The number one concern of women is breast cancer breast cancer and mammograms can help alleviate finding a breast mass on exam.

The American Cancer Society has long reported a need for routine mammograms to start at age 40. Then mammograms continue every 1 or 2 years following.

It is thought that for women under age of 40 it takes 1900 mammograms to save 1 life

The improvement increases after age 50 to 1300 mammograms to save 1 life.

Others argue that the risk of false positive or non-breast cancers that are diagnosed as breast cancers are a huge concern.

Others reports that mammograms are one step in breast cancer identification. Breast biopsies help confirm or enhance the diagnosis.

Some women report that mammograms have saved their lives and more importantly their confidence.

Robert Smith, director of cancer screening for the American Cancer Society, says his organization also is sticking with the current guidelines “because we not only looked at the evidence that the task force looked at, but we also looked at newer, modern data.”

Recent Update

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in a given statement, reported that the new guidelines had “caused a great deal of confusion and worry among women and their families across this country,” and she stressed that they were issued by “an outside independent panel of doctors and scientists who . . . do not set federal policy and . . . don’t determine what services are covered by the federal government.”

This statement appears to challenge the previous statement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Aside from the American Cancer Society, others such as the American College of Radiologyand some members of congress have questioned the new guidlines.

Sebelius added: “My message to women is simple. Mammograms have always been an important life-saving tool in the fight against breast cancer and they still are today. Keep doing what you have been doing for years — talk to your doctor about your individual history, ask questions, and make the decision that is right for you.”

 Mammograms are a key way to diagnosis breast cancer. Mammograms have been a consistent topic in “Facts about Breast Cancer”. Mammograms have been an important theme and has been promoted during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Mammograms are a specialized X-rays that looks at breast tissue. Can be done as a routine screening or following a breast exam finding a concerning nodule.

The American Cancer Society has long reported a need for routine mammograms to start at age 40. Then mammograms continue every 1 or 2 years following.

The Rockport Legion Band will present two Christmas Concert programs — one on Friday, December 4, 2009, and a second on Thursday, December 10. Both programs will begin at 7:30 P.M.

The first will take place at the Rockport Methodist Church, located on Broadway, across the street from the Post Office. The second will be presented at the Rockport Congregational Church, which is located on the corner of School and Main Streets.

The programs will consist of music by Robert Smith, Mozart, Leroy Anderson, Mel Torme, Gene Autry, Victor Herbert, and George Frederick Handel. There will also be a couple of surprise pieces on the programs.

We hope you will be able to attend one of these free, public concerts. Copies of tyhe Band’s recently released CD will be on sale — take some home because they make great gifts. Give someone a unique piece of Americana.

Music will include:

A Christmas Declaration (Smith)

Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” (Mozart)

Bay State Commandery (Burrell)

Horse and Buggy (Anderson)

The Christmas Song (Torme)

A Christmas Party (Walters)

Here Comes Santa Claus (Autry)

A Christmas Festival (Anderson)

A Celtic Carol (Smith)

March of the Toys (Herbert)

Hallelujah Chorus from “Messiah” (Handel)

plus and encore or two

Dan Williams Denver Broncos 1993 Upper Deck Star Rookie No. 2

Dan Williams Denver Broncos 1993 Upper Deck Star Rookie No. 2 back

A newspaper article in 1996 proclaimed that the highlight of former Toledo Rockets defensive end Dan Williams career was the day that the Denver Broncos selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft.

The article in the Rocky Mountain News was written the day after Williams was released by the Broncos following four injury filled seasons. The newspaper proclaimed that day was the low point of his professional career.

The Broncos traded their first round pick and added a third round pick to the Cleveland Browns to move up three spots to pick Williams with the 11th overall. Williams was and still is the only Toledo product to ever be selected in the first round of the NFL draft. He was selected ahead of Robert Smith, Dana Stubblefield and Michael Strahan.

In three seasons with the Rockets, Williams recorded 256 tackles, 60 tackles for a loss, 28 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He was a two-time All-MAC first-teamer.

However Williams’ first three seasons in the NFL were injury plagued , before finally becoming a starter in 1997.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, the highlight of Williams’ pro career ended up being the 1998 season. Williams latched on with Denver’s division rival the Kansas City Chiefs. Williams was instantly more productive in a Chiefs uniform than he ever was with Denver. During his first season in KC, he recorded a career high 10.5 sacks, which was 6.5 more than he recorded during his entire stay in Denver.

Williams continue to live up to his first round potential with the Chiefs over the next two seasons. He recorded five sacks in 1998 and 7.5 during his final season in the NFL in 1999. He also recovered five of his seven career fumble recoveries while in a Kansas City uniform.

To cover more songs from The Cure has been a desire long overdue. So when the opportunity presented itself, we were more than happy to indulge. The pop sensibility of the 80’s icon has influenced my songwriting for more than a decade – in doses big and small – but not as heavily as The Smiths and The Beatles.

It was an awesome event.  The place was packed and everyone was looking forward to each band’s rendition of a Cure classic. We were favored to cover “Just Like Heaven” while I personally chose “A Letter To Elise” – one of my all time favorite Cure single. Here is a clip our friend Antonette manage to acquire with her digital camera. Please excuse the audio and video quality. First time we ever jammed “A Letter To Elise.”

I read in wiki that Letters to Felice by Kafka was a huge influence when Robert Smith wrote the lyrics of the track. Franz Kafka is a Jewish-Bohemian major fiction writer and “Letters To Felice” is a book collecting some of Kafka’s letters to Felice Bauer from 1912 to 1917. During the correspondence they were engaged twice. Must be something worth reading.

"A Letter to Elise" is the third and final single taken from the album Wish from The Cure in 1992.

To listen to the original track of “Letter To Elise:, click Here.
Below is our minimal live performance of “Just Like Heaven” from the same night. It would’ve been nicer having an electric guitarist to session. It’s fun to spin around with.

The group largely wrote the song during recording sessions in Southern France in 1987.  Robert Smith  drew inspiration from a past trip to the sea shore with his future wife. Do not be fooled to thinking that “Just Like Heaven” is a happy heartwarming song. Beneath the sunny-day-holding-hands-together-on-grassy-fields trance the music exude lies an incredibly sad ending. Wait till you hear the third verse. Click Here to watch the music video.

"Just Like Heaven" was the third single released from the band's 1987 album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.

Never mind the big, towering hair and smeared lipstick on their faces (a signature look) the musical styling is great and offers a mix of records wallowing in melancholia to ear-candy-pop madness.

—– 0 —–

The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976 by Robert Smith, Lawrence Tolhurst and Michael Dempsey. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member. The Cure first began releasing music in the late 1970s with their debut album Three Imaginary Boys (1979); this, along with several early singles, placed the band as part of the post-punk and New Wave movements that had sprung up in the wake of the punk rock revolution in the United Kingdom. During the early 1980s, the band’s increasingly dark and tormented music helped form the gothic rock genre.

After the release of Pornography (1982), the band’s future was uncertain and Smith was keen to move past the gloomy reputation his band had acquired. With the 1982 single “Let’s Go to Bed” Smith began to inject more of a pop sensibility into the band’s music. The Cure’s popularity increased as the decade wore on, especially in the United States where the songs “Just Like Heaven“, “Lovesong” and “Friday I’m in Love” entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. By the start of the 1990s, The Cure were one of the most popular alternative rock bands in the world. The band is estimated to have sold 27 million albums as of 2004. The Cure have released thirteen studio albums and over thirty singles during the course of their career. (source: Wikipedia)

I tjugo år har Robert Smith och The Cure skrivit popmusik om spindlar, glada fredagar, döda araber och att pojkar inte får gråta. Men efter albumet »Wish« och ett par sega livealbum nöjde sig Robert med att vara världens rikaste penntroll. En trasselsuddig farbror som tog syskonbarnen till Eurodisney. Tills han vaknade en morgon och ville skriva sånger igen. Sånger som blev The Cures tionde studioalbum »Wild Mood Swings« och kanske Robert Smiths sista chans att träffa Sebastian Stebe i Kent.

