Pages

I AM...

I am whatever YOU think I am until YOU get to KNOW me. This is true for everyone else too, of course.. so don't make assumptions about anyone or pass judgment; ask questions. You might just make a new friend.

Followers

Monday, August 31, 2009

TRUE BLOOD: SEASON 2, EPISODE 11 – FRENZY




Queen Sophie-Anne has some advice for Bill about dealing with a maenad. Hoyt and Jessica have their first fight. Lafayette and Sookie try to protect Tara from Maryann. Sam, Jason and Andy form an unlikely alliance to protect Bon Temps, which includes an assist from an even more unlikely accomplice.

  • THE QUEEN: Queen Sophie-Anne of Louisiana (Evan Rachel Wood) is feasting, quite provocatively, at the femoral artery of a pretty young thing. This is a clever way for Alan Ball to tell us that she's same sex-oriented. "Is this a bad time?" Bill asks. "There's no such thing as bad — or time, for that matter," she answers flatly. I have to admit: My first reaction to Wood's portrayal of the queen was not positive. Wood is an actress who's good at both strength and vulnerability, but haughty insouciance ("I have this Latvian boy; he has to be tasted to be believed"), thus far, is not her bag. The idea of this character, however, is intriguing, so I'll keep an open mind for now. 

  • That said, the character is written really well, an odd combination of old-world erudition and thoroughly modern teenspeak. ("A maenad? In Bon Temps? That's random," she says.) As it turns out, the queen, lounging over her scantily clad "court" and a fierce game of Yahtzee in her new "day room," has some ideas about how to stop a maenad, but her advice is totes confusing. 

  • HOYT & JESSICA: Interestingly, Maxine, in her blissed-out, Maryann-induced stupor, rather enjoys Jessica's attack by fang. Hoyt, on the other hand, is not nearly as amused by it. But, Jessica protests, she said all those mean things about you! "She's my momma; she gets to," he says. Ain't that the truth, H-Bomb! Hoyt storms off, which leaves Jessica alone to have a tantrum of equal parts blood-curdling screams and, well, blood, coming out of her tear ducts. Poor Jessie!  

  • Back at Casa Fortenberry, Hoyt might be regretting taking his momma's side in the argument. Maryann's pull is like a truth serum to Maxine. She confesses that she sacrificed her own pleasure to raise her son up right. She also, quite cruelly, tells Hoyt that his father was a secret drinker and possibly a closet homosexual — because he liked to dance. Oh, also: He wasn't killed by a burglar; he committed suicide. She just lied to get the life insurance money. Ouch.  

  • Also: Anyone else think Maxine is much more important to Maryann's plan that we might have previously thought? Listen to her dialogue in this scene again; I think she gives something away.  

  • TARA: Why can't Tara put herself in danger for the man she loves like Sookie always does? It's an interesting question, but one that Lafayette, Sookie and Lettie Mae are not entertaining at the moment, busy as they are hand-cuffing her (with Laf's personal fur-trimmed cuffs) to a coffee table. Laf and Sook leave Lettie Mae to guard Tara while they stand watch — with a shotgun -- outside.  

  • Tara appeals to her mother's guilt over how badly she raised her daughter. Tara tells her she'll forgive her for everything if she lets her go — but it's a one-time offer! It appears not to work, as instead of freeing her, she kneels down to pray.  

  • Out on the porch, Lafayette and Sookie figure out that they've both drunk Eric's blood. "Somebody need to slap that bitch," Lafayette says. "I have!" Sookie huffs. "Look at you," he replies. Heh. They've also both had sex dreams about him — which Lafayette says are both "nasty and fantastic."  

  • Lettie Mae emerges from the house, visibly shaken, but it's all a trick to get the gun. While Sookie is in the house unlocking Tara's cuffs, Lafayette has a hallucination in which Eric — wearing Lettie Mae's clothes and holding the same shotgun — threatens to kill him. "I thought you wanted to be a vampire?" he says. Nelsan Ellis is really brilliant here. Lafayette is, by nature, fearless; it's pretty unsettling to see him lose his composure. Sookie tells him to man up, that she's going to need him to shoot Maryann in the head if she gives them any trouble. Can I point out how funny it is than Sookie is wearing a sundress while all this is going on instead of, like, military fatigues?  

  • @ MERLOTTE'S: After Sam comes out to Jason and Andy about being a shape-shifter (they both basically shrug), Jason decides it's time to formulate a plan to save Bon Temps. His reference book: The Oral History of the Zombie War, as good a guide as any, I suppose. "Sometimes you need to destroy something to save it — that's in the Bible... or the Constitution," he says. Arlene's kids show up at Merlotte's, they haven't beed fed in two days since their mom is off on a sanity sabbatical. Sam takes them under his wing, which is kind of sweet and makes me think that the season finale (which airs in two weeks) is going to be really, really sad.  

  • MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE CASTLE: "William, you have to eat before we play Yahtzee," insists the queen, foisting her Latvian on him after all. "I love watching two men together," she squeals as Bill feeds from the young man.  

  • But Sophie-Anne has bad news: Maenads can't be killed. Further, Maryann waiting for the god that comes is a fool's errand as, well, he never comes... because he doesn't exist. "He only exists in humans' minds — like money and morality," she muses. A further irony: Maryann thinks she needs to offer her god a sacrifice — she's partial to supernatural beings, hence her interest in Sam — so that the god (Dionysus, Satan, whomever) will come and... kill her. A true death, ravished and devoured by her true god. Um, okaaay...  

