this image was part of a morphing series which started out as small eggs, all I could do for a few weeks was to draw these shapes. They were full, ripe, bursting to take on a new life, but frustratingly I could not seem to move. Then one day, I drew them with sprouting life, like seeds germinating, the floodgates opened and the small egg shaped “seeds” grew long tendrils, and gradually morphed into fluid body shapes . Unusually never with heads, just long “searching” tendrils, both male and female forms who nurtured “eggs” of their own,

This time I felt the need to create a tributary, take one of the images into a new direction, chose morphed image no. 7 and these are the results

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Sacré Michael, tu ne changeras jamais, … Enfin, heu,  si.
A l’occasion de la sortie du film ‘This is it’ (première place du box-office nord-américain avec 21.3 millions US et 101 millions US dans le monde), j’ai décidé, moi, de ressortir des archives, ce morphing de 2006 : Michael Jackson, la transformation. Même hyper connu, ce montage est tout de même très impressionnant … Limite froid dans le dos.
La vidéo

Watch my cousin Alyssa and our omnipresent Ate Marlyn morph as they Photo Booth on my MacBook.

According to Aly, it is mandatory for anyone who has a Mac to morph themselves on Photo Booth. Honestly, I think it’s just an Atenean thing. (Yes, she’s from the Ateneo.) I haven’t Photo Boothed myself. I find it more interesting to type commands in the Terminal to allow my boyfriend to remotely access my computer, which was what I was doing in between Alyssa and Ate Marlyn’s Photo Booth sessions. (Yep, I pretty much trust my boyfriend that much.)

Anyways, here’s a gallery of all Photo Booth images on my laptop. Enjoy! Hey, maybe they’ll want to make you try Photo Booth yourselves.

Some samples tests at developing a glitch-morpher for “Euphorie”.
Hopefully I had an haircut since i took the snapshot.
Anyway ….

Last night’s America’s Next Top Model episode featured probably one of my favorite shoots ever, or at least one of the best mix of styling and outfit choices. The models moved to Hawaii (is that considered a foreign location?) and had to embrace and embody unexpected and unusual combos of foreign cultures that installed themselves in Hawaii carried by generations of immigrants. Far away from being historically and racially faithful, this glamorous version of what we call a mud was just great in the intentions of Tyra and the art direction team. Sadly some girls just got stuck and sank into a massive amount of clothes, head and neck pieces and the surrounding breathtaking landscape, others were able to master them being simply elegant and gracious dressed up dancers. The result is a mix of luxurious ethnic fashion photography and artistic beautifully crafted transvestitism that stands as a celebration of race-mixing and hybridity. That sometimes reads ‘high fashion’ and sometimes ‘National Geographic’.

Pictures property of CWTV

Brittany | Indian + Native American

Erin | Egyptian + Tibetian

Jennifer | Polynesian + Botswanian

Laura | Greek + Mexican

Nicole | Japanese + Malagasy

Sundai | Russian + Moroccan

Una animación muy particular, de la mano (y cabeza) de Gwen Vanhee.  Hay momentos en los que se puede parecer al típico salvapantallas pero tal y como está coordinada la imagen, el ritmo y el sonido, resulta casi hipnótico. 

Para empezar tranquilo el fin de semana.

In my youtube account, youtube recommended me to watch power rangers. Whats up with that? Feeling nostalgic, I clicked and watched. Let me tell you, IT WAS AWESOME. I forgot how much I love power rangers.

Although the plots are cheesy, I got to admit, they made ass kicking looked good. But, that martial art (if you can call those technique martial arts) is not what I’m into, it’s their visor/helmet. They look so awesome.

Imagine if I actually owned one. I’d wear it walking around, but I think shopping malls don’t allow helmets. Hmph. Maybe a cosplay convention. That’d be awesome.

Anyway, I got a comment from someone, saying Stephane Gately is an Irish and was not British. So, er, Stephane Gately is from Ireland, readers. Google map that place, I heard it’s pretty up there.

Kinda fun having random people dropping by my blog. I wonder if God ever reads my blog. But that wouldn’t be necessary ’cause He reads mind.

Oh, sorry no pictures today. The internet is kinda, uh, bitching again. Can’t upload photos.

It’s totally morphing time.

iRobots y Darpa están creando tecnología para desarrollar  robots blandos, capaces de adquirir formas diferentes según se requiera. Si no he entendido mal, “es un poco” como una adaptación de una suspensión neumática de coche chicano. Al poner o quitar el aire las particulas comprendidas dentro de las paredes de la forma blanda, adquieren una estructura u otra. La verdad que aunque queda mucho aún, tiene una pinta buenisima para protesis, etc…

Vale también pense en juguetes eróticos…

Post by: Stylean

…slam into the side of my head, forcing me to rethink the world as it seems to exist…and instead, consider more than the mundane…radical ripples spread out and change is effected.