JAG MÅSTE FRÅGA: hur känner du dig i dag?

- Ah, jag känner mig väldigt fräsch och utvilad. De senaste veckorna har varit hysteriska. Vi har varit tvungna att få klart vårt nya album, sett till att mixarna blivit gjorda, bestämt låtordningen och tusen andra saker. Men i går kväll när jag var klar med alla mina intervjuer och vi hade ätit middag så försvann plötsligt alla och jag stod kvar, helt själv, här ute i hallen. Jag var alldeles ensam och insåg att jag faktiskt inte hade någonting att göra. Jag gick upp och ner från mitt rum, om och om igen, för jag kunde inte inse att jag inte var tvungen att göra något. Till slut gick jag och lade mig riktigt tidigt — åtminstone är det tidigt för mig, klockan tre på morgonen — och sedan sov jag till ett på eftermiddagen. Det är det längsta jag har sovit i år.

Det har gått fyra år sedan ert senaste studioalbum »Wish«, som dessutom var en ovanligt stor framgång på alla sätt. Hur känner du inför »Wild Mood Swings«?

— Jag är väldigt nöjd, det blev mycket bättre än jag trodde att det skulle bli. Däremot så är det inte alls vad jag ursprungligen hade tänkt mig. När vi först började träffas inför den här skivan så hade jag väldigt klara idéer om vad jag ville att gruppen skulle göra. Jag ville att vi skulle göra någonting väldigt akustiskt och melankoliskt. Albumet skulle heta »Bare« och jag ville att det skulle ha en atmosfär som gick att uttrycka med stråkkvartett och piano. Men efter hand som skivan utvecklades så insåg jag att jag höll tillbaka gruppen, och det kändes allt mer dumt och obehagligt. Så till slut bestämde vi att vi bara skulle göra vad vi kände för. Då började det plötsligt växa fram alla möjliga sorters låtar med helt olika stämningar. Och det känns otroligt bra att »Wild Mood Swings« är resultatet av en grupp som gör låtar tillsammans och inte bara av mitt uppblåsta ego.

Under de senaste åren har The Cure känts som en ganska avslutad historia. Speciellt de där livealbumen som kom för ett par år sedan framstod i mina ögon som de sista, rätt onödiga mjölkningarna av en döende grupp. Trodde du själv att det skulle bli någon mer Cure-skiva efter »Wish«?

— Nej, jag trodde att »Wish« var det sista studioalbumet, och att livealbumen och videon satte punkt för The Cures karriär. Så här i efterhand kan jag förstå att de kanske inte kändes särskilt intressanta, men vid den tidpunkten höll allting på att ta slut för gott och det kändes som naturliga saker att göra. Efter »Wish«, som jag tycker är det bästa vi någonsin gjort, drog jag mig tillbaka under rätt lång tid och trodde att jag aldrig skulle göra musik igen. Det höll på att bli ett vanligt jobb, och jag kände att det var dags att sluta. Men så plötsligt vaknade jag en dag och upptäckte att jag ville skriva några låtar. Och eftersom jag aldrig gjort någonting som soloartist förut, och eftersom jag ändå skulle ha behövt någon som spelade på skivan — jag kan inte spela trummor och är usel på keyboards — så kändes det naturligt att börja jobba på ett nytt Cure-album. Om inte annat så blir middagarna mer underhållande.

Hur mycket har ditt förhållande till The Cure förändrats de senaste åren?

— Framför allt så har jag insett att det finns andra saker i livet. Ända fram till »Wish«, eller åtminstone »Disintegration«, så var The Cure en absolut nödvändighet för mig, någonting jag bara inte hade kunnat klara mig utan. Och jag var verkligen orolig när jag tänkte på att sluta för alltid, jag var orolig för att livet skulle bli tomt, att det inte skulle finnas någonting kvar. Men det fanns det förstås. Det dyker upp en otrolig mängd andra saker, saker som är lätta att glömma bort när man är så absorberad av någonting som man blir när man är med i en grupp. Men det går åt andra hållet också, man glömmer hur det är att vara med i en grupp när man ägnar sig åt andra saker. Nu när jag är tillbaka med The Cure efter ett långt uppehåll, så blir jag nästan chockad av hur oerhört intensiva och underliga alla blir när vi börjar arbeta tillsammans. Vi förlorar alla perspektiv.

Vilka är de viktigaste saker som du har återupptäckt utanför musiken?

— Dels har jag flyttat ifrån London, till ett hus på landet, och har inrättat ett ganska rutinmässigt, normalt liv. Vilket hann vara helt fantastiskt i ungefär ett år, innan jag började känna att det var dags att göra någonting annat igen. Men det viktigaste för mig är nog att jag har lärt känna min familj igen. Jag har tjugoen syskonbarn, så jag ser mig nästan mer som en farbror än någonting annat.

Sättningen i The Cure har ju förändrats en hel del sedan ni började, och de senaste åren har både Porl Thompson och Boris Williams hoppat av. Hur fungerar samarbetet i gruppen nu jämfört med tidigare?

— På många sätt fungerar det bättre än någonsin. Det är mycket mer avslappnat. Vi kan ha olika åsikter om saker, men det spelar inte så stor roll. Mitt närminne har också blivit mycket sämre, så dagen efter kommer jag inte längre ihåg om det är meningen att jag ska hata någon eller inte. Så det är mycket enklare. Jag tror också att Jason [Cooper, The Cures nye trummis] har betytt mycket för gruppen. Han är mycket yngre än jag, sju år yngre, och han är hela tiden väldigt entusiastisk över saker, aldrig det minsta cynisk. Allt vi gör nu gör han för första gången, och hans entusiasm skapar en helt annan atmosfär.

Jag har fått intrycket att du har tillbringat rätt mycket tid i ditt liv med att gå runt och känna hat och avsky för en massa saker. Har de känslorna dämpats nu när du har fått ett annat slags liv?

— Ja, absolut. De finns där, men inte alls på samma sätt. Jag tror att det har väldigt mycket med mina syskonbarn att göra. Jag har alltid träffat dem någon gång ibland, men just att jag har blivit så aktivt involverad i deras liv tror jag gör mig till en mycket mer harmonisk person. Det är fantastiskt, för deras ålder sträcker sig mellan noll och tjugoett år, POP#18dste killen fyllde tjugoett förra månaden. Och jag är olika saker för dem alla. För de äldre är jag en person som de vet att de kan komma till och fråga om droger och sådant. De vet att jag känner till sådana saker och de vet att jag inte kommer att ljuga för dem. De vet att jag berättar sanningen, och det är någonting de inte kan få från någon annan. För de yngre barnen är jag en underlig figur, en knasig farbror som tar med dem till Eurodisney och sådant. Det är väldigt roligt. Det har också gett mig en sorts känsla för världen, en känsla för framtiden, som jag aldrig har haft förut. Jag oroar mig för dem som en förälder, för vad som ska hända med dem i deras liv.

Känner du inte ett behov av att skaffa egna barn?

— Mary [Robert Smiths fru, som varit hans flickvän i två decennier] vill inte ha barn, så det blir inga barn. Det har funnits perioder då jag har velat, men jag är glad att hon inte gick med på det för vi var alldeles för unga. Nu har jag vant mig vid tanken på att aldrig ha egna barn, och jag uppskattar verkligen att slippa allt ansvar som det innebär. Det är klart att jag skulle vilja uppleva den där starka, ovillkorliga kärleken, men att gå upp klockan sex på morgonen och sådant [skratt], det är mer än vad jag skulle klara av.

