Clear 365 Blogs

BLOG: When it's bad, it's even better

 

When reality television first began to dominate the ratings, many wrote it off as a fluke that would dwindle and die. They were wrong. Reality TV has since proven it is no flash-in-the-pan fad, but a genre full of possibilities to enrich, educate, enlighten -- and sometimes, just purely entertain. But perhaps the most intriguing trait of reality TV is that even when it's "bad" -- as in Speidi's case -- it's all the more entertaining.

With that in mind, it's time to embrace the diversity of this underestimated format. Below is a collection of shows debuting soon, to impact or distract, whichever your preference ...

THE GOOD ...

Just in time for the holidays (and New Year's resolutions), we're seeing a surge of feel-good/feel-better shows claiming to improve social consciousness. Whether these shows will realize their best-laid plans remains to be seen: Will inspiring people be as fun to watch as despicable ones?

'TRUE BEAUTY': Attractive contestants -- male and female -- take part in a beauty pageant while actually being judged on morality (shockingly making a cameo appearance in the genre). Executive producers Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher intend to show that beauty (and reality TV!) is more than skin deep. Applicants fulfilling only half of the requirements can subsequently apply for a future cycle of 'America's Next Top Model' ... hosted by Vanessa Minnillo. Premieres Monday, January 5 @ 10pm on ABC

'SECRET MILLIONAIRE': Every week, one "secret millionaire" goes undercover to reveal America's greatest natural resource: the human spirit. As they hear stories of courage, survival and charity in some of the most impoverished parts of the country, it will be their challenge to reward those that are most deserving. Premieres Wednesday, December 3 @ 8pm; thereafter Wed. and Thurs. @ 9pm on FOX

MOMMA'S BOY': Trying to create a dating program with a family twist is either a lesson in awkward or the recipe for one entertaining reality show. Placing a very large stake in "Mom knows best," here, bachelors ask their mothers to choose the most appropropriate mates for them. And did I mention the girls, the guys and the mothers are all under one roof? Produced by self-confessed Momma's boy Ryan Seacrest. Premieres Monday, December 16 on NBC

'INTERVENTION': Things in life you don't want to do but do them anyway because they're good for you: eating veggies, exercising and watching this show. Painful, raw, frightening and emotional, 'Intervention' is a real portrait of substance addiction -- no two cases are alike, no struggle is easier than any other. This may just be a "reality TV" show, but it really puts a human face on a condition that brings out the inhuman in its so many of its victims. Returns December 15; Mondays @ 9pm on A&E

THE BAD ...

After all that social awareness, it's good to know some reality shows are not abandoning the alcohol-drenched, fame-seeking, beautiful-people-living-in-one-house origins from which it came. If you prefer guilty pleasures with your eggnog, here are the shows at the top of Santa's "naughty" list:

SNOOP DOGG'S 'FATHERHOOD': Soon in its second silly season, 'Fatherhood' continues to follow Snoop Dogg and family as he balances tour dates with youth-football coaching obligations. Between four rambunctious kids and "boss lady" Shante, Snoop's animated family antics easily fills a half hour, but it's Snoop's connection with them that gives this light-hearted show some depth. It's at times contrived, but at its best makes for an intimate portrait of an artist at home. Returns Sunday, November 30 @ 10:30pm on E!

'A DOUBLE SHOT AT LOVE': MTV reached a new level in reality mayhem (you decide in which direction) with this dating show, which for two seasons featured bisexual bachelorette Tila Tequila. When Tila turned down (or dodged) a third shot at love, MTV refused to let this gem die and found not one but two girls to spearhead another non-gender-biased search for love. Did I mention they're sisters? Blonde twin sisters? Named Rikki and Vikki? (MTV execs are still pinching themselves.) Returns Tuesday, December 9 @ 10pm on MTV

'PARTY MONSTERS: CABO': Nine event planners compete to throw the ultimate A-list bash at LG Villa Cabo party palace; the winner gets a permanent position there. Each week judges will select the best soirée -- and considering they include two celebrity judges who never turn down an invite, P. Diddy and Brody Jenner -- we'll definitely have some expertise. Usually when times are tough the market for escapism is still hot, but this kind of excess just may not be bearable. (When in 'The Hills' ...) Premieres Friday, December 12 @ 10p on E! (Sneak peek after Snoop Dogg's 'Fatherhood' premiere 11/30)

'THE BAD GIRLS CLUB': After last season's unforgettable personalities and catch-phrases (Tenisha turned "Pop off!" into a career path), it will be hard to let a new group of misfits in, but I'm sure after the first catfight they'll be like family to me. And based on the ladies' biographical info, this new season should be labeled "TNT": One of the new bad girls sums up her philosophy on life as "Go F#*! Yourself!" At last, a poster child worthy of the 'Me' Generation. Returns Tuesday, December 2 @ 10pm on Oxygen.

