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What Ever Happen to Them - Milli Vanilli
The whole efforts had to be sholved aside after one of the duo, Rob Pilatus was found dead in a German hotel following an excessive night of drugs and alcohol, in April 1998. A huge set back to the surviving Fabrice Morvan and producer Frank Favian. Fabrice moved on and released a solo album "Love Revolution" in 2003 with marginal success and not much since then. What About MC Hammer TTimes Music Flashback
Tell Me What About Al B Sure TTimes Music Report
McCartney rocks Ukrainian capital Sir Paul McCartney has performed in front of tens of thousands of people in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
'Amazing' Sir Paul opened his set with the Beatles hit Drive My Car, followed by a series of Beatles songs, including Hey Jude, Let it Be, Back in the USSR, and Penny Lane. But the crowd's loudest screams were reserved for an electrifying performance of Bond theme tune Live And Let Die, complete with pyrotechnics and fireworks.Sir Paul also finished the concert with two encores, ending on Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. "It was fantastic, the reaction was amazing," said Oxana Bulan, a teacher from Kiev. "It's huge to finally feel a piece of something. "We have always been somewhere behind the iron fence and we'd like to join the rest of the world now."Ukraine, which gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, has played host to a number of well-known performers in recent years. Last June, Sir Elton John performed to 200,000 people in Independence Square. Record label finds singing monks A record label's search for a group of monks to record a Gregorian chant album has ended after a monastery submitted a YouTube clip.
'Blown away' The search for singing monks began in February.Universal A&R executive Tom Lewis told the BBC News website he had been "blown away" by the quality of the monks' singing. "These guys found about the competition through a friend of theirs in London and they sent a link of their monastery and of them singing on YouTube," he said."It was beautiful, beautiful music and they're using the very latest in terms of communication devices available to them to get their music heard."They're lovely people, they're very passionate about their music and they're very excited about this opportunity," Mr Lewis added. "They feel it's an opportunity for this music, that's obviously so special to them, to be heard." 'Prospering' monastery Universal staff, who have yet to meet the monks, will travel to the monastery at the start of April to begin recording the album. The monastery's Father Karl said the album would feature between 10 and 12 singers."It's a fun experience because I didn't think they would choose us - it was just for fun that we wrote to them in an e-mail."It's a good thing because Gregorian chant is part of spirituality and our life."He said he thought the monks had "a very healthy and prospering monastery", adding they were keen to "show it to the whole world".Any profits made would be used in the training of Cistercian monks, he added.Universal plans to release the album internationally later in the year. Matlin on 'Dancing' partner: 'He's my music' Marlee Matlin had never danced before -- well, other than at weddings and bar mitzvahs -- but for the past two weeks, she's been cha-cha-ing and quickstepping for seven hours a day in preparation for her "Dancing With the Stars" debut.
"Everyone asks if I'm sore," she said after a recent rehearsal at a nondescript dance studio northeast of Los Angeles. "Am I supposed to be sore?"Perhaps not. She is, however, supposed to step, twirl, dip, smile, clap, spin, plant and jump -- all imaginable types of body and facial movements, really -- in time with the music. Never mind that the Academy Award-winning actress can't hear a single note, beat, or tempo change.While none of this year's crop of "Dancing" hopefuls have ever danced professionally, Matlin has the additional challenge of being deaf. And that's not a problem, she said through her longtime interpreter, Jack Jason. Matlin relies on her professional partner, show newcomer Fabian Sanchez, to lead the way. "He's my music," she said. Sanchez has modified some of the dances slightly so he and Matlin maintain more physical or visual contact than they otherwise might. But even when she steps out solo, "she's got a natural rhythm," he said. "She's on time every single time." The dance instructor from Birmingham, Ala. had never worked with a deaf student before, but he finds Matlin easier to teach than many who can hear."I have somebody who has never danced, who has never heard music, so I can mold her however I want," he said. "She's more sensitive to my lead because she's not trying to follow the rhythm on her own."Matlin didn't join the show to prove that deaf people can dance, she said, adding that she has seen deaf dancers perform on stages across the country. She did it for