We all know how amazing Make It Right is, but did you know that they’re not only building single family homes, but homes that can house two families?
These homes are designed not only to house those people who are looking to move back into the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina, but for those who want to be able to supplement their income. Returning families can now choose to buy either a single or a double design — at a price much below market value, director Tom Darden said. Families choosing to buy a double will be able to rent half to supplement their incomes. In the future, Make It Right plans to “condo-ize” some doubles, Darden added, allowing for split ownership.
How amazing is this project? I know that Brad and Angelina do so many good deeds, but for some reason I really feel a connection with Make It Right - possibly because I am an American? Who knows - I just know that it’s great to see this project doing some good for the people of New Orleans.
*new videos are on the bottom of the press release!*
BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 23 (UNHCR) - UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie returned to Iraq on Thursday to offer support to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who remain displaced within their own country.
During her day-long visit to Baghdad, Jolie visited a makeshift settlement for internally displaced people in the Chikook suburb of north-west Baghdad where she met four families displaced from the district of Abu Ghraib, located to the west of Baghdad, and from the western suburbs of the capital.
Despite the difficulties in Iraq, Jolie said this was a moment of opportunity for Iraqis to rebuild their lives. “This is a moment where things seem to be improving on the ground, but Iraqis need a lot of support and help to rebuild their lives.”
The families that Jolie met complained that their children could not go to school and they could not afford to pay for medical treatment for various ailments. 43-year-old Ali* built his crude brick dwelling in Chikook after escaping from Abu Ghraib district with his 38-year-old wife and six children four years ago.
“The only help that we got was from UNHCR. They are the only people who knocked on our door. But look at this life, it’s very hard on us,” he said. “It takes a lot of strength for you to survive this life. I don’t know if I would be strong enough to survive this,” Jolie told him.
In a nearby house, the acclaimed actress met a family of nine, including children who don’t go to school and a baby with a rash all over its body. Jolie rocked the new-born on her lap throughout the visit. A daughter-in-law studied law before the violence forced the family into flight and ended her education.
“No way,” the family said in unison when asked by Jolie if they wanted to return to their former home district. “Our neighbours returned and their three daughters were killed,” the daughter-in-law, Salwa,* said. “Why is this happening to us?,” she asked.
“They are right to feel that it is not fair,” said Jolie, who pledged to return to Iraq. “I want to come back and find you in a better place and in a different situation. We hope that UNHCR and the government will support you in getting a piece of land. You need help not because you are poor, but because you are the future of Iraq,” she stressed, adding that she hoped Salwa would be able to become a lawyer.
“The picture in this camp is a rough one but there are also some people that were able to return home to other safer areas,” Jolie said later. “There are some changes. There are returns of displaced people, not a big number but there is progress.”
Chikook is home to more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children and including several thousand local people. It lacks drinking water, an operational sewage system and paved roads. The area is littered with garbage, despite a UNHCR-organized clean-up earlier this year.
The UN refugee agency has been trucking in potable water for the residents over the past few months, and has worked on the rehabilitation of the water system and conducted minor shelter repairs.
UNHCR estimates that 1.6 million Iraqis were internally displaced by a wave of sectarian warfare that erupted in February 2006 after the bombing of a mosque in the ancient city of Samarra. Almost 300,000 have returned to their homes amid a general improvement in the security situation since mid-2008.
Since April last year, UNHCR has provided emergency shelter rehabilitation and shelter upgrade to 5,000 families. Close to 20,000 homes will be rehabilitated by the end of this year. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees remain in neighbouring countries, mainly Syria and Jordan.
Jolie was making her third trip to Iraq. In August 2007, she visited 1,200 refugees trapped in Al Waleed camp near the border with Syria. She also visited the country in February last year, when she highlighted the problems faced by the internally displaced and urged action to help them.
Apparently many of the residents are not impressed with their current mayor, Ray Nagin, and Professor Thomas Bayer decided to do something about it! He believes, for many reasons, that Brad would make a wonderful Mayor for New Orleans and has made sure that the world is learning about all of the reasons why.
He even created something special in order to draw attention to the cause - click below to check it out!
The world of Jolie-Pitt fans is a tight knit little community. Many of us know each other, by names if not by face, and we all come together to enjoy and to defend our favorite celebrities and their family.
