The Next Big Sing

26 Days To Go Until We Crown Champ Crooner Win Chance To Cut Your Own Cd And £5k Cash Karaoke Champ Sing It Win It IT'S the final countdown to the first ever LIVE Scottish karaoke championship.

Our top 25 from the Sunday Mail's smash-hit karaoke champ will get the chance to sing it and to win it at the Carling Academy in Glasgow. Our hopefuls will perform to a huge crowd on April 18 - with our panel choosing the winning singer.

But there is still time for all you wannabe Robbies and Kylies to win a place in our grand final - and scoop our £5000 top prize. Simply upload a video clip of you belting out a tune at www.karaokechamp.co.uk by April 4.

Don't worry if you are not the greatest singer - we've had entries from elderly Elvises, shaky Shakiras and murderous Meat Loafs. Our judging panel will whittle down the hundreds of entries based on their own expertise plus the number of hits your clip attracts and the number of votes.

There are five categories - pop and rock, blues and soul, country and western, golden oldies and funnies. On the night our panel will choose each category's winner, who will get a day in a studio with a top record producer to cut their very own CD. One will go home with £5000 cash and the title Karaoke Champ.

The Carling Academy stage has been graced by stars such as Paul Weller, Franz Ferdinand, The White Stripes and Amy Macdonald - and you could be next. Showbusiness editor Billy Sloan said: "The Carling is a fantastic venue and most musicians would give their eye-teeth to play on stage there. "So many musical geniuses have graced the Carling with their presence and it would be a real honour for any of these karaoke guys to perform there."

So go on, log on to www.karaokechamp.co.uk, upload your video clips and get your friends to get online and rate yours the best. Some of the early front runners.. Some of the early front runners..

GREG, 22

GREG LLOYD, of Cumbernauld, has clocked up one of our highest ratings with his sensational swing tunes. The brewery machine operator said: "Karaoke is a right laugh and I would love be a karaoke idol. "Winning would be a golden opportunity to boost my chances of making it in music."

news source : http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/

Less Che, more Shakira

HAVANA -- Young Cubans frustrated by a regimented and austere life under socialism see little hope of change under the team of old guard revolutionaries who have taken over following Fidel Castro's retirement as president. Seventy per cent of Cuba's 11 million people were born after Castro's 1959 revolution. The younger ones dream of travelling abroad and want access to the Internet, iPods, trendy clothes, music and films.

Many were disappointed when Raul Castro, a 76-year-old army general, succeeded his ailing brother Sunday as Cuba's first new leader in almost half a century, and other elderly communists were appointed top key posts. "This is a dynastic succession. Everyone is so disappointed," said Virginia, a teacher who quit her state job earning $19 a month to work as a nanny. Raul Castro's appointment as president was no surprise, but the new leadership team is more rigid -- and older -- than many young Cubans expected, or would like to see.

Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, a 77-year-old hardliner who fought with the Castro brothers in their guerrilla army in the 1950s, was named as Cuba's new deputy leader. Carlos Lage, 56, who pushed market reforms in the 1990s and is respected by foreign business people, had been expected to take the job but he was passed over. Young people are tired of poor salaries and food shortages, and feel constrained by a system that offers few opportunities to own nice homes, cars and other consumer goods. Some saw Lage as a leader who might help modernize Cuba.

"It should have been Carlos Lage. He has many good ideas. We should be rejuvenating," 20-year-old sociology student Maidolys said Monday as she hitched a ride to classes. Fidel Castro's government built up the mythology of his 1959 revolution, celebrating the anniversary of important battles and exhorting people to be like Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the late Argentine guerrilla who fought with the Castros. But this has diminishing appeal to a younger generation that wants less Che and more Shakira.

"To them, change means not just better living conditions but the opportunity of freedom, the opportunity to live like the rest of the world does," said Andy Gomez of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies in Miami.

NO IPODS, NO YAHOO

Even among university students who believe in the socialist system, especially the advances in education and health care, its failings have fueled impatience. At a town-hall meeting last month, computing students peppered the head of the country's legislature, Ricardo Alarcon, with uncomfortable questions, including why their access to Google and Yahoo sites was blocked. One asked why a Cuban must work two or three days to buy a toothbrush.