Mycket av den musik och de texter du har skrivit har en stark känsla av hopplöshet och förtvivlan över sig. Samtidigt finns det, inte minst på »Wish« och det nya albumet, en del euforiska, nästan fånigt glädjesprudlande ögonblick. Tycker du att det finns ett nära samband mellan total uppgivenhet och totalt glädjefnatt?

— Det där är någonting vi har diskuterat en hel del i gruppen, att om man ger upp allting så kan man lika gärna ha det så roligt man bara kan eftersom ingenting annat ändå spelar någon roll. Så det kan definitivt vara olika sidor av samma mynt. Uppgivenhet kan absolut vara en väg till hedonism.

Jag tänker också på att när man befinner sig i en särskilt hopplös sinnesstämning och är onormalt känslig, så blir mani slutändan också överkänslig för positiva saker…

— Ah, »Wild Mood Swings«. Visst. Mitt privata, personliga liv har alltid varit så, och inte minst så kommer de här känslomässiga extremerna till uttryck inom gruppen. Vår arbetssituation är väldigt öppen och väldigt märklig. Man kan gråta inför sina arbetskompisar utan att någon säger något, samtidigt som man, när gruppen gör saker tillsammans och allting fungerar som det ska, kan uppleva ögonblick av nästan vansinnig lycka. Jag tror det beror på att vi dels vill göra vissa saker som vi känner starkt för, men att vi dels kan göra precis vad vi vill, när vi vill. Jag kan gå in till de andra just nu och säga: »kom, vi tar bilen och kör iväg någonstans«. Och just i den här underliga arbetssituationen, med alla motstridiga känslor, så kan det vara en fantastisk sak att göra, att känna den där friheten.

I en av låtarna på det nya albumet — »Want« — sjunger du om att aldrig få nog, om att alltid vilja ha mer saker och mer intensiva upplevelser. Jag kommer ihåg att du, i samband med turnén efter »Wish«, berättade för Chris Heath i tidningen Details om hur du kämpade för att uppnå de där riktigt intensiva ögonblicken på konserterna. Känner du fortfarande den sortens frustration?

— Det är så otroligt svårt det där. Man tror alltid att en situation kan bli starkare, bättre, lyckligare, intensivare — eller vad det nu kan vara. Ofta inser man inte alls hur bra någonting är förrän efteråt, när allting redan är annorlunda. Och när man upplever ögonblick av stark intensitet så är det ofta så flytande, så formlöst, att det är borta innan man hinner tänka på det. På sätt och vis strävar jag väl fortfarande efter de där ögonblicken, men jag tror att jag har lärt mig acceptera att det oftast är meningslöst. Och att man, som jag sjunger i »Want«, inte får någon mer tid att uppleva någonting över huvud taget än den tid som är just nu. Det kanske kan upplevas som en uppgiven text, men jag tror att man mår mycket bättre av att i viss mån bara acceptera saker som de är. Själv är jag just nu mycket, mycket lyckligare än någonsin förut.

Ändå planerade du att »Wild Mood Swings« skulle heta »Bare« och bara innehålla melankoliska akustiska sånger. Och det finns fortfarande en del ganska mörka texter på albumet, även om de befinner sig ljusår från avgrunderna på en gammal Cure-skiva som »Pornography«. Tycker du att det finns någonting positivt eller nödvändigt med att gräva ner sig i hopplöshet?

— Att gräva ner sig är kanske att gå lite för långt, men jag tycker absolut att det finns någonting att hämta i melankoli och i allvarliga funderingar. Det är en del av livet. För mig har det också alltid varit så att när jag känt mig ovanligt lycklig, så har det ofelbart dykt upp i bakhuvudet att »jaja, snart blir allting hemskt igen«. Det är som om man måste betala för sin glädje. Men det handlar också om balans. Jag har svårt att tänka mig att man kan vara lycklig om man aldrig upplever hur det är att vara olycklig. Så båda sidorna behövs. Vad gäller mig och The Cure så handlar det också om vilka sidor man visar upp utåt, och vad man visar upp i sin musik. Det har funnits perioder då jag har varit helt koncentrerad på att skriva låtar om livets mörka sidor, som under tiden för »Faith« och »Pornography«. Allt annat kändes bara löjligt, jag kunde inte tänka mig att skriva om någonting annat. Men när jag tittar tillbaka på anteckningar från den tiden, sådant som aldrig blev låttexter, så inser jag att det också fanns en hel del stunder av oerhört stark, nästan sjuklig glädje.

Under den tiden — och rätt många år efteråt — var ändå det allmäna intrycket att du var en fullständigt miserabel person. Hur ser du på det nu?

— Jag måste erkänna att jag skäms lite över att jag så ofta gått omkring och varit offentligt miserabel. Det är inte det att man ska gömma sina känslor, eller hålla inne med saker, men det kan vara väldigt irriterande med folk som hela tiden ska visa upp för alla hur eländigt de tycker att allting är. Numera går jag alltid iväg och är för mig själv om jag mår dåligt, och jag önskar att alla i min omgivning gör likadant. Jag vet att jag inte är rätt person att klaga på sådant, med min miserabla image. Jag är självklart så skyldig som man kan bli. Men ur mitt elände har det i alla fall kommit några skivor, jag försöker försvara mig med det.

I »This Is a Lie«, en av de mest nedstämda låtarna på »Wild Mood Swings«, beskriver du livet som en lögn. Du sjunger att alla kärleksförhållanden är en lögn, eftersom man genom att välja en person förnekar alla andra i hela världen, utan att kunna veta om man valt rätt eller inte. Att man bara låtsas, ända in i slutet. Är det någonting du upplever starkt eller är det bara en tanke?

— Det är någonting som jag upplever starkt eftersom jag inte tror att det kan vara på något annat sätt. Det är ju så. Ingen kan veta säkert. Men man kan heller inte gå omkring och tänka på det, för då blir man galen. Just den texten är för övrigt den enda jag var tvungen att försvara inför Mary, den enda som gjorde henne upprörd. Vadå »why each of us must lose everyone else in the world«? Vad menar du?

»The 13th«, som är den första singeln, har en väldigt lustfylld text som verkar handla om en dansös på någon sorts sydländsk klubb. Hur gick det med den? Var du inte tvungen att förklara den?

— Ha! Nej då, det är ingen fara. Mary tycker om mig. Hon vet att jag inte är perfekt, hon älskar mig som jag är. »The i 3th« handlar om en sensationell dansös på en klubb i Colombia. Men det är okej. Jag lyckades få igenom den utan några större problem.

Du pratade om hur ditt förhållande till The Cure har förändrats. Jag har fått intrycket att Mary länge har varit en minst lika stor nödvändighet i ditt liv. Tror du att bandet hade existerat i dag om hon hade försvunnit för sju—åtta år sedan?

— Nej. Mary betyder så obegripligt mycket för mig. Jag tror faktiskt aldrig att hon har insett hur beroende jag har varit av henne under alla de år vi har varit tillsammans. Det är alltid hon som har räddat mig när jag har varit som mest självdestruktiv, det är alltid hon som har fångat mig när jag har varit nära att fullständigt ramla ihop, och om hon hade försvunnit — jag är ledsen, jag vet att jag faller tillbaka i min irriterande miserabla image genom att säga det — men då hade jag tagit livet av mig.

Over the course of this football season, it has become blatantly obvious that the national sports media is only interested in what pushes papers/garners air time. Florida has had a huge bullseye on it’s back from day one, and every little mis-step has been blown to astronomic proportions. Any little thing that could be nitpicked has been, and then has been regurgitated over and over to make sure the people of the world don’t miss out on how horrible the Florida players and coaches are as fans.

Right?

So does someone want to explain to me, in light of Brandon Spikes being labeled the dirtiest player in the history of college athletics, why what I’m about to point out below hasn’t been discussed at ALL? There has not been one single, solitary peep about the following incident.

This is an image from the Clemson-florida state football game this past weekend (which, I must say, I enjoyed immensely) that clearly shows Clemson defensive end Andre Branch taking it to FSU’s David Spurlock. And when I say taking it to, I mean it.

