i have found my fashion match with STRUMMER.

I have always been considered to be a conservative chick, but i love to mix it up…but then, not really… (unless we’re talking about sequins of course!)

but this is my ideal style of dress, and I am making my declaration today! Simple, Casual, Me… When things get dark I’m gonna go bright and airy…enough punk… its time for peace and harmony…it’s time for rebirth.

random: gosh this post makes me crave banana bread…

Um curta amador produzido pelo Joe Strummer em 1983.

Esse filme faz parte do dvd “THE Essential CLASH”

Strummer, one of the latest talented labels to grace the Australian fashion circuit launched their debut Summer line at an intimate soiree at At Perry Lane as part of Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival on Saturday 22^nd of August. The collection was literally as hot as the fire in their closing act of fire twirling.

Strummer’s second collection The Howling Sun is quintessentially Australian with defiant European chic. It combined tartan knicker- shorts and French lace tops with military motif mini dresses and jackets.

The multi-dimensional collection included everything from nautical sailor collars to feminine crochet and soft denims in an equally enticing array of masculine shirt shapes and floaty mini dresses. The shoes also by Strummer were a standout channelling schoolgirl buckle ups and exaggerated Victorian boots as sandals.

The lyrical collection was an empowered romance that put the Australian edge in the French ‘Je ne Sais Quoi’   The Howling Sun composed a textile tune of French jazz crooning with a military marching band in toe that will no doubt have us all strumming along this Summer.

http://www.strummer.com.au/

My neighborhood is filled with expectant parents.  A few know about my baby name obsession; others, not so much.  I know that politeness dictates that I greet all joyful news of babies-on-the-way with the following: Congratulations!  How are you feeling?

Instead, I really want to say: Do you have names picked out?

So I wonder, readers, do you also struggle with the urge to ask?

In other news:

• There’s a new baby in my ‘hood who answers to Santiago.  (Or will.  He’s just a few weeks old.)  Ignatius names seems to be big everywhere except the English-speaking world.  Here was the big a-ha – Santiago’s mom said this:  It’s a very popular name in Peru (her home country).  If we lived there, I probably wouldn’t want to use it.  Here, of course, it sounds just-exotic-enough, at #171 last year;
• I mentioned a local tot named Strummer the other week.  When I spotted his mom at a community event on Friday night, I went ahead and asked – yup, he is named after Joe Strummer!  No word on whether daughter-to-be Polly has an equally punk rock inspiration;
• Ever notice how some families give girls wildly creative appellations,while sticking to the absolute classics for their sons? Bewildertrix spotted a birth announcement for the saintly, nicely paired Joseph Rocco – with big sisters Dior Rose and Caprice.  She also spotted a Reece Warlock;
• The Toronto Star column this week features a rather pretty name – Melita Jolie.  I’ll admit that Melita sounds a little bit like an appliance to my ear.  But Melitta is a legitimate variant of Melissa, and with just the one t, Melita is the Latin name for the island of Malta.  Better still, Melita is a family name on dad’s side – I always enjoy the use of obscure family names;
• I’m sure you’ve already read all about it, but yes, a mom-to-be really is (was?) selling naming rights for her son on eBay, in hopes of raising enough cash to put food on the table.  Or is she?  When I checked eBay, the auction link didn’t work, despite the fact that eBay officials earlier said her item was valid – and bids were received;
• Sebastiane brings us another interesting Latvian/Lithuanian choice – Daina, pronounced just like Dinah.  Of course, in the US you’d probably hear her rhymed with Dana.  But then, that’s the risk with any unusual name;
• Weirdest name spotted on a message board this week?  Azhya.  Pronounced like Asia.  Let’s hope the baby is a boy – David is the top contender;
• Finley is the new Riley.  Daniel Baldwin’s new daughter is Finley Rae.  Sibs are Alexandra, Atticus, Kahlea and Avis.  Wonder if we’ll see Finleigh or Fynlee in the US Top 1000 this year?
• Speaking of names that just might pop – Marley Shelton plays a character called Cleo in A Perfect Getaway, a thriller that just opened this weekend.  Other characters include Cliff, Cydney and Kale;
• Celeb chef Tom Colicchio welcomed son Luka Bodhi, a brother for Dante;
• Tommy Hilfiger welcomed a son named Sebastian Thomas.  Sebastian is already one of those names that new parents are surprised – and disappointed – to learn ranks in the US Top 100.  Odds are he’ll keep on climbing;
• Reality TV alumni Rob and Amber Mariano welcomed a daughter, Lucia Rose;
• Nancy published an excerpt from Emily Post’s 1967 etiquette guide, counseling against names that are “too long or difficult to pronounce …”  One imagines the 60s were  a trying time for etiquette experts;
• For pure fun, check out Elisabeth’s post on Anagram names.  I agree – Claudine and Dulcinea are quite the pair! 

