I created a Slide Show! Check it out!

Bootzwalla SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

This was awesome....

WhAt is UP?

I know it's been a while and to my suprise I actually have some time to right some lines. I have been busy at work and traveling some when time permits. I actually took a little vacation away from everything this summer. I love the fall by the way. I am waiting for George to finish messing with the pictures so that I may post some on here and my space...i know..I've become the latest victim of the damn thing. But at least I am not a pervert looking for 15 year olds or something. It could always be worse. If you want to check out my profile you can go to My Space.

So how has my summer looked...hmmm. I've watched a few movies, haven't made time to read much. Carlos accidently left his highschool's book (Rainbow Boys) with my brother (that he had to use while student teaching) that students needed to read and so I read that.
Wow, the education system has really changed in the past few years. There was no way they would have let us read a book about homosexuality when I was in highschool. The closest we got to a banded was The Catcher in the Rye.


Oh...I don't know if you all remember but I loved American Idol and so I also got into So You Think You Can Dance and both of my favorite contestants won!! Yes, I am absolutely in love with Taylor Hicks and Benji!
I also admired Natalie very much...very cute girl and she can definetly dance! I was tyring to find some video but they pulled a bunch of them off the net. They were only some left.


I'll try to but in a video of the last performance of the final four. But you can view it here.


Well that is it for now but I'll try to comment on other things later.

Feel free to leave comments...

Who are you from South Park?

Take the quiz:
Who are you in South Park

Cartman
You are Cartman! You love Mel Gibson. You have a way of making your friends feel bad. oh yea and your moms a hooker

Quizzes by myYearbook.com -- the World's Biggest Yearbook!

Which American City Are YOU?

Take the quiz:
Which American City Are You?

New York
You're competative, you like to take it straight to the fight. You gotta have it all or die trying.

Quizzes by myYearbook.com -- the World's Biggest Yearbook!

Boys will be Boys, and Girls are with Girls....

I guess you can say that I can be very liberal when it comes to issues like these but this is not about being liberal. This is about love, commitment, and the general desire to be happy and fulfill your life along with the person that you love and support. Shouldn't people be happy that even though others choose to be attracted to and love a person of the same sex, they are willing to commit themselves to one partner? Shouldn't they be happy that some are not so liberal when it comes to their sex partners and they are conscious of disease control? Shouldn't they be happy for others when they are in love and decide to choose to want to spend their lives with one person and one person only?I guess love is not celebrated the way it used to. 50% of all marriages end up in divorce now days. 50%. Maybe same sex marriages don't, because they understand one another better.If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, would same sex unions really throw off the Cosmos?

Senate blocks same-sex marriage ban
The Senate today rejected a bid to amend the Constitution to essentially ban same-sex marriage. Republicans pushed the plan even though supporters conceded the measure did not have enough votes to pass.


Changes in federal, state and local laws have reflected the ongoing public debate over legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples. Click through the timeline to read about key events and developments in the history of U.S. law on same-sex relationships.

1993
The Hawaii Supreme Court rules the state cannot deny same-sex couples the right to marry unless it finds "a compelling reason" to do so, and orders the issue back to the state legislature. Hawaii lawmakers pass amendment banning gay marriages.

1996
President Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act into law. It defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and defines a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife." That definition affects 1,049 laws determining eligibility for federal benefits, rights or privileges.

1999
The Vermont Supreme Court orders legislators to devise a system granting same-sex couples the same benefits and protections that marriage provides for heterosexual couples. The Vermont Civil Union law takes effect in 2000

2003
The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a Texas sodomy law banning private consensual sex between adults of the same sex. The court found that the law and others like it violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. But legal analysts said the ruling enshrines for the first time a broad constitutional right to sexual privacy.

2004
· Massachusetts becomes the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. Eleven other states pass constitutional amendments defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman.
· The U.S. Senate blocks a proposed federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage from moving to the House.

2005
· The California Legislature passes a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, later vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
· In Nebraska, a federal judge strikes down the state's ban on protection and recognition of same-sex couples.
· A Connecticut law goes into effect allowing civil unions for same-sex couples.
· Texas becomes the 19th state to have a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

2006
· The highest court in Massachusetts rules that same-sex couples residing in other states cannot get married in Massachusetts unless the marriage is legal in their home states.
· A Georgia Superior Court judge strikes down the state's ban on same-sex marriage.
· Alabama voters approve an amendment to the state constitution that bans same-sex marriage.

Only Catholics......(no offense)

Catholics and Condoms
Will the pope change the church’s stand? The Vatican is currently engaged in a complex debate—and a major part of it is whether condoms could turn marital sex into something considered evil.

By Christopher Dickey
Newsweek
Updated: 4:18 p.m. ET May 3, 2006
May 3, 2006 - The Roman Catholic Church is committed to honor and preserve life. But how best to do that? General principles are easy enough to pronounce, but specific cases are the source of enormous anger and misunderstanding, both inside and outside the church, and none has been more contentious than Vatican opposition to the use of condoms to fight AIDS.

