Forum: News & Topical Issues
The Mona Lisa, Leonardo's most famous work, is as well known for its mastery of technical innovations as for the mysteriousness of its legendary smiling subject. This work is a consummate example of two techniquessfumato and chiaroscuroof which Leonardo was one of the first great masters. Sfumato is characterized by subtle, almost infinitesimal transitions between color areas, creating a delicately atmospheric haze or smoky effect; it is especially evident in the delicate gauzy robes worn by the sitter and in her enigmatic smile. Chiaroscuro is the technique of modeling and defining forms through contrasts of light and shadow; the sensitive hands of the sitter are portrayed with a luminous modulation of light and shade, while color contrast is used only sparingly.
Leonardo was among the first to introduce atmospheric perspective into his landscape backgrounds, an especially notable characteristic of his paintings. The chief masters of the High Renaissance in Florence, including Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, and Fra Bartolommeo, all learned from Leonardo; he completely transformed the school of Milan; and at Parma, the artistic development of Correggio was given direction by Leonardo's work.
Leonardo's many extant drawings, which reveal his brilliant draftsmanship and his mastery of the anatomy of humans, animals, and plant life, may be found in the principal European collections. The largest group is at Windsor Castle in England. Probably his most famous drawing is the magnificent self-portrait in old age (1510?-1513?, Biblioteca Reale, Turin, Italy).
Because none of Leonardo's sculptural projects was brought to completion, his approach to three-dimensional art can only be judged from his drawings. The same strictures apply to his architecture: None of his building projects was actually carried out as he devised them. In his architectural drawings, however, he demonstrates mastery in the use of massive forms, a clarity of expression, and especially a deep understanding of ancient Roman sources.
As a scientist Leonardo towered above all his contemporaries. His scientific theories, like his artistic innovations, were based on careful observation and precise documentation. He understood, better than anyone of his century or the next, the importance of precise scientific observation. Unfortunately, just as he frequently failed to bring to conclusion artistic projects, he never completed his planned treatises on a variety of scientific subjects. His theories are contained in numerous notebooks, most of which were written in mirror script. Because they were not easily decipherable, Leonardo's findings were not disseminated in his own lifetime; had they been published, they would have revolutionized the science of the 16th century. Leonardo actually anticipated many discoveries of modern times. In anatomy he studied the circulation of the *lo** and the action of the eye. He made discoveries in meteorology and geology, learned the effect of the moon on the tides, foreshadowed modern conceptions of continent formation, and surmised the nature of fossil shells. He was among the originators of the science of hydraulics and probably devised the hydrometer; his scheme for the canalization of rivers still has practical value. He invented a large number of ingenious machines, many potentially useful, among them an underwater diving suit. His flying devices, although not practicable, embodied sound principles of aerodynamics.
In 1502 Leonardo entered the service of Cesare Borgia, duke of Romagna and son and chief general of Pope Alexander VI. In his capacity as the duke's chief architect and engineer, Leonardo supervised work on the fortresses of the papal territories in central Italy. In 1503 he was a member of a commission of artists who were to decide on the proper location for the David (1501-1504, Accademia, Florence), the famous colossal marble statue by the Italian sculptor Michelangelo, and he also served as an engineer in the war against Pisa. Toward the end of the year Leonardo began to design a decoration for the great hall of the Palazzo Vecchio. The subject was the Battle of Anghiari, a Florentine victory in its war with Pisa. He made many drawings for the decoration and completed a full-size cartoon, or sketch, in 1505, but he never finished the wall painting. The cartoon itself was destroyed in the 17th century, and the composition survives only in copies, of which the most famous is the one by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens (1615?, Louvre).
During this second Florentine period, Leonardo painted several portraits, but the only one that survives is the famous Mona Lisa (1503-1506, Louvre). One of the most celebrated portraits ever painted, it is also known as La Gioconda, after the presumed name of the woman's husband. Leonardo seems to have had a special affection for the picture, for he took it with him on all of his subsequent travels.
In 1506 Leonardo again went to Milan, at the summons of its French governor, Charles d'Amboise. The following year he was named court painter to King Louis XII of France, who was then residing in Milan. For the next six years Leonardo divided his time between Milan and Florence, where he often visited his half brothers and half sisters and looked after his inheritance. In Milan he continued his engineering projects and worked on an equestrian figure for a monument to Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, commander of the French forces in the city; although the project was not completed, drawings and studies have been preserved. From 1514 to 1516 Leonardo lived in Rome under the patronage of Pope Leo X. He was housed in the Palazzo Belvedere in the Vatican and seems to have been occupied principally with scientific experimentation. In 1516 he traveled to France to enter the service of King Francis I. He spent his last years at the Château de Cloux, near Amboise, where he die
Although Leonardo produced a relatively small number of paintings, many of which remained unfinished, he was nevertheless an extraordinarily innovative and influential artist. During his early years, his style closely paralleled that of Verrocchio, but he gradually moved away from his teacher's stiff, tight, and somewhat rigid treatment of figures to develop a more evocative and atmospheric handling of composition. The early painting The Adoration of the Magi introduced a new approach to composition, in which the main figures are grouped in the foreground, while the background consists of distant views of imaginary ruins and battle scenes.
Leonardo's stylistic innovations are even more apparent in The Last Supper, in which he represented a traditional theme in an entirely new way. Instead of showing the 12 apostles as individual figures, he grouped them in dynamic compositional units of three, framing the figure of Christ, who is isolated in the center of the picture. Seated before a pale distant landscape seen through a rectangular opening in the wall, Christwho has just announced that one of those present will betray himrepresents a calm nucleus while the others respond with animated gestures. In the monumentality of the scene and the weightiness of the figures, Leonardo reintroduced a style pioneered more than a generation earlier by Masaccio, the father of Florentine painting. A 22-year project to remove accumulated dust and grease as well as earlier repainting from the mural was completed in 1999.
Evidence indicates that Leonardo had apprentices and pupils in Milan, for whom he probably wrote the various texts later compiled as Treatise on Painting (1651; translated 1956). The most important of his own paintings during the early Milan period was The Virgin of the Rocks, two versions of which exist (1483-1485, Louvre, Paris; 1490s to 1506-1508, National Gallery, London); he worked on the compositions for a long time, as was his custom, seemingly unwilling to finish what he had begun. From 1495 to 1497 Leonardo labored on his masterpiece, The Last Supper, a mural in the refectory of the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan. Unfortunately, his experimental use of oil on dry plaster (on what was the thin outer wall of a space designed for serving food) was technically unsound, and by 1500 its deterioration had begun. Since 1726 attempts have been made to restore it. Several of these efforts involved repainting. From 1977 to 1999, a concerted restoration and conservation program made use of the latest technology to reverse some of the damage. Although much of the original surface is gone, the majesty of the composition and the penetrating characterization of the figures give a fleeting vision of its vanished splendor.
| |||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||
|
During his long stay in Milan, Leonardo also produced other paintings and drawings (most of which have been lost), theater designs, architectural drawings, and models for the dome of Milan Cathedral. His largest commission was for a colossal bronze monument to Francesco Sforza, father of Ludovico, in the courtyard of Castello Sforzesco. In December 1499, however, the Sforza family was driven from Milan by French forces; Leonardo left the statue unfinished (it was destroyed by French archers, who used the terra cotta model as a target) and he returned to Florence in 1500.
