of an application pool of more than 3,500. She said she decided to build in South Africa, rather than the United States, because inner-city kids in America don't appreciate the value of a free education. "I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools (in the United States) that I just stopped going. The sense that you need to learn just isn't there. If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don't ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school." TIGER'S GOING TO BE A DAD: Tiger Woods celebrated his 31st birthday Saturday by announcing his wife is expecting their first child this summer. "Obviously, we couldn't be happier and our families are thrilled," Woods said on his Web site. "I have always wanted to be a dad. I just wish my father could be around to share the experience." Woods and Elin Nordegren of Sweden married in October 2004, and Woods has said that he wanted children sooner instead of later. He did not say when in the summer the baby is due, although it likely would be between the U.S. Open and British Open. Now that's family planning. WHAT RHYMES WITH 'WHEW!'? Japanese Emperor Akihito celebrated the September birth of his grandson -- the imperial family's first male heir in four decades -- in a New Year's poem issued to the public Monday. Prince Hisahito's Sept. 6, 2006, birth to Princess Kiko, the wife of the emperor's second son, Akishino, was hailed by royalists for defusing a looming succession crisis in one of the world's oldest imperial systems, which allows only male rulers. "Rejoicing with us on the birth of our grandson ... The voices of the people -- I am happy hearing them," read the poem written by the 73-year-old emperor. OK, so maybe the emperor shouldn't quit his day job. Still, the poem was a heartfelt reminder of an event that brought joy, and some relief, to Japan's traditionalists. Emperor Akihito's sons, Akishino and Crown Prince Naruhito, had three daughters between them, but no sons until Hisahito became the first male heir born since 1965 to the imperial family. When it appeared a succession crisis was looming in 2005, a special panel recommended amending Japanese law to allow women on the throne. The proposal sharply divided Japan; Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi heartily endorsed it but conservatives argued the plan would end centuries of tradition. Recent polls have shown that a majority of the Japanese public backs the idea of a female monarch, despite Hisahito's birth. WHAT RHYMES WITH RICH? After being paid $5 million by an Aussie beer company to judge a beauty pageant last week, Paris Hilton stiffed a burger joint on an $8 tab. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Hilton lunched at Sloanes Cafe in Sydney over the weekend, ordering a burger, a frappe and a mineral water -- then took off without paying. "She's got bucket-loads of money and she didn't pay for her drinks," waitress Jo Pfahl harrumphed to the Herald. Hilton was in Australia to, among other things, judge a publicity beauty pageant hosted by Bondi Blonde beer. On the debit side of the karma ledger, though, Paris visited the children's ward of Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, signing autographs and posing with patients. "I have a lot of New Year's resolutions," she says. "One is definitely giving back. I'm really fortunate and that's why everywhere I go I'm going to visit a children's hospital." STONE AND SLATER -- NOT AN ITEM: Tongues were wagging when Sharon Stone and Christian Slater showed up together at the Los Angeles premiere of the film "Bobby" recently. Rumors that the bad-boy actor and former first lady of San Francisco newspaperdom (she's now divorced from Chronicle editor Phil Bronstein) are dating took off, partly because Stone did nothing to discourage them, reports MSNBC.com. But Stone's rep told MSNBC gossipteer Jeannette Walls that there's no romance between the two. "They did 'Bobby' together and went to two of the premieres together," the rep was quoted as saying. "Nothing else."

Today In History - Jan. 2, 2007

(AP) Today is Tuesday, January 2, the second day of 2007. There are 363 days left in the year. Today?s Highlight in History: On January 2, 1900, Secretary of State John Hay announced the ?Open Door Policy? to facilitate trade with China. On this date: In 1492, Muhammad the Eleventh, the sultan of Granada, the last Arab stronghold in Spain, surrendered to Spanish forces. In 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the U-S Constitution. In 1921, religious services were broadcast on radio for the first time as KDKA in Pittsburgh aired the regular Sunday service of the city?s Calvary Episcopal Church. In 1929, the United States and Canada reached agreement on joint action to preserve Niagara Falls. In 1935, Bruno Hauptmann went on trial in Flemington, New Jersey, on charges of kidnapping and murdering the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh. (Hauptmann was found guilty, and executed.) In 1942, the Philippine capital of Manila was captured by Japanese forces during World War Two. In 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1965, the New York Jets signed University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath for a reported 400-thousand dollars. In 1974, President Nixon signed legislation requiring states to limit highway speeds to 55 miles-an-hour (however, federal speed limits were abolished in 1995). In 1986, former baseball owner Bill Veeck, remembered for his well-publicized stunts and promotional gimmicks, including an exploding scoreboard and a midget pinch-hitter, died in Chicago at age 71. Ten years ago: Rain and melting snow swamped the West, trapping visitors in Yosemite National Park, closing casinos in Reno, Nevada, and forcing the evacuation of 50-thousand Californians. Five years ago: The new Afghan government confirmed that American bombs had killed the Taliban?s intelligence chief. Eduardo Duhalde was sworn in as Argentina?s president. The number-five Florida Gators crushed number-six Maryland 56-to-23 in the Orange Bowl. One year ago: A methane gas explosion at the Sago Mine in West Virginia, West Virginia, claimed the lives of 12 miners, but one miner, Randal McCloy Junior, was eventually rescued. The roof of a skating rink collapsed in the German town of Bad Reichenhall, killing 15 people. Number-four Ohio State beat number-five Notre Dame 34-to-20 in the Fiesta Bowl. Today?s Birthdays: Country musician Harold Bradley is 81. Former television evangelist Jim Bakker is

68. Actress Wendy Phillips is 55. Actress Gabrielle Carteris is 46. Movie director Todd Haynes is 46. Actress Tia Carrere is 40. Actor Cuba Gooding Junior is 39. Model Christy Turlington is 38. Actor Taye Diggs is 36. Rock musician Scott Underwood (Train) is 36. Rock singer Doug Robb (Hoobastank) is 32. Actor Dax Shepard is 32. Actress Paz Vega is 31. Country musician Chris Hartman is 29. Actress Kate

Bosworth is 24. Thought for Today: ?I am prejudiced in favor of him who, without impudence, can ask boldly. He has faith in humanity, and faith in himself. No one who is not accustomed to give grandly can ask nobly and with boldness.??Johann Kaspar Lavater, Swiss theologian (1741-1801).

Movie Clips

-"Apocalypto" (1/2) — Breathtaking thriller immerses you in a new world. Stays with you despite the violence. Mel Gibson amps up the action in the saga about the end of the Maya civilization, centering around a man who runs away to avoid being sacrificed. 138 minutes. (R)

-"Babel" () — In Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's intriguing, enlightening new film — he's best known for "Amores Perros" — the accidental shooting of an American tourist (Cate Blanchett) in Morocco has repercussions around the world. Brad Pitt, Gael Garcia Bernal are good; their less famous costars Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi are equally mesmerizing. 142 mins. (R)

-"Black Christmas" () — Nothing's new in this very unmerry remake of the 1974 horror film about a group of sorority sisters being killed off, one by one, over Christmas break. Derivative to the max. 84 mins. (R) -"Blood Diamond" (1/2) — A whirlwind. Against the backdrop of civil war in Sierra Leone in 1999, a mercenary (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a fisherman (Djimon Hounsou) unite to search for a rare pink diamond. DiCaprio is superb. The story succeeds as a thriller and as a message film. 138 mins.

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