Conceal, Conceal, Conceal

One of the greatest questions and concerns people mention is the eye area and how to best conceal. Signs of aging show up in the eyes, neck, and hands the most. Skin is fine, thin, and there's not as much circulation so sallow looking skin can show up as well.My biggest tip for concealing is this:Apply a light eye-gel to your concealing cream for smooth glide and application and to prevent

Fela Anikulapo Kuti's work enjoys posthumous revival

Abami Eda Lives on: Starting November 23, musical theater fans visiting New York won't just be angling for tickets to Broadway productions of "Chicago," "Mamma Mia!" and "Rock of Ages." They'll also have the chance to see "Fela!" -- a new musical at the Eugene O'Neill Theater about the influential Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and the opportunity to choose Afrobeat over show tunes, ABBA hits and Disney songs.

What's at stake in this Broadway venture, however, is much more than recreational tourist dollars. The show will help find a larger audience for Kuti, who before his death in 1997 pioneered Afrobeat from the sounds of James Brown and West African high-life music, became a political icon in his native Nigeria and earned the admiration of everyone from Paul McCartney to the Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil.

Rikki Stein, Kuti's former co-manager and the executor of his estate, plans to capitalize on this exposure to cement his legacy as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

"I have an abiding regret that Fela never achieved the recognition he deserved during his lifetime," Stein says. "We have a long row to hoe in terms of general knowledge and acceptance."

ALBUM REISSUES

In addition to green-lighting "Fela!," Kuti's estate has licensed his catalog to the newly revived Knitting Factory Records. The well-timed deal will result in the reissue of Kuti's complete catalog -- 45 albums -- during the next 12 years.

"The industry always talks about who the next big legacy artist will be," says Ian Wheeler, label manager of Knitting Factory Records. "It should have been Fela years ago. We're really trying to bring a new audience around the world, and particularly in the U.S., to his music."

Up first is the October 27 release "The Best of the Black President," a compilation of Kuti's best-known material. The set is being sold at previews of "Fela!" and at Felabrations, a series of Afrobeat DJ parties organized by Knitting Factory Records and its marketing partner, Giant Step.

"We're a conduit for raising awareness of Afrobeat," says DJ Rich Medina, who founded the Kuti tribute party Jump N' Funk in 2001 and headlined four of 18 Felabrations nationwide. "It's a way of helping the cause."

"The first thing we're doing is galvanizing the core base of Fela fans," Giant Step founder/CEO Maurice Bernstein says, "then using the messaging to make him relevant in a universal way. You can live in Detroit and understand what (the famous Kuti saying) 'Music is the weapon' means, just like you would Bob Marley's 'One Love' or Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On?'"

The first batch of reissues arrive February 2: "The '69 Los Angeles Sessions," "Live With Ginger Baker," "London Scene"/"Shakara," "Rodoforofo Fight," "Open & Close"/"Afrodisiac" and "Gentleman"/"Confusion." It's not only the first time Kuti's early London recordings with Koola Loobitos will be reissued but also the debut of his catalog on vinyl, which Knitting FactoryVampire Weekend. hopes will attract a new generation of music collectors who listen to African-influenced bands like

"Every day there are traces of new people discovering Fela's music," Wheeler says. "But there has never been a swell of activity around him like this."

Though MCA reissued Kuti's catalog in 2001, Bernstein, who also helped market that series, says its potential wasn't fully realized. "MCA was a major label, and no matter how much they said they loved Fela and how important he was, he was definitely lost in the shuffle," he says.

Stein is all too familiar with labels' conflicted admiration for Kuti. In the mid-'80s, he says he met with every major about the prospect of a deal. "They all received me respectfully and saw Fela as akin to Miles Davis or any of the jazz greats," Stein recalls. "But they'd ask: 'Rikki, which three minutes of this 18-minute song do you want me to put on the radio?' "

"I'd ask Fela to write me a small tune," Stein adds. "He used to say, 'I'm writing African classical music. Don't mess with Tchaikovsky.'"

A deal nearly came to fruition in 1993, when then-Motown Records president Jheryl Busby offered Kuti a five-album deal under his new Africa-oriented label, with a $1.3 million advance for each album and another $1 million for full ownership of Kuti's catalog, Stein says. But after talking to his spirit advisers, Kuti refused to sign until April 1995. Busby left Motown the week of the scheduled signing, and Andre Harrell's first action as Motown's new president was to ax the African label.

BODY/MIND EXPERIENCE

In Knitting Factory Records and the producers of "Fela!," Stein has found partners who are more attuned to the cause of expanding Kuti's legacy.

"Fela!" re-creates the Shrine, the Lagos, Nigeria, nightclub where Kuti played multiple nights each week with his band, Africa 70. A collective of singers, dancers and musicians performs Kuti songs including "Shakara," "Zombie" and "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" behind lead actor Sahr Ngaujah, who won an Obie Award for his spot-on portrayal of Kuti in the show's Off Broadway run last year. The effect is less stuffy theater and more raucous concert -- just as its creators intended.

"The Broadway experience can be like sitting with blinders on," "Fela!" director/choreographer Bill T. Jones says. "This is a show you enjoy as much with your body as with your mind. It's free and communal."

"There was a constant struggle between keeping Fela's music pure and deconstructing it for the audience," says the show's musical director, Aaron Johnson, who translated Kuti's Yoruba and pidgin lyrics and is also the conductor/trombonist of the acclaimed Afrobeat band Antibalas. "I've been very pleasantly surprised with the response so far."

Nor have the most controversial aspects of Kuti's life been smoothed over, from his simultaneous "wedding" to 27 women to his clashes with the Nigerian government that led to a brutal 1977 attack on his Kalakuta compound. "It's all out there," Stein says. "Fela has not been sanitized."