Leonardo was born in the small town of Vinci, in Tuscany (Toscana), near Florence. He was the son of a wealthy Florentine notary and a peasant woman. In the mid-1460s the family settled in Florence, where Leonardo was given the best education that Florence, a major intellectual and artistic center of Italy, could offer. He rapidly advanced socially and intellectually. He was handsome, persuasive in conversation, and a fine musician and improviser. About 1466 he was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio's workshop Leonardo was introduced to many activities, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was entered in the painter's guild of Florence, and in 1476 he was still considered Verrocchio's assistant. In Verrocchio's Baptism of Christ (1470?, Uffizi, Florence), the kneeling angel at the left of the painting is by Leonardo.
In 1478 Leonardo became an independent master. His first commission, to paint an altarpiece for the chapel of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Florentine town hall, was never executed. His first large painting, The Adoration of the Magi (begun 1481, Uffizi), left unfinished, was ordered in 1481 for the Monastery of San Donato a Scopeto, Florence. Other works ascribed to his youth are the so-called Benois Madonna (1478?, Hermitage, Saint Petersburg), the portrait Ginevra de' Benci (1474?, National Gallery, Washington, D.C.), and the unfinished Saint Jerome (1481?, Pinacoteca, Vatican).
About 1482 Leonardo entered the service of the duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, having written the duke an astonishing letter in which he stated that he could build portable bridges; that he knew the techniques of constructing b****ardments and of making cannons; that he could build ships as well as armored vehicles, catapults, and other war machines; and that he could execute sculpture in marble, bronze, and clay. He served as principal engineer in the duke's numerous military enterprises and was active also as an architect. In addition, he assisted the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli in the celebrated work Divina Proportione (1509).
3 Secrets Of Meeting Women Online (david angelo series) pt 2
she started talking about how i had good chances
with her. and a couple days later i asked her if
she wanted to go out to dinner she said yes and i
let her pick the place, we went to dinner, and the
whole dinner she talked about her ex and i paid
like 40 bucks for dinner. when we got back to her
house i got the cold shoulder when i tried talking
to her and got told she was tired and i should
probably go, can u tell me what it was i did wrong
there?
COMMENTS:
Oohhhhhh, bad news. These types of situations *u*k. Really. First of all, if a woman ever says somethinglike, "You have good chances with me", either:1) Run ...or...2) Look at her, shake your head with a
"disappointed parent" look on your face and say,
"Yeah, well you don't have such hot chances with
me... so watch yourself". Secondly, don't offer to take this type of
woman TO DINNER. Thirdly, if you DO offer, NEVER let HER choose
the place. Fourthly, if a woman ever starts talking about
her EX at dinner, stop her and say, "Heyyyyyy,
3 Secrets Of Meeting Women Online(david angelo series) pt 1
gotten the results that you wanted... or you'd
like to learn how to write online personal ads
that get MASSIVE RESPONSE, then go read this:
***SUCCESS STORY***Well I have to say I was a little skeptical
about your book at first. I've never been very
successful with women. I've always been the shy,
quiet type that treat women like a prize and act
like a wussy. Well after a few newsletters I
decided to give it a shot. Well it all made sense
to me so I got your CD series and it's even better
then the book. So I decided to try the C&F method.
I've been on some dating sites for a few years and
occasionally I would get a response. A little over
a week ago I changed my profile so I wasn't such a
wussy and pleading with women with how good of a
catch I'd be (as most women say they want a nice
guy) In less then a week, I've gotten 5 responses.
It's amazing. I'm only about half way through with
the CD's too can't wait to see what else they
hold.COMMENTS: Oh, Ye of little faith... Remember something. Women are always INTERPRETING everything you
say. In other words, they want to know what things
MEAN. When you say, "I'm a great guy" in your
profile, a woman reading it says to herself,
"yeah, right... If you were a great guy, then you
wouldn't need to SAY it. You're probably a loser
who WISHES that he were a great guy." On the other hand, if you write a c**ky & Funny
profile that talks about how picky you are and
that you're trying this online dating thing as a
last resort because all the attractive women you
meet bore you... then a woman will think to
herself, "Ah ha! A challenge! I'll bet you that I
can get his attention...". Great job, and keep me posted on your future
success stories.
***QUESTION***Double D Dog!First let's get the formalities out of the
way... you are the Boddhisatva of Bootay! To your
newsletter subscribers...you know you wait for
each new mail from this guy...thinking you'll "get
it" sooner or later without checking out the e-
book...GET IT DONE! You'll thank yourself. I
took you up on your 7-day offer and read DYD the
day I downloaded it. My situation is a little
different. After literally years of being single
and settling for 2:30 am random drunk hookups, I
finally triggered ATTRACTION in a great woman
about four months ago. I don't know how I got it
right, because it's in my nature to be a Wuss, but
put 100 monkeys in a room with typewriters and
eventually you'll get the complete works of
Shakespeare, right? Anyway, we hit it off
really well. In the beginning she was a little
too instantly infatuated, and I had to say NO to
many of her requests for my time...not because I
was working your program yet, but it was just too
much for a brand new thing and I actually have a
life. Of course this drove her nuts for me.
About 3 months into this thing, she starts turning
the tables with the testing, and it goes like this
"I'm really falling for you, and this is new for
me. I usually have a really hard time with
commitment because I like variety in my life."The sex is very good...multiple O's for both of
us regularly. I think she's just got an amazon
appetite! A few weeks later she says to me that
she wants to meet this guy she's been chatting
with on the Internet since before I met her...you
know, see what might happen and back to the
variety thing. This triggered the Wuss in me and
I spent a good hour being jealous and needy before
coming to my senses and telling her to go check it
out with my blessing. She says she changed her
mind, but ever since then I found myself groveling
to make her happy and keep her with me. I became
jealous at the stupidest things. I was full of
FEAR and freaking out. Somewhere along the way I
started getting your mail (cue the angelic
music)...then 3 days ago I got the ebook, read it
and it all clicked. So, realizing I was already
dangerously deep down Wussy Way, I arranged a
unique date with her. I told her where I was
going to be hanging out that night, told her to
put on the sexiest thing she could find and meet
me there at whatever time she wanted to and we
would pretend we were meeting randomly for the
first time. I applied the C/F approach, body
language and other tips from your book and she
definitely noticed consciously that I was up to
something, but nevertheless, VIOLA! I triggered
her attraction again. Not only that, but I
learned new things about her and how she works
that I had tuned-out based on established
expectations and self-centered wussiness. We
communicated better, laughed more, had WAY OVER
THE TOP sex and a great conversation early into
the morning afterwards.
