Transformers

New Video: Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Arriving just a few minutes ago is Lady Gaga’s new video for “Born this way”.

What do you think?

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Who has an easier time getting ahead in the music industry, men or women?

Many artists share a common goal and desire to climb up that ladder in their musical journeys. It’s frequently debated, that your sex may have a lot to do with your progression. Recently Rihanna and Ciara have both had their videos banned (“S&M” and “Ride”) because the 2 were considered too racy and sexually explicit. While that may have the stamp of approval of some parents looking to monitor what their children are watching, to some it seem to come across as hypocritical. Many male rappers have women dancing suggestively and wearing revealing clothing in their videos and it’s not removed from major television networks. A question can easily be raised here, as to if there’s a double standard.

An example of things working in the opposite direction would be Chris Brown’s latest news item. Recently Chris Brown has dyed his hair blonde. Surprisingly this has got him a lot of attention. Some of it is good, quite a bit of it- not so much. His new do have many drawing comparisons to R&B singer Sisqo with several gay connotations, instead of his artistic expression being praised. Rihanna’s loud fiery red hair didn’t create such a stir.

So who gets the easier end of the stick? It’s arguably fair to say that both males and females alike see advantages on both sides of the spectrum. Where women can feel that it’s mainly a man’s world men could easily make the claim that women have the option of choosing a weapon of a different form, creative freedoms- that never present a challenge to their manhood.

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Who is the Undisputed Queen of Pop?

We’ve seen so many great artists that have graced the stage on this earth, but those that have reached iconic legendary status are few. While there is and has always been one undisputed King of pop (Michael Jackson) the race for who maybe the Queen has always been a close one. It is clear that the last set of mega superstar artists in the running for this are the only 5 that can be listed where their legacy speaks for itself: Whitney Houston, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. Everyone can make a claim for the honor, but who is the diva that ultimately owns it? What we did is state the facts and include the “official word “on these ladies from the “haters” and the “stans”.

Whitney Houston:

· Her self titled 1985 first studio album held the record for being the biggest debut album, selling 13million in the U.S. and over 25million worldwide (until singer Alanis Morrisette broke this record in 1995 with Jagged little Pill).

· Her Bodyguard era holds the distinction of being the biggest era by a female artist ever.

· She holds the record for having 7 consecutive #1 songs on the Hot 100.

· She’s the only female artist to appear 3 times in the top 50 list of the best selling albums ever.

· Whitney has won the most Grammy’s in this bunch (6 in all) and she’s the only 1 to receive those in 2 top major categories for album and record of the year (for “The Body Guard” and “I will always Love you”).

· According to the Guinness book of world records Whitney is the most awarded female artist of all time. She has a total of 415; which included 2 Emmy’s, 16 Billboard awards, 6 Grammy’s, and 22American music awards (the most for a female ever).

The hater says: Her drug addiction had her out of commission for most of the last decade. She can no longer sing and her voice started deteriorating while in her prime.

The stan says: Whitney certainly did enough in her prime (and for a lifetime). As far as singing off in her prime... Can you recall one bad performance from her in her first 15 years? …No! She is the standard where music is measured by, “The Voice”. She’s done more than any other artist has with only 8 compilations (from her debut, “Whitney Houston” to her most recent studio album “I look to you “. She is certainly one of the most celebrated and talented artist that has used her “gift” to rise to legendary status and relied on nothing else. Her entire body of work is nothing short of extraordinary.

Janet Jackson:

· Janet holds the record for having the biggest debut tour with her Rhythm Nation tour (over 2 million people were in attendance).

· She has 10 #1’s on the Hot 100, 20 #1’s on the dance charts and 17#1’s on the R&B (giving her a total of 47 #1’s(excluding the pop and rap charts - which she is the only female pop star to even have a #1 single on – “What’s it gonna’ be”?! )

· She holds the record for having the most singles place in the top 5 of the Hot 100 off of 1 album (7, from “Rhythm Nation”).

· Janet holds the record for having the most billboard music awards (33 in total).

· She also was the first artist to have a Hot 100 #1 in the last 3 decades (80’s, 90’s and ‘00’s -“When I think of you”, “Escapade”, “Doesn’t really matter”).

