Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Born Barack Hussein Obama on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in Wichita, Kansas, where her father worked on oil rigs during the Depression. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dunham's father, Stanley, enlisted in the service and marched across Europe in Patton's army. Dunham's mother, Madelyn, went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, the couple studied on the G.I. Bill, bought a house through the Federal Housing Program and, after several moves, landed in Hawaii.

Born: August 4, 1961 (Hawaii)
Lives in: Chicago, Illinois
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Height: 6′ 1″ (1.87m)
Family: Married wife Michelle in 1992, 2 daughters Malia and Sasha
Parents: Barack Obama, Sr. (from Kenya) and Ann Dunham (from Kansas)
–U.S. Senator from Illinois, 2005-2008

Obama's father, Barack Obama, Sr., was born of Luo ethnicity in Nyanza Province, Kenya. The elder Obama grew up herding goats in Africa, eventually earning a scholarship that allowed him to leave Kenya and pursue his dreams of college in Hawaii. While studying at the University of Hawaii in Manoa, Obama, Sr. met fellow student, Ann Dunham. They married on February 2, 1961. Barack was born six months later.
Obama's parents separated when he was two years old, later divorcing. Obama, Sr. went on to Harvard to pursue Ph.D. studies, and then returned to Kenya in 1965. In 1966, Dunham married Lolo Soetoro, another East–West Center student from Indonesia. A year later, the family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, where Obama's half-sister Maya Soetoro Ng was born. Several incidents in Indonesia left Dunham afraid for her son's safety and education so, at the age of 10, Barack was sent back to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents. His mother and sister later joined them.
While living with his grandparents, Obama enrolled in the esteemed Punahou Academy, excelling in basketball and graduating with academic honors in 1979. As one of only three black students at the school, Obama became conscious of racism and what it meant to be African-American. He later described how he struggled to reconcile social perceptions of his multiracial heritage with his own sense of self. "I began to notice there was nobody like me in the Sears, Roebuck Christmas catalog...and that Santa was a white man," he said. "I went to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror with all my senses and limbs seemingly intact, looking the way I had always looked, and wondered if something was wrong with me."
Obama also struggled with the absence of his father, who he saw only once more after his parents divorced, in a brief 1971 visit. "[My father] had left paradise, and nothing that my mother or grandparents told me could obviate that single, unassailable fact," he later reflected. "They couldn't describe what it might have been like had he stayed." Obama, Sr. eventually lost his legs in an automobile accident, also losing his job as a result. In 1982, he died in yet another car accident while traveling in Nairobi. Obama, Jr. was 22 years old when he received the news of his father's passing. "At the time of his death, my father remained a myth to me," Obama said, "both more and less than a man."
After high school, Obama studied at Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years. He then transferred to Columbia University in New York, graduating in 1983 with a degree in political science. After working in the business sector for two years, Obama moved to Chicago in 1985. There, he worked on the South Side as a community organizer for low-income residents in the Roseland and the Altgeld Gardens communities.
It was during this time that Obama, who said he "was not raised in a religious household," joined the Trinity United Church of Christ. He also visited relatives in Kenya, which included an emotional visit to the graves of his biological father and paternal grandfather. "For a long time I sat between the two graves and wept," Obama said. "I saw that my life in America—the black life, the white life, the sense of abandonment I felt as a boy, the frustration and hope I'd witnessed in Chicago—all of it was connected with this small plot of earth an ocean away."
Obama returned from Kenya with a sense of renewal, entering Harvard Law School in 1988. The next year, he met Michelle Robinson, an associate at Sidley & Austin law firm in Chicago. She was assigned to be Obama's adviser during a summer internship at the firm, and soon the couple began dating. In February 1990, Obama was elected the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review, and he graduated magna cum laude in 1991.
After law school, Obama returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer, joining the firm of Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School, and helped organize voter registration drives during Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. On October 3, 1992, he and Michelle were married. They moved to Kenwood, on Chicago's South Side, and welcomed two daughters: Malia (born 1998) and Sasha (born 2001).
Obama published his autobiography in 1995 Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. The work received high praise from literary figures such as Toni Morrison and has since been printed in 10 languages, including Chinese, Swedish and Hebrew. The book had a second printing in 2004, and is currently being adapted into a children's version. The 2006 audiobook version of Dreams, which was narrated by Obama, received a Grammy award for Best Spoken Word Album.
Obama's advocacy work led him to run for the Illinois State Senate as a Democrat. He won election in 1996. During these years, Obama worked with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting legislation on ethics, expanded health care services, and early childhood education programs for the poor. He also created a state earned-income tax credit for the working poor. Obama became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee as well, and after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, he worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
In 2000, Obama made an unsuccessful Democratic primary run for the U. S. House of Representatives seat held by four-term incumbent candidate Bobby Rush. Undeterred, Obama created a campaign committee in 2002, and began raising funds to run in the 2004 U.S. Senate Race. With the help of political consultant David Axelrod, Obama began assessing his prospects of a Senate win.
Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Obama was an early opponent of President George W. Bush's push to war with Iraq. Obama was still a state senator when he spoke against a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq during a rally at Chicago's Federal Plaza in October 2002. "I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars," he said. "What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne." Despite his protests, the war with Iraq began in 2003.
Obama, encouraged by poll numbers, decided to run for the U.S. Senate open seat vacated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald. In the 2004 Democratic primary, he won 52 percent of the vote, defeating multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Daniel Hynes. That summer, he was invited to deliver the keynote speech in support of John Kerry at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Obama emphasized the importance of unity, and made veiled jabs at the Bush administration and the diversionary use of wedge issues.
After the convention, Obama returned to his U.S. Senate bid in Illinois. His opponent in the general election was supposed to be Republican primary winner Jack Ryan, a wealthy former investment banker. However, Ryan withdrew from the race in June 2004, following public disclosure of unsubstantiated sexual deviancy allegations by Ryan's ex-wife, actress Jeri Ryan.
In August 2004, diplomat and former presidential candidate Alan Keyes accepted the Republican nomination to replace Ryan. In three televised debates, Obama and Keyes expressed opposing views on stem cell research, abortion, gun control, school vouchers and tax cuts. In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70 percent of the vote to Keyes' 27 percent, the largest electoral victory in Illinois history. With his win, Barack Obama became only the third African-American elected to the U.S. Senate since the Reconstruction.
Sworn into office January 4, 2005, Obama partnered with Republican Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana on a bill that expanded efforts to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Eastern Europe and Russia. Then, with Republican Senator Tom Corburn of Oklahoma, he created a website that tracks all federal spending. Obama also spoke out for victims of Hurricane Katrina; pushed for alternative energy development; and championed improved veterans' benefits.
 His second book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, was published in October 2006. The work discussed Obama's visions for the future of America, many of which became talking points for his eventual presidential campaign. Shortly after its release, it hit No. 1 on both the New York Times and Amazon.com bestsellers lists.
In February 2007, Obama made headlines when he announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. He was locked in a tight battle with former first lady and then-U.S. Senator from New York,Hillary Rodham Clinton. On June 3, 2008, however, Obama became the presumptive nominee for the Democratic party, and Senator Clinton delivered her full support to Obama for the duration of his campaign. On November 4th, 2008, Barack Obama defeated Republican presidential nominee John McCain for the position of U.S. President, 52.9 percent to 45.7 percent. On January 20, 2009, Obama became the 44th president of the United States—and the first African-American to hold this office.
When Obama took office, he inherited a global economic recession; two on-going foreign wars; and the lowest international favorability rating for the United States ever. He campaigned on an ambitious agenda of financial reform, alternative energy, and reinventing education and health care—all while bringing down the national debt. Because these issues were intertwined with the economic well-being of the nation, he believed all would have to be undertaken simultaneously. During his inauguration speech, Obama summarized the situation by saying, "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met."
Between Inauguration Day and April 29, the Obama administration took to the field on many fronts. Obama coaxed Congress to expand health care insurance for children and provide legal protection for women seeking equal pay. A $787 billion stimulus bill was passed to promote short-term economic growth. Housing and credit markets were put on life-support, with a market-based plan to buy U.S. banks' toxic assets. Loans were made to the auto industry, and new regulations were proposed for Wall Street. He also cut taxes for working families, small businesses and first-time home buyers. The president also loosened the ban on embryonic stem cell research and moved ahead with a $3.5 trillion budget plan.
During his first 100 days, President Obama also undertook a complete overhaul of America's foreign policy. He reached out to improve relations with Europe, China, Russia and open dialogue with Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. He lobbied allies to support a global economic stimulus package. He committed an additional 21,000 troops to Afghanistan and set an August 2010 date for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. In more dramatic incidents, he took on pirates off the coast of Somalia and prepared the nation for an attack of the Swine Flu. For his efforts, he was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
On January 27, 2010, President Obama delivered his first State of the Union speech. During his oration, Obama addressed the challenges of the economy, proposing a fee for larger banks, announcing a possible freeze on government spending in 2010, and speaking against the Supreme Court's reversal of a law capping campaign finance spending. He also challenged politicians to stop thinking of re-election and start making positive changes, critisizing Republicans for their refusal to support any legislation, and chastizing Democrats for not pushing hard enough to get legislation passed. He also insisted that, despite current obstacles, he was determined to help American citizens through the nation's current domestic difficulties. "We don't quit. I don't quit," he said. "Let's sieze this moment to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and strengthen our union once more."

