Madonna - American Idol

CONFESSING TO TWO OF MY GUILTY PLEASURES

Madonna kicked off her Confessions Tour 2006 at The Forum in Los Angeles (21/23/24 May).
When the tour/ticket sale dates were announced, I never even considered attempting to buy tickets, since I knew it was going to sell out very quickly. Then I was surprised to hear that my friend, RV, was flying to the U.S. all the way from the Philippines, just to watch her perform. I teased him and told him that I may be a fan, but am not a groupie and not that big of a queen...LOL
Some years ago, Bill took me to a Fleetwood Mac concert at the Hollywood Bowl, and I sat beside this big raging flaming queen, who informed me that he follows the group to all their concerts because of Stevie Nicks. I so cluelessly inquired, "Why, who is he?". To which he replied, "What!... where have you been girlfriend?... she's only the greatest diva of all time!". I immediately mimicked his gestures and waived the finger in front of his face and rebutted, "Ah...ah..no way, Madonna is the greatest diva of all time!". She was the best selling artist aside from MJ, when I was going through my puberty blues during the early mid 80's.
So here I was just about to leave my office, looking forward to the watching the finale of the American Idol Season 5 at the Kodak Theater, knowing that I missed another chance to see Madonna live... I suddenly thought to take a chance to check online at craigslist.com, to see if there were people out there desperately trying to sell tickets they realized they couldn't use. I was shocked to read what people were willing to do, how much people actually paid and were willing to pay for tickets. So I had to contemplate if Madonna was worth two cell phone bill payments, one monthly car payment, or one paycheck. Bill didn't care to go unless it was U2 or Led Zeppelin, so I asked my friend, Bart, to go with me and put the onus on whatever he decided. We decided to screw it and go for it! I ended up getting us a pair of tickets for great seats for a little more than half the price of the face value. So I had to waive goodbye to my donation to the Catholic Church and contribution to the Republican Party (sarcastic). American Idol would just have to meet TiVo ...and we were off to dodge stray bullets and head to The Forum to go Confess on the Dance Floor!

Please click on the arrow at the center of the screen below
to play the video footage of the opening number.

It was an absolutely fabulous show!
It was obvious that a lot of money and concept was put into the stage design, videography, choreography, costume design, etc.
Madonna's body and that of her back-up dancers were lean mean machines!
Those expensive seats were hardly warmed, since everyone was up on their dancing feet from the beginning to the end.
My only regret is that some of my favorites of her earlier work were not showcased. I know...I could have very well waited for the DVD or for it to come out in HBO. But it was a lot of fun and worth giving up funds for a whole month's worth of a full tank of gas!...LOL

Here are RV's pics:
Confessions in San Jose HP Pavillion
Confessions in Fresno Save Mart Center

***

I gather that the finale of American Idol Season 5 turned out to be a great production as well. I have yet to watch it on my TiVo.
If you were like me and missed it, they had a guest list that included performances with/by Al Jarreau, Live, Meat Loaf, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Dione Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, and Prince.

Congratulations to the Soul Patrol and
Taylor Hicks, the new American Idol!

Is the U.S. ready for a female President?

By the time 2008 comes, I will already be a U.S. citizen, and be eligible to vote for the next U.S. President. That is one more vote to add to the enlightened ones.

For several months, the question that has been going around is,
"Is the U.S. ready for a female President?"

Last April, I had the privilege to be inspired and hear Gen. Colin L. Powell and former President William Jefferson Clinton speak in the 2006 Music Center Speaker Series in Los Angeles.

The 42nd President echoed what he said in an interview early this year that his "gut" tells him the country is ready to elect a woman president, as long as she is the right kind of candidate.
Asked if the popularity of TV president Geena Davis means that America is "ready for a female commander in chief," Clinton told CBS's "60 Minutes," "My gut is, yes."
"If a woman came across as strong and seasoned and well-prepared, if you said the right things in the right way and you had a good record to back it up, my gut is, yes," he explained.
"But the hard truth is we won’t know until it happens," Clinton added.
Despite the prediction, the former president said it would be a mistake for his wife and current Democratic Party front-runner to begin focusing on a 2008 presidential run.
"I have urged all of Hillary’s supporters not to think about that, because she’s got to run for re-election" as senator, he told "60 Minutes." "And it’s a big hazard for anybody who’s up for re-election to think about anything but re-election." source

Aside from Hillary Rodham Clinton, are there any others, who may prove to be potential strong female candidates?
You may not know it, but behind every powerful woman, is a man wanting to come out!...LOL

Adam and Steve's Forbidden Apple

TRUE STORY: THIS NOT A HOAX!

After what seemed to be an eternal search through antiquity, scientists finally found the true "Garden of Eden" where all humanity began.