So when news broke in Italy last week that Pope Benedict XVI might reconsider the church’s stand in the case of married couples where one partner is infected, a momentous change seemed to be in the offing. Some commentators, noting this pope’s background as John Paul II’s theological enforcer, made analogies with Richard Nixon’s epochal trip to China. Only someone with Benedict’s reputation for conservative orthodoxy, they suggested, could change church practice on this issue while reconciling it with doctrine that’s been firmly established since the 1968 papal ban on all contraception.

But like so many issues considered at the Vatican, where cardinals in past centuries were accused of debating how many angels could dance on the head of a pin, the condom issue is fraught with such complexities that even Benedict may have trouble sorting them out.

“This is one of those cases where it’s really anybody’s call at this point,” says Father Thomas D. Williams, dean of theology at Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. “Bishops, moral theologians—everybody who’s seriously involved in this is really divided. I don’t know that the pope will find either side sufficiently convincing.”

What Benedict did about two months ago, according to the Rome daily newspaper La Repubblica, was to ask the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, headed by Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, to consider the issue as part of a broad look at several questions of bioethics. "My department is carefully studying it, along with scientists and theologians entrusted with drawing up a document about the subject," Barragán told the Italian paper.

In Africa, where the Roman Catholic Church and its affiliated charities often play a vital role in delivering health care to the poor and solace to the dying, the issue of how best to address the raging epidemic of AIDS is especially critical. The church preaches abstinence as the best prevention. Many within church organizations contend that condoms give a false sense of security while encouraging dangerous promiscuity. But non-Catholic health workers often regard that position as unconscionable and see the debate as one in which the theoretical possibility of preventing life with condoms has to be weighed against the statistical probability of losing millions of lives without them.

According to UNAIDS, the United Nations program on HIV/AIDS prevention, “Condoms are the only devices currently available that protect against the sexual transmission of HIV, and they are a mainstay of HIV prevention programs. The male latex condom is the single most efficient technology available to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.” Indeed, one of the great problems for those fighting the spread of AIDS is, precisely, finding ways to protect wives from being infected by their husbands. According to U.N. statistics, “only 4.9 percent of married women of reproductive age use condoms. Many women find it hard or impossible to negotiate with their partners to use condoms.”

Piecing It Together...

So I was packing yesterday and I felt a little akward. I hve been with the University of Texas at SA for almost 5 yrs and it has been quite a ride. I've been lucky to have found great friends, collegues, and build great relationships. I sometimes look back and realize how far I've come and I don't believe it's me.
I will miss the people I work with and the people that I interact with everyday. I know sometimes I question the direction that my life takes but now I seem to have a new perspective on things. I know that I am where I am because that is where I am intended to be. If it wasn't for the experience, work, and dedication to the institution I would not have the knowledge to help me with my new position. I am very greatful that God has allowed me to meet great people in the past years. Like I told my mother, my friends here are my family since my imediate family lives in my hometown.
Today is going to be my last day and I am just wrapping it up. I get to go a cookout on Saturday for BleauSkye to meet coworkers and just socialize. Monday is going to be a full new day and I already have many things to do. I am very excited about that.
I will have more postings on Monday and tell you all about it.

How many times can you pass out on a F/A-18? Apparently at least 3.

Full Throttle with the Blue Angels

Before that weekend's free air show at Naval Air Station Atlanta, AJC staffer Steve Beatty joined Lt. Kevin Davis for a fun-filled afternoon of barel rolls and other tricks high above Athens in a $24 million F/A-18. Beatty passed out three times. See the highlights.

It's a Spurs Thing...

Scoreboard



FINAL
San Antonio 84
Sacramento 102
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: San Antonio - Tony Parker 22; Sacramento - Bonzi Wells 25.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
Dallas 94
Memphis 89
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: Dallas - Dirk Nowitzki 36; Memphis - Chucky Atkins 20.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
Phoenix 98
LA Lakers 99
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: Phoenix - Steve Nash 22; LA Lakers - Lamar Odom 25.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
LA Clippers 100
Denver 86
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: LA Clippers - Corey Maggette 19; Denver - Carmelo Anthony 17.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
Miami 87
Chicago 93
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: Miami - Antoine Walker 21; Chicago - Andres Nocioni 24.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
Cleveland 96
Washington 106
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: Cleveland - LeBron James 38; Washington - Gilbert Arenas 34.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
Detroit 104
Milwaukee 124
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: Detroit - Chauncey Billups 26; Milwaukee - Michael Redd 40.
preview | recap | boxscore



FINAL
New Jersey 97
Indiana 88
** CONFIRMED ** High Scorers: New Jersey - Vince Carter 28; Indiana - Jermaine O'Neal 22.
preview | recap | boxscore

Kings Rout Spurs to Tie Series

LAST UPDATE: 5/1/2006 10:36:19 AM

Bonzi Wells had 25 points and a playoff career-high 17 rebounds, as the Sacramento Kings crushed the San Antonio Spurs, 102-84, at ARCO Arena to even their Western Conference quarterfinal series after four games.

,Brad Miller posted 19 points and Mike Bibby totaled 16 points and seven assists for the eighth-seeded Kings, who won both games at home.

Game 5 of the matchup will take place on Tuesday in San Antonio.

Kevin Martin, the hero of Game 3's last-second victory, and Ron Artest each scored 14 points for Sacramento.