  • SAM & ERIC: Sam and Arlene's kids head off to Fangtasia to find Eric, to see if he can help them defeat Maryann. The kids exposit that their absent father is named Duane and he has Arlene's name tattooed on his stomach. I'm wondering where this plot seed will sprout. Any ideas who Duane might be? Also: I love Ginger, and I think it's hysterical that every time we see her, she has a mini-breakdown. Also: Pam! Hooray! At first I thought her red bodysuit was a little much and definitely out of character for the 1950s housewife, but as the camera got closer, I noticed the sequins, the miniskirt and the giant bow and all was right with the world.  

  • I was a little nervous when Eric became so fixated on the kids, even going as far as to call them delicious. But his interest, for now, seems innocent enough. "Good night, tiny humans," he says, as he flies off toward the queen's castle.  

  • BILL & ERIC: While the queen's (basically useless) maenad primer sinks in, Hadley, Sophie-Anne's previously mute female companion, asks, "How's my cousin Sookie?" Interesting. It seems she left Bon Temps in somewhat of a state of disgrace. Bill gets even itchier to leave when he learns that Eric has arrived at the palace. "All this alpha-male posturing," the queen huffs. "You two really should just f--- each other and get it over with." This chick isn't shy about making her desires known, ay? Bill and Eric face off for, like, the cagillionth time. Eric is all: How are you different from me? We both tricked Sookie into drinking our blood. (True.) And Bill is all: Nuh-uh, I'm telling you're dealing V. (Also true.)

  • JASON & ANDY: "You think Sam's ever turned into a dog and then had sex with a lady dog?" Jason asks. This was the first of two goofy questions that Jason asks about Sam's particular talent (the other: "You think Sam could turn into a chicken and eat an egg he just laid?"), but by the episode's end, I wondered if the dumbass wasn't actually on to something.  

  • @ SOOKIE'S: Tara rushes over to Sookie's house to save Eggs. Maryann drops a bombshell: Tara summoned Maryann when Miss Jeannette conducted that exorcism. So does that mean that Miss Jeannette wasn't a fake after all? Actually, no. Maryann was apparently duped by her as well, believing her to be the vessel through which the god that comes will come. But... not so much. There's a moment where Tara resists Maryann's vibrating attempts to win her back, but after a quick slug to the jaw, Tara is back to being black-eyed.  

  • Terry, Arlene, Mike (the coroner), Jane (his frequent orgy partner) and others show up to tell Maryann that Sam Merlotte has been "smoten" (heh) by the god that comes (aka Jason Stackhouse in a gas mask). Their gullibility infuriates Maryann, which she expresses by emitting a high-pitched noise that reminded me of that scene in Splash when Daryl Hannah tells Tom Hanks her name in her language and all the glasses in the restaurant break. "Must I do everything myself?" Maryann huffs, ever the diva. 

  • Sookie and Lafayette are met by Arlene and Terry as they approach the Stackhouse place, and Laf plies them with drugs while Sookie makes her way inside. There she finds Jane, who is singing that Greek incantation to the tune of "Row Row Row Your Boat" and cutting off her own finger as a present to the god who comes. Ew. There's a rotting animal head on the kitchen table and a naked reveler bathing himself in the sink. On the floor at Sookie's feet is Mike, who is feeling rather randy. Fortunately, Sookie is able to subdue him quite comically with a handy frying pan.  

  • Outside, Maryann corners Lafayette and gives him a little lecture about horse nettle, (aka bull nettle, devil's tomato, or the apple of Sodom). It's a savory addition to any wine-based sauce in small doses, but also poisonous! Laf may be a cook, but he's in no mood to talk recipes. He aims the shotgun at her head and pulls the trigger. She deflects the bullet with her hand and it kills Karl. She mourns her faithful pal for about four seconds.  

  • Inside, Sookie makes her way upstairs to Gran's former boudoir, where Tara and Eggs are breaking everything in sight and using the various fragments to build a makeshift nest in the center of the bed. A nest for what, you ask? For the giant egg that sits inside it, of course. The hell? Where did that come from? It makes me wonder if a shifter, in avian form, didn't lay it, just as Jason imagined. Maybe that's how all shifters are born, via animal gestation. While we ponder that head-scratcher though, we are dismayed to discover that apparently Laf didn't man up enough, as he's now black-eyed as well, leaving Sookie as the only clear-eyed one left standing. Naturally, upon discovering this, she screams. (Also: She's still wearing a sundress. Silly girl.)

What did you think of "Frenzy"? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice for the god that comes? Will Queen Sophie-Anne make her presence known in Bon Temps? Will Bill and Eric just get it over with? How does Maxine fit into Maryann's dastardly plan? And what's in that egg?

THE GAYTE KEEPER OPENS THE GATES OF TRUTH!

SO MY GOOD FRIEND DELLA INTERVIEWED ME FOR HIS BLOG & I MUST SAY THAT I ENJOYED IT...READ IT & LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS...
 Good evening my Sweetness Pies! Today I bring you something so deliciously
good, you will be begging for more. I bring you insight into the life of a
handsome, intelligent and insightful young with a very successful blog. Most
of you are very familiar with his blog,(http://thegayte-keeper.blogspot.com/)
and I am sure you would love to get to know him better. The best part is, I
give you the chance to do precisely that at this very moment. Please enjoy
the conversation below. :)



1.Why do you think so many young BLACK gays, are consumed with so much self hatred for their lifestyle?


GK: because SO many of us/them don't know and understand who we are as humans so as we add layers on top of
layers to who we are it confuses things even more...

2.Now true you are not the closet police but honestly, do you think "that" is anyway to live a life without substantiated reasoning? Like do you think its okay to stay in the closet all of your life and still entertain women and children while constantly tangled up with men sexually and emotionally, never admitting or taking responsibility for whom you are?

