Saturday, January 8, 2011

ELIVIS’ 76TH BIRTHDAY

 

Elvis Presley would have turned 76-years-old Saturday, January 8th. In honour of another birthday, fans around the world are remembering him in numerous ways.

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Here is a sampling of what’s happening this weekend in honour of Elvis:

Memphis, Tennessee – city of Elvis’ former home Graceland —  hosted a number of events this weekend.  On Friday, the fabled mansion opened its doors for the official “Elvis Insiders” reception and private tour.  Tour participants didn’t just see where the “King” lived, they’ll also  took a look at his airplanes and exhibits at the nearby Elvis Presley Automobile Museum.

Other scheduled events in Memphis included art shows, conversational forums, and an Elvis Presley Day ceremony on Graceland’s front lawn on Saturday morning.  Later that evening, Presley’s body of work will be celebrated by the Memphis Symphony at the city’s Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Steven Reineke will conduct this annual concert.

Memphis is also welcoming one of Presley’s biggest international fans to its city limits this week. Chilean miner Edison Pena is currently in Memphis for Elvis’ Birthday week. Pena — who was among the miners rescued from an underground shaft in October — won over the world when he identified himself as a Presley fan.  Graceland, in partnership with the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, invited Pena to participate in the week’s festivities. Fans can catch up on Pena’s adventures via webcast on the GracelandCam! at www.elvis.com.

Across the pond in Birmingham, England, Elvis tribute artists from around the world are vying for the title of the “Elvis European Champion” of 2011.   BBCNews.com reports that over 80 Elvis hopefuls from nations like Norway, Iceland and Finland are converging on the British borough to emulate the “King.”  The event’s organizer Michael King says, quote, “We’re going to turn Birmingham into the new Memphis over the next three days.”

On the lighter – or not so light side as far as calories go – a donut shop in Fredicksburg, Virginia is also remembering Presley this weekend.  The Krispy Kreme in the city’s Central Park will give out free jelly donuts, reportedly one of the King’s favourite treats.

JUST FOR FUN …

 

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HARRY POTTER PLAGIARISM CASE DISMISSED

 

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A plagiarism lawsuit against "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling has been dismissed by a U.S. federal judge. Representatives for the estate of late fantasy writer Adrian Jacobs filed suit in America in 2009, alleging the author approached Rowling's U.K. publishers Bloomsbury in 1987, 10 years before his death, and unsuccessfully attempted to sell them his "Willy the Wizard" stories.

In court papers estate administrators accused Rowling of copying parts of the plot of his book, including a wizard contest and wizards travelling by train, for her 2000 novel "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". But New York Judge Shira Scheindlin threw out the case on Thursday, January 6, writing in a 49-page ruling that there are major differences between the stories.

WANT TO LIVE LONGER? WALK FASTER

 

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A new study has found that people who walk at a rate of three feet per second can expect to live longer than their slower peers.

A faster walking pace was linked to an increased life expectancy for both sexes at all ages over 65. The researchers looked at how the walking pace of almost 35,000 adults aged 65 or older varied over several years and how this related to survival rates, after accounting for age and sex.

The average speed of the participants was 3ft/second, with those who walked faster than this tending to live longer than the average.

Walking pace after age 75 was found to be a particularly good indicator of how long someone would live.

LIBRARIES FOR KNOWLEDGE SEARCH

 

How inspiring some libraries can be –

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ALEC BALDWIN PLANS POLITICAL CAREER

 

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The '30 Rock' star wants to work in the US government because he "deeply cares about the middle class" and thinks many politicians are failing to deal with the problems the country faces.

He said: "Yes, it's something I'm very interested in. I do believe that people want to believe that someone who deeply cares about the middle class ... would like to seek public office.

"We've had men who are Ivy League-groomed running this country since 1988. We've had men, regardless of their background, 22 years of Yale and Harvard and the problems aren't getting solved."

Despite his political ambitions, the 52-year-old actor believes he would find it difficult to quit his current career - like actor Arnold Schwarzenegger had to do when he ran for the office of Governor of California in 2003.

He added in an interview on CNN: "People would say to me all the time, 'Why would you want to run for office?'

"And sometimes I don't want to do it, because to leave what I'm doing now would be extremely painful because I like what I'm doing now.

"To quit now where it feels good would be enormously difficult."

LANGUAGE TRIVIA ... SANDWICH

 

John Mantagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792). The Sandwich Islands were named after him by Captain Cook. Lord Sandwich was the First Lord of the Admiralty from 1748-1751. He was an inveterate gambler and used to chew on a slice of meat between two slices of bread as he sat at the gambling table – hence the ‘sandwich’.

NASA ON BAD SCIENCE IN HOLLYWOOD DISASTER MOVIES

 

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NASA and the Science and Entertainment Exchange have claimed that disaster epic 2012 is the most scientifically unrealistic film ever made. Head of NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission Donald Yeomans believes that Roland Emmerich's 2009 movie is an "exceptional and extraordinary" example of bad science in Hollywood.