That hasn't done anything to quell the show's positive word-of-mouth, the result in no small part to the fact that tastemaker musicians like the Roots' Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson have sung its praises. Jay-Z called it "fantastic" after attending a show, fueling reports that the rapper will become involved with it in an official capacity.

"There's going to be an enormous incentive for people to investigate Fela when they know that Jay-Z, Will Smith and Alicia Keys are all rabid fans," Stein says. "It's a sign that the underground is moving overground."

Further proof that a Kuti revival of sorts is under way: A screenplay for a biopic is in the works, to be directed by the U.K. filmmaker Steve McQueen ("Hunger").

"I believe that with the show, the film and the reissues, a lot is going to change," Stein says. "We'll see a much wider audience for Fela. There were a million people at his funeral shouting, 'Fela will live forever.' Of course, they were right."

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard)

This Brings out the Halloween Laughs!

It was another installment of the wildly popular and always amusing "Robert is Bothered" series featured on LATE NIGHT w. JIMMY FALLON! This time we find out what bothers Robert about Halloween!

Check out the video below:

Perez Hilton Says They Rocked It at the World Series... You Decide.

Time for a rant. Last night I watched the Phillies and Yankees in the 2010 World Series. Before the game was a musical ceremony. No big deal right? Well, for me when an act is on stage, they should at least look like they showed up.

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys played a great tribute song to New York, but the downer was not that they lip sync'ed like every other band. No. The downer was they had this mock rock band backing them up that looked like it was part of their personal entourage having chance to stand on stage and pretend to be musicians.

I don't know of anyone else noticed or cared, but I did. That jack azz of a azz kisser and attack dog Perez Hilton squawked out his azz today that Jay-Z and Alicia Key's quote and unquote... "rocked it!" Are you kidding me? When ever the camera rolled across the many band members they looked lost as they didn't mark a cord with their fingers let a long hold their fingers on the fret board. The drummer didn't hold his sticks in any imaginary position over the drum set, didn't make a play on the high-hat, it was hilarious to watch. Let's not leave at the keyboardist, yes the camera rolled an overhead shot of him tapping the same two chopstix strokes.

Yeah Perez Hilton, they rocked it. Let me guess, you like them.



My interpretation of the performance was what everyone else should have noticed if they were not busy being lazy American's snacking on dip. This is why America is made fun of folks. We have idiots worshiping laziness.

Avatar Story Revealed - Accusers Come Out Of The Woodwork

James Cameron's much hyped Avatar has it's complete plot-line revealed in the new International trailer. With it come questions of stealing concepts and story-lines once again for the director. Many may recall Cameron's Terminator being a story once told by Harlan Ellison (renowned science fiction writer) where Ellison sued Cameron and eventually was compensated and credited.



With Avatar many avid sci-fi readers are complaining that Cameron has once again lifted his epic film ideas from many other stories. Some are cute references to films like Fern Gully due to the lush landscape of an innocent place being over run by civilization. Others are pointing fingers directly at stories such as My Name Is Joe, a sci-fi book written in the 1950's by Poul Anderson. Watching the trailer above will give you a slight understanding.

What people are finding similar is that in both stories an injured man that has lost use of his extremities finds he can be made whole again on another planet. However the plot and stories are vastly different. For now enjoy the nay-sayers picking on Cameron.

Remember what Picasso said, "Good artist copy, great artist steal."

Taylor and Taylor are Getting Serious!

Country singer Taylor Swift has reportedly been dating 'Twilight' actor Taylor Lautner after they met on set of their romantic comedy ‘Valentine’s Day.' Swift took Lautner out to dinner with her mom Andrea Swift on Monday night, sparking rumours their relationship is getting serious.

“Are we an item? I don’t know," said Swift. "He’s an amazing guy and we’re really close. And, yep, were in a movie together and I’m really excited about seeing it.”

The 19-year-old singer can't wait to see herself looking loved-up with Lautner on the big screen. She has asked movie bosses to let them watch the an advanced version of the film in private.

She explained to CMT Radio host Cody Alan: "I haven't seen ‘Valentine's Day’ at all. So hopefully we'll get to do a private screening because we both wanna see it so bad 'cause our scene was so much fun to do."

The songstress recently admitted she was ready to start dating again following her split from Joe Jonas last October.

Taylor and Taylor were spotted together at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game last weekend.

"I love him, he's so cute," she recently admitted.

‘Valentine’s Day’ is due for release next year.

Sugar Red Drive Survive Car Accident!

Early Sunday morning on Oct. 25th, the van carrying members of Sugar Red Drive was involved in a serious accident near Kalamazoo, MI. The vehicle hit a guardrail, spun out, and flipped over. Miraculously, no one was killed. Bass player Dave Alexander suffered the most serious injuries, breaking his arm, dislocating his elbow, and also breaking his thumb. He underwent surgery in a Kalamazoo hospital Sunday afternoon. Incredibly, the other 3 band members and tour manager only suffered bruises and abrasions.

The band has cancelled their remaining tour dates in October and will resume once everyone has recovered. Their self-titled album, featuring radio hit, "One More Time," is in stores now. Check out their MySpace page for the latest updates on the band and make sure to pick up your copy of the album today!

Michael Jackson Amongst Top-Earning Deceased Celebrities

Michael Jackson makes his debut on the Top-Earning Deceased Celebrities list. Jackson, who passed away earlier this year due to acute Propofol intoxication, placed third. The "Thriller" singer made an enormous amount of money this year due to heavy radio play, royalties from album sales, and from the rights to his name and stock in the Sony music catalog. Ever since his unexpected passing, fans have been selling memorabilia, including a lock of Jackson's hair.

Forbes senior editor Matthew Miller said: "The money might be drying up in Hollywood, but there's still plenty of cash being made in the graveyard. The earning power of dead celebrities is more powerful than ever before."

Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent tops the list this year, knocking "The King" Elvis Presley off his top spot. Saint Laurent passed away in 2008, but he made $350 million from his fashion label and from the sale of his art collection.


The songwriting team Rodgers and Hammerstein came in second this year. The two penned famous popular Broadway musicals, such as "Oklahoma", "South Pacific", and "The Sound of Music."


Here's the list in its entirety:
1. Yves Saint Laurent - $350 million
2. Rodgers and Hammerstein - $235 million
3. Michael Jackson - $90 million
4. Elvis Presley - $55 million
5. J.R.R. Tolkien - $50 million
6. Charles Schultz - $35 million
7. John Lennon - $15 million
8. Dr. Seuss - $15 million
9. Albert Einstein - $10 million
10. Michael Crichton - $9 million

Another Hot Single From Nigerian Megastar �9ice�

Barely two weeks after dropping the first single off his up coming album �Tradition� 9ice hits us with the energy. �Energy� the latest single from 9ice has had people anticipating its release since its teaser was posted online.

In this feel good song, 9ice shows us he can be versatile by fine tuning his style and playing with different languages without drawing too far from what makes him 9ice. He doesn�t disappoint with fluidity in his lyrics, playing with words, and still reminding us about his happiness.


Energy produced by Cheepo, who is currently one of the hottest producers on market will have you dancing and bobbing your head to the tune while still reminding you that 9ice is infact a true modern connoisseur of our Tradition.

Gbamu Gbamu and now Energy leave us without a doubt that Tradition will be very well worth the listen and constant rotation.

Links to the song
http://iLike.com/s/AH5ZA
http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/1949031

From: 9ice Facebook Fan Group.

Auto Tune The News 9 Baby!

The Gregory Brothers bring us another Angry Gorilla! Snap! Shawty !

Oh baby this one is a riot. But look, you need to be an intellectual. You need to be up on your human events to really appreciate the hilarity of what the Gregory Brothers do in their Auto Tune The News vids. Yes, bagging on Katie Couric is back too!

The musical theme this time around segues from a Latin jig to a soulful church choral. Our buddy the Angry Gorilla returns as does the Junkie Einstein the fictional dope smoking Republican Senator from South Dakota.

This one covers: Chevez at the United Nations and boy do they make him out to be a ding-dong. His return cameo loony tunes style at the end cracks me up. Tun-tun-tun-tun tun tun! Meanwhile the Gregory Brothers poke fun at the phony love fest at the United Nations, then they bring out Frank McGee (Angry Gorilla) to show us how congress depicts the Republicans hating on the Obama Health Care reform plan and using the poster boy of liberal media Keith Oberman to whine about it. Then they take on the joke of giving Obama receiving the Nobel Peace prize asking how he got it. You know... just watch the video...

Bored Office Workers Perform a Backstreet Boys Hit

Five office workers record themselves singing along to "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. Who wouldn't want to work in this office?

Bruce Springsteen's Cousin Found Dead

Rocker Bruce Springsteen canceled an appearance at the Spirit Center in Kansas City, US, last night (10-26-09) after his cousin Lenny Sullivan’s body was found in a hotel room earlier in the day.

Lenny, 36, was assistant road manager to Bruce’s backing group The E Street Band. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

A statement on 60-year-old Bruce’s website promised the show will take place at a later date.

“A warm and sensitive person, he was beloved by Bruce, the band, the crew, and the entire Thrill Hill family," the statement said.

“Bruce and the band deeply appreciate the understanding of our Kansas City audience and look forward to returning at the earliest opportunity."

Bruce and the E Street Band were due to perform at part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert this Thursday (10-29-09) at New York’s Madison Square Garden, but there has been no word on whether this will still take place.

However, fellow music veteran Eric Clapton has pulled out of the show to have gallstones removed.

A statement from the ‘Wonderful Tonight’ star said the 64-year-old musician “will spend time recuperating at home in the UK and is very sorry to disappoint the fans and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Lady Gaga To Add Dad Tattoo

Upper West Side girl Lady Ga Ga (Stefani Germanotta) offered to pay tribute or respect or whatever to her father in telling him she would get a tattoo with a heart and the word "dad" in it for him.

This came about due to his recent open heart surgery where she has been at his side like a good daughter should be.

Her father's response to her? According to Lady Ga Ga he offered a teary-eyed response: "Well, you're running out of real estate, so don't get it too big."

This will be 23 year old Lady Ga Ga's 5th or 9th tattoo depending your source.

Taylor Swift May Spoof Kanye Scandal on SNL...with Kanye!

Just when you thought this story was starting to get old...Taylor Swift will be hosting Saturday Night Live in November, so you know a spoof of the VMA fiasco is in order. However, the rumor is that SNL's producers have been working to get Kanye himself to appear on the show in a surprise cameo.

Taylor Swift has said, "I've been thinking about skit ideas for a long time. There are definitely some hilarious things that have happened to me over the past couple of months that I think will be pretty substantial skits." No kidding!

Winter Skin

As seen on healthnewsdigest.com - written by Billy Lowe - Sunday Oct 25, 2009.Through the years, and on all the reality shows I have been on, and the thousands of women I've worked with or spoken to, I have discovered some key elements that work consistently each and every time for basic and seasonal skincare needs. Just as seasons change each and every year, and we dress accordingly, our hair,

More Star Wars? Oh Yeah!

Bad prequels or not, Star Wars may be back for more! And why shouldn't it? People want it and the Star Wars Universe has lots to offer in terms of great story lines.

Right now it's just a rumor but word is that George Lucas may in fact be heading back to the trilogy concept again. For those of you that think Lucas involvement means he'll screw it up, think again. He's only planning to produce while notable directors handle the hands on duties. Those same rumor insiders claim the likes of Steven Spielberg or Coppola are front-runners. When Lucasfilm was contacted for confirmation, all this was denied.