Seven years ago I left a lifetime of a lifestyle best described as indescribable – that of a TV news photojournalist. The term videojournalist had barely been coined at the time.

The problem is, I never really left news…it is in my pores…blood…every sleeping and waking moment. The more I tried to escape, the stronger the pull.

Back to the reality…

Since starting this site, journalism has evolved – morphed – into an amorphous entity which is neither what it were nor what it will become. The role of the citizen journalist has risen from that of a scorned, obsure whisper to a community voice to be reckoned with. Newspapers discovered video and hailed it as a lifesaver, then simply put it back into the bag of resources necessary to cover news. Broadcast news, late on the bandwagon, is turning more and more to an audience that lives and breathes virtually virally.

In my small corner of the universe, I watch and observe. Beginning today, I intend to observe and comment on this evolution…on the local news scene as well as on a state, national, and occasionally, international level. Co-contributer Kathleen Newell will contribute to these discussions as well.

As should you – the audience. We feel an intelligent audience demands more than a stilted pre-arranged presentation of what a small pool of people think is important. In today’s world the audience should be in partnership with the news gatherers, acting both as a watchdog and resource.

Posted by Cyndy Green

dear readerly folks,
i’m branching out.
the detail format is expanding
morphing
shape shifting….

it’s still about the details
just perhaps less about the list.

tell me what you think.

you don’t need to know this
but i’m telling you anyway:
i cried three times
today

first:
front yard
blue chair
flaking
gathering sun into hungry skin
pen to paper
writing across a great expanse
tightening some heart stitches
unraveling others

second:
in short sleeve tshirt
after collecting all that front porch sun
two coconut haystacks in my stomach
bed splayed
natalie’s hand in mine
the stories
that insist
on repeating themselves
about recklessness
about amnesia
about the butchering

third:
velvet theater seat
popcorn hands
acts of paperless bravery
(you must see this documentary)
narrated on screen
and connections
that make my brain hurt
in a good way
the legacy of racism
the insdustry of deportations
families fragmented
if you cut each of us/any of us
there is blood

and then there’s this:

i have been obsessed
with these photos
of china’s 60th anniversery of communism
celebration
but the best one is on the actual cover
of the friday oct 2nd new york times
and i can’t find it anywhere on the internerd…

Vi segnalo www.morphthing.com, sito che permette di selezionare due foto da un vasto archivio di volti di personaggi famosi (oppure di caricarne di proprie) e letteralmente fonderle insieme (tutto online in puro stile web 2.0). In particolare la funzione Morph a Baby ci mostra come saranno i nostri figli XD Davvero divertente e semplice da usare!

6. study of structure of something’s parts: the study of the structure of anything made up of interconnected or interdependent parts

I have not been here for several weeks due to being busy in other areas of my existence. First, came a nasty summer cold with all the attending hacking, sneezing, and sniffling. Second, was a family crisis with my Mom which continues and will do so for some time. Last of all, my router went out and I had to order and wait for a new one to get back on the Internet.

But, I have found a new word to play with, Morphology, and one of its several definitions is listed above. I, at first, intended to use it to define all the doodling I have been doing. I started out doing Zentangle Mandalas, but that morphed into something else that morphed into yet something different again. It just kept morphing, thus the new word. Before you get completely confused, I’ll give you examples.

Zentangle Mandala 8/12/09

This is the sort of thing I started out to fill my sketch book with. That however, morphed into other images.

Zentangle 8/13/09

And morphed again when I added color and realized that the images were a bit of fantasy.

Fantasy - The Gate 8/25/09

I was happy and content with the word, until an older and far better artist than myself, pointed out that these images could only be two dimensional and therefore couldn’t actually be considered a structure. Semantics!

We did explore other possibilities such as Doodlology (I had to try it four times before I could actually say it, and laughing didn’t help), as well as Scribblosophy, because, of course the images have stories built into them. But, semantics aside, I still am leaning toward my original choice.

During all of this stress and busyness, I continued to fill the pages of my journal as well as my sketchbook. And began to see a definite connection between the two. My journal is written in English, but my sketchbook is an entirely different language, one I am learning and watching expand on a daily basis. I truly want to title the sketchbook The Art of Morphology. Then realized that might be a good title for my journal as well.

My life is morphing with each new day. My consistent journal entries are actually my own study of the structure of my personal existence. The pieces and parts of that existence are definitely interdependent and even, sometimes interchangeable.

I think that the best part of all of this is that my sketchbook is actually another kind of journal. One that is far more deeply connected to my subconscious awareness of what is happening in and around me. One I might have missed entirely if I hadn’t been cataloging my attempts on my daily journal pages. It has been filled with wonderful little surprises and a plethora of connections to all sorts of other things, including some of my poetry from many years ago.