Yeoman said that the movie "took advantage of public worries about the so-called end of the world". The films plot revolves around the 2012 apocalypse scenario supposedly predicted by the Mayan calendar.

"The agency is getting so many questions from people terrified that the world is going to end in 2012 that we have had to put up a special website to challenge the myths," Yeoman told The Times. "We've never had to do this before."

According to the plot of 2012, neutrino particles brought to Earth via solar flares would massively increase the planet's core, leading to rapid global destruction via earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Other films criticised by NASA for promoting bad science include Volcano, Armageddon, Chain Reaction and The 6th Day.

On a more positive note, NASA praised films including Blade Runner, Contact, Jurassic Park and Gattaca for their relative scientific realism.

MIRRORED REFLECTIONS

 

Most people are mirrors, reflecting the moods and emotions of the times. Some people are windows, bringing light to bear on the dark corners where troubles fester. The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.

-Sydney J. Harris

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COOL IMAGES

 

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TRIVIA BITS … LATIN VULGATE

 

In 382 CE, Pope Damscus I commissioned Saint Jerome to write the definitive Latin version of the Bible. His edition, now known as the Latin Vulgate, remains an important source for Catholic translations of Biblical text.

STREISAND IN TALKS TO PLAY MAMA ROSE

 

BARBRA STREISAND

Barbra Streisand has met with Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents to discuss starring as Rose, the mother of all stage mamas, in a film version of their 1959 musical “Gypsy,” the two men said in telephone interviews on Wednesday. Mr. Laurents, who wrote the book for “Gypsy” and directed its 2008 revival on Broadway starring Patti LuPone, said that Warner Brothers and Joel Silver were attached as producers, but that no director had been chosen.

Contrary to a report in The New York Post on Wednesday, Mr. Laurents said that Ms. Streisand would not direct the film; she once wanted to, he said, “but playing Rose is enough to make her happy.” Ms. Streisand, who won an Academy Award for best actress in 1968 for the film musical “Funny Girl,” has been interested in doing “Gypsy” for many years, Mr. Laurents said, “but now things are serious and a movie is truly in the works.” He said that he had suggested Tom Hanks to play the role of Herbie, Rose’s love interest and the talent manager of her two daughters, Baby June and Louise. “Barbra loved the idea,” Mr. Laurents said.

Asked whether Ms. Streisand, who will turn 69 in April, was too old to play Rose, who is a young mother in the first act of the musical, Mr. Laurents said: “First of all, they can do magic in Hollywood. Second, does it really matter?”

“Gypsy” was made into a film in 1962, starring Rosalind Russell as Rose, which has its fans and detractors. Mr. Laurents said, “I would be very pleased if we had a different film version for the historical record.” He said he had met with Ms. Streisand twice over the last month or so; Mr. Sondheim, who wrote the “Gypsy” lyrics for Jule Styne’s music, said that he met with her a few months ago and that “she wants to do it.” He referred other questions to Mr. Laurents. “There have been conversations,” said Dick Guttman, a spokesman for Ms. Streisand. Mr. Guttman declined to elaborate.

TREASURE ISLAND 1883

 

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Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on 23rd May 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881-82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the mutiny of the Hispaniola and the pseudonym Captain George North.

Traditionally considered a coming-of-age story, it is an adventure tale known for its atmosphere, character and action, and also a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality—as seen in Long John Silver—unusual for children's literature then and now. It is one of the most frequently dramatised of all novels. The influence of Treasure Island on popular perception of pirates is vast, including treasure maps with an "X", schooners, the Black Spot, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen with parrots on their shoulders

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DREAMING OF… HAIR

 

Dreaming about hair means that you are careless in your personal affairs and will lose advancement by neglecting mental application.

STARBUCK’S NEW LOGO

 

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In this undated product image provided by Starbucks, the company's new 40-year anniversary logo is seen on a cup at right.

Other cups bearing the company's logo from over the years, from left, 1971, 1987, and 1992, are also shown.

VINTAGE … ADVERTISING

 

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

So wrote Shakespeare … I wonder how a woman would appreciate being compared to a set of cutlery? Somehow it doesn’t have the same ring ..

Shall I compare thee to a cutlery set?

Thou art more sleek and more mass produced!

 

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QUOTABLES …

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Friday, January 7, 2011

JUST FOR FUN

 

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LOPEZ AND SELLECK IN “BEST TRESSED” LISTS

 

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Jennifer Lopez is getting noticed for her lovely locks. She takes top honours among women in the 17th annual Sally Beauty Best Tressed Survey:

Sally Beauty Supply’s Best Hairstyle in 2010 (Female)
1. Jennifer Lopez
2. Beyoncé Knowles
3. Katy Perry

Sally Beauty Supply’s Best Hairstyle in 2010 (Male)
1. Tom Selleck
2. Ryan Reynolds
3. Justin Bieber

Sally Beauty Supply’s Worst Hairstyle in 2010 (Female)
1. Lady Gaga
2. Dolly Parton
3. Miley Cyrus

Sally Beauty Supply’s Worst Hairstyle in 2010 (Male)
1. David Hasselhoff
2. Brett Michaels
3. DJ Pauly D

THIS WORLD … RAYS OF LIGHT

 

"Gorgeous, glowing rays of light...This was what true beauty and goodness looked like-- a spectral, luminescent gathering of beings so pure it hurt to look directly at them, like the most glorious eclipse, or maybe Heaven itself."