AND THE PARIS ...

Finally, a fond farewell to a show that I have unabashedly enjoyed: 'Paris Hilton: My New BFF.'  The winner will be revealed December 2 and although our favorite celebutante will probably forget her new BFF like last week's chihuahua, I won't soon forget this series' crazy cast of characters. For an encore, who needs Paris? My vote is for mascara-wearing imp Onch and Clark Gable's granddaughter Kayley to be the perfect reality TV party pair. (I'm waiting, MTV…)

P.S.

If you thought people who went on reality shows willingly had a screw loose, what about those who believe they are living in their own 'Truman Show' and can’t get out? Yes, it's an actual psychiatric condition and just maybe a sign of the times ...

More tasks for your Tivo next week.

-- Kat Weeks, 365 Blogger

Watch your favorite TV show clips, movie snippets and music videos on Clear365 TV

BLOG: A look at pretentious keyboards

 

By Dave Conde

Look down for a second. Yep, it's your keyboard. You probably don't even notice it anymore. Did you know that it reveals a lot about your personality? And I'm not just talking about the bloodstains on the Control Key or the fungus growing on the crumbs that fell between the keys. I mean deep personality flaws that you think nobody knows about, but we can see them, right there beneath your fingertips.

1.    The Basic Keyboard

This here's our baseline. It's the keyboard that comes bundled with your standard home computer along with a mouse and some tinny speakers. There's nothing wrong with it, if you're somebody's grandma, logging in to your AOL dial-up account to read the interwebs.

 

2.    The Saitek Cyborg Keyboard

This keyboard is perfect for hunching over on a Friday night and critiquing a Michael Knight/Spock slash Fanfic (''The K.I.T.T./Enterprise subplot was totally unbelievable. Sure, K.I.T.T. may have his bad-boy, TransAm looks and proper gentleman voice, but the Enterprise is devoted to her Captain, despite his many daliances with alien ho.... Oh, sorry, back to the article).  Of course, the cyborg is designed for gaming, with illuminated, metal-reinforced keys and gold-plated USB and audio sockets. This will totally impress all your friends. You know, the ones who you've never met in person, but they're always cool to you in-game, except when they hog all the loot. But you're pretty sure at least one of them's a chick, of the five that say they're girls. Maybe. Awww %$@# them all! You've got a better keyboard than they do.

 

3.    Roll Up Keyboard

  

Also known as the Virtually Indestructible Keyboard, this keyboard sounds like a good idea on paper. Flexible enough to roll into a cylinder, you can shove it into a bag and not worry about damaging it. Encased in plastic, the keyboard will withstand your average coffee spill with ease. Unfortunately, it sucks to type on. The keys, notably the caps lock, are easy to press accidentally. Balancing that out is the fact that if you type with any kind of speed a third of your keystrokes won't register, so maybe that's OK. If you need a keyboard to use in the first five rows at Sea World or or a Gallagher performance, buy this one. Otherwise, get a sippy-cup.

 

4.       Wolfking Warrior XXtreme

OMG! WTF! Where do I begin? It's made by a company called ''Wolfking.'' It's exclusively for ''Warriors'' like yourself. It's totally ''Xxtreme.'' The ''Innovative Design'' makes it almost impossible to use by anyone who knows how to type. This is ''The world's first one - handed keyboard that is specifically designed and configured for RPG & FPS games'' freeing your other hand for, um, games.  At least they didn't call it ''XXXtreme.'' This keyboard tells the world that you have given up on using you computer for anything other than marathon counterstrike  and gold farming. Way to contribute to society, dude.

5.    Virtual Laser Keyboard  

 

In today's hustle-bustle mobile world this keyboard almost sounds like a great idea. This tiny box works with your phone (or other device/computer, but probably your phone), wirelessly through Bluetooth and uses frickin' lasers to project a keyboard on any flat surface. Then it uses a camera to detect where your fingers are to track which virtual key you are virtually typing. Pretty cool, eh?