If we allow it, we all grow on a daily basis. We change and become other than we were yesterday or the day before that. In that sense, we morph from one level of existence into others. Being aware, studying those changes, can and does make that process easier at moments. Journal writing and doodling are ways of accomplishing that process. Simple ways that can result in deep satisfaction and also moments of delight.

Yeahhh, Yeahhh, Yeahhh.
Wolverine, Star Trek, Batman und Sex and the City. UND YEAHH, YEAHHH, YEAHHH. So genung gesagt, viel Spaß.

Inovadora tecnologia ‘ModeShift‘ da Motorola traz um layout moderno das teclas que combina elementos como uma superfí­cie sensí­vel ao toque e botões retroiluminados que mudam as teclas de cor a partir do modo selecionado, tornando o celular morphing.

Em outras palavras, o aparelho se transforma de telefone em tocador de música ou câmera digital com apenas um toque através de um teclado inteligente que se comunica com o usuário por cores.

Esta inovadora tecnologia é exclusiva da Motorola. Veja abaixo a lista dos aparelhos lançados que contém esta incrível tecnologia, além de imagens e vídeos que demonstram o funcionamento da tecnologia ‘ModeShift Morphing’.

• Motozine ZN5
• MotoRokr E8
• MotoRokr EM30 (2a edição!)
• iDEN i9 (Motorola + Nextel) – Vídeo: http://mais.uol.com.br/view/187496

Imagens:

• MotoRokr E8
  1 - Câmera; 2 - Tocador MP3; 3 - Telefone Celular

Two exercises that I did in the first few months of school : A transformation/morphing exercise for Design Fundamentals , and a Piracy scrap-collage and plasticine translation for Perceptive Skills.

exercise one.
TRANSFORMATION: windmill to duck

The brief was to transform one object to another in 12 steps. Each image should be seen as a gradual step forward/backward to the images adjacent to it, so that whether you view steps from image 1 to image 2, or vice-versa, it makes visual sense.

In other words, you can’t have i.e A FISH (image 1), a fish-like blob for the next 10 steps, then suddenly, ta-daahh! A FLOWER (image 2). No, that’s wrong. You could. If you wanted to get majorly screwed.

Amusingly enough, I started off wanting to morph a vintage fan into a hummingbird. However, along the way ( after the expected alterations and suggestions)…. I landed up with a paper windmill and a duck of some kind. At least they’re close enough to be relatives.

Some sketches I did for my research on ducks

Initial sketches for windmill to hummingbird

Initial sketches for windmill to duck

I spent a night measuring, cutting, sketching and inking the outlines. Of course, the hardworking adrenaline that got me through the dark wee hours was due to the beautiful deadline that loomed on the next day’s horizon.

Inking the ducks

Outlining the paper windmills

My instructor commented she was impressed with my neat documentation of the work process, but secretly, we know the truth is that my hand started cramping after 3 straight hours of inking and shading and I decided to put down that damn 0.1 pen and take photos to while away the time.

Getting ready to mount the work

Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get a good shot of the final work because I handed it up the moment I got to the school, but here’s a quick snap I took with my phone.

exercise two.
PERCEPTIVE SKILLS: piracy

One of the most fun class exercises I’ve had out of all the classes. We were told to fill an A3 sheet with scraps from magazines to represent our view on piracy and then explain our choices. The following class session, we were to mould a 3D representation of our views in plasticine. For each, we had about 1.5 hours to complete from brainstorming to end product.

Our quickly sculpted models

Some people filled their page with movie titles, another with different luxury brands and yet another with fashion. Mine was more on the internet side of piracy. It was text-heavy with jumbled phrases from the magazines to form the certain notions/ideas like:

• [top right]
  Piracy is “treasured trash” because what maybe one man’s junk might be treasure to another (which is why you find multitudes of random songs, videos, books, etc..) and “adults can find something to love”;

• In this world where everybody is busy (“individuals on the move”), it’s so convenient to pirate because it’s usually right “at your doorstep”

• [middle right]
  It seems like an “inevitable community” that people end up “joining” . And community is 2x because it takes two parties to complete  piracy exchange.

• We’ve “lost count” of the millions of faceless, nameless “contributors”

• [bottom left]
  It’s “an endless war” between what’s right/what’s not ; what’s real/what’s fake; your copyright conscience/the easy,cheap attraction of piracy

This was going along the “treasured trash” idea where faceless figures are sieving through the trash and picking up bits that they like, making them into precious items that they store (e.g. the lady with her basket of rounded balls). The trash is spewing out from a giant – relatively – god-like head, like those you see on Easter island.. ..that no one really knows the beginning of a pirated product’s existence and that piracy combined is greater than the individual, and sometimes seems almost like a cult in terms of the number of people who subscribe to it.

There are thoughts I could have better visualised and not sound like such a pompous ass when I say them aloud, but…anyway, that’s what was going through my mind when I did the exercise months ago!

