The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has now reached its mapping orbit 50 km above the surface of the Moon.  I previously reported the exciting images it made of several of the landing sites.  It has now captured the best image yet of the landing site of Apollo 11.  It must be amazing for Armstrong and Aldrin to see their tracks here 40 years after leaving them there on their short moonwalk.  I’d love to know what they make of this.

Tranquility Base

The image has north at the top, and you can see West Crater, the one Armstrong had to fly over before landing on the right side. The bright spots around are, I think, boulders which famously meant Armstrong had to take manual control early.  The pitted nature of the Moon is clear, as is the fact that many of the craters are easily as big as the LM.

LRO Tranquility Base detail, Nov 2009

Very clear is the descent stage and the footpads, and tracks left by Armstrong & Aldrin as they collected samples, erected the flag, took photos and set up the EASEP experiements.  It is tempting to think that you can make out the ladder on the left,  and fun to work out what is where.  Armstrong’s track to the E to look into the crater he landed just beyond, is visible too.  Compare this image with this map.  I think the really bright spot to the S of the LM is the LRRR, one of the sets of prisms that is still used to determine the distance of the Moon from Earth.

Hey everyone! Happy Holidays!  This is my first post in a while, ‘cuz I’ve been very busy. Anyway, most people know how to do this, so this is for the ones who don’t.

1. Zoom in all the way

2. Press S and hold

You will be walking backward, but facing forward.  That’s it, it’s that simple.  See ya!

-Meeee634

MJ Morph

(Two models by me)

Friday -

Sometimes I love not speaking the language because certain things absolutely get lost in translation. For example, not so sure what the context of the conversation was today but all of a sudden Chiara said, “e Breakdance” and stood up and started popping and locking at the table while the children nodded in agreement. Then she began to moonwalk! And asked me the word for it and if she was doing it correctly!

Today was an extremely long day. Fillipo and I had our first lesson! Chiara took Jacopo and Alice out for errands and we went for a while! He enjoyed it and he was truly learning a lot. He’s really good and remembers things like a sponge so I think he’ll do really well in his English classes. He always tries to speak to me in English so that’s great. He’s definitely learning. Now I know why stay at home moms are so tired. If nothing else, I’ll learn how to run a household during this trip. Chiara’s great, she took Filipo to visit his old school mates since he only switched to the school next to their house in the past year. So we all drove into Milan, it was great seeing old stomping grounds haha.

All the kids were ECSTATIC to see Filipo. He’s so nice it makes sense that he was so well liked but it was crazy, he was like a celebrity, later that night, at the end of the year party dinner, all the children were attempting to take photos with him.  It was amazing. There was another lost in translation moment, Chiara said we had to go to her parents’ factory to make goblet hats for the boys scouting trip on Sunday. I met Nonno Castro, who said I was beautiful, but also hugged me and called me Obama’s sister.

Racist? Nah, not if you’re Italian. We went in the back in the factory where Alice proceeded to gather up fur scraps and claim them for her room. I found her a prime piece striped with different types of pelts. I think she really liked me after that. So the goblet hats basically looked like santa hats but in Orange and Blue with the inverse colour pompom sewn on them. Pom poms that I made I might add! Learning skills, learning skills. We made one of these funny looking elf hats for everyone in the family. Maybe a goblet is an elf? On our way back to Cisliano we received Jacopo’s grades and he showed me his school room which was pretty cool. It was great that he wanted to show it to me as well. I consider it a breakthrough.

Haha then he went back to antagonizing his family as 13 year olds are prone to do. His problem today was that he didn’t want to go to fat & ugly Vanessa’s birthday party that he was invited to. During the day we also went to like the Italian Modell’s and bought her a bday present. A swimsuit, which I think is hardly appropriate to give a fat ugly preteen but so be it.  She got held back (something that cleared up another lost in translation moment at breakfast when the fam was asking me how to saw when someone has to repeat a grade) so most of the people she was inviting Jacopo wasn’t even friends with. Turned out she only invited him and like 5 other people so it was good he went. It was at stables. While he was there, we went to Fillipo’s old school’s pizza party, which he was the celebrity of as a mentioned. There was a chubby awkward girl who threw up gang signs in pictures and made me laugh so hard I was going to piss myself. The waiter thought I was a child so I got served early with the children (not complaining) but Chiara said the pizza at this restaurant was absolute crap. One girls mother spoke fluent English. She was beautifully tanned with a head of silver hair and a tattoo on her shoulder. I was a bit mesmerized by her. She was the mother of the class tomboy Nina, who Fillipo was really good friends with and Chiara jokingly said, “may as well be a boy” she then told me in a loud whisper “seriously, a lot of lesbians play soccer. My sister in law does!” But she’s okay with Lesbians of course. All in all it was a good night. When Jacopo came and met us he was in a corner at one point so Chiara sent me to go get him, thinking maybe he’d talk to me. I hope to get closer to him in Gallipoli.

xx

It hasn’t been that long since the King of Pop died, but I think about him less and less as other stories crowd out the loss that once was fresh.

I was never a screaming, crying, had-his-poster-on-my-wall kind of fan. But I do remember the day his “Thriller” video debuted. My mom, sister and I stood inches from the TV, transfixed. My sister and I couldn’t nail his signature moonwalk, but we tried our best to learn the moves to this epic.

Years later, I still can’t do any of it, but I’ll hop off the couch and dance however the beat moves me whenever this or any of the MJ’s other videos play. We won’t even talk about me in the car, on the way to work, blasting his “Off the Wall” album.

It’s the perfect, albeit momentary, elixir for most of life’s ailments.

Video by Penelope M. Carrington at TimesDispatch.com.

The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the positions, strategies or opinions of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

I mean, I get it.  Men all over the world raise money every November for men’s health charities by growing a ‘tache.  You see them everywhere in London nowadays. Maybe because it originated in Oz, it is especially prevalent in the City – you see lawyers and bankers with varying granny taches and el mexicanos, looking very pleased with themselves.  Because it’s funny  – blokes our age would never normally grow ‘taches and for them its fun because your mate down the pub is also doing it and it’s become a blokey thing to do.  It’s to be encouraged and supported because trying to fit raising awareness and doing something for other people into your daily London life is what The Happiness Experiment London stands for.  If you can make it something fun to do then even better.

But what about all the other charities – are they less palatable? What other charity initiative is so popular and visible? 

It is probably quite liberating for men to grow a ‘tache.  But also, is it the feeling of solidarity with your buddies or for fellow man that makes it so popular?  If so, why don’t we do the same thing for other charities?  This year, Londoners showed solidarity for the homeless by sleeping out all night in Spitalfields (http://www.spitalfields.co.uk/dspevent.php?name=SLEEP+OUT) .  Women show solidarity for breast cancer by walking all night in their bras for the moonwalk.  But isn’t there more we can do?

What about people with AIDS, refugees, the starving and ill, victims of domestic violence, landmine or cancer victims?  Is the only way to tap into public consciousness to think of a cool marketing strategy?

If so, ladies, and people of London in general, lets step up.  Red lipstick for women who have no voice?  Wearing a scarf for those who have the weight of the world round their necks?  If charity could tap into popular culture as well as Movember then charitable giving might just become a way of life.

Nadie se puede comparar a Michael, pero bueno, podeis ver el video…

Michael Jackson – BEST EVER MOONWALK

Moonwalker, also known as Michael Jackson: Moonwalker, is an American film released in 1988 by singer Michael Jackson.

Rather than featuring one continuous narrative, the film is a collection of short films about Jackson, several of which are long-form music videos from Jackson’s Bad album. The film is named after the dance technique known as the moonwalk, which was one of his trademark moves. The name of the dance move was dubbed by the media, not by Jackson himself; however, he did choose the title of the film himself.

The release of Moonwalker was originally scheduled to coincide with Jackson’s 1987 album, Bad. During the theatrical release of Moonwalker, Jackson was also embarking on his first tour as a solo performer. Moonwalker was not released until January 10, 1989 on Home Video in the United States and Canada, just as Michael Jackson’s Bad World Tour finished. His tour was supposed to finish sooner, but postponed due to some vocal strain, so it went on until the last week of January 1989. The film was released theatrically in Europe and South America, but Warner Brothers canceled plans for a theatrical release in the U.S. for Christmas 1988. The video sold more than 800,000 copies in the U.S by April 17, 1989.

Algum executivo da Warner deve ter pensado : “bem, como Chris Brown mandou sua carreira pro hospital, nós podemos ganhar com um artista semelhante enquanto ele não volta! E quem sabe ele nem volta…” – esse artista é Jason Derülo.