He is even using his other hand to position the helmet in a way that makes the gouging more accessible. And if even that wasn’t enough, it appears as though he’s trying to break the dude’s back, as well.

The still picture provides quite a good illustration showing the intentional gouging, but it gets even better when you see the video, which I’m posting right below. (The gouge-in-question is located to the bottom left side of the pile.)

This incident, to me, is FAR more appalling than the Brandon Spikes incident. And I guarantee that Spurlock will not come out and say he didn’t feel it was intentional, like Georgia RB Ealey did after the Spikes, as I’ll call it from now on, “fake gouge.”

All I want is fair and balanced reporting, is that too much to ask?

And by that we mean: Billy Corgan, we don’t give a shit about your opinion. Billy’s the latest sort-of-famous person we’re adding to the category “Celebrities weighing in on something about which they have zero knowledge.” (The list includes Jenny McCarthy and anything, John Ratzenberger and health care, and Warren Beatty and the 2003 recall of Gray Davis.) This week’s topic: SWINE FLU!

See, swine flu is on Fat America’s mind. Billy Corgan is part of Fat America. He’s also a quasi-celebrity with a lot of time to reflect (because no one cares about him anymore). He’s got a blog. You see where we’re going with this, right?

If you follow some of the links I have been supplying as of late, you’ll notice many are focused on the propaganda build up to our day of reckoning with the Swine Flu virus. I say ‘propaganda’ because, in my heart, there is something mighty suspicious about declaring an emergency for something that has yet to show itself to be a grand pandemic. Our American President Obama has declared a national emergency about this virus, which he in his own words said was, at this point, a preventative measure. So, why declare an emergency if there isn’t one?

There’s just too much awful stuff in that paragraph to pick apart, so we’ll just sum up by saying that Billy has difficulty with word choice (“propaganda”) and syntax (“I say ‘propaganda’ because, in my heart, there is something mighty suspicious about declaring an emergency blah blah blah more words that don’t work well together”).

In case you haven’t been keeping score, there are a lot of famous people out there who won’t be getting the swine flu vaccine. Some of those people we don’t like (Rush Limbaugh). Some we do (Bill Maher).

We’re getting ahead of ourselves, though. (Cheap journalist’s trick coming up.) Will Billy be getting the H1N1 vaccine?

I for one will not be taking the vaccine. I do not trust those who make the vaccines, or the apparatus behind it all to push it on us thru fear. This is not judgment; it is a personal decision based on research, intuition, conversations with my doctor and my ‘family’. If the virus comes to take me Home, that is between me and the Lord. I have put up some of these links to inspire the question in you, so that perhaps you can make a better decision for yourself. That is what holistic life is about: a willingness to look at all the facts or opinions.

Ugh. First, thanks for making one more dose available to someone else, Billy. We were really worried that because of the vaccine shortage, your bald, aging ass would prevent some pregnant woman or stupid kid or Goldman Sachs executive from getting dosed. Second, who really cares what you’re doing? Have you written a good song since “Bullet with Butterfly Wings“? Does Goth America need another fat guy weeping over a guitar to know that things out there are bad and, like, maybe just getting worse?

One thing we’re pretty sure of is that Billy’s highly informed opinion (“based on research, intuition, conversations with my doctor and my ‘family’,” whatever that means) is just as illegitimate as the rest of Fat America’s. As Billy himself says:

I am not a doctor, and I am in no way suggesting that you should follow any medical advice from me.

Thanks, Billy! If you’re not a doctor and you’re not suggesting anyone follow your advice (bullshit), why the 840 rambling, poorly composed words? We know songwriting is your forte, but come on!

I am willing to question anything: the existence of God, the existence of me or you or Robert Zimmerman. I am willing to wonder aloud whether any of this we experience here on Earth is real. What is there to be afraid of in questioning life itself? I know God is not afraid of my doubt. That is why He gave me the faculty to doubt, to overcome its mystique to better know faith.

And while we appreciate your need to question shit, we’re not sure why you need to get all cheeky and cute and invoke Bob Dylan, John Lennon and rock history with a dumb reference to the nature of celebrity culture and worship, but OK. Your lyrics are kind of obtuse and self-important in a childish way, too. Makes sense that your weird science-based religious theory would be as well.

Just so you know how ridiculous Billy’s thought process is, here’s a sampling of his recent tweets:

Maybe life really is a bummer when you’re a hummer. Get the vaccine or don’t get it, Billy. But please: SHUT UP. Oh, and break up Smashing Pumpkins, too, because they’re crap without Jimmy Chamberlain.

A veces los grandes estrellas del rock son captados en momentos que no precisamente son de gloria y donde después de ver la foto, uno puede llegar a pensar varias cosas de ellos, aquí en Inquisidor71 ponemos algunos ejemplos con nuestro respectivo comentario.

Esta imagen la captó un fan en Mexicali, donde podemos pensar dos cosas de Gustavo Cerati, que las copas se le pasaron o que estaba totalmente cansado después de una intensa presentación.

Gustavo Cerati con unos fans posando un poco indispuesto

En esta otra imagen, el cantante Robert Plant  al parecer se le olvidaron los pantalones cortos para jugar fútbol, y prefirió usar un traje de baño para darle al balón. 

Robert Plant haciendo deporte

Antes de los tables dances, la punketa Wendy O’ Williams, quien tristemente se suicidara, ya mostraba un lado más que erótico en sus conciertos.

Cantar sin sostén lo deberían hacer más seguido

Ahora una sección de besos y claro que empezamos por Kiss, lo cual me hace dudar de sus tan publicitadas conquistas heterosexuales.

Aquí Ace Frehley dándose “calor” con un señor maduro.

Ace Frehley realmente excitó a este tipo

Frehley también se vio cariñoso con Paul Stanley, antes de provocar la histeria en su audiencia.

El Spaceman y el Starchild en los buenos tiempos

Gene Simmons se olvidó un rato de sus miles de mujeres y se dio un lenguetazo con un fan, que seguramente tenía sueños eróticos con él.

Gene Simmons pasando saliva con este rubio muchacho

Y ya que estamos en los besos, tambien los miembros de The Cure han tenido momentos románticos, como Robert Smith y Simon Gallup.

Este beso habrá inspirado el álbum "Kiss me, kiss me"

Y cómo ven este momento “sublime” entre David Bowie y Lou Reed, rock-stars de primer nivel a punto de un picorete, mientras Mick Jagger estuvo de cerca en este momento, aunque es tapado por ambos artistas.

El talento también se une con un beso

Y volviendo a Kiss, una imagen de la sesión de fotos del álbum “Hotter than hell”, donde las modelos se quitaron un poco la ropa,  aunque esto no apareció en el arte del disco.

Peter Criss tratando de salir bien en la foto

Algunos se quedarán un tanto perplejos al saber que el líder de The Cure, Robert Smith, es aficionado al flamenco, y que cada vez que viene a España se le puede encontrar en algún local al uso, acechando entre las sombras a los bailaores, cantaoras y demás músicos.

En una entrevista con el cantante, por éstas cosas que tiene la falta de casualidad y las ganas de hacer sangre de algunos periodistas, se pudo contactar con rapidez a Tomatito, que acudió a dicha entrevista como invitado adyacente y con la mejor fe, para intentar agasajar a Smith con un poco de buen flamenco.

En el previo a la entrada de Tomatito, los periodistas ya habían sacado tema, y al invitado se le notaba algo nervioso. Pero ante la aparición del guitarrista, que se sentó al lado de Smith con naturalidad, empezaron los balbuceos. De hecho, la tensión de Smith hizo que se fuera abriendo un espacio vital cada vez mayor entre Tomatito y él. Cuando el guitarrista empezó a tocar, Smith lo contemplaba de reojo, apabullado. Una vez finalizado el toque, llegó la pregunta que Smith temía: ‘¿Quiere ud. improvisar algo con Tomatito?‘. Su ego soltó un bufido, y admitió, visto lo visto, que tocaba muy mal, y que le daba envidia advertir la destreza al mástil del hijo del Tomate.