Source: http://www.biography.com/
     Born: August 29, 1958 (Gary, Indiana)
     Died: June 25, 2009 (Los Angeles, California)

     Zodiac Sign: Virgo
     Height: 5 feet 10 inches
     Weight: 112 pounds
     Spouses:
     Lisa Marie Presley (1994 – 1996)
                             Debbie Rowe (1996 – 1999)

          Children: 
–Prince Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr (1997)
–Paris Michael Katherine Jackson (1998)
–Prince Michael Jackson II (2002)



        Parents:
–Joseph Jackson
–Katherine Jackson



         Siblings: 
–Rebbie Jackson
–Jackie Jackson
–Tito Jackson
–Jermaine Jackson
–La Toya Jackson
–Marlon Jackson
–Randy Jackson
–Janet Jackson
–Brandon (deceased)



         Famous Pets:
–Ben (rat)
–Bubbles (chimp)
–Thriller and Sabu (tigers)
–Rikki (parrot)
–Louie (llama)
–Muscles and Crusher (snakes)
–Gypsy (elephant)
–Bubba (lion)
–Jabbar and Rambo (giraffes)


Joseph Jackson, Singer, songwriter, was born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an African-American working-class family. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a guitarist but had put aside his musical aspirations to provide for his family as a crane operator. Believing his sons had talent, he molded them into a musical group in the early 1960s. At first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael's older brothers TitoJermaine, and Jackie. Michael joined his siblings when he was five, and emerged as the group's lead vocalist. He showed remarkable range and depth for such a young performer, impressing audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions. Older brother Marlon also became a member of the group, which evolved into the The Jackson 5.
Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent endless hours rehearsing and polishing up their act. At first, the Jackson 5 played local gigs and built a strong following. They recorded one single on their own, "Big Boy" with the b-side "You've Changed," but it failed to generate much interest.
The Jackson 5 moved on to working an opening act for such R&B artists as Gladys Knight and the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers were signed to the legendary Motown record label, and it has been reported that Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell Motown founder Berry Gordy about the Jackson 5. Impressed by the group, Gordy signed them to his label in 1968.
Relocating to Los Angeles, Michael and his brothers started work on their music and dancing with their father as their manager. They lived with Gordy and also with Supremes singer Diana Ross when they first arrived there. In August 1969, the Jackson 5 was introduced to the music industry at a special event, and later served as the opening act for the Supremes. Their first album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, hit the charts in December of that year. It's first single, "I Want You Back," hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1970.
More chart-topping singles quickly followed, such as "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There." At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with "Got to Be There" from the album of the same name. His 1972 album, Ben, featured the eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single.
For several years, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 maintained a busy tour and recording schedule, under the supervision of Berry Gordy and his Motown staff. Gordy wrote many of the songs recorded by the group and by Michael Jackson as a solo artist. The group became so popular that they even had their own self-titled cartoon show, which ran from 1971 to 1973.
Actor. Born May 18, 1955, on Lamma Island, Hong Kong, China. Dubbed "The Coolest Actor in the World," by the Los Angeles Times in 1995, Chow Yun-Fat grew up selling dim sum on his native Lamma Island to help support his poor family. When he was 10, the family moved to Kowloon, the part of Hong Kong that is connected to mainland China. Chow (according to Chinese custom, the surname is placed before the given name) dropped out of school at age 17 and took a series of jobs before signing up for a training course at TVB, Hong Kong’s leading television station, in 1973.
Over the next decade, Chow became well known among Hong Kong TV and film audiences for his roles in the prime time soap Hotel, the gangster series Shanghai Bund, and films like The Story of Woo Viet (1981). In the mid-1980s, after a string of poorly received films, many thought his career was over. It was the landmark Hong Kong gangster drama A Better Tomorrow (1986), directed by John Woo, that made Chow an international superstar and established his reputation as a uniquely kind-hearted and honorable action hero. The film broke all box office records in China at the time and made Woo one of the world’s most sought-after action directors. Chow and Woo teamed on a number of other successful action films, including A Better Tomorrow II (1987), The Killer (1989), and Hard Boiled (1992).