Britney Spears has heard voices in her head "for years"
The National Enquirer is claiming that Britney Spears is in a panic because her "secret diaries" were recently stolen. Britney's so worried because the diaries contain some pretty crazy stuff -- like how she hears voices in her head:
"Britney writes she has heard voices talking to her for years," reveals an insider. "She still hears them, and they tell her to run away and hide. She knows they are not real, but she can't get them out of her head. She writes that once she was sitting on the couch in her Malibu home when she started answering questions the voices were asking. She would be sitting with her mother, her husband Kevin and other people -- talking to voices. They were shocked!" (Print Edition - 2/16)It would actually be surprising that Britney hears voices in her head if she weren't the fourth most unstable thing on the planet behind ionized boron*, Michael Moore's belt, and Iraq. Blaming Britney's problems on imaginary voices overlooks the real reason for her meltdowns:
Brown Camp Speaks: Cousin Phylicia & Aunt Christine
The Brown family is sick of Chris getting crucified and have decided to put their two cents in:
CHRIS BROWNs cousin has come out in support of the R&B star, insisting he must have been provoked to reportedly lash out at girlfriend RIHANNA in a Sunday morning (08Feb09) fight. Phylicia Thompson has become the latest member of the stars family to speak out in the singers defence after he was charged with making criminal threats over the alleged attack. Like Browns sister Lytrell Bundy, who came forward to defend the singer earlier in the week (beg09Feb09), Thompson insists he isnt violent, stating, Chris was not brought up to beat on a woman. The cousin tells U.S. TV news show Extra, It had to be something to provoke him for Chris to do it (sic). He wouldnt have done it just to be having fun. Yes, hes done something wrong, because he put his hands on her (Rihanna), but you dont know what happened. He had to be provoked to do it. Everybody loved Chris This comes as a surprise to me. (KL/WNVEX/CL)
In a recent interview with TT Torrez of iPower92, Chris Aunt Christine sets the record straight on Donelle Hawkins lies and who her nephew really is.
No underage drinkers! - Bacchanal Jamaica takes new stance, effective today
Effective immediately, Bacchanal Jamaica requires patrons to show ID for its '18-and-over' entry policy.
Bacchanal Jamaica has announced that with immediate effect, patrons will be required to present valid identification at the entrance to Mas Camp when asked by officials in order to verify that all patrons entering the Mas Camp are 18 years old and over.
Teenagers
In making the announcement, the organisers said there was a large number of young teenagers on the opening night of Bacchanal's Mas Camp Fridaze, which had an overwhelming turnout. And, while they acknowledge the desire for teenagers to enjoy themselves in a safe environment, the increasing numbers will make it difficult for them to enforce their no-alcohol policy for minors at the bar.
Therefore, while they continue to review their systems to ensure that Bacchanal Jamaica can remain a family-inclusive event, they will now be enforcing an 18-and-over entry policy until further notice.
Bacchanal Jamaica further advised that because of the large turnout last week, it is urging its patrons to purchase tickets early from the ticket office at the Mas Camp, which will now be open from 11 a.m. on Fridays during the carnival season.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding and the Honourable Olivia Grange, minister of information, culture, youth and sports, will meet with players from the island's music industry at Jamaica House today.
The meeting is to discuss appropriate actions to deal with negative and lewd lyrics in the Jamaican music industry. Top deejays Vybz Kartel and Mavado are among the entertainers confirmed for the meeting.
The conference should begin at 10:30 a.m. in the banquet hall and will be attended by some 50 persons.
The meeting resulted from the heated debate in the last few days over the coarseness of dancehall lyrics and the Broadcasting Commission's move to ban all daggering songs and songs that require bleeping.
Minister Grange said in a release issued earlier this week that the Government does not believe in censorship, but must see to a balance in content in public spaces as children in particular are exposed to it.
She said the Government and the music industry will be partnering in the effort and that they hope to come out of today's meeting with a clear direction as to how the situation will be addressed.
The management team of dancehall artiste Mavado has issued an urgent release warning the public of persons who are not associated with either Mavado or his management team, and are attempting to collect money for Mavado dub plates.
"Several people have contacted me saying someone with the email address jamaicandubplatestudio@hotmail.com or who goes by the name of Lawrence Cumberland or John has been sending out emails and IM's that he can get Mavado to voice on rhythms and/or dub plates for very cheap prices. He is saying he has the authorisation from management which is completely false. We have no knowledge of him or the service he claims to offer and neither does the artiste," said Mavado's manager, Julian Jones-Griffith in the release.
The release also urged "do not send any money to this fraudster as Alliance Entertainment or Mavado cannot be held responsible for any losses you may incur".
Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson triumph at Image Awards
The singers, who starred in the film 'Dreamgirls' together, both performed at the ceremony. Beyonce, who won the female artist award, sang 'Halo', while Hudson, who took home the best new artist trophy, performed 'The Impossible Dream' for legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, who received the President's Award.
Meanwhile, Chris Brown and Rihanna, who were both nominated for awards, did not attend the ceremony. Brown was arrested earlier this week for a domestic dispute allegedly involving Rihanna, as previously reported.
Neither Brown nor Rihanna won in the categories for which they were nominated (male artist and female artist respectively).
Stevie Wonder concluded the ceremony by performing his 1976 song 'Black Man'.
The NAACP Image Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and performances of people of colour in the arts.
This is another unsubstantiated, untrue report; she was nowhere near the incident in any way. She was nowhere near Rihanna or Chris Brown. She had nothing to do with any of that.... I think they met a few years back, probably three or four years ago in Canada. But that's it. It's crazy -- there's been a continuous kind of reporting of them linked together, and this has been the worst of it all. But, no -- she had absolutely nothing to do with them or any of that."
A woman who claims she was defending her pregnant sister from attackers when she assaulted another woman was fined $5,000 or 30 days in jail by Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Melissa Coley appeared in court to answer to a charge of unlawful wounding.
Guilty with explanation
The court was told that during a dispute, Coley assaulted the complainant, causing injuries. She pleaded guilty with explanation to the allegations.