Now try this experiment: put your fingers on a standard tabletop. Now start whacking your fingers into the table as though you were typing. Keep it up for a few minutes. Kinda hurts, doesn't it? Not a lot, but I bet you don't want to do it anymore. Maybe you'd build up calluses but really, there's a reason why keyboards have little springs under the keys.

Besides, most of the time I'm typing on my Blackberry I'm standing up so this wouldn't work anyway. If you are going to type the great, American novel at the corner Starbucks, you're going to bring your laptop. And the last one of those I saw had a keyboard built right in.

  

 

6.       Das Keyboard

What makes this keyboard pretentious? Is it the black on black color scheme? Is it the fact that it's German-engineered with ''gold-plated mechanical key switches''? Maybe it's because the manufacturers do not debase their product with base letters and numbers, choosing instead to leave each key free of printing and filled with potential? Or it could be the caption that they put on their picture: ''The best keyboard on the planet. Period.'' Maybe it's that one.

To be fair, this keyboard should help users improve their typing by forcing them to remember which keys are which instead of looking at the letters. It would also be good for people who have abandoned the QWERTY keyboard layout in favor of the better-designed Dvorak layout. Or people who don't care what they type and just like pressing button

 

7.       Apple

  

Nothing says ''I am so artistic that I have felt feelings that you will never dream of'' like Apple accessories.  It's like Emo with bright lighting. This is the Paris Hilton of keyboards: very thin, kinda pretty but with a creepy vibe that if you actually interacted with it you wouldn't find much ''there'' there.

8.       Luxeed Dynamic Pixel LED Keyboard

If your dream has always been to type on the side of the Goodyear blimp, then this is the keyboard for you. Not only do the keys light up, but you can set each key to a different color and even have some animation of the patterns. Check out the video:

Looks pretty cool, doesn't it? So many colors and combinations! And when the hell are you going to use it? Are you going to going to watch a little rainbow display in between WOW quests? How many times do you think you can show off your keyboard display to the cute new receptionist at work? The first time will be cute, the second time you're creepy and the third time is harassment.

 

9.       Optimus Maximus Keyboard

          

            

Here we have the polar opposite of the ''Das Keyboard'' above. Instead of no letters, this keyboard has any letter, number or picture you can think of courtesy of little tiny OLED video screens built into each key. That's right, each and every key has a little, color video display. If you want to switch from QWERTY to Dvorak, fine. Then switch to Cyrillic, Arabic or Japanese. Or make them all pictures for your kindergartner. When you open up Photoshop you can make all the keys correspond to common commands:

Sounds great. Who could object to such a useful product? Let's all run over to ThinkGeek where they have the Optimus Maximus on sale for only $1,589.99. Go ahead and read that again. That does NOT include the computer, it's just the keyboard. Hell, I've bought cars for less than that. What are you going to type that warrants a $1,589.99 keyboard? I would freeze up, unable to come up with anything worth of typing on such a monument to ultimate typing. So, I'll probably just buy a bunch of regular keyboards and put stickers over the keys.

 

10.   Steampunk

       

Steampunk: all the nerdiness of trekies but with the elitism that comes from knowing actual history and literature. You can get a description here, but basically steampunk is what the world would be like if the sci-fi writers in the 1800's were right. Like Jules Verne and ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.'' Anyone? OK, you know how in the 1950's everyone thought that the future would look like the Jetsons, glass bubbles and fins? Well in the 1800's they thought the future would be all steam-powered with brass trim.

Anyway, this guy who goes by Datamancer, took the precision-crafted guts of the ''Das Keyboard'' and gave it metal keys, a wooden face and a brass frame to make it look like a priceless heirloom. And really, who wouldn't want to type on such an elegant keyboard, from a more civilized age. Imagine clacking away at your steam-driven computer, calculating the balancing effect of tuberculosis on the rising population in the work houses and debtor's prisons? If only.

--Born at a young age, Dave Conde grew into a cold, bitter shell of a man. Who writes things. You can yell at him at androidmanifesto@clear365.com

BLOG: TV to be thankful for

Over at TV Squad, the bloggers are writing about what they are thankful for so I figured this Thanksgiving 2008 would be a good chance to share my thoughts, as well.

'Mad Men' -- Smart, engaging, dynamic. 'Mad Men' is not for people who want spoon-fed entertainment. This season was about the dichotomy of Don Draper (left) and the lives we all lead. If you don't know what "dichotomy" means, this show may not be for you. But you can still watch and covet the clothes and decor like I do.