If it happens, where dos it go? Who would play Luke as he marries Mara Jade? Do you leave him and Han and Leah out? Or does the Star Wars universe step way back to the Knights of the Old Republic?

Breasts war in Nigeria: Ladies with big boobs compete for prize

Are you a lady blessed with big and beautiful breasts? Are you proud of the endowment and willing to flaunt them? If yes, this is an opportunity for you to use what you have to get what you need. However, the breasts must be natural, not those augmented or �pumped,� as they say in local parlance.

Indeed, a Lagos organization, Salty Land Ventures Nigeria Limited, is organizing a unique pageant for ladies with jumbo size breasts, offering mouth-watering prizes to the winners and participants.
Disclosing this to Saturday Sun, the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of the outfit, Mr. Chimezie Egwu- Obasi, remarked that the event is not just about the size of breasts but a celebration of beauty, using unique or uncommon parameters.

He said: �Until recently, when a woman is blessed with extra-large breasts, people look at her somehow, and sometimes such women do not have self- confidence; they tend to be ashamed of their configuration. But gradually, all these are beginning to change.

Society no longer looks at such women with scorn or indignity and the women themselves have rediscovered themselves and are no longer lacking in confidence. In fact, it is not a secret that big breasts are in vogue today. The situation is such that ladies are now acquiring or buying bigger and firmer breasts with the help of medical science provided that they have the wherewithal to do so. What I am saying in effect is that the figures people made jest of in the past have become the desire of many men. So, in a way, the whole thing is evolving, like fashion. But this project is about natural breasts, big and beautiful breasts; the authentic breasts of real African ladies. These are the ones we aim to project and promote even to the global stage. We are saying that you can be beautiful and proud even with a huge burst.�

Obasi said that the pageant becomes imperative due to the wrong definition ascribed to beauty in some climes, which unfortunately our people have started seeing as acceptable standard.

He added: �One other thing we took into consideration prior to embarking on the project is the fact that many of our ladies now bare their breasts in the name of fashion. Everywhere you go these days, including places of worship and corporate environments, you see ladies pushing out their breasts for all to see. So, what we are now saying is those ladies who bare their breasts to the world for free can now show their stuff in a competition with others and win fantastic prizes. Instead of the free shows going on all over the place, generously endowed ladies are being given the opportunity to use what they have in a more beneficial way. With what we are doing, it is a win-win situation, so to say.�

On the take home package for the winning breasts, he explained: �Everybody is a winner. The overall winner and the contestants will all go home with something fantastic. This pageant is unique in every way.� Explaining that discussions with sponsors are ongoing, even as legion of sponsors want to be part of the show, he added that contestants must be single and not less than 18 years of age.

The lab scientist further said that the projet will also include teaching the participants how to care for ther breasts, noting that these are important parts of women. according t him, the participants will be taught how to measure themselves properly, stressing: �It is a fact that some women wear the wrong size and end up causing discomfort and health hazards to themselves. They also ruin their figure with ill-fitting bra, so we will teach them how to pick the right sizes and more�.

By HENRY UMAHI
Sun News On-Line

Yoruba Movies

Leading Yoruba Movie Stars 2008

Lola Alao:

Lola Alao has been in the Yoruba movie industry for some time, but her skills have not waned. Although she has pulled her weight in the industry over the years, the outgoing year has been particularly eventful for the actress. She has appeared in virtually all the Yoruba movies. Besides, she also produced some hit Yoruba movies.

Ronke Oshodi-Oke:
She is not only well endowed in the upper region, Ronke Oshodi-Oke knows her onions when it comes to acting. Having made a mark in the Yoruba movie industry, it is not a surprise that directors and producers are always running after her. 2008 has not been anything different. For her, it has been a fruitful year.

Toyin Aimakhu:
Irrespective of the scandals that have trailed her in the outgoing year, Toyin Aimakhu sustained her wonderful acting skills. A young producer, Toyin came into the movie industry not too long ago but has taken the industry by storm.

Bukky Wright:
A graduate of Economics, Bukky Wright has been able to sustain her reputation as a versatile actress who is always at home with any role she finds herself playing. In spite of having been in circulation in the Yoruba movie industry for many years, she remains a strong actress who would give other actresses a run for their money.

Saheed Balogun:
He sure has many reasons to count his blessings this year. Last year, he survived an accident that nearly claimed his life. But he came back on track in 2008.In spite of his marital problems, the actor remained on top of his game in 2008.

Femi Branch:
Handsome hunk, Femi Branch, is the man of the moment in the Yoruba movie industry. His profile in the industry has enjoyed a meteoric rise and the actor does not seem prepared to slow down the pace.He has had a lot of movies to his credit this year and seems to have overtaken many who were there before him.

Fathia Balogun:
Formerly married to Saheed Balogun, Fathia is one actress who never allowed scandals or marital problems to affect her career.She has always been a wonderful actress, and she continued to endear herself to fans with her skills in the outgoing year.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Still an Item

Singer Justin Timberlake - who has been rumored to have dumped Jessica Biel - travelled to Vancouver, Canada, to take her out on a date on Tuesday (10-20-09).

Justin and Jessica - who is in Canada shooting a movie adaptation of TV series ‘The A-Team’ - went to a late-night showing of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ at the Dunbar Theatre and appeared to be very much in love as they sat at the back of the theater hugging.

“They laughed a lot," a source said. "Justin got comfortable, putting his feet up on the back of the seat in front of him, and his head on Jessica’s shoulder."

“They seem so happy to have worked things out.”

Justin’s mother Lynn Harless spoke about how great Jessica is for Justin, denying her son’s two-and-a-half-year romance is on the rocks.

“Justin has found someone that’ll golf with him, give him a hard time when he deserves it and stand up to him," Lynn said about Jessica.

“Jessica is awesome," she added.

