Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year 2009!



I am glad and grateful to the Almighty God for His infinite mercies and saving grace for keeping us alive and well from the beginning of 2008 to the end and ushering us into the New Year!

Thank you for reading Kisses ‘n’ Roses and thank you very much if you bought any of the items sold on this blog and through this blog.

Break the ice!
Pop the Question!
Be nice to the world!

I love you heart and soul.

I wish you all the best things in life in 2009!


Tuesday, December 30, 2008

281 Feature Films in Competition for 2008 Oscar®



December 29 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org

281 Feature Films in Competition for 2008 Oscar®

Beverly Hills, CA — Two hundred eighty-one feature films are eligible for the Academy Award® for Best Picture of 2008, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

To be eligible for 81st Academy Awards® consideration, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, December 31, and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.

Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.

Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

# # #

About the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 | www.oscars.org | publicity@oscars.org


Wednesday, December 24, 2008

My Christmas Present for Lady Oprah Winfrey


Oprah Winfrey
The whole world knows that Oprah Winfrey who has been named PETA's Person of the Year adores and loves books and she can ignore her lunch to finish an engaging chapter and her Oprah's Book Club has been doing great things for the literary appreciation of the best values and virtues of life in our common universe. So, I sent her a new groundbreaking book edited by a Nigerian scholar. This is my own way of saying thank you to her and wishing Oprah Winfrey a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.



Oprah Winfrey will enjoy reading this big book on science and religion and a good Christmas present that will last for as long as she treasures the truth.


Merry Christmas to Oprah and everyone!





2008: The Year in Style

2008 is the year that took away Yves Saint Laurent, one of the greatest fashion designers of the 2Oth Century and Kisses & Roses is glad to present the Style's highlights of fashion in 2008 in pictures and videos.



2008: the year in style, through ups and downs, 20 reasons to celebrate fashion.


2008 Oscar® Nomination Ballots Mailed to Voters

December 23 2008
FOR RELEASE ON DECEMBER 26, 2008
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org

2008 Oscar® Nomination Ballots Mailed to Voters

Beverly Hills, CA — Nomination ballots for the 81st Academy Awards® were mailed today to the 5,810 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 12, 2009. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Nomination and final award ballots are tabulated by PricewaterhouseCoopers to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy.

Prior to mailing, the PricewaterhouseCoopers staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure that there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, the ballots are numbered to guarantee that each one is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

# # #

About the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 | www.oscars.org | publicity@oscars.org


Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Lesbian Allegedly Gang Raped By 4 Men

Lesbian allegedly gang raped by 4 men

December 23, 2008



Police in Richmond, Calif. are offering a $10,000 reward for information in the alleged gang rape of a woman who authorities say was jumped by four men, taunted for being a lesbian and left naked outside an abandoned apartment building. (Dec. 22)


Monday, December 22, 2008

Do Not Make The Mistake I Made Today


Balogun Market

I lost $600 today at the over-crowded Balogun market in Lagos, Nigeria.

I went to meet with two business women and bought a bag for my Sweetest. The whole place was congested as thousands of people were buying and selling goods and the Christmas shopping makes Balogun to buzz with activities. I needed $600 to pay my editor for my new book. I decided to patronize the local foreign exchange dealers nearby and paid them N82, 800 for $600. I never suspected that they were fake and I left to make the money transfer at the Zenith Bank nearby. Whilst I was waiting, I asked one of the workers to check the dollars and he discovered that they were fake. I was disappointed and upset, but not shocked, because sharp practices are common on the streets of Lagos. This was my first time of being duped. The three criminals must be happy that they got away with my hard earned money and delayed the payment of my editor. They reminded me of the characters in Conspiracy of Lagos.

Do not make the mistake I made today.


Friday, December 19, 2008

49 Songs Queue for 2008 Oscar®



December 16, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org

49 Songs Queue for 2008 Oscar®

Beverly Hills, CA — Forty-nine songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures are contending for nominations in the Best Original Song category for the 81st Academy Awards®, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by song title:

“Another Way to Die” from “Quantum of Solace”

“Barking at the Moon” from “Bolt”

“The Boys Are Back” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Broken and Bent” from “Role Models”

“By the Boab Tree” from “Australia”

“The Call” from “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”

“Can I Have This Dance” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Chase the Morning” from “Repo! The Genetic Opera”

“Chromaggia” from “Repo! The Genetic Opera”

“The Code of Life” from “My Dream”

“Code of Silence” from “Save Me”

“Count on Me” from “The Women”

“Di Notte” from “The Lodger”

“Djoyigbe” from “Pray the Devil Back to Hell”

“Down to Earth” from “WALL-E”

“Dracula’s Lament” from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”

“Drive” from “Fuel”

“Forever” from “They Killed Sister Dorothy”

“High School Musical” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Gran Torino” from “Gran Torino”

“I Thought I Lost You” from “Bolt”

“I Want It All” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“In Rodanthe” from “Nights in Rodanthe”

“It Ain’t Right” from “Dark Streets”

“Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire”

“Just Getting Started” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Just Wanna Be with You” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Little Person” from “Synecdoche, New York”

“The Little Things” from “Wanted”

“A Night to Remember” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Nothing but the Truth” from “Nothing but the Truth”

“Now or Never” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire”

“Once in a Lifetime” from “Cadillac Records”

“Right Here Right Now” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Right to Dream” from “Tennesee”

“Rock Me Sexy Jesus” from “Hamlet 2”

“Scream” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“The Story” from “My Blueberry Nights”

“Sweet Ballad” from “Yes Man”

“Too Much Juice” from “Dark Streets”

“The Traveling Song” from “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”

“Trouble the Water” from “Trouble the Water”

“Up to Our Nex” from “Rachel Getting Married”

“Walk Away” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”

“Waterline” from “Pride and Glory”

“The Wrestler” from “The Wrestler”

“Yes Man” from “Yes Man”

“Zydrate Anatomy” from “Repo! The Genetic Opera”

On Tuesday, January 6, the Academy will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the Music Branch in Los Angeles. Following the screenings, members will vote to determine which three, four or five songs become nominees in the category.

A DVD copy of the song clips will be made available to those branch members who are unable to attend the screening and who request it for home viewing. A mail-in ballot will be provided.

A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any film. If more than two songs from a film are in contention, the two songs with the most votes will be the nominees.

To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film or as the first music cue in the end credits.