GK:No I don't think that is okay @ all...so much of life is meant to lived and experienced by being our true selves and if we are hiding and lying to those around us, what kind of men are we?

3.One very disturbed young GAY black man told me, "MEN SHOULD NOT BE GETTING MARRIED, THEY NEED TO FUCK AND MOVE ON." how does that make you feel?

GK:Well I hope that fucks and move on...it is because of that attitude that we can't take ourselves seriously and I find that sad because we are constantly lying to ourselves in order to fit some mold that the made for us when they have NO clue as to who we are as men...gay men!!

4.What makes you happy?

GK: like going to see a real good movie with noel or like me sitting down @ the pc and he just comes and hugs me for
no reason @ all! :)

5.When is the last time you have cried? How did it feel when it was over?

GK:about a month ago. I felt better because everything became clear to me.

6.How do you feel about suicide? have you ever pondered it?

GK:well I understand suicide and I see as a way for persons to start over...I mean we have NO idea what is going on with a person right until they very end...I've thought about it a few times in the past.

6A. How do you feel about it now?

GK: About me trying to commit suicide?......I could NEVER do that to myself. I know that I am stronger than that.

7.Do you believe certain folks are just not built for life?

GK:Yeah I do, but I also believe that life gives them persons to assist them.

8.Can you name 5 great things about yourself physically?

GK:Seriously.....I do not like to think of myself in that way. I do not pay attention to physical attributes like that.

9.Can you name things that make you unique character wise?

GK:I would say that the things that make unique are, my honesty, realness and compassion.

10. Tell me the latest funny thing that you saw or happened to you this past week.

GK:The funniest thing this week would be an episode of the The Golden Girls that I saw on TV for the 1000th time.

11.You've had your rough patches, but what is it or what problem solving techniques have you both used to get past it?

GK:I would say that letting time pass so we can discuss things works for us.

11A.So what things have you learned about arguments that you would pass on to the next young couple that needs to
work things out?

GK:Try your hardest NOT to take the other person into your self-esteem and if you can still love him afterward then you know you are okay.

12. Have you ever had an "AINT NO WAY" Situation on your hands?  Like have you ever tried to love someone and they
just wouldn't allow you or ever come around to it?

GK:yeah I have. That's why my relationships in the past ended.

13.If he (YOUR BOYFRIEND, NOEL) were to become ill or wheel chair bound, would you still love him and care for him all the same?

GK:Yeah I would, but I would want him to move on with his life though.

13A. What do you mean baby?

GK:I would give him the chance to walk away from the relationship because I know that dealing with something like that is difficult.

13B.Do you think he would...knowing him now? does that seem any in the least bit likely?

GK:He wouldn't leave.

14.Are you pleased the way things are going between the both of you? Would you change anything?

GK:Yeah I am VERY pleased. I wouldn't change a thing to be honest because I feel that there are a few things that we
still have to experience...

15.SO WHAT ABOUT ADOPTION?

GK:well I've been talking about that with noel. I want 3 kids. 2 biological and 1 adopted.

15A.WILL BOTH OF U HAVE ONE BIOLOGICAL CHILD TO MAKE THE 2?

GK:Yep. We have the mother lined up and everything. She is VERY excited to provide us with such gifts.

15B.OH SO ARE YOU ALL GOING TO A CLINIC OR EACH GOING TO HAVE SEX WITH HER?

GK:Nah. No sex. Artificial insemination.

16.IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN JUST 2 SENTENCES, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

GK:I am a beautiful complicated melody. I AM A WARRIOR, CREATIVE, SENSITIVE & STRONG THAT IS RULED BY EMOTIONS, YET

I HAVE A SOFT HEART.

17.LASTLY..WHAT 5 SONGS MAKES YOU THINK OF NOEL MOST WHEN YOU HEAR THEM? 

GK:1.LOVE IS YOU - BY CHIRISETTE MICHELLE
2.DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE - BEYONCE
3.NO ONE - ALICIA KEYS
4.I NEED YOU - LEANNE RIMES
5.I WANT YOU TO NEED ME - CELINE DION

18.Ok I want you to do a song to life analysis for me.I will give you a song at random and you will listen to the song fully, lyrics and all...then give me a blurb/paragraphs of what you feel when listening to it or what it makes you feel like and if it applies to your real life.

-DELLA REESE- NOT ONE MINUTE MORE- video below!


GK:This song makes me think about a time in my life when LOVE was sweet and innocent and it meant something...now
n present day, I think of noel naturally. :)


Folks what more can I say, He can answer a question with no hesitation and with such sincerity and vibrancy. I see
great things for this man in the future. I only hope that I am fortunate enough to still be a good friend of his when those things begin to happen for him. :)


*Della!

WHITNEY HOUSTON: I LOOK TO YOU

I Look to You[4] is the sixth studio album by American R&B recording artist Whitney Houston. It was first announced in March 2007 by Clive Davis who revealed that the singer would be heading into the studio to record her first studio album in almost 7 years. It will be released first in Germany by Sony Music on August 28, 2009 [5] before being released in United States on August 31 Arista Records and in the UK on October 19, 2009 by RCA. The album will be a mixture of big ballads and dance music, reminiscent of her past hits like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody".[6] According to Clive Davis, the album is not aiming to fit Houston into the current music market, but is instead remaining true to who she is, and the impact she has made on the record industry.[8] The roster of producers and writers includes Swizz Beatz, Johnta Austin, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, Harvey Mason, Jr., and Akon who is also the only guest vocalist on the album.

¿ARE YOU LOOKING TO WHITNEY?