John Travolta's Extortion Case Ends in Mistrial

The month-long extortion case revolving around the death of John Travolta's son Jett in the Bahamas earlier this year has ended in a mistrial. The two people accused of trying to extort about 25 million dollars from the actor will face a new trial "in the interest of justice," according to Senior Justice Anita Allen. The judge, who was overseeing he case, said she was forced to make the decision after a speech broadcast on TV and radio hinted the jury would acquit one of the defendants. She told the court: "We are concerned in the interest of justice that there has been a communication from the jury room. The dilemma that we face is great. I am erring on the side of caution. Justice must be transparent."

Naturally, Travolta is upset by this news and released this statement: "We are disappointed to hear about the alleged juror misconduct since we know that the Bahamian government, the court, the other jurors and John Travolta as the victim want to have this matter adjudicated through the judicial system. Mr. Travolta has and will continue to cooperate with the Bahamian authorities in the prosecution of the defendants for extortion."

Paramedic Tarino Lightbourne, one member of the medical team who treated Jett before he died, and his co-accused, former Senator Pleasant Bridgewater, allegedly threatened to sell a story claiming the Travolta's "intentionally killed" their son. They demanded money in exchange for keeping their mouths shut, somewhere in the ballpark of $25 million. The jury was still deliberating when politicial Picewell Forbes told an audience at a Progressive Liberal Party convention that Bridgewater was "a free woman." Immediately after, his party's deputy chairman-elect, Alex Storr, apologized and announced that the information was incorrect and that no verdict had yet been issued. The judge still felt she had to dismiss the jurors and ordered a new trial, but no date for the retrial has been set as of now.

Philles Rout Dodgers to Advance to World Series!

The Phillies have ousted the LA Dodgers for the second year in a row in the National League Championship Series making the Phillies the first team to secure a spot in the 2009 World Series.

The Phillies bested Colorado in the best of 5 divisional series 3 games to 1. In this National League Championship Series they finished off Los Angles for the second year in a row winning the best of 7 series 4 games to 1 taking one game in LA out of two and upon returning home to Philly won 3 in a row.

The Phillies now await the American League Champions. It will either be the New York Yankees or the Los Angeles Angels. That series is currently being led by the Yankees holding a 3 games to 1 lead and may be determined on Thursday should New York finish off the Angels in game five.

The Phillies could make a bit of history if they repeat as World Series Champions as the last National League Team to win the Pennant two consecutive years was the Cincinnati Reds, whom held the ominous title, "The Big Red Machine" whom the Phillies have been drawing comparisons to due to their strong top to bottom power line-up.

David Letterman Sex Tape?

And now in the "Now I've Seen Everything" category... David Letterman may have a sex tape! Yes at age 62, he may be the oldest to fill that category slot.

According to the National Enquirer David was caught in the act by studio security cameras.

This could mean not only the end of David Letterman's marriage, but also his career! Sources close to his current extortion video case state that if this video makes it way into the court case, it will end his marriage for certain.

Hollywood goes to.............

I've been asked to speak at Macomb Community College in Warren, MI for an evening called LIGHTS, CAMERA ACTION - HOLLYWOOD COMES TO MICHIGAN. While Hollywood still proudly boasts its "White Arches" atop the Hollywood hills as a symbol of its history, much of our fair city is moving away in terms of work, and work availability here. In a recent report on allbusines.com, we find that many

Hero For Hire: Josh Rutner

Seriously... someone hire this man. Josh Rutner worked at Wal-Mart as a loss prevention associate up until the time he stopped a knife wielding shop-lifter at work. Due to Wal-Mart's policy, Josh not only lost his job but is ineligible for re-hire. Ever. Why? Because Josh pursued the shoplifter and helped disarm the knife-wielding thief.

Now I'm not a Wal-Mart basher and we should all respect rules, but there is also a rule known as "to every rule there is an exception". For Wal-Mart to fire this man for doing the right thing is astonishing. It set's a bad example for everyone in this country.

You can't help but think, "What is the world coming to?" And as many times as we have heard that cliche' in this case it hits you with a deafening blow. Wow... how can we all live in a world where watching a man steal from others and not stop him be the right thing to do? This can't be the America we want to be proud of. Josh Rutner is the America we can be proud of.

How was Josh rewarded for his hard work which due to the very nature of his job came at risk of life and limb? Wal-Mart fired Josh when he returned to work the following day.

This man (Josh Rutner) turned in his keys, badge and security codes without incident, left Wal-Mart and all he had to show for his heroism and common decency is that he retains his integrity.

We need to reward this man. Someone needs to hire him. He's someone in this country we can be proud of. In a world of celebrities that are looked to as role models and fail miserably, I say we hail this man, lift him up as an example and give him a great job. He deserves something far better than what he had at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart of course declined to comment. Meanwhile Rutner will serve as states witness against the shoplifter by submitting to a deposition.

Wal-Mart should be ashamed. Their policy is broken and needs fixing. Wal-Mart can learn a thing or two about decency from Josh Rutner. May someone hire him and fast. For him to remain unemployed one day for his decency is a travesty in this country.

USA Network Presents the "White Collar Shirt Bar"

Adding excitement leading up to the premiere of new original series White Collar, USA Network proudly presents the "White Collar Shirt Bar," a pop=up experience offering men and women complimentary custom fitted shirts courtesy of Thomas Pink, open to the public this Thursday, October 22 from 10 AM to 6 PM and Friday, October 23 from 8 AM to 6 PM. In addition to custom shirt fittings, the "White Collar Shirt Bar" will also feature lounges, free shoeshine and complimentary coffee stations.

On the morning of Friday, October 23, join stars from the cast of White Collar - Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay and Tiffani Thiessen - to celebrate the launch of USA's new series at the first-of-its-kind luxury shirt bar at Rockefeller Center in celebration of the show's premiere.

