Saturday, August 9, 2008

Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour [Blu-ray]

After wrapping up her world-wide sold out Oral Fixation Tour, Shakira is back with the LIVE CONCERT Blu-ray that captures it all. Viewed by over 2M people in 36 countries, Shakira delivers all of her smashes, such as "La Tortura"(featuring Alejandro Sanz), "Hips Don't Lie" (featuring Wyclef Jean), "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes". Fans can witness Shakira shifting gracefully from the hypnotic hip-swaying siren to the all-out rock star in love with her guitar.

TRACK LISTING:
1.Intro/Estoy Aqui
2.Te Dejo Madrid
3.Don't Bother
4.Antologia
5.Hey You
6.Inevitable
7.Si Te Vas
8.La Tortura (featuring Alejandro Sanz)
9.NO
10.Whenever, Wherever
11.La Pared
12.Underneath Your Clothes
13.Pies Descalzos
14.Ciega, Sordomuda
15.Ojos Asi
16.Hips Don't Lie(featuring Wyclef Jean)

BONUS FOOTAGE:
"Barefoot": a 20-minute documentary focusing on Shakira's nonprofit organization, shot in Colombia
"Around The World in 397 Days": a 5-minute behind-the-scenes exclusive

BONUS VIDEOS:
OBTENER UN SÍ(LIVE)
LA PARED(LIVE)
LAS DE LA INTUICIÓN

BONUS AUDIO CD TRACKS:
1.Intro
2.Estoy Aqui
3.Don't Bother
4.Inevitable
5.La Pared
6.Hips Don't Lie

VIDEO/AUDIO SPECS:
Full 1080p24 High Definition Picture
PCM (uncompressed) Stereo
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (640 pbps) PCM (uncompressed) 5.1 Surround Sound
Customer Review: Fantastic
This DVD along with Live and Off the Record are simply fantastic. Shakira is the whole package from the voice of an Angel to a body...well, that's out of this world!! How could you not love this goddess!!!!!
Customer Review: Bought it for the price. Ended up liking it.
It was available for less than fifteen so I picked it up. I liked Shakira's first major Spanish album before her international success. I hadn't really listened to her newer stuff. When I put it in I was pleasantly surprised. The visuals are great and the sound is even better. To be honest I do skip a few songs whenever I watch it but I still consider it a good purchase for the price.


My sagging sock feet slip on the waxy buffed linoleum as I awkwardly shuffle my way past a gaggle of giggling girls in baby pink tutus. I'm wearing my yoga clothes, which have sadly not seen a yoga mat in two years, and my long mane of hair is reluctantly tied back in a girlie ponytail.

I feel ridiculous. I'm a thirty-year-old woman enrolled in a ballet class with teenage girls.

The seven-year-olds clear out and any moment now I'll be greeted by perfectly straight white smiles perched on top of perfectly young, toned bodies in lululemon spandex. Slouching in my slouch socks I catch my nervous reflection in the enormous wall of mirrors glaring back at me. Socks are not the only things that are sagging in this gal; my body has seen nine long months of pregnancy, two years of nursing and a several years skipping the morning make-up routine to chase after an active son.

I came here today to begin something I yearned to do almost twenty years ago.

I grew up the oldest child of a single mother who struggled to put food on the table. My best friend's family was well-off and put their children through whatever after school activities and summer camps their hearts desired. Among riding lessons, piano lessons, flute ensemble and painting class, Meghan excelled in ballet and violin.

She played beginning Suzuki "Twinkle Twinkle" variations and tears of yearning welled up in my eyes. She performed simple dance routines on the glossy hardwood floor of her living room set to orchestral music on the hi-fi and I applauded her every move. Sometimes she allowed me to wear her old ballet slippers and a flowing black skirt as I mimicked her clumsily.

A passionate fan of classical music since birth [and a typical pre-teen girl], I became enamoured with both violin and ballet and begged my mother to send me to classes. Sadly finances forbade it completely and I was relegated to the audience to watch and admire Meghan.