Chow made over 70 films from 1976 to 1995, during the heyday of the Hong Kong film industry, and was nominated for 12 Hong Kong film awards (he won three). Aside from his formidable reputation as an action hero, Chow also earned acclaim for his serious dramatic roles in An Autumn's Tale (1987) and All About Ah Long (1990). He also became a cult hero in America--the writer-director Quentin Tarantino, a huge Chow fan, reportedly based his debut film, Reservoir Dogs (1992) partly on Chow's 1987 film City on Fire--along with Woo, who moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to begin a career in Hollywood. Chow began studying English in 1996; two years later, he made his own American debut in The Replacement Killers, an action film co-starring Mira Sorvino. The film met with mediocre success, but his next effort, a police drama called The Corruptor (1999), fared better among critics. Chow moved beyond the shoot-'em-up genre in late 1999, with his role as King Mongkut in a remake of the 1946 classic Anna and the King of Siam, opposite Jodie Foster.
In 2000, Chow starred alongside martial arts superstar Michelle Yeoh in the highly-acclaimed Chinese action filmCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee. The film won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival and met with an extremely favorable reception in many countries in Asia and Europe before opening in the United States in December to much positive buzz. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Film, out of a staggering 10 nominations, including Best Picture.
Source: http://www.biography.com
Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong on April 7th, 1954. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan named him Chan Kong-sang which means "born in Hong Kong." Jackie weighed 12 pounds when he was born and his mother required surgery to deliver him. Jackie's parents were so poor that they had to borrow money from friends to pay the doctor. Although Jackie's parents were poor, they had steady jobs at the French embassy in Hong Kong. Charles was a cook and Lee-lee was a housekeeper. Together, the Chan family lived on Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. When Jackie was young, his father would wake him early in the morning and together they would practice kung fu. Charles Chan believed that learning kung fu would help build Jackie's character, teaching him patience, strength, and courage. 
When Jackie was seven years old Charles took a job as the head cook at the American embassy in Australia. He felt that it would be best for Jackie to stay behind in Hong Kong to learn a skill and so enrolled him in the China Drama Academy where Jackie would live for the next 10 years of his life. During Jackie's time at the school, he learned martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting. The school was meant to prepare boys for a life in the Peking Opera. Chinese opera was very different from any other kind of opera. It included singing, tumbling, and acrobatics as well as martial arts skills and acting. Students at the school were severely disciplined and were beaten if they disobeyed or made mistakes. It was a very harsh and difficult life but Jackie had nowhere else to go, so he stayed. He rarely saw his parents for many years.
jackie biography
While at the China Academy, Jackie made his acting debut at age eight in the Cantonese movie "Seven Little Valiant Fighters: Big and Little Wong Tin Bar." He later teamed with other opera students in a performance group called "The Seven Little Fortunes." Fellow actors Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao were also members. Years later the three would work together and become known as The Three Brothers. As Jackie got older he worked as a stuntman and an extra in the Hong Kong film industry.

jackie biography
When Jackie was 17, he graduated from the China Drama Academy. Unfortunately the Chinese opera was no longer very popular, so Jackie and his classmates had to find other work. This was difficult because at the school they were never taught how to read or write. The only work available to them was unskilled labor or stunt work. Each year many movies were made in Hong Kong and there was always a need for young, strong stuntmen. Jackie was extraordinarily athletic and inventive, and soon gained a reputation for being fearless; Jackie Chan would try anything. Soon he was in demand. 
Over the next few years, Jackie worked as a stuntman, but when the Hong Kong movie industry began to fail, he was forced to go to Australia to live with his parents. He worked in a restaurant and on a construction site. It was there that he got the name "Jackie." A worker named Jack had trouble pronouncing "Kong-sang" and started calling Jackie "little Jack." That soon became “Jackie” and the name stuck.