Tony Parker scored 22 points and Tim Duncan contributed 17 points and eight boards for the top-seeded Spurs, who were outrebounded 37-31. Manu Ginobili and Bruce Bowen combined for only eight points, as Artest and Wells shut them down, respectively, on the defensive side of the ball.

"When you get offensive rebounds and putbacks and things like that it hurts a team's confidence," Wells said. "Our whole keys these last couple of games, we're trying to outrebound this team because they're an excellent rebounding team. If we continue to outrebound them, we're going to give ourselves a chance."

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn't buy into the theory that the 312th straight sellout at ARCO Arena had anything to do with his team's defeat.

"The Sacramento Kings whipped us in every way, shape and form, that's why we lost the game," Popovich said. "It's not a matter of being up 2-0 and then relaxing and thinking you have things accomplished. You're concerned before every game, whether you're up 3-0 or down 3-0. That's the nature of the beast."

The Kings lost the opener of this series by 34 points before falling in overtime in Game 2 in San Antonio, but Artest knows the Kings need to win on the road since the Spurs still have homecourt advantage.

"We have to give ourselves a chance," Artest said. "We have to put ourselves in a position to come away with a victory."

Brent Barry's three-pointer gave the Spurs a 34-33 edge, but the Kings responded with a 21-7 run to close the first half with a 54-43 margin. Shareef Abdur-Rahim hit 1-of-2 at the line to begin the surge and Bibby's trey made the score 46-40. Artest scored seven points and finished the burst with a layup as the clock ran down.

San Antonio opened the second half with an 8-2 rally, highlighted by Duncan's three-point play, to pull within five, 56-51. However, Sacramento countered with a 10-2 spurt, including five points from Wells, to push the score to 66-53. The Kings took a 75-64 margin into the fourth quarter.

Sacramento extended its lead to 97-71 with 4:22 to play, courtesy of a 22-7 run, which began the final frame. Miller capped the streak with seven straight points and Wells also netted seven, after which both teams emptied their benches.

The teams moved back-and-forth during the first quarter until the Kings built a five point lead with under a minutes remaining. Beno Udrih's jumper with three ticks on the clock cut the San Antonio deficit to 26-24 after 12 minutes.

Game Notes

The Kings shot 50 percent from the floor, while the Spurs connected on 45.1 percent of their shots, including 3-of-13 from beyond the arc...San Antonio committed 15 turnovers...Wells also had three steals.

©2006 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Never say "Never" or "Always," Always

Ok so I should have known by now not to say “never” or “always” under any circumstances because chances are you will, you have, or you did at least once in your life in which case “never” and “always” will not apply.

Then why have “never” and “always” in our vocabulary? DRAMATIC Effect. Yes, I’ve decided that the reason words like these exist in the English language it’s because we need words that carry weight and convey our anxieties and help us make a point.

I know that at least I use “never” and “always” when I loose my cool, which seems to happen often lately. I’ve told my self I will never do this or that and yet here I am. Here I stand after so many dos that should have been don’ts yes, I am a mess.

So now I have choices to make to make it right. I need to get over what I feel and how messed up things are and get up and start doing something about it. Why am I writing this? Well, I kinda want to remind myself later of what was going through my head at the moment. I’m about to reach difficult decision and I want to be clearheaded when I make it.

I really don’t want this moment to pass me by and then there I will be a few months from now with my dos that should have been don’ts wondering why the hell I was so stupid!

Are You Happy Now?

A sigh, a laugh, a tear, many of which I’ve had throughout the years. I think of you sometimes and I sigh, and I laugh, and I cry. I can see you in my mind, and hear you in my heart, touch you with my voice. You are still part of me, somehow.

-Dariela

“Hello love. Yes it’s me…(again).
It was nice seeing you yesterday, well your picture..uh yes I know. At least the reporters got it right. I know, no receding hairline on that picture. Of course you look great bald! Very nice..(you always looked great to me anyhow) you need a beanie at night though. Is it cold over there now? I imagined it would be,” she twisted her hair around her index finger, perfect long curl.

She did that sometimes when she was nervous. He could hear it in her voice. He could feel her through her voice, just picture her there, that same soft hair brushing against his cheek, soft hair spilling over the sides of his pillow.

Sigh*heart pounding

“So when is your signing going to be? You touring the states this time?
No, I might not make it to that one. Sorry. I have this conference..you know just some new launch for the company, usually software products…blah blah. We break ground next week on the new building. Don’t worry there is not much excitement just more work for me. I know, it’s my fault, business as usual thank God. Well, at least I can workout the stress and put food on the table with my fat checks. How is…everything ( and by that I mean you and her)?"

They kept on chatting but not really saying anything of consequence. “How have you been? Do you think of me too? Are you happy now?” these where the questions on both of their minds and yet they will not ask.
__________________________

“Are you going to start this again?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have to start if you would just tell me. What do you see in him that I don’t have? Is he any smarter? Does he even have a degree? Is it the money? Is he more creative? Is it the way he touches you? I can learn to do that. I would love to do that, I’d do anything for just a few more moments.”