When I was twelve my mother was seriously injured at the shipyard where she painted oil tankers. She received a very modest cash settlement to take care of the doctor's bills and time off work. In her first position to pay for a class, my mother said I could take up one activity: ballet classes for a year or the purchase of a violin.

Ballet or violin? My maturity and insight in the decision took my mother by surprise. I chose violin knowing I could play violin for a lifetime as opposed to the very short careers of performing ballerinas. One thousand dollars of my mother's pain money funded my first violin, a Karl Knilling German factory fiddle made in 1989.

We certainly couldn't afford private lessons but that didn't stop me living and breathing violin. I took the city bus downtown and brought home as many sheet music scores and audio tapes as the public library would allow. We moved so I could attend school where orchestra was offered. Practicing three to five hours a day, I quickly advanced to the concertmaster position and soon started ensembles of my own.

Music college and several orchestras later I find myself married with a child and the owner of a violin business. Life had zoomed past and I never again looked back on my desire to dance ballet.

It was New Year's Eve at Grandma's house and my six-year-old son was doing his usual dance after supper routine, this time heightened by the vast quantities of Christmas candy he had consumed. On a whim I put on the John Travolta film "Staying Alive," thinking my son would appreciate the modern dance sequences and I'd enjoy a jaunt down memory lane with the classic flick.

The movie rocked Ryan's world. He was copying the moves with amazing accuracy, the spins and leaps and beaming ear to ear. The dancing he saw on the screen illuminated a whole new level of appreciation for dance and confirmed a fervent desire in his heart to dance.

My mother watched with adoration and I felt a deep pride: I'd helped him find something he loved. Heck, anyone could enroll their kids in a hundred activities, but it's far more meaningful when it's something their heart aches for. I'd even go as far to say that when you get something too easily it's not as sacred. I'd been waiting for this moment to come and was more than willing to support him in it.

A week later Ryan was enrolled in the winter semester of ballet for 6 year olds. He was the only boy in the class, but that didn't faze him. Surrounded by pink flowing fairies my child looked like a ninja in his black sweats and dragon T-shirt. He started late in the year but was keeping up well and particularly enjoying the theatrics of the class.

For four weeks I peeked through the doors of the waiting room and watched Ryan's class alone while other parents ran errands with the spare 45 minutes. One session I was, as usual, copying the class' movements from behind the door when another parent asked, "you're a dancer too?"

It hit me like a load of ballet shoes. "Me, a dancer?" I thought. It had never occurred to me to take up dance as an adult. "Why the heck not," I told myself. "I just turned thirty years old, dammit, and I can take ballet classes if I want to!"

So here I am in the Shuswap Dance ballet studio waiting to make an ass of myself. My inner twelve-year-old got me here, but the sensible 30-year-old thinks I'm nuts. "Should I run now and spare myself the embarrassment?"

My classmates enter the room. Normal looking teenage girls in sweats and T-shirts, no makeup, no perfect figures. Not the prima pink ballerinas I expected. Just some young ladies who want to learn to dance. (Phew, I won't need to buy anything pink!)

Our instructor, Carolyn Wonacott, starts us out skipping around the room... backwards. I'm tripping on myself and getting in everyone's way: making a complete ass of myself as expected. But I' laughing and having the time of my life. Carolyn blasts Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" as we practice twirling around the room, dizzy and giddy.

My muscles are protesting from the sudden activity as if to say, "what did we do to you to deserve this sudden onslaught of torture?" The plis (I'm sure which literally translates to "pain in le ass") are killer, but they make me feel like a graceful dancer so I forge on. I know I'll feel this tomorrow but continue to bend deeper into the stretch.

"I'm a dancer," I snicker.

I learn that my class performs more than just ballet. We work on a jazzy swing number and next break into a chirpy hip-hop number by, er, Brittney who? I'm an old matron who listens to CBC news radio; completely out of touch with 21st Century pop culture. The girls fill me in on the singer's recent head shaving and suspected drug addiction and we move on. I try my best to copy their moves and fail miserably to keep up but know I'll get it eventually.