jackie biography
Jackie was very unhappy in Australia. The construction work was difficult and boring. His salvation came in the form of a telegram from a man named Willie Chan. Willie Chan worked in the Hong Kong movie industry and was looking for someone to star in a new movie being made by Lo Wei, a famous Hong Kong producer/director. Willie had seen Jackie at work as a stuntman and had been impressed. Jackie called Willie and they talked. Jackie didn't know it but Willie would end up becoming his best friend and manager. Soon Jackie was on his way back to Hong Kong to star in "New Fist of Fury." It was 1976 and Jackie Chan was 21 years old.


jackie biography
One Jackie got back to Hong Kong, Willie Chan took control over Jackie's career. To this day Jackie is quick to point out that he owes his success to Willie. However, the movies that Jackie made for Lo Wei were not very successful. The problem was that Jackie's talents were not being used properly. It was only when Jackie was able to contribute his own ideas that he became a star. He brought humor to martial arts movies; his first success was "Snake in Eagle's Shadow." This was followed by "Drunken Master" (another blockbuster) and Jackie's first ever directing job, "Fearless Hyena." All were big hits.

jackie biography
Jackie was becoming a huge success in Asia. Unfortunately, it would be many years before the same could be said of his popularity in America. After a series of lukewarm receptions in the U.S., mostly due to miscasting, Jackie left the States and focused his attention on making movies in Hong Kong. It would be 10 years before he returned to make Rumble in the Bronx, the movie that introduced Jackie to American audiences and secured him a place in their hearts (and their box office). Rumble was followed by the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series which put Jackie on the Hollywood A List. 

Despite his Hollywood successes, Jackie became frustrated by the lack of varied roles for Asian actors and his own inability to control certain aspects of the filming in America. He continued to try, however, making The Tuxedo, The Medallion, and Around the World in 80 Days, none of which was the blockbuster that Rush Hour or Shanghai Noon had been.

jackie biography
Jackie's  Lifelong devotion to fitness has served him well as he continues to do stunt work and action sequences in his films. In recent years, Jackie's focus has shifted and he is trying new genres of film – fantasy, drama, romance – and is spending more and more time on his charity work. He takes his work as Ambassador for UNICEF/UNAIDS very seriously and spends all his spare time working tirelessly for children, the elderly, and those in need. He continues to make films in Hong Kong, including the blockbuster drama New Police Story in 2004.

jackie biography
Jackie has been married to Lin Feng-Jiao since 1982 and has a son, actor-singer Jaycee Chan. To learn more about Jackie you can read his biography, I Am Jackie Chan.


