A Pleasant Reminder

Isn't it always wonderful to be reminded that people with too much money (and perhaps not enough brains) can get away with things the rest of us can't? Today's reminder:

Angelina Jolie is planning on adopting from Syria. Yes, Syria. You know, a Muslim country. With that religion that doesn't recognize adoption - that one. The one about which the US State Department says:

"The Embassy has been informed that Sharia law restricts distribution of inheritance to spouses and certain blood relatives and, for that reason, adoption does not exist in Syria."

and also:

"Adopting a Syrian orphan is a difficult process and, often, an impossible one unless one of the adoptive parents is originally a Syrian citizen. American citizens who are not also Syrian nationals must secure a court order from a Syrian court granting them custody or guardianship of the child. As a cautionary note, this approval is very rarely granted. In the case of a Catholic child, at least one of the prospective adoptive parents must be Catholic, unless the church authority makes an exception for the prospective adoptive parent that is from another Eastern Christian denomination, i.e. Greek Orthodox. The religious courts will also pursue an investigation to determine whether the prospective adoptive parents are of good behavior and high moral reputation before deciding on the case."

I guess none of the above will be any problem for the shudder-worthy Ms. Jolie, who will get what she wants regardless. If baby wants a rainbow family, then that's what baby gets!

Why are celebrities like her (and, of course, Madonna) bent on giving international adoption a bad name? Rhetorical question, of course.

Gossiping About Madge

I'm not one to pay much attention to celebrity gossip, or much else to do with them, frankly - I haven't bought a mainstream CD in years and the last movie I saw was Prince Caspian, so that shows you how hip I am to Britney's latest trip to rehab or Paris's new hairdo (does she have one?)

But all that aside, you really have to read this very funny post by Neil McCormick on Madonna and Guy Ritchie's impending divorce. Entitled "Who Gets Custody of the Ego?", it's full of nice, dry British sarcasm - just what the doctor ordered for a dull Wednesday afternoon. Enjoy.