]]> http://mellowcricket.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/starlets/ Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:18:45 +0000 Ian http://mellowcricket.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/starlets/

Kristen Stewart’s simplicity and beauty dazzles on the cover of Dazed & Confused magazine.  Totally trippy! While Madonna celebrated her 51st birthday,with three of her children. Even trippyer! She’s looking good.

When the city of Los Angeles votes their news topics of interest each day in Hollywood, here’s how it looks:

1. THE HORIWOOD TOP 10 – SUN 8.16.09

2. KARDASHIAN FAMILY FASHION IS THE #1 TRENDING TOPIC ON THE AMERICAN BRAIN

3. ANNA PAQUIN LEADS TRUE BLOOD TO HBO’S RATINGS GOLD

4. KELLAN LUTZ HAS BULKED UP FOR ECLIPSE

5. LIKE MJ, BEYONCE GIVES A HELPING HAND

6. HORIWOOD’S TOP RANKING CELEBRITIES LIST FOR 2009

7. WHAT DOES A NEW YORK TIMES #1 BEST SELLING AUTHOR LOOL LIKE?

8. TOP BOLLYWOOD STARS IN THE WORLD

9. HEIDI MONTAG’S HUSTLE IS “DIRTY RICH” ON PLAYBOY

10. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE PARODIES LADY GAGA’S “MEDIOCRE FACE” SONG

Bonus Post: WHITE PEOPLE BEHAVING BADLY 3: “DIFFERENT STROKES” TEA PARTY PROTEST SIGN

horiwood’slatest tweet on twitter is: “it pays to shop around. tonight i went to pavilions, traders joes + gelsens to do grocery shopping. by comparing prices i saved $23. yes!less than 5 seconds ago from web

Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston share an uncanny similarity in the same taste in…. leather dresses. Funny that. Here’s the top 10 posts on Horiwood.Com today here in Hollywood, LA, California.

1. V MAGAZINE OUT TAKE: LADY GAGA PIC

2. VANESSA HUDGENS GROWS UP IN HER FILM ROLE CHOICES

3. FARRAH FAWCETT COVERS PEOPLE MAGAZINE

4. TWILIGHT’S KELAN LUTZ FLAUNTS HIS SEXY

5. ZOE KRAVITZ- BOHEMIAN ROCK CHIC – NEW YORK FASHIN WEEK

6. THE VAMPIRE LIST: THE 20 TOP VAMPIRES OF ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY

7. BRITNEY SPEARS LOSES 20 POUNDS IN 4 WEEKS

8. ZAC EFRON: WALKS THE LINE IN HOLLYWOOD

9. SMASHPROOF – IT’S FRIDAY IN HOLLYWOOD

10. TOP RANKING CELEBRITIES LIST FOR 2009

horiwood’slatest tweet on twitter is: “dale k has become a redhead in wellington, new zealand. woah! somebody’s gotta bottle that degree of hotness asap. less than 5 seconds ago from web

Blog numbers don’t lie on the internet. Their numbers are 3-4 months ahead of magazines in who the world’s biggest stars are.

These are the top ranking stars and celebrities so far this year, here in Hollywood. For whatever reason, you the global audience on Horiwood.Com voted for them and gave them the attention you feel they deserve as entertainers who amuse you. Enjoy your celebrities for 2009!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may be what everyone perceive to be the most searched for celebrities in the world, but it is actually surprise up-and-coming stars, like Nikki Reid of The Twilight Saga, Johnny Markoudakis of West Hollywood and Miss Tessa (a fashion designer, artist and model) of New Zealand who keep the fame game interesting.

Of course Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett’s deaths and Rihanna’s domestic violence issue with Chris Brown have been some of the biggest media moments this year in entertainment. 2009’s popularity this year however, has to belong to author Stephenie Meyer and the bevvy of young Hollywood actors that she created and spun into young Hollywood superstars with her Twilight Saga novels through Summit Entertainment.

Of noteworthy significance is what Stephenie Meyer has done for Native American people in giving young American ‘Indian’ actors a center stage spotlight in mainstream cinemas again in our times. That’s amazing today, as the blog numbers show.

So, it’s with great pleasure that I present to you, your 50 top celebrities on Horiwood.Com. Thanks Team.

1. NIKKI REID :She is the naughty girl of the Twilight Saga film franchise, whose often held under wraps, by Summit Entertainment. When the heat was on Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s chemistry, it was Nikki’s scene stealing appearance with Native American Indian youngster, Taylor Lautner, that garnered Nikki Reid the top spot all year on Horiwood.Com. This one pic is the most searched for on this entertainment and news website in Hollywood. Reid is a big ’sleeping’ star in the making.

2. DAVID CARRADINE: the veteran, Hollywood actor’s kinky & mysterious death, was a fascinating look  into the darker side of human nature. People all over the world are still interested in David Carradine’s tragic passing.