Raul Castro has fomented debate on the state's shortcomings and what needs fixing since taking over as acting president when his brother fell ill in July 2006. He has raised hopes of modest economic reforms but will move slowly and also vows to continue communist rule. In his first speech as president Sunday, he said he would move to lift some restrictions soon but gave no details.

news source : http://www.canada.com/

Severed Ties in Central America Could Lead To War

Tensions in Latin America are rising after Columbia's recent incursion into Ecuador leading many to believe the region is on the brink of all out war. The crisis began on Saturday after Columbian singing sensation Shakira, after performing at a party for all the Central American leaders, took a magic trick too far.

Shakira, who has never trained as a magician attempted the 'cutting the tie' trick - it failed. "She is crazy lady" said Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega "she comes over to our table with a giant pair of scissors and cuts my tie - severs it completely."

Sexy Shakira didn't stop there. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, sat at the table with Ortega also had his tie cut in half. "It was a present from my mother!" wailed Correa "The Columbian is crazy!"

And the severed ties didn't stop there. Peacemaker Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, moonlighting as a waiter at the event came to calm the growing crisis but things escalated. "Shakira grabbed MY tie - and severed that also" said Chavez "It was my best tie - it had a picture of the coyote from roadrunner on it - my kids got it me for Christmas."

Shakira is unrepentant. "They were shuffling in their seats. The trick would have worked if they had remained still!" The severed ties that have engulfed the region has caused concern in Washington, many fearing that war is imminent.

news source : http://www.thespoof.com/

Pirates suffer deja eew

COSTA MESA — “What the hell else could happen?”

That was Coach Mike Thornton’s incredulous reaction after Shakira Autry drained a shot clock-beating three pointer from half court Saturday night. It was the opening score of the game.

Right then, Orange Coast College sophomore guard Courtney Ford said she knew: “It’s going to be a long night.” It was going to be a long night regardless without starting sophomore point guard Rachel Maulit, who was diagnosed with mononucleosis Friday.

Her absence was too much. Antelope Valley, the No. 17 seed in the Southern California regional playoffs upset No. 1 Orange Coast, 73-63. Without the most vital piece of the team’s full-court press, the Pirates (29-4) struggled to pressure the Marauders (21-13) on defense. By the end of the night, Antelope Valley sunk two more clock-beaters, including another three-pointer in the second half from Autry, who had to be wheeled out of the gym by paramedics after dislocating her right elbow.

“I’ve never seen that before,” Thornton said of the eight points the Marauders had from clock-defying shots. “Not personally. I mean, I’ve seen it on TV, on ESPN SportsCenter and stuff, but it never happened to us.” The Pirates adjusted on the fly with two days of practice to have Ford, the two-time Orange Empire Conference MVP, and sophomore Katie Kissee run the offense.

Maulit was initially treated for strep throat Tuesday with an antibiotic shot, but when she was still ill Thursday, Thornton knew it was probably mononucleosis. “I don’t want to make excuses or anything like that, but for what she gives us, Rachel, in my opinion, is the best point guard in the state,” Thornton said. “There isn’t anybody who could give more to us than she does. I thought we played hard, and we did as good as we can, but that was a real difficult thing to overcome.

“She’s the foundation of our defense and the foundation of our motion offense.”After the game, Thornton walked back to the locker room, his arm around the two-time all-conference point guard. “It’s not your fault,” he said. “It’s not your fault.” But she was inconsolable.

The situation and the outcome were all too familiar for Maulit. Last season, the Pirates went 28-3 in the regular season, won the Orange Empire Conference title and had the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. They lost, 61-59 in the second round to No. 13 San Bernardino Valley, snapping a 17-game winning streak. Maulit was sick, and she watched helplessly from the bench during that game, too.

Maulit was barely audible Saturday, and her lymph nodes were visibly swollen. “It’s hard to think that it’s not my fault,” she said. “But I can’t think that. I didn’t count on getting sick.” The Pirates took the lead once at 43-42 early in the second half only to have it wrenched right back. They had a chance to take control after Autry exited with 9:22 left to play. Autry, who had 22 points, four assists, and one steal in 26 minutes, went down howling in pain after fouling Simone Ibbotson as she went up for a lay-up. Antelope Valley led, 56-50.

Coach John Taylor called for the horrified Marauders to come to the bench as they stood around Autry in shock. He tried to get them to maintain focus. Sophomore forward Autumn Arlington walked back with her teammates, shaking and repeating, “Oh, God. Oh, God.” “That’s my best friend,” she explained after the Marauders shut out the Pirates for the last minute and 57 seconds of the game, tears still pouring down her cheeks.