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

# # #

About the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 www.oscars.org publicity@oscars.org


Thursday, December 18, 2008

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Hugh Jackman to Host 81st Academy Awards®


Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men


December 12, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Toni Thompson – (310) 247-3090

Hugh Jackman to Host 81st Academy Awards®

Beverly Hills, CA –– Hugh Jackman will host the 81st Academy Awards® telecast, producer Laurence Mark and executive producer Bill Condon announced today. This will be Jackman’s first time center stage at the Oscar show, although he has previously been a presenter.

“Hugh Jackman is a consummate entertainer and an internationally renowned movie star,” said Mark and Condon in a joint statement. “He also has style, elegance and a sense of occasion. Hugh is the ideal choice to host a celebration of the year’s movies – and to have fun doing it.”

Jackman stars in the current release “Australia,” directed by Baz Luhrmann. He will next be seen in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” having portrayed the title character in the previous three smash-hit “X-Men” movies. His other film credits include “The Prestige,” “Flushed Away,” “The Fountain,” “Happy Feet,” “Van Helsing,” “Kate & Leopold” and “Swordfish.”

A native of Australia, Jackman won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in “The Boy from Oz.” He has served as host of the Tony Awards ceremony and won a 2005 Emmy for that assignment.

Jackman’s other stage credits include “Carousel,” “Oklahoma!” “Sunset Boulevard” and “Beauty and the Beast.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

# # #

Editors: A downloadable image is available at http://photos.oscars.org/.

About the Academy



The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 www.oscars.org publicity@oscars.org


15 in Running for 2008 Visual Effects Oscar®

December 12, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org

15 in Running for 2008 Visual Effects Oscar®

Beverly Hills, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films were selected as semifinalists for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 81st Academy Awards®.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

“Australia”

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”

“Cloverfield”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“The Dark Knight”

“The Day the Earth Stood Still”

“Hancock”

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”

“The Incredible Hulk”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”

“Iron Man”

“Journey to the Center of the Earth”

“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”

“Quantum of Solace”

“The Spiderwick Chronicles”

In early January, the members of the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee, who voted the semifinalists, will narrow the list to seven.

On Thursday, January 15, all members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

# # #

About the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 | www.oscars.org | publicity@oscars.org


Thursday, December 11, 2008

My Sweet Rose

MY ROSE AVATAR


There are no words I can find
To describe my sweet rose
The blossoming flower of my heart
She is the nectar of my life
She is always on my mind.
She is my one and only sweet rose.


o

Cate Blanchett receives a star on the Hollywood's famed Walk of Fame

Cate Blanchett receives a star on the Hollywood's famed Walk of Fame

December 10, 2008




LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - Cate Blanchett receives a star on the Hollywood's famed Walk of Fame. The ceremony attended by two directors from her stellar career, Steven Spielberg and David Fincher. 39-year-old Blanchett became the 2,376th star to be honoured along Hollywood Boulevard and was quite impressed by the location of her star outside one of the boulevard's iconic structures, The Egyptian Theatre. "Location, location, location!" Blanchett joked. There were a few funny moments including Spielberg breaking the microphone immediately after announcing he was NOT going to embarass Cate followed by the MC of the event asking Cate, "...are you ready to go down...?" to which she replied "well that sounds provocative, but yes!"


History Firsts: Movie Kisses - Part 1

History Firsts: Movie Kisses - Part 1

March 02, 2009





Jerry Lewis to Receive Hersholt Humanitarian Award at 81st Academy Awards®


Jerry Lewis

December 10, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org

Jerry Lewis to Receive Hersholt Humanitarian Award at 81st Academy Awards®

Beverly Hills, CA — Actor, director, writer and producer Jerry Lewis has been voted the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy President Sid Ganis announced today. The award, an Oscar® statuette, will be presented to Lewis during the 81st Academy Awards ceremony on February 22, 2009.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

“Jerry is a legendary comedian who has not only brought laughter to millions around the world,” said Ganis, “but has also helped thousands upon thousands by raising funds and awareness for those suffering from muscular dystrophy.”

Lewis began making local and national televised appeals on behalf of the newly founded Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) in the early 1950s. He has been the organization’s national chairman since 1952 and has served as the “number one volunteer” of the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon since 1966, raising more than $2 billion for the cause.

Born in 1926 in Newark, New Jersey, Lewis first found fame as part of a groundbreaking nightclub act with his partner, Dean Martin. The comedy team of Martin and Lewis made their screen debut in “My Friend Irma” (1949) and starred in 16 films together through 1956. Lewis went on to star in more than two dozen films, including “The Bellboy” (1960), “The Ladies’ Man” (1961), “The Nutty Professor” (1963), “The Disorderly Orderly (1964), “The Family Jewels” (1965) and “The King of Comedy” (1983). A series of lectures on filmmaking that Lewis delivered as an adjunct professor at USC was published as The Total Film-Maker in 1971.

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

# # #

Editors: Downloadable images are available at http://photos.oscars.org/

About the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 | www.oscars.org | publicity@oscars.org


Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Love, Respect and Protect Our Girls and Women


Photo Credit: Wolfgangsvault.Com

Yesterday December 1, was the World AIDS Day, and I saw some women from a local NGO distributing condoms gratis at the popular Morocco Bus Stop in Shomolu, Lagos. I remembered how I coordinated the World AIDS Day for 250 NGOs in Nigeria in 1993.

The news report of over 1, 3000 girls and women raped in seven months in the Delta state of South-south region of Nigeria is an indication of the failure of the Nigerian government in addressing the prevalence of sex abuse in Nigeria and sexual harassment of innocent girls and women is still common in Nigeria. Rapists have been released without prosecution and their wounded victims left to live with the stigma and trauma of the scars of rape.

Distributing free condoms on the street is not the solution to the problem of unsafe sex and not the best method for the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS. We have to address the dangerous trend of the popularity of pornographic music and movies in Nigeria. The National Broadcasting Commission has lost control of the airwaves and TV screens as desperate callous and unscrupulous music and movie producers, directors and artistes are using their psychedelic music and pornographic videos to corrupt the impressionable minds of the millions of vulnerable girls and boys in Nigeria. The sexploitation of innocent girls and boys is promoting promiscuity and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

We must stop the sexploitation of our girls and boys if we want to save their generation from the plague of HIV/AIDS.

We must love, respect and protect our vulnerable girls and women lest they become corrupt and lost in the wilderness of lust.


Saturday, November 29, 2008

Save the Poor Turkey


Dubya smiles on Thanksgiving Day in 2006.

Who needs a turkey to celebrate the Thanksgiving Day?
Please, must you always slaughter millions of turkeys to give thanks to God?
Give the poor harmless and innocent turkeys a break.