Awards and Achievements 2010
2010 achievements
  • Forbes Asia named Jackie as one of the 48 most philanthropic people in the region.
  • Received three nominations for the 2010 Green Globe Film Awards.
  • Shinjuku Incident nominated for Best Film by the Hong Kong Film Awards.
  • Rode in float for 121st Tournament of Roses Parade in California
Awards and Achievements 2009
2009 achievements
  • Promotion Ambassador for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo
  • Promotion Ambassador for 16th Asian Games (2010)
  • Ambassador of Love for Aiding the Disabled
  • Special Musical Contribution Award (for Beijing 2008 Olympics and Sichuan Earthquake), Beijing Pop Music Awards
Awards and Achievements 2008
2008 achievements
  • Honorary Professor of the Performing Arts, The Savannah College of Art and Design
  • International Goodwill Ambassador for the Deaflympics
  • UNICEF's Champions for Children Award
  • Torch bearer, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games
  • Goodwill Ambassador 2008 Beijing Olympics
  • Most Outstanding Chinese (Bringing Charm to the World) Award
  • Best Foreign Star Promoting Seoul Tourism
  • Achievement Award: Goodwill Ambassador 2008 Beijing Olympics
  • Achievement Award: Cultural Consultant
  • Returning Celebrity Cabinet Member, American Red Cross
Awards and Achievements 2007
2007 achievements
  • Most Influential Award for Chinese Kung Fu (China)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, NYU Tisch School (Asia)
  • Honorary Sheriff's Deputy, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (USA)
  • DVD Data Special Award (Japan)
  • Ambassador of Yan Tai, Shandong Province, China
  • Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet (Returning Member)
  • Hong Kong Dance Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award in Body Movement Art
Awards and Achievements 2006
2006 achievements
  • Founder, Jackie Chan Civil Aviation Foundation
  • Cultural Ambassador (China)
  • Honorary Principal of Qiannan Normal College for Nationalities (China)
  • Asia Pacific Tourism Ambassador
  • Appeal Patron, Save China's Tigers Campaign
  • China Police Motorcycle Rally Spokesman
  • Plaque with handprint installed at Tokyo's Nemu no Hiroba
  • 2006 American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet member
  • Laureus Sport for Good: Laureus Friends and Ambassadors Certificate
  • JCE's Everlasting Regret Named a Film of Merit by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society
Awards and Achievements 2005
2005 achievements
  • Golden Rooster Award (China): Best Actor (New Police Story)
  • European Union Global Diversity Award
  • Next Step World Champion Award
  • China Charity Award
  • Shanghai Film Festival’s Outstanding Contribution to Film Award
  • Ambassador, World Firefighter Games 2006
  • Honorary Medal of the City of Paris, France
  • Honorary Directorship, Beijing's Colorful Tomorrow Children's Ophthalmology Hospital
  • 24th Hong Kong Film Awards Professional Achievement Award
  • Yodogawa Nagaharu Award (Road Show Magazine) for Contribution to Japan Film Industry
  • Friend of the Australian International School of Hong Kong
  • Ambassador of Professional Exchange and Enhancement Programme on Creative Commercial Arts and Design in Hong Kong
Awards and Achievements 2004
2006 achievements
  • International Goodwill Ambassador UNICEF
  • International Goodwill Ambassador UNAIDS
  • Torch bearer: 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games
  • Star on Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong
  • 24th Hong Kong Film Awards Professional Achievement Award
  • Honorary Professorship School of Hotel & Tourism Management The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • Ten Greatest People of China CCTV, China
  • Environment and Culture Ambassador, China's State Environmental Protection Administration
  • Award of Distinction, China Community Chest
  • Golden Horse Film Award (Taiwan): Best Action Choreography
  • Honorary Smile Ambassador, Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation (USA)
  • Honorary Vice Chairman, Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation (Japan)
Awards and Achievements 2003
2003 achievements
  • Hong Kong Tourism Ambassador Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Film Ambassador Hong Kong Filmmart, Hong Kong
  • Ambassador (Year of China in France) Government of China and France, China/France
  • Ambassador, Beijing Olympics (China)
  • Favorite Male Butt Kicker Nickelodeon's Annual Kid's Choice Award, USA
Awards and Achievements 2002
2002 achievements
  • All American Family Hero Award California Law Enforcement Image Coalition, USA
  • Best Action Choreography Hong Kong Film Award, Hong Kong
  • Best Fight Scene MTV Movie Awards, USA
  • Favorite Male Butt Kicker Nickelodeon's Annual Kid's Choice Award, USA
  • Honorable Policeman Toronto Police Service Board, Canada
  • Innovator Award The 8th Annual American Choreography Awards, USA
  • Star on the Walk of Fame Walk of Fame, Hollywood, USA
  • Taurus Honorary Award World Stunt Award, World Wide
  • The Inspiration Award MTV-Asia, Asia
  • Yahoo! Hong Kong Brand Award, Hong Kong
  • Outstanding Achievement for Acting in Actions Film World Stunt Award, World Wide
Awards and Achievements 2001
  • Ambassador of Anti-Smoking American Cancer Foundation, World Wide
  • Ambassador of HKSPC HKSPC, Hong Kong
  • Cultural Artist of the Year Harvard University, America
  • Grand Prix of the Americas Montreal World Film Festival, World Wide
  • Honorary Policeman Los Angeles Police Department, USA
  • Honorary Policeman Metro - Toronto Police Force, Canada
  • International Star of the Year Variety Magazine, World Wide
  • Jackie Chan Day (February 28th, 2001) Las Vegas, US

Source: http://jackiechan.com/

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Many current and future college students need help to pay for college. Especially with tuition rates going up every year, students are looking for ways to pay for their college education.

