Free Republic

A concert by Elton John has given Israelis a boost after a string of cancellations by other world-famous artists. [ snip ] John, who wore blue-tinted sunglasses, told the audience those cancellations "ain't gonna stop me from playing here, baby." Recent cancellations by the Pixies and Elvis Costello, who cited Israeli government policies, have added to Israel's growing sense of isolation. John swiped at those artists, saying, "We do not cherry-pick our consciences," ..... [ snip ]

RIO de JANEIRO, Brazil, July 25-A Connecticut doctor said today that his patient is the source of the highly publicized, rapidly-progressing, multi-drug-resistant HIV strain that aroused considerable concern when a New York man was infected earlier this year. "However," said Gary Blick, M.D., a private practice physician in Norwalk, Conn., "we want to emphasize that our patient is not rapidly progressing. Nor is that patient's life partner, who is also infected with a similarly highly resistant strain, rapidly progressing." The reason the infected New York City man's immune system suddenly deteriorated in a three-month period might have had more to...

LAS VEGAS – Pop diva Elton John, never at a loss for feuds, launched a new one yesterday. Sir Elton’s target this time is The Sun, a British tabloid, which enraged the mercurial star by reporting that Sir Elton and partner David Furnish have to get married because Furnish has gotten an unnamed Canadian pop star pregnant, "and the baby needs a father." “Bullocks! Utter twaddle! Steaming horse droppings!” thundered Sir Elton by cell phone from an undisclosed jewelry store in Las Vegas. “I’ll sue those bastards for everything they’ve got. By the time I’m through with them, they’ll be...

Elton John has said stars are scared to speak out against war in Iraq because of "bullying tactics" used by the US government to hinder free speech. "There's an atmosphere of fear in America right now that is deadly. Everyone is too career-conscious," he told New York magazine, Interview. Sir Elton said performers could be "frightened by the current administration's bullying tactics", The singer likened the current "fear factor" to McCarthyism in the 1950s. "There was a moment about a year ago when you couldn't say a word about anything in this country for fear of your career being shot...