TiVo -- How I love thee. TiVo saves my favorites, introduces me to new shows and movies, time shifts and at least once a week adds a Paul Newman movie to my queue. Plus, there is no blinking "12:00AM." 

'How I Met Your Mother' -- An updated traditional sitcom that is very much of the moment. The plots go back and forth in time while relying on popular-culture trends, fashion and hair styles to visually tell the story. Who knows if it'll hold up in 20 years, but I always laugh out loud and never regret it. 

'30 Rock' -- Hilarious! Every word is important. Blink and you miss the genius that is '30 Rock.' Tina Fey absolutely deserves the accolades and attention she gets. But what's up with all the guest stars this season? 

Here's a recent pic (right) of '30 Rock' cast members Katrina Bowden and Keith Powell at the launch of Virgin America's Gogo InFlight Internet service. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Virgin America, Bob Riha Jr.)

And now, TV I am not thankful for:

'Top Chef' -- Not only does it expose my inadequacies as a cook, but I cannot stop eating from the minute the show starts to the minute that it ends. Yet, I watch and I eat.

'Brothers & Sisters' -- I watch it week after week, but am I really engaged with this family's affairs, or are they just a pain? Every episode seems the same, containing one or all of the the following plotlines:

• Nora is in the kitchen with at least one or two Walker children. Nora is either learning about or solving a problem of said child(ren).

• Walker family fight. At least two separate sibling arguments are in play.

• Uncle Saul. Ron Rifkin is an awesome actor. Why is he wasting his time playing Uncle Saul??

• Justin and Rebecca. Ew. They were thisclose to being brother and sister; now they are boyfriend and girlfriend. I'm not feeling this one.

Saturday television -- Sometimes, with 500 channels to choose from, it would be nice if a good show or movie was actually on!

So, there you have it. A few shows that deserve thanks -- and a few that do not. Until next time, happy Thanksgiving and happy TV watching!

-- Joanna Pitt, 365 Blogger

Check out Clear365 Entertainment for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news

BLOG: It's a 'colorful' world we live in

It's a colorful world we occupy, in every sense of the word. From the holiday spirit in Berlin, to sordid memories of the Holocaust in Paris, to the darkness in the Congo, all the colors of the rainbow abound.

It's no wonder that chromatology, or the science of color, has enthralled scientists, artists and philosophers since at least the ancient days of Aristotle.

Along those lines, let's take a look at the colorful world we live in as captured today by photographers from The Associated Press.

First stop, Berlin. This photo by AP photographer Miguel Villagran shows visitors at a German Christmas Market enjoying a ride on an illuminated, aerial merry-go-round.

Next up, Ntamugenga in the eastern Congo. A cacophony of colors is captured in the below picture by AP photographer Jerome Delay. The image shows displaced Congolese who have fled fighting between rebels and government troops to seek shelter and help near the border with Uganda. More than 2,500 families received water containers, blankets and soap from the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.

For more on the crisis in the Congo, read this AP report.

Back to Berlin, where the below photo by AP photographer Herbert Knosowski shows supporters of Maryam Rajavi, leader of the National Council of Resistance, holding blue flags bearing her image as they waited today for her arrival. Rajavi's group is the politcal wing of the PMOI, or People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (also known as the MEK), which supports a secular government in Iran. The MEK has been listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, primarily for supporting Saddam Hussein's regime durings its conflicts with Iran and for allegedly collaborating with Hussein in his deadly campaign against Iraqi Kurds.

The group's opposition to the theocracy in Iran has created supporters in the U.S. Congress and Rajavi landed in Germany to speak with sympathetic lawmakers there. For more, read this story by the Financial Times.

Finally, what type of timely discourse on color would be complete without mentioning the contributions of the Impressionists? In this case, we speak of French painter Henri Matisse.

The above photo provided today by the French Culture Ministry shows the 1898 oil canvas "Paysage, le mur rose" (Landscape, the Pink Wall) by Matisse. The painting was stolen from a wealthy German Jewish family and kept by a Nazi officer who supplied poison gas to Auschwitz. A British charity that supports medical rescue in Israel will receive the painting later this week. For more on the painting's background and intriguing history, read this AP report.

