Last night, airing on ABC were the American Music Awards. I don't usually watch these things, but last nights performers were all musicians I liked, and wanted to see live, some of them for the first time.
A line up of 17, yes, 17 performers including acts ranging from; R&B acts like Whitney Houston,Pop acts Jay-Z (no I do not count him as a rap act when Alicia Keys is in the song) and Rihanna, (Alternative) Rock acts such as Green Day and Daughtry, even country acts like Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood wowed the crowd with what seemed like a never-ending list of performances. (see full list of performers here)
Some memorable acts were the "returns" of both Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez, who in my opinion was one of the best performances of the night, debuting her new song "Louboutins".
(Even though she literally fell down, she managed to keep her cool and continue on with her "comeback performance".)
Rihanna on the other hand played a collaboration of songs off her new album called "Rated R". This was her first performance after the Chris Brown incident, and she came back strong with a powerful pairing of new songs.
(Plus her super cool jacket that reflected the strobe and laser lights, was actually the sickest thing i've ever seen.)
The only part of the show that really bothered me, out of all the performers and nominees, was the fact that Taylor Swift won Artist of the Year over Michael Jackson, it's true that he wouldn have won it because he died, but his death did have an enormous impact on the musical world. Swift was intelligent enough to mention the Jackson's in her acceptance speech (via video-feed from London), which consoled me a little bit.
After that, Adam Lambert, who some say went too far, closed the show in his break-out performance also, which was of his new single "For Your Entertainment". I say it was brilliance and confidence, and that's awesome to have at the beginning of his sure to be fantastic career, following the footsteps of the sucessful post-American Idol artists.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sarah Palin
Everybody knows who Sarah Palin is, running mate of John McCain in the most recent Presidential election. Obviously McCain lost the election to Barack Obama in somewhat of a landslide victory of sorts. Sarah Palin, McCain's intelligent attempt at winning back over Hillary Clinton's women supporters, ran for Vice President.
Palin hasn't been the most, educated nor professional political persona, stating pretty...dumb things during her campaign, that voters and people all over the world took note of. Aside from saying things, she's also been involved now in all sorts of drama involving her teenage-daughter-mother-lady Bristol Palin and ex-boyfriend / ex-fiancee Levi Johnston drama. The feud between the two obviously getting major negative press attention, causing Palin representatives so say things such as,
"It is unfortunate that Levi finds it more appealing to exploit his previous relationship with Bristol than to contribute to the well-being of the child"
and
"We're disappointed that Levi and his family, in a quest for fame, attention and fortune, are engaging in flat-out lies, gross exaggeration and even distortion of their relationship".
These types of statements causing the Johnston family to fight back, and for it to lower Palin's actual credibility even more.
With all this going on and being a subject of the media, one would think Sarah Palin would lay off a bit, maybe relax.
Not a chance.
As seen here, Palin posed for a cover of Newsweek, with "thoughts" of it only being displayed in Runner's World magazine. Nothing ever goes that smoothly Mrs. Palin. Especially not with you. The former governer (she stepped down, by the way) of Alaska seems to just keep herself out there, no matter if it's negative or positive, and if it's political, or not.
Palin hasn't been the most, educated nor professional political persona, stating pretty...dumb things during her campaign, that voters and people all over the world took note of. Aside from saying things, she's also been involved now in all sorts of drama involving her teenage-daughter-mother-lady Bristol Palin and ex-boyfriend / ex-fiancee Levi Johnston drama. The feud between the two obviously getting major negative press attention, causing Palin representatives so say things such as,
"It is unfortunate that Levi finds it more appealing to exploit his previous relationship with Bristol than to contribute to the well-being of the child"
and
"We're disappointed that Levi and his family, in a quest for fame, attention and fortune, are engaging in flat-out lies, gross exaggeration and even distortion of their relationship".
These types of statements causing the Johnston family to fight back, and for it to lower Palin's actual credibility even more.
With all this going on and being a subject of the media, one would think Sarah Palin would lay off a bit, maybe relax.
Not a chance.
As seen here, Palin posed for a cover of Newsweek, with "thoughts" of it only being displayed in Runner's World magazine. Nothing ever goes that smoothly Mrs. Palin. Especially not with you. The former governer (she stepped down, by the way) of Alaska seems to just keep herself out there, no matter if it's negative or positive, and if it's political, or not.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Extra Credit Blog - Civil Liberties
This spring, civil liberties groups and internet companies became extremely concerned when a US Senate Bill proposed that the White House would be able to disconnect and somewhat control private computers from the internet. Even with this bill already starting drama, Senator Jay Rockafeller of West Virginia and his aides have been revising the bill behind closed doors since this whole thing began.
The new version being drafted would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to computer networks not involving the government and do what's necessary to respond and react to the threat. Other sections of this new proposal include a government certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that some private computer systems and networks in be managed by people who have that liscense.
Does this new possible bill interfere with our rights? Does the government, no, should the government have the ability to control the internet? A place where words fly and opinions are expressed through every type of media possibly known to man. When the bill was introduced in april, supporters of passing it claimed it was to "protect national cybersecurity".
Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco.
Why should buisnesses be private in the first place, if the government can all of a sudden propose and revise a bill giving them power to basically de-privatize the system. This bill impedes on our civil liberties, and impedes on the rights of the people.
The new version being drafted would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to computer networks not involving the government and do what's necessary to respond and react to the threat. Other sections of this new proposal include a government certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that some private computer systems and networks in be managed by people who have that liscense.
Does this new possible bill interfere with our rights? Does the government, no, should the government have the ability to control the internet? A place where words fly and opinions are expressed through every type of media possibly known to man. When the bill was introduced in april, supporters of passing it claimed it was to "protect national cybersecurity".
Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco.
"As soon as you're saying that the federal government is going to be exercisinghe says.
this kind of power over private networks, it's going to be a really big issue,"
Why should buisnesses be private in the first place, if the government can all of a sudden propose and revise a bill giving them power to basically de-privatize the system. This bill impedes on our civil liberties, and impedes on the rights of the people.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thanksgiving >< Christmas
So now that Halloween has passed, the next holiday coming up is Thanksgiving correct? Correct. Now why is it that all the stores completely surpass this holiday? We go from seeing jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins used to decorate every store, to all of a sudden Christmas trees, snow-men and holiday lights? It's ridiculous that Thanksgiving is completely skipped, and all this Christmas stuff is coming out way too early for my liking.
I understand the preparations for Black Friday, arguably the most intense shopping day of the year, being taken by Wal-Mart, to be taken relatively early. Considering it's when a majority of sales-driven customers do their "power Christmas shopping", but I don't understand the fact that stores are lining the aisles with Christmas decorations! It's only November!
I think what really annoys me most is when Christmas songs are being played on the radio. The other day I was literally on my way home around 3pm, and Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" began pounding through my mom's speakers. This made her start ranting but then again she's a mother so she does that anyway. Thanksgiving is completely overshadowed by early Christmas celebration and decoration, and to me is being turned into more of an obligation than a holiday.
School fundraisers and food drives are what Thanksgiving is now representing, there are rarely any turkey decorations in stores, any autumn themed town cheer, it's just everybody getting ready for a holiday that's over 40 days away. Thanksgiving isn't supposed to be about the obligation, it's supposed to be about spending time with one's family and being grateful for the things you have. Not getting extra points for bringing in a can, or better yet having 5 year old Justin Bieber come to your school to squeal, I mean, sing, for you.
We're losing the meaning of Thanksgiving, and it's all because of Early Christmas.
I understand the preparations for Black Friday, arguably the most intense shopping day of the year, being taken by Wal-Mart, to be taken relatively early. Considering it's when a majority of sales-driven customers do their "power Christmas shopping", but I don't understand the fact that stores are lining the aisles with Christmas decorations! It's only November!
I think what really annoys me most is when Christmas songs are being played on the radio. The other day I was literally on my way home around 3pm, and Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" began pounding through my mom's speakers. This made her start ranting but then again she's a mother so she does that anyway. Thanksgiving is completely overshadowed by early Christmas celebration and decoration, and to me is being turned into more of an obligation than a holiday.
School fundraisers and food drives are what Thanksgiving is now representing, there are rarely any turkey decorations in stores, any autumn themed town cheer, it's just everybody getting ready for a holiday that's over 40 days away. Thanksgiving isn't supposed to be about the obligation, it's supposed to be about spending time with one's family and being grateful for the things you have. Not getting extra points for bringing in a can, or better yet having 5 year old Justin Bieber come to your school to squeal, I mean, sing, for you.
We're losing the meaning of Thanksgiving, and it's all because of Early Christmas.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Gustavo Zamora
This week I came across an article that absolutely blew my mind. That was an exaggeration, so yeah just kidding but it came up on AOL with the headline reading: Snatched 55 Kids Around the World. I clicked it thinking he would be in jail, or suffering these horrible consquences, because the words make it seem like a kidnapper or a child abducter. What I read was the complete opposite.
A man named Gustavo Zamora, Gus, for short, has gone around the world "re-claiming" children from custody battle "losers". What this means is, if a couple gets divorced with children involved, therefore leading to a custody battle, the losing parent sometimes (I know, shocking) will take the child and flee the country, with no destination and no information on where they're going. Gus, and his associates, conveniently named Zamora & Associates make it their duty to find the child and bring him/her/them back home to the rightfully custodied parent.
You might be thinking, how is this possibly legal, but keep in mind the custody-losing parent in all reality as harsh as it may sound, is a kidnapper, even though it is their child. Zamora makes sure that he reviews the cases to make sure his clients are within their rights.
As a last resort, Zamora said, he will grab the child and run. "That's when you've run out of other options," he said. Zamora will go through all means necessary, facing opposing governments, using threats if necessary, for when things don't go peacefully, which is his preference.
Gustavo Zamora is not just some hard-ass former army ranger who re-steals children for a living, he recognizes in a quote from his website that,"I wish the system worked, but the fact that it doesn't works means I'll be working" he recognizes that these children are in horrible situations either way, but the government and the "winning" parent, need to be shown justice.
A man named Gustavo Zamora, Gus, for short, has gone around the world "re-claiming" children from custody battle "losers". What this means is, if a couple gets divorced with children involved, therefore leading to a custody battle, the losing parent sometimes (I know, shocking) will take the child and flee the country, with no destination and no information on where they're going. Gus, and his associates, conveniently named Zamora & Associates make it their duty to find the child and bring him/her/them back home to the rightfully custodied parent.
You might be thinking, how is this possibly legal, but keep in mind the custody-losing parent in all reality as harsh as it may sound, is a kidnapper, even though it is their child. Zamora makes sure that he reviews the cases to make sure his clients are within their rights.
As a last resort, Zamora said, he will grab the child and run. "That's when you've run out of other options," he said. Zamora will go through all means necessary, facing opposing governments, using threats if necessary, for when things don't go peacefully, which is his preference.
Gustavo Zamora is not just some hard-ass former army ranger who re-steals children for a living, he recognizes in a quote from his website that,"I wish the system worked, but the fact that it doesn't works means I'll be working" he recognizes that these children are in horrible situations either way, but the government and the "winning" parent, need to be shown justice.
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