Kanye West Is Not Dead

Kanye West is, in fact, alive. Ordinarily this wouldn't be news-worthy (even for the guy who can't seem to keep himself out of the news), but the blogosphere has been going crazy during the past 24 hours after someone started a rumor on Twitter that Kanye died in a car crash. The story was even the top Google search this morning. It didn't help the situation that just days ago Kanye posted a bizarre Spike Jonze-directed video in which he stabs himself at the end (the video has since been removed).

However, it turns out that Kanye is just the latest victim of some crazy internet hoax and is alive and well. His girlfriend, Amber Rose, put the rumors to rest when she posted on her Twiter:

"This RIPKanyeWest topic is not funny and its NOT TRUE! He has people like myself and his family that love him very much.

Its in extreme poor taste to have that as a trendy topic. It's totally disrespectful to make up a story like this where all human

and we all make mistakes and to say someone died cuz of a mistake is ridiculous. U wouldn't want someone to say that about u."

Billy Lowe Haircare

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Study Discovers the Obvious. Internet Good for Your Brain

Well Duh! A new study performed at UCLA shows brain scan's that prove a little exposure to the Internet in adults stimulates the brain. What does this prove?

Now get this... you'll never believe it but it seems that if you use the Internet, you'll enhance your brain function and cognition.

And believe it or not, people go to college for this stuff. In related news, if you own a dog or pet you'll be happier. And if you taste sugar, it's sweet.

A haircare workout

Many times clients ask me questions in the salon like:My hair seems fragile what should I do?My scalp has been a little dry lately - do you have recommendations?My ends look a little damaged. Can we do a deep conditioning treatment?To that my initial question is to ask what beauty products and tools they are using at home. Having been in the beauty industry for nearly 20 years, I know that the

Chat with Skillet Live on Facebook!

Calling all Skillet fans on Facebook! The band will be hosting a live chat session on October 27th via Facebook and partner UStream. Skillet will be answering questions and talking to fans starting 6:00 PM EST / 3:00 PM PST, so don't miss this chance to interact with the band as they celebrate the release of their latest album, Awake, featuring the radio hit single, "Monster," and the track "Hero." Visit their official Facebook page for all the info, and grab the album now from iTunes.

Skillet is currently in the midst of their Awake and Alive Tour, with Decyfer Down and Hawk Nelson. See their Myspace page for the full list of dates and ticket information.

"Addams Family" Theme Song Writer Dies

Vic Mizzy, the Brooklyn-born writer of the catchy theme songs to The Addams Family and Green Acres, passed away in Los Angeles Saturday night at the age of 93. The songwriter also had dozens of #1 pop and novelty hits, and his songs were performed by artists including Dean Martin, Doris Day, Perry Como, Billie Holiday and the Andrews Sisters.

Mizzy liked to joke about the TV themes that made him famous, saying: "If people only remembered me for the themes to The Addams Family and Green Acres, I wouldn't care. Two snaps got me a Bel Air mansion." Mizzy was a savvy businessman who held on to the publishing copyrights to his songs - including those famous theme songs.

Mizzy started his career at age 14, after learning how to play music from his family's player piano, when he won a pair of radio contests and toured the vaudeville circuit on the east coast. He wrote songs for some of the biggest stars in show business through the '40s and '50s, and NBC head of programming had Mizzy write scores for several dramatic TV shows after the war. He was still involved in the music business later in life, when in 2004, he released an album of his best-known compositions in Songs for the Jogging Crowd, and started his own record label. He also contributed a theme song for Spiderman 2, which ended up on the DVD version of the movie.

PCM Movie Review: Paranormal Activity

It's October, so you know what that means: it's horror film season! And this year, we actually got something good out of it, despite a string of cheap gore-fests that have become so popular in recent years (cough the Saw franchise cough). You've probably been hearing a lot about Paranormal Activity, that low-budget film that looks like it's on its way to out-do The Blair Witch Project, and with good reason: it's terrifying.

Paranormal Activity is a documentary-style film revolving around a couple, Micah and Katie, who have been experiencing weird occurrences in their home, so Micah decides to invest in a video camera and see if he can catch any of it on film. He leaves the camera recording in their bedroom while they sleep, as most of the activity seems to take place at night, which at first catches seemingly minor things such as strange sounds and a door moving inexplicably. The couple hire a psychic to come to their home and evaluate the situation, and Katie reveals that she has had similar experiences with the paranormal since she was a child, causing the psychic to suspect that it is not the house that is haunted, but Katie. Tension begins to build between Micah and Katie as they begin to disagree about how the situation should be handled, causing the activity in their home to become stronger and more frequent - even affecting Katie herself. This all leads up to a fairly predictable but still climactic ending that will make you jump.

This film might not sound that scary, especially to those skeptical of the paranormal, but Paranormal Activity taps into very real fears such as the vulnerability of being asleep and a force that is both invisible and uncontrollable. The film's subtlety and smart use of suspense also strengthen it and make it all the more chilling. Just be warned: you might start thinking a little more about those weird sounds your house makes late at night.

David Hasselhoff to Get His Own Reality TV Show?

Former ‘Baywatch’ star David Hasselhoff– who already appeared in the documentary show ‘Meet the Hasselhoffs’ earlier this year – has reportedly signed up to do a new reality show on A+E with his teenage daughters Hayley and Taylor.

“We are discussing a possibility of doing a documentary series with David and his kids," a representative for the network told TMZ.

Sources at the TV network say that a contract has not been made yet, but Hayley, 17, insists the deal has already been finalised.

“The Hasselhoffs signed the deal with A+E… Get ready for it," Hayley wrote on her Twitter page.

David has Hayley and 19-year-old Taylor with his ex-wife, actress Pamela Bach – who will not appear in the show.

A spokesperson for David confirmed the star is in talks with the network but claims details have not yet been finalized.