No turkey likes the National Turkey Federation. No live turkey would love to be saved while two others would be dressed for dinner for the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation.
Hello!
No live turkey needs to be pardoned to please or tease President George H. W. Bush or any other President of the United States of America.

May I ask you to Save A Turkey and be a better, healthier and happier person today!

Save that cash for your turkey sandwich and give it to those who cannot even afford a turkey for the Thanksgiving Day.

Cheers and God bless you as you save your turkey.


Thursday, November 27, 2008

Yesterday in Shomolu

"Why have you not returned my novel?" I asked when I called her yesterday.
"If you do not come to see me at home, I will not return the novel," she replied.
"Okay, I will come," I said.
She has not been to work since last Monday, because she has been seeing the dentist.
Her younger sister told me that the left part of her narrow jaw was swollen and she had been in pains. I have already called her to wish her well.
I kept my word and saw her at home last night.

The black beauty was sweating in the house of poverty.
She even had the strength to cook for her family.


Presently Between Lagos and Nantes

The Publisher of Supple is in far away Nantes in France, representing Supple magazine at the 30th Festival of 3 Continents. I have to direct the management of his office while he is away.

The heat in Lagos is not good for me.

I am working on the publication of three of my unpublished books and composing new poems for the next collection of my poems.


Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights Movement


Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights Movement 3 CD box set. (PRNewsFoto/Time Life) FAIRFAX, VA UNITED STATES 11/14/2008

14 Nov 2008 17:17 Africa/Lagos


Remembering the Past While Celebrating the Present

Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights Movement

FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- It is one of the most inspiring stories in American history. Within a generation, Americans of African descent overturned several hundred years of slavery and brutally enforced segregation to win their Civil Rights. Civil Rights wasn't the first movement in American history to generate memorable songs, but it was the first in which music not only reflected the movement but drove it. The songs of the Civil Rights movement are the subject of a stunning new 3-CD set from Time Life Music that will be released during Black History Month 2009.


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081114/SF46277)


Let Freedom Sing--The Music of the Civil Rights Movement traces a seventy-year journey with songs that reflect the thoughts and feelings of those at the forefront affected by the movement as well as those simply trying to make sense of a troubled period in our history. Some of the songs are well-known (Respect, Change Is Gonna Come, Blowin' in the Wind, We Shall Overcome, Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud, People Get Ready, Get up--Stand up, and many more) but the set also includes extremely rare recordings such as Brother Will Hairston's account of the Montgomery bus boycott, The Alabama Bus, and Nat King Cole's unreleased protest song from that era, We Are Americans Too.


The story begins with Go Down Moses ("let my people go"), one of many spirituals that led African Americans on their quest for Civil Rights. It continues with a bitter indictment of the lynchings that plagued the South after the Civil War (Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit) and an equally bitter indictment of the treatment of African Americans in the armed forces during World War II (Josh White's Uncle Sam Says). No Restricted Signs and Black, Brown and White protested the segregation that greeted returning servicemen. The call for change became more clamorous during the 1950s with the bus boycotts, the lynching of Emmett Till, the enforced integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the lunch counter sit-ins. All were etched memorably in song.


The escalating bitterness of the 1960s is captured in songs like Nina Simone's Mississippi Goddam, Phil Ochs' Too Many Martyrs, and John Lee Hooker's The Motor City Is Burning. The riots following Dr. King's assassination are echoed in George Perkins' Cryin' in the Streets. And the Black Power era is reflected in Sly & the Family Stone's Stand, Curtis Mayfield's We the People Who Are Darker than Blue, Lee Dorsey's Yes We Can (adapted as a campaign slogan by President-Elect Barack Obama), and Gil Scott Heron's 1971 classic The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (cited by many as the first rap record). The story continues to the present day with artists such as Chuck D., who also wrote the introduction to the set.


"This project was conceived almost two years ago because we understood the importance of bringing the story to life and taking the time to get it right," states Michael Mitchell, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Time Life Music. "For centuries, music vividly communicated injustices, especially for African-Americans in the South. This set encapsulates the struggles that eventually allowed African Americans, like me, to rise within our chosen professions, and allowed President-Elect Barack Obama to become the 44th President of the United States. Notably, in his acceptance speech, he adapted the words of Sam Cooke's "Change Is Gonna Come." The songs bring the movement alive with more immediacy than any other medium, and when we listen to LET FREEDOM SING from beginning to end, we realize what an incredible transformation has taken place during our lifetime."


Time Life's Vice President of Audio & Video Retail, Mike Jason, adds, "From the dark and ominous 'Strange Fruit' to the joyous message of 'Free At Last,' the set is filled with songs that reflect the painful, yet ultimately triumphant, Civil Rights struggle. Music nurtured the movement and the movement inspired the music. The nation's lowest point is undoubtedly its treatment of African Americans while the ability of African Americans to contribute so prodigiously to the culture in spite of that treatment is perhaps the finest example of what we can be as a nation. It's an honor for all of us at time Life to share this music and a small part of the story."


Time Life will release Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights Movement on January 27, 2009 and will feature liner notes as well as historical events that are relevant to the song selections.


For media inquiries, please contact Holly Cooper at (917) 597-3048 or ditinc@aol.com.


About Time Life Inc.


Time Life and the Time Life logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies, used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc. Headquartered in Fairfax VA, Direct Holdings Americas Inc.'s history began in 1961 as Time Life a direct marketing division of Time Incorporated specializing in music and books. The business has been operated as a separate company since the mid-1970s when it relocated to Virginia, and has since grown to become one of the world's largest direct marketers of audio and video products throughout North America, Europe and Australia. The Company has set the standard in the direct response industry by pioneering direct marketing techniques and building one of the most trusted and recognized brands in commerce. The Company now also sells its products through major traditional and non-traditional retailers around the world as well as via the Internet. The Company was sold in 2003 to private investors.


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081114/SF46277
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Time Life

CONTACT: Holly A. Cooper of Diva In Training Public Relations, for Time
Life, +1-917-597-3048, ditinc@aol.com


Web Site: http://www.timelife.com/




I Thank God for Supple Magazine!

It has been quite a challenging week for us at Supple magazine in Lagos.
The Publisher is going to represent us at the 30th Festival of 3 Continents in Nantes, France. Supple is the only Nigerian magazine with official invitation and accreditation for the coverage of the international film festival and the organisers have provided four days and four nights accommodation for our Publisher.

I am glad and grateful to the Almighty God Jehovah for the awesome things He is doing for us.