“A…look, please don’t. Everything is different now. I’m different, we, well…(her voice seem to be lost for decades before arriving to the end of that sentence)..we are not We anymore. I’ve fallen in love, harder than I thought I would. I don’t have to tell you how great he is, he just Is. You are great and we were great but you know better than to expect for Us to work. We just didn’t, we couldn’t.”


“I know what he has that I don’t. You.”
___________________________________
“So are you going to have time for at least one drink? One drink I promise and then you can go work.” He paused to hear her response.

“I think it can be arranged”, she said in a playful voice. They both knew it was no joke. They couldn’t have cared less about groundbreakings and book signings. They were going to meet again and there would be questions. Expectations.

“Did you think of me while you were gone? I need to know before I see you.”

There it was. The leap. Just ask.

“You kept coming back to me. Part of me wanted to swivel around in my chair to check if you really were lying on the futon like you were years ago.
Do you still think it is a good idea to see each other?”

“And who are we to tell what is good…I think it’s good for us. I know where it’s going to go, but not where it’s going to end up.”

“I still recall that day you know, I hadn’t heard from you in a couple of weeks. Work, you explained. Busy at work. In your hand twirled keys to a truck that wasn’t mine, or yours, yet. You explained to my mother that you’d borrowed the keys from a friend, your boss at work, but from the way you glanced over at me, I knew he was becoming more than a friend just as I was becoming more of a memory.”

“I’m sorry. I know. But that is in the past now.”

Her finger was no longer entertained by her hair. Her heart was still racing. Now her foot kept the beat of her heart and her anxiety grew stronger. How could she put it together now? There was so much to be said, so much to explain, so much to look back at. She wished she could hold him like she did before, save him the way she should have so many years before. Yet she said nothing.

“I know, sometimes I still remember. I am not mad anymore. It still hurts sometimes, but more than anything because I wished I could have done more to change your mind. I wish I could have made you believe in us. You where so young and I should have known better. Maybe if could have looked for you, instead of always waiting for you to come to me. Maybe…forget it. It’s no use. I just want to see you”, he thought. He said nothing of that.

“In our own little world? Let’s see eachother in the real world. Tell me about her. I’ll tell you of how my plans are going. I’ve been through a rough patch but we have so many projects now, him and I.”

“Great, it’ll be great. Really. I can show you some plans for houses that I’ve liked. I am not sure if we’ll stay in the East coast.”

“Ok. Just tell me where and when and I’ll be there. Promise. At any rate, what is your book about this time? I haven’t had a chance to read it. It’s only been a few months and it’s already a best seller.”

“It’s the ultimate story of two people so perfect for each other, but separated by love and death. Separated but inseparable. Just like we were and still are.”

Silence on the line. She smiled.

“Life has a way of doing these things. I know what you mean. I’ll read your novel, then we’ll talk about it over those drinks.”

“Are you happy now?” they both asked at the same time.

They laughed at how eager they were to ask that question. Yes. They replied.

“Ok, silly go to bed and call me in the morning. We can talk about this later.”

“Sweetheart, you think we did good? I’m glad now that you did, I mean that you are happy. I’m glad I found her.”

“I’m happy for you too. I’m happy for us both after all, we are separated by love, separated but inseparable.”

It's a Gale Thing Too

I think I did mentioned that I was also watching Queer as Folk. You can say it's because it's full of hot guys that make out so it's good to watch because you don't have to block the girl out. Well, actually Queer as Folk is ALL drama. Totally validated lover quarrels, human rights activists, family crisis, parenthood, friendships, and anything else you might enjoy in your favorite novela, except these are all men (which makes it even more interesting).
So here is the deal, this man Brian, is basically the Shane (read previous post for information) of the show. He is the hot guy of the group that gets all the guys and is pretty much a cynic but has a warm heart afterall. Here are only some of Gale Harold's pics. Click here to learn more about the actor.

No Sleep...

So it's about 2:30Am on a Friday morning and I am not sure what I am doing up. Really, I should be sleeping but sleep is something I don't think I can get at the time. I am currently listening to Shakira. Yep, I remember when she only used to be a singer from Colombia, that I used to listen to in the 90's. Now it's like, "Oh you like Shakira too?," and I am like "hell yeah I used to like her since she was only 18 and had black strait hair." All of the sudden they make it big in the U.S. and everyone assumes they are new in the business. Who else has gone through this?

Glad you asked.

Ricky Martin for example.
Shirtless, Ricky in the 90s he used to come out in a Mexican soap opera like that. Black Shirt, Ricky late 90s early 2001-2001. White Shirt, Ricky now. He toned up, got a hair cut, this hunkasourus couldn't have looked better.....

Now to get some sleep. Need to work tomorrow.

He Loves You, He Loves You NOT

This is too good to pass.....

Claim: A woman discovers on a call-in radio show that her boyfriend is married.
Both those scenarios are precisely what happened to two Minnesota residents named Kim and Greg on Andy Savage's radio program (aired on KEGE 93.7 in Minneapolis) one day.