The class ends and I head upstairs to buy my first set of dancing shoes. I'm tired, far more tired than I'd expected I'd be, but I feel a warm glow in my bones as I slip on various slippers and shoes. I settle on a cozy pair of jazz shoes and receive encouragement from Carolyn. We both know I'll never dance with the Royal Ballet and may not make it on to pointe shoes. I don't mind. I'm just fulfilling a promise to myself and it feels great.

I wear the shoes all the time, eagerly awaiting the next class. I lace up my adorable little black shoes and stretch my toes into the lovely pointe shape I've admired for so many years. A feeling of pride and accomplishment washes over me.

I have learned that I can do anything I set my mind to. This was a gift that my mother passed on to me: the gift of learning to really want something and having the desire and tenacity to make it happen.

And this time around I'll have my handsome son as a dance partner.

**Rhiannon Schmitt (nee Nachbaur) is an award-winning classical violinist/fiddler and music teacher operates Fiddleheads Violin School & Shop. She shop has also won several distinguished business awards and offers beginner to professional level instruments, accessories and supplies with exceptional personal service: http://www.fiddleheads.ca

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Radio Ready




Band agreements.

If you write songs within a band, you need to plan for the day when you will be earning royalties from your songs, and be clear what will happen if a member of the band leaves or if the band splits up.
The best way to deal with this is to all agree what is fair, and then put this in writing as a formal agreement which you all sign. This way there is little chance of any comeback if the band splits for less than amicable reasons.

Here are a few specific points you should consider:


  1. If a member of the band leaves, do they forfeit all rights to the songs, and the songs remain the sole property of the band?

  2. Are the songs written by one person, or a few principal writers, who wish to retain all rights?

  3. If a band member leaves would both he and the band both retain a claim to the song, (this is probably the most likely option).

  4. How do you determine each persons share?

    Do you base it on a song by song basis ranking each members input, or use the same formula for every song.

    Do you simply divide everything up equally, (i.e. 5 members each own 20% of all the songs and therefore receives 20% of the proceeds/royalties), or do you rank each individuals input?

  5. If a member leaves, can he/she perform or profit from the music outside of the band.



Sample band contracts can be viewed and downloaded from the following sites:
http://undercurrents.com/agreements/agreement-bandmember.html,
http://www.blues101.org/articles/promotion1.htm and
http://www.musicianassist.com/archive/contract/files/member.htm


The advice from the UK Copyright Service on this subject is:

Where music is written as a group effort, we recommend that you draw up an agreement to clarify issues, such as which rights belong to which member, and how royalties would be distributed in the event that members of your group leave.

For successful commercial bands, incorporation is also an option. As with a normal incorporated company, the band members would own shares in the band/company. In this situation, a band member would typically sell his shares to the other members if he decided to leave.

Resources

Band member agreements
Music Copyright Factsheet

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The Collected Poems of Octavio Paz, 1957-1987: Bilingual Edition

tr Weinberger, w/Bishop, Blackburn, Levertov et al
Customer Review: Collected Poems of Octavio Paz
This is an excellent edition of the collected poems of Octavio Paz, with English translations facing the Spanish originals. I purchased this as a gift for my Spanish teacher and she was delighted! My favorites are his poems written when he served as a Mexican diplomat in India and Japan. His sensitive mind absorbed the nuances of place and religion, which are recreated for us in the poems. His efforts at haiku en espagnol are enlightening, pun intended.
Customer Review: excellent poetry
I bought this book after reading an excerpt of one of Paz's poems at a camp. I didn't know what poem it was from, so I bought the book and scoured it until I found the poem. It was Brotherhood. The poetry is beautiful and moving. It is the type of poetry you can read and enjoy no matter if you understand what it is saying, the writing is that beautiful


Francina "Fanny" Elsje Blankers-Koen won four gold medals in the 100m (11,9s), 200m (24,4s), 80m hurdles (11,2s / world record) and 4x100m relay (47,5s) at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. In the 1930s and 1940s,she set 33 national records and 12 world records. Fanny finished 6th in the high jump at the 1936 Olympics in Germany. She also won 5 European titles. This great woman was born on April 26, 1918 in Lage Vuursche, Holland.