A year ago today, I wrote about Zuleika.  Cool name!  I remain impressed by the suggestions that find their way to me.

Lastly, if you haven’t read Confessions of a Secret Name Nerd by Nameberry’s Pam, then you simply must.

Have a fabulous week!

How can it possibly be August?  Of 2009!?

As I marvel at the date on the calendar, why don’t you hop in the wayback machine to 2008 when August was Name of the Day?  It’s still one of my favorites for a boy.

Here in my RL, I’ve got a few new babies to report:

• Elizabeth Violet, nn Elle – classic, but not dull;
• John Paul – not sure if he’s John-Paul or even Jean Paul, but parents definitely use both names together;
• A local mommy blogger is planning on naming her daughter-to-be Polly.  IMHO, the world could use a few more Pollys.  Big brother is Strummer – should I ever meet her face-to-face, I promise to ask about her inspiration.

Also in RL, but in ones far more glamorous – or at least visible – than mine:

• Jude Law, known for his great taste in baby names, is apparently expecting #4 avec model/actress Samantha Burke.  He was stepdad to Finlay and has three kids with ex-wife Sadie Frost: Rafferty, Iris and Rudy.  Turns out that Sadie was the stylish namer of the duo, apparently – the baby-on-the-way is slated to be known as the classic-but-common Sophia;
• Actress Kathryn Hahn welcomed daughter Mae, a sister for Leonard;
• Dancer Ashly Costa embraces the obscure-but-wearable Biblical baby names category, welcoming son Enoch Daniel.  Enoch was Name of the Day back in June.  Big brother is Ammon Michael.  Wonder if they’re planning on any more kiddos?  Because on their current path, they could be the family forced to resort to Habakkuk;
• Speaking of lots of kiddos, everyone’s favorite mega-family, the Duggars, announced that their first grandchild will be known as Mackynzie Renée.  I think it is lovely that they’ve opted to stick with M in honor of matriarch Michelle.  I also think it is too bad that Meredith didn’t make it to the top of the list, as they’d joked with morning talk’s Meredith Vieira during their reveal-the-gender television appearance.

And in the blogosphere:

• Jill’s post on NameShame?  Rocks.
• Speaking of naming regrets, the mom blogger at Kicky Boots wrote about deciding to rename their toddler.  Karenna Jolie is, I must say, a lovely choice for their daughter.  Who cares it if it took a few months post-utero to settle on it?
• During our discussion of Cinderella, Sebastiane mentioned that she’s heard of it on Cajun women.  There is something fascinating happening in Louisiana, isn’t there?  Nancy did a post on Cajun names from the Civil War, including Justilien and Dazincourt;
• Did you check out the Nameberry Faves post – Beatrix, Penelope and Clementine are their Top Three.  Beatrix is clearly a favorite here, too.  Wonder if we’ll see that reflected in the US rankings in a few years?
• Xanthe Linnea wrote about Cedric.  Anyone else think that the Harry Potter/Twilight connection might make Cedric an unlikely choice in, say, a decade and a half?  Edward Cedric, anyone?
• Bewildertrix spotted Asher on a girl; Elisabeth reports a girl called Archer.  Asher doesn’t surprise me, what with Ashley/Ashlyn/Ashtyn.  But Archer?  Knock me over with a feather;
• I loved Bewildertrix’s post on villain names like Regan, Judas, Iago, Jezebel, Hannibal … whenever I ding Regan, I can expect a few angry comments.  But I’m with her on this one – Regan wasn’t much of a role model to begin with, and the fact that the name caught on post-Exorcist?  Scary.  Even better, her comment on Lucifer – “Sound wise it’s magnificent.  To use it?  Cruel.”
• A pair of Canadian parents insist they are angst-free over their decision to name their daughters Shade Star Pirate and Styles Knight Mansion.  I respect the amount of thought they put into their choices.  But I can’t help think that somewhere in there, they could’ve given their daughters a less aggressively unusual name, just in case the girls grow up to have interests other than their parents’ professions, Star Wars and attractions at Disney World;
• Let’s end on a high note – Sebastiane featured a truly classic girls’ name over at Legit Baby Names – Martha, Marta, Marthe.

In semi-name news, I’ve been coveting my neighbors’ gas-sipping, eco-chic SmartCar for months now.  I was charmed to learn that the forerunner of today’s Smart wore the lovely name Isetta.  Hey, if girls can be named Camry.  And Shade …

Thanks for reading!

Por mas que he pensado en sobre que contar acerca de este disco solo puedo decir que si se pudiera meter en la boca sería un caramelo, aunque no dulzón. 

Primero vino el título y luego la música.

Mételo en tu boca

It’s tough being a horse racing fanatic. TVG is nice for seeing the actual races, but you have to suffer through awful commentary, not to mention commercials for ShamWow, the Snuggie and Mighty Putty. Horse racing trade publications, racing blogs, and forums provide news and opinions, but there are few people with the industry knowledge, scope, and experience to provide racing fans with real insight into the sport.

Bill Finley is one of the finest writers in horse racing. He speaks to handicappers, fans, and to members of the racing industry. I admire his unwavering dedication to the Sport of Kings, as well as his visionary ideas to improve it. Finley has the courage to buck popular thought about the racing industry and speak out about deep problems within the institution. He writes for the New York Times, USA Today, and ESPN, and in 2008, he published Betting Synthetic Surfaces, a book of in-depth research and analysis of what makes a winner on a synthetic track. He’s also a co-host of Down The Stretch, a racing program on Sirius Satellite Radio and has appeared in editions of ESPN’s SportsCentury.

Check out Bill’s thoughts on the 2008 Eclipse Awards, the unsung heroes of 2008, the legacy of Barbaro, a throwdown between Big Brown and Curlin, Eight Belles’ tragic demise, and some early 2009 Kentucky Derby picks (including Old Fashioned, pictured above with trainer Larry Jones).

… and check out Bill Finley’s Top Ten Albums of all time!

1. English Beat: I Just Can’t Stop It
2. The Clash: London Calling
3. The Clash: Sandinista!
4. The Who: Who’s Next
5. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
6. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
7. Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA
8. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros: Rock Art and the X-Ray Style
9. The Smiths: Louder Than Bombs
10. Graham Parker: Squeezing Out Sparks

Il fait nuit maintenant. Elle vient de sortir sur la terrasse fumer une cigarette. J’étais perdu dans mes pensées, quelques questions à venir et deux ou trois promesses périmées ; jusqu’à ce que mon regard agrippe le paquet qu’elle a laissé sur la table. Je peux sentir dans ma poitrine le vide que ça comblerait. J’envisage déjà les réponses qui me seraient données. Ma main hésite, jusqu’à ce que j’inspire profondément.
Elle referme la porte-fenêtre, le froid de janvier tente une percée.
-”Alors lui demande-je, elle était bonne cette clope?”
-”Bof, moyen. Ca va toi ?”
-”Bien, très bien oui!” Je lui souris. Je pense à Carver et à Strummer.
Rien n’est écrit. Chacun sa vie.