Coley told the court that her pregnant sister was involved in an argument with the complainant's sister. She said the complainant joined the argument and a scuffle developed. She added that when she went to separate them, the complainant pushed her.
The complainant, however, disputed this claim.
In what can be considered a case of extreme punishment, an eight-year-old boy was doused with gasolene and set afire because he lost a foot of his school shoes.
The Kingston West police say the child is now in hospital and nursing third-degree burns to over 40 per cent of his body.
"Yu nuh hear 'bout it? My gosh if yu eva si di likkle bway yu cry," a policewoman remarked to her colleague when THE WEEKEND STAR called the Trench Town Police Station and inquired about the incident yesterday.
The child's father was on Wednesday slapped with a charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and will appear in court on Monday.
Police say the child wore his regular pair of shoes to school on Tuesday. He, however, carried another pair with him, which he is said to have put on when he arrived at school.
When he returned home about 4 p.m., he realised that one foot from the pair of school shoes was missing.
Fiery reprimand
The police say that the boy's father tried to reprimand his son by lighting a circle of fire, which he made by pouring gasolene around his son before igniting the substance.
It is further reported that the child ran but was ordered by his father to return to the fiery circle. The child complied but then tried to run again.
The father, it is alleged, then threw the gasolene at the running child.
This caused a huge burst of flames, which lit up the infant. He was taken to hospital where he is being treated.
Word of the incident has left residents commenting about the incident.
"Di likkle yute scarred fi life star, a eediat ting dat all because di yute lose him school shoes. Everybody 'bout ya vex, wi nah lie," said 25-year-old Kevin Hendricks.
"School shoes can always buy back eno. Wi only hope seh him nuh scar up too much still, 'cause dat can have a negative impact pon him future still," another resident added.
A schoolboy who has become a dad at the age of 13 has insisted he will be a good parent.
Alfie Patten's girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, 15, gave birth to Maisie Roxanne in Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex, four days ago.
Police have said they are not looking at prosecuting anyone in the case of Alfie, who stands just 4ft tall and looks young for his age.
The teenager, who told The Sun 'I thought it would be good to have a baby', admitted he did not think about how he would afford to raise his child, saying: 'I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me Ł10,' he said.
Alfie, who lives with his mother Nicola, 43, in Eastbourne, was 12 when Maisie was conceived. The pair, who have the support of their parents, kept the pregnancy secret until Chantelle's mother Penny noticed her daughter's swollen belly.
Alfie said: 'When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react. I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.'
His father Dennis said his son wanted to be a devoted and responsible father, but did not fully appreciate what he had taken on by having a child.
He said Alfie had wanted to be the first to hold his child. 'He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his PlayStation. But he has been at the hospital every day,' he said.
Chantelle and Maisie have been discharged from hospital and are living with her family in a council house in Eastbourne.
Neighbours in the quiet residential area spoke of their shock at the revelation. Retired hospital porter John Holmes, 90, said: 'I'm surprised really. He is such a nice boy. I would hardly dare go home if I was a dad at 13.'
England has long had the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in western Europe. Jenny Teague, of Dorset, was for many years regarded as the UK's youngest mum giving birth in 1997, aged just 12 to Sasha.
And Zoe Hodgson, of Birstall, West Yorkshire, was 12 when she conceived and 13 when she gave birth in 2005 to son Leo, whom she used as inspiration to continue her studies, passing 11 GCSEs.
Tony Kerridge, spokesman for the sexual health specialist Marie Stopes International, called for better children's sex education starting in primary school.
He said: 'Fortunately the education department has made an announcement that it will start sex and relationship education for primary age school children and that is a positive move.
'Having said that it's the quality of the education that needs to be looked at very closely.
'All the evidence from other countries, particularly Scandinavia and Holland, clearly demonstrates that the earlier you start giving young people proper information so that they can make informed choices it does two things - it delays first sex which is really important, and when that sex act does take place the couple usually negotiates some kind of contraceptive usage.'
In a video posted on PeterGabriel.com, Gabriel says that Oscar producers told him the three nominated songs will be performed as part of a medley, giving "Down To Earth" about 60-65 seconds of total air time. Gabriel says he doesn't believe it's enough time to showcase the song -- and while he'll still attend the ceremony and he's hoping the Soweto Gospel Choir will perform the snippet of the song in his stead -- he won't play it himself.
"I think it's a bit unfortunate because while songwriting is a small part of the filmmaking process, we still work *lo**y hard and deserve a place in the ceremony as well," he says.
A representative with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences declined to comment on the matter, saying that no announcements have been made, to date, as to who will or will not perform at the ceremony.
The other nominated songs are A.R. Rahman and M.I.A.'s "O Saya" and Rahman's "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire."
At the Feb. 8 Grammys, Gabriel and composer Thomas Newman won for best song written for motion picture, television or other visual media for "Down To Earth" and best instrumental arrangement for "Define Dancing," another track from the film.
Shinedown, Buckcherry, the Used, Atreyu, Chevelle, Flyleaf, Saving Abel, Saliva, Blue October, Hoobastank and Black Stone Cherry are also confirmed for the event, which is presented by Right Arm Entertainment, AEG Live and Crew Stadium.
This year, there will be a new third stage sponsored by Jagermeister, and organizers are launching an online campaign to recycle cell phones and digital music players.
Tickets go on sale Feb. 21 through Ticketmaster.
The Butch Vig-produced "21st Century Breakdown" is split into three acts: "Heroes and Cons," "Charlatans & Saints" and "Horseshoes & Handgrenades." While not as overtly political as "American Idiot," the material sampled by Billboard is chock full of social commentary about religion, war and love.
The album blasts off with its title track, an ultra-melodic midtempo rocker with Green Day's familiar three-chord verses and Billie Joe Armstrong's summation of society: "My generation is zero / I'd never make it as a working class hero."
The song then moves it way through a Who-style breakdown with sustained guitar blasts and thumping drums, before settling on a slower, classic rock-inspired outtro.
The next song, "Know Your Enemy" is a similarly sturdy, catchy rock cut demanding "revolution," while "Before the Lobotomy" begins as an acoustic wash before shifting into a heavy three-chord riff and lyrics dripping with antipathy: "I'm not stoned / I'm just f*cked up."
| Blocked Ad |
"March of the Dogs" finds Green Day at its most structurally complex, weaving numerous short different ideas into a grand final product. Atop vicious riffing, this screed appears to compare religion to "a dog that's been sodomized," and Armstrong also proclaims, "the sirens of decay will infiltrate the faith fanatic."
"Restless Heart Syndrome" trots out a Green Day first: Armstrong singing in falsetto. What begins as a midtempo, piano-driven rock tune morphs around the three-minute mark into a crunchy, descending four-chord progression that should shake the rafters live.