Sunday, August 30, 2009

WORSHIP MYTH BUSTERS


I GOT E-MAILED TEN (10) WORSHIP MYTH BUSTERS & I THOUGHT THAT I’D SHARE IT WITH YOU GUYS:

  1. CHURCH POLITICS: not everyone can or will be “pleased” by the style of worship at a church, no matter how many services, styles, video venues or times for worship. Pleasing people in general is a bad idea, right?

  2. BIBLICAL ILLITERACY: a worship ministry that does not commit to biblically presenting a complete Jesus or filter song choice or content biblically will risk teaching the congregation a lesser picture of Jesus.

  3. UTILITY OVER ARTISTRY: a demand to see music, and other expressions of worship as utility and not understand art hurts the ability to actually authentically express. It makes worship a means to something rather than the end.

  4. CHURCH POLITICS: not everyone has gifts to lead or can be in front all the time. The goal in worship leadership is to serve the church, not your own desire to be leading upfront or showcasing talent. When personalities clamor for the stage, it hurts the worship expression.

  5. NOT LETTING THE KIDS TAKE OVER: keeping worship for this generation and not giving the younger mentorship, exposure and leadership opportunities in worship means the church loses the future. Remember, they are not the church of the future, they are the church.

  6. WORSHIPING EXCELLENCE: pushing the worship team to be so non-inclusive that only a small elite become the musicians, singers and tech might hurt the church since losing one of these individuals means a huge hole and loss of excellence.

  7. LACK OF EXCELLENCE: if music, lighting, speaking and whatever is available are not done well, the church loses gifted people who would rather not subjugate their gifting to poor planning, execution or leadership. (So, with 6 & 7 there is a sweet spot each church has to find–value doing your best, while not making it a club!)

  8. CHRISTIAN SUBCULTURE: when music selection is limited to only a small group of writers from a couple publishers and there is one radio station in town your veteran church members listen to, we live in a ghetto. The goal is not to keep our worship expression in a bubble but to reach the world. Make worship style indigenous to reach and reflect your community, not the choice of Christian publishers marketing to veteran Christians.

  9. CHURCH POLITICS: song selection, use of drums, volume, personalities, who gets to play, friends, complaint cards…

  10. ME, MYSELF & I: the trinity of selfishness perhaps is the root cause of all of these. Worship in a local church is “us” worshiping our God. Even when we feel our personal need to worship is important, gathering with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of worshipers is something special and not about me or you in that moment.

DO YOU THINK ANY OF THESE MYTHS DAMAGE A WORSHIP MINISTRY & HAMPER WORSHIP IN CHURCH? WHICH OF THESE MYTHS DO YOU THINK IS THE WORST OFFENDER?

Saturday, August 29, 2009

WHITNEY HOUSTON PART V

My Love Is Your Love is the fourth studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released in 1998 (see 1998 in music). It featured uptempo dance, ballads, mid-tempo R&B, hip hop, reggae, and torch songs. The first single to be released from the album was a ballad, a duet with Mariah Carey entitled "When You Believe", which peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second release from the album was Heartbreak Hotel", which peaked at #2. The third single, the urban-dance "It's Not Right but It's Okay", earned Houston her sixth Grammy Award and peaked at #4 on the charts. The fourth release was the title track, "My Love Is Your Love", which peaked at #4 on the US Hot 100, and became Houston's third best selling single ever, after "I Will Always Love You" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". The fifth and final single was "I Learned from the Best", which peaked at #27. The album debuted and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 chart with sales of 123,000 and went on to be certified 4× platinum in the U.S. and has sold an estimated 10 million copies worldwide to date. A concert tour in support of the album was also successful.
"Heartbreak Hotel" is a 1999 single from American R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston, and the second single released from her My Love Is Your Love album; but the first not included on any other album as first single "When You Believe" was. The song also features R&B singers Faith Evans and Kelly Price accompanying her. "Heartbreak Hotel" reached the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 on January 26, 1999 and peaked at number two on March 9 and number one on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on February 2, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. It was a hit in several countries worldwide. The song also received two nominations at the 2000 Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Group or Duo, though it did not win. The video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.
 "It's Not Right but It's Okay" is a 1999 R&B/dance song by American singer Whitney Houston, from her fourth studio album My Love Is Your Love. Initially featured as the B-Side of "Heartbreak Hotel," it became the album's third single and peaked at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. It was #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, peaked at #7 on the top 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The music video was directed by Kevin Bray. Houston won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for this song. The song reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1999 and stayed in the chart for 15 weeks because it was a hugely popular radio hit.

"My Love Is Your Love" is a 1999 song by American R&B singer Whitney Houston. Released as the fourth single off Houston's album of the same name, it peaked at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 21, 1999 (after reaching the Top 40 on September 14, 1999), #2 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on September 14 (after reaching the Top 40 on August 3 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. The song peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart in July 1999. Along with the original mid-tempo reggae-influenced version that was produced by Wyclef Jean, a dance remixed version was also released. The dance remix, by Jonathan Peters also appears on the 2000 Totally Hits 2 compilation.The single was also extremely successful worldwide, hitting the Top Ten in nearly two dozen international markets. At over three million units sold globally, it stands as Houston's third most successful single, after "I Will Always Love You" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)".
"I Learned from the Best" is a 2000 single from American R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston; the fifth and final single from Houston's multiplatinum 1998 album My Love Is Your Love. The ballad became a moderate hit, peaking at number twenty-seven on the US Hot 100. Dance remixes of the song by Hex Hector and Junior Vasquez topped the U.S. dance chart for three weeks. (Whitney's record label released the single well after the song had become a smash in the dance clubs, had the song been released before the song became such a huge hit, the song would have charted higher). Houston gained another Top 20 hit on the UK singles chart with this song, where it peaked at number 19. The song was written by Diane Warren.