Student loans may be a necessity, but there are other sources of funding that will help pay for school. There are many opportunities to be awarded funds that do not have to be repaid, as student loans do.

Many students will qualify for government grants for college. Grants are awards based upon financial need that are given to students by the government.
How do students get money in the form of grants? Students apply for government grants for college by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the first step in the financial aid process. By completing this application form, students will be matched with aid programs that they qualify for.
The FAFSA is the one application form that is used by all public colleges in the US to determine eligibility for both loans and grants. Grants are always free money — that is it doesn't have to be paid back. Grants may come in the form of federal grants or state grants. Students will learn which grants they have been awarded when they get the results from the FAFSA back in the mail.

Students can also get free money for college by applying for college scholarships. There are many college scholarships available all across the United States. There are resources available to help students find scholarships such as online databases and published directories. Many of these books can even be found in the local library.
There are other ways that students can get money to pay for college education expenses. Students should check with their college's financial aid, student employment and scholarship offices to find more opportunities to get money for school.
Michael Carter is a contributor at College Financial Aid Guide, an online informational resource for educational funding, scholarships and student loans. Find out about

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/


Many current and future college students need help to pay for college. Especially with tuition rates going up every year, students are looking for ways to pay for their college education.

Student loans may be a necessity, but there are other sources of funding that will help pay for school. There are many opportunities to be awarded funds that do not have to be repaid, as student loans do.

Many students will qualify for government grants for college. Grants are awards based upon financial need that are given to students by the government.
How do students get money in the form of grants? Students apply for government grants for college by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the first step in the financial aid process. By completing this application form, students will be matched with aid programs that they qualify for.
The FAFSA is the one application form that is used by all public colleges in the US to determine eligibility for both loans and grants. Grants are always free money — that is it doesn't have to be paid back. Grants may come in the form of federal grants or state grants. Students will learn which grants they have been awarded when they get the results from the FAFSA back in the mail.

Students can also get free money for college by applying for college scholarships. There are many college scholarships available all across the United States. There are resources available to help students find scholarships such as online databases and published directories. Many of these books can even be found in the local library.
There are other ways that students can get money to pay for college education expenses. Students should check with their college's financial aid, student employment and scholarship offices to find more opportunities to get money for school.
Michael Carter is a contributor at College Financial Aid Guide, an online informational resource for educational funding, scholarships and student loans. Find out about

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/


1111 Win One Street by Bill Reynolds at FreSch!
Bill, whose son won 10 scholarships, shared seven excellent tips on how to make your scholarship application stand out. I liked his tips so much; I've given them their own page! Many thanks to Bill for sharing his experiences!


Tip #1. ATTENTION TO DEADLINES
Try and have your application arrive EARLY as possible, absolutely not after the deadline date! I like to send applications with a "return receipt requested" or "registered" to make sure they get there. I think that this also conveys a positive characteristic about the sender.

Tip #2 START YOUR APPLICATION WITH A "THANK YOU" COVER LETTER
Sample Packet Cover Letter

Pensacola, Fl 32503
9 September 1999

Mary Smith, President
Whatever Scholarship Committee
Orlando Central Parkway
Orlando, Florida (zip code)

Dear Ms. Smith,
This letter is an introduction of myself, (your name), and my desire to participate in the (whatever it is called) Scholarship Program. I have been accepted to (Name of your College) for the 1999 fall term.
I would like to thank you and the (whatever) Scholarship Committee for supporting college bound students with an opportunity for financial assistance through your scholarship program. Enclosed you will find my application form, high school transcript, ACT results, letters of recommendation, and other pertinent information. Again, thank you for your interest on my behalf and for the youth of our state.
Respectfully,
(your name)

Tip #3 ANSWER THE "MAIL"
While this seems obvious, you must construct your application to make it EASY for the committee to see that you have provided everything that was required. I like to provide items in the order that they are listed in the application. If possible, do not mix items on the same page. In another tip I am going to tell you to add extra items that were not requested to give your application that something extra. However, DO NOT adds extra items if you are specifically told not to add anything extra. This means that you cannot follow directions if you add items when you are forbidden to do so.