When play resumed, Ibbotson made the first shot, but missed the second. Ford was two for two after a foul by Jonita Walton, and it was 53-56. On Orange Coast’s next possession, Ford, who was nine of 25 for 27 points, took a cross-court pass from Kissee for a layup.

For the Marauders, 56-55 was too close and not at all comfortable. Antelope Valley went on an 11-3 run to widen the lead to seven, and held on to the lead as Orange Coast started fouling to stop the clock. “As soon as I saw her go down, I started crying,” Arlington said. “I was like, ‘Autumn, get it together.’ Honestly, I’m the motivator of the team ... I tried to pull myself together, and once I’m back up, everyone gets up. We got out of focus, and we were like, ‘Shakira wants this more than anything, so we’ve got to do it for Shakira now.’”

In 19 years of coaching at Orange Coast, Thornton said Saturday was the worst loss he’s endured. “This is the best group of sophomores we’ve ever had in terms of their competitiveness, in their leadership, their work ethic,” Thornton said. “It’s just sad to see it end this way. I mean, they deserved a better fate.”

news source : http://www.dailypilot.com/

Shakira and PUIG Partner in Newly Formed Beauty and Personal Care Enterprise

BARCELONA, February 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Puig Beauty & Fashion Group and internationally renowned icon Shakira have signed a worldwide agreement to create a new venture to develop a line of signature products produced with and inspired by the artist. The collaboration will include the development of beauty, fragrances and other personal care products.

Shakira will develop, with a dedicated team, the creation of the product line from inception to completion. The Puig Group, a major player in the beauty and fashion world, will also act as the sole global distributor of the products and create strategic alliances for the project. "I am very excited to be able to express myself through another creative medium," said Shakira. "My feeling is that personal care and beauty should be effortless and accessible for everyone."

The Colombian artist and entrepreneur, whose name in Arabic means "woman full of grace" and in Hinduism represents the Goddess of Light, has conquered the world with her music and charismatic persona. Her work has received lavish acknowledgment with over 111 awards, including nine Grammys and numerous Billboard and MTV awards. Shakira is also the creator of the Barefoot Foundation, dedicated to the improvement of educational and social conditions for families and children in her home country. She also was a founder of ALAS with Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, as well as numerous recording artists and businessmen from Latin America, with the aim of improving early childhood development throughout Latin America.

Puig Beauty & Fashion Group is a multinational fragrance, cosmetic and fashion company with a presence in more than 150 countries. Puig has become renowned for its capacity to build brands and translate the image of brands, both proprietary and licensed, into the world of fragrances. Among them are such brands as Carolina Herrera, Paco Rabanne, Nina Ricci and Antonio Banderas, whose products have received recognition from the fragrance industry.

news source : http://www.earthtimes.org/

Shakira charity auction raises $76,000

MEXICO CITY - Ever paid $3,000 for a bra? That's what one fan forked over for one of Shakira's bras. Another admirer shelled out $14,000 for the privilege of meeting the pop sensation and receiving front-row seats at a future show in Toronto.

The two bids were among the highest offered for 40 items that Shakira donated to an Internet auction for her Bare Feet Foundation, which is building a school for impoverished children in northern Colombia.

Another popular item: a shiny lavender skirt with turquoise-and-coral beading that she wore while singing "Hips Don't Lie," which fetched more than $1,000. The items were from Shakira's 2007 "Oral Fixation" tour.

Still up for grabs until Sunday: an electric Fender guitar and an acoustic Taylor guitar, both bearing the 31-year-old singer's autograph. The auction has raised $76,000.

"It was a phenomenal success," Eric Gazin, president of Auction Cause, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday. "We had bidders from 10 countries."

news source : http://omg.yahoo.com/

Super Bowl XLII: The Ads

Ads are special during Super Bowl, but not because they cost $3 million per 30 seconds or represent the best of the industry each year. Instead, they seemed this year to be completely skewed to a slapstick, unsubtle, frat boy humor that best goes with beer and, well, football. A pair of Bud Light ads promised that the watery stuff will help you breathe fire and fly, which doesn’t go all that well for two people with such powers (one sneezes and scorches a date’s cat; the other is sucked up in a jet engine – funny stuff!). Bud Light buys the most ads during Super Bowls so their other ad extended the myth about guys who are such jerks they can’t go to a wine and cheese party with their undeserving dates without sneaking in light beer inside their cheese wheels (these are the same guys who went to the opera with six bottles of beer in their sportcoats – it’s a classy bunch).