A música/clipe acumula todos os clichês possíveis e imagináveis para o R’nB atual : temática do “te traí mas agora não posso viver sem você”, passinhos à la Michael Jackson, chuva de Auto-Tune, poses de sofrimento à la Boyz II Men e, depois de tudo isso, há espaço ainda para uma sampleadinha da canção Hide and Seek da cantora Imogen Heap – constituindo nada mais, nada menos que o refrão.

Watcha Say presta à quem gosta de Hip-Hop (?) e R’nB contemporâneo – se é que agora há diferença real entre os dois estilos – e à quem está bêbado. A canção alcançou o 1° lugar na Billboard Hot 100 porque justamente tem tantos elementos comuns e demandados pelo público geral; mas os aspectos artístico e técnico nada de novo oferecem. De novo.

Letícia

Michael Jackson’s - Moonwalker (1988) Havent seen this film already?, it’s probably too late for you to enjoy the magic but you should still see it anyway. Rather than featuring one continuous storyline, the film is a collection of short films about Michael, several of which are long-form music videos from the Bad album. While showing clips from his previous works.

 This film is a massive staple in my childhood and probably one of the earliest memories I have of Mike, I remember this being the first video I had and still have, but I use the DVD now to preserve it lol.

It’s sad when I learned of Mikes passing so much of imagery flicked through my head within a matter of seconds that  was implanted by this film as a child. It felt like my whole childhood was ripped out, no more magic, no more fun, all gone. Shattered

However, loving Michael he has left us all his legacy, and this is definitely one thing everyone should see, lord knows my family must be sick of me pumping this film down there throats every school break.

Det är helt sjukt vad mycket nya ord och nya gester som barnen oavbrutet lär sig. De liksom ploppar upp likt bubbor från en badkarsfis hela tiden.

Men det roligaste är ändå när vissa ord befästs ordentligt. Ett väldigt frekvent använt ord just nu här hemma är ordet backa. Tror det lades till i deras vokabulär i samma veva som be började kunna ta sig upp för saker och ting och därmed också var tvungna att lära sig att backa ner igen. Så numer så hör man de säga backa backa backa så fort de ska ner för en stol eller nåt sånt, vilket såklart känns logiskt. Men extra kul blir det när vi drar igång Michael Jackson på hög volym på sedvanliga eftermidagsdansen och de plötsligt mitt i dansen börja säga backa och sakta men säkert börjar gå baklänges helt enligt bästa möjliga Jacksonmanér. Moonwalkskungen skulle bli stolt om han fick se det.

Men jag är trots detta inte helt säker på att det förstått den faktiska innebörden i ordet backa ändå. För nu när de blivit så pass stora att de kan börja hoppa framlänges ner från stolar och sånt så fortsätter de ändå att säga backa mitt i hoppögonblicket. Och även ibland när de ska ta sig upp för något. Verkar nästan som ordet backa betyder allt som har något att göra med att ta sig någonstans på ett annat sätt än att gå normalt.

Fast å andra sidan. Vem har sagt att gå framåt är synonymt med att gå normalt egentligen? Skulle ni fråga mina killar så vette katten om det skulle svara ja på den frågan. För de backar mest hela tiden.

Taggar: backa, michael jackson, moonwalk

Uma das mais famosas luvas brancas de Michael Jackson foi leiloada e como as outras superou as expectativas de seus vendedores. Mas o item arrematado no sábado, em Nova Iorque, foi muito além do esperado, conseguindo um cheque de seis dígitos.

Pois é, leitor. A luva usada pelo Rei do Pop na primeira vez em que fez o moonwalk, em 1983 estava avaliada em 60 mil dólares, mas foi leiloada por 350 mil.

De acordo com site “Fox 23″, o fã Hoffman Ma, de Hong Kong, ainda vai ter que desembolsar mais 70 mil dólares, devido a taxas e impostos.

34 2 Go

• Life is very sweet at the moment, I have learnt the value of true friends and realised those that merely use friendship for their own gain, I have limited my friends to a very few, but they are so special to me that I would truly lay down my life for them. Lots of people from my past should firmly remain there….I am looking to the future with excitement…time to reduce my address book and phone memory and enhance it with meaningful people….unknown calls will not be getting a response….they are not worthy of my time im afraid…I dont do hypocrites
• Anyway….onwards and upwards….34 2 go is my personal advent calendar…The beautiful Patsy from Ontario will land at Manchester airport in 34 days and spend Xmas week and New Year with Jourdan and I….Best Xmas present ever…Panto…Ice Skating…Trafford Centre….The Lake…Local Nightlife…..We have so much to show her…better brush up on my cooking skills & create some wardrobe space.

Patricia

• Had a great night last night with Abi,Cyril, Zante, Ron, Ryan & Wife To Be, Sonic and Co….Chicago was great..packed and Rockin…the Sambucca was even better…tried the new KFC on the way home…excellent!!!
• My Horoscope today    Are you planning a facelift for your home sometime soon, or perhaps you’re thinking about moving? Though old haunts and memories may be influencing your decisions, you can’t afford to hold on to the past. Luck? Take a chance on the 26th when good fortune stars shine just for you….Old Memories…correct…26th ..nearly right…Patty arrives on the 27th…

In The Jungle

I’m A Celebrity: Katie Price retches as she eats disgusting animal body parts… and is voted for a sixth trial

Katie Price and TV presenter Kim Woodburn ate kangaroo anus and testicles, cockroaches and fish eyes during a Bushtucker trial on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! last night.It was the glamour model’s fifth consecutive trial in the jungle… and she has been voted to take part in yet another tonight.

Yuck! Katie Price struggles as she tries to chew a fish eye during the Vile Vending task on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Oh dear! Kim Woodburn retches as she eats Kangeroo anus during the trial

During a gruesome task in the jungle, Katie went head-to-head with Kim in a trial called Vile Vending. Before the trial, Katie declared yet again that she would not do it and said the public ‘hate me now’. But donning a fluorescent diamante bikini, she went on to attempt kangaroo anus and testicles, witchetty grubs, cockroaches, crickets and fish eyes. Initially, Kim was reluctant to tuck in, saying she would ‘rather die’ and branding hosts Ant and Dec ‘ratbags’ for making her eat the food.

She said: ‘If you were gentlemen you’d go in there and eat it yourself. I’m old enough to be your mother you know. Where’s the respect?’ But Katie appeared confident and said it was similar to a trial she did when she first appeared on the show in 2004. But the mother-of-three struggled, spitting out fish eyes and refusing to eat the testicles, and earning just three stars for base camp. It was Kim who emerged victorious with five stars for the exile camp. The first snack were ‘Saltesers’, which were large fish eyes and made both women retch violently. Katie went first and gasped: ‘It tastes like blood and fish’. As she chewed the eyeball, liquid spewed over her face. She then dropped it and had to go for another before eventually giving up and saying ‘I can’t chew it’ because of her teeth veneers.

Some of the delights churned out by the Vile Vending machine were Chewing Bum – Kangaroo anus – and Saltesers – fish eyes

 

Katie cuts up a testicle from the kangaroo scrotum, but decides she can’t go through with the task. Kim manages to eat both testicles She told Kim: ‘When you’re chewing it’s like calamari with a raw egg popping in your mouth.  It tastes like blood and the smell of a fishery.’ Kim then popped an eye in her mouth and made awful retching noises, prompting plenty of giggles from Ant and Dec. She chewed for several minutes and got it stuck in her teeth. ‘You’re an evil little man,’ she told Ant and then finally swallowed the eye. The next snack was a bag of ‘Critterish Allsorts’ containing live crickets and cockroaches. Katie put a jumping cricket in her mouth and shouted ‘I can’t kill it!’ but with encouragement from Kim she managed to chew it. She then ate a cockroach and won her first star for her camp.

 

Katie tried to eat two but ended up spitting them out

 

The Vile Vending machine contained animal body parts

Kim, 67, polished both of hers off quickly and won another star for the Exile camp. Next was ‘Chewing Bum’, which was a hairy kangaroo anus. Katie put one in her mouth and said ‘What did I do to deserve eating arse’. She retched but was encouraged by Kim and managed to swallow. Kim popped hers in her mouth and chewed quickly saying: ‘It’s like mince that’s been partially cooked.’

The anus was followed by ‘Twitchety Grubs’ – live witchetty grubs. Katie bit the head off and eventually managed to swallow it. Kim had a go and declared they were ‘full of fluid’ which was ‘pouring’ into her mouth and tasted ‘like bitter cream that has gone off with a little bit of cheese’. The last snack were ‘Mixed Nuts’, which were kangaroo testicles. ‘I’ve been known for eating stuff but I’m not going to be known for eating testicles. I’m sorry,’ said Katie in horror.

