| 'Sopranos' ready for its final whacks
But not, in the mixed-up mob-family world of "The Sopranos," forgotten. Like Shakespearean ghosts, the departed haunt the living, a reminder of the thin line between their desperate, shifty lives and a place six feet under -- or 60 feet under water, or buried in the woods, or decapitated and inserted in a bowling bag. So the survivors smile over the anger and violence that lurks just beneath the surface, and cover it up with pretty suburban estates and snappy clothes and money -- always wads of money -- and try to stay one step ahead of the ghosts. But death awaits us all, and for "The Sopranos," the moment of reckoning has arrived. The HBO series about a mob boss, his family, his crew and his therapist -- widely hailed as one of the finest shows in television history -- begins its final season of nine episodes Sunday.
Get thee to a nunnery
ROME, Italy (AP) -- In these jittery times, when traveling might seem to come down to a wing and a prayer, a few prayers as perks with bed and breakfast can be a welcome extra. So what if these B&B's also have strict curfews in this Eternal City? Motherly innkeepers, spick-and-span bathrooms, some of the cheapest room rates in town plus an ambiance of spirituality, more than compensate for any inconvenience, making convents an attractive lodging option for travelers in Italy. "We feel very, very secure here, which is very important when you are in a strange country," said Joan Shoti, a middle-aged woman from Sydney, Australia, staying at Fraterna Domus, a hotel run by nuns whose religious mission is hospitality. The hotel is "the most spotless place you can imagine, but the most important thing is the caring you get from these nuns," said Shoti.
• He says he will open eight of his 22 homes to needy Hawaiian ...
HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- Dorie-Ann Kahale and her five daughters moved from a homeless shelter to a mansion Thursday, courtesy of a Japanese real estate mogul who is handing over eight of his multimillion-dollar homes to low-income Native Hawaiian families. Tears spilled down Kahale's cheeks as she accepted from billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto the key to a white, columned house with a circular driveway, a stone staircase and a deep porcelain bathtub. Her family will live there rent-free, but must pay utility bills. "I'm shocked. I'm overwhelmed," Kahale said. "From the little box we had to what we have today." Kawamoto, whose own eyes started welling up as Kahale cried, handed over two other homes Thursday to homeless or low-income families. Kawamoto, one of Japan's richest men, said he plans to open eight of his 22 Kahala homes to needy Hawaiian families.
Romney: Fundraising shows 'message is connecting'
BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- Mitt Romney on Tuesday credited his lead in Republican presidential fundraising to "a message that's connecting" and said he isn't worried about his relatively low standing in the polls. The former Massachusetts governor, who posted a staggering $23 million in first-quarter fundraising, said "the polls at this stage are name ID. ... Of course, I'm not a household name." He said he's concentrating his early efforts on organizing and fundraising in the early delegate-selection states. Interviewed Tuesday on the morning news shows, Romney, who has cast himself as an outsider in his bid for the GOP nod in 2008, said "it's a message that America's strength is derived by people, not the government, and we need somebody who's not a politician to make sure the government understands that." Romney, who has an appearance scheduled in New Hampshire later Tuesday, has urged people to watch his campaign surge as early polls have shown him trailing former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen.
From the campaign trail: Iowans basking in '08 love
Editor's note: In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. CNN senior political producer Sasha Johnson describes a whirlwind week on the campaign trail in Iowa. DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) -- A backyard barbecue with more than 200 guests, an event center bustling with loyal Republicans at noon and a high school gym at capacity by 5 p.m.: It must be Iowa with presidential contenders in town. Three days in Iowa this week and stops with five presidential candidates showed that even though some are lamenting the 2008 race's early start, the Hawkeye State is basking in the attention from White House hopefuls. "History says you've got to come to Iowa for your first shot," said Democratic state Sen.
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