The American Virgin Islands sent 2 sportswomen to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary (Canada).

The Soviet Union -currently Russia- won the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Paris (France) in 1956. Final standings: 1.USSR; 2.Romania; 3.Poland; 4.Czechoslovakia; 5.Bulgaria; 6.China; 7.North Korea; 8.East Germany; 9.USA; 10.Holland.

Nancy Vallecilla (Ecuador) finished 28th in the 100m hurdles at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was one of the best female athletes of South America.

The team of Norway won the second edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup. Led by Ann-Kristin Aarones ( the best football player), Norway defeated Germany 2-0 in the final.

The Peruvian women's volleyball team won the silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis (Indiana, USA). The silver medalists were: Diana Uriol, Gabriela Perez del Solar Cuculiza, Janeth Vasconsuelos, Luisa Cervera, Alejandra de la Guerra, Cecilia Tait Villacorta, Rosa Garcia, Denisse Fajardo,Gina Torrealba, Natalia Malaga, Sonia Heredia. They were coached by Man Bok Park (South Korea), one of the best coaches of the world.

The Australian women's field hockey team won the gold medal at the 1994 World Cup. Final standings: 1.Australia; 2.Argentina; 3.USA; 4.Germany; 5.South Korea; 6.Holland; 7.China; 8.Spain; 9.England; 10.Canada; 11.Ireland; 12.Russia.

Lida Fariman was the flag bearer of the Iranian Olympic team at the 1996 Olympic Games. Who is Lida? She is one of the best shooters of Iran.

The U.S. women's basketball team won the FIBA World Championship in 1957. This was its second successive world title. Final standings: 1.USA; 2.USSR; 3.Czechoslovakia; 4.Brazil; 5.Hungary; 6.Paraguay; 7.Chile; 8.Mexico; 9.Argentina; 10.Australia; 11.Peru; 12.Cuba.

Israel sent 8 sportswomen to the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (California,USA).

Ghada Shouaa is regarded by the Syrian Olympic Committeee as the first Syrian Olympic champion. Ghada finished first in the heptathlon at the 26th Olympic Games in the United States. She was ranked first in the world having competed at the IAAF World Championship in 1995, where she won a gold medal. Like Hassiba Boulmerka (Algeria/ Olympic gold medalist, 1992) and Nawal El Moutawakel (Morocco/ Olympic gold medalist, 1984), she is one of the greatest Arab female athletes of all time. Ghada was born on September 10, 1972 in Muhardeh (Syria).

The Russian women's handball team won the World Championship in 2001. There were 24 teams. Final standings: 1.Russia; 2.Norway; 3.Yugoslavia; 4.Denmark; 5.France; 6.Hungary; 7.Austria; 8.Sweden; 9.China; 10.Holland; 11.South Korea; 12.Italy; 13.Slovenia; 14.Spain; 15.Angola (Africa); 16.Brazil; 17.Romania; 18.Ukraine; 19.Tunisia; 20.Japan; 21.Macedonia; 22.Congo (Africa); 23.Uruguay; 24.Greenland (Danish territory).

Diane Bui-Duyet (New Caledonia/ French territory) was named as the female swimmer of the South Pacific Games in 2007. She had a big performance in the 100m butterfly.

Nigeria sent six female athletes to the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich (West Germany).

Brazil is one of the best volleyball teams of the world. It has notable volleyball players such as Isabel Barroso Alencar, Ana Mozer, Marcia Cunha, Fernanda Venturini, Ericleia Bonziack, Vera Mossa and Sandra Survagy.