 

Katie Price reacts as she discovers she will be doing yet another task  – the Car-lamity bushtucker trial

She asked for a knife and fork and tried to cut up the testicle but gave up, declaring: ‘I can’t even go there.’ Kim cut hers up and put it in her mouth and said ‘This is ghastly’. She retched again and was almost sick and then had to eat another. She said: ‘I’m nearly in tears it’s so horrible. You just want to vomit it up you can’t stand it.’ Katie blamed the veneers on her teeth for her poor performance, and only winning three out a possible seven stars. Afterward Kim told the exile camp: ‘It was f******* horrific.  I’m very proud of myself.’

 

Ant and Dec announce the result of the vote for the next trial – it was between Joe Bugner, who has been rude to camp mates such as Sabrina Washington, and Katie Price Katie said: ‘It’s the worst one I done.’ But the model will have no rest from challenges. Tonight will see her take part in Car-lamity, a trial where she will have to negotiate a car through various tasks such as driving through spider webs and drinking disgusting drinks. She she discovered she would be next, she said: ‘It’s obvious. What a surprise, Are you having a laugh?’ Meanwhile back at camp, Katie got her campmates talking about sex and relationships and admitted that she hoped boyfriend Alex Reid was ‘the one’. She asked couple Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister if they had an open marriage after 25 years together. Colin told her: ‘If you just find your life partner you don’t need to look elsewhere.’

 

Exiled camp mates Kim, Lucy Benjamin, George Hamilton, Sam Fox and Gino D’Acampo take part in the task to go back to base camp

 

Kim and Lucy lasted to the end of the trial but after four hours it went to a tie-break question, with Kim guessing the answer Katie then said: ‘I can’t wait to find another one that’s like proper life long like, you know. I don’t even know if Alex is… you don’t know… I’ve only been with him four months but it feels right. ‘But just to have that whole companionship, your soul mate.  How nice.’She began to open up about her divorce from Peter Andre. She said: ‘Its so sad really.  The whole situation.  It’s so sad.  When you spit up with someone, its not just them you leave, it’s the family.’

 

George comforts Lucy, who is missing her family

Viewers also saw the exile camp take part in a bush battle in order to win exemption from eviction and be returned to base camp. The camp mates had to take part in a fishing task and stop a float from touching the water by winding the fishing reel when necessary. The last one’s rod to touch the water is the winner. Sam Fox was the first out, followed by George Hamilton, who had previously taken time out to go to the loo, returning to his toadstool with his trousers round his knees for a joke. Gino D’Acampo was then disqualified for not playing the game properly, a decision that he was not happy about. Lucy Benjamin and Kim continued to battle it out for a place and to decide the winner,  the two celebrities had to play a tie-break round by guessing how long they had been competing in the fishing challenge. Kim was closest to the four hours 19 minutes and 13 seconds answer and was sent back to base camp.

Jordan at rock bottom after failing testes test

Katie Price was on the verge of meltdown in the jungle last night as she faced her most revolting challenge yet… eating a kangaroo’s testicle. It came after the model forced down fish eyes and a slice of roo’s bottom for her FIFTH consecutive trial – as friends and family spoke of their fears about her. Viewers last night saw Katie and How Clean Is Your House star Kim Woodburn, 67, faced with the disgusting bush tucker. After retching at the fish-eye, Katie forced down a helping of kangaroo bottom, prompting her to squeal: “It’s like partially-cooked mince.” But when confronted by the kangaroo’s privates, after cutting it up, she refused to scoff the “delicacy”, saying: “I’m not going to be known for eating a testicle.”

Katie’s mum Amy has urged producers to pull her daughter out of the jungle. A friend said: “Amy has been watching non-stop on TV and online. She knows how much her daughter can take and knows things have gone too far.” Pals also think her bid to win back the public by going on I’m A Celebrity could have backfired disastrously. And the Sunday Mirror can reveal even ex-husband Peter Andre has started feeling sorry for her. Peter, 36, has been throwing PARTIES at his Brighton home to watch her face the humiliating trials. But after it was clear she was not coping, he told off his brother Mike for making fun of her. A pal said: “Peter’s not letting anybody say a bad word about Katie. They’ve had a tough time but she’s still the mother of his kids.”

It means she will have gone nearly a month without being with her children. Peter has made sure Harvey, seven, Junior, four, and two-year-old Princess Tiammii see the messages she has sent out to them but have not seen their mum in distress. Katie has been left shaking in terror by her tasks and suffered a panic attack after crawling through rat-infested caves. In a message to pal Michelle Heaton, Katie said: ‘I’m depressed. I’m not coping.” Katie’s lover Alex Reid, 34, is flying out to Oz to support her and is expected to arrive tomorrow. But she has humiliated him by not mentioning him and talking of wanting babies… with someone else. He also had to pay for his own ticket. Tomorrow, insiders have revealed there will be a surprise eviction. But Katie is immune as she is in the luxury camp.

X Factor

Joe McElderry was given a rare standing ovation by all four judges last night after wowing them with his rendition of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.

The 18-year-old, who had been the last to perform, was praised by the judges who were unanimous that he had stolen the show. The finalists were performing George Michael tracks, with twins John and Edward performing I’m You Man and the Wham! Rap in their typical style, and Danyl Johnson singing Careless Whisper after a last minute song change. Impressive: Joe McElderry wowed the judges with his performance of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me during George Michael week

Passionate: The judges were so impressed with his ’show-stopping’ performance that they gave him a standing ovation

But it was Geordie Joe who won the approval of the judges with his rendition of the George Michael/Elton John duet. Dannii Minogue told him: ‘That was exceptional. There was such passion and honesty to your voice.’ And Louis Walsh added: ‘That was definitely the best performance of the night. You’ve got great appeal.’ But he added: ‘Madam’s broken the rules because that was an Elton John song.’ Simon Cowell told Louis: ‘Here’s a new rule. We’re going to stop you from speaking. After this young kid gets up on stage and does the performance of his life, absolutely 100per cent nailed the song, and you’ve got the audacity to sit there with your silly stupid rule book and say he only sang half the song. Who cares what you think?’

Rules? Dannii Minogue, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell applaud Geordie Joe but Louis argued that the track was an Elton John song Joe’s mentor Cheryl Cole, who was not wearing her wedding ring again, added: ‘You just stole the show. You smashed it. I could burst with pride.’ While twins John and Edward Grimes have entertained the judges for the past few weeks with their performances, last night’s performance did not seem to impress. The terrible twosome performed Wham! hits I’m Your Man mixed with the Wham! Rap with a big stage production. The pair even had a platform with their names printed on the top and wore typical 80s outfits with Choose Life! T-Shirts with white blazers and trousers.

Dannii told them:’ You look amazing. I want your costumes so badly.’ Wham! Terrible twosome John and Edward Grimes pulled out a song and dance routine to I’m Your Man

The twins also performed some of the Wham! Rap during the track

But she then added: ‘ You really shocked me tonight – the singing was in tune and the rapping was out of time. So I’m totally confused.’ Simon, who saved them from elimination two weeks ago and then admitted they were entertaing, said: ‘It wasn’t George and Andrew [Ridgeley]  – it was Andrew and Andrew. ‘ I think Louis is giving you too much to do. It’s like he’s turned you into his own action men doll. Every week, giving you crazy choreography. ‘I do actually think you have converted a lot of people guys and be proud of that. You are relentless. You’re like an unstoppable machine.’ Cheryl Cole did not wear her engagement ring again, but during the week took to Twitter to show she was wearing it and not breaking up with husband Ashley Cole After the show Cheryl puts on a show of unity with Ashley (wearing her ring) at Girls Aloud bandmates Sarah Harding and Kimberley Walh’s joint birthday party at Sarah’s club Kanaloa in Farringdon, London

After threatening to quit the X Factor over song choice this week, Danyl Johnson sang Careless Whisper and had a mixed reaction from the judges. Dannii told him: ‘You sang it perfectly’, while Louis said: ‘You can sing anything but I think you tried too hard tonight.’ Cheryl said: ‘To be honest, when you watch that back, parts of that were really flat. But I think your image and your performance are really fantastic’ The judges agreed that Danyl Johnson looked great, but Cheryl accused him of being flat during Careless Whisper

Danyl went back to see his pupils at Elstree School in Reading during the week

Simon disagreed and said: ‘ I think we were listening to two different songs there I genuinely do. Because why that was so good, in my opinion, that is what I call respecting the song, taking it, listening to it, doing something original with it. ‘Louis would have had you up on scaffolding, dressed in T-shirts. And by the way, just to clear this up – you were 100% right to chose that song.’ Danyl, 27, who had walked out of rehearsals after being given Praying For Time to perform admitted: ‘Me and simon sat down and discussed it. I’ve had a really up and down period in this show but I feel so lucky to be here and thank you Simon for being behind me.’ Stacey Solomon sparkled as she performed I Can’t Make You Love Me The singer was told her voice had become as big as her personality by the judges

Stacey Solomon, 19, impressed the audience and judges with George Michael’s 1997 hit I Can’t Make You Love Me. Dressed in a sparkling black dress, Stacey was told that her performances should catapult her to the final. Louis said: ‘You are a great performer and there is nothing phony about you. You have got star quality. That was an incredible song choice.’ Cheryl said Stacey’s voice had finally become as big as her personality and added: ‘You just need to begin to believe you can win now’. Simon was also full of praise: ‘You are one of the most genuinely nice people we’ve had on these shows. You’ve turned into a little star. Do I think it was as good as last week? No i don’t. But there’s no question you’re going to be here next week.’