Monday, November 10, 2008

Farewell Miriam Makeba



Miriam Makeba (Johannesburg, March 4, 1932 - Castel Volturno, November 10, 2008).

Miriam Makeba, the legendary South African singer popularly known as "Mama Afrika" has passed on with her golden voice echoing in the twilight of a new day as her immortal spirit took wings in her eternal flight.

Miriam Makeba was the most accomplished female singer out of Africa and one of the most gifted singers of all time.

I believe Miriam Makeba was born singing from the womb of her mother. She would have been one of the most expected artistes to perform at the World Cup Finals in South Africa in 2010.

We are going to miss this celebrated icon of African music.


The Murder of Amy Leigh Barnes



The state of the world gets grimmer with the shocking murder of Amy Leigh Barnes, 19, the pretty model who died in hospital from stab wounds after moving to her own apartment in Farnworth, Bolton.
I do not even know what to say, because the cliché of May her soul rest in peace does not strike a chord of rhyme or reason for someone who was so brutally stabbed to death when she was just about to start enjoying the fortune of her success as a young model. How would she rest in peace after such a violent way to lose her precious life?
The police must bring who ever committed this heinous crime to justice.
May God comfort her bereaved family.


Friday, November 07, 2008

Obama Baby!




Barack Obama's name isn't only famous, it's starting to spread. A South Florida couple became among the country's first to bestow it on their newborn, and it happened before most had declared the Illinois senator the winner. (Nov. 5)


Thursday, November 06, 2008

Michael Okon is Hot and You Are Not!



Michael Okon is one hot Nigerian actor and he makes others to look ordinary!
Read the exclusive interview in the latest edition of Supple magazine.
The Nigerian movie star is going places.


How to Avoid Fashion Blunders

How to Avoid Fashion Blunders

Click on the above title to read the topic for the benefits on how best to dress to impress and to dress for success.




Photo: Veronique Pierre is a fashionable actress in Hollywood and she is a notable columnist for the Supple magazine published in Nigeria.




Monday, November 03, 2008

The Gift of Life


Life
I love the gift of life,

Dear God, with all its beauty everywhere:

Blue skies,white fluffy clouds,green trees, open meadows, beautiful flowers, all creatures great and small, rocky mountains, the restless timeless sea—But most of all.

I love dear friends,and if you will, please give to me a greater love for you—my dearest friend of all.
– Dick Innes © Copyright


URGENT PRAYER REQUEST ... If you love life ... please pray for the U.S. Presidential Election on Tuesday, November 4. Many are saying this could be the most critical U.S. election in our time. Either for better or for worse, what happens with U.S. politics affects much of life in the rest of the world. For U.S. Voters.

Please see the AFA, American Family Association, Voter Issue Guide for the 2008 Presidential Race. Be sure to vote on November 4 and know for whom you are voting and for what each candidate stands. Be sure to pray for guidance and vote according to your conscience. Click HERE. From Richard (Dick) InnesACTS International




Anya, I Cannot Say Goodbye

It was a beautiful Sunday morning.
I have just finished praying in my daily early morning worship to thank the Almighty God for the wonderful joy of being alive to see another new day.
Then I received the phone call. It was from one of my closest cousins.
“Do you know that Anya is dead?” Okotie asked.
“How would I know when nobody told me so?” I replied in shock.
“I called to let you know,” he said plaintively.
I was speechless for a while.
Anya was dead!
Anya, who relocated to South Africa in 2000, because he was bored of living in Nigeria.
Anya who was the closest to me in the 1990s and we even lived together for months in his flat.
Anya, who was the handsomest of his brothers and was the favourite of the girls and women in the neighborhood and in our hometown,
Anya, who taught me so many things, both the good and the bad facts of life on earth and made me wiser,
Anya was dead.
Another call came.
It was from my Sweetest.
She sent me a text message that I should call her.
I could not respond immediately.
I did not tell Hope, the Publisher of Supple magazine the bad news of the loss of my cousin Anya. I did not want to spoil his day. I kept it to myself until later in the evening. We drove to Okotie’s residence on Alhaji Kalejaiye Street in Shomolu, Lagos. It’s his late father’s house where Anya and I shared many things as we lived like one family. Okotie and Anya lived together in their father's house whilst two of the elder brothers lived in Canada and the UK. The one in the UK has returned to Nigeria and was not in when Hope and I visited the family to comfort the bereaved. They are the only children of my late uncle and aunt.
Some memories are forever
The memories that will linger
The memories of the good times and the bad times
The unforgettable memories of those we cannot forget
.

The memories of Anya filled my mind.
I cannot say goodbye to Anya.


Saturday, November 01, 2008

Michael Okon Is Too Hot!


Michael Okon

Michael Okon the rising star of Nollywood is the one of the hottest actors alive and he is the cover story of the latest edition of Supple magazine in Nigeria.

The exclusive interview with never seen before photographs of the handsome Nigerian actor and Nollywood sex symbol is published only in the magazine to be released on Monday November 3, 2008.

This is just my teaser before the real hot sauce on Monday.


©Supple Magazine, 2008. All rights reserved. The following photograph must not be copied, published or redistributed in any format without the permission of the copyright owner.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Lady Irene and Other Things You Should Know About Me

As one of the hit songs of the Nigerian singer 9ice was playing in the press, the Publisher of Supple magazine was dancing and the young printers were amused. I was gyrating as well. We were glad and grateful to the Almighty God to see the printing of the second edition of Supple magazine in progress. Supple magazine is going places and will be seen at the next Festival of 3 Continents in Paris from the last week of November to the first week of December.

It has been a beautiful day and I am fine, because I did not allow the delay in some business transactions to upset me. I have financial commitments I cannot ignore and I have to keep my word, because my word is my bond.

Would you like to know why Edgar Allan Poe's "Lady Irene" will be offered for auction in New York City on December 4th? Or Can You Spell 'Nirvana'?



I need a commission or a grant to write my next book, The Metamorphosis of a Love Affair, a true love story. I welcome all inquries.


Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Jennifer Hudson Identified Nephew's Body



Chicago, IL) Hudson's nephew was found murdered today ending a frantic 3-day search. It was a crushing blow after her mother and brother were found murdered Friday and Jennifer Hudson has the grim task of identifying the bodies. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.


Jennifer Hudson's Nephew Has Been Found Dead

Jennifer Hudson needs all the comfort God can give her now, because she has lost another member of her family. The corpse of her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, was found in the back seat of an SUV parked on a street.
"Yes, that's him," she told medical examiner officials as she identified the boy.
More.