Tomatito, viendo el mal trago que estaba pasando Smith, y probablemente haciendo uso de esa empatía que tienen los artistas que ya se han visto en alguna parecida, indicó: ‘No sabrá tocar, pero cuando Robert viene a España, la lía‘. Smith, agradecido por el capote, sonrió, aunque en esos momentos ya debía estar rezando para que la siguiente pregunta no tuviera que ver con los tópicos aires, entre flamencos y árabes, de la canción ‘The Blood‘, que pueden escuchar un poco más abajo.

Por suerte para él, el suplicio acabó ahí, ya que los periodistas pasaron a interrogarle sobre sus hábitos de higiene, y él recobró rápidamente la compostura, animado por el nuevo rumbo que había tomado la extraña interview.

The Cure – The Blood (The Head on the Door, 1985)

wagnerian

 The inaugural Amateur Wine Competition, as part of Iowa’s Premier Wine & Food Expo, judging was held today at Hy-Vee Hall. 60 entries competed for the top honors. The contest was only open to local wine clubs and hobbyists – commercial wineries were not allowed.

The contest was sponsored by Make Mine Wine Magazine, Indianola, Iowa and BlueStem Winery, Parkersburg, Iowa. The award-winning wines will be featured next weekend at Hy-Vee Hall at Iowa’s Premier Wine & Food Expo.

Judges critiqued the wines based on color, aroma, body, taste and finish. All winemakers will receive their score sheet with judges comments, which may be helpful when they start on their next batch of wine.

And the winners are:

Best of Grape Wines-Robert Smith from Webster City. Smith’s entry was a 2008 Barbera.

Best of Non Grape Wines-Bob Whitlock from Indianola. Whitbeck’s entry was a 2008 Elderberry.

Best of Meads & Ciders-Joel Duden from Marshalltown. Duden’s entry was a 2008 Sparkling Apple Mead.

ABOUT IOWA’S PREMIER WINE AND FOOD EXPO, PRESENTED BY HY-VEE Live demonstrations will be taking place in the Celebrity Kitchen Theater, sponsored by Kitchen Classics, by popular celebrity chefs, including Andrew Zimmern of Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods” and Duff Goldman, host of “Ace of Cakes” on the Food Network. The celebrities will participate in meet and greets and autograph sessions in Hockenberg’s Celebrity Meet ‘n Greet Zone. Autographs are on a first come first served basis as time allows.

Celebrities aren’t the only ones with a chance to show off their culinary skills. The You’re Cookin! Stage will showcase local and regional chefs.

The Emporium, sponsored by Mrs. Clark’s features retail, food and service vendors from all over the Midwest. Buy it, leave it, and take it home, or BLT. When attendees purchase items at Iowa’s Premier Wine & Food Expo, they can leave those items at the convenient, on-site drop-off location at no charge and free their hands for more shopping.

Over 280 wines, beer and spirits from around the world are at the show.  The Sampling Zone will be open for individuals to try various beers, wines and spirits for only $12 (must be 21 years of age to sample). When guests are finished at the Sampling Zone, they can visit the Hy-Vee Wine Shop to purchase their favorite sampled bottle of wine or specialty beer.

Regular tickets are priced at $20 for the day or $35 for both days and are on sale now. Children six and under are admitted into the show FREE of charge. Tickets are available at the Wells Fargo Arena Ticket Office, all area Dahl’s Foods locations, online at dahlstickets.com, or charge by phone at 866-55-DAHLS.

The full schedule and detailed information can be found at www.iowaeventscenter.com/wineandfood.

Sponsors include Hy-Vee, The Des Moines Register, Factory Direct Appliances, Kitchen Classics, Mrs. Clarks, Hockenbergs, Iowa Beef, Pork and Turkey Producers, Renaissance Savery Hotel, and WHO-TV-Channel 13.

About Make Mine Wine Make Mine Wine and the Make Mine Wing blog offer weekend inspiration with regional wine, go-with recipes, fun, getaway, home and entertaining ideas for wine lovers. The magazine immerses the novice or more sophisticated wine lover in the culture of wine, specifically in Iowa and the Midwest.

Advertisers reach women and discretionary income that make most of the decisions on where to spend money on things they love: dining, travel, home décor, entertainment, shopping, personal, financial and medical services, and more.

The Make Mine Wine audience enjoys wine as pat of a lifestyle choice that involves family, friends and fun.

Make Mine Wine is published by Rasko Publishing LLC., founded in 2006 and headquartered in Indianola, IA. For more information or to subscribe to Make Mine Wine ($12.72 per year) call 515-962-5515. The Midwest wine events list and the Make Mine Wine blog are on line at www.makeminewinemagazine.com. Follow @MakeMineWine at www.twitter.com

About BlueStem Winery Vern Holms made his first batch of wine in 1976 and today produces and sells wine and offers wine-making classes at BlueStem Winery. At www.bluestemwine.com he sells beer-brewing and winemaking supplies and kits to more than 3,000 customers in numerous countries and in all 50 states. BlueStem Winery is located at 305 Third Street, Parkersburg, Iowa.

I remember when I had just had a few coppers in my pocket. Now I control constabularies across the UK.

My mum’s been getting hot flushes. She’s changed plumber now though.

What’s the point in orchestra conductors? How often do buildings get struck by orchestras?

I used to wear trainers to Bletchley Park during World War II. I was a dresscode breaker.

If prisoners were allowed to pay hookers to make conjugal visits, there would be pros and cons.

I was out drinking with Thor. Ended up hammered. Thankfully the police have got him doing it on CCTV.

I just coasted the last year of school. By which I mean I turned up covered in used condoms and dead dolphins.

I went drinking in a macrobiotic kitchen. I was steaming.

Poured booze into girl’s vagina and waited for it to turn into a yeast infection before drinking it. I had a night on the batter.

Me and a mate went to a party dressed as formations of long wavelength ocean surface waves. We felt like a couple of swells.

If a vain lactose intolerant person was milk chocolate, would they eat themselves?

Robert Smith’s musical kudos could have been limited by someone forming a band called Prevention.

I’ve always wondered if I could survive on the streets. Reckon I could do 2 days before I’d have to listen to something else.

Beatniks died out because they were replaced by mechanical diggers.

I’m trying to put together a deal to buy a Spanish garage, but I don’t really understand the mechanics of it.

The serving suggestion on that pack of chicken nuggets proved very unhelpful in my defeat to Federer.

The builders made a mess of things. Which was a relief as that’s what the MOD had contracted them to build at the barracks.

If my computer gets a virus,to ease discomfort, should I get it to suck on a packet of iTunes?

I can remove everything I’ve deposited as a single lump. Thanks to the freezers at the sperm bank.

Reformed meat. Comforting to know that what you’re eating managed to get off the drugs and booze first.

First impressions last. Les Dennis is probably still doing Mavis.

Soon be New Year. I’m so bad at keeping resolutions, it’s like being the UN.

I was once involved a coup led by Doncaster Rovers players. I was a soldier of Quinton Fortune.

Peterhead prison offers bricklaying course. Good luck finding the bodies once those guys get out. “That’s a nice fireplace…”

5% of schoolkids think Hitler was a German football coach. Perhaps they think he made the training run on time?

Verne Troyer’s ex says he abused & threatened her. Is she sure she hasn’t just fallen asleep watching Stewie on Family Guy and gotten confused?

Heat seeking missiles. Probably mainly going to take out newsagents and waiting rooms.

I told the court the Gospel truth. In the sense that me and my 3 mates all gave differing accounts of what actually happened.

Interview with the Vampire. Always tough to get the job in that situation.