The last song previewed by Billboard, "21 Guns," also blends acoustic strumming with thicker choruses and a chiming, atmospheric passage.
Green Day will begin a North American arena tour in early July, to be followed by shows in Europe. In 2010, the band will hit Japan, Southeast Asia and South America before returning for more North American shows.
Plastic surgery gone wrong again...Michael Jackson infected by bacteria...
A source told the Sun that it is a MRSA-style infection that is resistant to conventional antibiotics. The Sun reported that Jackson contracted the infection following reconstructive surgery on his nose.
The Times of London reported that the skin on Jackson's face and hands appeared inflamed in photos taken recently of the singer as he left a Los Angeles-area clinic.
A baby-faced 13-year-old boy who has just become a father says he 'thought it would be good to have a baby'
Alfie Patten has just become a father aged just 13 - and he insists he will be a good dad.
Alfie's girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, 15, gave birth to Maisie Roxanne in Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex, four days ago, reports The Sun.
The boy, who is just 4ft and looks young for his age, told the newspaper: "I thought it would be good to have a baby."
But he admitted he did not think about how he would afford it.
"I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me Ł10," he said.
Alfie, who lives with his mother Nicola, 43, in Eastbourne, was 12 when Maisie was conceived.
The pair, who have the support of their parents, kept the pregnancy secret until Chantelle's mother Penny noticed her daughter's swollen stomach.
Alfie said: "When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.
"I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it."
Alfie's father Dennis said his son wanted to be a devoted and responsible father, but did not fully appreciate what he had taken on by having a child.
He said Alfie had wanted to be the first to hold his child.
"He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day," he said.
Chantelle and Maisie have been released from hospital and are living with her family in a council house in Eastbourne.
Reacting to the birth of Maisie Roxanne, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, head of the Conservatives' Centre for Social Justice think tank, said he was outraged.
The case was a "tragic example" of Britain's social decline, Mr Duncan Smith said later.
"I don't know about these particular families but too many dysfunctional families in Britain today have children growing up where anything goes.
"It exemplifies the point we have been making about broken Britain," he added.
"It's not being accusatory, it's about pointing out the complete collapse in some parts of society of any sense of what's right and wrong.
"There is no opprobrium any more about behaviour and quite often children witness behaviour that's aggressive, violent, rude and sexual. It's as if no one is saying this is wrong."
Mavado's video for his (edited) Billboard smash So Special will be a Freshman pick on MTVU the week of February 16-20. This is a fan voting-driven opportunity: the video with the most votes automatically gets added to MTVU's rotation the following week.
Nas told Billboard last week he was cooking up a few surprises, and now we know one of them: an untitled collaboration with reggae star Damian Marley.
The pair has been recording quietly in Los Angeles for the last several weeks. Nas' manager, Anthony Saleh, told Billboard the project will most likely be released in the spring. It's not clear which label will release it; Nas is signed to Def Jam, while Marley records for Universal.
"We've been recording in a studio, where people like Mick Jagger are recording. No one knew who we were," Saleh says. "We're going to Miami this week to finish it up and we're aiming to tour for the album this summer."
Stage Name: Danny English
Real Name: Donald Cox
Birth Month: July
How did you get started in the business?
"It was while listening to Shabba Ranks on cassette tapes back in the day, he was the one who inspired me, so I started to write songs. I also link up various producers and began to go to the studios to record my songs."
What has been your greatest challenge in the business yet? "People who underestimate my ability but I will prove them wrong."
What have you been up to lately?
"Writing, recording and promoting my new singles, Party Time Again and Love Is Real both featuring Egg Nog.
Do you look up to any specific artiste and why?
"Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, Beres Hammond and the modern Dancehall champion Vybz Kartel, they are all lyricists."
Are you happy with the way things are going for your musical career right now?
"Yes, give thanks to my management team Tren-Setta Productions, they are the ones that are making it happen right now."
Do you have any advice for young artistes coming up?
"Be persistence and focused, get yourself educated about the music business, work hard and it will pay off."
Where do you see your career in the future?
"Successful, a major international artiste representing Jamaica. The sky's the limit."
'Utter foolishness' - Entertainment fraternity chastises MP for recent comments
'Utter foolishness' is what some members of the entertainment fraternity are calling the latest statement made by member of parliament (MP) for South West St Ann, Ernest Smith, in Parliament this week.
Smith, during the debate on the Sexual Offenders Bill on Tuesday, had said that musicians and producers should be prosecuted for breaching the Obscene Publications Act because of the lewd content of some of the recorded music. He also said: "Some of them have criminal records, why do you think our little children carry knives and guns to school? 'Cause they are being influenced by these songs."
His comments came a few days after the Broadcasting Commission banned all daggering songs and songs that require bleeping. Since then, the debate on the 'lewdness' of the music has been raging on.
Extremely offended
While some persons in the entertainment industry were already not satisfied with the new restrictions, they are now extremely offended by Smith's comments.
"I think he should apologise to the music industry, he was out of line in saying that. He's basically saying the music industry is a bunch of criminals, and as if they are responsible for the crime. A lot of these yutes are using music to get out of poverty and out of the ghetto," said publicist Ray Alexander from Khool Booking Agency.
Alexander also claims that Smith's comments are an insult to the musicians and ghetto people.
In the case of selector and producer Pennybling, he describes Smith's argument as being foolishness and sees the action of politicians as being hypocritical. He said that the ban and the prosecution for obscenity need to be made from the top of the system before working its way into the dancehall.
"Yuh see politicians a wine up on yuh television screen, nuff politicians use dancehall in their campaigns like Mavado's Pon Di Gullyside. In the 1980s when Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel weren't around in music, dat was the most violent time," he said.
Rambo wid him big gun
Selector Penny Bling
He continued, "When yuh have Rambo wid him big gun on children's lunch pan, and cartoons wid people a beat each other and kill each other, why dem nuh ban dat? Ban news weh show di most gun. Dem need to stop di violence in Jamaica and stop pick pon di music, 'cause the deejays couldn't sing bout dem ting deh if it wasn't going around."
CEO of Big Yard, Robert Livingston, also viewed Smith's comments as being drastic. "It was very drastic of him to say that without proof... how can you be prosecuted for your work? There is a need for music and that's why our musicians and music is so famous," said Livingston
STUDENTS from a number of high schools across the island have added their voices to the weeks-old debate on lewd music, with some in full support of the ban imposed by the Broadcasting Commission over the weekend and others calling on the regulatory body to reassess its position.
Last Friday, the commission announced the banning or transmission of any song or music video which promotes the act of daggerin' - it defined as a colloquial term used in dancehall culture as a reference to hard-core sex - or the use of bleeping or beeping techniques to mask explicit lyrics.
