BARACK OBAMA -- I HEREBY CHRISTEN YOU "THE INSPIRATION"

What can you do but call a highly inspirational man like President Barack Obama THE INSPIRATION!!!!! This tall, elegant, eloquent, compassionate, very able leader is now the leader of the most powerful nation in the world.

Only great things can be expected from President Barack Obama. And we know he will live up admirably to all out aspirations and expectations. Sigh, what a historic day this is -- the day President Barack Obama's swearing in as President. It is a proud day indeed to acknowledge our humanity and what a great world this world can be.

Photo caption: President Barack Obama: truly the face of a new generation -- for the whole world.
Photo credit: Barack Obama portrait by Martin Schoeller

PAUL NEWMAN -- THE DEATH OF AN ICON

Paul Newman, the beloved and highly respected Hollywood actor, has passed away, age 83, from cancer. The actor-director-producer-humanitarian/philanthropist has starred and appeared in more than 80 films since 1952.

For me, Newman -- who embodies masculine elegance -- is most famous for his star turn in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (with Robert Redford) in 1969.

He is an inspirational man whose presence will be greatly missed. A class act till the end!

Paul Newman photos from: E Online (in red - by Darron Cummings for AP on E-Online), Foxnews (portrait shot) and a 1960 B&W shot from http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/popup?id=3206457&contentIndex=1&page=2&start=false (in the B&W shot, Newman, left, is with Austrian director Otto Premindger in the film Exodus). The other B&W portrait is from 1958's "The Long Hot Summer" (also from website http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/popup?id=3206457&contentIndex=1&start=false&page=1)