Home: The finallists were allowed home this week and Stacey was allowed to visit son Zachary

Crowd favourite Olly Murs performed Fast Love, which Simon Cowell claimed would be the kind of song the 26-year-old would release as a record. His performance won screams and cheers from the audience but Dannii picked up on the flat notes in the first part of the song. She said: ‘Your performance is always polished. That’s a particularly hard song to sing. The first half there were tuning problems.’ Louis told Olly: ‘I loved everything about your performance. There’s nothing fake about you. You’ve got the potential to be the new pop star in the UK.’

Hip-thrusting: Olly Murs pulled out all the stops for Fast Love

Screams: Olly is a firm favourite with the judges and female viewers

Cheryl picked up on his appeal with both men and women, while Simon assured him: ‘You’re going to have no problems with the chicks when you leave this competition. ‘You’re turning into a really good performer. I see huge improvement on you week after week.’ Olly told Dermot after his performance: ‘I’m really enjoying it. I got to do a dance. I love being here and being part of the show and I just want to be a popstar. I’m enjoying myself every week.’ Lloyd Daniels performed George Michael’s 1987 hit Faith but won most praise for his newly spiky hair rather than his singing. Dannii told him: ‘That was a great opening to the show. You look fantastic tonight.’ Louis added:  ‘I love the hair, I love the image, I love everything except the voice. I think you’re out of your depth.’ He added: ‘He’s a great fighter but there are better singers in the competition.’ 16-year-old Lloyd sang George Michael’s Faith

But Simon was pleasantly pleased by the performance, telling him: ‘Lloyd that surprised me because that wasn’t bad at all. It wasn’t the best vocal I’ve ever heard. But you started to perform to the public. It started to look believable.’ The results show tonight on ITV will also feature performances by Mariah Carey and Susan Boyle.

Dannii wore a Ralph And Russo maxi dress with her hair in forties waves, Louis donned a bow tie, Cheryl wore shoe boots and a bow in her hair with a pink mini dress, while Simon looked wore a plain suit

The making of Belle de Jour: How an innocent girl turned into a high-class escort and why her father says it’s all his fault

His beloved only daughter has become the much talked-about darling of the chattering classes. She has written a series of best-selling books that have been turned into hit television dramas and used the profits to study for a PhD and devote her professional life to scientific research. On the face of it, any father would be proud. Yet Paul Magnanti is consumed by tears, guilt and grief.

His daughter is American research scientist Dr Brooke Magnanti – who last week outed herself as the £300-an-hour prostitute whose salacious confessional accounts of her life as a high-class prostitute were published under the nom-de-plume Belle de Jour. Mr Magnanti, a 60-year-old former plumber and gardener who lives on the Gulf coast of Florida, knew nothing of his daughter’s secret life until he read the papers last week. ‘It came as a complete shock to me. It’s heart-breaking for a father to hear something like that,’ he said. ‘She was Daddy’s girl, my only child. I always told people she was a little princess. ‘I don’t want to criticise her and I won’t know why she chose to do it until I speak to her. But it’s horrifying to think about it. ‘Prostitution goes hand in hand with drugs and, often, violence. God willing, nothing bad happened to her.’

Innocent: Brooke looking through the bars of her cot as a baby in 1976 and, right, father Paul Magnanti who is now estranged from his daughter Looking through well-worn family photo albums at pictures of an innocent and bespectacled Brooke during her schooldays, Mr Magnanti broke down and wept as he considered his part in his 34-year-old daughter’s decision to sell her body to well-heeled strangers. ‘If my behaviour caused her to go into that life, then that is the worst wrong I have ever done,’ he said. ‘If anybody in the family had a serious character fault, it was me. Her mother was and is a wonderful lady. ‘Maybe this was her way to get back at me.’ Belle de Jour’s father may well have a point. By his account, he had always been close to his only child. Despite his blue-collar life as a plumber, Mr Magnanti was a brilliant scientist who abandoned his university studies in physics in protest at the Vietnam War. When Brooke was born in 1975, it soon became clear that she shared his intellectual capacity.

He encouraged the bookish girl to devote herself to her studies and when she graduated from high school, he insisted she follow her dreams and enrol at Florida State University, rather than study at a less prestigious local college. But as soon as Brooke left the family home, Mr Magnanti’s marriage to Brooke’s mother Susan, a medical technician who now lives near Syracuse, New York, collapsed in acrimony. He sought solace in a rather extraordinary and sleazy fashion: he paid prostitutes for sex and became a crack-cocaine addict. He says he slept with about 150 call girls – and even lived with several – during a ten-year spiral of decline. During that time, he introduced Brooke to several of his prostitute girlfriends before she cut off all communications with him five years ago, after a fierce row about his drug abuse. Mr Magnanti gave up drugs last year, but remains estranged from his daughter. Brooke moved to England to study as a postgraduate student and between 2003 and late 2004 she wrote anonymous blogs under the title Diary Of A London Call Girl. She turned the diaries into books, and a TV series starring Billie Piper was based on her adventures. Brooke is now a research scientist in Bristol. In the perfect, titillating, literary world of Belle de Jour, Brooke insists she thoroughly enjoyed her naughty sideline as a high-class escort girl.

Growing up: Brooke poses at Christmas at the age of nine and, right, dressed up for her junior prom when she was 16

Others, though, might now be considering that her ability to compartmentalise her parallel lives as research scientist, student girlfriend, college oarswoman and London escort girl was, at best, emotionally distant and at worst glacially cold. It is scarcely a huge leap of faith to interpret her decision to become a prostitute as the perfect revenge for the betrayal of a father who had forsaken her for a life of dissipation. And whether the decision was conscious or not, her arrow has certainly hit its target. Paul Magnanti is clearly racked with remorse. He said: ‘I feel so guilty. I could have been a better father. ‘Maybe if I hadn’t spent all that money on drugs, she wouldn’t have done this. ‘Of course I could blame myself for her becoming a prostitute and, yes, I’ve thought maybe she did it as a way to get back at me for what I did. ‘Maybe she thought that because of the people I introduced her to, I was telling her that it was OK for her to become a prostitute. ‘I have no one to blame but myself.’

And certainly it was a messy ending to his marriage to Susan – ‘the girl next door’. Mr Magnanti had fallen in love with Brooke’s mother, Susan Levy, in New York in 1971 and married her two years later. They moved to Clearwater, on the western coast of Florida, abandoning their lives as hippyish student liberals when Paul dropped out of his undergraduate studies. He trained as a plumber and his £30,000-a-year salary was enough to buy a modest bungalow in a respectable area near the beach. Mr Magnanti broke down in tears again as he described the day his only daughter was born. ‘My wife had gone through six or seven miscarriages and one stillbirth, which had been devastating,’ he said. ‘When Brooke was born, she was beautiful. I enjoyed being a dad. They were the best years of my life.’At school, she shone academically.

