john boehner pic

Esperanza Spalding - Beautiful, Soulful, Fun, Incredibly Talented!

I can't believe that I only discovered her a few days ago while she sang "If I was your Girlfriend" for Prince's tribute at the BET Awards.

It is so refreshing to hear this kind of music and singing. She's soulful, jazzy, she is a pro jazz bass player, and her voice is beautiful!

I was instantly drawn to her music and singing after seeing her at the BET Awards and have been listening to her music non-stop!

Check her her website and MySpace page! This is exactly the kind of artist I want to see live!

Joy Ike's Sophomore Album "Rumors"

It is easy to label an artist as soulful, but increasing difficult to find a real soul artist in today’s music scene. Joy Ike is the needle in the haystack. Her recently released sophomore album, 'Rumors', rises above the rest busting through with a soul sound that has drawn comparisons to Norah Jones, Fiona Apple, and Regina Spektor.

Her single "Sweeter" has received praise from NPR’s music critics with All Things Considered calling her, "a unique blend of neo-soul, with just the right dash of pop...a truly compelling act to watch."

'Rumors' has also racked up an incredible amount of attention in her hometown of Pittsburg, PA and has garnered new listeners across the country building a band of passionate new followers.

Joy released 'Rumors' her second full length album independently and continues a grassroots attempt to stay true to her values.

Joy Ike "Sweeter" MP3

More on Joy Ike:

www.joyike.com

www.myspace.com/joyike

Sonny Rollins Receives Miles Davis Award

Tenor sax player, Sonny Rollins won the Miles Davis Award last Sunday at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Previous recipients of this award include Ornette Coleman, McCoy Tyner and Mike Stern. It is meant to honour an international artist for the entire body of his or her work.

His nickname is the Saxophone Colossus and he has been performing for the past five decades! His original style is bebop, but he has also explored other genres such as calypso, funk, R&B and pop.

Sonny Rollins will be touring in various venues throughout Europe, Japan, and New York until November. Check out his touring dates here.

Check out Sonny's video library, including his Podcasts, peformance clips, interviews and special features about the Sonny Rollins Group on his website.

Here's one of the videos of this legendary saxophonist:

ahhika sorenstam

jojo

BET Awards Prince with Lifetime Achievement Award

Sunday night, BET awarded Prince with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Four incredible women, Janelle Monae, Esperanza Spalding, Alicia Keys, and Patti Labelle paid tribute to the music legend by performing "Let's Go Crazy", "If I was your Girlfriend", "Adore", and "Purple Rain". One could really not be moved after seeing these great artists perform for Prince, and moved he was. After their performance, Prince received the Lifetime Achievement Award and gave a great speech which you can listen to below.

BET Videos

Now Prince will be on his way to Europe, where he will be performing in several countries. Soon he will also be releasing his new album 20Ten through the Belgian newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad" and the German "Rolling Stone" magazine. I am very excited to see how it will be released in North America (in particular Canada :-))

In the meantime enjoy the tribute, the ladies were amazing and I got to discover a new amazing talent Esperanza Spalding, I can't stop listening to her music since Sunday!

ashley tisdale

Never before from The Irish Times, but this is special

I have never before 'lifted' material from The Irish Times, but this is special: it's a letter to the Editor from Mr John Fitzgerald (pictured above), a legendary hero of the fight against hare coursing and other so-called 'sports' in Ireland. The specific subject is stag hunting but Mr Fitzgerald - rightly, in my view - broadens his remarks on that vile pursuit to touch on the history of the battles fought by his honourable predecessors in our country. I thought the letter worthy of inclusion here.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2010/0629/1224273552816.html

"Madam, – Reading through a transcript of the Dáil debate on stage two of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill which proposes a ban on stag hunting, I am reminded of the moves to ban bull- and bear-baiting in Britain in the early 1800s.

When MP for Galway Richard Martin introduced his Bill to abolish the two blood sports, supporters of these activities subjected him to almost-non stop interruptions, accused him of attacking the “harmless and manly sports of the countryside”, and of seeking to deprive decent citizens of their time-honoured recreations.