Whitney: The Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American singer Whitney Houston, released in 2000. The set consists of disc one with ballads and disc two with uptempo numbers and remixes. Houston's performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV, and 1988 Olympics tribute "One Moment in Time" are also included in the set. The release is also on DVD format which includes music videos of past hits, as well as live performances and interviews. The RIAA certified it 3× platinum on Nov 12, 2002, for shipments of 1.5 million in the U.S. Worldwide the album has sold an estimated 8 million copies to date.[1] In the U.S., copies sold at Circuit City stores included a third disc containing new club remixes.
"If I Told You That" is a 2000 duet by American singer Whitney Houston and British singer George Michael, and is the second single from Houston's Whitney: The Greatest Hits album. It was not released as a single in the US but was released in the UK, where it became a Top Ten hit, peaking at #9. The song first appeared on Houston's 1998 multi-platinum My Love Is Your Love album, where she sang it solo. George Michael's vocals were later recorded to the song when it was being added to Houston's greatest hits package.

"Could I Have This Kiss Forever" is a 2000 duet from singers Whitney Houston and Enrique Iglesias, written by Diane Warren. The song first appeared on Iglesias's debut English-language album Enrique as a slow Latin styled ballad. It achieved success in many countries, such as Switzerland and Lettland where it topped the chart.Houston and Iglesias had never actually met in person as both of them originally recorded the song in separate studios; Houston in Hamburg, Germany and Iglesias in Los Angeles, California. The two eventually met in the studio, however, when the song was re-recorded for single release, with the new version being mid-tempo. The new version was released by Houston's label, Arista, as the first USA single of her greatest-hits collection Whitney: The Greatest Hits, (while "If I Told You That" lead as the single in most European countries). It was the sixth single from Enrique's album Enrique and available in his compilation Greatest Hits (Enrique Iglesias album) released in 2008. The song was moderately successful internationally; hitting #1 in several countries worldwide, among them Switzerland and Spain. It also hit the Top Ten in others, and attain Gold status in Australia, Germany, and Switzerland, and reached the European top ten. It had minor success in the US, reaching #52.

"Fine" is a song by American R&B singer Whitney Houston, and was the fourth single from her 2000 album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits. The song peaked at number fifty-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. The music video features Houston at a rooftop cocktail party. In the U.S., a DVD single was released. It includes the videos for "Fine" and the Houston-George Michael duet "If I Told You That," plus behind-the-scenes footage from the "Fine" video shoot.

"The Star Spangled Banner" is a charity single recorded by American singer Whitney Houston to raise funds for soldiers and families of those involved in the Persian Gulf War. Written by Francis Scott Key, the "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The musical arrangement for Whitney Houston's rendition was by conductor John Clayton. The recording was produced by music coordinator Rickey Minor, along with Houston herself. Traditionally performed at sports games in the U.S., "The Star Spangled Banner" was performed by Houston at Super Bowl XXV in 1991. A recording of her live performance was released as a single to raise funds for the soldiers of the war and their families. It debuted at number 32 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (Houston's highest debut at that time) and peaked at number 20, making Houston the only act to turn the national anthem into a pop hit. (It was not released outside the U.S.) On Houston's DVD of greatest hits, her performance is included among the disc's music videos. The single's video is compiled of footage from the recording of Houston's performance at the Super Bowl in 1991. Houston donated her portion of the proceeds. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Arista Records re-released Houston's "The Star Spangled Banner". She once again donated her share of the royalties, as did Arista Records, towards the firefighters and victims of the terrorist attacks. This time the single peaked at #6 on the US Hot 100, and was certified platinum by the RIAA. This now made Houston the first musical act to take the national anthem Top 10 in the US, and have it certified platinum.
Just Whitney… is the fifth studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston, released by Arista Records on December 10, 2002 (see 2002 in music) in North America. The album debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of over 205,000 copies and eventually achieved platinum status in the U.S. While the album saw the highest first week sales of Houston's career, and became a respectable seller, it became Houston's lowest seller at the time.[1][2] Though the four singles from the album—"Whatchulookinat", "One of Those Days", "Try It on My Own" and "Love That Man"—were not top forty hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, remixes of three of the singles hit number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. "One Of Those Days" was a Top Ten hit on that chart.[3][4] A video single of "Try It on My Own" achieved gold status. According to Nielsen SoundScan, as of June, 2009, the album has sold 737,000 copies in the United States. Just Whitney has sold approximately three million copies worldwide.

"Whatchulookinat" is a 2002 single released by American R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston. The song serves as the initial single from Houston's U.S. platinum selling fifth studio album, Just Whitney. The song, which was co-written by Houston, was her response to what she felt was intense and sometimes unfair and inaccurate media criticism at the time. The single peaked at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100, but fared much better on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart, where it hit #1. "Whatchulookinat" has several remixes from Thunderpuss, Full Intention, Junior Vasquez, Peter Rauhofer, Razor 'N Guido and P. Diddy. The single performed strongly in some international markets; reaching #3 in Canada and #13 in the United Kingdom.
"One of Those Days" is a 2002 song by American R&B singer Whitney Houston, and was the second single from her album Just Whitney. It features an sample of The Isley Brothers' 1983 song "Between the Sheets". It reached number seventy-two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and became a modest R&B hit, peaking at number twenty-nine on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. A remix of the song features rapper Nelly. There are other remixes of the track that were not released, such as an extended mix, an instrumental,and Old School N Pain Mix. Almighty Records did a remix of the song and it was featured on the Album 'Almighty Downunder Volume 2'. 'One Of Those Days' is the first track on the 2nd CD of the Double CD Album. The track runs 6:54.