Mr Magnanti said: ‘We sent her to a strict Catholic school and she skipped a year because she was so far ahead. ‘She wrote short tales at school and enjoyed reading. I would try to help her with her studies. She was a natural at writing.’ And she had no problems meeting boys.Her boyfriends were always respectable, nice boys and she would keep them for quite a while. ‘She wasn’t wild in any way but I realised that by the time she finished high school she was eager to leave Clearwater. ‘Her mother wanted her to go to a local college but I encouraged her to go to Florida State University in Tallahassee. ‘I remember driving her there with her things – it was such a great place. Brooke was eager for excitement and enjoyed her freedom but I don’t think she went crazy in college. ‘Her crowd ended up being the science crowd. I think that’s who she was comfortable with.’ Father and daughter kept in touch by letter and Brooke even seemed happy to tell Mr Magnanti about her love life. He said: ‘She met an Englishman called James while at Tallahassee. He was a chemist working on a project but once that was finished he had to go back to England. ‘James at one point asked her to marry him but she said no. She was very independent.’ After graduating, Brooke took time out in New Mexico. Mr Magnanti remembered Brooke seeing an Englishman named Anthony Nicholls while she was in Mexico – they knew each other from university in Florida. But she hadn’t given up on James. ‘She decided she wanted to go to the UK to see James and study. But I don’t think it worked out,’ he said. Mr Magnanti said his marriage ran into difficulties as soon as Brooke left for college, 200 miles away. ‘They say a lot of times the child is the glue holding the relationship and sadly it seems that was the case with us. ‘I think my ex-wife also resented the fact I encouraged Brooke to leave home. That caused a lot of friction and resentment. ‘Once we separated, I started messing with prostitutes and that goes hand in hand with drugs. I took one hit one night – one of these girls blew the smoke in my mouth – and that was it. ‘Sex and drugs is a powerful combination. It’s not something I’m proud of. It’s immoral, it’s wrong and it’s a weakness I had. ‘In the absence of a meaningful relationship, I tried to replace that with lots of sex with all kinds of women. ‘I was trying to hide the pain and my hurt, though there was a certain amount of excitement at first.’ ‘All I want is to tell her I’m sorry and to have her back in my life’ When it came to drugs, he said he was an addict – but maintained some self-control. ‘I never stole or ripped anyone off and I never dealt drugs. I would get my pay cheque on a Friday, pay my bills, send some money to Brooke and then buy drugs. ‘I would get high on the weekend and then by Monday I would be back at work as a plumber. ‘I was an addict but I was regimented. I’d send Brooke whatever money I could. Maybe $20 or $30 a week, sometimes a lot more. ‘Her mother also sent her some money. ‘Brooke told me she was having financial problems. When the financial problems seemed to go away, I guess I should have realised there was something going on. ‘But we weren’t that close by then. She was already starting to get annoyed at my behaviour.’ When they did meet, they argued over his drug use. ‘She would yell at me, “When are you going to stop using that?” ‘But the more guilty and unhappy I felt, the more I used drugs. ‘Our final falling-out came when I had a new girl move into my house. Brooke knew the girl was a prostitute and there would be drugs. ‘”It’s always the same story,” she said. “You got a new girlfriend and you are doing drugs. When are you going to stop?” ‘I walked out. I’d had enough of being yelled at. But I never saw her again. ‘I wrote her a letter apologising but I never heard back.’ Mr Magnanti admitted it ‘does seem very strange’ that his daughter should have had a secret life as a prostitute while becoming so angry with him. ‘But I’m not going to criticise her. All I want is to tell her I’m sorry and to have her back in my life,’ he added. ‘My addiction hurt my relationship with my daughter, my only child, and I want to put that straight. ‘Now I have a new life. It’s a respectable life and I’m determined not to fall back down. ‘Reading about Brooke has been a great shock but in a strange way I’m happy if it means we can be in touch again. ‘I have sent her a letter telling her I love her and how my life has changed. I’ve also asked her to get in touch. ‘I thought we’d given her a good moral foundation and, in general, I think we did, as she got a PhD and is a very smart girl. ‘But obviously something went wrong. ‘I’m proud of what she has achieved and have told her in my letter that I will never judge her. ‘Brooke is my only daughter and if we can be reconciled, we can finally put the past behind us.’ Critics of Belle de Jour have long pointed out that the character owes more to male fantasy than the soul-destroying reality of prostitution. One suspects that if father and daughter are reconciled, both will speak of regrets and of periods in their life they would rather leave behind.

]]> http://blankascanvas.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/glovestesticles-a-fried-chicken-meal/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:46:15 +0000 blankascanvas http://blankascanvas.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/glovestesticles-a-fried-chicken-meal/

34 2 Go

• Life is very sweet at the moment, I have learnt the value of true friends and realised those that merely use friendship for their own gain, I have limited my friends to a very few, but they are so special to me that I would truly lay down my life for them. Lots of people from my past should firmly remain there….I am looking to the future with excitement…time to reduce my address book and phone memory and enhance it with meaningful people….unknown calls will not be getting a response….they are not worthy of my time im afraid…I dont do hypocrites
• Anyway….onwards and upwards….34 2 go is my personal advent calendar…The beautiful Patsy from Ontario will land at Manchester airport in 34 days and spend Xmas week and New Year with Jourdan and I….Best Xmas present ever…Panto…Ice Skating…Trafford Centre….The Lake…Local Nightlife…..We have so much to show her…better brush up on my cooking skills & create some wardrobe space.

Patricia

• Had a great night last night with Abi,Cyril, Zante, Ron, Ryan & Wife To Be, Sonic and Co….Chicago was great..packed and Rockin…the Sambucca was even better…tried the new KFC on the way home…excellent!!!
• My Horoscope today    Are you planning a facelift for your home sometime soon, or perhaps you’re thinking about moving? Though old haunts and memories may be influencing your decisions, you can’t afford to hold on to the past. Luck? Take a chance on the 26th when good fortune stars shine just for you….Old Memories…correct…26th ..nearly right…Patty arrives on the 27th…

In The Jungle

I’m A Celebrity: Katie Price retches as she eats disgusting animal body parts… and is voted for a sixth trial

Katie Price and TV presenter Kim Woodburn ate kangaroo anus and testicles, cockroaches and fish eyes during a Bushtucker trial on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! last night.It was the glamour model’s fifth consecutive trial in the jungle… and she has been voted to take part in yet another tonight.

Yuck! Katie Price struggles as she tries to chew a fish eye during the Vile Vending task on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Oh dear! Kim Woodburn retches as she eats Kangeroo anus during the trial

During a gruesome task in the jungle, Katie went head-to-head with Kim in a trial called Vile Vending. Before the trial, Katie declared yet again that she would not do it and said the public ‘hate me now’. But donning a fluorescent diamante bikini, she went on to attempt kangaroo anus and testicles, witchetty grubs, cockroaches, crickets and fish eyes. Initially, Kim was reluctant to tuck in, saying she would ‘rather die’ and branding hosts Ant and Dec ‘ratbags’ for making her eat the food.

She said: ‘If you were gentlemen you’d go in there and eat it yourself. I’m old enough to be your mother you know. Where’s the respect?’ But Katie appeared confident and said it was similar to a trial she did when she first appeared on the show in 2004. But the mother-of-three struggled, spitting out fish eyes and refusing to eat the testicles, and earning just three stars for base camp. It was Kim who emerged victorious with five stars for the exile camp. The first snack were ‘Saltesers’, which were large fish eyes and made both women retch violently. Katie went first and gasped: ‘It tastes like blood and fish’. As she chewed the eyeball, liquid spewed over her face. She then dropped it and had to go for another before eventually giving up and saying ‘I can’t chew it’ because of her teeth veneers.

Some of the delights churned out by the Vile Vending machine were Chewing Bum – Kangaroo anus – and Saltesers – fish eyes

 

Katie cuts up a testicle from the kangaroo scrotum, but decides she can’t go through with the task. Kim manages to eat both testicles She told Kim: ‘When you’re chewing it’s like calamari with a raw egg popping in your mouth.  It tastes like blood and the smell of a fishery.’ Kim then popped an eye in her mouth and made awful retching noises, prompting plenty of giggles from Ant and Dec. She chewed for several minutes and got it stuck in her teeth. ‘You’re an evil little man,’ she told Ant and then finally swallowed the eye. The next snack was a bag of ‘Critterish Allsorts’ containing live crickets and cockroaches. Katie put a jumping cricket in her mouth and shouted ‘I can’t kill it!’ but with encouragement from Kim she managed to chew it. She then ate a cockroach and won her first star for her camp.

 

Katie tried to eat two but ended up spitting them out

 

The Vile Vending machine contained animal body parts

Kim, 67, polished both of hers off quickly and won another star for the Exile camp. Next was ‘Chewing Bum’, which was a hairy kangaroo anus. Katie put one in her mouth and said ‘What did I do to deserve eating arse’. She retched but was encouraged by Kim and managed to swallow. Kim popped hers in her mouth and chewed quickly saying: ‘It’s like mince that’s been partially cooked.’