3. KATHERINE HEIGL: She’s one of the most underpaid TV actresses in prime time. Blake Lively of Gossip Girl earns thousands more than Heigl does on hit medic show, Grey’s Anatomy. Heigl’s costar, Ellen Pompeio does too. Despite, being under appreciated in the TV pay stakes and being gracious about it, Katherine Heigl is often framed as a b*tch by LA media. However, my friends who work on the set of Grey’s each day, say that you will never find a sweeter star whose more of a team player in Hollywood than “Ms Heigl.”

Her divaness to turn on a show Hollywood style becomes apparent on the red carpet,  or in the quirky romantic comedy films she appears in (Knocked Up and The Ugly Truth). Heigl channels old Hollywood glamour. She is the real deal, and comes in at #3 on Horiwoood.Com’s most searched for celebrities.

4. HAYDEN PANETTIERE: The stories that the film crew of Heroes TV series, tell in Hollywood of Hayden Panettiere are hysterical. This girl is not a child in any way, but she has a cult teen following here in America. Hayden Panettiere is a young actress who fascinates American girls. They all want to be like her. This image of Hayden in a country straw hat, and cut off shorts, clocks in at number 4 for the year to date, on Horiwood.Com. America loves a country girl gone bad. Add Heroes’ action, super-powers to her and Hayden Panettiere has it made.

5. LADY GAGA: When it comes to the world of pop, there is no other debut artist who has made the impressions with music, attitude and show-personship than Stefani Germanotta’s Lady Gaga creation. She always brings the fierce, is a great songwriter and lyricist; and Lady Gaga will wear anything outrageous to capture a headline every week. She’s a relentless marketing machine. However, it is her claim that Lady Gaga is bisexual, that ensured her rise to  fame this year, as this post proves on Horiwood.Com. 

6. AMBER ROSE: She is not a singer, she is not an actress. Her claim to fame is that she is an African American model, who happened to date hip hop artist, Kanye West. But Amber Rose totally fascinates people daily on Horiwood.Com. She is the most underrated person on the celebrity set in America. But her fame online supersedes many stars who still say that they are stars. The internet never lies. That’s Amber Rose’s proof in today’s celebrity rankings. This girl is huge!

Her sultry beauty and no nonsense diva attitude, combine the best of fashion, urban chic groove and hip hop music. She just is who she is, a true star as her ratings position and popularity reveals on Horiwood.Com. Amber Rose is the new Nicole Richie, basically.

 7. KRISTEN STEWART: The Twilight Saga’s, Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse films show how one author’s vision can create a superstar if they have the beauty, smarts and chops to fill the role. Stephenie Meyer gave actress Kristin Stewart, the chance to show the world who she really is. She’s a stunner and a big star on Horiwood.Com. LA raised, Stewart’s family all work in film, on the crew side of the production line. When Kristen stepped over the gaffer tape line, she has never looked back and a superstar, playing Twilight’s Bella was born.

I love her singing voice too. Like her face, her voice is so pretty and soulful. A girl who can make both Robert Pattinson hot and also Taylor Lautner so  hot, has got to have enough sensuality to do this. Stewart proves she has. She is often a hate target of bloggers like PerezHilton.Com and female fans in love with her costar, Robert Pattinson, but Stewart keeps going from strength to strength here in her native LA. We love her!

8. MILEY CYRUS: She is because she is. She stepped into the ready made American shoes, of Britney Spears, teen pop star sensationalism. Having met Miley Cyrus in person, there is nothing to explain why America’s reigning teen superstar has the ranking that she does on Horiwood.Com with our global audience. I swear, Miley is so much prettier in person. She’s also incredibly smart. In person, Cyrus is so humble. That’s the shocking part. She’s a bundle of sweetness that fears God and who is naughty a lot too like any kid her own age, adjusting, growing and living life.

In spite of being a global megastar, Miley Cyrus is just such an American teenager! Love her!!!

9. MICHAEL JACKSON: He was the King of Pop and the third most famous person on the planet, after the Queen of England and The Pope. The world stopped to honor a person who was rich in complexity and talent. He paved the way for all African Americans to be loved in high profile positions in America and worldwide. This cannot be diminished or forgotton as your votes this year show today.

There will never be a performer quite like Michael Jackson. Barry Gordy described Michael Jackson as “the greatest entertainer on the planet” at his memorial service. Too true!

10. FARRAH FAWCETT: Charlie’s Angels hottest star ever. The beauty of Farrah Fawcett was always her strength of spirit. This became apparent as the lovely Farrah left this world, losing her battle to anal cancer. She ranks by all audience viewers worldwide at #10 on Horiwood.Com so far in 2009. What a gem of a human being!

11. LIL KIM: She is the world’s most famous hip hop widow. The rapper known as Lil Kim’s fame soared this year with her celebrity turn on Dancing With The Stars.