--Paul Chavez, Clear365 news editor

Full photo credit for Matisse's "Paysage, le mur rose" - AP Photo/JF Tomasian, Centre Pompidou, MANM

===========================================

For the latests news and analysis, check out the Clear365 news section.

BLOG: Drama's on high for November sweeps

Whether it's bidding farewell to our 'Hotlanta' housewives, crowning the Next Top Model or picking the best dancing celebrity, this overload of Reality drama can only mean one thing: November sweeps. During this period, local ad rates are set based on viewer numbers. And what's the way to lure more viewers? With more drama – my fave! Now let's get watching ...

PR so timely, ABC execs wish they had thought of it

Life after 'The Bachelor' is proving to be no fairy tale: A year after Brad Womak broke all the rules (and hearts) by choosing NEITHER lady -- and six months after we watched his rebuffed but resilient bachelorette DeAnna Pappas waltz into the sunset with Jesse Csincsak – it seems no one is living happily ever after. Except, maybe, for us fans. Luckily for us, this week Jesse broke the couple's breakup story with a truly heartfelt announcement ... on YouTube. With a new season just around the corner, this new development -- plus two other 'Bachelor' headlines -- has got to have ABC thanking their buzz gods.

Along with Jesse's YouTube post is this week's news that Season 6 winner Mary Delgado was arrested for drunken misconduct at a bar. Delgado received a final rose from Byron Velvick in 2004, but it seems that her passion for Champagne and catfights continued after filming, as an alcohol-related lovers' spat also made headlines just a year ago. Still, there is some redemption for Reality TV love: Season 7's couple, Charlie O'Connell and Sarah Brice, have reunited after splitting last year. With all this off-season buzz, ABC is hoping the best news is to yet come: Single dad Jason Mesnick returns as the Bachelor for an all-new season beginning January 5, 2009. Jason was just shy of DeAnna's final rose last season; no word yet if her hindsight kicked in in time for a cameo.

Speaking of hindsight, are you a 25- to 32-year-old single woman, looking to settle down? Do you believe that intrusive cameras can't stand in the way of true love? If so, ABC wants YOU to be the next Bachelorette. Penchant for gambling on long shots not required but highly recommended.

                                 Housewives so juicy, Marc Cherry wishes he'd created them

Bravo's third incarnation of its 'Real Housewives' series took us to Atlanta for more delicious D's – diamonds, divas and drama. The newest housewives made a great addition to their Orange County and New York counterparts while contributing a Southern spin all their own. From coiffed Kim (the "black girl in a white girl's body," with her anonymous celebrity sugar daddy and dreams of singing stardom) to outspoken NeNe (with her straight talk, paternity queries and tipsy limo crooning), it will be hard to say goodbye to these belles. To ease our grief and settle some beef, the gals will gather one last time for a Reunion Special next Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 9pm.

But don't call it a night for the Housewives just yet. The original Orange County ladies are coming back for a fourth Botox-injected season, starting right after the nails retract at the Atlanta reunion! Veterans Vicki, Jeana and Lauri and last season's addition Tamra "welcome" Gretchen Rossi to the neighborhood -- she's a newlywed whose lack of life experience doesn't mean lack of drama. Storylines from last season will continue, including Jeana's transition to the single life, Vicki's marriage-destroying work ethic and sadly, Lauri's son's ongoing struggle with drug abuse. A seamless transition from GA to CA in one night? Bravo, Bravo. New OC Housewives episodes air Tuesdays @ 10pm

For the boys

I realize my observations have been a bit female-heavy this week. So for those who are more SportsCenter than shopping center, check this one out:

'24/7': Since 2007, HBO has been promoting its signature fights with these four-episode opponent biographies, the most recent featuring Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao (scheduled to duke it out in Las Vegas December 8th). Kudos to HBO on the marketing tie-in, but more than that, when even a boxing non-aficionado like myself tunes in with interest, you have more than an infomercial -- you have some great TV. '24/7' also adds terrific biographical prologues to the main event, not only documenting the boxers' pre-fight regiments and profiling their trainers, but also touching upon the personal side of the sport. (My favorite scenes showed how loyal fans are better motivators than any title bout.) New episodes air Sundays @ 8:30pm EST on HBO

At season's end

This week's season finales feature geeks, glam squads and a Gunn:

'My Big Redneck Wedding' -- CMT's break-out hit hitches its last couple. Now I'll have to find a new TV textbook for my weekly cultural studies lesson. Finale: Saturday, Nov. 22 @ 9pm on CMT

'Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style' -- 'Project Runway''s favorite style guru "makes it work" for one last fashion rescue. Finale: Thursday, Nov. 20 @ 11pm on Bravo

'The Pick-Up Artist' -- More like 'Beauty and the Geek' without the beauty. It's always fun to watch a bunch of clueless geeks, but ever since this season started, I've been hoping "expert" dating coach/series host Mystery would explain exactly why dressing like Criss Angel is key to seduction success. Eight episodes later, and I still have no idea. Finale: Sunday, Nov. 30 @ 10pm on VH1

'America's Next Top Model' --  The series' 11th-search winner was crowned this week. Was it edgy McKey, graceful Analeigh or peppy (but generic) Samantha? Also of note: 'Top Model' is known for its unusual contestant choices, but this season broke barriers when it selected 22-year-old Isis King as its first transgender contestant. Though Isis was the fifth contestant eliminated, her luck has not run out. Host Tyra Banks just announced she would finance a long-awaited sex-change operation. Glad to hear that one of TV's biggest prime-time earners is using her platform and her profits for a good cause. Finale: Wednesday, Nov. 19 @ 8pm on CW

And finally ...

Have you been searching for just the right opportunity to discuss your sex life with your parents, ideally on national television? Opportunity now knocking: MTV's 'Sex With Mom and Dad' is looking for families to do just that! Compensation? $2,500. A lifetime of awkward glances from distant relatives and acquaintances? Priceless. Or you can wait a few more seasons and audition for 'Rock of Love 10.'

More drain for your brain next week ...

-- Kat Weeks, 365 Blogger

Watch your favorite TV show clips, movie snippets and music videos on Clear365 TV

BLOG: Welcome to Kanye's 'Heartbreak'

The most revered works emerge from wretched souls.

Take Vincent Van Gogh, Sylvia Plath and Kurt Cobain: Each suffered a miserable fate, but left a powerful artistic mark for generations to come. With Monday's release of '808s & Heartbreak,' we can add Kanye West to that list.

West's fourth album unveils an entirely new sound, one that's almost symbolic of his journey toward a personal and musical manifestation. Even aside from his run-ins with the law in L.A. and most recently, in London, West has had a transitional year; changes included the untimely passing of his mother, followed by the end of his 18-month engagement to long-term girlfriend and model Alexis Phifer. In a recent interview, West revealed the difficulties he's had dealing with his mother's death, explaining, "I have sacrificed real life to be a celebrity and to give this art to people, which is great. It is great that I was able to do that, I'm not trying to shun that in any way, but it's definitely a Catch-22 and it's bittersweet."

The canon of tracks on '808s & Heartbreak' is an unlikely convergence of steadfast  drumming accompanied by vocals sung almost entirely through Auto-Tune. Reviews of West's singing abilities have been mixed. (I think the last time we heard him belt out notes was on 'Hey Mama,' off his sophomore album, 'Late Registration.') While some think West should stick with tongue-in-cheek rhymes, others --including myself -- applaud his willingness to explore uncharted terrains.

At the '808s & Heartbreak' Los Angeles debut in October, West said that the album is about the freedom to do what you want and "emotional nakedness." These themes are reflected in the opening track, titled 'Welcome to Heartbreak,' when West sings: 

"My friend showed me pictures of his kids. And all I could show him were pictures of my cribs ... Chased the good life all my life long. Looking back on my life, all my life gone. Where did I go wrong?" 

On the track 'Streetlights,' too, West turns introspective, singing: 

"Seems like the streetlights glowing happened to be just like moments passing in front of me. So I hopped in the cab, I paid my fare, see I know my destination but I'm just not there."

There is a discerning melancholy melded with these personal reflections that cannot be described as anything but heart-wrenching. It is unafraid, unapologetic and achingly beautiful. Whether you love it or hate it, '808s & Heartbreak' will be one of the most-talked about albums of the year.

-- Joyce Liao, 365 Blogger

Catch up on music headlines -- plus download DRM-free albums, tracks and ringtones -- at Clear365 Music

BLOG: News views from The Public Observer

The Public Observer takes it personally when governments and institutions infringe on the ability of journalists to do their work. The latest transgressions have occurred in Moscow, the Gaza Strip and Cairo.

We'll start in Moscow, where a military court reversed itself today and barred the public and media from the trial of three men accused of shooting to death investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya. The Moscow District Military Court made the decision after jurors refused to enter the courtroom due to fear that media coverage could give them unwanted attention, according to this report from The Associated Press.