At first I wasn’t sure about my getting my tattoo done backwards, but on reflection it made sense.

Tried to make a documentary about self-harm, but was having to make too many cuts.

Caught a virus from file sharing. It’s made my nails turn green.

Where there’s muck there’s brass. Yet taking a rubbing of a horse’s sphincter is generally frowned upon.

I wasn’t sure if stealing boats was the right thing for me, but in the end I decided to take a punt.

I post these gags up here for free to try to keep myself writing, showcase my skills, and grow the number of people who might like my stuff. You’re welcome to pass gags on, but if you do then please could you credit me and link to either my blog or twitter? I recently had an experience in which 27 of my gags were lifted wholesale from here by someone and ended up reproduced uncredited on a gag compilation website.

The danger of this is (as happened) that people see the jokes on that site and assume that I’m not an original writer and lifted my gags from there, rather than vice versa.

Since my and another comedian’s complaints the site has agreed to introduce an ‘original author’ box so please use that if posting these to any joke compilation websites.

You can see me gigging:
- Tonight, Sat 7th November in Rosyth at the 147 Club.
- Saturday November 28th I’m gigging in Rosyth, venue TBC.
- Monday 7th December I’m headlining Red Raw at The Stand
Comedy Club in Edinburgh.
- Wednesday 23rd December at The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh.

Thanks,
Teddy x

Una vera forza della natura, l’unico Cure-fu Panda che il mondo potrà mai vantarsi di avere avuto quando sarà dipartito. Ma per ora, strati extra di adipe a parte, Robert Smith sta una crema. O un fondotinta, o un mascara, o un rossetto sbafato, fate voi. Chiunque si senta ancora in dovere (o in potere) di salire su un palco conciato come il fu Gran Mastro Darkettone degli anni ‘80, a cinquant’anni suonati, è pericolosamente vicino a diventare un caso da enciclopedia medica.
Eppure lo fa. E tutto sommato fa anche bene a farlo. Perché se tanto gli davano del fricchettone tendenzialmente ricchione quando era un bell’ometto tra “Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me” e “Disintegration”, perché diavolo dovrebbe smettere ora che i tempi bellissimi sono passati e chi ha dato ha dato ha dato etc. etc.? Quindi fa bene.

Mr. Smith al Coachella Festival (aprile 2009)

Nel suo essere assolutamente una figurina degli Sgorbions, è tanto naif e ingenuoto e morbidone pelosotto che un abbraccio glielo daresti sempre. Se solo si riuscisse a chiudere la circonferenza con le braccia, beninteso. Il sito ufficiale dei Cure è il baretto interattivo dove potete trovarlo intento a farsi i fatti suoi. Da sempre e per ovvi motivi stilistico/sensibili vicino come pochi al proprio pubblico, Smith tiene in piedi la sezione “notizie” di TheCure.com. Insomma, scrive quasi sempre lui. Non troppo, perché punta alla qualità.
Negli anni recenti ha regalato perle a profusione. Solo nella scorsa stagione, in occasione del lancio dell’ultimo album (“4:13 Dream”) è riuscito a insultare la sua casa discografica e iTunes per il prezzo di alcuni pezzi, nonché lo stampatore dell’edizione su vinile perché ci metteva troppo adducendo scuse ad minchiam. Ha poi osato mettere in dubbio l’utilità universale del modello-Radiohead (musica gratis) e apriti cielo, giù post fiume per ribattere ai giornalisti d’oltremanica.
Il tutto come? Sempre scrivendo tutto in maiuscolo, benedetto panda! Utilizzando la punteggiatura con una libertà tale che è concessa solo a chi sai che a scrivere è talmente avanti che può sinceramente fare quel che gli pare. Oppure, caso recente, dimostrandosi non del tutto abile nello scovare risorse su internet. O nei suoi archivi personali.

Questa viene fuori cercando "Robert Smith" con Google. Davvero

Qualche settimana fa annuncia la pubblicazione, prevista per la primavera del 2010, dell’edizione Deluxe Remastered di “Disintegration” a ventun’anni dall’uscita originale, elargendo un certo stupore nel titolo della notizia (“Disintegration comes of age?!!”) e quindi affidandosi a una giga immagine a risoluzione ignobile del suo stesso disco. La tenerezza fatta vip in pantofole. E poi continua… continua col suo maiuscolo per seicento righe e lascia in fondo la notizia che, sempre nel 2010, arriverà (finalmente!) la versione in DVD dello splendido concerto a Orange del gruppo (1984? E il Blu-ray?). Sottolineando appena per sbaglio che nella versione SuperLusso del “Disintegration” di cui sopra ci sarà anche l’intero “Entreat” (originariamente pubblicato nel 1991), arricchito per l’occasione da qualche traccia bonus. E poi la semi promessa di un “Mixed Up #2″ e altri errori a caso.
Cinquanta piani di morbidezza.

Fai lo share!

I haven’t posted for awhile. This post is technically my 50th post and I wanted to do something special for it. However, I tend to write my blogs on the fly, and so planning apparently only makes me stagnate. Actually, I seem to have a problem with stagnation in almost all areas of my life. A lot of times I feel like I’m on autopilot. I never get done what I intend to do, and I often feel like I’m just enduring each day, waiting for it to be over. Sometimes I wonder if I’m even really alive.

I have been listening to the Cure a lot lately, because, well, I love the Cure. Also, one of my friends just burned me a copy of Galore because my Cure collection was lost.  Robert Smith is just one of those songwriters that I think is in my head. One of my favorite songs by the Cure is “Close to Me,” and I recently read this quote from Robert Smith on what this song is about:

“It’s like the end of the day where you feel nothing has been achieved and you’re in a hurry to get the day over with so you can start the next one. You tell yourself you’re going to do lots of positive things. But the next day is just like the one before. Sometimes it goes on for weeks.”

So, thank you loyal readers for your patience, and without further ado, my theme song:

I’ve waited hours for this
I’ve made myself so sick
I wish I’d stayed asleep today
I never thought this day would end
I never thought tonight could ever be
This close to me

Just try to see in the dark
Just try to make it work
To feel the fear before you’re here
I make the shapes come much too close
I pull my eyes out
Hold my breath
And wait until I shake . . .

But if I had your faith
Then I could make it safe and clean
If only I was sure
That my head on the door was a dream

I’ve waited hours for this
I’ve made myself so sick
I wish I’d stayed asleep today
I never thought this day would end
I never thought tonight could ever be
This close to me

But if I had your face
I could make it safe and clean
If only I was sure
That my head on the door
Was a dream

i sucked when i tried to embed the stick.am video here,

but i found another blog

that wrote a post about the doll fight.

please read gapersblog

and this is really funny: pitchfork

]]> http://franciarework.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/frw-lullaby-nightmare-2009/ Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:13:54 +0000 Francia Rework http://franciarework.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/frw-lullaby-nightmare-2009/ http://inquisidor71.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/rock-stars-afeminados-por-imponer-un-estilo/ Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:53:30 +0000 inquisidor71 http://inquisidor71.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/rock-stars-afeminados-por-imponer-un-estilo/

Personajes andróginos maquillados, con imponente lápiz labial, bailando  intensamente con un movimiento de hombros o de caderas que ni tu novia lo podría hacer. Así son algunos rock stars que con su ropa y sus cabelleras te hacen pensar dos veces si realmente son muy machos, como presumen cuando hablan de sus groupies.

Aquí algunos ejemplos:

Paul Stanley: Cuando era niño siempre me causó curiosidad los movimientos afeminados de Paul Stanley de Kiss, en mi cabeza de apenas 8 años de edad, no podía comprender que un hombre se moviera como mujer y que además usara lapiz labial rojo, como el que debe usar “toda mujer decente”, palabras textuales del Starchild.

En algunas de las biografías no autorizadas de Kiss, llegué a leer que había ex colaboradores de él que bromeaban con su forma tan delicada de moverse y hasta decían que Paul era gay, pero que aún nadie se lo había informado.  Stanley tiene tres hijos y ya va por la segunda esposa.