Monday, October 27, 2008

When Words Fail Me


Jennifer Hudson

I have been in a state of shock and unbelief since the heart-rending news of the horrifying and terrifying murders of the beloved mother and brother of Jennifer Hudson left me numb on October 24, 2008. Her mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and her brother, Jason, 29, were shot dead at noon inside Donerson's home in Chicago. The AMBER Alert for her missing 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, has been running since her sister Julia reported it.

This gruesome crime has gripped many millions of Americans and such horrible and terrible crimes make me stay far away from America. Only God can comfort the bereaved families.

Related Reports:
Jennifer Hudson offers $100,000 reward for safe return of Missing Nephew

Mother, brother of singer Jennifer Hudson found murdered, others reported missing



Strictly Steps out in London

27 Oct 2008 09:00 Africa/Lagos

Strictly Steps out in London

LONDON, October 27/PRNewswire/ --


- TV Star Karen Hardy Launches Brand New Dance Studio in the Heart of London


- With Photos


"Fans of the hit TV series Strictly Come Dancing will be a step closer to their dreams of tripping the light fandango, as Karen Hardy one of the outstanding dancers from the BBC One show, launches her own luxury dance studio in London"


Karen Hardy, the World Masters Champion Latin American dancer and former Strictly Come Dancing winner with Mark Ramprakash, has created Karen Hardy Studios in response to the enormous rise in popularity of ballroom dancing since the show launched in 2003. The studios aim to bring the dance class experience into the 21st century, offering professional tuition, exciting social events and once-in-a-lifetime dance experiences in a glamorous Chelsea setting.


On December 9, Karen Hardy Studios will roll out the red carpet to all the Strictly celebrities for its launch - a night filled with glamour and glitz at its stunning location at Imperial Wharf on the Thames. From January 2009, the studio will open its doors and offer all dance disciplines, from the salsa to the Paso Doblé, to newcomers and professionals alike. All classes will be taught by professional instructors trained by Karen Hardy herself, and Karen will also teach classes and individuals by special arrangement.


The studios are a cut above the traditional formal, old-fashioned ballroom dancing school, with luxurious touches such as a fully licensed bar, where nervous novices can sip a glass of champagne before class, and stunning interior décor featuring maple flooring, air-conditioning, plasma screen TVs and full length windows revealing the sensational backdrop of the Chelsea riverside. And you won't find a tuneless piano in the corner: each studio is equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system to cater for the exciting variety of dance styles on offer.


Members can choose from individual tuition, group classes, social evenings and practice sessions. The studio also caters for corporate events, while those looking for the time of their lives can book one of the studio's luxury gift packages, which include a private lesson, a meal in a hip Chelsea restaurant and a night in a fabulous hotel.


Commenting on the launch, Karen Hardy said:


"With the studio I want to take the dance experience to the next level. We cater for everyone, from first-timers to accomplished dancers, couples, individuals and groups, both young and old.


"This isn't just a dance studio, it's an experience. It's all about luxury, glamour and attention to detail. We want the real experience of dancing to live up to the fantasy and magic that you see on shows like Strictly Come Dancing."


Show business legend Bruce Forsyth CBE has said of Karen:


"I am delighted to hear about Karen's new dance studio in Chelsea, Wilnelia and I cannot stop our toes twitching in expectation. Good luck with it all, Bruce"


Karen Hardy Studios open on 5 January 2009. For bookings and further information, visit http://www.karenhardystudios.com


About Karen Hardy


Karen Hardy competed as a professional Latin American dancer, and is a former World Masters, United Kingdom Open, and Strictly Come Dancing Champion. Karen was awarded the Carl Alan award for services to the dance world in 1995. Karen was named Teacher of the Year in 2002 & 2003 at the Crystal Palace Dance Championships and to date devotes her time to successfully producing new young and inspiring champions in her coaching worldwide.


In 2005 Karen was asked to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing. She took BBC Newsreader Bill Turnbull seven weeks through the show and in the Christmas show trained former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Evander Holyfield. The following year Karen showed her true talents and pure love of dance as together with her celebrity partner, cricketer Mark Ramprakash, they took the nation by storm as they took the title of Strictly Come Dancing Champions Series 4.


2007 Karen Hardy and Erin Boag released the first ever Strictly Come Dancersize fitness DVD. This DVD made it to the number one slot in the fitness market and has over 200,000 copies to date.


Pictures accompanying this release are available through the PA Photowire. They can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.


Source: Karen Hardy Studios Ltd

To request further information, interviews with Karen Hardy, images or an invitation to the studio launch event on 9 December, please contact Rachel Matthews: Tel:+44(0)871-218-2341, rachel.matthews@karenhardystudios.com


Wednesday, October 22, 2008

'High School Musical 3: Senior Year'

Watch the trailer for "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." Video courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.



Returning cast
Zac Efron as Troy Bolton
Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Montez
Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans
Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans
Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth
Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie
Olesya Rulin as Kelsi Nielsen
Ryne Sanborn as Jason Cross
Chris Warren, Jr. as Zeke Baylor
Kaycee Stroh as Martha Cox
Alyson Reed as Ms. Darbus
Bart Johnson as Jack Bolton
Leslie Wing as Lucille Bolton

New cast members
Jemma McKenzie-Brown as Tiara Gold
Matt Prokop as Jimmy Zara
Justin Martin as Donny Dion


Friday, October 17, 2008

Lana Fuchs Couture Attracts Attention During LA Fashion Week


America's Next Top Model winners Saleisha Stowers and Nicole Linkletter were among the models that presented the Lana Fuchs Couture collection during the Mercedes-Benz fashion week in Los Angeles. (PRNewsFoto/Lana Fuchs) LAS VEGAS, NV UNITED STATES 10/17/2008

17 Oct 2008 19:19 Africa/Lagos

Lana Fuchs Couture Attracts Attention During LA Fashion Week
Celebrities and media applaud Lana Fuchs spring collection.

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Lana Fuchs launched her Spring 2009 line in the Main Tent at the Mercedes-Benz 7th Annual Fashion Week in Los Angeles. Splashed with exuberant colors and handmade embellishments, Fuchs' debut collection, titled "Rhapsody In Bloom," featured a romantic bouquet of ultra feminine shapes juxtaposed with bold prints and floral notes.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081017/LAF521)

America's Next Top Model winners Saleisha Stowers and Nicole Linkletter were among the models that presented the collection on the runway. For the finale, Sudanese model Atong took to the catwalk a silk chiffon and organza bridal gown culminated by a confetti of pastel colored rose petals that rained over her for the epic closing scene to the show.

