“When I am onstage, that is the narrative of the show. I am evolving through time,”

Above, Lady Gaga talks to MTV about her current tour, “The Fame Monster,” being a pop star and her fans, writing her own music, evolving  as an artist, and more.

Previous: Lady Gaga – Kandy Life

Above, HipHopBeef.com sits down with Cam’ron at a Houlihans Bar & Grill for an amusing talk.

In the interview, they speak on Cam’ron’s jewelry, skinny jeans, Jay-Z and his latest album, “Blueprint 3,” how he feels that rappers exaggerate in their rhymes, Bloods in New York City and more.

Previous: Cam’ron – Ooh Baby ft. Vado

Click to view the catalog

The new Aggressive Mall catalog has been put online today for all to see. The catalog features every new product out this year from every blading company and clothing company. Aggressive Mall has also featured an interview with NYC’s own Austin Paz. The interview discusses how amazing our scene is (as usual) and gives some details on The Truth 2 if you haven’t seen it already. Check the Aggressive Mall catalog here. “As an early Christmas present we present our entire 32 page catalog + interviews with Brandon Smith (page 28) & Austin Paz (page 16) in an on-line format. Have a merry Christmas” – Aggressive Mall.

My first day at MTV Networks is January 11, 2010. Yes, I have gotten cold feet. Moving across the country to a big city I’ve never been before with barely any money in my pockets for an UNpaid internship with no guarantee of securing a job is a bit scary. But it’s also an adventure.

I keep wondering if I’m making the right decision.

I’m not doing this in hopes to someday work at MTV (though it would be nice), I’m doing it for the experience. Living in Washington for basically my entire life only exposes me to so much- the world is a huge amazing place and there is still so much out there for me to see. I feel like I’ve already seen and done everything there is to do in Seattle. I’m bored with this place and need to get out. Maybe I’ll love it in the big city, maybe I’ll hate it… at least I can say I’ve “been there and done that.” Maybe I’ll come back a changed person with different ideas and opinions- maybe I’ll come back the same old Jessica. All I know is that this is the time to grow. I’ve got to keep positive and motivated!

KILLA! speaks on Jay-Z, Ma$e, 50 Cent, fake jewels, skinny jeans, bloods and more.

Official website under construction ~ www.Kara-Sutra.com toys are offered for sale http Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com ass cool shirts! www.tinyurl.com "Tell Me" as a methodology can be found at tinyurl.com Sex Ed 102 with Kara_Sutra: Better Sex Radio Interview Part 1 On 10 June 2009, I was Chrystal Bougon Bliss Connection amazing interview on his radio show, "Better Sex Radio. There were two 11-minute talks, it is the first and the second will be uploaded in the very near …

See Also : Cheapest Toys

From http://seattletimes.nwsource.com:

A top Anglican cleric who was born in Uganda spoke out Thursday against a proposed law in his native country that would impose the death penalty on some gays.

Archbishop of York John Sentamu – who along with the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is one of the global fellowship’s most senior priests – condemned the anti-gay law now being considered by the East African nation’s parliament.

“I’m opposed to the death sentence. I’m also not happy when you describe people in the kind of language you find in this … bill,” he told BBC radio.

Although Sentamu seemed to suggest he was the first to attack the proposed law, Williams has also spoken out against it, telling The Daily Telegraph earlier this month that it was “shocking in its severity.”

“Apart from invoking the death penalty, it makes pastoral care impossible – it seeks to turn pastors into informers,” he told the paper in an interview published Dec. 12.

The issue of homosexuality has triggered a debate that has divided the global 77 million-strong Anglican fellowship, including in the United States, where it has splintered the Episcopal Church.

In Thursday’s interview, Sentamu chose his words carefully, restating the content of a 2004 Anglican statement that condemned “the victimization or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex.”

African churches have been at the forefront of the Anglican backlash against the blessings given to gay marriages and the ordination of gay bishops in the West. Uganda, whose population is nearly 40 percent Anglican, has become a rallying point for conservatives, with some U.S. Episcopal denominations switching their allegiance to the Church of Uganda following the 2003 ordination of openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson.

Sentamu said he and Williams had been in touch with his Anglican colleagues in Africa about the proposed law, which has aroused a storm of indignation worldwide. It is expected to go before parliament in the new year.