History:

1951: South American Championship-1st place

1955: Pan American Games-3rd place

1956: South American Championship-1st place

1958: South American Championship-1st place

1959: Pan American Games-1st place

1960: World Championship-5th place

1961: South American Championship-1st place

1962: South American Championship-1st place ; World Championship-8th place

1963: Pan American Games-1st place

1967: Pan American Games-4th place

1969: South American Championship-1st place

1970: World Championship-13rd place

1973: World Cup-9th place; South American Championship-2nd place

1974: World Championship-16th place

1975: Pan American Games-5th place; South American Championship-2nd place

1977: South American Championship-2nd place

1978: World Championship-7th place

1979: Pan American Games-3rd place; South American Championship-2nd place

1980: Olympic Qualification Tournament-3rd place; Olympic Games-7th place

1981: World University Games-3rd place; South American Championship-1st place; World Cup-8th place

1982: World Championship-6th place

1983: World University Games-1st place; South American Championship-2nd place; Pan American Games-4th place

1984: Olympic Games-7th place

1985: World Cup-6th place; South American Championship-2nd place

1986: World Championship-5th place

1987: Pan American Games-4th place; World Junior Championship-1st place ; South American Championship-2nd place

1988: Olympic Qualification Tournament-2nd place; Olympic Games-6th place

1989: South American Championship-2nd place; World Junior Championship-1st place

1990: World Championship-7th place

1991: South American Championship-1st place; Pan American Games-2nd place; World Cup-8th place

1992: Olympic Games-4th place

1993: South American Championship-2nd place

1994: World Championship-2nd place

1995: World Cup-2nd place; South American Championship-1st place; Pan American Games-6th place

1996: Olympic Games-3rd place

1997: World Cup-3rd place; South American Championship-1st place

1998: World Championship-4th place

1999: Pan American Games-1st place; World Cup-3rd place; South American Championship-1st place

2000: Olympic Games-3rd place

2001: South American Championship-1st place; World Junior Championship-1st place

2002: World Championship-7th place

2003: World Cup-2nd place; Pan American Games-4th place; World Junior Championship-1st place

2004: Olympic Games-4th place

2005: World Cup-1st place; World Junior Championship-1st place

2006: World Championship-2nd place; American Cup-1st place

2007:World Cup-2nd place; Pan American Games-2nd place; World Junior Championship-1st place ; American Cup-2nd place

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry.He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso".He is an expert on foreign affairs.Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.

He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Jos Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is Jos Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. Jos played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting".The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol..."

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Friday, August 8, 2008

Rhythm & Romance

Legendary saxophonist extraordinario Kenny G returns with this romantic collection of Latin music, featuring original songs and classic favorites. Contemporary love songs with a Latin twist!!! Kenny G: THE SMOOTH JAZZ KING!

Has SOLD MORE THAN 38 MILLION CDs in his career!

He's been named the 25th ALL-TIME HIGHEST-SELLING ARTIST IN AMERICA by the RIAA

GRAMMY AWARD WINNER!

Has had 12 #1 BILLBOARD CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUMS in his career
Customer Review: SAXOLOCO put on your dancin 'shoes
Im far from a Kenny G fan, but another late night comin home from a ballgame , another 6 innings at 3rd base gig, tired and on an adrenaline journey I had to wait 30 minutes, parked in my Metro Atlanta driveway! why?, this song reached out over WJZC and grabbed me by the collar sayin..."Hold on mon!! dis is a gateway tune!!! find out who this is, although Kenny's distinctive soprano sax shouldve alerted me. Gateway indeed, up temp and pleasantly surprising moving me from that post game mood into a grab my babe, put on my dancin shoes, and Brasilia, here we come!!! I could care less about the criticisms, the minutia or esoterica, by other reviewers of more "refined" jazz tastes.... these songs, individually, or collectively made me feel good, perhaps its cause my babe/lady/ wife is lightly latin and these songs got me ready to move n groove... SAXOLOCO was the door opener for a pleasently refreshing, mood enhancing experience for me/us.... Hey isnt dat what de moosic spose to do bro!!!! garmankirk
Customer Review: GREAT CD
I bought this CD for my parents who love to ballroom dance. THEY LOVED THIS CD!!!!!!