The anus was followed by ‘Twitchety Grubs’ – live witchetty grubs. Katie bit the head off and eventually managed to swallow it. Kim had a go and declared they were ‘full of fluid’ which was ‘pouring’ into her mouth and tasted ‘like bitter cream that has gone off with a little bit of cheese’. The last snack were ‘Mixed Nuts’, which were kangaroo testicles. ‘I’ve been known for eating stuff but I’m not going to be known for eating testicles. I’m sorry,’ said Katie in horror.

 

Katie Price reacts as she discovers she will be doing yet another task  – the Car-lamity bushtucker trial

She asked for a knife and fork and tried to cut up the testicle but gave up, declaring: ‘I can’t even go there.’ Kim cut hers up and put it in her mouth and said ‘This is ghastly’. She retched again and was almost sick and then had to eat another. She said: ‘I’m nearly in tears it’s so horrible. You just want to vomit it up you can’t stand it.’ Katie blamed the veneers on her teeth for her poor performance, and only winning three out a possible seven stars. Afterward Kim told the exile camp: ‘It was f******* horrific.  I’m very proud of myself.’

 

Ant and Dec announce the result of the vote for the next trial – it was between Joe Bugner, who has been rude to camp mates such as Sabrina Washington, and Katie Price Katie said: ‘It’s the worst one I done.’ But the model will have no rest from challenges. Tonight will see her take part in Car-lamity, a trial where she will have to negotiate a car through various tasks such as driving through spider webs and drinking disgusting drinks. She she discovered she would be next, she said: ‘It’s obvious. What a surprise, Are you having a laugh?’ Meanwhile back at camp, Katie got her campmates talking about sex and relationships and admitted that she hoped boyfriend Alex Reid was ‘the one’. She asked couple Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister if they had an open marriage after 25 years together. Colin told her: ‘If you just find your life partner you don’t need to look elsewhere.’

 

Exiled camp mates Kim, Lucy Benjamin, George Hamilton, Sam Fox and Gino D’Acampo take part in the task to go back to base camp

 

Kim and Lucy lasted to the end of the trial but after four hours it went to a tie-break question, with Kim guessing the answer Katie then said: ‘I can’t wait to find another one that’s like proper life long like, you know. I don’t even know if Alex is… you don’t know… I’ve only been with him four months but it feels right. ‘But just to have that whole companionship, your soul mate.  How nice.’She began to open up about her divorce from Peter Andre. She said: ‘Its so sad really.  The whole situation.  It’s so sad.  When you spit up with someone, its not just them you leave, it’s the family.’

 

George comforts Lucy, who is missing her family

Viewers also saw the exile camp take part in a bush battle in order to win exemption from eviction and be returned to base camp. The camp mates had to take part in a fishing task and stop a float from touching the water by winding the fishing reel when necessary. The last one’s rod to touch the water is the winner. Sam Fox was the first out, followed by George Hamilton, who had previously taken time out to go to the loo, returning to his toadstool with his trousers round his knees for a joke. Gino D’Acampo was then disqualified for not playing the game properly, a decision that he was not happy about. Lucy Benjamin and Kim continued to battle it out for a place and to decide the winner,  the two celebrities had to play a tie-break round by guessing how long they had been competing in the fishing challenge. Kim was closest to the four hours 19 minutes and 13 seconds answer and was sent back to base camp.

Jordan at rock bottom after failing testes test

Katie Price was on the verge of meltdown in the jungle last night as she faced her most revolting challenge yet… eating a kangaroo’s testicle. It came after the model forced down fish eyes and a slice of roo’s bottom for her FIFTH consecutive trial – as friends and family spoke of their fears about her. Viewers last night saw Katie and How Clean Is Your House star Kim Woodburn, 67, faced with the disgusting bush tucker. After retching at the fish-eye, Katie forced down a helping of kangaroo bottom, prompting her to squeal: “It’s like partially-cooked mince.” But when confronted by the kangaroo’s privates, after cutting it up, she refused to scoff the “delicacy”, saying: “I’m not going to be known for eating a testicle.”

Katie’s mum Amy has urged producers to pull her daughter out of the jungle. A friend said: “Amy has been watching non-stop on TV and online. She knows how much her daughter can take and knows things have gone too far.” Pals also think her bid to win back the public by going on I’m A Celebrity could have backfired disastrously. And the Sunday Mirror can reveal even ex-husband Peter Andre has started feeling sorry for her. Peter, 36, has been throwing PARTIES at his Brighton home to watch her face the humiliating trials. But after it was clear she was not coping, he told off his brother Mike for making fun of her. A pal said: “Peter’s not letting anybody say a bad word about Katie. They’ve had a tough time but she’s still the mother of his kids.”

It means she will have gone nearly a month without being with her children. Peter has made sure Harvey, seven, Junior, four, and two-year-old Princess Tiammii see the messages she has sent out to them but have not seen their mum in distress. Katie has been left shaking in terror by her tasks and suffered a panic attack after crawling through rat-infested caves. In a message to pal Michelle Heaton, Katie said: ‘I’m depressed. I’m not coping.” Katie’s lover Alex Reid, 34, is flying out to Oz to support her and is expected to arrive tomorrow. But she has humiliated him by not mentioning him and talking of wanting babies… with someone else. He also had to pay for his own ticket. Tomorrow, insiders have revealed there will be a surprise eviction. But Katie is immune as she is in the luxury camp.

X Factor

Joe McElderry was given a rare standing ovation by all four judges last night after wowing them with his rendition of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.

The 18-year-old, who had been the last to perform, was praised by the judges who were unanimous that he had stolen the show. The finalists were performing George Michael tracks, with twins John and Edward performing I’m You Man and the Wham! Rap in their typical style, and Danyl Johnson singing Careless Whisper after a last minute song change. Impressive: Joe McElderry wowed the judges with his performance of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me during George Michael week

Passionate: The judges were so impressed with his ’show-stopping’ performance that they gave him a standing ovation

But it was Geordie Joe who won the approval of the judges with his rendition of the George Michael/Elton John duet. Dannii Minogue told him: ‘That was exceptional. There was such passion and honesty to your voice.’ And Louis Walsh added: ‘That was definitely the best performance of the night. You’ve got great appeal.’ But he added: ‘Madam’s broken the rules because that was an Elton John song.’ Simon Cowell told Louis: ‘Here’s a new rule. We’re going to stop you from speaking. After this young kid gets up on stage and does the performance of his life, absolutely 100per cent nailed the song, and you’ve got the audacity to sit there with your silly stupid rule book and say he only sang half the song. Who cares what you think?’

Rules? Dannii Minogue, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell applaud Geordie Joe but Louis argued that the track was an Elton John song Joe’s mentor Cheryl Cole, who was not wearing her wedding ring again, added: ‘You just stole the show. You smashed it. I could burst with pride.’ While twins John and Edward Grimes have entertained the judges for the past few weeks with their performances, last night’s performance did not seem to impress. The terrible twosome performed Wham! hits I’m Your Man mixed with the Wham! Rap with a big stage production. The pair even had a platform with their names printed on the top and wore typical 80s outfits with Choose Life! T-Shirts with white blazers and trousers.

Dannii told them:’ You look amazing. I want your costumes so badly.’ Wham! Terrible twosome John and Edward Grimes pulled out a song and dance routine to I’m Your Man

The twins also performed some of the Wham! Rap during the track

But she then added: ‘ You really shocked me tonight – the singing was in tune and the rapping was out of time. So I’m totally confused.’ Simon, who saved them from elimination two weeks ago and then admitted they were entertaing, said: ‘It wasn’t George and Andrew [Ridgeley]  – it was Andrew and Andrew. ‘ I think Louis is giving you too much to do. It’s like he’s turned you into his own action men doll. Every week, giving you crazy choreography. ‘I do actually think you have converted a lot of people guys and be proud of that. You are relentless. You’re like an unstoppable machine.’ Cheryl Cole did not wear her engagement ring again, but during the week took to Twitter to show she was wearing it and not breaking up with husband Ashley Cole After the show Cheryl puts on a show of unity with Ashley (wearing her ring) at Girls Aloud bandmates Sarah Harding and Kimberley Walh’s joint birthday party at Sarah’s club Kanaloa in Farringdon, London

After threatening to quit the X Factor over song choice this week, Danyl Johnson sang Careless Whisper and had a mixed reaction from the judges. Dannii told him: ‘You sang it perfectly’, while Louis said: ‘You can sing anything but I think you tried too hard tonight.’ Cheryl said: ‘To be honest, when you watch that back, parts of that were really flat. But I think your image and your performance are really fantastic’ The judges agreed that Danyl Johnson looked great, but Cheryl accused him of being flat during Careless Whisper

Danyl went back to see his pupils at Elstree School in Reading during the week

Simon disagreed and said: ‘ I think we were listening to two different songs there I genuinely do. Because why that was so good, in my opinion, that is what I call respecting the song, taking it, listening to it, doing something original with it. ‘Louis would have had you up on scaffolding, dressed in T-shirts. And by the way, just to clear this up – you were 100% right to chose that song.’ Danyl, 27, who had walked out of rehearsals after being given Praying For Time to perform admitted: ‘Me and simon sat down and discussed it. I’ve had a really up and down period in this show but I feel so lucky to be here and thank you Simon for being behind me.’ Stacey Solomon sparkled as she performed I Can’t Make You Love Me The singer was told her voice had become as big as her personality by the judges

Stacey Solomon, 19, impressed the audience and judges with George Michael’s 1997 hit I Can’t Make You Love Me. Dressed in a sparkling black dress, Stacey was told that her performances should catapult her to the final. Louis said: ‘You are a great performer and there is nothing phony about you. You have got star quality. That was an incredible song choice.’ Cheryl said Stacey’s voice had finally become as big as her personality and added: ‘You just need to begin to believe you can win now’. Simon was also full of praise: ‘You are one of the most genuinely nice people we’ve had on these shows. You’ve turned into a little star. Do I think it was as good as last week? No i don’t. But there’s no question you’re going to be here next week.’