The bill would mandate a death sentence for sexually active gays living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act would face life imprisonment.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni will not try to block the bill, his spokesman Tamale Mirundi said Thursday, although he did say the president would attempt to convince his National Resistance Movement Party, which has a majority in parliament, to not support it.

“President Museveni cannot block the anti-gays bill,” Mirundi said, saying that if he did so “he will have become a dictator.”

Chris Brown sat down with ‘Radio One’ for an interview recently. The energetic entertainer answered questions about a wide range of topics including his fears, marriage, dating and explained the meaning behind the song ‘I’ll Go’ from his new album, ‘Graffiti’.

Say what?  Say who?!?

The Stocking of Truth let Rob randomly select a question from their stocking where he got the question, “Which celebrity would you like to kiss under the mistletoe?”

Check out his response!  HAHA!

Oh.  Umm… wow, Rob.  Seriously.. LOL

Special Thanks:  Twilight Examiner & NewMoonMovie.org

Source.

Here NaS and Damian Marley give us an inside look at their project Distant Relatives. There’s no release date yet, so the track list is tentative. Either way, hit the jump to get a better understanding of the content of their album, inspired by their African ancestry.

Track List:

01 Intro (Something New) (prod. Damian Marley)
02 As We Enter (prod. Damian Marley)
03 Revolutionary (prod. Damian Marley)
04 Count Your Blessings (prod. Damian & Stephen Marley)
05 Belief is Key (prod. Damian Marley)
06 Africa Must Wake Up f. K’naan (prod. Nas, Damian & Stephen Marley)
07 Black Horizon f. K’naan (prod. Damian Marley)
08 Only the Strong (prod. Damian & Stephen Marley)
09 Our Generation f. Joss Stone & Stevie Wonder (prod. Damian Marley)
10 Empowerment (prod. Stephen Marley)
11 AID (prod. K’naan & Nas)
12 Let’s End It (Poverty) f. K’naan (prod. 9th Wonder & Damian Marley)
13 The Earth f. Bob Marley (prod. Salaam Remix, Damian & Stephen Marley)
14 Black Man’s Paper f. Erykah Badu (prod. Afry) [UK Bonus]
15 Weed On f. Snoop Dogg (prod. Damian Marley) [iTunes Bonus]

Black Milk decided to check in with his fans and give us an update of everything he’s got planned for 2010. Random Axe with Guilty Simpson and Sean Price, Searching for Sanity with Melanie Rutherford and his next solo release titled, Album Of The Year. I’m excited for his next album because Tronic was dope. Black Milk is one of the dopest producers out there and lyrically he showed he can hold his own with anybody. Continue for the video.

[yahoo=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU802ZBcAwQ&feature=player_embedded]

I was recently fortunate enough to be able to interview the excellent Curtiss Cook.

His first brush with the stage was at the age of 10, in an elementary school production of A Raisin in the sun. This experience led to countless high school plays, a career at the famed Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and a full scholarship to Mount View Theatre School in London, where he truly honed his craft.

Curtiss’ resume boasts three Broadway shows, countless national tours, spots on Law & Order, the Sopranos, Rescue Me and numerous commercials.

He has also worked with some of the biggest Hollywood names in the business: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Andy Garcia, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sir Ben Kingsley, the late Sydney Pollack and the great Martin Scorsese.

Curtiss will be seen next in September 2009’s movie release, Order of Redemption, also with the theater release of Tribeca Film Festival’s Audience Award winning film City Island. Then just in time for Oscar season you can see him in the new Martin Scorsese thriller Shutter Island.

Now on with the interview.

Hi Curtiss thanks so much for taking the time to do this.

CC: You are so welcome… Anytime I get a chance to gab on and on you can bet… I’m with that…

How did you become an actor? Was it something you always wanted to be or did you fall into it?

CC: Pretty much I always wanted to Be’ an actor… Starting out I thought I might want to Be’ a singer… And I did sing for a good while but by the time I hit Jr. High… I was in it for good… A good friend of mine who I’ve been close with ever since kindergarten always tells me I didn’t pick acting it picked me… I tend to believe him on that one….

If not acting what would you be doing?

CC: First off I would be broke and homeless … Really I would always have to be doing something that dealt with the arts it’s just in my bones…

What advice would you give to any actors just starting out in the business?