There is glitter and glamor, music and dancing. Maybe even your name up in lights on the marque. But at the end of your DJ party, it's time to do the real work. Which is a lead in to this article on why Disc Jockey's deserve and earn every cent they make. It's what's behind the scene that counts and a four hour job can mean many more hours of hard work and a lot less money per hour as the end result.

So many times It has been said by friends, family or future customers "That is an awful lot of money for only four hours work". Yes indeed, I am just getting rich quick for doing nothing but playing some music. It gets under your skin sometimes. If only the truth were known (and if you could get anyone to listen to you), a four hour night would be a sweet dream Indeed.

If you have been a successful DJ for awhile, I am not going to be telling you anything new. If you have considering becoming a professional DJ then I have a few things for you to ponder. If you plan on hiring a DJ please read on.

You buy some equipment to get you going, a good chunk of change, but a good DJ also has backup gear to fall back on in case of an emergency (now it's more than a few bucks). It takes a lot of 4 hour jobs to pay for it. You need to advertise, promote yourself and do a lot of legwork visiting clubs, bars and maybe a few afternoons at some wedding promotion events (you pay for a X booth). You would like to drive a nice sports car but your stuck with that 15 passenger van, not to mention that it gets 12 miles to the gallon.. Every week you jog down to the local record store and buy that much needed CD for $16.95. You know the one that only has one good song that you will ever use. But some guy just has to hear that song the next time you play (then multiply that by 50 people who want a different song). Got to please your fans. A good library of music can set you back a few hundred or thousands of dollars.

You make that appointment to meet with your clients and sign the contract. If your into beat or scratch mixing you spend a bit of time just practicing your art. The weekend comes and your out in the heat or cold (I live in New England) packing your gear in the van. With any luck it's a fairly local gig that you can drive to in about an hour, sometimes it's 3 hours both ways. You will unpack, setup, test the equipment and wait. Because if your a good DJ, then you arrive at the gig with plenty of time to spare. Time that could be used to fix a problem that might have happened but with luck did not or time to make sure your all setup before the guests start arriving. If all goes well, you have got time to wait (bring a book).

So here comes the four hour gig. You play your best music but you also put up with the people who are drunk, the people who request songs but do not know the name of the song or the artist who sang it (you must be a mind reader) and then there are the people who just want you to play some music that you know for sure would just kill the festivities (they won't listen to reason).

Finally it's pay time. Too bad the work is not over. Time to pack up, load the van, drive it home, unpack the van and get to bed. Maybe it's 4:00 in the morning and you have got another gig that night. Maybe all your friends were having a great party (wish you were here)while you was out just playing your music. If your in demand, you have not had a weekend off all year. If you have a day job then you find yourself working a seven day week. Your four hour job can end up taking up to 10 or 12 hours to do. But hey, I just got a big load of cash for only playing music for four hours. The heck with my social life. I am a DJ and I got lots of money (and deep in debt, plus van repair bills) to prove it.

DJ RON B Has over 38 years of on stage experience. A former drummer and singer in many of New England's top show bands, worked with Jerry Lewis and the MDA Labor Day Telethons, radio announcer, studio musician (worked with Miss Piggy original soundtrack, commercials etc.), host of Talent Showcases, writes music scores for submission to TAXI for TV and movie tracks, owned and ran The Bouchard Agency from 1976 to 2002. A top disc jockey for over 25 years. DJ's be sure to check out Ron Bouchard's website at http://www.djdropins.com for great DJ Drops to add to your show. You can also read this entire article at http://www.djdropins.com/articles.html

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Coldplay 8X10 Framed And Matted Color Photo

This is a beautifully framed and matted 8x10 glossy photograph. Total size is approximately 12x15 inches. This framed and matted photograph will look wonderful in any room of your house. Ready to hang right when you take it out of the box!


You can tell summer has arrived here in France because the signs are all around us.