Paul es el frontman de Kiss

Mick Jagger: El video de “Start me up” es un ejemplo a detalle de cómo Jagger mueve las caderas como toda una dama y con esa boca prominente casi te besa al otro lado de la pantalla. Aunque en sus inicios algunos músicos ya habían notado que era “demasiado” afeminado, su masculinidad pocas veces ha estado en duda, bueno… a excepción del supuesto “camazo” que se aventó con David Bowie, según dijo Angela, la ex esposa de Ziggy Stardust.

Sino fuera porque ha tenido bellas esposas como Bianca Pérez o Jerry Hall, quizás mi imaginación estaría volando  con el supuesto romance con Bowie.

Jagger en su boda con la guapa nicaragüense Bianca Pérez

Marilyn Manson: Una vez un ex baterista que tuve llegó impresionado porque vio un video de Manson besándose en la boca con el bajista Twiggy Ramírez, no podía creer que su ídolo se diera “calor” con su compañero de composición.

En una entrevista con Manson, cuando le preguntaron sobre el proceso de grabación de un álbum, contestó sin inmutarse: ”Compongo con Twiggy, comemos juntos, nos drogamos juntos y nos acostamos juntos”. No se asusten, Manson ha tenido a mujeres muy bellas en su vida como Dita Von Teese. ¿Y el beso con Twiggy? Pura publicidad (aja).

Las provocaciones de Manson últimamente ya no funcionan

Nick Rhodes: De todos los miembros de Duran Duran, el que más se maquillaba era el tecladista Nick Rhodes, lo que en sus tiempos de gloria me hizo a pensar que era un nuevo Boy George pero de bajo perfil.

Curiosamente me recordaba a esos hombres de los años 20’s que se arreglaban el bigote con mucha delicadeza, sin faltarles el lápiz labial y un poco de rubor en las mejillas. Su cabellera rubia siempre estaba muy bien cuidada para estar a tono con esos sacos rosas que usaba a mediados de los 80’s.  En su vida personal ha estado casados dos veces y con bellas modelos, así que pensar otra cosa de él es definitivamente ocioso (…¿ a poco?).

Nick Rhodes en una pose muy fashion

Robert Smith: El cantante de The Cure creó un personaje oscuro y extravagante con esa cabellera alborotada y su maquillaje exagerado. En alguna entrevista que escuché por la radio FM a mediados de los años 80’s, recuerdo que Smith declaraba que su banda ya no podría dejar de usar labial debido a que su música exigía que fueran glamorosos.

“Ya no es sólo una imagen, sino un estilo de vida, The Cure ya no podría dejar de ser glamoroso”, declaró en aquella ocasión este gran músico.

Lo más chistoso fue ver que en su boda, los labios de Smith llevaban más labial que los de su esposa Mary, a quien conoció a los 14 años de edad, y con la que se casó en 1988 y aún siguen juntos.

Robert Smith y su acostumbrado peinado

Iggy Pop: Es un tornado en el escenario y quizás esa sea la razón por la cual sus movimientos  a veces salen de control y te pone el trasero como si te invitara a algo más que verlo cantar.

A sus 62 años sigue en activo, moviéndose como un jovencito, poniendo sus manos en la cintura de forma muy delicada, mostrándose sin camisa, como lo ha hecho desde hace mucho tiempo, sin importale que le digan “abuelito”  o “afeminado”.

Iggy tuvo un hijo con una admiradora, la cual muchos años después le informó que era padre. Lo último que supe de sus primogénito, es que era el encargado de su seguridad, y quien lo sacaba personalmente de las manos del público, cuando se aventaba desde el escenario.

Iggy Pop en un clásico movimiento, cuando fue joven en 1970

Poison: En la época glam metalera de los 80’s, casi todas las bandas se maquillaban como mujer, pero los que más explotaron el estilo fueron los integrantes de Poison, que desde la portada de su primer disco, hicieron palidecer a los New York Dolls, quienes en los 70’s también eran exageradamente afeminados con sus disfraces.

De hecho al verlos por primera vez, el nombre de la banda me recordaba al famoso perfume de mujer Poison y no a su significado: veneno. 

Fuera de los millones de discos que vendieron, todos los integrantes de Poison tuvieron una vida normal heterosexual, aunque el más publicitado en ese aspecto ha sido Bret Michaels (que según mis cálculos, ya tocó en León, Guanajuato este sábado 17), quien hiciera el primer video porno con Pamela Anderson. Así es, llegó a ser novio y amante de la ex playmate, mucho antes de que Tommy Lee de Mötley Crüe la pidiera en matrimonio.

Poison mostrándose al mundo en su primer disco

Caifanes: Cuando surgieron en la escena del rock mexicano, tenían una imagen tipo The Cure. Saúl Hernández de plano se había copiado el peinado de Robert Smith.

Alguna vez contó Sabo Romo que cuando fueron a una disquera, algún ejecutivo les dijo que “ellos no contrataban a pinches putos (homosexuales)”.  Sin entender este tipo que lo único que buscaba Caifanes era mezclar su buena música con una imagen fuerte y llamativa.

A final de cuentas, lograron hacer su primer disco y demostrar que su música era excelente, pero descartaron la imagen glamorosa para siempre, lo que fue una excelente idea a largo plazo. Por cierto, casi todos son casados.

Caifanes cuando usaron look extravagantes

Prince:  Algunas portadas de sus discos o su forma tan femenina de caminar, llegaron a provocar cuestionamientos sobre la sexualidad de este genio de la música.

En escena puede ser tan bisexual como Jagger y tan intenso como Hendrix cuando requintea, pero a final de cuentas su calidad se impone aunque se haya peleado judicialmente con una disquera, lo que impidió que algunos años usara su nombre y también ha demandado a sus propios fans por usar sus fotos, una decisión que se ha considerado muy polémica.

A pesar de todo lo que se diga sobre su sexualidad, Prince ha estado casados dos veces y desafortunadamente llegó a sufrir la pena de la muerte de un hijo.

Prince mostrando su lado sensual

En conclusión caminar, moverse o mezclar una actitud femenina con la masculinidad, siempre genera gran interés en las audiencias, que desean ver algo diferente y mientras más extremo sea, será mejor.

Nota: No incluimos a David Bowie, porque ya se ha hablado demasiado de su bisexualidad, aunque es un hombre bien casado.

So, first off. Hahahahahahaha to the BNP! About bloody time they got brought up to current political correctness like the rest of us. At the same time though, hopefully no non-whites will want to join the BNP! And, if they do, I have a horrible feeling that the number of unexplained disappearances/murders of members of the BNP will rise :/

I got a message from Mad’s brother today, Mad asked for his new prison address to be sent on to me and ‘would like to hear from’ me, so I’ve just sent a third letter. Don’t know whether or not he got the last one but he was only moved last week so it should have got there before he went. He’s due out in 6 days! I’m really quite happy about that, it’ll be good just to know he’s out of four walls again. I do hope that his time in there will have gotten his ex out of his mind, but I suppose I have to try not to get my hopes up.

I feel weird today, kinda happy, kinda sad. It shocked me a bit this morning to see part of a picture of Manshape and I on his dA page. I wasn’t expecting that. (And I think my leg looks a little weird in it.) I also got a bit upset that his current ava is a picture that he took for me and I thought that no one else was ever going to see it. It’s a good picture, but it’s still that selfishness that remains after a relationship of wanting to keep the things you thought would be between the two of you just between the two of you. Some things aren’t for the rest of the world…

The Cure – Maybe Someday

I sometimes forget how much I love Robert Smith’s voice. I get lost in it every time.

EDIT: Oh, also, today I joined the Council for British Archaeologists! I feel like a real archaeologist now, so excited to get my welcome pack!

Quick point before we start.