CC: Read as much as you can… fiction, non fiction, cookbooks everything… And try to travel as much as you can… It just opens up your perspective… Even if it’s just getting on the bus and going over to another town about 45 minutes from where you live… Just sit there and watch … You can learn so much about yourself when you’re taken out of your comfort zone.

What film do you first remember watching?

CC: As a kid and even to this day one of my favorite films was ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’… And then on the other side of that there was ‘The Shinning’… Still to this day when I see those two little girls standing side by side in that long hallway… Man, it was intense then and it’s intense now!

You have a couple of Island films coming up. First of all tell us about City Island. What is it about?

CC: City Island stars Andy Garcia & Julianna Margulies it’s about a family who have a hard time communicating with each other and the problems that can come from that…I play Andy’s partner he works at a correctional institution… It’s funny as hell … Don’t walk run to the theatre to see this one…

It has a great ensemble cast. How was that to work on?

CC: My scenes are with Andy so I didn’t get a chance to work with all of them on this one… but I heard it was a blast… With Andy at helm you know they had a good time… A very giving actor he is.

Then you are in Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island. What can you tell us about the film without giving away too much of the plot? How does your character fit into the proceedings?

CC: Yes man… Yes! Well you know it’s based on a book with the same name by Denise Lehane … I would highly recommend reading it, it’s gooood! The movie is set in an insane asylum for the criminally insane… And I play Trey Washington one of the head orderlies who works very closely with Sir Ben Kingsley character… You have no idea folks this movie is going to be crazy….

What was it like working with Scorsese? How did you feel when you found out you would be working on one of his films?

CC: It was more than a dream come … I don’t think I could ever really imagine that I would one get to meet him and talk to him about a film he was doing and then two actually get to work with such an accessible genius… I learned so much in the three months I was there about myself and the business of show… Fortunate … I am very fortunate.

What have you learnt from working with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Alan Arkin and Scorsese?

CC: How important it is to do your homework … It gives you time to live on set and create in the moment… You don’t have to be some deep method actor… (not that theirs anything wrong with that) but knowing your path because of the work you’ve done prior leaves so many more options open… One lesson I’ll never forget and will always try to incorporate into my work ethic…

Which actor dead or alive would you most like to work with?

CC: I would have loved to have worked with Ivan Dixon … Sidney Poitier, Andre Braugher, Robert Downey Jr., Denzel Washington, do you really want me to continue because I’ll be here all week….

If you were killed by a movie monster which one would it be and what would your final words be?

CC: The Bride of Dracula … “bitch, I told you not to bite me that hard!”

What have been your favourite films of 2009 so far?

CC: Umm… Umm… I really haven’t been out to the theatres… But ‘Precious’, was really enjoyed, I liked Wolverine… I guess I should say some artsy not well known foreign film … So I’ll say ‘Worlds Apart’ set in Germany … How’s that.

Comic book films are big business these days. Are there any comic book characters you would love to play?

CC: Thank you so much for this question I am the biggest comic book geek in the world…. I would love to play… The new green lantern John Stewart… With out a doubt!!!

Sweet, salted or butter popcorn?

CC: buttered … It just goes in easier…

When you win an Oscar who would you thank in your acceptance speech?

CC: My father and mother …, my wife and children… My ancestors who help me every minute of the day… And those who laid the path before me…

What are you working on next?

CC: I just wrapped a Law & Order: Criminal Intent with Jeff Goldblum and Saffron Burrows. That was a lot of fun. I also have a recurring role on the new HBO series ‘How to Make it in America’ created by the folks who brought you ‘Entourage’. I believe that starts airing in February. I have a few other roles still in negotiations so I won’t say anything until I sign on the dotted line.

Thanks you for the interview until we talk again my friend until we talk again…..

At the age of 13, little Bobby Charlton moved to Manchester. “It was black and I thought it was so miserable,” he recalls. However, 58 years later the man whose name is now synonymous with football has a somewhat more complimentary opinion of Britain’s third largest city.

Awarded the freedom of the city at a town hall awards ceremony last month, Charlton, who was knighted for services to football in 1994, appeared emotional at being recognised for the role he’s played as an ambassador for Manchester. He described himself as “humbled”. While much of the world is aware of Charlton’s most eminent sporting achievements – he’s scored more England goals than anyone and helped the squad win three league titles – significantly fewer are cognisant of the efforts the 71-year-old has made for his adopted city. In addition to his continuing his involvement with Manchester United, currently in the role of club director, Charlton is involved with a local organisation to campaign against landmines as well as helping the Council with its Olympics bid and the Commonwealth Games.