Deadpool Gets New Life

More details are surfacing on the Marvel Deadpool movie. Lauren Shuler Donner who will be handling Wolverine 2 is confirming that Deadpool will be a reboot and we can all forget the abomination of what the studio did the character in the Wolverine Orgin's flick.

Before we get to her quote, let me say this. And this is more than a hint to the studios - If you just stick to every character as they were originally designed, you won't have to ask audiences to forgive you for screwing up characters in the first place. Don't pick and choose either. You took Gambit in the Wolverine movie and did him justice but then adulterated a popular character like Deadpool with lasers for eyes and swords coming out of his hands? The character of Deadpool would never give up his kitana's. In addition he is known by his tagline, "The Merc with a Mouth" so you sew it shut? Who was the idiot at the helm that made these decisions? You had to know this would upset the readership and thus make the Wolverine movie subject to bad word-of-mouth.

You won't need reboots if you do things faithfully in the first place.

So will Ms Donner get it right this time? Her is what she had to say: "I want to ignore the version of Deadpool that we saw in Wolverine and just start over again. Reboot it. Because this guy talks, obviously, and to muzzle him would be insane... We're right in the thick of talking to writers right now, and hopefully by November we'll have decided who's going to do it. We need someone really imaginative because we want to do some really innovative, ambitious stuff. Ryan's mentioned this in an interview already but there are parts where he's going to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience in the cinema. We have to work out how to do that. I don't know that Fox will agree with all our decisions, but we'll see!"

Now I'd like to believe Donner is telling us straight, but seriously... we were fed quotes by Ryan Reynolds that he loved the character so much and only wanted to play him and would play him faithfully the first go around only to get a Deadpool that hardly resembled what so many readers have come to know and love.

Early word for this 2011 film release is that Cable and Domino will make entrances.

If the studio is done screwing around with Marvel's characters we may actually get the same Deadpool readers know and love.

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One of the greatest topics right now in the beauty industry is how "organic" or "natural" products and ingredients are, and whether or not it makes a difference. While I think it's important to understand that "natural ingredients" are wonderful, there's a much deeper understanding that needs to take place. I've spent many years in the beauty industry in many different scopes, having worn

Meet the Next Genevieve Nnaji: Vanessa Nzegwu

By Benjamin NJOKU

She�s a self-taught visual artist and a screen goddess, who holds a lot of promise for her generation. Right from when she launched into the mainstream movie world some few years ago, Vanessa Nzegwu is an actress to admire and watch on screen

Since she started experimenting on canvass, Vanessa may not have abandoned her love for acting, as she admits that �acting is what I have loved to do in life.� In this encounter with HVP, this beautiful actress recounts her journey into the world of make-believe, what defines her relationships with the opposite sex, and her expectations in life.

When was your first movie?

I acted my first movie in 2003. I �ve been in and out of the industry. I started from Kano before I moved to Enugu. I wanted to act and sometimes, the job doesn�t come easily. And so, you have to try your hands in some other things.
Vanessa Nzegwu

But after awhile, I decided to come back to the industry to try my luck. In the past, I did some movies where some producers gave me roles that I did not like.

So, I turned them down but they said, �oh! She�s rude, she�s this..or that��. Why don�t I just take a break since I� ve done something good before now?

How long was the break?

That was in 2004. I came back in 2005 to do a movie before I stayed off screen again for sometime. I wasn�t back into Nollywood until recently.

You started out from Kano �.

Yes, I started from Kano but it was on stage. I can�t exactly remember the name of that play that launched me into the world of acting. I just finished my secondary school education then, and found myself acting on stage. It didn�t take me much time to venture into Nollywood.

From Kano, how did you break into Nollywood?

When I started on stage, there were some actors that were invited to Kano State to watch us perform on stage.
Vanessa Nzegwu

The likes of Sam Loco Efe and Tom Njamanze. After watching us on stage, they passed a remark, saying to me, � You�re good.

We are going to have productions in Enugu.� They invited me to join them, since according to them, I have all it takes to be an actress. I took time to think about it, before making up my mind to give it a trial.

As it were, I travelled to Enugu to launch out, and the very first day I arrived the Coal City, I got a role. For me, it was quite encouraging and I decided to stay. But then�.

How did you get the role in Enugu?

I had to register as a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria(AGN). I actually went to Enugu for registration.

But when I got there, it was the job that came calling. So, I said to myself �what are you going back to do?

Why not just stay back, and get more jobs for yourself?� Because then, we had very few people who could be good in acting in Enugu. That was how I stayed back. I left Enugu for Lagos. The place appeared to be static for me.

There were no challenges coming my way. And the kind of roles that were given to me were not challenging as such.

I needed someone to challenge me; to make me stand up and face the realities of acting. I needed someone to tell me, �You need to do more than what you�re doing,� and I felt I could have that here in Lagos. So, I moved down to Lagos, and so far I�ve been in Lagos and am still in Lagos.

In the movie you acted in, you�re in love with the guy and along the line, you started feeling jealous. In real life situation, are you jealous?

The way I reacted there, even though it�s a script, is something a whole lot of women would do, and even worse.

Some would even go to the extent of attacking their partner. But my character there wasn�t that violent. So, I couldn�t do more than what I was told to do. But then, as a person, I like being sincere to people. I think I will have time to think about what I did wrong or why he took that course of action.

Because for me to have accepted you as partner, you should be able to tell me what you can and cannot do. And if eventually you did it, and you�re truly sincere and show remorse and no matter how you cry and say I don�t love you, at the end of the day, you will still come back to that guy.

What do you think of yourself?

I think am someone God has created to set things right, to help the less-privileged, and in as much as I don�t have the whole world, I try to do my best with the little I have.

What are your assets ?

By assets, if you mean what I can make money with them, I will say my hands. Because without my hands, I cannot make money.