The 25-year-old Kim phoned in to take part in a scheme called "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not," in which callers who suspected their lovers of fooling around behind their backs gave Savage contact information, and he employed various ruses to try to catch out the straying sweethearts. Kim had been going out with a man named Greg for about a year, she said. Since Greg lived in Duluth, which was quite a distance away (over 150 miles) from Kim's home near Minneapolis, they saw each other only on weekends. Alarm bells should have been going off already, but Kim swore she had "absolutely no reason" to suspect Greg had been messing around on her. "I know he loves me," she told Savage quite confidently. ("Then this is going to be boring," Savage quipped in reply.)

Nonetheless, Savage plunged ahead with the scheme. He called Greg in Duluth and told him that his business card had been picked out of a fishbowl at a local business establishment, entitling him to one dozen free roses. (Greg didn't find this unusual, since he admitted he came out to Minneapolis every weekend "on business.") And where would Greg like the flowers sent? "To my wife, Cindy," he replied.

"What?" inquired the heartbroken Kim. "Cindy? To your wife, Cindy? Your wife, Cindy?"

Greg, taken aback, could only respond "Aw, Jesus . . ." before Savage provided him with the now superfluous bit of information that Greg's girlfriend was on the line. Greg fumbled for a bit as Kim questioned him about his wife, then finally tried the old "I was only kidding" dodge.

It didn't work. A teary-eyed Kim called him a "dick" and hung up, and Greg did the same after informing Savage he was a "son of a bitch."

Yes, this was the real thing and not a staged stunt, according to Andy, now on the air with KNDD 107.7 in Seattle. It was an uncomfortable performance, both for the participants and for the listeners. If you can overcome your squeamishness, hear it for yourself through the link below. (Requires RealPlayer plug-in.)

Additional information:
"He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not"
(Andy Savage — KEGE 93.7-FM, Minneapolis)

To hear the actual clip go to: http://www.snopes.com/love/betrayal/radio.htm

It's a Kate Thing

So there are other things I've been doing the last few months. I guess I can tell you little by little. I've been watching all these shows and I get all into the characters...that's just me. For example, my favorite movie is Bram Stoker's Dracula and I can watch it over and over without getting tired of it. I tend to get into the stories that I like and really connect with some characters to some extend. I've been watching Sex and The City, Friends, Will and Grace, The Closer, Law and Order, Conviction, Queer as Folk, and The L Word.
Right now Shane (played by Katherine Meonnig) has my attention. I like that she is the most unattainable, liberated, and the playgirl of the characters, yet she is the one that was most emotional when Dana died. I find her reactions facinating. There are ways that Shane acts and thinks that makes me go....hmmm I wish I could be like that.
Apparently I am not the only one that likes her. There are sites of Katherine Moennig everywhere. Interesting enough, she happens to be Gwyneth Paltrow's cousin.

http://www.thelwordonline.com/shane.shtml

http://www.kate-moennig.net/

http://katherine-moennig.org/

http://www.thelword-fr.net/katherinemoennig/uk/galerie.php

So there you have it. A bunch of sites on the gal. I have some pictures of her I can post.

This One is for All My Peeps!!

So how's it going? Me? Busy as hell as you might already see. What can I say March was very eventful to say the least. The end of February was even worse.

So I have watched more movies and downloaded even more music. I kinda discovered Trip-Hop and I am absolutely obsessed with it.

Here are some artist and bands I liked:

Anja Garbarek ===>

"Anja Garbarek (b. July 24, 1970) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of the Norwegian jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek and grew up around Oslo. She received the Spellemannsprisen in 2001 for her album Smiling & Waving in the open class category. She is married to John Mallison, with whom she has had one daughter."
http://www.anjagarbarek.com/

<=== Anjali Bhatia

"An incredibly sensual take on lounge exotica, The World of Lady A is the second album from enigmatic diva, Anjali. The very adventurous release picks up where her highly acclaimed debut album left off and is a multi-layered cocktail of influences that transcend cultures and is arguably one of the most original albums of the year. A singer, songwriter, DJ, thinker and super-babe, Anjali invites e-mag into the musical world she has created for herself... "

http://www.anjali.org.uk/

Big Muff/ Itaal Shur ==>

"Itaal Shur's drive to produce music that transcends cultural boundaries has earned him the ultimate recognition from his peers-a Latin Grammy nomination for Song of The Year, an award he was honored with at the 1999 Grammy Awards for co-writing Carlos Santana's "Smooth" with Rob Thomas."
http://www.itaalshur.com/

<== Esthero "Esthero (real name Jen-Bea Englishman, born December 23, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who lives and works in the city of Toronto, Ontario. The name "Esthero," pronounced es-THERE-oh, refers both to the singer and to the two-person team of herself and her producer, Doc. She claims to have gotten the name from an old film character named Esther, whose last line in a movie (called, The Bell Jar based on the autobiographical Sylvia Plath novel) is, "If I am to be the hero, then I cannot fly from darkness."