First up there are the obvious ones - such as the weather and the dress code. Of course the latter, especially in the nation's capital, can still turn into something of a catwalk as this year's chic hits the streets big time in what for many is the Mecca of the fashion world.

Then there are the music festivals, concerts, outdoor productions, and jumble sales held up and down the country and let's not forget the smell of a BBQ wafting in from the neighbour's garden.

Prime time television news reports begin focusing on the queues at airports and the number of passengers passing through the French capital's major railway stations, rather than hard news. And national newspapers go in for the inevitable silly season.

The inside lanes of the motorways are bumper-to-bumper full of Dutch cars, trailers and caravans, busting at the seams with provisions for a month.

In August of course, when (hopefully) summer will be in full swing a huge chunk of the country will all but close down for a month and Paris will put up shop almost completely as the French head south literally and metaphorically with "Aoutien" holidaymakers replacing "Juilletistes".

But the real clue that the whole shebang is underway has to be the reappearance on the small screen of Secret Story.

It reared its less than attractive head on Friday evening on the country's number one national channel, TF1, and is set to be in everyone's sitting rooms for the next 10 weeks.

In essence it's France's answer to Big Brother - only more downmarket. Impossible you might think, but sadly true.

Basically the idea is very simple. It starts with 15 people, strangers to each other - with the odd exception, as will become clearer later on - moving into a built-for-TV house, where they'll be under the watchful eye of the production team and the viewing public 24/7 (via the Internet of course) for two and a half months.

Each carries with them into the house a "secret" - and the idea is to keep it hidden from the others for as long as possible while trying to cajole out of fellow house mates exactly what they're trying to keep under wraps.

Off camera there is also the deep bass booming tones of The Voice (La Voix), dropping hints whenever he feels like it, setting playful if somewhat idiotic tasks with cash rewards should they be completed successfully without anyone else in the house realising.

Every week two candidates are nominated and television viewers get to vote in a 'phone poll (at premium rates of course) on who should stay in. Original stuff huh?

Yes the country which so often likes to think that it has taken the cultural highroad, brought the world classics in the fields of literature, art and music, prides itself on its language and traditions, cuisine, fine wines and haute couture - now proves once again that it can mix it with the best and worst of what the world of reality TV has to offer.

The new series, which kicked off on Friday evening will have a hard act to follow.

Last summer, when TF1 first ran the programme, the eventual winner quickly had her secret revealed .She was a triplet - and after the other house members wheedled it out of her, in tramped her two sisters.

Thus the three of them provided viewers with hours of entertainment as they played cards, ate, played cards and slept, eventually being crowned the winners because.... well because they were pretty inoffensive and bland.

Up against them was the nudist, the escort boy, the son of a famous French tennis player (Henri Leconte) a transsexual and an obnoxious couple (their secret) who bickered and manipulated their way to the final, earning their Warhol moment of fame and then (thankfully) disappearing into oblivion.

This year's dollop of dubious "culture" kicked off with the contestants tastefully arriving at the house one by one in his and hers blue and pink limos. Each woman seemingly more buxom than the last, many of them sporting micro dresses of which even pop diva Mariah Carey would have been envious.

And with a few exceptions each man was more muscled, more coiffed and more drop-dead gorgeous than the last, preening and pouting as though they were models in Milan.

Separately they tottered, strutted, swaggered or tripped their way through the jeering and cheering masses into 10-weeks-worth (for the eventual winner) of fleeting public notoriety and a stab at the chance of picking up a 150,000 cheque at the end.

Some of the contestants have had their secrets revealed to the public already - such as the lesbian couple from Belgium, the black mother and white daughter or the 30-something hunk and teenage siren who have to pretend to be "a couple". But none of the other housemates (apart from those "in" on their own coupled secrets) is any the wiser yet.

Nor do any of the contestants know exactly what secrets they have to find out, although once again viewers have been told that among the 15 there is an Anglican minister (male of female not revealed), an undertaker, a medium (who you would think might just have a head start on the others and know whether he or she would end up winning), a prince or princess and a Don Juan with apparently more than 750 "conquests" under his belt already.