If someone comes up to you and wants to tell you what the best thing in Zombieland is. Knock them the fudge out! You do not want the best thing in Zombieland spoiled for you, trust me.

At some point over the last decade zombies joined ninjas, pirates, robots and monkeys in the pantheon of one time film and video-game fodder turned full time nerd fixations. Coupled with the revival and movie interest, this spawned a thriving industry of in-joke books and websites dedicated to collating every cliché of zombie survival for easy laughs. Following on from Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland is next to have a good look at the sub-sub genre through a Wes Craven lens. The film follows four human survivors as they wander the requisite zombie landscape having post-modern discussions about zombie survival rules. There are many theories as to why zombies are so popular now, typically grounded in the ‘innate fascination with death’ hypothesis that needed a new home now that vampires have become exclusive objects of fetish for sexually frustrated novelists.

I think I have a better take on the popularity. Put simply, I think we love Zombies because we hate each other. Just think of all the people everyday who annoy you, bother you, get in your way or just generally exist . We all occasionally feel like were alone among a hoard of hostel, human-shaped ghouls. And so we all have, or at least have the capacity to have that private dark fantasy of grabbing the nearest blunt object and fighting back against the armies of humanity.

But since most of us are sane enough to rely on fiction to satiate these urges, were always on the lookout for humans who are universally despised. So much so, that slaughtering them is fair game. The Brits are top of the list (I cannot see why, the reprehensible oaths!), closely followed by the Nazi’s. But both of those enemies limit you in terms of scope and setting.

Zombies however, are perfect for any scenario. Zombies are just random people on the street under Robert Smith make up that identifies them as okay to kill. It is no accident that the greatest of all zombie movies takes place in a shopping centre.

Essentially the zombie genre is about individualist empowerment. The individual in Zombieland is one Jessie Eisenberg (see I was getting there), a self sufficient Über-nerd who never got on with humanity to begin with and is thus psychologically equipped for zombie survival. Jessie hooks up with Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin. The plan is to head to a supposedly zombie-proof amusement park on the west coast. Along the way, friends are forged, sardonic jokes are made and zombie clichés discussed. The film hits its stride in the second half, with a surprising cameo (which shall not be spoiled) being a particular highlight. The cast has a relaxed chemistry and seem to be having fun. Of the performances it is Abigail Breslin who steals the show; her natural timing is impeccable. With Signs, Little Miss Sunshine and now Zombieland under her belt, Breslin is easily one of the most promising actresses to have graced our screens in quite some time.

If your guessing that everything comes down to a big climactic battle during which manhood is attained and the killing gets oh so inventive– blue peter badge for you! It may sound strange, but this is the kind of movie that I almost feel guilty about liking as much as I do. I should be sick to death of the zombie genre and survival jokes that were perfected by Wright and Pegg. But there is no denying that Zombieland works, like a bad joke that you can’t stop laughing at. Take for example, Woodie’s character, you already know that at some point in the last act he’s going to say some variation of.

“Just go…..I got this”

And march off on a suicide run of such immense improbability, it would make Douglas blush. Yet, when it happened I found myself to engrossed to care. Go Woody!

ps. You still can’t jump though…

Dré

If you check the latest rankings for the favorites for this year’s Heisman Trophy, the name at the top of the list is Florida’s Tim Tebow.  While that does not pose as much of a surprise to anyone who has paid attention to college football the last four years, the statistics for Tebow and many others who are not on the watch list may be a bit of a surprise.

Tebow's charisma, not his overall performance, may be influencing Heisman voters (google images)

Going into the 2009 season, the three favorites to bring home the coveted award were the top three finishers in last year’s voting, Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford from Oklahoma, Texas Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy and Tebow.

Bradford’s chances at a repeat fell dramatically when he was knocked out of the first game of the year and subsequently missed the next three games with a sprained shoulder.  McCoy has again put up solid numbers, but he has seen a bit of a dip slightly from his stats from a year ago.  McCoy could make a strong impression this weekend in front of a national television audience in the Red River Shootout against the hated Oklahoma Sooners, but as of now, he is second on the Heisman list to Tebow, according to most experts.

A closer look at Tebow’s stats this season, however,  begs the question:  Is the Heisman Trophy supposed to go to the best player or the most popular one?  While the Florida Gators have been the number one team in America since the preseason, Tebow’s stats are a far cry from elite, not only in the country, but in his conference and even in his own state.

Tebow’s 155 passing yards per game rank him 96th in the FBS, and eighth in his own conference.  In fact, the only great statistical game Tebow has managed was against Troy, where he completed four of his seven touchdowns on the year.  If you take out both cupcakes, Troy and lowly Charleston Southern, and focus on the three SEC opponents the Gators have faced (Tennessee, Kentucky and LSU), Tebow is averaging 124 yards passing a game with two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

On the ground, he is averaging 4.1 yards per carry and 79 yards per game.  There are 59 quarterbacks in the FBS that are averaging more than that just in passing yards.  That is an average of 203 yards of total offense. 

Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen has led an Irish team with a very average defense to a 4-1 record this season.  He is averaging 308 yards per game with 12 TDs and two interceptions, and he has kept the Irish in every one of their games, including the last second, heart-breaking loss to Michigan in week two.  

Finally, Tony Pike is getting some serious Heisman consideration (google images)

Until this week when ESPN’s Robert Smith discussed it, very few experts had mentioned Cincinnati’s Tony Pike as a threat.  Pike has led the Bearcats to a 5-0 start and is averaging  just under 300 yards per game through the air with 13 TD’s and only three interceptions.

What may be the most surprising is that Tebow is statistically a far cry from the being the best QB in the state of Florida.  Miami’s Jacory Harris has quietly led the Hurricanes to a 4-1 start.  Harris has been great in every game except the monsoon in Blacksburg when the Hokies held him to 150 yards.  In that game, not only did Harris face one of the best defensive coordinators in the country in Bud Foster, he also had to deal with Mother Nature.  The entire game was played in monsoon-like conditions with steady rain and gusting winds.  Still, Harris has 25th in the nation in yards per game.

The other QB that may surprise a lot of people due to his team’s record is Florida State’s Christian Ponder.  Through the Bobby Bowden retirement soap opera and the ‘Noles’ travesty of a defense this season, many outside of Tallahassee have not recognized what the junior signal caller has done thus far. 

Ponder currently ranks 11th in passing yards per game with 9 TD’s and only one pick.  He has added another 123 yards on the ground and more importantly, Ponder has kept his team in every game this season, despite an inconsistent running game and one of the nation’s worst defenses.

Finally, ESPN has Jimmy Clausen, Tony Pike and Jacory Harris on their watch list, but they may want to check the stats before the put Tebow on top again.  Unfortunately, the very mediocre stats will be downplayed by ESPN and the rest of the media and Tebow’s leadership and charisma will be brought up. 

What should be considered instead is who is the best college football player in the nation.  Who does more for his team and does more in big games?  The stats don’t lie, but if the season plays out like it has and the Heisman race plays out like it looks like it may, ESPN’s Erin Andrews may want to see if she still has eligibility left.  Her popularity may make her next year’s Heisman front-runner.

Primary

The innocence of sleeping children
Dressed in white
And slowly dreaming
Stops all time
Slow my steps and start to blur
So many years have filled my heart
I never thought I’d say those words

The further we go
And older we grow
The more we know …
The less we show …

The very first time I saw your face
I thought of a song
And quickly changed the tune
The very first time I touched your skin
I thought of a story
And rushed to reach the end
Too soon

Oh remember
Please
Don’t change

So the fall came
Thirteen years
A shiny ring
And how I could forget your name
The air no longer in my throat
Another perfect lie is choked
But it always feels the same

So they close together
Dressed in red and yellow
Innocent forever
Sleeping children in their blue soft rooms
Still dream

The further we go
And older we grow
The more we know …

- Robert Smith (The Cure)

fra albumet  Faith (1981)