Fuchs' debut collection received a standing ovation and rave reviews from stylists, editors and celebrities. Those in attendance included Joel Madden, Camille Anderson, Natasha Alam, Angela Simmons, Vanessa Simmons, Dominika Wolski, Lady Victoria Hervey, Pamela Bach, Julia Verdin, Crystal Allen, Simona Fusco, Inna Korobkina, Patricia DeLeon, LA Laker Lamar Odom, tennis professional Jan-Michael Gambill and celebrity stylist George Blodwell.

About Lana Fuchs Couture
Fuchs Spring 2009 collection, titled "Rhapsody In Bloom," features elegant dresses from day to evening, in an array of ultra feminine silhouettes. An avid traveler, Fuchs was inspired to use stunning floral prints after an unforgettable walk through the gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny, France. Eastward bound in exotic India, while traveling from Udaipur to Jaipur, she also fell in love with the vivid colored saris, which inspired her spring color palette. Thus, Rhapsody in Bloom came to life in rich silks, delicate chiffons and embroidered lace, with delicious accents of handcrafted embellishments.

Lana Fuchs' signature style transcends the world of reality into fantasy. From exquisite dresses to extravagant red carpet gowns, Fuchs continues to design for the discerning woman with a need to dress for every occasion. The Russian-born designer and Las Vegas resident has been creating one-of-a-kind pieces and custom couture since 1995. Since then, Fuchs has been featured in a growing list of international publications, fashion shows and television programs in praise of her talent and spirit. In addition to designing for Lana Fuchs Couture, she is the founder of the Emerald Dream Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization. For more information, please visit http://www.lanafuchs.com/.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081017/LAF521
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN12
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Lana Fuchs
CONTACT: Kenn Henman of aLine media public relations, +1-310-576-1808,
kenn@alinemedia.com, for Lana Fuchs
Web site: http://www.lanafuchs.com/






KISSES & ROSES WEEKEND CHIC GIFT RECOMMENDATION:




OAKLEY THUMP 2 Black Iridium - Sunglasses with digital player - flash 512 MB - WMA, AAC, MP3 - polished white


The world's first digital music eyewear is now available in a new design with the option of even greater memory. Built around the hard-edged style of Oakley's Gascan eyewear, THUMP 2 offers memory storage up to 1 gigabyte. That's 240 songs in a fully integrated design that frees you from dangling cords and wires. Listen to music virtually anywhere with speaker booms that adjust easily for a customized fit, and just swing them out of the way when you need to hear your environment. For all-day comfort, the durable frame is made of lightweight O Matter. Patented XYZ Optics extends clarity to the lens periphery, allowing for contours that open peripheral vision.

The Twilight Saga 1


cullen cast for upcoming movie, TWILIGHT!





Amazon.com Review
The book that started the phenomenon is now available in a deluxe collector's edition! Featuring a ribbon bookmark, cloth cover, ragged edges, new chapter opener designs, and a beautiful protective slipcase, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike.

Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316015849
• ISBN-13: 978-0316015844
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)



My Heroes Are Not Making Headlines



I kept to myself for two days and stayed indoors in the apartment on the third floor.
My publisher had gone to the Eastern state of Abia in Nigeria and I had the time to relax and read The 48 Laws of Power and reflect on the discoveries of Robert Greene. Then I composed the following thoughts.

My heroes are not the newsmakers making headlines
They are ordinary people living ordinary lives
But they are doing extra-ordinary things in their own simple ways.
I see them everywhere everyday
And they are making a great difference along the way.

Everybody has a story, but not everybody will make history
You can get over your misery and live a life of victory.

Let us work together hand in hand
And we will restore the lost glory of our motherland.

My heroes are not engaged in the power struggle of the rat race.
God knows how best to reward the burden bearers of humankind.
They will reap the greatest harvest of the earth.




Saturday, October 11, 2008

Caution: Pretty Girls Crossing

Caution: Pretty Girls Crossing

Beauty inspires genius.I adore the Almighty God at the first sight of any object of beauty, from the beautiful face of my darling lover to the dazzling allure of a blossoming pink hibiscus flower in the sunlight. The alluring power of beauty cannot be denied.

The heart of man skips a beat at the sight of a beautiful woman.He swallows lumps of saliva as he ogles at her. His Adam’s apple bulges as his crotch bulges. Gosh!A man almost veered off the main road whilst ogling at a pretty and sexy babe on a street in Lagos. The object of his admiration was the kind of pretty babes my mom called car stoppers, the babes who make drivers to stamp on the brakes in awe!

The desire for a pretty and sexy woman sets a man on fire, burning in the fiery flames of lust. Even the loins of a castrated man burns in the presence of a pretty and sexy woman.

In the daily traffic of commuters in the crowdy and rowdy mega city of Lagos, the pretty girls stand out like the exotic water lilies of the Nile, a pure delight to sight. Drivers often slow down as a pretty woman is about to cross the road. She makes heads to turn on the street.

The best places to see pretty girls and ladies in Lagos city are often the shopping malls, from the Mega Plaza on Victoria Island to the Palms in Lekki. You can also see many of them strolling on the Marina in Lagos, on the Adeniran Ogunsanya Street in Surulere, on Allen Avenue and Toyin Street in Ikeja, on Awolowo Road in Ikoyi and on Adeola Odeku Street on Victoria Island.

The pretty working class ladies in their skirt suits and pantsuits seem to be on fashion parade during the hours of lunch break as they go out walking tall in their low heels or high heels. Watching a pretty working class lady walking down the staircase is worth all your attention in respect of the beauty of womanhood. She looks best if she is chic!Admiring pretty women in their trendy fashion crossing the street makes my day.

What’s next?

Caution: Ugly Girls Crossing?

There are no ugly girls or women in my world.

Anyway, no woman is ugly, except she is ignorant of her own beauty.




Friday, October 10, 2008

Britney Spears Sets the Record Straight in a New Documentary 'Britney: for the Record' Airing Exclusively on MTV on Sunday, November 30th at 10pm ET/P



10 Oct 2008 12:00 Africa/Lagos

Britney Spears Sets the Record Straight in a New Documentary 'Britney: for the Record' Airing Exclusively on MTV on Sunday, November 30th at 10pm ET/PT

NEW YORK, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- In the 90-minute exclusive documentary film, "Britney: For The Record," Britney granted access to the award winning team at @radical.media to tell her side of the story in her own words. The film will not only give viewers a look into what it is truly like to walk in the shoes of one of today's biggest musical icons, but behind-the-scenes access to everything from Britney recording her new album to preparing for her appearance on the "2008 MTV Video Music Awards," and much more. "Britney: For The Record" will air exclusively on MTV on Sunday, November 30th at 10pm ET/PT.