Tip #4 ADD EXTRA ITEMS TO YOUR APPLICATION (if not forbidden).
This is where you get to be creative to find ways and things that present you in a positive light to the selection committee. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Write a short essay on MY EDUCATION/CAREER GOALS. Try to keep to one page but no more than two.
2. Write a paragraph or two on how this scholarship award will help you reach your education/career goals.
3. My son's guidance counselor gave him a paper that congratulated him on being in the top 10% of his class and acknowledged his hard work to get there. We included this because it put him in a "positive light" and his hard work at his academics was recognized.
4. Before my son reached his 18th birthday, he registered for the Military Draft as required for all males when they reach the age of 18. He received a letter from the draft board congratulating him for doing his civic duty prior to his 18th birthday. You guessed it, this was also one of our "extra items". A lot of scholarship committee members have military backgrounds or see this as good citizenship for this applicant.
5. One of the best extra items is a letter of acceptance for admission to "any" college. If the scholarship application is not for a specific college, you will be able to use the award at "any" college. You do not have to use it at the college you used in your application. Later you can get more college acceptance letters and when your make your selection you can notify the scholarship award committee of where to send the award. Therefore, any letter of acceptance shows that you are serious but it does not "lock" you into using the award at that college.
These are just a few examples to get you thinking. I would limit my extras to three or four at the most. Too many and you "sour" your application. Again, MAKE SURE you are not forbidden to add extra items before you do so.
Be creative to find things that make you look good and share them with the committee.

Tip #5 PERSONALIZE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
This is a tip that conveys you took the time to make this application special. When you have a letter of recommendation addressed to the specific organization or person that is administering the application process it says that you took the time and effort to make this letter "Special" for them. If all you have is a letter that starts "To Whom It May Concern", it is better than nothing. But if you can personalize the letter it says you cared to send the very best.

SUB TIP #5a Offer to do the work for the writer of your letter of recommendation. For example, you want to apply to twenty scholarship programs. When you ask someone to write you "1" letter of recommendation they say sure. When you say you need twenty letters they say "sorry" I don't have the time. Once they write you one letter, ask if you can put it on the computer so the TO ADDRESSEE can be personalized for each application and your writer only has to "sign their name twenty times". Now your writer is happy to help you because you have done the work and make it easy for them to help you. If they have nice letter head, ask for blank copies to be used in this process.
SUB TIP #5b this is an "ADD EXTRA ITEM/s" when the application does not require a letter of recommendation.
SUB TIP #5c Try and get three to five letters of recommendation in your files. This will let you pick and choose which one or ones to send in for a specific application. I would never send more than three for an application unless the directions ask for more. I will cover some tips to give your recommendation writer in a later TIP.

TIP #6 - PROOF READ ALL MATERIALS and NEATNESS IS A MUST
When you write anything you must use correct grammar and spelling. If you have a problem in this area ask your English teacher to help you with proofreading your essay, cover letter, extra items you have included, and even letters of recommendation prepared by others. When there are hundreds or thousands of applications to review, correctness and neatness become the first screen out factor. Only when the "pile" is smaller does the content of your application start to become a factor in the selection process.

TIP # 7 - SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION IN A CLEAR PLASTIC FOLDER
Now that your application is complete, the final "presentation" tip is to place all of your items in a clear plastic folder, with a slide locking binder. I like the cheap clear ones so that your "Thank You Cover Letter" (Tip #2) is on top. For that final "touch" I also like to include a wallet size picture of the student in the lower left side of your packet. The next item/s in your application packet are those required in the application (Tip #3 Answer the mail). Next I add any extra items (if not forbidden) and finally I place any letter(s) of recommendations.

If "extras" are forbidden, you should consider NOT using a plastic folder, however, this can be a judgment call on your part. Read the application carefully again regarding extras. Some judges feel the plastic folders "give them more work" (to remove the applications from the plastic folder) while others have no problem with it, even though they may forbid extras. I know, this can be confusing!
Your application packet is a great looking presentation of YOU, don't mess it up by folding it to fit a small envelope. Use an 8X10 type envelope so your application arrives looking great. Consider sending it "Return Receipt Requested" so you know it arrived!
by Bill Reynolds at FreSch!


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