· First and only female artist awarded the honor of being MTV’s Icon of the year in 2001.

The hater says: Janet hasn’t had a solid hit since the beginning of the last decade. She doesn’t sing live and she has used her brother to assist her in becoming a superstar.

The Stan says: Since the Super bowl Janet has been banned, but has still managed to have #1’s on the dance and R&B charts as well as hit the top 20 on the hot 100. To dispel the rumors, Janet sings along with a track in her concerts as well as sings all of her ballads live.

She hasn’t used her brother to get herself established, it wasn’t until after 3 mega successful albums of her own did she even team up with him for their only duet “Scream”. She influenced so many artists for generations from Britney to Rihanna. Janet’s music and signature choreography is epic and is what helped build our pop culture. It’s what made her first 5 eras arguably the most memorable individually and allowing each of them to be classified as classics.

Madonna:

· She is listed in the Guinness book of world records as the female artist with the most albums sold (200 worldwide – 300 records).

· She’s also listed again, for being the artist with the biggest grossing tour for a female (4^th of all time). Her “Sticky and Sweet tour earned her $408 million after performing in 32 countries.

· Madonna is tied (with Mariah) for having the most multiplatinum studio albums in this bunch (8 in total).

· In 2008, Madonna was the only one in the bunch inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

· Madonna was ranked #2 by Billboard magazine (behind the Beatles), for the Hot 100 All - Time Top Artist making her the most successful solo artist on the Billboard chart.

· Madonna has received a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical for “Evita”, which she received great critical acclaim in and was praised for showing her musical versatility.

The haters say: Madonna is all hype and nothing more of a celebrity star than a musician or artist with actual talent. She relies on shock tactics and illusions to distract her audience from what she doesn’t do on stage (sing or dance well). What’s’ not ever noted is the fact that Madonna has actually sold the most records due to releasing greatest hits packages(6 in all, garnering 51 million in sales) and not new studio albums, which has allowed her to cash in off her past that she’s recycled to her fans on several more occasions than any of her peers.

The Stan says: Madonna has been a master of reinvention and she’s a great visionary. She’s done iconic themes in her videos that interpret her music. She’s certainly more of a fascinating artist than a gimmick. Madonna is not only an entertainer that gives you elaborate live shows, but an artistic visionary selling an experience with eccentric themes and visually compelling scenery. Her record breaking tours (specifically the last 2) certainly prove that she’s in high demand with or without the sales of the greatest hits compilations.

Mariah Carey:

· Mariah holds the record for having the most #1 singles by a female artist, 18 #1’s (more than 2/3^rd’s of all those songs were written or /and produced by her).

· She also holds the record for having the longest running single on the Hot 100. “One sweet day” featuring Boy II Men and charted for 16weeks on the Hot 100.

· She also holds the record for having the most weeks at #1 accumulatively (79 in total). She’s tied with Elvis Presley.

· Crowned the #1 female artist of the decade in the 90’s and given the Century award from Billboard.

· The only artist to have debut at #1 on the Hot 100 3 times(with “Fantasy”, “One sweet day” and “Honey”).

· Mariah Carey has also recorded the best selling Christmas album of all time (with the Xmas album titled “Merry Christmas”).

The hater says: Mariah has the stage presence of a mannequin when she performs. She has continually flopped with her last 2 studio albums and her 2nd Christmas offering. She has no relevance anymore.

The stan says: Debatably Mariah has accomplished more in 20 years than any of the divas She’s impressively managed to surpass all of her peers in single charting and sales; except for 1(which is interesting being that 3 of them came years before her arrival). Mariah’s not only an record breaking artist, but a superb (and one of the most successful) songwriter and producer. Mariah will always be relevant because her records that she holds are a mile long and are as impressive as the day is long.

Celine Dion:

· Celine is said to also have sold 200 million albums worldwide (tying her with Madonna).

· She’s the only female artist to place in the top 20 list of the highest selling albums ever (both “Falling into you”, as well “Let’s talk about love” has sold over 30 million worldwide).