Politkovskaya, who was known for her reporting of the war in Chechnya and her vocal criticism of the Kremlin, was gunned down in the elevator of her apartment building in October 2006.

Here's an interesting excerpt from the AP article:

''Defense lawyers often charge that security agencies place operatives on juries to intimidate panel members and sway their decisions. Allegations about other types of jury intimidation are relatively unusual.''

The murder trial is being held in a military court because one of the defendants is a former member of the F.S.B., the Kremlin security apparatus that replaced the K.G.B.

In other Russian media news, the Prosecutor General's office warned media outlets today to act responsibly when covering the country's financial woes. The AP in this story reported that a top editor at Ekho Moskvy radio wrote in his blog that the Kremlin recently sent an order to all broadcasters banning the words ''collapse'' and ''crisis'' in financial coverage. This comes a day after Moscow prosecutors warned the Russian-language edition of Newsweek for allegedly insulting Muslims.

In a related matter, leaders of the world's largest media organizations filed a protest today with Israel's prime minister criticizing a ban that has kept the international media from entering the Gaza Strip for the past two weeks. Leaders from The Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times, ABC News, BBC and other outlets signed the letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel closed off Gaza after a recent upsurge in Palestinian rocket attacks into Israel, banning all but the most vital supplies into the area. The closure has drawn widespread international criticism from the United Nations, the European Union and international aid organizations.

In Cairo, an Egyptian judge ordered strict guidelines this week on the media covering the murder trial of a tycoon accused of orchestrating the murder of a Lebanese pop star. Judge al-Muhammadi Qunsuwa kicked television cameras out Sunday. but allowed reporters in Monday. The judge, however, didn't allow mobile phones and audio recorders into the courtroom and placed restrictions on what the media could report.

Hisham Talaat Moustafa, who is a close friend of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal, is charged with ordering the death of Lebanese pop singer Suzanne Tamim. Moustafa and Tamim were reportedly romantically linked together. Prosecutors allege that Moustafa paid a former Egyptian policeman $2 million to carry out the killing.

AROUND THE WORLD

 This photo by AP photographer Jerome Delay shows a woman named Furah carrying wood and her 18-months-old daughter, Shukyru, today on a road in eastern Congo. Furah walks nearly 10 miles each day from rebel controlled areas to the government held town of Sake to sell wood.

Fighting that intensified in August between the Congolese army and rebels loyal to leader Laurent Nkunda has displaced roughly 250,000 people in Congo.

Congo has the world's largest U.N. peacekeeping force, but the 17,000 troops have been unable to stop the fighting and protect civilians. For the latest on the crisis in Congo, read this AP report.

--Paul Chavez, Clear365 news editor

BLOG: I am Yeti, hear me roar!

Every once in awhile, when you're least expecting it, something happens to you that changes your life.

 

Maybe you move out on your own for the first time. Maybe you graduate from college and get your first job. Maybe you discover a band that somehow makes you understand yourself. Maybe you watch Steven Seagal break someone's arm for the first time. Or maybe you sit down on a boring Wednesday night to watch a movie that ends up teaching you the true meaning of life.

 

For this blogger, it was the latter.

 

There are countless movies that you will see one day and forget about the next, but 'Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon' is not one of these. 'Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon' is, in fact, the kind of movie that will stay with you forever.

 

It starts out innocently enough: A bunch of young guys and girls traveling via airplane to a college football game in Japan, would-be players wondering if they'll get to play, coaches telling them they won't, mascots locking themselves in the airplane bathrooms -- standard stuff. Then, as the plane starts to fly over the Himalaya Mountains, things take a turn for the worse. Drink carts fall over, people scramble for their seats, the plane begins to dive and suddenly it has no wings or tail. Not to worry, though. The resulting rocket-plane shoots effortlessly through the air and into a crash landing, treating everyone aboard to a fun sleigh ride through the highest mountains in the world.

 

In a normal (that is, semi-realistic) film, this would be pretty bad news, right? But this is 'Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon,' and you are only five minutes into it.

