Rachel

Disco legend Donna Summer, 63, died Wednesday night, reportedly of lung cancer. As of press time, her family hadn't released details about her illness, so it was unknown what type of lung cancer she had, and how long she may have been ailing. According to the American Cancer Society , lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both women and men, killing more than 150,000 people per year -- more than colon, breast, ovarian and prostate cancers combined. In 2012, the group estimates, there will be about 226,000 new cases of lung cancer in the U.S. Survival rates of people with lung cancer are low. Only about half of people diagnosed with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (the more common type)

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A federal jury in the political corruption trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards deliberated for a second day Monday without reaching a verdict, as Edwards quietly awaited his fate inside a federal courthouse. The jury of eight men and four women requested seven prosecution exhibits. Among them were emails in 2006 and 2007 that discussed $725,000 provided to Edwards by wealthy heiress and supporter Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, now 101, during Edwards' campaign for the 2008 Democratic nomination.

The only landmark for about 40 miles on a barren stretch of highway is a mailbox battered by time and desert gusts. It's known as the Black Mailbox, though it's actually a faded white. Over the years, hundreds of people have converged here in south-central Nevada to photograph the box -- the size of a small television, held up by a chipped metal pole. They camp next to it. They try to break into it. They debate its significance, or simply huddle by it for hours, staring into the night.

As the Dodgers celebrated their first home game under new ownership Monday, the widow of perhaps the most memorable player in franchise history said she was "thrilled" the Frank McCourt era had ended. Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, joined Hall of Famer Don Newcombe and new Dodgers part owner Magic Johnson for the ceremonial first pitch. Johnson later yelled to the crowd, "It's time for Dodger baseball!" Rachel Robinson turns 90 in July. She lives in New York and oversees the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which is expected to form a partnership with the new Dodgers ownership.

After doctors told Jeanie Flowers that her 3-month-old daughter, Rachel, was blind, the new mom had to learn how to help the girl cope with her condition. It didn't happen. At 13, Rachel still didn't know how to brush her teeth, get dressed or tie her shoe laces. Flowers, instead, bought her Velcro shoes, fed her and did most simple tasks for her. "Living with a blind kid, sometimes it's so much easier to do things for them and to expedite things," she said.

WHEN Rachel woke up, her brother Matt was standing next to her bed. "I've been waiting for you to wake up," he said. "These were on my bed when I woke up." And he held up five envelopes. "Dad," Rachel said. "Crossword puzzles." "Yep," Matt said. "I'll read you his note." Dear Matt and Rachel, Last night, you were both saying that you didn't have much to do this summer. Solve one puzzle a day and you'll find some things to do. Some are things that your mom and I will do with you.

"RACHEL Getting Married," a new movie from director Jonathan Demme and starring Anne Hathaway, opened this month and quickly became a surprise hit. In the film, Hathaway plays a recovering drug addict who's released from rehab to join her sister's raucous Connecticut wedding. Another surprise came for screenwriter Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet, who didn't foresee tapping into a widespread obsession with loading the dishwasher. A crucial scene in "Rachel" involves a dishwasher-loading contest, in which the father of the bride and the bridegroom battle against the clock to discover who has the better dishwasher-loading moves.

When the Weinstein Co. announced a year and a half ago that it was moving "Project Runway" from Bravo to Lifetime, it did more than tick off the good folks at NBC; it sent tremors of fear through the fan base. As the original January premiere date for Season 6 came and went, with Bravo parent company NBC Universal and the Weinstein Co. duking it out in court, devotees were not only jonesing, they were worried. What would the move to Lifetime mean? A kinder, gentler Heidi Klum sending off eliminated contestants with a murmured "Ciao" instead of the clipped "Auf Wiedersehen"?

MY mom was sitting on the grass in our own backyard but her eyes were really far away. "This dress belonged to your great-grandmother. Her name was Rachel, too. And when she came over to this country from Poland, she brought the dress with her. She was just a little girl and she was all alone." "Where were her parents?" I asked my mother. "Her whole family was in a concentration camp. Everyone was taken except Rachel. She was the only one who came to this country.

Here's the central conundrum in the new romantic comedy "Something Borrowed": Does the pop-off-the-page pretty of Kate Hudson's Darcy give her automatic rights to hunky Dex (Colin Egglesfield)? Or does the less shiny but still pretty penny that is Ginnifer Goodwin's good girl Rachel deserve a shot at the ring, even if that ring's already on her best friend's finger? Before we get to the answer, let me bring up the central problem in "Something Borrowed" — a Grand Central Station of problems.