Home: The finallists were allowed home this week and Stacey was allowed to visit son Zachary

Crowd favourite Olly Murs performed Fast Love, which Simon Cowell claimed would be the kind of song the 26-year-old would release as a record. His performance won screams and cheers from the audience but Dannii picked up on the flat notes in the first part of the song. She said: ‘Your performance is always polished. That’s a particularly hard song to sing. The first half there were tuning problems.’ Louis told Olly: ‘I loved everything about your performance. There’s nothing fake about you. You’ve got the potential to be the new pop star in the UK.’

Hip-thrusting: Olly Murs pulled out all the stops for Fast Love

Screams: Olly is a firm favourite with the judges and female viewers

Cheryl picked up on his appeal with both men and women, while Simon assured him: ‘You’re going to have no problems with the chicks when you leave this competition. ‘You’re turning into a really good performer. I see huge improvement on you week after week.’ Olly told Dermot after his performance: ‘I’m really enjoying it. I got to do a dance. I love being here and being part of the show and I just want to be a popstar. I’m enjoying myself every week.’ Lloyd Daniels performed George Michael’s 1987 hit Faith but won most praise for his newly spiky hair rather than his singing. Dannii told him: ‘That was a great opening to the show. You look fantastic tonight.’ Louis added:  ‘I love the hair, I love the image, I love everything except the voice. I think you’re out of your depth.’ He added: ‘He’s a great fighter but there are better singers in the competition.’ 16-year-old Lloyd sang George Michael’s Faith

But Simon was pleasantly pleased by the performance, telling him: ‘Lloyd that surprised me because that wasn’t bad at all. It wasn’t the best vocal I’ve ever heard. But you started to perform to the public. It started to look believable.’ The results show tonight on ITV will also feature performances by Mariah Carey and Susan Boyle.

Dannii wore a Ralph And Russo maxi dress with her hair in forties waves, Louis donned a bow tie, Cheryl wore shoe boots and a bow in her hair with a pink mini dress, while Simon looked wore a plain suit

The making of Belle de Jour: How an innocent girl turned into a high-class escort and why her father says it’s all his fault

His beloved only daughter has become the much talked-about darling of the chattering classes. She has written a series of best-selling books that have been turned into hit television dramas and used the profits to study for a PhD and devote her professional life to scientific research. On the face of it, any father would be proud. Yet Paul Magnanti is consumed by tears, guilt and grief.

His daughter is American research scientist Dr Brooke Magnanti – who last week outed herself as the £300-an-hour prostitute whose salacious confessional accounts of her life as a high-class prostitute were published under the nom-de-plume Belle de Jour. Mr Magnanti, a 60-year-old former plumber and gardener who lives on the Gulf coast of Florida, knew nothing of his daughter’s secret life until he read the papers last week. ‘It came as a complete shock to me. It’s heart-breaking for a father to hear something like that,’ he said. ‘She was Daddy’s girl, my only child. I always told people she was a little princess. ‘I don’t want to criticise her and I won’t know why she chose to do it until I speak to her. But it’s horrifying to think about it. ‘Prostitution goes hand in hand with drugs and, often, violence. God willing, nothing bad happened to her.’

Innocent: Brooke looking through the bars of her cot as a baby in 1976 and, right, father Paul Magnanti who is now estranged from his daughter Looking through well-worn family photo albums at pictures of an innocent and bespectacled Brooke during her schooldays, Mr Magnanti broke down and wept as he considered his part in his 34-year-old daughter’s decision to sell her body to well-heeled strangers. ‘If my behaviour caused her to go into that life, then that is the worst wrong I have ever done,’ he said. ‘If anybody in the family had a serious character fault, it was me. Her mother was and is a wonderful lady. ‘Maybe this was her way to get back at me.’ Belle de Jour’s father may well have a point. By his account, he had always been close to his only child. Despite his blue-collar life as a plumber, Mr Magnanti was a brilliant scientist who abandoned his university studies in physics in protest at the Vietnam War. When Brooke was born in 1975, it soon became clear that she shared his intellectual capacity.

He encouraged the bookish girl to devote herself to her studies and when she graduated from high school, he insisted she follow her dreams and enrol at Florida State University, rather than study at a less prestigious local college. But as soon as Brooke left the family home, Mr Magnanti’s marriage to Brooke’s mother Susan, a medical technician who now lives near Syracuse, New York, collapsed in acrimony. He sought solace in a rather extraordinary and sleazy fashion: he paid prostitutes for sex and became a crack-cocaine addict. He says he slept with about 150 call girls – and even lived with several – during a ten-year spiral of decline. During that time, he introduced Brooke to several of his prostitute girlfriends before she cut off all communications with him five years ago, after a fierce row about his drug abuse. Mr Magnanti gave up drugs last year, but remains estranged from his daughter. Brooke moved to England to study as a postgraduate student and between 2003 and late 2004 she wrote anonymous blogs under the title Diary Of A London Call Girl. She turned the diaries into books, and a TV series starring Billie Piper was based on her adventures. Brooke is now a research scientist in Bristol. In the perfect, titillating, literary world of Belle de Jour, Brooke insists she thoroughly enjoyed her naughty sideline as a high-class escort girl.

Growing up: Brooke poses at Christmas at the age of nine and, right, dressed up for her junior prom when she was 16

Others, though, might now be considering that her ability to compartmentalise her parallel lives as research scientist, student girlfriend, college oarswoman and London escort girl was, at best, emotionally distant and at worst glacially cold. It is scarcely a huge leap of faith to interpret her decision to become a prostitute as the perfect revenge for the betrayal of a father who had forsaken her for a life of dissipation. And whether the decision was conscious or not, her arrow has certainly hit its target. Paul Magnanti is clearly racked with remorse. He said: ‘I feel so guilty. I could have been a better father. ‘Maybe if I hadn’t spent all that money on drugs, she wouldn’t have done this. ‘Of course I could blame myself for her becoming a prostitute and, yes, I’ve thought maybe she did it as a way to get back at me for what I did. ‘Maybe she thought that because of the people I introduced her to, I was telling her that it was OK for her to become a prostitute. ‘I have no one to blame but myself.’

And certainly it was a messy ending to his marriage to Susan – ‘the girl next door’. Mr Magnanti had fallen in love with Brooke’s mother, Susan Levy, in New York in 1971 and married her two years later. They moved to Clearwater, on the western coast of Florida, abandoning their lives as hippyish student liberals when Paul dropped out of his undergraduate studies. He trained as a plumber and his £30,000-a-year salary was enough to buy a modest bungalow in a respectable area near the beach. Mr Magnanti broke down in tears again as he described the day his only daughter was born. ‘My wife had gone through six or seven miscarriages and one stillbirth, which had been devastating,’ he said. ‘When Brooke was born, she was beautiful. I enjoyed being a dad. They were the best years of my life.’At school, she shone academically.