http://tln.lib.mi.us/~amutch/esthero/

Etro Anime ==>

"Coming from New York they played clubs such as Izzy Bar and Spiral Lounge, but it was not until 2004 that we are seeing a full length artist album. This interesting band is composed of Tom Welch, Shambo Pfaff, David Fisher, Tom Birkley, and Cuban-born vocalist Lissett Alea. Their music is true fusion of drum & bass, house, and trip-hop with sexy flowing vocals. They crank up the first track "Purest One," with a drum & bass flavor, melding it with some dark loops and beautiful work on the keys. It is a very exciting start to an interesting showcase. They bring out a bit more of the trip-hop sound on the song "Portrait." It is totally reminiscent of a Tricky song, but not as hardcore. The band's first release "Summer Rain" entered The National Dance chart at number 29 and with good reason. They came at this track with a funky house vibe and it makes me think of summer beach parties that never stop. It is quite a beautiful song. Etro Anime is not even afraid of a little hip-hop either. On "Diablo" they put in a harder bass line with some scratching and elegant vocals laid over top. It's what you might get if you mixed Mark Farina with Jazzy Jay and added a splash of Nelly Furtado. Drum & bass re-enters the equation on the song "Adonis." The lighter rhythms come together nicely with Alea's soothing vocals. This album is all about breaking down boundaries that stand in dance music and fusing the styles together, harmoniously."
http://www.alwaysontherun.net/etroanime.htm

<== Flunk

"The thing about Flunk is quite simple. It is all about the love of music - and the lack of words. Or being tired of words. Organised by Ulph, Flunk are the collective enterprise of the former, guitarist Jo Bakke (he used to be in Norwegian pop act Happy Campers, who moved on to electronic music and even had a 12" on Ninja Tunes, and now also is one half of house-combo Antenna who released their first 12" on US label Guidance this autumn), and Anja Øyen Vister (a medical student who has been singing for years, but only occasinally in a band setting). There are also others adding layers during the process of making Flunk music, including Ivar Winther and his flute, and Ulphs girlfriend, Tine Skarland singing.Ulph has made four albums with Norwegian pop act Folk & Røvere since 1996, receiving both critical acclaim and some brief moments of chart success for the slightly odd mix of Norwegian lyrics and downbeat music. The first two albums were made with Beate Lech, now enjoying success on her own with Beady Belle.Flunk, then, is basically about letting the music speak louder than the ever flowing words. The soundscapes are mid-tempo, and with the sound of guitars almost always present, it puts a kind of rock touch to the chill-out feel and pop tunes. Well, that is the general idea, anyway."

http://www.beatservice.no/flunk.asp

Lunascape ==>

"At the core of Lunascape are musicians Kyoko Baertsoen and Walter Hilhorst. The duo originally met in 1993 at the television and film academy in Brussels, Belgium and began to fiddle around with covers and some original material. In 1997, Kyoko was offered the spot of lead singer for Hooverphonic and her work with Walter was put on the back burner. After touring Europe extensively with Hooverphonic, Kyoko left the band and returned to her work with Walter; Lunascape was born. The Lunascape sound mixes catchy rhythms, sampling and loops with electric guitars reinforced by strong melodies and Kyoko's enchanting voice. Kyoko recently spoke about her musical influences: “I’ve listened to so many different types of music from Abba to Pink Floyd. At about 13 I was immersed in the sinister new wave of Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus and Joy Division but one band really took me all the way into the ‘beautiful realms of music’: The Cocteau Twins. It’s the extraordinary original melodies of Liz Fraser; I've never heard anyone do this again. For me she'll stay the goddess of chant forever.”Taken by their blend of etherealism and emotional adeptness, a European A&R rep caught the duo at one of their many shows throughout the region and quickly signed them and shuttled them into a studio to begin recording. While the band released albums and singles in Europe, their first North American exposure came in a most unusual way. In 2001, Kyoko starred alongside Harry Shearer in IMAX’s 3-D film “Haunted Castle.” Kyoko became an underground cult figure. Fans uncovered Lunascape’s European catalog and import versions began to sell in the US. Another twist in Lunascape’s international fortunes came in 2003. Sinead O’Connor teamed up with Delerium’s Rhys Fulber for his new project, Conjure One. The first single was a cover of Lunascape’s “Tears From The Moon.” Kyoko and Walter had worked on the song with famed producer Rick Nowels (Madonna, Dido) in his LA studio. Sinead and Rhys’ version went to number 3 on Billboard’s dance charts and hovered in the Top 5 for several weeks becoming a hallmark of dance clubs throughout the world in the Summer of 2003. "
http://www.lunascape.net/

<== Potishead

"Portishead may not have invented trip-hop, but they were among the first to popularize it, particularly in America. Taking their cue from the slow, elastic beats that dominated Massive Attack's Blue Lines and adding elements of cool jazz, acid house, and soundtrack music, Portishead created an atmospheric, alluringly dark sound. The group wasn't as avant-garde as Tricky, nor as tied to dance traditions as Massive Attack; instead, it wrote evocative pseudo-cabaret pop songs that subverted their conventional structures with experimental productions and rhythms of trip-hop. As a result, Portishead appealed to a broad audience — not just electronic dance and alternative rock fans, but thirtysomethings who found techno, trip-hop, and dance as exotic as worldbeat. Before Portishead released their debut album, Dummy, in 1994, trip-hop's broad appeal wasn't apparent, but the record became an unexpected success in Britain, topping most year-end critics polls and earning the prestigious Mercury Music Prize; in America, it also became an underground hit, selling over 150,000 copies before the group toured the U.S. Following the success of Dummy, legions of imitators appeared over the next two years, but Portishead remained quiet as they worked on their second album. Named after the West Coast shipping town where Geoff Barrow grew up, Portishead formed in Bristol, England, in 1991. Prior to the group's formation, Barrow had worked as a tape operator at the Coach House studio, where he met Massive Attack. Through that group, he began working with Tricky, producing the rapper's track for the Sickle Cell charity album. Barrow also wrote songs for Neneh Cherry's Homebrew, though only "Somedays" appeared on the record. Around the time of Portishead's formation, he had begun to earn a reputation as a remix producer, working on tracks by Primal Scream, Paul Weller, Gabrielle, and Depeche Mode. Barrow met Beth Gibbons, who had been singing in pubs, in 1991 on a job scheme. Over the next few years, the pair began writing music, often with jazz guitarist Adrian Utley, who had previously played with both Big John Patton and the Jazz Messengers."