“It’s a very vibrant city and I’ve been proud to be a part of it,” he says. “Ten or 20 years ago, when you said you were from Manchester, they used to just politely nod; but now they don’t question it, as everyone in the whole world knows where Manchester is.”

Manchester’s notoriety on the international scene has of course stemmed from the overwhelming success of Manchester United. Charlton unmistakably feels as much allegiance with the club as that which he now exudes for the city itself. “Everything I’ve done in Manchester has been with the club, from the early days in Europe to the tragedy of Munich up to today.” The tragedy to which Charlton refers is of course the Munich air disaster of 1958, which saw the entire United team involved in a plane crash which killed 23 people. Understandably reserved on the issue, the former footballer described how in some ways the event had a bigger effect on the fans than on the team itself. “It was a very young team on the verge of doing great things when it happened,” he remembers.
But despite the catastrophic accident, which killed eight players as well as several staff members and plane crewmembers, the team proceeded to go from strength to strength over the years. Indeed, today Charlton would be wholly justified in predicting five trophy wins for United this season. “You have to be careful [about saying the team will win everything],” he says cautiously. “Alex [Ferguson] has been a little bit careful with regards to his statements when he’s been asked the same question, but we are getting really excited about it. When you talk to the players, it doesn’t seem impossible at all.”

One such player is Ryan Giggs, who broke Charlton’s illustrious appearance record at Manchester two years ago. Having played an astounding 758 games for the team himself between 1954 and 1973, doesn’t he feel the smallest twinge of resentment towards the younger man? “No, not at all,” he says convincingly. “Ryan Giggs has been a terrific footballer, the shining light of Manchester United and a terrific presence within the dressing rooms and outside the dressing rooms and wherever he’s gone. He’s probably playing the best football of his whole life now.”

Nor does Charlton begrudge the money he could have earned had he been born in another era. Though contemporary salaries are incomparable to his heyday earnings, Charlton maintains that wealth is something that never even occurred to him. “I worked hard and with people who I trusted very much, and if they said they were going to pay me a certain amount, I just accepted it. It’s not something I’m envious about at all with regards to the players… I woke up every morning thinking about when I was playing and how many days I would have to wait until we played a full match again. I just loved the game.”

Having devoted his entire life to playing, supporting and promoting the sport about which he is so intensely passionate, it must be difficult to imagine a another career path than the one which continues to provide him with such fulfillment. “I was planning to be a journalist actually,” Charlton smiles. “The Evening Chronicle of Newcastle asked me if I would like to play for them and they’d give me a job as well, because you had to work in those days, you couldn’t sign professional until you were 17.”

Though clearly lacking the zeal for journalism that he so patently expresses for football, Charlton continually refers back to an unyielding work ethic, leading you to believe he’d give any task his best effort. “I was proud to come to a city where they understand the work ethic,” he says, returning all thoughts to the honour that’s been bestowed on him with his latest award. “In my wildest dreams I never thought I’d be sitting here today thinking about being given the freedom of the city. It’s just a dream to me and it’s marvellous.”
Marvellous it is if we consider that, aside from his contributions to sport and campaigning against landmines, Charlton was also described by his former manager, Matt Busby, as “as near to perfection as possible, not only as a footballer but as a human being”. “I was set off on a great adventure being a footballer,” he concludes gravely. “I’ve loved my football and I’ve loved being here. It’s been sensational ever since I arrived.”

[First published in Student Direct in April 2009]

Last spring world famous comedian and actor Eddie Izzard visited the University of Manchester to take part in an exclusive Q+A session with Culture Minister, Andy Burnham. After the event, described by hosts Manchester Labour Students as “a sign of the strength of the Labour Club”, I caught up with Izzard to ask about European integration, transvestism and those de-gendered toilet signs…

“People are always asking ‘why are you wearing this’ and ‘why aren’t you wearing that’ so I want to get to a place where no-one gives a damn what you’re wearing.”