Mr Magnanti said: ‘We sent her to a strict Catholic school and she skipped a year because she was so far ahead. ‘She wrote short tales at school and enjoyed reading. I would try to help her with her studies. She was a natural at writing.’ And she had no problems meeting boys.Her boyfriends were always respectable, nice boys and she would keep them for quite a while. ‘She wasn’t wild in any way but I realised that by the time she finished high school she was eager to leave Clearwater. ‘Her mother wanted her to go to a local college but I encouraged her to go to Florida State University in Tallahassee. ‘I remember driving her there with her things – it was such a great place. Brooke was eager for excitement and enjoyed her freedom but I don’t think she went crazy in college. ‘Her crowd ended up being the science crowd. I think that’s who she was comfortable with.’ Father and daughter kept in touch by letter and Brooke even seemed happy to tell Mr Magnanti about her love life. He said: ‘She met an Englishman called James while at Tallahassee. He was a chemist working on a project but once that was finished he had to go back to England. ‘James at one point asked her to marry him but she said no. She was very independent.’ After graduating, Brooke took time out in New Mexico. Mr Magnanti remembered Brooke seeing an Englishman named Anthony Nicholls while she was in Mexico – they knew each other from university in Florida. But she hadn’t given up on James. ‘She decided she wanted to go to the UK to see James and study. But I don’t think it worked out,’ he said. Mr Magnanti said his marriage ran into difficulties as soon as Brooke left for college, 200 miles away. ‘They say a lot of times the child is the glue holding the relationship and sadly it seems that was the case with us. ‘I think my ex-wife also resented the fact I encouraged Brooke to leave home. That caused a lot of friction and resentment. ‘Once we separated, I started messing with prostitutes and that goes hand in hand with drugs. I took one hit one night – one of these girls blew the smoke in my mouth – and that was it. ‘Sex and drugs is a powerful combination. It’s not something I’m proud of. It’s immoral, it’s wrong and it’s a weakness I had. ‘In the absence of a meaningful relationship, I tried to replace that with lots of sex with all kinds of women. ‘I was trying to hide the pain and my hurt, though there was a certain amount of excitement at first.’ ‘All I want is to tell her I’m sorry and to have her back in my life’ When it came to drugs, he said he was an addict – but maintained some self-control. ‘I never stole or ripped anyone off and I never dealt drugs. I would get my pay cheque on a Friday, pay my bills, send some money to Brooke and then buy drugs. ‘I would get high on the weekend and then by Monday I would be back at work as a plumber. ‘I was an addict but I was regimented. I’d send Brooke whatever money I could. Maybe $20 or $30 a week, sometimes a lot more. ‘Her mother also sent her some money. ‘Brooke told me she was having financial problems. When the financial problems seemed to go away, I guess I should have realised there was something going on. ‘But we weren’t that close by then. She was already starting to get annoyed at my behaviour.’ When they did meet, they argued over his drug use. ‘She would yell at me, “When are you going to stop using that?” ‘But the more guilty and unhappy I felt, the more I used drugs. ‘Our final falling-out came when I had a new girl move into my house. Brooke knew the girl was a prostitute and there would be drugs. ‘”It’s always the same story,” she said. “You got a new girlfriend and you are doing drugs. When are you going to stop?” ‘I walked out. I’d had enough of being yelled at. But I never saw her again. ‘I wrote her a letter apologising but I never heard back.’ Mr Magnanti admitted it ‘does seem very strange’ that his daughter should have had a secret life as a prostitute while becoming so angry with him. ‘But I’m not going to criticise her. All I want is to tell her I’m sorry and to have her back in my life,’ he added. ‘My addiction hurt my relationship with my daughter, my only child, and I want to put that straight. ‘Now I have a new life. It’s a respectable life and I’m determined not to fall back down. ‘Reading about Brooke has been a great shock but in a strange way I’m happy if it means we can be in touch again. ‘I have sent her a letter telling her I love her and how my life has changed. I’ve also asked her to get in touch. ‘I thought we’d given her a good moral foundation and, in general, I think we did, as she got a PhD and is a very smart girl. ‘But obviously something went wrong. ‘I’m proud of what she has achieved and have told her in my letter that I will never judge her. ‘Brooke is my only daughter and if we can be reconciled, we can finally put the past behind us.’ Critics of Belle de Jour have long pointed out that the character owes more to male fantasy than the soul-destroying reality of prostitution. One suspects that if father and daughter are reconciled, both will speak of regrets and of periods in their life they would rather leave behind.

]]> http://lilseby.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/un-moonwalk-ca-asta-nici-eu-nu-puteam-sa-fac/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:59:35 +0000 Lil Seby's Blog http://lilseby.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/un-moonwalk-ca-asta-nici-eu-nu-puteam-sa-fac/

Cel mai tare moonwalk ever:)) Tipu chiar da senzatia de alunecare:

credit : EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

A glitterious diamond encrusted glove, which Michael Jackson wore at the 1983 Motown 25 Televesion Special during which he premiered the moonwalk to the world, is set to be sold in a November 21, 2009 auction along with other Jackson memorabilia.

]]> http://neokoi.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/thriller/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:57:16 +0000 neokoi http://neokoi.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/thriller/

Walk…or better yet DANCE this Wednesday. Find out how!

Som väntat så här efter vaccinet så kan jag endast förflytta mig baklänges. Men jag menar, det funkar ju så man ska inte klaga tycker jag. Det var ju trots allt gratis.

//Pang

Un ritmo fenomenale. Una voce inconfondibile. Un volto altro. Una magrezza scarna. Non sono mai stata ad un concerto di Michael Jackson. Nè tantomeno sono una sua  fan. Riesco tuttavia a riconoscere, dopo aver visto il concerto di Bucarest tenuto dal Re del Pop nel ‘92 , di essermi accontentata delle briciole. In “this is it” Michael Jackson non c’era già più.

E non perchè il live che stesse preparando non fosse,come d’abitudine, spettacolare : ogni canzone aveva la sua scenografia, le sue coreografie e soprattutto un personale video di accompagnamento.Tutto era stato studiato nel dettaglio, pensato, provato, realizzato. Era quasi tutto perfetto, in perfetto stile Jackson. Ma dentro quell’ enorme giacca rossa e i pantaloni luccicanti,  questa volta non c’ era il  Re del Pop,  o meglio non era solo. Quello che ho visto, ancor prima di Jacko, è stata l’esilità di un corpo che non riesce più a soppartare la potenza vocale che da sempre lo ha accompagnato, ed una voce, una voce che vorrebbe manifestarsi in tutto il suo straordinario vigore ma non può.

E’ Michael stesso a frenare più volte il suo desiderio di “strafare” vocalmente. “Devo conservare la voce” qst ripete agli altri, ma ancor prima a se stesso. Perchè il suo animo è rimasto intatto, e come quello di Peter Pan, cui egli spesso si paragonava, desiderava volare alto. In “This is it” ci era riuscito di nuovo. Comunque.Nonostante tutto.

Dalle luci alle coreografie, dalla regia agli arrangiamenti, fino alla tonalità dei coristi. Per mesi Jackson non si è risparmiato, dando tutto se stesso per realizzare qualcosa di unico. Rivivere Thriller in 3D, o vedere Michael al fianco di Rita Hayworth in Gilda, o ancora inseguito e trivellato di colpi addirittura da Humphrey Bogart per Smooth Criminal, fino al fantastico ed ambientalista video postapocalittico di Human Nature è stato per certo il miglior dono che il cantante ha incosapevolmente lasciato ai suoi fans. Gli unici che da sempre lo hanno sostenuto ed hanno creduto in lui.

Il punto è che in “ This is it”, oltre il Re del Pop è rimasto impresso su nastro anche il suo “Man in the Mirror” che trasuda fragilità, timore, paura, insicurezza. In piena contraddizzione con il suo alter ego.

Il pensare che il film sia uscito postumo e rappresenti quasi 2 ore di lunghe, produttive e faticose settimane di prova di un concerto che non ci sarà mai, carica questo documentario di straordinaria importanza. Michael Jackson da’ l’anima per il suo grande ed atteso ritorno sulle scene. Ma prima un coktail letale decide di portarsi via la sua vita. Propofol e menzogne.

Il 29 Giungno 2009 la notizia del suo attacco cardiaco ancor prima di raggiungere la carta stampata e la televisione è già on line. La sua è la prima morte su internet.

L’ ultima uscita di scena del Re del Pop è sul web.

Cio che resta sono 110 minuti di pellicola imperdibili ed emozionanti. Ed un mito.

Non sono mai stata una fan di Michael Jackson ma quella sera, dopo aver visto “This is it”, mi sono sentita per un attimo una di loro. E come loro mi  sarebbe piaciuto uscire dalla sala cinematografica  a passo di “moonwalk”.

Separados por uma luva de brilhantes e uma capa preta.

]]> http://magnesiummouth.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/moonwalk/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:15:25 +0000 hallielizabeth http://magnesiummouth.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/moonwalk/

fred astaire was a good dancer

origins of the moonwalk

fred astaire dancing on the ceiling