"Try It on My Own" is a 2003 single released by American R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston. The song is about overcoming doubts or fears so a person can reach the point in their life where they can "try it on their own". It was the third single released off Houston's platinum album Just Whitney and, like "Whatchulookinat" and "One of Those Days" before it, was a modest hit on the Hot 100. It became a hit on the U.S. adult contemporary singles chart reaching number ten, and the remixed version became a number-one U.S. dance hit. Houston performed "Try It on My Own" on an episode of the television series Boston Public ("Chapter Sixty-Six"), which first aired in May 2003. On May 20, 2003 Arista released a DVD single featuring the videos for "Try It on My Own" and "One of Those Days", both which were certified gold by the RIAA. "Try it On My Own" Has remixes from Thunderpuss, Mike Rizzo, Maurice Joshua, Pound Boys and Mauve.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

¿DID YOU HEAR THAT GAY MARRIAGE WILL HURT WOMEN?





Did you miss the latest entry into Certified CrazyTM arguments against same-sex marriage? Well there is off the wall notion that if two men are allowed to get married that “IT WILL HURT WOMEN & MAKE ALL MEN GAY!”

So in further reading on this article I was NOT surprised to learn that it's a conservative religious type trying to convince you same-sex marriage will hurt women. Though nothing new, I can’t help but be amused AND upset @ the same time. Their thought process just baffles the mind and further convinces me that we need to fight for our rights even harder…they seem to think that we aren't just after same-sex marriage, but want mainstream homosexuality…sorry, homoeroticism, so one day Little Billy grows up in a world where men are engaged in romps with other men simply because it's just so normal, and not because, uh, they're sexually attracted to other men. [W]ere I a woman, I would be concerned about the ignorance AND hatred they are teaching others when they act out like this…If only they could somehow see that we mean them NO harm @ all!  

Is there a way they can see Johnny, a teenager, has pals who date boys and pals who date girls? @ The movies and on billboards, they would see that depictions of men in love with men and of men in love with women isn’t a bad thing @ all…Because Johnny admires the picture in his principal's office of the principal and his husband on their honeymoon. In this day, no one uses the word "homosexual" anymore; in just the same way that today no one uses the word "negro" because they are SO laden with the baggage of yesteryear's bigotry. In fact, in this day, no one makes a big deal about sexual orientation at all. Johnny knows that when he seeks intimacy he is free to choose a blonde, a brunette, a guy, a girl; it's all cool. Free choice and tolerance take the day…NOT IGNORANCE & MAYHEM…

Sad how we keep shoot 'em down, opponents just keep creating new far-fetched scare tactics. But fairy tales are fun to read nonetheless…right? Talk about men screwing other men simply because GAYS WANT TO MARRY…ATTRACTION BE DAMNED…


Wednesday, August 26, 2009

¿WHAT IS GAY CULTURE?




What is GAY culture? We are all SO different and have such varied interests with a common bond of SAME GENDER LOVING & SOCIAL PERSECUTION…I CAN’T HELP BUT ASK WHAT GAY CULTURE IS?

Monday, August 24, 2009

TRUE BLOOD: SEASON 2, EPISODE 10 - NEW WORLD IN MY VIEW




On Sunday's episode of TRUE BLOOD, Sookie, Jason and Bill returned from Dallas to find that Maryann and her followers have wreaked havoc in Bon Temps. Sam, Andy and Jason attempted to derail the masses from their ultimate goal, while Lettie Mae, Sookie, Bill and Lafayette attempted to break through to the real Tara. In the end, Bill needed to appeal to a higher power.
  • Sookie and Eric are making out again, which means it's time for another gotcha dream sequence. Wake up, Sookie! She and Jason (and Bill, in the vampire-airline travel coffin) are back in Bon Temps, where chaos reigns. There's graffiti on the signs, trash littering the streets and a random assortment of mischief-makers on the streets, including a pair of black-eyed zombies who walk right in front of the Stackhouses' van. What is going on here? "We've gotta find Sam," says one. "It's almost time, man," says the other. 

  •  Time for a giant statue made of meat and vegetables and flowers perhaps? Let's hope so, because that's what Maryann is constructing in Sookie's front yard, Burning Man by way of the local Whole Foods. Sam knows that all this means that Maryann is a maenad, an immortal creature who wants to cut out his heart while a bunch of naked people watch, all for Dionysus or Satan or whatever. 

  • Maxine Fortenberry is possessed, so Hoyt and Jessica are keeping her under lock and key at Compton Manor. Tensions are running high, and Jessica gets all excited and ends up biting her annoying would-be mother-in-law. Oopsie.

  • The pair debriefs Sookie, Jason and Bill on the recent goings-on ("There's a new waitress at Merlotte's?" Jason asks hopefully), which leads Jason to the conclusion that his mercenary training at the Fellowship of the Sun was not a total loss: "This here is the war I've been training for," he says.

  • Sam gets a call from Arlene at Merlotte's, and since he's kind of an idiot, he trusts her, even though it's completely obvious that it's a trap. Without much of a plan, Sam and Andy are completely outnumbered and end up locking themselves in the restaurant's walk-in freezer. "You've been real good to this town, even if you are a sometime nudist," Andy tells Sam, trying to see the bright side of their predicament. We also learn that Andy once had a nanny named Annie and, apropos of nothing, he says, "In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." It's clear that Andy has vision, but for what? 

  • Outside, everyone's drinking and drugging and having sex with abandon when Jason barges in, commando-style, with a chainsaw in tow. The revelers just laugh at him (as do I), practically ignoring him, even after he cuts the stereo in half. For some reason, Terry is the de facto leader of the black-eyed zombies, and he suddenly gets the crowd to disperse. During this time, Sam and Andy emerge from the walk-in, just in time for the mob to break in again. Since Sam is just as sick of this repetition as the audience is, he sacrifices himself to the crowd. 