Eddie Izzard sits in front of me dressed somewhat conventionally in a dark grey suit with a white shirt, open at the collar. Culture Minister Andy Burnham perches by his side as both soak up a few moments of relative calm following their appearance at a question and answer session hosted by the Manchester Labour Club, an event with all the flavour of a party political broadcast, albeit that the event wasn’t broadcast – indeed the press weren’t permitted at all…

His conservative dress (I refer, of course, to its modest, non-flamboyant nature as opposed to any political overtones) is what you might expect from a comedian who wants to be taken seriously as a politician, for that is evidently just what Izzard is. It’s only when you consider that he also has the reputation of being one of the most notorious transvestite entertainers in Europe that the sight of him today seems rather incongruent. “I’m in kind of boy mode at the moment but then I’ll go back to girl mode,” he explains.

A renowned pro-Europe campaigner who speaks fluent French and near-fluent German, Izzard cites the draw of the continent as the main impetus for his move into the world of politics. When asked about his motivations, he launches straight into lauding the benefits of European integration. “I can see the vision of Europe,” he says. “I can see that if you want to get a world minimum wage, you’ve got to get Europe working first. It’s one of the major continents to get this far. All these different countries used to murder each other for so long and in so many different ways, and now [Europe] is being used as a leverage of peace.”

Izzard’s multilingualism betrays an empathy with our overseas counterparts. “We should be inside Europe; we’ve got to be at the heart of Europe,” he insists. “People are exactly the same; they speak a different language but they still go to supermarkets, they want families, they want jobs and they want to trade.

“I’ve met them. They’re very similar to us,” he reveals in all seriousness. “They say different words but they still have a glass of wine or a beer or chips.”

Perhaps I shouldn’t expect smooth political rhetoric and seamless soundbites from Izzard; it’s been little more than a decade since he made his debut into the world of politics after all. He has probably spent less time in this world of polished appearances and empty promises than several of the student Labourites who organised tonight’s event. Izzard certainly wouldn’t have been a candidate in his students’ union elections; despite studying for an Accountancy degree at the University of Sheffield, the comedian was “let go” before its completion. “I didn’t get involved in politics until 1997 when I joined the Labour Party,” he explains. “I wanted to decide what I really thought. I worked out I was a ‘social democrat’ – I knew I wasn’t a socialist! For me the idea of being a socialist and being successful didn’t quite go together – the idea of giving all your money away. I spent a lot of time trying to articulate what was in my own head, working out what I believed, before standing up and doing it; I just took a longer time.”

“I worked my arse off to get where I am today,” he adds. “And I’ve taken risks all over the place.”

One such risk would surely be making public his transgender identity while working in the aggressively masculine sphere of comedy. Not only does Izzard describe himself as “a complete boy plus half a girl”, he regularly cross-dresses both on and off stage – and not purely for performance purposes. “Hopefully a more relaxed attitude will develop towards people being transgender,” he muses. “I mean, in the old days Danny La Rue [an entertainer renowned for his drag impersonations] didn’t even admit he was gay.” On the subject of discrimination, Izzard shrouds the gravity of his recollections with characteristic irony: “When I go out in boy mode, it doesn’t matter; [when I] go out in girl mode, I have to be ready to have a fight. I should learn some ninja training.”

Being a veritable glutton for punishment, I can’t help but wonder about Izzard’s take on our Students’ Union’s much-hyped “de-gendered” toilet facilities. “I think that’s cool,” he says casually, clearly oblivious to the media frenzy that surrounded this very topic only months ago. “In Roman times, everyone could sit down and have a poo and have a chat,” he continues, dead-pan. “The thing is, it’s just going to the loo! Everyone assumes that when you’re going to the loo there’s something else happening but it’s all just waste product coming out of our bodies. Everyone should get very relaxed about going to the loo.”

As a liberal thinker and high-profile entertainer whose influence in the realm of politics looks only set to increase over the coming years, does Izzard then see himself as a role model for the trans community? “I am a card-carrying transvestite – even though we have no cards,” he concedes cautiously. “By coming out, more people who are transvestite and transgender will think: ‘Well I’ll come out’.

“However, hopefully I’m a role model for myself, and if anyone can get anything from what I do, then that’s fantastic.”