Considering the fact that you are a very beautiful woman, what can you say about the many men that come around you?

I try as much as possible to be down to earth with them. I try to make them comfortable but not too comfortable. And I try to let them know that this is how far I can go with them, unlike some people who will try to give in because there is no other way out. I try to be diplomatic about it.

Are into a relationship?

Yes, I am.

Is it one that will likely lead to marriage?

You don�t predict what will happen. You just do your own part by finding someone who suits you and then you let God do the rest.

What do you look out for in a man?

I look out for naturalist. You just have to be natural. You have to be sensitive, and also, you have to be creative. When I mean creative, I mean being able to make out something out of nothing even when it looks like all hope is lost, you�re able to put yourself together and say I have what it takes and I can make something out of this.

You are a good dancer.

Thanks a lot.

So do you go to parties?

Yes, once in a while, I go to parties.

Have you ever broken somebody�s heart before?

That�s something I have to really think about. The way I handle my fans is the same way I handle my relationships.

In a sense that after awhile, if you find out that it�s not something that is leading you to the next level, you look for a way of ending it amicably. Both parties would decide and at the end of the day, you remain friends because you never can tell where you will meet yourselves again and what you can benefit from that person.

How do you describe the word, love?

To me, love is a gradual thing. Sometimes, you can see love as being stupid. You can also do stupid things for love. It�s just doing something different from the normal things that you do.

Have you ever been disappointed by friends?

Yes. Most times, I �ve been disappointed by friends.

Was it in a relationship?

In relationship, I would not say, I�ve had so many disappointments. Sometimes, we end up being friends. So, at the end of the day, nobody is hurt.

Where do you hope to see yourself in the next few years?

In the next few years, I see myself in the international scene and am working very hard towards it. And then, whatever is making those people better than us, I will be able to bring it back and make the industry a better one.

At the same time, I am hope to set the structure for the up and coming fine artists.

Flight of Falcon Heene - A Hoax

The jig is up. Or down depending on how you look at it. Parents of Falcon Heene are caught in storm over what Colorado authorities now believe was an orchestrated publicity stunt where the family worked together to fool the world into thinking six year old Falcon Heene had taken flight in their experimental helium balloon.

As PCM reported a day prior, the family is accused on being bent to stay in the limelight. Falcon's father Richard Heene and mother Mayumi Heene are expected to face charges of conspiracy and filing a false report amongst others.

Now if you want to know some real publicity stunts that did work... Check out PCM's List of Greatest Publicity Stunts.

What is worse is that this couple's antics run the risk of costing them their children, if nothing but for a short term.

Had it not been for the child's on screen confession on CNN with Wolf Blitzer filling in for Larry King, they may have gotten away with it. When scorned fellow scientist Robert Thomas sold his accounting of his relationship with Richard Heene came out Saturday, the flood gates opened.

Perhaps what is most overlooked is that local authorities did suspect the Heene's of committing this crime all along but they gave everyone including the media reason to believe they was no crime committed in an effort to keep their investigation a secret.

Bitter Collaborator Says Balloon Boy A Hoax

Almost from the moment the balloon touched down in the Colorado countryside where a young six year old boy was thought to be inside but was not - speculators in the media have been looking to call the entire fiasco a hoax.

The spin doctors are out in full force and media bias is everywhere. But on Saturday Gawker broke a story that a recent collaborator of Richard Heene (father of balloon boy) named Robert Thomas claims the entire incident was a hoax.

In the article Thomas paints a picture of Heene being an egocentric celebrity hound that after appearing on ABC's wife swap, he would do anything to get back on TV again. Specifically in his own show similar to myth busters where Heene could showcase his own scientific talents from his background in storm chasing.

Thomas even produced image files of some of the e-mail exchanges between himself and Heene. In those exchanges Thomas included only e-mail that give the impression he took science more serious than Heene while Heene's were aloof and off topic. In fact Thomas included e-mail that showed Heene's wife Mayumi responding to ask if Robert would watch their children for $10 per hour.

Ultimately if you read between the lines and it doesn't take much, you can see Mr. Robert Thomas has an ax to grind because he felt Heene took on an unwarranted superior role in their working relationship.

Now.. how does Thomas come to the conclusion that Heene's efforts were a hoax? Because of a conversation between the two regarding hoax's of UFO's specifically the Roswell incident. Now this is Thomas's quote NOT Heene's but this quote of Thomas's is what he claims Heene said to him:

"Can we attract UFO's with a homemade flying saucer? We will modify a weather balloon, so that it resembles a UFO and will electrically charge the skin of the craft (Biefield-Brown Effect). We will capture the footage on film, and will utilize the media as a means with which to make our presence known to the masses. This will not only provide us with incredible footage, but will also generate a tremendous amount of controversy among the public, as well as publicity within the mainstream media. This will be the most significant UFO-related news event to take place since the Roswell Crash of 1947, and the result will be a dramatic increase in local and national awareness about The Heene Family, our Reality Series, as well as the UFO Phenomenon in general.

According to Thomas he suspected Heene all along that this event was a hoax. The police have been quick to assert this was no hoax. The intense media pressure may crack Heene and the truth comes out. But what gives Thomas the credibility he needs in this claim is perhaps Falcon Heene's own words in a live CNN interview. Falcon's father Richard asked him, "why didn't you come out?" And Falcon said, "you guys said we did this for the show." No doubt every person in America thought hoax at that point.

VIDEO: Falcon's slip up: "You guys said we did this for the show"


Now... Did Richard Heene' use his children in an elaborate hoax? It remains to be found out. He certainly may well have. But one thing is certain. Robert Thomas has an ax to grind with Heene and he'd love to be the man to bring him down. Thomas didn't come forward reluctantly. He lunged forward with the same gusto he claims Heene used in orchestrating this event. With friends like that, who needs enemies?