And what more to prove that they're really in the right place, than to gaze at the "Tree of the Forbidden Apple" that Eve shared with Adam, still bearing the same fruits that caused man's fall from grace.

Here are some pictures of those forbidden apples, so irresistibly tempting for Eve, that got her and Adam into trouble.

In all honesty, can you blame Eve or even Steve for that matter, for taking a quick bite? Judge and thou shalt be judged.

c/o B.H.

Best Travel Commercials

Since I'm in the business of selling travel,
this has got to be...

My Favorite Airline Commercial

Please click on the arrow at the center of the screen below
to play the video.

My Favorite Travel Website Commercial

Please click on the arrow at the center of the screen below
to play the video.

Wetback Mountain

Watch this hilarious parody of Brokeback Mountain...LOL

Please click on the arrow at the center of the screen below
to play the video.

Ashes and Snow

Ashes and Snow
January 14 - May 14, 2006

If you like art, photography, film, literature, animals, travel, dance, music, and architecture; then I highly recommend that you see this exhibit of the work of Gregory Colbert on display at the temporary Nomadic Museum alongside the Santa Monica Pier.

Everyone has an idea that L.A. is not interested in culture, admitted the artist. He is said to have said that L.A. is one of the few places where there is a common ground in a diversity of cultures. "People are starving for culture and want to have things inspire us." He plans to continue to feed the appetite of this culture-starving world.

Gosh, if only I could have taken similar photographs during our wildlife safari in Kenya, Africa. Although, I highly doubt that I would have been able to make it out alive from that photo shoot to share such kind of inspired artistry.

“When I started Ashes and Snow in 1992,

I set out to explore the relationship between man and animals
from the inside out.”—Gregory Colbert

The exhibit closes on Mother's Day, May 14th,
so hurry and catch it if you can, before it heads out to Tokyo!
Click HERE for more details.

If you're not in L.A., check out the website.

Football

This movie has already been shown in other parts of the world,

but Mexico and the U.S.,
two of the three settings in the movie.
It comes out in the U.S. theaters on May 12.
I went to watch the screening and liked it.

GOAL! The Dream Begins

Click HERE for the movie trailer.

***

2006 FIFA World Cup - Germany
09JUN-09JUL
This big publicity ad was displayed in Oberhausen, Germany.
c/o Box of Recollections

***

Since I grew up in the Philippines, where we play Soccer,
I am more of a fan of Soccer, the real football ...
but I think I am finally gonna start watching
more of American Football ...

This image of Arkansas Razorback players
Clarke Moore, Brett Goode and Casey Dick
appeared on American television,
where the commentators paused and didn't say a word.

Not quite at par with Janet Jackson's
Wardrobe Malfunction
at the Super Bowl XXXVIII -
but still enjoyed it all the same.

A Day Without Immigrants

Un Dia Sin Inmigrantes
Primero de Mayo 2006

No, I didn't boycott work and still went to the office on this day.
Since my office is right in the heart of downtown,
I decided to spend my lunch break with my fellow immigrants.

Regardless of were you stand on the issues,
one thing if very clear to me,
"There is no easy answer or solution
to this immigration problem in the U.S.!"

There seems to be more attention given to those who crossed from south of the border, and less to those that flew or sailed several thousands of miles to get here. I am one of those people.
There were several times in my early years on this shaky ground,
where I almost became like most of them - illegal.
I know how it feels not knowing where you belong, and trying to prove you belong.
I paid my dues and fortunately with the grace of God, family, friends, employers, and immigration lawyers, I never did become one.
Very soon within this year, after 11 years since I left my homeland, I will finally become a citizen of this nation of immigrants.

Here are some of the interesting sights and banners that I saw:

The march started at the corner Broadway and Olympic.
I entered it via the corner of 6th & Broadway.

My gay boss and I started chanting,
"We're Here!, We're Queer!", "Allow Gays to Marry!"
Opps, wrong parade.
That's why we only saw a lot of green, orange, red, white, and blue colors.
No yellow, indigo, and violet colors of the rainbow.
I knew it that was too early in the year for Gay Pride Celebration!

I called Bill, and he jokingly told me to conduct an experiment:
Shout, "Go back to your country!" and see what happens.
Obviously, I was able to write this post, so that means I didn't do it. LOL

I helped this boy get up on this electrical box.
I should have told him the proper way to hold the U.S. flag.
That "FOR LEASE" sign is not his.
He does want to stay and not be returned
after you are done with his services.

Here they come! Get out of their way!






It did not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty


We are America! Stop blaming us for what we are not



Downtown Los Angeles Skyline

***

One of my friends posted this letter written by a Filipino entitled,
"A Day Without Filipinos".
Click HERE to read it on his blog.

***

President Bush addresses the nation
and acknowledges the problem...