 

There is no way to fully describe what follows, so here are some highlights that should easily sell this flick as one of 2008's best:

** Following the crash, one of the passengers volunteers to hike out to the plane's dismembered tail section to retrieve the emergency radio. On the way back, he and his friend wander into the Yeti's cave, where the friend gets his head popped like a zit and his arms torn off by the Yeti. Though our hero manages to escape, as he's climbing a steep wall he falls and breaks both his legs. Ignoring his own suffering, this warrior does what any of us would do in the same situation: He crafts one splint out of the radio and another splint using the ripped-off arm of his friend. Later, he actually makes it back to the rest of the survivors -- only to be shot in the face with a flare gun by the paranoid bunch. Not kidding.

** During one Yeti attack, Peter DeLuise (better known as Officer Doug Penhall on '21 Jump Street') gets his leg ripped off. After the Yeti takes a bite out of the leg, it then uses said leg to kick Peter in the face. This has to been seen to be believed. Not even Steven Seagal could take this beast.

If you're still reading -- meaning you haven't yet sprinted to your nearest retailer to get a copy of this masterpiece -- you're making a huge mistake. Without question, 'Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon' is going to change your life.

Title: 'Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon'
Director: Paul Ziller
Genre: Horror
TV premiere: SciFi Channel, November 2008

Watch the movie trailer here:

-- Johnny Borda, 365 Blogger, "Review This!"

 

Photo credit: American World Pictures

Check out Clear365 Entertainment for the latest movie, TV and celebrity news

BLOG: Nouvelle Vague

Like a New Wave Frankenstein experiment, French musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux got a little more than they bargained for when they set out to resurrect the era's classics. In 2003, the two well-seasoned musicians joined with eight vocalists -- six French, one Brazilian and one New Yorker -- to form a music collective they dubbed Nouvelle Vague, meaning "new wave" in French. Stripping the grittiness from post-punk standards to expose their fundamental acoustic chords, the musicians fashioned retro favorites with bossa nova and '60s pop to evoke an entirely new-yet-familiar sound. (Interestingly enough, bossa nova is also the term for "new wave" in Portuguese, bringing the entire project full circle).

On their self-titled 2004 debut, Nouvelle Vague reinvents '80s hits including Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" and Modern English's "I Melt with You." The collective's sophomore album, Bande à Part (2006), features re-imaginations of New Order's "Blue Monday," Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and Gen X's "Dancing with Myself." (To ensure a complete sound makeover for every recording, each performing vocalist is expected to have no previous exposure to the songs.) On both albums, the sultry bossa vocals (think Bebel Gilberto) accompanied by airy Brazilian guitar gives these classics a cool, new sensibility.

Take, for example, their rendition of Echo & the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon." Here's the original, from 1984:

And here's Nouvelle Vague's version, from 2006:

While the covers may not do the originals justice, Nouvelle Vague's bossa nova stylings to these classics are fun and definitely worth checking out.

-- Joyce Liao, 365 Blogger

Stay on top of the latest music news and gossip -- plus discover and download albums, tracks and ringtones -- at Clear365 Music

BLOG: Lil Wayne redefines "perform" for CMA Awards

Did I hear right? Lil Wayne on stage with Kid Rock ... at the 2008 Country Music Association Awards? I mean, it doesn't quite surprise me when the platinum-selling rapper makes a cameo on every song or remix I hear. But the CMAs? Granted, every musician out there thinks he's the secret formula to a hit single, but this is a bit far-stretched.

While I won't deny 'Tha Carter III' still sits at the top of my current list of favorite albums, I think all good things should be had in moderation. Earlier this fall, when Lil Wayne joined Kid Rock on stage at the MTV VMAs, they rocked the show. But at last Wednesday's CMAs -- unlike what the pair did the first time around -- Lil Wayne jumped on stage and did a whole lot of nothing at all. He didn't rap, hell, he didn't even have a microphone. OK, some may argue that he was given a guitar to hold (and he sported a constipated guitar face, to boot). But I feel a little cheated, considering his people put out a press release just prior to the ceremony boasting he'd be the first hip-hop artist ever to "perform" at the CMA Awards.

Maybe a real performance really was the original plan. My best guess is, the CMAs' organizers figured they'd throw Lil Wayne in the country-music mix to generate some buzz and boost the show's ratings ... but almost immediately realized they were just as tired of Wheezy Weezy's croaky voice as I am.

Here is a run-down of the evening's big winners, which included Lady Antebellum, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban

And here's the scoop on the Lil Wayne death hoax.

-- Joyce Liao, 365 Blogger

 

Stay on top of all the latest music news and gossip -- plus discover and download albums, tracks and ringtones -- at Clear365 Music