"MTV has had a long history with Britney Spears and our support for her has been unwavering," said Tony DiSanto, Executive Vice President of Series Development for MTV. "We are thrilled she has chosen MTV as the exclusive outlet to share the intimate details of her personal journey for the first time ever."
In an unprecedented three-month shoot where no topic was off limits, acclaimed filmmaker Phil Griffin captured, via personal stories and all-access to her during her day to day life, an intimate look into the artist that reveals those closest to her, gives insight into her music and career and a glimpse into her hopes and aspirations for the future.

"So much has gone on over the last couple of years and there's a lot that people don't know about me that I want them to know." said Britney "I wanted to make this film because I started to feel like I wasn't being seen in the light that I wanted to be seen in. This is an opportunity to set the record straight and talk about what I've been through and where I'm headed."
"Britney: For The Record" will show the reality of trying to live a normal life after all that has been exposed through the media.

To check out an exclusive teaser trailer from "Britney: For The Record" .
Britney Spears' sixth studio album, Circus, on Jive Records will be released on Tuesday, December 2nd, her 27th birthday. The album's first single "Womanizer," was officially released to radio on September 26th.

"Britney: For The Record" is Executive Produced by Larry Rudolph, Adam Leber, Jon Kamen, Frank Scherma, Robert Friedman and Justin Wilkes. Maira Suro, her title is SVP of Series Development, Heather Olander is VP Series Development and Steve Bilchik is Director of Music, Talent & Series Development for MTV.
"Britney: For The Record" will be distributed internationally (excluding North America) by FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) and launched at MIPCOM next week.

About MTV
MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 26 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV has been the number one rated 24 hour ad-supported cable network P12-24 for 16 straight years. Online, MTV.com scored double-digit growth in 2007 and MTV launched ten dynamic online communities and six new virtual worlds. On the go, MTV Mobile is the #1 music brand in the wireless space -- delivering 90% more streams than in 2006. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in...www.mtvpress.com.

Source: MTV
CONTACT: Melissa Barreto, MTV Press, +1-212-846-7226,
melissa.barreto@mtvstaff.com
Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
http://www.mtvpress.com/
http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=287


Thursday, October 09, 2008

Lagos Palaver 2


Helen and Princess.

I have been in Lagos since the last week of August and to be honest to God, there is too much heat and stress in Lagos. The sight of commuters stranded at the bus stop and the traffic congestion make me uncomfortable, because it is not easy to re-adjust to the hustle and bustle of living and working in Lagos after my long stay on Bonny Island where I was really comfortable until the Niger Delta crisis made many of the residents afraid to cross the dangerous Bonny Channel or to even live in the towns of Bonny and Finima.


Most people in Lagos are really "suffering and smiling" as the legendary Afrobeat musical icon Fela Anikulapo-kuti sang in one of his classic songs in the 1970s. But do beggars have a choice? Most of the poverty-stricken majority, suffering and smiling in the mega city of Lagos are living like beggars since their meager wages cannot even provide the daily three square meals to feed one man!


It has not been easy for me to re-adjust to the crowdy and rowdy environment of the mainland of Lagos even if you live in any of the so called Government Reserved Areas (GRAs). The roads in the suburban ghetto of Shomolu are even better than many of the roads in Ikoyi and Victoria Island where many of the streets even stink. So, no where in Lagos can really be compared to the beautiful estate of the Nigeria LNG RA 1 on Bonny Island. But if you have some millions of naira, you can live in any of the Fool's Paradise in Lagos.

I am not lonely in Lagos and thank God for Helen and Princess and other sweethearts in the hot city of Lagos. Helen's clothes are tailor-made for body enhancement, and she is really attractive, but I am missing my one and only Sweetest 24/7!


Women Budget for Beauty During the Credit Crunch

9 Oct 2008 08:00 Africa/Lagos

Women Budget for Beauty During the Credit Crunch

LONDON, October 9/PRNewswire/ -- Purse strings are tightening up and down the country as the credit crunch hits home and a recent survey of 3,500 women aged 16 to 60 reveals it is affecting their beauty choices. In response to the downturn, female consumers are turning to affordable classic brands like Pond's that they trust, can perform a number of functions and contain simple but essential ingredients.
Changing Trends

- The survey by PONDS on current UK beauty buying habits showed
that on average women use 3 products as part of their daily skincare
regime. In a month, across the country, they spend GBP14 on skincare
products, with women in Northern Ireland spending the most at an
average of GBP25 and women in the South West just GBP10.

- 35% of those surveyed across the country are now spending
less than GBP5 a month on their skincare regime, which equates to 16p a
day. A third spend between GBP5 to GBP10 a month or 30p a day, with a
further 20% paying out up to GBP20 a month or 60p per day. The
remaining 15% spend over GBP20 a month.

- Furthermore beauty product buyers are moving away from
science-based or trend led ingredient fads and back towards trusted
brands containing simple ingredients. From the women surveyed, 53%
would purchase a product with a few simple ingredients while only 9%
were attracted by the latest technology or scientific ingredients.

Versatile Products
Therefore any products which can perform more than one task and reduce spend is popular with the cash conscious consumer. Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser is perfect as it provides just this in a versatile cream that gently soothes and comforts whilst providing deep cleansing and moisturising. It costs just GBP3.99 and can be used in a multitude of ways such as a moisturising face mask to hydrate parched skin, a cleanser for soft, supple skin and even removes the most stubborn of eye make-up including waterproof mascara. If using in all three ways a pot will last up to a month saving pounds on buying three different products.

"Sales of the Pond's Regener-Activ range has increased by 39% compared to the same period in 2007. Customers are able to purchase an entire anti-ageing routine of four products for under GBP30." Says Peter Reynolds, Marketing Manager for Pond's. "Pond's is one of the oldest and most trusted brands and therefore provides both reliability and affordability."

Pond's is seen as an affordable, trusted brand and in the survey a third said that it was the most nostalgic and trusted product to them.

All products in the Pond's Regener-Activ range contain micro-capsules of marine collagen and pro-retinol designed to act from the inside out to help stimulate natural skin cell renewal and skin radiance. The microcapsules help transport pure anti ageing actives to the deeper layers of the epidermis. This range includes the Day Treatment SPF15, GBP6.49, the Deep Night Treatment, GBP6.49, Anti-Age Skin Perfectioning Serum, GBP9.99 and the Eye Contour Cream, GBP6.99.