In the world of the Jolie-Pitt fans there are two websites: this one, and Pitt Watch.
When I first started this site my main objective was to beat Pitt Watch. I wanted to have more fans than Sherry did, and I wanted the fans to come here first ever day.
Yes, I was very competitive years ago.
Sherry was my nemesis. She was someone I tried to scoop on a story every day. On the days I managed to scoop her, I was ecstatic! On the days I didn’t, I cursed and tried harder.
Then things changed for me. This site became something for me to enjoy rather than a competition. The fans began talking to me and having conversations with me, bringing me, and this site, into their lives.
Then, one long awards show, Sherry and I were both up bringing photos to our fans, and we managed to exchange emails and to laugh about how late we stay up sometimes to bring news to our fans.
And then we learned that we lived not very far apart from each other. Her on one side of the Canadian border, me on the other side. Less than a few hours away.
We said that one day we would meet up, and while we haven’t had the opportunity to do so yet, I would still love to meet her. I have to renew my license in a few months and plan on getting the new license - the one that allows us Vermonters to travel into Canada, and then I hope that Sherry and I can meet up.
But today? Today it’s Sherry’s birthday! Sherry is turning (hopefully she doesn’t kill me for this one) 35 today!! Head on over to Pitt Watch and wish Sherry a very, VERY happy birthday!
And Sherry - for my present I figured I’d bring you a cup of coffee. Do you like it?
Hey guys! I’m sorry I didn’t post this morning - my family and I headed out to spend Father’s Day with our favorite guy at a Christmas-themed amusement park that’s fairly near my home. We spent all day there and have only just gotten back.
But where I dropped the ball with timing, I won’t drop it with info! First of all let me wish a wonderful Happy Father’s day to a great dad - Brad Pitt! And chances are he had plenty of time to spend with his kids because…
Sony has dropped Moneyball.
The film was set to begin shooting tomorrow (Monday) morning but apparently the higher ups in Sony have decided that the script that they were going to shoot is too far removed from the script that was given the green light to feel comfortable shooting the film. This means that they either have to find a new financial backer or the script will be sentenced to being forgotten about.
And while this kind of stinks for Brad, I’m sure that he’ll have another movie to film soon (if Moneyball isn’t revived) and while he’s in waiting he can spend plenty of time with his favorite people - his family!
Included below is a photo of the new Inglourious Basterds poster from Italy (which is just really sweet) as well as a few photos of Brad on his motorcycle in LA yesterday! And, of course, some of my favorite “Brad as Dad” photos.
Enjoy and I hope that all the fathers out there had a great Father’s Day!
Awhile ago Brad was in Washington, and now Angelina is! Angelina Jolie flew into Washington D.C. this morning with her two sons, Maddox and Pax, and will be speaking about World Refugee Day with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.
And always one to put her money where her mouth is, together Brad and Angie have donated $1 Million dollars to help displaced people in Pakistan.
Enjoy the new pics of Angie and the boys (as grainy as they are) and I’ll post the pics of her and Secretary Hilary Clinton as soon as they come out!
Updated: Angelina was supposed to speak with Hilary Clinton, but the Secretary of State had to cancel her appearance there as she fell and I believe sprained her elbow. Angelina, however, is definitely due to be there.
Hey guys - sorry, I was buried underneath a huge project yesterday and have only just managed to dig myself out enough to check on the news for the Jolie-Pitt family.
What I found made me really mad that I didn’t have time yesterday to check! This PSA, recorded by Angelina Jolie, is for World Refugee day, which is this Saturday, June 20th. Rumors have it that Angelina Jolie is going to be doing much more for the day, and she’s already started by filming this amazing PSA: watch…
Every time I see this little PSA it makes me tingle.
How can you remember refugees on World Refugee Day? Here are some ideas thanks to iAct.
1. Participate in a live web streaming from Chad refugee camps. Follow our team as they capture the daily life and special WRD events. Ask questions via the live chat, and spread the word via your online social networks.
2. In solidarity with and in honor of the theme, Real People, Real Needs, fast from midnight to midnight for WRD - join here.