12. ROBERT PATTINSON: He took the box office magic of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter film franchise, and gave the Twilight Saga the much needed celebrity spark that Stephenie Meyer needed to kick start the Twilight film franchise, perfectly. Robert Pattinson is Hollywood’s young reigning King of the tween celebrity set as a result of a Meyer-Pattinson-Rowling connection.

He hails from the UK and it is his onscreen relationship with Kristen Sewart who has made the Brit (who does not really work out at the gym like his costar, Kellan Lutz does) so appealing in the eyes of girls and cougars the world over. You get the feeling with Robbo that he doesn’t give a toss about his fame. This doesn’t stop girls from throwing themselves at the star though all year round. He needs security wherever he goes.

13. RIHANNA: Rihanna’s unfortunate altercation, with then boyfriend, Chris Brown on February 8th, sparked off a ‘domestic violence’ discussion right across America.

The pre-grammy night moment was very disturbia inducing. Horiwood.Com started the next day in response to this moment in shhow biz. Rihanna rates on blogs and websites right across America. She is Barbados’ exotic pop princess, doing it better, than many Americans. She’s a honey. As tough as she is talented and pretty within the fame game. The girl just lives her life, here in LA.

14. JOHNNY MARKOUDAKIS: He’s a barman that works at the local in my hood of West Hollywood, but it was when Johnny Markoudakis appeared in Lady Gaga’s Nothing Else I Can Say video, that made him a cult Hollywood heartthrob here on Horiwood.Com. Like Nikki Reid (who beat out all celebrities this year), Johnny is one of the shock surprises of the year on who really is a star in Hollywood. The people decide. Nikki and Johnny are both proof of that principle in a democratic, consumer based society.

15. CARRIE PREJEAN: America’s fascination with Carrie Prejean and all things plastic surgery, led the de-crowned Californian beauty Queen to superstardom this year on Horiwood.Com. Hate her or love her, this girl rates. The numbers don’t lie.

16. MEGAN FOX: She transformed from a cutie into a global Hollywood superstar, with Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen. Borrowing a lot initially from the style and PR moves that Angelina Jolie once made as a youngster on the Hollywood chess board, Fox has now stopped mimicking Angie, to step into her own spotlight and find her own voice.

Her video on peer pressure for kids is kinda amazing. It’s what she’s been experiencing lately having being bullied by her Transformers director, Michael Bay in the press. Fox’s statement is, that she may be his actress for a film franchise, but she’s not his girl toy. Love this girl. She’s annoying and church raised, but we’ve got to forgive her for in your face obnoxiousness. Balancing fame is always hard, when it comes to you in a rush, like it has for Fox. She’s alright with me.

17. BEYONCE KNOWLES: No one can out peform Beyonce Knowles. She’s America’s greatest triple threat entertainer and the living female version of a Michael Jackson superstar that America has produced (alongwith Janet Jackson, of course).

Beyonce can open a movie at #1 at the box office and she added executive film producer title to her impressive resume in entertainment this year with her film Obsessed. She is the American King and Queen’s first choice of officiating entertainer. The Obama’s love her. So do I. Beyonce Knowles is such a hard worker. I loved her live in concert. She rocks!

18. OCTO-MOM: Having octuplets when you can’t afford them tapped into America’s obsession with anything that’s medically enhanced. Nadya Suleman’s Octo-Mom creation and manic lifestyle, clocks in at #17 this year.

19. JON & KATE GOSSELIN: A family struggling to raise 8 kids, while divorcing propelled Jon & Kate Gosselin to fame this year. They rate on magazine covers as highly as Brad Patt and Angelina Jolie. They are the poor man’s Brad & Angie of reality television suburban life and they are single-handedly responsible for giving the tabloid magazine industry a huge growth boost this year.

The fact that the Jon & Kate Gosselin could do this in a recession, shows that middle America fears losing their family, putting food on the table and knowing the difference between stress and love in these times of recession. That’s why the Gosselin’s strike a cultural resonance across America. In other countries, not so much.

20. MICHAEL JACKSON’S CHILDREN: PARIS JACKSON, PRINCE MICHAEL JACKSON I & BLANKET: A new Paris  rose on the celebrity set this year and it was not Paris Hilton. The world reached out to the predicament that Michael Jackson’s children were found in, when their famous dad, left them early in this world. Paris Katherine Jackson tore hearts open with her few words about her father at MJ’s memorial. Even the most hardbitten, cynical journalists burst into tears.

21. ANGELINA JOLIE: She has set the benchmark of all celebrities to emulate both now and forever. Beauty, riches and fame must be used to benefit humanity. That’s the purpose of possessing or pursuing any of these three things. To do for others lesser fortunate than one’s self or one’s own.

Her star template she has created, makes Angelina Jolie the author of all modern thinking stars who say they love others. She’s Forbe Magazine’s #1 celebrity in the world. Love this woman!