  • Outside Merlotte's, Jason — wearing a gas mask and shooting off emergency flares — tells the delusional crowd that he's God, and demands a sacrifice: Sam. His trick works. To complete the illusion, Sam shape-shifts just at the moment that Jason-as-God "smites" him, leaving the zombies in stunned silence. 

  • "This has got to be the worst motherf---ing intervention in history," says Lafayette. Indeed, nothing he and Lettie Mae are doing helps free Tara from her demons, but did you notice how Lettie Mae's prayers appear to calm her? "He's coming, he's on his way, and he's going to kill us all," Tara announces gleefully between creepy Greek chants. 

  • Sookie and Bill tag-team glamour/mindread Tara, but it's to no avail. Her brain is all dark; none of the real Tara remains. But Sookie does get a glimpse at what Tara has been through and figures out that Maryann is behind it all. 

  • Which brings them to Sookie's house, where Maryann has set up camp. They see the meat statue out front, and inside, it's like a tree has grown into the house as there are gnarled branches and leaves covering all the interior surfaces. Maryann, naturally, isn't giving up her home base without a fight, so when Sookie confronts her, she just goes ahead and chokes her. Bill intervenes, baring Maryann's neck and biting her. But her blood makes him sick (also, Maryann is kind of into it), so he's useless. "What are you?" Maryann asks, as she lunges for Sookie's throat again. This time, though, Sookie throws up her hands in defense, and this odd glow emanates from her fingers and appears to stun Maryann momentarily. What is Sookie indeed? 

  • A few episodes back during the "Hard-Hearted Hannah" flashback, we saw Bill reading about ancient creatures, so he's got an idea how they can stop Maryann, but he'll need some help. So he's off to see The Queen of Louisiana (Evan Rachel Wood). We don't see her in this episode, just the bleeding leg of her apparent prey, but we know she'll be on the scene next week!




What did you think of "New World in My View"? Is Maryann's plan coming together in a fulfilling way for you? Looking forward to seeing Evan Rachel Wood?





AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREW S4E03 – VOGUE EVOLUTION





Vogue Evolution’s Kung fu's animalistic movements mixed with freestyling Vogue-ers -- it seemed a good match, but combining the feminine with a masculine fighting style was a challenge.  It ended up being cute, but kung fu is not supposed to be cute.  JC, after he could regain his voice, said their moves looked like "a scratching post" and that they were sloppy in sections.  Shane, still on his roll, said he didn't "like it at all." So these guys and girl need to step up their game…


Sunday, August 23, 2009

NO MORE LIVING APART TWOGETHER...


After 2 months, 2 weeks, 7 day, 10 hours, 35minutes & 20 seconds Noel and I laid eyes on each other after our time apart. When I think back to all the I LOVE YOUS and BLOWN KISSES not to mention the HUGE phone bill and having to ARCHIVE my msn messages (twice) we are together again, NO LONGER LIVING APART TWOGETHER…I woke up with butterflies in my stomach (something I didn’t feel in a while) and it was VERY nice. I tried SO many times to imagine this moment but couldn’t because I realize that LIVING the moment is SO much better…I can’t believe that I have my baby back where he belongs…& I THANK MY CREATOR FOR HIS SAFE RETURN…& AS WE CAPTURE THE EUPHORIA OF LOVE & BOW @ EACH OTHER’S ALTER TODAY, WE IMPLORE YOU TO DO THE SAME…HAVE A LOVELY SUNDAY! I KNOW WE DEFINITELY WILL (OH WE CHANGED THE SHEETS BTW)…






Saturday, August 22, 2009

WHITNEY HOUSTON PART IV

 


The Bodyguard is the soundtrack from the movie of the same name, released on November 17, 1992, on Arista Records and features six songs by Whitney Houston, as well as songs from various other noted artists of the time. The album was co-executive produced by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis. Upon the sixth week after its release, the soundtrack became the first album to sell more than a million copies in a single week. The soundtrack later went on to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it 17x Platinum on November 1, 1999, denoting shipments of 17 million copies in the United States, making it the best-selling soundtrack album of all-time in the U.S.[1] It has sold over 42 million copies, and is the best-selling soundtrack of all time, worldwide.
“I Will Always Love You” was recorded in 1992 by singer Whitney Houston for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, her film debut. Houston was originally to record Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" as the lead single from The Bodyguard. However, when it was discovered the song was to be used for Fried Green Tomatoes, Houston requested a different song and her co-star Kevin Costner brought her Linda Ronstadt's 1975 version of "I Will Always Love You" from her album Prisoner in Disguise. Houston re-arranged the song as a soul ballad. Her record company did not feel a song with an acappella introduction would be as successful; however, Houston and Costner insisted to maintain an a cappella intro. Houston's version was a massive worldwide success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide.[10] It became a regular on countdown lists: appearing at number 8 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years; number 4 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s and number 1 on VH1's 100 Greatest Love Songs. The song also lists at number 68 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of all time.