— Lauren Kate (Fallen)

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ELTON JOHN BIOLOGICAL FATHER

 

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Elton John is identified as the biological father on the birth certificate of his newborn son, Zachary, reports website Pop Eater.

"Elton really wanted the child to have his genes," a friend of John and partner David Furnish reveals to the website. "He has a God-given talent and wanted to pass that on to a child. And after years of discussion and thought, Elton and David decided together that Elton's sperm would be used."

The source also reveals that "Elton has already purchased a $2 million adjoining apartment in Los Angeles to turn into the perfect nursery. Elton's son already has four round-the-clock nannies and his own chef."

LANGUAGE TRIVIA ...

 

"Polish" is the only word in the English language that when capitalized is changed from a noun or a verb to a nationality.

CHICAGO 1955

 

These are amazing photographs form Chicago in 1955.

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LADY GAGA SELLS MORE MAGAZINES

 

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We already know that Lady Gaga is massive when it comes to moving albums and selling out concerts. But a new study reveals that she’s also the top magazine seller of 2010.

In other words, when she graces the cover of a magazine people buy it. Her Rolling Stone and Cosmo covers were the magazines’ best-selling issues of the year. Her Vanity Fair cover was second-highest and Elle mag had its third best-sellling issues of the year with Gaga.

Interestingly, Taylor Swift covers, didn’t bode well for magazines. Her covers accounted for the lowest-selling issues of Elle, the second-lowest-selling issue of Glamour and the third-lowest-selling edition of Marie Claire. Gaga’s new album, Born This Way, will be released on May 23rd.

DREAMING OF … GARDENS

 

To see a vegetable garden in your dream symbolizes increased prosperity will come your way through diligence and care. It also suggests of stability and inner growth.

To see a flower garden in your dream foretells of tranquillity, comfort, true love and happy home in your future.

To see a sparse, weed-infested garden denotes that you have neglected your spiritual needs

FLOWERS IN BLUE

 

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PRINCES MAKE THE BRITISH BEST DRESSED LIST

 

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Princes William and Harry have finally made British GQ's best-dressed list, the Telegraph UK reports. Harry came it at number 5, quite a few spots ahead of William who ranked 27th.

GQ's "experts" said Harry ''looks good because he really doesn't care." But Wills didn't go without praise -- rapper Pharrell Williams told the men's glossy, ''I like it when Prince William goes dandy. He's got all the proper wardrobe when they do the hunting thing. They kill that!''

TRIVIA BITS … DAVID LIVINGSTONE

 

David Livingstone (1813 - 1873) was the first European to see the mighty Victoria Fall on the Zambesi River. He spent the last years of his life suffering extreme hardships and disease in an unsuccessful attempt to find the “true” source of the Nile which he believed lay beyond Lake Victoria.

COOL IMAGES

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RAZZIE NOMINATIONS

 

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Sometimes it's an honor just to be nominated – but not when it comes to the Razzies.

The nomination ballots for the awards celebrating the worst movies of 2010 have just been mailed out, and "Burlesque" leads the pack, with nods for worst actress (Christina Aguilera), worst supporting actress (Kristen Bell and Cher), worst supporting actor (Cam Gigandet), worst screenplay, and worst director.

The glitzy musical was not, however, considered for worst picture, reports the L.A. Times. That distinction went to "The Bounty Hunter,” “Clash of the Titans,” “The Expendables,” “Grown Ups,” “Jonah Hex,” “Killers,” “The Last Airbender,” “Little Fockers,” “Sex and the City 2,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” “Vampires Suck” and “Yogi Bear.”

While Angelina Jolie got a Golden Globe nomination for lead comedy actress in "The Tourist," the same film also got her onto the Razzies' worst actress list. Jessica Alba made the cut for worst supporting actress thanks to her work in “The Killer Inside Me,” “Little Fockers,” “Machete” and “Valentine’s Day," joined by Emily Blunt for "The Wolfman" and "Gulliver's Travels."

Worst supporting actor contenders include Mickey Rourke for "The Expendables" and "Iron Man 2," and triple threat George Lopez for "Marmaduke," "The Spy Next Door" and "Valentine's Day."

Thanks to the 3-D craze, a new category has been added to the Razzies this year: worst eye-gouging misuse of 3-D. Among the movies that made their way onto the ballots: “Piranha 3D,” “Resident Evil: Afterlife," and “The Nutcracker in 3D.”

The official Razzie Award nominations will be announced January 24.

FURNITURE WITH A DIFFERENCE

 

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Now where can I put furniture of this style? Maybe in the open space lounge are next to the pool. Hmmm that’s a good idea.