Discourse on twentysomething women is rampant this week, thanks to the massive hype around the premiere of HBO's"Girls"-- so it seems like perfect timing for a written guide on what ladies should do by age 30. Enter Rachel Zoe. A new book from Glamour, "30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know By The Time She's 30," was celebrated Monday evening in L.A. Hosts Zoe and Cindi Leive welcomed a mix of gals at the Soho House in West...

Rising from their seats en masse, the liberal faithful at Beverly Hills' Saban Theatre greeted Rachel Maddow like parishioners welcoming a mega-church pastor. Cellphone cameras flashed like fireworks. Lusty, and perhaps a few lustful, cheers cascaded from the Art Deco mezzanine. Bill Maher, the interviewer at Tuesday night's Writers Bloc public chat, turned to Maddow as they took the sold-out theater's stage. How much of that do you think was for you, and how much was for me?

The new Greek film "Attenberg" follows a young woman as she cares for her father while he struggles through the final stages of a terminal illness. A 23-year-old virgin, she finds herself coming to terms with impending grief just as she is also feeling an emergent lust for a stranger she has just met. Sex and death, old mysteries dealt with in new ways. While those themes have long fascinated independent filmmakers, Athina Rachel Tsangari, writer and director of "Attenberg," which opened in Los Angeles Friday, puts a unique and rather odd twist on her coming-of-age story: The film features a number of sequences in which the lead character, Marina (Ariane Labed)

"The Deep Blue Sea" shows us where love has gone, reveals the dark and despairing places where ardor has shipwrecked and run aground. Exceptionally well-made and completely fearless in its depiction of the widest range of romantic emotions, this is a film as fiercely committed to passion as its heroine, and that's saying a lot. As played by Rachel Weisz in a performance every bit as compelling as her Oscar-winning work in "The Constant Gardener," Hester...

Fashion reality shows have had a big payoff for some participants, catapulting them to full-fledged stardom in the world of style. Christian Siriano was a design student who had apprenticed with industry bigs Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood before he won "Project Runway's" Season 4. Since then, his independent label has become a powerhouse, showing in New York each season, appearing in fashion magazines around the world and dressing stars...

MARCH 7 Jodi Picoult The bestselling author discusses and signs her new novel, "Lone Wolf. " Told from multiple points of view, it's the story of grown siblings wrestling with the fate of their father, who is gravely ill. Picoult is known for writing popular fiction and for her outspoken support of women's fiction that focuses on families and relationships (just don't call it "chick lit"). Presented by Vroman's Bookstore. Ramo Auditorium at Caltech, 332 S . Michigan Ave. Free.

Just an e-note to tell you I couldn't agree with "Overrated/Underrated" more regarding "Rachel Getting Married" [March 22]. I rented several DVDs over the weekend and found all of them to be as advertised (as much as I loathe Sean Penn the individual, Sean Penn the actor in "Milk" was remarkable). I thought "Rachel Getting Married" was self-conscious, self-indulgent and contrived. Even Anne Hathaway, a favorite of mine, could not overcome the film's smug self-importance. Don Pugsley La Canada Flintridge

"It's your idea, so you do the talking," Rachel told Sabina when they got back to class. Mrs. Evans was at her desk. "Paul! Matt! Settle down!" The two boys were shooting rubber bands at each other. "Maybe this isn't a good time to talk with her," Sabina whispered. "Don't be a scaredy cat. Go!" Rachel gave her friend a push. "Mrs. Evans?" Sabina began, speaking very softly. "Do you have a minute? We'd like to ask you something." "Yes, what is it?" Mrs. Evans said. "Rachel and I were talking at lunchtime about all the books we have that we've outgrown.

Mandana Dayani of "The Rachel Zoe Project" and her husband, TV executive and producer Peter Traugott , have sold their Sunset Strip-area home for $1.5 million. The traditional-style house, built in 1952, was designed for indoor-outdoor entertaining. The living room opens to a terrace on the main level, and the lower level to a swimming pool with spa. The master bedroom features dual walk-in closets, a den and a bathroom for a total of three bedrooms and 21/2 bathrooms in the 2,240-square-foot house.

Fashion executive and attorney Mandana Dayani and her husband, TV producer Peter Traugott , have listed their Sunset Strip area house for sale at $1.549 million. The two-story traditional, built in 1952, is designed for indoor-outdoor entertaining. The living room opens to a deck with city views on the main level and the lower level opens to a swimming pool and spa area. The master bedroom includes two walk-in closets, an office or den and a bathroom for a total of three bedrooms and 21/2 bathrooms in the 2,240-square-foot house.