21.8.1952  -  22.12.2002

COMPLETE CONTROL – THE CLASH

They said release ‘Remote Control’
But we didn’t want it on the label
They said, “Fly to Amsterdam”
The people laughed but the press went mad

Ooh ooh ooh someone’s really smart
Ooh ooh ooh complete control, yeah that’s a laugh

On the last tour my mates couldn’t get in
I’d open up the back door but they’d get run out again
At every hotel we was met by the Law
Come for the party – come to make sure!

Ooh ooh ooh have we done something wrong?
Ooh ooh ooh complete control, even over this song

You’re my guitar hero

They said we’d be artistically free
When we signed that bit of paper
They meant we’ll make a lotsa mon-ee
An’ worry about it later

Ooh ooh ooh I’ll never understand
Ooh ooh ooh complete control – lemme see your other hand!

I don’t judge you.
So, why do you judge me?
Huh?

All over the news spread fast
They’re dirty, they’re filthy
They ain’t gonna last!

This is Joe public speakin’
I’m controlled in the body, controlled in the mind
This is punk rockers,
we’re controlled by the price of the hard drugs we must find
Freedom is control
Total
C-o-n control – that means you!

I just love this song , Its up there as one of my fave Clash tunes , The live version on “from here to eternity” is mindblowing !

One of my favourite lines is one that just shouts out ” You’re my guitar Hero” its a line that always gets me thinking , just  who is my guitar hero ?

Its like a lot of questions i ask myself , I can never come up with a definitive answer , its like my top ten album list thats probably got fifty albums in it !

I think I’ve got the answer then I think of someone else and the whole process starts again !

Anyway enough of my drivel  , what I really want to know is …………..

Who is your guitar hero ?

comments please

and then I’ll post my answer

Just a quick post to let any interested parties know that the ByteArts Rock Band strummer replacement is great – more responsive than the standard strummer, yet less noisy than the GH variant – and not only that, their customer service is awesome as well.

I have bought two of these strummer replacements, but on the second purchase I gave them the wrong delivery address. The packet went from the States to Norway and back again, and I had started wondering where it’d gone when they e-mailed me and told me it had been mailed back to them. I provided them with the right address, and they promptly mailed the packet to me – without any extra charges.

This is what customer service is all about, well done ByteArts!

Sushi with Jess, then a walk through deserted Portland. The whole city was elsewhere glued to the television and the Superbowl. Jess showed me a few blues chords on the piano at her place, then with a kiss I left. She’s got something to her. Never known someone as casual, sometimes it makes me feel like a fool. I like the change.

Walked home listening to Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. Walked over deep puddles covered in thin ice. Felt good. Earlier in the night I had finished up my homework for Modern East Asia and returned to The Good, The Bad, and Me, Eli Wallach’s autobiography. There’s a quote at the very end that he includes. It’s a line of Lord Byron’s from Williams’ Camino Real:

“Make voyages, attempt them, there’s nothing else.”

Always, simplicity. Do, as there is nothing in not doing.

Listening to Nighthawks At The Diner, leaning back in my chair. Got a lot to do tomorrow. Finding a job, finding a new apartment, finding my luggage, class. But tonight it’s just me and Tom.

Sinto que um pouco mais de inconformidade deveria chegar na rua de vez em quando.

Que não existem mais pessoas dispostas a botar pra foder e colocar as coisas em movimento.

Que estremeçam as potências do-seja-o-que-for e façam as senhoras tremerem debaixo de seus lençóis, com medo da turba enfurecida do lado de fora..

Que façam alguma coisa porque ninguém mais faz porra nenhuma.

Que sejam mais que nem o Joe Strummer.

Que, puta merda, deveria ser eterno. E está morto.

Sempre que eu ouço Clash eu sinto que a luta está na minha porta, que só falta abrir e tomar a rua, e levar, e vencer, porque é uma luta que está vencida.

Faz muito tempo.

Que nós deveriamos vencer, que esse mundo é bom, e que essa porra toda tem limite.

E o limite somos nós quem estabelecemos.