Taylor devoted consistent and generous humanitarian time, advocacy efforts, and funding to HIV and AIDS-related projects and charities. She helped to raise more than $270 million for the cause. She was one of the first celebrities and public personalities to do so at a time when few people knew about the disease and organized and hosted the first AIDS fundraiser in 1984 to benefit AIDS Project Los Angeles.
Taylor was cofounder of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) with Dr. Michael Gottlieb and Dr. Mathilde Krim in 1985. Her longtime friend and former co-star Rock Hudson had disclosed having AIDS and died of it that year. She also founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1993, created to provide critically needed support services for people with HIV/AIDS. For example, in 2006 Taylor commissioned a "Care Van" with examination tables and xray equipment, the New Orleans donation made by her Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Macy's. That year, after Hurricane Katrina, Taylor donated $500,000 to the NO/AIDS Task Force, a non-profit organization serving the community of those affected by HIV/AIDS in and around New Orleans.The donation was shared by Taylor for her celebration of her 74th birthday and to help NO/AIDS Task Force continue their work on fighting AIDS.
Taylor was honored with a special Academy Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, in 1992 for her HIV/AIDS humanitarian work. Speaking of that work, former President Bill Clinton said at her death, "Elizabeth's legacy will live on in many people around the world whose lives will be longer and better because of her work and the ongoing efforts of those she inspired."
After she converted to the Jewish religion, Taylor worked for Jewish causes throughout her life.
In 1959, her purchase of Israeli Bonds caused Arab boycotts of her films. In 1962, she was prevented from entering Egypt to complete "Cleopatra"; its government announced that she would not be allowed to come to Egypt because she had adopted the Jewish faith and "supports Israeli causes". However the ban was lifted in 1964 after it was considered that the film had brought good publicity to Egypt.
In 1974, Taylor and Richard Burton considered marrying in Israel, but they were unable to do so because Burton was not Jewish. Taylor helped to raise money for organizations such as the Jewish National Fund; advocated for the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate to Israel and canceled a visit to the USSR because of its disapproval of Israel due to the Six-Day War, along with signing a letter protesting the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 of 1975.
She offered herself as a replacement hostage after more than 100 Israeli civilians were taken hostage in the Entebbe skyjacking in 1976. After the success of the operation, which freed the hostages, she acted with Kirk Douglas in a TV special, "Victory at Entebbe", broadcast in January, 1977. When she experienced the role, she stated, "I couldn't pass up this opportunity. I have strong ties to Israel and I firmly believe in the courage and dedication of the Entebbe mission."
Taylor had a lot of health problems. In 2004, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. In 2009, she underwent cardiac surgery for it. In early 2011, new symptoms related to congestive heart failure caused her to be admitted into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for treatment. Taylor died on March 23, 2011, surrounded by her four children at the same medical center in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 79.
Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an Academy and Golden Globe Award-winning American actress. The is the second woman in the world to win two Oscars before thirty (the first one was Jodie Foster). Swank's movies include "Million Dollar Baby" and "Freedom Writers". She will play Gail Getty in the 2018 television series "Trust".
Swank was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. When she was nine she played her first role as Mowgli in her school's version of "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling. Afterward she often was in school and university performances.
Nana Visitor
Nana Visitor (born July 26, 1957) is an American actress. Visitor was born in New York City. She is most famous for playing Kira Nerys in the television series "".
Visitor married fellow "Star Trek" actor Alexander Siddig in 1997. They had a son in 1996. Visitor and Siddig divorced in 2001.
Visitor is the niece of American actress Cyd Charisse.
Alexander Siddig
Alexander Siddig (November 21, 1965) is a Sudanese actor. Siddig is most famous for playing Dr Julian Bashir in the "Star Trek" television series "".
Siddig married fellow "Star Trek" actor Nana Visitor in 1997. They had a son in 1996. Siddig and Visitor divorced in 2001.
Siddig is the nephew of English actor Malcolm McDowell and of former Sudanese Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower (French: La Tour Eiffel, ], IPA pronunciation: "EYE-full" English; "eh-FEHL" French) is a landmark in Paris. It was built between 1887 and 1889 for the Exposition Universelle (World Fair). The Tower was the Exposition's main attraction.
The Eiffel Tower cost 7,799,401.31 French gold francs to build in 1889, an amount equal to $1,495,139.89 at that time. Today, its cost would equal to $36,784,020.11. It took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to build it. The tower is tall, but this height does not include the aerial (antenna) on the top; the total height of the structure is . It has a square base that is long on each side. The second story platform is off , and the surface to be painted is . Since it has been built it has been repainted 18 times, each of these 18 paint jobs there were only 25 painters are hired to do the job. Three separate colors of paint are used on the structure in order to enhance the impression of height, with the lightest at the top.
There are 20,000 sparkling lights and of cables covering the structure. The paper used to print the visitors' tickets in one year weighs . The top of the tower leans away from the sun as the metal facing the sun heats up and expands, it can move as much as and grow taller. The tower was also built to sway slightly in the wind.
The Eiffel Tower was built by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel for the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Even though Gustave Eiffel is credited for the Eiffel Tower it was actually two lesser known people who came up with the original drawing of it. These people were Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier. These two men were the chief engineers of Eiffel’s engineering firm. The main architect was Stephen Sauvestre.
Koechlin, Nouguier, Sauvestre, and Eiffel submitted the plans to compete for the spot on the champ de mars plot of land, to serve as the expositions entrance. It would also determine the 1889 world's fair centerpiece in Paris. There were 107 bids submitted to construct the Eiffel Tower. Fifty people worked on the design, and more than 100 built the parts. One hundred and thirty two workers assembled the parts on site.
The first digging for the foundations began on January 28, 1887 and all construction was concluded on March 31, 1889. When the tower was built, it was only meant to be kept for 20 years. People did not like the Eiffel Tower and wanted it taken down because they thought is was an ugly structure polluting the scenery of the Paris sky. After the 20 years, the tower became the property of Paris again.