Saturday 9 May 2009

Greg Pritchard Countertenor Sings Nessum Dorma On Britain's Got Talent 2009



Greg Pritchard Countertenor Sings Nessum Dorma
Britain's Got Talent 2009 [Youtube link]

Welsh waiter, Greg Pritchard, sings Nessun Dorma on Britain's Got Talent May 9th, 2009. Simon Cowell describes his performance as "it shouldn't of happened" and "it's like a dog meowing", ie something that you shouldn't expect to hear. The performance was well received by the audience and judges. Nessun Dorma was sung by Paul Potts, the 2007 winner of Britain's Got Talent

Thursday 7 May 2009

Chanel The World's Oldest Dog


Chanel The World's Oldest Dog

Chanel the world's oldest dog (nearly 21 years old) has a calculated human age of around 120 years. The dark googles are for a purpose, because Chanel has troublesome cataracts. When Chanel began to have problems with her hips, her owner started giving her a glucosamine doggy treat every day and this has been very helpful.

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Robin Williams Frog Translator By Royal Appointment


Robin Williams Frog Translator by Royal Appointment:

Robin Williams the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award winning actor and comedian, now has another plaudit, that of "Frog Translator". In the recent online video campaign orchestrated by HRH Prince Charles (Prince Of Wales) Robin Williams describes himself as:
"Robin, comedian, cyclist, frog translator"
The "Save the Rainforest Campaign" video is shown below.



Robin Williams Frog Translator By Royal Appointment:

World Tropical Rainforest Map - The Precious Resource We Must Protect



Rainforests are forests which are characterized by high rainfall. There are 2 types of rainforests - Tropical rainforests and Temperate rainforests. The monsoon trough plays a major role in creating Earth's tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests are also known as the "jewels of the Earth". The largest number of natural remedies come from tropical rainforests making them also the most well stocked pharmacy in the world. We must do all we can protect this very precious resource which is rapidly declining.

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Green Frog & Prince Charles - Save the Rainforest Campaign


Green Frog & Prince Charles' Rainforest Video

The Prince of Wales has released his first YouTube video and amazingly he plays second fiddle to a frog. The video has been produced to increase the awareness of the terrible plight of the world's rainforests.

Starring in the video are:
  • Green frog
  • Kermit the frog
  • Prince Charles
  • Prince Harry
  • Prince William
  • Dalai Lama
  • Daniel Craig
  • Harrison Ford
  • Joss Stone
  • Pele
  • Robin Williams
The frog was created by Framestore, the company who created the bear Iorek Byrnison in 'The Golden Compass'.

You can demonstrate your support for the world's rainforests by signing up to the website www.rainforestSOS.org.

Bob Dylan No. 1 in U.K. Album Chart with "Together Through Life"


“Together Through Life” (Sony/Columbia)

Bob Dylan returns to No. 1 in the U.K. album chart with “Together Through Life”, 39 years after his last top-selling album “New Morning” (1972). "Together Through Life" is Bob Dylan's 33rd studio album and 7th British No. 1.

“Together Through Life” (Sony/Columbia) Facts:
  • Project started as a single ballad written for French director Olivier Dahan - for movie, 'My Own Love Song'.
  • Dylan added another 9 songs to make an album.
  • Cowritten with Robert Hunter (former Grateful Dead lyricist)
  • David Hidalgo on accordion (of Los Lobos)
  • Mike Campbell on guitar (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

Marilyn French Author Of 'The Women's Room' Dies Age 79 (R.I.P.)


The Women's Room

Marilyn French, the writer and feminist has died aged 79 years of heart failure. Her best-selling 1977 novel, The Women's Room, made her a feminist icon in the women's movement, with the novel achieving sales of around 20 million. French initially studied at Hofstra University, before subsequently earning a Ph.D at Harvard University in 1972. In later years she returned to teach at Hofstra University. The pop group ABBA mention Marilyn in their 1982 song, The Day Before You Came - "I must have read a while, the latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style".

Marilyn French is particularly remembered for the following quote which came from the character Val in The Women's Room:
"All men are rapists, and that's all they are. They rape us with their eyes, their laws, and their codes."
Publications by Marilyn French include:
  • The Book as World: James Joyce's Ulysses (1976)
  • The Women's Room (1977)
  • The Bleeding Heart (1980)
  • Shakespeare's Division of Experience (1981)
  • Beyond Power: On Women, Men, and Morals (1985)
  • Her Mother's Daughter (1987)
  • The War Against Women (1992)
  • Our Father (1993)
  • My Summer with George (1996)
  • A Season in Hell: A Memoir (1998)
  • Introduction: Almost Touching the Skies (2000)
  • Women's History of the World (2000)
  • From Eve to Dawn: A History of Women in Three Volumes (2002)
  • The Love Children (2005)
  • In the Name of Friendship (2006)
  • Further novel to be published this fall (2009)

Marilyn French (1929-2009) R.I.P.

Sunday 3 May 2009

The Friendship of Janine Khalil & Sue Son - The Dark Side of Reality TV and Newspaper Publishing


Janine Khalil & Sue Son [click image for video]

The recent Britain's Got Talent screening showed the story of friends Janine Khalil (pianist) and Sue Son (violinist) auditioning their group Addicted for the program. The video above shows this performance and the unravelling of a friendship.

Simon Cowell says to the two young ladies after the shortened performance "I don't see where you are going to go with this". I suspect he was most likely thinking - I don't know where I am going to go with this group, but hey that cute Korean girl could be the next Vanessa Mae.


Vanessa Mae Publicity Shot:

The subsequent reporting in the newspapers has been unpleasant, but their job is making money not healing friendships. We don't know the full nature of the girls' friendship and professional collaboration, and it is unlikely that we ever will. Sue Son probably will have success as a new version of Vanessa Mae, and I will be pleased for her if she does. I also wish Janine Khalil gains due professional recognition and commercial success for her undoubted talent.

Unfortunately some bloggers have no understanding of the ways of news reporting and media manipulation and so have been unnecessarily harsh in their comments. When this is pointed out they use their own form of moderator censorship - shame on you Cosmetic Candy.

Related Posts:
Sue Son - Amazing Performance of Vanessa Mae's Storm by Vivaldi on Britain's Got Talent 2009