· Celine has 2 diamond studio albums (joining only Mariah Carey in this bunch for this distinction, “Falling into you” and “Let’s talk about love”)

· Celine has 2 Golden Globe and Academy award winning songs that she was featured on (“Beauty and the Beast” and “My heart will go on”).

· Celine Dion is the only artist in the bunch to win a Grammy for record and song of the year simultaneously for “My heart will go on”.

· Celine Dion is one of the leading artists ruling the Adult contemporary chart with 11 entries that all went to #1.

The hater says: She’s the lesser of the “voices” and hasn’t had a hit in years.

The stan: Celine is actually the best vocalist currently out of the “voices” and have kept her voice in the best condition. She’s won many honors (Grammy’s and Academy awards) unlike her peers and has sales that out do most of her competitors.

So who is the all time greatest? The Queen…

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Lady Gaga twits a new pic of her new hairdo

Now it’s Gaga’s turn. What do you think of her new hair?

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The director for G.I.Joe 2 is ....Jon Chu

Yes, you heard it. Who is Jon Chu? Well he directed the masterpiece, "Never say never" featuring the Bieber firework. Also he did "step up 3D". I mean impressive cv right? Not at all. I don't know how come Paramount chose him to direct GI instead of F. Gary Gray but i am really curious how he could handle choreographed fight scenes, ninjas, gun fights, explosions and gadgets. The GI film was

Janet's "True You" hit #1

Janet Jackson has yet another reason to celebrate lately. Besides a sold out world tour that she’s currently getting rave reviews for, she’s The New York Times best seller this week. Congratulations are certainly in order and this may be an indication that Janet is on the right track for a stellar year!

What are your thoughts?

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New Music: Mya featuring Iyaz "Runnin' Back"

Is Mya finally on her way to making a comeback? Take a listen and…

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Keshia Knight Pulliam in Rolling Out Magazine

As Keshia Knight Pulliam continues to show the world just how much Rudy Huxtable has grown up, it’s great to know that this pretty face has much more to admire than only her beauty. Indeed she surely has the brains to match. Look at her strutting her stuff in Rolling Out magazine. What do you think of these photos?

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Bobby Brown performs on Lopez Tonight

Bobby Brown hits the stage joining Bobby Valentino in a duet for one of his hit songs “Rock with you”. Take a look at what happens next…

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Janet Jackson on a night out with her special companion

Janet Jackson and her boyfriend, businessman Wissam Al Mana were spotted after some fine dining, leaving the restaurant Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills, California. Janet has recently return to the states after performing in Asia for her Number Ones, Up Close and Personal World Tour. Janet will kick off her North American tour on March 7^th with three nights in Chicago. Check out the footage.

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Blast from the past: BBD Performs on Jimmy Fallon

Old school R&B group take the stage to perform 2 of their greats “Poison” and “Do Me”. Check out their high energy performances on Jimmy Fallon.

Review: I am number four

Oh mama...What a pleasant surprise. I went to kill a couple of hours expecting some decent action and a horrible rip-off of the already horrible "Twilight" thing with a sci-fi dose. So you guessed it. My expectations were pretty low. However, i have to describe my real feelings about this film.
The cast is solid. The main lead does a good job and despite the fact i hated him on "Alex Ryder",

Keeping my head in the game

Clutching some of the minutes here before attending my first class of the day at 10 a.m.

It's only mid-week but it feels like the end of the month already. Too many tasks and responsibilities are put on my tiny plate and many times I just felt the urge to give up. Yet, God is speaking to me in a unique way:

Keep your head in the game; fix your eyes on the prize, and you'll be motivated.

I have heard this from different people crossing my paths, professors, pastor, and friends. I realize how easy it is to get distracted by the many discouraging incidents, all happened to take place at this time of the week.

Our God is faithful.

I can't tell describe much He loves us because our humane mind could never have understood His way. All I can say is that He is always there. I know, because I've experienced Him.

The journey to completing the research analysis is really tough. I have never imagined the time and energy required to just get things done. Nonetheless, I am loving this experience itself. And with the new position at the Miller Center, more weights are casted on my shoulders and I am foreseeing a transition in my life. The working environment - though I'm only a student worker - is really different after all. Yet I acknowledge that all effort will payoff one day - when I get into an ideal occupation.