[First published in Student Direct in April 2009]

Emma Watson on Robert Pattinson

Emma Watson thinks that Daniel Radcliffe is better looking than Robert Pattinson. LOL

This is the final installment of my interview with Will Kimbrough. We talked about what Will likes to listen to when he’s not busy. Since he’s one of the hardest working, in-demand musicians in Nashville; and a loving and devoted husband and father, it’s hard to believe that he has any free time.
His new album Wings will hit the streets on February 23rd. It’s a wonderful, beautifully produced collection of songs that I know you’ll all enjoy. Trust me.
Here’s Will’s words about Wings:
“It’s about having a home, leaving the old home, finding meaning in little things, giving thanks, wondering, sinning, being forgiven, keeping an open mind, loving, living in the moment, or it’s at least thinking about those things.”
 So, between now and then, here’s what you can do: Call your local radio stations that play OKOM and tell them to get an advance copy and start playing it; Go to your favorite OKOM music venues and tell them about Will, and how outstanding his live shows are (because they are), and that they need to book him; Go to your favorite Indie record shop and ask them to order this album for you! It’s OK to be a pain-in-the-ass! These things don’t happen by themselves. He’s not Lady Gaga. You’ve got to go out, make it happen, and help support OKOM artists!
Alright, I’m down from my soapbox. I hope that you’ve enjoyed the interview so far, and that you’ll enjoy this part. Happy Christmas and peace to everyone!

Part 4

OKOM: So, what kind of music do you listen to at home or when you’re on the road?

WK: Well, I’ve been listening to The Beatles mono box set stuff.

OKOM: Oh, the mono stuff. I’ve been buying the re-mastered stereo stuff. How does the mono sound?

WK: It sounds great. The reason I wanted to hear it was because I heard a little radio show about it, and they interviewed a guy that had been the writer that was following the whole process of when they re-mastered all The Beatles stuff. He said that one of the things that had kind of been forgotten in the stereo world that we live in is that; through the White Album – when The Beatles mixed their albums – they first and foremost mixed them in mono.

OKOM: Really?

WK: Yeah, because AM radio was mono. The stereo mixes were usually done without Lennon or McCartney there, and sometimes without George Martin there. That doesn’t mean that they’re not good, it just means that when you hear the mono stuff, it’s interesting to hear what John and Paul – and I presume George and Ringo – intended when they originally did it. For the technology of the day, they were like; well, stereo is great but no one has a stereo so lets do this in mono.

OKOM: I remember the first LPs that I bought back then; they were all in mono.

WK: Yeah, so you’ve heard them. I came around when all the versions were in stereo. So, I’ve been listening to that, and it is different because it’s… well, it’s mono. It’s also what happens when you put everything through one channel. Some of the things on Sgt. Pepper’s [Lonely Hearts Club Band]; there’s this extra sort of phasing, flanging sound that’s on “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” that’s really more psychedelic, more spacey sounding than before. There’s a double track vocal that’s flanged, and it becomes more extreme in mono. So, it’s cool to hear that and think, “Oh, that’s what John Lennon was hearing in his head.”

OKOM: So those kinds of things got lost in the stereo mixes.

WK: They just got changed. It’s a whole different thing.

OKOM: I’ll have to check them out.

WK: It’s interesting to hear. I’ve been listening to a borrowed copy because… well… they’re expensive. [laughs] But, it sure is good. So, that’s lately because they just came out. We’re all such Beatles fans.

OKOM: Yeah. Hey, I read that you were getting into African music too.

WK: I love African music. The thing that’s got me in the last few years is Jamaican music from the 60s and the 70s, mostly Reggae, classic Reggae – The Heptones, The Gladiators, The Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, and Delroy Wilson – stuff that was a hit in Jamaica. I’ve also been listening to R&B from the 60s, a lot of old music really. There’s a lot of cool stuff to be found out there. I haven’t been listening to too much new music. I’m trying to think of something that I’ve got. Oh, I got the new Mark Knopfler record [Get Lucky] because I like to hear what he does.

OKOM: I haven’t gotten the new one yet. I have the previous one [Kill to Get Crimson] and I love it. How’s the new one?

WK: It’s good! I know some of the guys in his band too. So I love listening to it and I can just picture those guys playing.

OKOM: That’s cool. Well, we’re coming down to the end of the year. I’m sure that you’re going to be very busy promoting and touring for the new album. It comes out February 23^rd.

WK: Yeah. I’m excited about it, and I’m really pleased with it. I’m looking ahead to going out and playing this music for people. Now I’m already working on putting together the next album. It’s a nice life.