One Monday, the commission included soca music in its ban.
But Wednesday, several students who attended the Ministry of Education's National Sexuality and Reproductive Health Exposition held at the National Arena in Kingston had mixed views on the ban.
"We are in full support of the move to ban lewd music, daggerin' included. It is too explicit," Tiffany Dunn, a student from the Mona High School told the Observer.
Several other students like Nasheika Nash - who attends the Paul Bogle High School in St Thomas - agreed with Tiffany, saying it was her belief that lewd music influence's children's behaviour.
However, others believed the commission's stance was hypocritical and a double standard.
"The officials have to put more thought into the move," said Jamaica College student Tijani Christian. "For many students we see the move as hypocritical and one of double standards."
Ishama Johnson of Clan Carthy High (Kingston) felt the officials should widen the ban to include specific songs sung by overseas artistes.
Dwayne Palmer of Albert Town High in Trelawny, said he too had issues with "overseas music" and singled out Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl - a song he said many parents should be worried about.
"This has been playing on the airwaves.... what is that promoting?" Palmer asked.
Culture Minister Congratulates Burning Spear On Grammy Win
Olivia "Babsy" Grange, today commended Jamaican singer, Burning Spear, on winning the 2009 Reggae Grammy.Spear, a native of St. Ann's Bay, was named winner of the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for his "Jah Is Real" at Sunday's annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
This was the second time that Spear(real name Winston Rodney) was winning the award, having won in 2000 with "Calling Rastafari." He has been nominated for the Grammy 12 times since the release of his album, "Resistance", in 1986.
Miss Grange noted that Spear was carrying on the tradition of his illustrious parishioners, the National Hero, the Rt. Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and the international music icon, Bob Marley, in terms of both the content of his music and the success of career, as well as the desire of most reggae fans to keep the music real and relevant.
"Burning Spear's win this year is both timely and deserving, as we in Jamaican contemplate the value of our music in terms of its contribution to our social and economic upliftment, versus personal gratification at the expense of our morals and our principles," she said.
She urged the young musicians to take a leaf out of Burning Spear's book, and to take special note of the fact that over the almost 38 years he has been recording, he has never wavered from promoting the advancement of the poor and oppressed, worldwide, despite the many temptations to do otherwise.
She called on the other nominees to look at the result as an inspiration rather than a loss, and expressed the hope that it will spur them and their contemporaries to even greater heights during the ensuing years.
Programming for the under-tens
You might think you're pretty hot stuff because you've figured out how to change your Facebook status from your iPhone, but you've got nothing on nine-year-old Lim Ding Wen.
This young prodigy from Singapore is fluent in six programming languages, according to a BBC report this week, and his newest creation, an iPhone drawing game called Doodle Kids, has racked up over 4,000 downloads in just two weeks. He wrote it for his younger sisters, who love to draw.
Doodle Kids, which lets players sketch with their fingers on the iPhone's screen and shake it, Etch-A-Sketch-style, to clear, has already racked up a healthy three-and-a-half star rating on the App Store. One reviewer commented: "Awesome app!...Amazing that something like this was made by a 9 year old".
Sandals Negril beats the world, takes platinum award pt 1
EDUCATORS could find themselves in hot water for acts previously regarded as innocent when the new Sexual Offences Bill is signed into law, Education Minister Andrew Holness has warned.
Holness all but urged teachers to keep their hands to themselves, when he suggested they keep their relationships with students strictly professional.
Speaking in Parliament Tuesday during a debate on the Bill, Holness disclosed that he had received a number of complaints about "indecent" teacher-student relationships, an issue the new Bill addresses.
He did not, however, spell out how many complaints he had received or the specific nature of those complaints. But he said that they were all in a file on his desk at National Heroes Circle in Kingston.
"I get several complaints, on my desk I have a file. The Ministry of Education takes note and interest and welcomes this Bill and the new features. I also take the opportunity to place the teaching profession on alert that they should now be very cautious of how they engage children in their care," Holness said.
The education minister further pointed out that while Jamaica's culture did not view "touching, slapping, (and) groping in a sexually suggestive way" as criminal offences, under Section 8 of the Bill such behaviour must now be seen as illegal within the context of the relationship with adults in authority.
"The Act clearly defines the relationship between teacher and student and all the offences laid out in the Act now become applicable to the teaching profession and educators in general. I would like to use this opportunity to alert the teaching fraternity, particularly our males, that we have to be very cautious in how as adults in authority we engage our students," Holness emphasised.
Section 8 (1) of the Bill defines everyone employed in the early childhood, primary and secondary schools system as adults in positions of authority, with the teacher standing loco parentis or in place of the parent.
He said Section 9 of the Act, which deals with "sexual grooming", was also an area of concern for education officials.
"I have seen cases where male teachers invite students to their cottage or to have a drink, (and) the intention, though not expressed, may be sexual. I now use this opportunity to alert our teachers. It is conceivable that that act could be construed as sexual grooming, I don't want any of my teachers or educators to be caught (in such acts)," he said.
At the same time, Holness said the education ministry was well on its way to begin licensing of teachers and that it would be making a bid to be privy to the records which would be held by the Sexual Offenders Registry to be established by the Act, as the ministry was against the idea of licensing teachers who are sexual offenders.
Debate on the Sexual Offences Act 2008, which seeks to bring together all laws dealing with rape, incest and other sex crimes, began in the House of Representatives on January 27. The debate, which was suspended on Tuesday, is to continue next week.
The incident happened on Thursday in Uruzgan province, where Australia's special forces were clearing a number of houses in the hunt for insurgents.
Australia says it is investigating the incident.
"Current reporting indicates that those killed include a suspected insurgent and, sadly, local nationals including five children killed, and two children and two adults injured," The Australian defense department said in an official statement on Friday.
Australia's military has about 1,100 soldiers in Afghanistan, based mainly in Uruzgan province.
The rising number of civilians killed by US-led troops in the war-torn country has drawn the ire of the Afghans, rising anti-American sentiment in the country.
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has also repeatedly lashed out at the US-led forces in his country over their 'unbearable attitude' toward public and local culture and their disregard for civilian lives.
Human Rights campaigners say that the 70,000-strong US-led western troops have been understating the true figures of civilian casualties in official reports, in a bid to avoid inflaming the already-widespread opposition to foreign deployment.
Civilian casualties have been the subject of a growing controversy, raising questions over the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan.
The US military operation 'Enduring Freedom' was launched by the Pentagon forces with Britain and other western countries in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The stated purpose of the invasion was to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban, capture Osama bin Laden and bring security in the volatile region.