Well, I want to thank you all who has bear with me in this though times. Your encouragement and support are my sole pillars. Please stay tuned for many more pieces of my life and hopefully I will be your source for sustenance, too.

Let's keep our heads in the game.

Note: To those who would love to read some of the happenings with the International Students Association at SCSU, please follow the link to the latest edition of our newsletter on this image:

Click on image or here for online PDF.

Set photo from "The Hobbit"

Here is the first set photo from Peter Jackson's "The hobbit". Honestly, i cannot wait to visit Middle Earth. Currently, shooting is ready to start on March, on New Zealand. So far sets, props and costumes have been made for the epic 2 part film.

One-of-a-kind Weekend

There were so many "first times" that happened to take place this out-of-no-where weekend. I'm just gonna list them chronologically, and hopefully this will be one of the valuable lists that I would smile when I'm reading it at 55.

Friday
I got so fired up for the driver's test that I have been retaking since December - didn't even sleep well the night before. So, as much as I have expected, I passed! So there goes an awesome morning. Had a few front desk hours at the residence hall, then headed to conduct my final class survey with an introductory Psychology class. It went well, nothing much about that except to praise God for helping me throughout the entire data collection process (I have a sense that I will do exceptionally well for this research, ahem, we'll see).

After Cultural Cafe at two o' clock, the International Students Association met for regular business, then I headed back to my dorm to do some of the homework, it was almost 6 by then. At half past 8, Oliver, better known as the German, came to pick me up for the stadium cleanup. FYI, ISA volunteer for stadium cleanup in order to earn some funds.

So the fun part was the almost 2-hour cleaning session at our school's giant hockey stadium. Plus it was North Dakota vs. Men Hockey, the stadium was filled with people, and popcorn. It took 14 of us all the energy we had to swept away popcorns, chips, pop cans, bottles, ice-creams, and other junks. After the hard-labor, a few of us decided to just give ourselves a good treat and drove to the just-opened White Castle at downtown. Look at the photo and see how fun we've gotten. The night was worth all the hard work.

30 burger shots finished by three guys. Burrrrg! Thanks Bereket for the treat.

Saturday
There wasn't a lot of woo-haas for the day since I woke up only at 11 (it was considered very early for a Sat). So I completed most of my assignments in the afternoon, got a call from Saudi Arabian Magied and promptly decided to head up to Little Falls to meet Lois and Dick for their Winter Fun Day activities. Since our attendance weren't expected, we stopped only at the church for the Wild Game Feed. It was the first time I experienced such a man-only festive. The entire congregation was gentlemen, and some boys. And we ate man-food: turkey, beef, geese, elk, fish, and squirrels. I can't believe what I saw, it was so delicious and poor Anil, who is a vegetarian, had only mashed potatoes. I gained at least 5 pounds from the night feast, I guess!

Here are the men from St. Cloud, except Sue, the woman that all men need.

Sunday
Got up early for church as regular. The Minnesota Teen Challenge team presented themselves at the church service, and I was so touched by most of their experiences. Just as everyone was wiping their tears, nodding their heads in compassion, poof, the lights and sound went off. Then we realized, the entire Central MN are got a blackout. So we had the rest of the service in peach darkness, which was quite cool. After getting home from church, the elec. was still out and I've decided to sleep through it. I finally hear the noise from the heater again at 4:10 p.m. and that was my first blackout experience in the states. No lights, no heat, no internet, no flush in the bathroom. The residents were having some bonding time at the main lounge happily returned to their rooms when the electricity restored.

In sum, I love how much has taken place in three days. Sorry for the rant but I think it was worth the typing. Now all that I'm worried is that many facilities in the school were closed down at 3, and that I need to use a Mac and Adobe to layout ISA newsletter. Dang! There goes my plan to watch a class assigned film in the library tonight, too. Oh wait, the Student Union just re-opened! God sees our needs, Amen.

I love surprises. It is these kinds of little unexpected things that have made life beautiful. Cheerios!