OKOM: That’s great. Alright man, thanks much for the interview. I wish you the best of luck with this album. I love it. It has a very cool sound to it.

WK: Thank you.

OKOM: You have a Happy Christmas, and say hi to Jess.

WK: I will, you too, and don’t be a stranger.

I’ve been offered a job!

I saw an advertisement for a job a couple of weeks ago and immediately had a good feeling about it.  It seemed to tick all the boxes as far as being what I was looking for but I also seemed to be able to tick most of the boxes in terms of what I had to offer.  Of course, it’s not the first time this has happened so I didn’t get my hopes up too high but I took my time and filled out a really good online application.  Lo and behold, the very next day I got a call inviting me for interview.  There were still obstacles to overcome though. Bad weather and a dodgy battery in the car meant I was worried I might not be able to to even make it there but I did, and in plenty of time too.

As soon as I arrived, I liked the look of the place.  There was a friendly, informal atmosphere about it, heightened by the fact that it was the last working day before Christmas.  I was made to feel welcome and had a bit of time to sit back and see what went on before the boss arrived to carry out the interview.  One slight blip as I was asked to fill out a long application form that mostly duplicated what I’d already taken so much care over on my online application – unnecessary and difficult to make a good job of writing on a clipboard sitting in the middle of a busy room. I coped though…

On to the interview.  I took to the boss straight away and I think it was mutual.  She struck me as a really nice person, but no pushover, keen and enthusiastic and with a good vision of what she wants to do with the place. New in post herself, she has some big plans!  We talked for a bit generally about the place, then more specifically about the role I’d applied for before going on and talking about me and what I had to offer.  After that, she showed me around the facility before we went back to her office.  She asked me if I had any questions and I just asked “When can I start?”  A few minutes and one phone call later she asked me if I really did want the job (there is a lot of travelling involved), I said yes and she said there would be an offer letter in the post that evening.

So there you go – it’s been a long wait but it looks like I’m almost across the finishing line!!

On a less happy note, it wasn’t a day of unbridled good news – My Dad has been taken into hospital and my wife found out her Grandmother (who she’s had no contact with for several years) passed away a few months ago.  So Christmas is a bit “up in the air” at the moment as the family get together possibly won’t happen now.  Finger crossed that Dad will be ok though – that’s far more important than one particular day of overeating and mundane chatter about this and that…

Ms. Jarrett is the Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs…but her real job is being a senior adviser to the President, who has earned the right to speak freely and frankly to him, irregardless of the Presidents Chief of Staff, Rahn Emmuel…..

Here are some of her comments from an interview with PoliticsDaily.…..

On Senator Linsey Graham of South Carolina’s comments about the White House engaging in ” seedy politics”…..

“It was definitely a cheap shot and completely unwarranted,” Jarrett, one of several Chicagoans who came to Washington with President Obama, said of the South Carolina Republican’s recent remark on CNN. “I think what people ought to do is to focus on how they can be constructive in their discourse and present fresh ideas for the president’s consideration, and not lose focus on why they were all elected. They were elected to serve the people.”

On Paul Krugman and the Healthcare Bil……

….[He is] …”somebody who is held out as a world expert who actually has taken the time to understand what’s in the bills and who was critical early on (but) is now supportive. That says something to me about people who take the time to be well reasoned. And when you listen to people say on the extremes what’s in the bill and it’s apparent that they have not actually read the bill . . . “

On her bosses reaction to crtisim from the right and left……..

…….(he’s a socialist vs. he hasn’t done anything for liberals or blacks). “The nature of being president of the United States is that you’re an easy target for everybody,” she said. Her longtime friend, she said, is “the perfect person for this moment in time because he doesn’t get thrown off track by the emotional rhetoric. He really does continue to be disciplined and focused on the task at hand. And so he does not spend time pulling his hair out worrying about the extreme views. It’s not constructive and it’s not going to improve the quality of life of everyday people who are out there struggling.

……and a final rah, rah…….

“The president is going to do what he thinks is in the long-term best interests of our country . . . He is not going to be paralyzed by a fear of taking bold action,” she said. “He’s going to stay the course and he’s comfortable that if he does his job well and his team executes, the American people will see the extraordinary change that he has brought. That’s not going to happen in one year — and particularly one year where you have absolutely the largest number of significant challenges that any president has ever faced coming into office.”