Unbearable grief...Widow of man you died in 9/11 dies in Buffalo plane crash
WASHINGTON One of the victims of the Buffalo commuter plane crash, Beverly Eckert, was a Sept. 11 widow who put her never-ending grief to good use to make the country safer.
President Barack Obama, speaking in the White House's East Room, said Eckert "was an inspiration to me and to so many others, and I pray that her family finds peace and comfort in the hard days ahead."
A week before her death, Eckert met with Obama at the White House as part of a group of 9/11 families and relatives of those killed in the b****ing of the USS Cole, discussing how the new administration would handle terror suspects.
Eckert was flying to Buffalo Thursday night to celebrate what would have been her husband Sean Rooney's 58th birthday.
When he died in the World Trade Center, she became one of the most visible, tearful faces in the aftermath of the terror attacks.
-- Edited by MZJ at 12:41, 2009-02-13
The world richest black folks an there ranking(Lee chin involve)
In what can be considered a case of extreme punishment, an eight-year-old boy was doused with gasolene and set afire because he lost a foot of his school shoes.
The Kingston West police say the child is now in hospital and nursing third-degree burns to over 40 per cent of his body.
"Yu nuh hear 'bout it? My gosh if yu eva si di likkle bway yu cry," a policewoman remarked to her colleague when THE WEEKEND STAR called the Trench Town Police Station and inquired about the incident yesterday.
The child's father was on Wednesday slapped with a charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and will appear in court on Monday.
Police say the child wore his regular pair of shoes to school on Tuesday. He, however, carried another pair with him, which he is said to have put on when he arrived at school.
When he returned home about 4 p.m., he realised that one foot from the pair of school shoes was missing.
Fiery reprimand
The police say that the boy's father tried to reprimand his son by lighting a circle of fire, which he made by pouring gasolene around his son before igniting the substance.
It is further reported that the child ran but was ordered by his father to return to the fiery circle. The child complied but then tried to run again.
The father, it is alleged, then threw the gasolene at the running child.
This caused a huge burst of flames, which lit up the infant. He was taken to hospital where he is being treated.
Word of the incident has left residents commenting about the incident.
"Di likkle yute scarred fi life star, a eediat ting dat all because di yute lose him school shoes. Everybody 'bout ya vex, wi nah lie," said 25-year-old Kevin Hendricks.
"School shoes can always buy back eno. Wi only hope seh him nuh scar up too much still, 'cause dat can have a negative impact pon him future still," another resident added.
 |
|
Cops see red! - Police incensed over politician's 'gay' slur - J-FLAG calls MP's behaviour reckless
MEMBERS OF the Jamaica Constabulary Force are incensed at remarks made on Tuesday by attorney-at-law and South West St Ann Member of Parliament (MP) Ernest Smith.
The MP had made stinging comments about the lawmen in Parliament, saying the force was "overrun" by gays.
Chairman of the Police Officers' Association (POA), Superintendent Michael James, told The Gleaner yesterday that since media reports surfaced about Smith's assertion, members of the institution have been infuriated.
According to James, the POA will meet with the leadership of the Police Federation today and a statement would be issued on the matter shortly thereafter.
He said a response would be made before the end of the week.
However, the force is not the only group angered by Smith's statement, as the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) says his comments in Parliament were a threat to democracy.
The group yesterday called on the Jamaica Labour Party and parliamentarians to examine the statement, acknowledge the danger contained within, and have Smith account for his "wanton and reckless behaviour" in the nation's Parliament.
Smith drew the wrath of the group when, during his contribution to the parlia-mentary debate on the sexual offences legislation, he expressed concern that "homosexuals in Jamaica have become so brazen, they've formed themselves into organisations".
The government MP also statedthat homosexuals were "abusive (and) violent" and called on the minister of national security to account for why so many of them were licensed firearm holders.
Smith also called for a tightening of the anti-buggery law.
"Homosexuals in Jamaica have the same rights as other citizens, including those to bear arms and to employment in the security forces," read a statement from J-FLAG yesterday.
"J-FLAG denounces Smith's statement as being not only an amazing display of backwardness and unmitigated bigotry, but also as anti-democratic and sinister."
Refusing to take the issue lightly, the group described Smith's presentation as a "diatribe" and offensive on several levels.
"First, he has made a sweeping statement about thousands of Jamaicans about whom he knows very little," said Jason McFarlane, programme manager for J-FLAG. "What evidence does he have to suggest that gays and lesbians as a group are more violent and abusive than other Jamaicans? This kind of stereotyping from a parliamentarian is inflammatory and highly irresponsible."
The group said it was concerned that in a climate characterised by extreme violence, Smith's statement could provide another justification for mobs to attack gays and lesbians on suspicion that they contribute to the country's high level of crime and violence.
Exposed to hostility
In the past, persons suspected to be homosexuals have been beaten, stoned and had their homes burnt.
"Mr Smith has also exposed the security forces to the spectre of public ridicule and hostility in a society where the slightest hint of homosexuality is a trigger for suspicion and scorn," McFarlane added. "This is stress that no member of security needs or deserves, particularly at this time."
According to McFarlane, his organisation also fears that Smith's unsubstantiated assertions about the number of gays in the armed forces might trigger a witch-hunt that could destabilise the security forces in general but the constabulary force in particular.
"This would be an extremely unfortunate situation, especially at a time when the police need to focus their energies on law enforcement in defence of the hundreds of victims and potential victims of crime."
Wrigley Puts Chris Brown Ad Campaigns On Hold [WOW!!!](2/9/09)*-*
According to The Associated Press, Wrigley made the announcement via a statement today (February 9) saying they have put a hold on their campaign featuring Brown because of the serious allegations made against him
The company said they will lift the suspension after the case has been resolved. Brown is a spokesman for Wrigleys Doublemint Gum.
| |
| Sunday, 23 March 2008 18:07 | |
 A 12-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly throwing a rock through the windshield of Soulja Boy Tell Ems tour bus during a stop in *la*hmington, Illinois on Thursday (March 20). According to police, Soulja Boys tour bus was parked outside of the Hampton Inn West around 7:40 PM when the boy threw the rock through the windshield.Soulja Boy was in town performing at the U.S. Cellular Coliesum when police arrested the boy, who told officers he committed the crime because I hate Soulja Boy. |
Michelle Obama’s message to Beyonce; ‘Stay away from Barack!’
I absolutely love the rumor mill because theres always something juicy coming out of it. Its latest offering: the First Lady Michelle Obama has issues with Beyonce trying to get too close to her man. (Now that's pretty funny.)