http://www.portishead.co.uk/

Puracane ==>

"Puracane began as a duo in 1999. Vocalist Ali Rogers and producer David Biegel co-wrote the album 'Things you should leave alone', released by Ubiquity records in 2000.
Ali Rogers decided to take the project from the studio to a live act and in 2000 Puracane played shows with Sting and Duran Duran and in 2001 with Jane's Addiction and Depeche Mode. Puracane's music featured in the films Driven Felicity, Road Rules and Real World.
Today Puracane are Ali Rogers on vocals, Juan Masotta on guitar and electronics, Drew Thurlow on bass, Andrew Griffiths on drums and Brett O'Mara on violin.
The band just released a new album: 'In Limbo', a collection of songs composed and produced by several satellite members during Puracane's hiatus.
Currently the band is working on new material for the next album and upcoming shows."

http://www.puracane.com/home.html

<== Shivaree

"In Moscow and Lisbon and Paris and Rome, Shivaree raised a genuine racket with their 1999 debut, I Oughtta Give You A Shot In The Head For Making Me Live In This Dump (Capitol). Even registered a bit of a tremor in the U.S. and Britain, thanks to a watchful press and a few dozen radio rogues. Mission accomplished, right? Romantic musical anarchists prevail against all odds: a waltz or three here, a black mambo there, and 19 months of second class travel to a cabaret near you secure a cult beachhead for our misfit crew. Soon, there’ll be waltz enough for all…
Rough Dreams , the band’s ’02 encore, may have been named for Otis Redding, but it played out more like prophecy than homage. Unremarkable but unremitting label squabbles devolved into a long playing nightmare that ended in wreckage. The album never saw a U.S. release, the band ceased touring, and if not for an odd weekly radio spot and the timely patronage of Quentin Tarantino and Hal Willner, Ambrosia Parsley and her band might have driven all the way off the map.
Ambrosia Sings the News debuted on Air America Radio the first Friday of April ’04 and quickly became one of the young network’s most popular segments, an ideal vehicle for Parsley’s devilish wit and indelible voice. Summer saw her accompany Uma Thurman’s victory lap at the close of Kill Bill 2, and deliver, with Cat Power and Blood Ulmer, one of the real spellbinders at Willner’s “Neil Young Project” in Brooklyn."

http://www.shivaree.com/

Soulstice == >

"Unquestionably alive, the music of Soulstice echoes of the past while remaining transfixed on the possibilities of tomorrow. Soulstice is futuristic electronic soul. Consisting of aural innovators Andy Caldwell and Gabriel Rene on keyboards, deck master Mei-Lwun Yee on turntables and songbird Gina Rene on vocals, Soulstice have released a string of sought after house and d&b classics including "Tenderly" and "Lovely." Featuring remix work by Kevin Yost, Johnny Fiasco and Acetate these 12"s have brought Soulstice into clubs worldwide on the playlists of notable artists such as Rainer Truby, DJ Garth, Mark Farina and Q Burns Abstract Message. Stateside, their debut album Illusion has garnered huge radio support from Jason Bentley and Kevin Lincoln, making Soulstice one of KCRWís most requested artists."
http://www.soulstice.com/

<== Thievery Corporation

"Thievery Corporation's fourth album, The Cosmic Game, finds the duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton in their most expansive mood yet, as their latest sonic exploration blurs the boundaries between rock, breaks, future-bossa, dub, and other mind-altering sounds. When dropped, The Cosmic Game is a psychotropic, aural concoction, which clearly opens a new dimension in the ever-evolving Thievery odyssey.
"When we finally got down to recording this album, we talked a lot about expressing more elements of our personal growth in our music. We also talked a lot about psychedelics and new ways of viewing reality and how they obviously affected music in eras past. During the months of recording, we spent a lot of time reading favorite authors and discussing 'so-called' conspiracy theories. I think this is fairly clear from the lyrics ," says Garza."

http://www.thieverycorporation.com/

Zero 7 ==>

"Zero 7 is a downtempo styled musical duo comprising of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker from the United Kingdom. The band's songs feature vocals from Mozez, Sia Furler, Tina Dico, Sophie Barker, José González, and for the first time, Henry Binns providing backing vocals on the third album, The Garden."

http://www.zero7.co.uk/

The Tale of Two Sisters

This is one of the coolest movies I have seen to date. Asian films keep pushing the envelope. Many have reviewed it and most loved it.
The Tale of Two Sisters is just one of those creepy movies that you will think of for about a week. It plays with your mind just enough to keep you interested.