If I had my way, Angelina Jolie would be #1 on this list of top celebrities, but ya’ll didn’t vote that way and that would be cheating, so she sits at #21 today.

22. BRAD PITT: He is half of the reigning king and queen of Hollywood equation. Brad Pitt has long been loved in America and in Asian cultures too. Brad has recently announced his intentions to run for the Mayor of New Orleans. Of course he is joking, but what better way to promote his charity that is rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation than this. Brad Pitt is one smart marketer of his image and humanitarian-focused brand.

When your Mrs is Angelina Jolie, you better rock it like a humanitarian if you want to be considered sexy. Brad Pitt does not disappoint in this regard. He’s globally and humanitarian conscious, which makes him sexy when he gets home from work. Too funny!

23.BRAD COOPER: It was the exceptional timing of a well written comedic script for The Hang Over that catapulted Brad Cooper into fame’s super celebrity spotlight. He ranks at number twenty on this website this year for celebrity rankings put to the vote by a global audience.

24. STEPHENIE MEYER: As an author, Stephenie Meyer is this year’s J.K Rowling. Creating the Twilight Saga into a film franchise and super brand of entertainment, merchandising and now fashion and cosmetics, shows that authors can potentially be the architects of Hollywood industry.

We love her most, not for just making vampires hot again, but for giving Native American Indians a center-stage spotlight, honoring what these tribes of people have given early America’s founding fathers largely without just recognition. The humanitarian in Meyer addressed this wrong. Stephenie Meyer is amazing! Smart and with a conscience that’s alive to history. She sees history like it just happened yesterday. Wow!

25. TAYLOR LAUTNER: He’s 17, First Native American and Stephenie Meyer is showcasing him to the world. He is America’s leading Injun superstar of the moment and we dig Taylor Lautner’s wolf pack lad shizzle. Hot!

26. SUSAN BOYLE: Susan Boyle was the ugly duckling from Scotland, who revelaed the inner swan in us all, proving that we often judge books by their cover wrongly and that beauty is more than skin deep. What an amazing feat by the break out YouTube star and debut singing artist of this century. Age is nothing but a number. Let your dream always live! I am surprised that Boyle is not higher up on this list.

27. MISS TESSA: She’s an artist, a photographer, a fashion desinger and a fashionista. Fashion and art are in her soul and she’s our silent star of Horiwood.Com. We all love Miss Tessa. So effortlessly talented and beautiful too.

28. ALEX MERAZ: He’s the native American actor whose consistently rated on this celebrity driven website since he first appeared on the scene when the dancer/ actor was cast in New Moon. Alex is also the first Twilight Saga parent of the young tween set being the father of Somack Meraz and husband of Vietnamese dancer, Kim Meraz. He is Kellan Lutz’s pick of being the next big Twilight Saga star. Being a working dad makes Meraz a hardworking man in Hollywood. Meraz hails from Phoenix Arizona.

29. KIOWA GORDON, CHASKE SPENCER, BRONSON PELLETIER: These three lads casting in Twilight’s New Moon gave Hollywood film three new rising stars that caused a furore in Tinsel Town and the world.

30. JUSTIN GATSON: He was a wannabe country singer, supporting his singing dream as an underwear model. He was then plucked out from the pack by Billy Ray Cyrus, to date his daughter, Miley Cyrus. When the relationship had run its course, Justin found himself famous in the fame game and bereft of all promises. He is remembered though on Horiwood.Com and in time, his solo star will rise again. Courage To Love brother! Congrats for making #30 on the top celebrity list. That’s a fine effort for an underpaid guy to still achieve on his own merits. Props!

31. SALVADOR DALI: Because Hollywood is more surreal than real, a surrealist artist whose either dead or alive is going to rate well on a Hollywood news, celebrity website. Spanish artist Salvador Dali has a cult following in Hollywood on Horiwood.Com. Though deceased he lives on in his art. Dali was so talented!

32. VANESSA HUDGENS: Her knack of surviving naked pic scandals has garnered ex-Disney trained star, Vanessa Hudgens her place in Hollywood. Tinsel Town is not all Disney Snow White-ish you know, that’s why Hudgens has earned her place as a celebrity news staple. She rates and pulls her weight in Hollywood!

33. ANNE HATHAWAY: She became a symbol of America surviving George W.Bush’s creepy economy-destroying policies and bad governance, when Anne Hathaway survived a boyfriend who was jailed for fraud. Her beauty and her acting talents being revived, garnered Anne Hathaway a worlwide following this year.

34. CHACE CRAWFORD: It was the Gossip Girl star’s casting in Footloose this year, that blew Chace Crawford up into film star status. He still has to deliver a good film, but we are rooting for him on Horiwood.Com.

35. SIR RICHARD BRANSON: With the help of naked supermodel, Denni Parkinson, Richard Branson, our favorite billionaire guy who flies the skies, captured his own share of the limelight this year. Innovative and Clever!