3. During the World Refugee Day web streaming, invite a few friends and family to your home to share in the experience. The live streaming and chat offer the opportunity for you to actively deepen the relationship between your community and refugees. Making our very large world personal is part of the long term solution that can create peace, justice and equality.
I know that I will be using the day to explain to my children what refugees are in a language that they can understand. At 8 and 5 I know that they can understand quite a bit and I feel that it is very important that they learn about people in other countries and the struggles that some are going through.
Pictured above is William and Jane Pitt, and Doug and Lisa Pitt.
Here’s one thing that I absolutely love about the Pitt family - they’re always willing to lend a hand. And this time it’s given me chills. It was just announced that the family has donated a substantial amount of money in order to help transform their local hospital, St. John’s, into a St. Jude’s Research Affiliate.
St. John’s is expanding its children’s hospital services and hiring the region’s first pediatric hematology/oncology physician. To make this possible, the Pitt family, Doug and Lisa Pitt and Rob and Julie Neal donated $1 million to establish an endowment fund from which cancer specialists will be paid. In honor of their mother, the center will be renamed St. John’s Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center.
When Mike Peters announced the new name Saturday at a dinner, Jane Pitt wiped away tears. Doug Pitt patted his mother on the arm before getting up to make a speech on his family’s behalf.
The members there talked about how difficult it was when a child was diagnosed with Cancer and had to go far away for treatment, causing the parents to often have to quit their jobs in order to go with their children.
“What a life-consuming and scary time for these families who are often split apart geographically,” Pitt said. “We can help some of those families right here in the Ozarks. That is the goal.”
The Pitt siblings and their spouses donated $1 million in honor of their mother, whom Doug referred to as “awesome.”
“She’s always had a heart for kids and giving back and this was one of those things that just fit,” Pitt said. “She’s the eternal peacemaker. She’s an extremely giving, extremely caring person. She’s just extremely kind and sensitive. That’s our mom.”
Jane Pitt is a former teacher and “professional grandmother,” Pitt joked.
When the St. John’s Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center opens this summer, it will temporarily be located on the fifth floor of the hospital’s west pavilion.
There are future plans to add a new 31-bed pediatric unit, a 10-bedroom hospital-based Ronald McDonald House; and double the size of the neonatal intensive and pediatric intensive care units.
Other pediatric specialists, like an pediatric endocrinologist, will be hired.
To see the rest of this great article, head here, and you can watch the video, where Doug talks about his mother, below.
This photo is of one happy winner! Jenera, who has both a blog and a wonderful photo website, got her copy of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (wow is Amazon fast!) and was nice enough to send me a photo! She said she’s hoping to watch it immediately and is really happy to have received it.
Congrats Jenera! I was really thankful that you sent me a photo of your winning!
So what do you think fans - should I do another giveaway soon? If I do, what should I give away?
My daughter brought home a “Where’s Waldo” book from the library the other day. Remember those? It’s the book where you look at the pictures and try to find a guy who’s wearing a red and white sweater and hat. I kind of feel like I’m playing that game when I’m writing for this site - wondering where Brad or Angie are!
Brad popped up (minus a red and white sweater and hat, of course, and wearing something much more sexy) today in Switzerland! He was apparently there to enjoy some fine art at Art 40 Basel.
The world’s premier international art show for Modern and contemporary works, Art Basel features nearly 300 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. More than 2,500 artists, ranging from the great masters of Modern art to the latest generation of emerging stars, are represented in the show’s multiple sections. The exhibition includes the highest-quality paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works.
We’ve always known that Brad loves architecture and fine design - it makes sense that he’d want to attend this huge art show.
He definitely looks sexy and at home among the artwork, doesn’t he?
Oh do we have some good news to talk about! First of all, according to People, Brad and Angelina’s rep has come out denying their split (first of all, we knew they didn’t split, and secondly, what rep? Last thing I knew Brad had gotten rid of his rep…must dig down more into this one…).
Eclectic actress and gossip-column favorite dethrones media maven Oprah Winfrey atop this year’s Celebrity 100. Jolie has always been able to attract tabloid attention and Oscar nods, but this year, she’s finally figured out a way to make serious money. Her most recent blockbuster, Wanted, proved this mother of six’s sweet spot is action films; the movie earned $340 million at the box office. Up next: Salt, in which Jolie plays a CIA officer accused of being a spy.