Kim Jee-Woon's psychological horror movie, A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, is the highest grossing Korean horror movie ever made and it's the first Korean horror flick to be given a full theatrical release in the United States.
American audiences expecting just another Japanese horror film like THE RING or THE GRUDGE will have their hearts shredded and their eyeballs seared by this emotionally-draining and visually ravishing fairy tale that is like nothing they've ever seen before.

"A fractured nightmare in a damaged brain, this hauntingly neurotic film delivers the kind of psychological horror that American cinema forgot about decades ago."- Jamie Russell, BBC Film
"Masterfully manipulative and bloody scary."- David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
A TALE OF TWO SISTERS will open nationally in early December in Los Angeles and New York before expanding across the country. This is the first in Tartan Films' "Asian Extreme" line which will also see theatrical releases of Park Chan-Wook's SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE and OLD BOY in early 2005.

See the trailers...
Trailer for The Tale of Two Sisters

Lost and Found

I guess I lost this. I found it. Interesting:

"The days are sometimes too damn long and then there I am laying on my bed with all this energy build up that could last for about another three hours and then I can’t sleep and I hate where my mind goes when that happens. I hate it. I have to keep reminding myself of the things I should have done and the things I need to do and the things I absolutely should have not done. Promises not meant to be kept, lies meant to be forgotten and faces meant to be erased.

When I write the book about my life everything is going to be factual and it will have no perspective. Things are just going to look so messed up and even when it’s right there in front of them they will not understand."

Finally Something

So I haven’t written in a while. I am not sure if I really want to talk about what’s been going on. I can tell you what I have been entertained with lately though. The semester feels the same except the workload can be overwhelming sometimes but that is ok. We are trying to restructure the office space and the workload flow. We’ll know if it works in about the next three months or so.

So what have I watched lately? Glad you asked.



Underworld Evolution

The sequel to the $100 million worldwide hit, "Underworld: Evolution" continues the saga of war between the aristocratic Death Dealers and the barbaric Lycans (werewolves).
The film traces the beginnings of the ancient feud between the two tribes as Selene (Kate Beckinsale), the beautiful vampire heroine, and Michael (Scott Speedman), the lycan hybrid, try to unlock the secrets of their bloodlines. The fast-paced, modern-day tale of deadly action, ruthless intrigue and forbidden love takes them into the battle to end all wars as the immortals must finally face their retribution.

The movie was good. I liked that they incorporated the story line from the first movie and they managed to recast the original actors. You could tell that the movie was shot a little differently this time around. Overall they kept the story on the same path as the first Underworld so I liked it for that. Marcus was just freaky tough. Oh, and I was glad to see Selene and Michael have a little alone time since they didn’t get to do that last time.


BloodRayne

In eighteenth century Romania, Rayne, a dhampir (half-human, half-vampire), prone to fits of blind blood rage but saddled with a compunction for humans, strives to avenge her mother's rape by her father, Kagan, King of Vampires. Two vampire hunters, Sebastian and Vladimir, from the Brimstone Society persuade her to join their cause.

This one was just weird. Apparently it got a bunch of bad reviews but I don’t know how it compares to the actual BloodRayne. You decide.

Prime

Prime" is a character comedy set in New York City about Rafi (Uma Thurman), a recently divorced 37 year-old woman from Manhattan, and what happens when Dave, a talented 23 year-old painter from Brooklyn falls in love with her.

This is Romeo and Juliet material except Rafi is 37 and Dave…well Dave is just too personally involved with Rafi’s emotional counselor. Good romantic comedy with an interesting twist. I could relate to this one. Had a few laughs. Meryl Streep was hilarious in this one.

Saving Face

This is a romantic comedy about a daughter struggling to understand her mother's heart, which ultimately allows her to understand her own.

This was an interesting movie about communication, love, traditions, and family. It was really touching to see the relationship between mother and daughter evolve. It reminded me of Kissing Jessica Stein.
It was praised in reviews so I had to watch it.

Rumor Has It

Aniston brings a Rachel-like (FRIENDS) comic vibe to her character, frequently expressing her neuroses by talking to herself out loud in a sitcom-ish style. Costner is plenty capable in his role, but even with Beau’s riches and charm, viewers may find it hard to understand why a young woman would embark on a romance with the same man who bedded her mother and grandmother. Reiner’s script veers away from the classic romantic comedy formula by keeping Ruffalo’s character at the sidelines. Rather, RUMOR HAS IT focuses on one woman’s journey towards adulthood, self-realization, and acceptance of her origins via a path that while strange and potentially incestuous, seems to be family tradition.

This one was a really sweet romantic comedy. For a while it looked like she should have stayed with Costner. It would have been a good adventure to enjoy with him but that would fade. At the end love won. A bit corny but true. Overall all a good cast with great chemistry and dynamics. Enjoyed it.


These are only a few movies that I've been exposed to in the past two months. Like I said, I will write about more relevant things later. Until then, you will or may not watch these movies. :-)