36. BROOKE SHIELDS: Her sincerity at her friend Michael Jackson’s passing won America’s heart as Brooke Shields snatched the America’s Sweetheart title this year. What an amazing person Brooke Shields is. Sincerity is something you cannot buy or fake in the fame game and this sweet souled actress, still has it. Props!

37. SELENA GOMEZ: Her flirtation with Twilight New Moon actor Taylor Lautner, got Disney’s Latina hottie, Selena Gomez her share of fame this year. An animal rights activist, Selena Gomez is such a cutie. She’s a young lady who knows how to work the star system.

38. EMMA WATSON: She saw her fellow Brit, Robert Pattinson, up his game in America and take over the leading Brit tween male role from Daniel Radcliffe, but that did not stop Harry Potter’s Emma Watson from ramping her star game and getting noticed this year. We love her because she is both pretty and smart. Oh and the rich single title doesn’t go against this young British girl either. Nice work Emma Watson, this year. She’s got her game on!

39. ALISON IRAHETA: She’s the closest music artist to Kelly Clarkson, that American Idol has ever seen. This girl has pipes. Her talent alone put her in the top 50 on Horiwood.Com. If this hadn’t of been a ‘boy’s’ year, Alison would be the reigning American Idol of the USA. Your vote let’s me know that. Congrats Alison Iraheta. The talented person does shine through in the end.

40. MICHELLE OBAMA: She’s the First Lady of America. What Michelle Obama brings to peoples consciousness is a strength in being both American and African American. Her fashion choices and her toned arms, gave Michelle Obama the #40 celebrity spot this year, along with her amazing ability to dream an American dream and live it with courage every day. Wow!

41. JENNIFER ANISTON: She’s made a career  out of being a spinster everyone still loves. Aniston still makes lists in her 40s as a romantic comedy actress. Love it that she does.

42. MAXWELL: His soulful return to r n b music, ensured that Maxwell is #42 on the hottest celebrity list this year. This man can sing! That’s what he’s about.

43. ADAM LAMBERT: His battle to be afforded the right, just to be himself, has made American Idol contestant Adam Lambert a popular figure of the people. He has the talent to go with his fame. American Idol Tour tickets have been selling out, with Lambert as the big draw. Congrats Mr Lambert on getting through your trial by fire into celebrity land this year. This kid is rocker tough.

44. JERMAINE JACKSON: Being the spokesperson for brother Michael Jackson’s death, catapulted Jermaine Jackson back into the public spotlight this year.

45. ZAC EFRON: Disney trained star, Zac Efron is a triple threat who proved he can open a movie at #1 without all the Disney Hoopla attached to him. He does shimmy with Vanessa Hudgens in real life, which helps him a lot! Lopping off his famous boy bangs was a recession friendly move. Blokes don’t have the time, energy or money to waste on fluffing with their hair these days. Congrats Zac for making the top 50 on Horiwood.Com

46. CHASTITY BONO: Cher’s daughter, Chastity Bono caused headlines and prime time news coverage to freak out this year (just a little!), when the daughter of Sonny & Cher announced she was undergoing gender reassignment treatment and was on her way to switching genders and becoming a bloke. Radical! Chastity Bono and Jennifer Aniston both were best mates in high school. It’s amazing how many different routes stars can go in the fame game. This town is different.

47. LISA MARIE PRESLEY: The King of Rock’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley showed what being Elvis kin is all about, when she stepped up to the plate to shed some light on what being Michael Jackson’s wife was all about in show biz, after MJ died. It shot the spotlight shunning Presley back into headlines again. She was quite insightful, refreshing her Graceland merchandising and brand like that.

48. FRAN DRESCHER & BILL CLINTON: A naughty and friendly pat on the rump, by President Bill Clinton on Fran Drescher’s behind, shot the Nanny star and the ex-President to celebrity status fame again this year. These two are just two playful kids trying to do good in the world. Age is nothing but a number, as they both playfully showed, for a charitable cause.

49. CHELSEA HANDLER: She’s the Jewish waitress from New Jersey, now doing well in Hollywood. The humor of Chelsea Handler from the Chelsea Lately show, makes her one of the hottest celebrities on Horiwood.Com. She has “the sharpest tongue in late night” and she also dates her boss. Tricky! Does this girl ever stop working? No! And we love her for it. She makes the city of LA laugh, laugh, laugh!

50. JAMES FRANCO: Going back to school and also being invited to The White House for dinner, got actor James Franco into the top 50. He values education. What a message to send young people. Nice one Mr Franco for completing our most popular celebrities list so far, for 2009.

RISING STAR PICK: Q’ORIANKER KILCHER (Click on her name to read why).

Horiwood.Com’s top 50 celebrities for 2009 was brought to you by the young romance novel, Courage To Love, a love story by Californian author, Robert Ellis.