When "I'm Every Woman" was released, Houston's preceding single, "I Will Always Love You", was still at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (it remained there for eight more weeks). Houston's version of "I'm Every Woman" would become a bigger hit than the original, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in just its seventh and eighth week of release; remaining in the top 40 for nineteen weeks. The song became number one on the Billboards Hot Dance Club Play, [6] reached the number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs [7] and the top 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. Houston's cover was also a bigger international hit than the original version as it peaked within the top 5 in the UK and the top 20 in France, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.
After the back to back successes of Houston's "I Will Always Love You" and "I'm Every Woman," The Bodyguard soundtrack album had become a massive international success. "I Have Nothing" became yet another hit, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified gold by the RIAA. On secondary charts, the song became a hit with a number 1 peak (for 2 weeks) on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and a number 4 peak on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Internationally, the song performed well in the UK (peaking at number 3) and hit the top twenty in a few other markets; but performed moderately in Australia (number 28), Germany (number 39), and Switzerland (number 39). Remarkably, for the weeks on the Billboard chart ending March 13 and March 20, Houston had three 3 songs in the Top 11: "I Will Always Love You," "I'm Every Woman," and "I Have Nothing;" all from her Bodyguard soundtrack. The song received nominations for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and for a 1994 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B Single - Female, although not winning either nomination. The music video (directed by Steve Barron), shows Houston performing the song to an audience in a dining room hall. The video is intercut with scenes from The Bodyguard.
"Run to You" is the fourth single released from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album. It was written by Jud Friedman and Allan Rich. Originally intended to be a break-up song, it was approved by the production and stars. However, a month later, the director of The Bodyguard (Mick Jackson) called, saying he liked the song so much, but he'd rather have it to be a love song so the entire song was rewritten, except for the title. All of the previous releases from The Bodyguard had been successes, landing in the top five. "Run to You" became a moderate hit, peaking at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the U.S., it spent six weeks inside the top 40, five of which were spent at the number 31 peak. Airplay and singles sales topped out at number 26 and 41, respectively. The single sales stalled at number 41 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart, most likely due to the fact its parent album, The Bodyguard, already was certified 8x platinum and nearing 9x platinum status quickly. Single sales were moderate because most consumers own the song by simply owning the album.
"Queen of the Night" is a song co-written and performed by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston. It was the fifth and final single released from the multiplatinum The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album. "Queen of the Night" is an uptempo rock-pop-dance number, with Houston expressing how she "rules the club scene," proclaiming herself "queen of the night." It was not released as a single in America, but it received such substantial radio play that it rose to number 36 on the Hot 100 Airplay. However, because of Billboard magazine rules at the time (which have since been modified), a song with no commercial single available could not chart on the main Billboard Hot 100. The song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play, becoming Houston's fifth number 1 dance single. It was released in several other countries, peaking at number 14 in the UK.
 


Waiting to Exhale is a soundtrack for the film of the same name. Released in 1995, the soundtrack became a huge hit featuring appearances by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Whitney Houston, Shanna Wylie, Brandy, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Mary J. Blige, SWV and TLC. All the main performers on the soundtrack are African American women. The album remained at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for five weeks, going 7× platinum, on Sep 4, 1996. It spawned the #1 hits; "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" and "Let It Flow", the #2 hits "Sittin' Up In My Room" and "Not Gon' Cry" and the #8 hit "Count On Me". All songs were written and produced by Babyface, except for "My Funny Valentine"
"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" is a 1995 hit single by R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston, featured on the soundtrack of the film Waiting to Exhale. Babyface was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Whitney Houston was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The song, written and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, is a call to handle the emotional pain of a breakup by leaning on your friends. Houston sings the lyrics "When you got friends to wish you well... you'll find the point when, you will exhale". The song is also notable for the 1960s arrangement of the chorus, repeating 'shoop shoop shoo-be-doop.' Houston entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at the #1 position with "Exhale", becoming only the third single in U.S. history to enter at number one. It stayed at number-one for just one week as Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's duet "One Sweet Day" debuted at the summit the next week. This in turn led to "Exhale" settling into the number-two position where it resided for eleven weeks, becoming the single with the longest stay at number two on the U.S. Hot 100 in Billboard history. The single was certified platinum, and remained in the Top 40 for twenty weeks.
"Count on Me" is a duet by American Pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston and American gospel singer CeCe Winans. It is an uplifting song about leaning on a friend for support when needed. Released in early 1996, the song was the fourth single from the soundtrack album of the motion picture Waiting to Exhale, and the second single by Houston released from that album. It became Winans highest position reached on the US Hot 100 as the single reached the top ten, peaking at number eight. It was certified Gold in the U.S.
"Why Does It Hurt So Bad" is a song by R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston from the soundtrack album to the motion picture, Waiting to Exhale. Released in July 1996 as the album's fifth single (Houston's third from the soundtrack), it reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.


The Preacher’s Wife is the soundtrack to the 1996 film of the same name and features songs performed by Whitney Houston, who also stars in the film.It sold an estimated 6 million copies worldwide. The lead single, "I Believe in You and Me", became a top five hit in the U.S.[1] and was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards, as well as for Best R&B Album.[2] "Step by Step" was another hit single and has a music video.
"I Believe in You and Me" is a ballad written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert. The song was first recorded and released by the R&B group The Four Tops in 1983. Later in 1996, R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston recorded it for her film The Preacher's Wife and released it as a single. The song was written by Linzer and Wolfert in 1982, and the Four Tops released it as a single in 1983 (although the song is, in essence, a solo recording by lead vocalist Levi Stubbs). While it failed to crack the US Top 40, it became a moderate R&B hit for the group on the US R&B chart, peaking at #40 on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1983. Fourteen years later, Whitney Houston's cover of the song peaked at number four on the main US Hot 100 singles chart. The song is the biggest hit from The Preacher's Wife soundtrack album, which is the best selling gospel album in history.
"Step by Step" was later recorded and released as a single by R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston as the second single from her 1996 soundtrack album, The Preacher's Wife. Annie Lennox provided background vocals for Houston's version, which reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S. Houston's single charted successfully across the globe, reaching the Top 20 in over 45 countries. It was certified Gold by the RIAA. In the United Kingdom the song was released in late 1996 and peaked at #13 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1997 and went on to spend 13 weeks in the chart[1].