Even more shocking to many will be the fact that she dethroned Oprah Winfrey!
Brad’s also on the list down at #9.
Pitt earned his second Academy Award nomination for his performance as a man aging backward in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Also garnered plenty of tabloid attention after the birth of his twins with partner Angelina Jolie. Like Jolie, Pitt tries to divert the seemingly endless media attention on the couple to causes close to his heart, including rebuilding New Orleans.
Way to go Angie, and just in time for it to be a birthday surprise!!
Congratulations both of you!
Not a new photo (unfortunately) - but an old favorite of mine.
Thanks for the heads-up on the Forbes story Angela!
Hey guys! There’s only a few more hours left to enter the Benjamin Button Giveaway! Because I’m in a really good mood (and had a really long night and hope to take a little nap today) I’m extending the giveaway until 5 pm this evening! Then I’ll announce the winner tomorrow morning - on Angelina Jolie’s birthday!!
Looks like Brad wants to make it home for Angie’s birthday too! He was photographed heading on a jet yesterday evening. The destination is not known for sure, but dang does he look good, doesn’t he?!
I know that today is Shiloh’s birthday, and while I’d love to send her a present, I’m sure that the family would put me in the ranks of “stalker” or at the very least “total freak” if I did, so instead I decided to use her birthday as an excuse to give one of my wonderful readers a present!!
And what sort of present will it be? How about this!
The two disc special edition of the Curious Case of Benjamin Button!
There are a few things you need to know before you enter.
1. While it’s easiest for me to get/send a Region 1 DVD, I am fully aware that a huge number of Jolie-Pitt fans live in other countries, so I am putting NO BOUNDARIES on this giveaway! I am in hopes that I will be able to get/send a copy for whatever region you live in!
2. How to enter? Leave a comment in the comment section of this post along with a valid email address so that I can contact you if you win. It would also be helpful if you put in the comments what region DVD you’d want if you win to streamline the process a little bit!
3. Get bonus entries by linking back to this post from somewhere else (and letting me know about it), as well as by following Brad Pitt Watch on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway to all of your friends!
4. The giveaway ends on June 3rd at 12 pm EST, and I will announce the winner, chosen by random drawing, later that night.
So to recap - 2 disc giveaway of the Curious Case of Benjamin Button, enter by leaving a comment on this post, enter again by posting about this giveaway elsewhere and linking back, and enter even more by following me on Twitter and tweeting (with a link in the tweet) about this contest.
I love technology, and, quite honestly, would LOVE to have Amazon’s Kindle (hey Amazon PR people - if you’re out there and want someone to do an honest review of the Kindle, I’m here!) but right now it’s something I will have to settle for wishing for.
If, however, you’re one of the lucky ones who has this miraculous (not to mention seriously cool) bit of technology, you can now get Brad Pitt Watch via Kindle!
How sweet is that? You can get your daily Brad Pitt and family fix without having to have a computer!
And it has the added bonus of making me feel kinda superstar-ish. Think that will bump my rep up enough to actually get to meet Brad and Angelina?
Also, I’m thinking about having another give-away, but I’m trying to figure out what the prize should be. Has anyone got any good ideas?
Hey guys - this is just a really quick note because I’m having internet problems, but I wanted to let you all know that my husband and I are leaving tomorrow and will be gone until Sunday. Our wedding anniversary (our 7th - yikes!) is on Monday and so we are leaving for the weekend to spend some time with each other. We haven’t decided yet if we’re bringing my laptop with us or not, but even if we do I’m not sure when/if I’ll have internet access.
So just to let you know, if I wind up missing new photos (which ALWAYS happens when I actually go somewhere) it’s because I’m gone for the weekend! I will catch up on any new photos that come out as soon as we return on Sunday, but please know that if I miss something it’s not because I’ve forgotten the site!
From his days on 21 Jumpstreet, Growing Pains and Thelma & Louise to his latest projects and achievements, this website will cover it all. We’ll bring you the most-up-to-date news everyday and keep you informed about his work, his lover and his kids!
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We all know how amazing Make It Right is, but did you know that they’re not only building single family homes, but homes that can house two families?