With a unique heritage of understanding women's beauty needs, Pond's remains a beauty ritual for millions of women throughout the world.
For more information visit http://www.pondsinstitute.co.uk

Pond's is available in branches of Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Wilkinson and independent pharmacies nationwide.

Notes to Editors
Pond's sales figures provided by one of the largest health and beauty retailers in the UK.
Survey conducted by 72 Point, figures available on request.

Source: Pond's
For further information on Pond's, images or samples please contact: Katie O'Brien or Michelle Ganner at Neville McCarthy Associates Tel: +44(0)20-7940-2900, E-mail: katie@nevillemccarthy.com .


Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Exclusive Interview: Barack Obama on Health and Fitness



8 Oct 2008 14:00 Africa/Lagos

Exclusive Interview: Barack Obama on Health and Fitness

On Newsstands October 21st, 2008

NEW YORK, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Senator Barack Obama opens up in an exclusive interview in the November issue of Men's Health magazine, on newsstands October 21, 2008, about how health and fitness has driven his success in life, love and leadership. Only weeks from the presidential election, Obama shares how he balances his time on the campaign trail, the promise he made his daughters, how he avoids disappointing others and his personal battle to stay fit and healthy while running for President, which he admits has not been an easy road, "I wish I was getting a 90-minute workout. Most of my workouts have to come before my day starts. There's always a tradeoff between sleep and working out."


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081008/NY37704 )


On Why He Works Out:

"My blood pressure is pretty low, and I tend to be a healthy eater. So I probably could get away with cutting [my workouts] back a little bit. The main reason I do it is just to clear my head and relieve me of stress. It's a great way to stay focused."


On Staying Healthy On The Campaign Trail:


"I wish I was getting a 90-minute workout. Most of my workouts have to come before my day starts. There's always a tradeoff between sleep and working out. Usually I get in about 45 minutes, 6 days a week. I'll lift one day do cardio the next."


On Trying To Quit Smoking:


"There have been a couple of times during the campaign when I fell off the wagon and bummed one, and I had to kick it again. But I figure, seeing as I'm running for president, I need to cut myself a little slack."


"There wasn't some dramatic moment. Michelle had been putting pressure on me for a while. I was never really a heavy smoker. Probably at my peak I was smoking seven or eight a day. More typical was three. So it wasn't a huge challenge with huge withdrawal symptoms."


"Eliminate certain key connections--that first cigarette in the morning, or after a meal, or with a drink. If you can eliminate those triggers, that should help."


On How He Would Improve The Health Of Americans:


"We need to have an awareness built in throughout various agencies charged with improving health. I'll give you a specific example. My grandfather died of prostate cancer. As men age, regular checkups are critical. But it's hard to get them to go in for that mildly unpleasant checkup. Increasing awareness of the difference it could make shouldn't just be the activity of the Department of Health and Human Services."


"A good friend of mine who was the head of the Illinois department of public health designed this wonderful program targeting black men, where health information was provided through barbershops. The idea was that black men underutilize doctors and don't talk about health much. But they go to the barbershop, and that's where they kind of let loose. The department designed programs where clinics at different barbershops would provide various health screenings, talk about prevention. Those kinds of strategies have to be developed and targeted, perhaps, because a lot of the time we're most resistant to going to doctors. That kind of thinking should be embedded in a lot of the work we're doing."


On What He Would Change In The White House:


"We're going to do a thorough evaluation, but it may need an upgrade. The bowling alley, I understand, offers us some potential for expansion."


On Managing His Time on the Campaign Trail:


"I'm part of an organization, and one of the things I really try to push in the organization is to make sure that everybody is focused on the two or three things that are really going to be game changers. I ask them to design my schedule in a way that focuses not just on what's coming at us, but on being active instead of reactive. I think we've been pretty successful. I don't spend a lot of time returning phone calls or e-mails. If somebody needs something, most of the time there's somebody else who can handle it.


"Eliminating TV has been helpful-- I'm still a sucker for Sports Center."


"The most difficult thing is to carve out time to think, which is probably the most important time for somebody who's trying to shift an organization, or in this case, the country, as opposed to doing the same things that have been done before. And I find that time slips away."


On Being a Father and Presidential Candidate:
"The pledge is, they'll get their dog, win or lose."


"Their main concern was, 'When are we going to get a dog?' They did ask about what they called 'secret people,' which were the Secret Service folks. 'Are we going to have to have these people with sunglasses and earpieces following us around all the time?' And I told them, well, not right away. They've adjusted wonderfully. And I've tried to make sure that they haven't had to participate too much in the political process."


"What I've been able to do is create a zone of normalcy for my kids. I have been able to transmit to them my absolute interest in them and my absolute love for them."


"I don't miss the important things. I haven't missed a dance recital. I haven't missed a parent-teacher conference. But there are some things I do miss, and those are some of the tradeoffs you make."


"But, look, there's no question there are sacrifices involved here. I'd like to say that quality time replaces quantity, but sometimes it doesn't. You know, a lot of the best moments of family life happen spontaneously. If you have less time to devote to them, there are fewer of those moments."


What Being A Father Means To Him:


"I would like to think that most of the issues related to my father have been resolved." "That's part of what writing Dreams from My Father was about: understanding him, his own personal tragedy. He wasn't a presence in my life, he was an idea that I had to wrestle with for a long time."


"Somebody once said that every man is either trying to live up to his dad's expectations or make up for his dad's mistakes. And I'm sure I was doing a little bit of both. But I feel that somewhere in my late 20s or early 30s I sort of figured out what his absence had meant. It is part of what I think has made me a pretty good dad. I don't think it would have too much of an impact on my decision-making as president. There's no doubt that it has contributed to my drive. I might not be here had it not been for that absent father prodding me early in life."


On Not Disappointing Himself Or Those Around Him


"I always try to make sure that my expectations are higher than those of the people around me."


"A lot of people have a lot at stake in this election. The American people are having a tough time."


"I never want people to feel as if I've overpromised to them. I try to explain in a real honest way how difficult some of the changes I'm talking about will be. But I never want the effect to be that I'm not working as hard as I can on their behalf...that I'm not continually trying to improve. I'm actually glad for the high expectations."


"One of the interesting things about a campaign like this is that it really does push you to the limit and then some. And it turns out that you have more in your reservoir than you expected."


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Source: Men?s Health magazine

CONTACT: Allison Falkenberry of Men's Health, +1-212-573-0524,
Allison.Falkenberry@rodale.com; or Meghan Holston of Coburn Communication,
Inc., +1-212-382-4450, Meghan.Holston@CoburnWW.com