They heaped praise on bull- and bear-baiting, enlarging on the benefits such “field sports” brought to society and even, they claimed, to the animals themselves since, they argued, the bulls and bears would die of some other, less humane cause if the sportspeople did not dispatch them via the baiting dens.

Pro-baiting MPs warned that the baiting ban would result in people losing their livelihoods, thus causing endless hardship to countless innocent families and to the communities in which the baiting thrived.

Sound familiar? MPs opposed to the ban also said it would represent the “thin end of the wedge”.

That prediction proved true to an extent, because the abolition of bull- and bear-baiting was followed by similar bans on cock-fighting and badger-baiting. More than a century and a half later, in 2004, the British parliament banned hare coursing, fox hunting, and stag hunting.

And only last week, the Northern Ireland Assembly voted to ban hare coursing.

So I believe Minister for the Environment John Gormley has history on his side. He needs to remain focused on the proven fact that stag hunting is about terrorising deer for fun, and not be swayed by the plethora of excuses and feeble arguments put forward by opponents of the Bill.

- Yours, etc,

JOHN FITZGERALD, Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports, Lower Coyne Street, Callan, Co Kilkenny."

John Fitzgerald has published a book called 'Bad Hare Days.' It's about hare coursing in Ireland. I recommend the book whole-heartedly. It can be bought from Amazon.co.uk -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Hare-Days-John-Fitzgerald/dp/1905513674/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

"Afghan bomb disposal expert killed" (Latest from the Cambridge News) - Total British deaths now 309

We can't spare any of them, least of all a bomb disposal expert.

Go to -

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Afghan-bomb-disposal-expert-killed-47527.xnf?BodyFormat=2

"A British Army bomb disposal expert has been killed in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The soldier, from 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), died in a firefight with insurgents in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province on Sunday.

He was serving as part of the counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED) task force. His family have been told.

Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "The soldier was part of an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team that was extracting from an incident when he was killed by small arms fire.

"He died seeking to rid Helmand of IEDs such that local Afghans could move freely throughout the province. He will be greatly missed and his actions will not be forgotten. We will remember him."

The latest death took the number of British troops who have died in the Afghan campaign to 309.

Meanwhile, the wife of a British soldier who died in hospital after being injured in Afghanistan said she had lost her "true soul mate".

Bombardier Stephen Gilbert, 36, from 4th Regiment Royal Artillery, was badly wounded in an explosion in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province on June 10.

He was brought back to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where he died on Saturday with his wife Jackie by his side."

"British soldier dies in Afghanistan after explosion" (The Sunday Telegraph) - total British dead 308

Go to -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/7856818/British-soldier-dies-in-Afghanistan-after-explosion.html

"A British solider has died as a result of injuries sustained in an explosion in Afghanistan on June 10.

The soldier, from 4th Regiment Royal Artillery, part of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj North, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham.

He was injured in a blast in the Nahr-e Saraj North District of Helmand Province. His family has been told, the Ministry of Defence said.

Lieutenant Colonel Chris Squier, Commanding Officer, 4th Regiment Royal Artillery said: "It is with sadness that I have to inform you that a soldier from 4th Regiment Royal Artillery died at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham today from wounds sustained while on a reassurance patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

"The soldier was on a joint patrol with the Afghan National Army providing security to local villagers and protecting them form insurgent intimidation when his vehicle was struck by an explosion.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this exceptionally sad time."

His death, announced as Britain marked Armed Forces Day with a series of events, takes the number of British troops who have died in the Afghan campaign to 308."

katrina kaif 2005

katrina kaif 2006

katrina kaif 2005

asshley tisdale

ashley tisdale

"Four British soldiers killed in ‘road accident’ in Helmand" (Latest news as brought by The Times)

Words fail me. Just go to The Times report link -

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article2571749.ece

Words didn't fail me entirely. I left a 'comment' on The Times website:

"I have no idea if this is the truth or otherwise. What I do believe is that we and the Americans are achieving nothing 'over there.' There are plenty of problems 'over here' where there is an enemy within and where there are many 'home-grown' terrorists or potential terrorists. Bring our boys home before more of them are killed in this pointless and wasteful venture."