So as the 15 pretenders to the title of French telly's newest reality TV hero or heroine are busy settling in to their 24/7 life together transmitted live on the Net and daily on the small screen, we can probably expect some tasteless antics similar to last year's offering - such as the rump steak shoved down the underpants of one male contestant.

There'll also doubtless be the same sort of petty rivalries, squabbles and handbags-at-dawn stuff that characterised much of the first series.

But breathe a sigh of relief because at least it's all being done in the name of entertainment. And as much as some might question why and find it "outrageous", there'll probably still be millions tuning in.

Let's also not forget there's always the "off" button on the TV set or alternative viewing on other channels.

As compulsive and trashy as Secret Story might be it'll still more than likely pull in the viewers and become its own story in itself as the nation tut-tuts and hisses in disapproval and indignation at the antics of the previous night's revelations.

Oh well. In the indomitable words of La Voix "C'est tout pour le moment."

Johnny Summerton is a Paris-based broadcaster, writer and journalist. For more on what's making the headlines here in France, log on to his site at http://www.persiflagefrance.com

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Music is an important part of the
celebration of your marriage. Throughout history, music has been used for
weddings to bring the community together with sounds and rhythms that have the
power to surpass age and status buriers, uniting everyone in support of your
marriage.

When choosing music for your wedding (in addition to your personal preferences)
its important to consider the musical tastes and desires of your guests. A good
point to consider is that your wedding (reception and/or ceremony) is an
opportunity for you to give back to your guests for their participation and
support, so choose a musical selection that will appeal the most to your guests.

Music is also a great stress reliever or ice breaker because it helps people
to relax and transition from what is often a very formal situation to an
environment where people can express themselves more fully.

There are 2 general types of music available for a modern wedding, they are:

1) A DJ

2) Live Musicians

A DJ (which stands for Disk Jockey) is a person who plays CDs through a sound
system at your reception and provides stage lighting for additional effect. The
advantage to hiring a DJ is that they are typically less expensive than live
musicians, and you can have all the songs that you want played for your
reception.

The disadvantages to hiring a DJ are that the music can sometimes seem a bit
generic or un-lively, and may be inappropriate for your ceremony. Some people
may also feel that DJ music is cheesy or uninteresting due to the lack of
musical flexibility and depending on the DJs individual approach - you may or
may not want to have them emcee for the reception.

Hiring live musicians is the other option you have for your wedding music. This
is typically more expensive and may involve a bit more planning than a DJ, but
can be a very uplifting resource for you and your wedding guests.

How do you envision your wedding reception? Do you want to dance with your
guests or are you intend to have a more subdued event? If you dont want
dancing, you may choose classical or jazz musicians to entertain - This could
include a string quartet, a harpist, pianist or any other type of soloist.
(Soloists are often the first choice for wedding ceremonies as well).

If you DO intend for there to be dancing as a part of your wedding celebration
theres nothing better for this than a live dance band! The advantage to hiring
a live band for your reception is that there is a certain synergy that occurs
when live musicians perform together that cannot be achieved with a DJ, and live
musicians can are also able to adapt to the vibe of the room playing faster,
slower, louder or softer depending on the preferences of you and your guests.

Skilled wedding musicians can also allow for members of the wedding party to participate by singing along or joining in with the band. This can add a great
deal of value to your wedding reception by creating the great Kodak Moments
that everyone will remember for years and years to come.

Take your time and consider the options carefully. Use the internet to research
your options and look in local wedding trade journals for musician and DJ
listings before you hire. Make a list of questions and concerns that you may
have and ask them of your perspective entertainers.

Your wedding day is YOUR DAY make it great with music that compliments
the theme and emotion that you want reflected at your wedding.

Donovan Kovar is the president and booking manager forGreatLiveMusic.com - Providing Professional, High Quality Musical Entertainment For Weddings In Minnesota And Surrounding Areas. VisitGreatLiveMusic.com for more information.

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