The most offensive Bud Light ad from last year got a sequel of sorts as Carlos Mencia, whose shtick in these spots is to make fun of foreign accents, coached immigrants on pickup lines at the bar. Another Bud sequel is the touching Clydesdale ad, this one which featured a horse and Dalmatian team that trained all year to the “Rocky” theme to be chosen as part of the team the following year. Use of the word "suck" is cause for hilarity, Bud Light execs seem to think. So it was used as kicker in an add with Will Ferrell which cross promoted his upcoming movie, and in one that dredged up – get this for an original idea – cavemen trying to bring Bud Light to a party without having invented the wheel.

The Geico cavemen made a return trip too, if only to comment witheringly on the TV show that’s been so badly made from their ads. In many of these ads, the way to communicate was to scream. Squirrels and all manner of woodland animals screamed in one Bridgestone tire ad; Richard Simmons screamed in another. It was a stain that screamed on the shirt of a job applicant. An announcer kept yelling louder and louder during a horse race where Shaquille O’Neal was the unlikely jockey (it was an ad for … Vitamin Water, of course). There were bodily threats against car dealers by wrestlers and witch doctors in a cars.com ad.

These are ads that were only about special effects. They’re supposed to make you say cool and that’s about it I guess. Otherwise there’s no reason why lizards dance to "Thriller" in a water ad; or have grass grow at the feet of Derek Jeter. The FedEx ad about the failures of carrier pigeons was unwieldy as the birds. Justin Timberlake was 'sucked" across town for not much of a reason in a Pepsi ad where "each sip gets you closer to Justin Timberlake" in terms of merchandise. Old disco songs loom large in these ads for some reason. So in addition to the nod to Michael Jackson, Salt-N-Pepa played when a fat guy drank Amp energy drink affixed jumper cables to his nipples and started another car. Haddaway’s deathless "What is Love" played during an ad for a caffeine-enhanced Pepsi (such an old gambit that Chris Kattan, he of the original "Saturday Night Live" skit that employed that song, did a cameo urging them to stop.

Other celebrities: Carmen Electra in an ad for gum that didn’t make immediate sense (a guy got tackled by her body guards). Madonna got paid a ton apparently for having her imaged used in a Sunsilk shampoo ad along with Marilyn Monroe and Shakira. Charles Barkley in an overlong ad about him being in someone’s cell phone top 5 and talking too often. Straining toward cleverness sapped some ads of meaning altogether. The grill in a bed instead of a horses head wasn’t such a clear signal. Nor was Napoleon with a GPS (so why was he driving a vintage car?).

These are ads where women are hot – all the Victoria’s Secret girl had to do is sit there in underwear and say the game was almost over. But what about a plain girl who is attracting a lot of men’s attention? It’s because she rubs peanuts over her skin, of course. Makes sense to me and will no doubt boost sales of Planters among the desperate. On the other hand, what made a dude alluring to a city of people was the fact he carried a red Dell laptop, I guess (it wasn’t the Mick Jagger track playing).

Because these ads seem so aimed at single males, babies are treated as badly as women. They made one talk about e-trading by manipulating his mouth. A couple of ads stood out because they went a different direction. Hyundai said its ads weren’t flashy or wouldn’t do well in reviews, but they got their counterintuitive point across -- its competitors will take notice of their new model. Two Coke ads were about the best in a classic Super Bowl ad kind of way. In one, a pair of Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloons, Superdog Underdog and Stewie from "Family Guy" fight over an inflatable bottle of Coke, and an inflated Charlie Brown emerges to win it.

In the other, a bigger partisans James Carville and James Bill Frist find common ground around a Coke, and go on a tour of Washington together. Doritos one with a couple of interactive experiments. In one, newcomer Kina Grannis got to sing her song "Message from you Heart," which was at least as good as Yael Naim’s "New Soul" (used in the ads for the new Mac laptop). In the other, a viewer-made ad featured a guy who used a Dorito to lure a mouse to a mousetrap when a giant mouse bursts through the wall and begins to beat the hell out of him – in the kind of reckless violence big on the internet and Super Bowl ads.

news source : http://blogs.courant.com/