How long will the Liberal Democrats live with this?

My readers know that I love Peter Brookes's cartoons as published in The Times. (I recently won an original in a competition). Today's is a cracker and no words of mine - aside from my heading question - can add anything to it.

But more awful news from Afghanistan today

Here is the link to the BBC report of the latest British death:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10392389.stm

The text of the report reads as follows:

"Royal Marine shot dead in Afghanistan

A Royal Marine has been shot dead in a gun battle with insurgents in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

He is the fourth member of 40 Commando to be killed in as many days in the Sangin district of Helmand province.

A total of 303 UK service personnel have now been killed in Afghanistan since the conflict began in 2001."

The serviceman was conducting a security patrol to reassure locals when the firefight broke out on Wednesday.

A total of 303 UK service personnel have now been killed in Afghanistan since the conflict began in 2001."

"Historic decision taken in Stormont to ban hare coursing" (League Against Cruel Sports)

Wonderful news from Northern Ireland.

Here is the link to that news via the League Against Cruel Sports:

http://www.league.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?ID=893&q=&RegionID=&ResultList=1

The text of the news item reads as follows:

"Historic decision taken in Stormont to ban hare coursing.

Northern Irish politicians have voted to ban hare coursing under the new Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill.

The decision comes at a time when the UK government is giving MPs the opportunity to vote to bring back the barbaric sport in England and Wales by offering a free vote on repeal of the Hunting Act. An overwhelming 85% of the British public are opposed to hare coursing and hare hunting.

MLAs voted 23 to 18 in favour of a ban on hare coursing following hours of debating amendments to the new Bill in Stormont last night. The amendment to ban hare coursing was only tabled last week by UUP members Roy Beggs and Tom Elliott.

Deputy Head of Campaign and Communications Louise Robertson said: “This has been a vote for common sense and we are delighted MLAs have shown their support to end the cruel and barbaric sport of coursing. It makes the situation in England and Wales seem even more ridiculous with the government giving MPs the opportunity to turn the clocks back to cruelty. These blood sports have no place in modern society and the vast majority of the public support this view. We applaud Northern Ireland politicians for taking decisive steps to improve animal welfare legislation”.

I agree.

Royal Marine shot dead in Afghanistan gun battle

I'm sick of it. We lost yet another British soldier today. That brings the total to 302. And all of the while the news media seem obsessed with the World Cup.

S** the World Cup: there's a war on and our boys are getting killed.

Bring our boys home now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10382582.stm

And, yes, I know: our American allies have lost well over a thousand lives in this same misguided adventure. Our hearts go out to all of their loved ones at home and their friends who are still in that hell-hole.

Again I told the truth to the electors of South East Cambridgeshire, but they didn't believe me -

I am on record (my blog, April the 9th) as having predicted that VAT would have to be raised to 20% following the General Election.

The stock answer from the then Tory hierarchy was, 'We have no plans to raise VAT to 20%.'

But it has come to pass and my prediction was correct. VAT is to be raised to 20%. Mr Osborne has just announced it in his 'Emergency Budget.' He appears to have full support from the Liberal Democrat hierarchy.

Is it any wonder that people don't trust politicians?

I also said on April the 9th that:

"... in order further to reduce the deficit, we ... should save many more billions by getting out of Afghanistan."

demi moore

300 British dead from the Afghanistan adventure

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/afghanistan/article2565631.ece

300 British dead from the Afghanistan adventure.

The Prime Minister has been very eloquent on the radio.

Eloquence is insufficient.

A change of policy is needed.

The Prime Minister can change the policy.

Put a stop to the waste, Prime Minister.

We cannot afford it and we don't want it.

Stop it now, Prime Minister.

alexis

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