Its no secret Beyonce has a huge crush on US President Barack Obama. (What woman doesnt?) A source told the National Inquirer, "Beyonce has spent months gushing over President Obama, and when she was in the same room with him, she couldn't tear her eyes away from him. Before things got out of hand, Michelle got word to Beyonce to tone things down or risk being banned from the White House in the future."
Apparently, Michelle was also upset when she found out Beyonce had pulled strings to get the Secret Service to chauffeur her and her husband Jay Z to their car after rehearsals for the inauguration festivities.
The source adds, "[Michelle] has a sore spot for Beyonce ever since a March 2007 fundraiser in New York City when her husband was all googly-eyed over Beyonce and asked for her autograph."
"On President Obama's big night, Michelle was cordial to Beyonce, but gave her the cold shoulder at the inauguration festivities. When Beyonce went to hug her, Michelle gave a forced smile and cl**tched her hand.
Seriously, if these rumors are true, Beyonce you better tone it down. I'm sure you're just first in a long line of the President's groupies (Hell, I'm also in that line) but Michelle Obamas natural disposition looks like she doesnt play. Am I right or wrong? Besides, Barack has already put a ring on it, so you better go somewhere!
A 54-year-old woman, who pleaded guilty to attempting to leave the island with 4.5kg (10 lb) of ganja, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at hard labour when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
The court was told that on February 8, Leta Thompson was preparing to board a flight to Trinidad, when a sniffer dog alerted the police to her luggage. Her bags were searched and the ganja found in a false compartment.
When she appeared in court, Thompson pleaded guilty to possession, dealing in and taking steps to export marijuana. She told the court that she used to do higglering, but had fallen on hard times. She said she did not know anyone in Trinidad and was sent there by a friend whom she had met three weeks before. She said she did not know the friend's name.
Just met man
She told the court: "Im jus' meet mi and im seh when I go I will get some money. But when I go in di plane, a man come tek mi out." She said it was her first time travelling overseas.
She was sentenced to $15,000 or six months for possession, admonished and discharged for dealing, and $45,000 or six months for taking steps to export the drug. In addition, she was sentenced to a mandatory six-month term.
This picture of a ready to explode Nadya Suleman was taken eight days before giving birth to the last eight of her fourteen kids. Pass the Jessica Simpson mom jeans.
OctoP**y may not have to pimp out her w****mates for dollars on her website anymore, as this "Alien" photo has just landed her a new gig ... the poster mom for anti in vitro fertilization.
In real life Donovan Drysdale is an easy going person, who takes life one day at a time. In the dancehall fraternity, however, he is known as Bugsy Malone (aka Tugsy Malone).
After several years on the fringe, he is now ready for the spotlight and to make his mark on the dancehall scene, locally and internationally.
"I'm an artiste hoping to rise in the dancehall fraternity, born and bred in Kingston, Jamaica, went to Donald Quarrie secondary, migrated to the United States and went through schooling there," Malone told THE STAR.
Now he's back and has been making the rounds in the music industry, moving with the Alliance clique, recording and releasing several singles.
These include songs for producers like King Jammys, John John, Collie Bud and the warlord himself, Bounty Killer, who produced a single for him called Wi Nuh Fear None A Dem.
Lack of promotion
He also did a collaboration with Bounty Killer, titled Bad Man Nuh Wear Pink. However, Malone says the songs suffered from lack of promotion.
Malone has performed on several shows locally and abroad as he seeks to strengthen his career. "I've actually shared stage with all the stalwarts in the business,: the Bounty, the Beenie, the Capleton, the Buju, yuh nuh, we share di same stage," he explained.
But Malone's big break is yet to come, and he feels it's just around the corner.
Malone says his latest track, My Money, is ready to hit the streets and there is more to come. "Wi in the studio presently a build a single called Memories of a Gangsta, a song about the past soldiers from the garrison communities. It a go be the next big ting round yah, mi promise yuh."
Currently under the management of Lion Heart (King Walker), Malone sees 2009 as a year of prosperity for him.
"It hold prosperity yuh nuh, 2000 and mine, yuh see wha mi a deal wid! More hard work, get more focused, get mi exercise ting back pon track, crazy melodies from Tugsy Malone, just expect me like a baby to the ladies dem, cause I'm coming through," Malone said.
He is constable Conrod Collins of the West Kingston police division.
The police said last Friday Constable Collins solicited $350,000 to release a man who was in custody on assault, kidnapping and gun charges.
Investigators said the constable accepted $20,000 as a down payment and was promised another tranche of $150,000.
The police said an under-cover operation was set up and constable Collins was held after he went to collect the money.
Two other constables who were seen with him were also arrested but were released after they were questioned.
-- Edited by viper_3kj at 21:55, 2008-02-05
-- Edited by viper_3kj at 06:49, 2008-02-19
The Court of Appeal, in dismissing a case in which the appellant was involved in a mob killing, emphasised that such deaths undermined the Constitution of Jamaica.
The court made the observation when it ordered that Donald Thompson, 37, football entertainment coordinator, of Old Harbour, St Catherine, serve his sentence of life imprisonment, with a specification that he serve 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Thompson was convicted by a jury on January 29, 2004, of the murder of Peter Roy Thomas. He was sentenced by Justice Roy Jones.
About 1 p.m. on August 20, 2001, Thomas was set upon by a mob and beaten, stoned and chopped to death. Thomas had been accused of robbing a taxi operator. The deceased's 12-year-old son was the sole eyewitness for the Crown.
Good antecedents
Thompson appealed against the sentence on grounds that it was manifestly excessive.
Lord Anthony Gifford, QC, who represented Thompson on appeal, urged the court, comprising president of the Court of Appeal Justices Seymour Panton, Hazel Harris and Mahadev Dukharan, to take into account Thompson's good antecedents.
Lord Gifford argued that the court should take the view that on occasions such as the incident that took place on August 20, 2001, men who were normally law-abiding succumbed to mass hysteria and committed crimes which they would never have contemplated on their own. He said Thompson was the only individual who was punished for the offence, which was committed by several persons.
Residents from Old Harbour had signed petitions asking the court to be lenient with Thompson.
Lenient sentence
"There is no basis for a lenient sentence in a situation such as this," the court said. The court said further that the signing of petitions by hundreds of persons would not prevent the full force of the law being brought to bear on transgressors.
"The aim is to ensure that we maintain a civilised society in which the rule of law prevails," the court said.
The appeal judges also pointed out that the Constitution of Jamaica provided for the trial of a criminal offence by an independent and impartial court.
"There can be no doubt that Jamaica has such a court. It is, therefore, an undermining of the Constitution for citizens to take on themselves the role of accuser, investigator, adjudicator and executioner c****ined," the court said.
|
No New Posts | 
|
New Posts |
|
Topic is Closed | 
|
Sticky |