the challenge, the exposure, and ultimately, for her kids.The mother of four was inspired by her 12-year-old daughter, Sara, a hip-hop dancer and devoted fan of the show."I just want to be the cool mom," Matlin said. She's found the right venue for that. As if an "American Idol"-esque 25 million viewers for last year's finale wasn't lending enough cultural weight to the live dancing competition, now it has something resembling a serious actress in its cast: Matlin, an Emmy-nominated TV veteran who won a best actress Oscar in 1986 for "Children of a Lesser God," is a clear cut above the usual "Dancing" actors.For that reason alone she stands out from this year's crop, which includes radio host Adam Carolla, magician Penn Jillette, pro football player Jason Taylor, tennis champ Monica Seles, Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi, R&B singer Mario and actors Steve Guttenberg, Shannon Elizabeth, Christian de la Fuente, Priscilla Presley and Marissa Jaret Winokur.As the ABC hit begins its sixth season Monday, she gives little thought to her impairment: "We're all challenged in some way. ... The only thing I can't do is hear."But executive producer Conrad Green said cast diversity contributes to the show's success. His team looks for contestants of various ages, sizes, abilities and professional pursuits. Participants have been boxers, basketball players, businessmen, models and yes, actors. "We're always looking to push that range with people you wouldn't expect to do it or wouldn't want to do it," he said, adding that he counts Bill Clinton among his dream contestants. "For lots of people, it's a nice way to get the audience familiar with you in a different light." Former Mrs. Paul McCartney and model Heather Mills, who uses a prosthetic leg, lasted seven weeks on the competition during season four."I think it proved a lot of things to a lot of people," Green said. "It's incumbent on everyone in television to try to open up television to people with disabilities. They're every bit as much valid contributors to television as anyone."Dance ability hardly matters, he said, since the show is all about trying something new."It's just about good old-fashioned effort for effort's sake," Green said. "No one is aspiring to genuinely be a ballroom dancer, so there's nothing at stake beyond pride."Besides, he added, "It's a stupid trophy at the end of the day and only one person can win it."Matlin made it clear that she wants to be the one to take home this season's mirrorball prize. But she knows it won't come easy."This is one of the hardest jobs I ever had," she said as she traded her high-heeled dancing shoes for comfy sneakers. "It's absolutely harder than love scenes in movies."She slipped out of her swingy dance skirt and pulled on a pair of cargo pants, then packed up her things after another long rehearsal. As she stood to leave, she looked confused."Actually," she said, "I am sore." CPS failed to run suspect checks The Crown Prosecution Service failed to run checks on 2,000 foreign crime suspects for more than a year - 11 of whom have committed crimes in the UK.
Sick leave The request was not acted on by the CPS until earlier this month when the British DNA database turned up 15 matches and found 11 of the suspects had committed crimes in Britain in the last 12 months.An operation involving police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency has now begun to try to locate the individuals. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the Home Office had been told a week ago about the situation but was advised to say nothing to avoid jeopardising the police operation. He said there was a suggestion that the information had been left on an official's desk while they were off on sick leave.In a statement, the Crown Prosecution Service said: "We can confirm that DNA profiles of around 2,000 unknown individuals were sent by a foreign jurisdiction to the CPS to facilitate a check against the national DNA database."These are profiles relating to unsolved crimes in that country." It added: "As this information necessarily relates to ongoing police investigations, it would be inappropriate to provide any more detail at this stage." Serial failures' The incident follows a series involving missing data, the biggest being the loss of 25m people's child benefit details.Last month Defence Secretary Des Browne announced an inquiry after it emerged that a Royal Navy laptop containing 600,000 people's details had been stolen - and there had been two similar thefts since 2005.And in December it emerged that details of three million British learner drivers, held on a computer hard drive, had gone missing in the US.The CPS stressed this case was not "a data security issue", saying: "This information was always in the possession of the CPS."Shadow home secretary David Davis told the BBC the government was guilty of "serial failures" on data."It is a serial failure that has put the British public at risk," he said. Actor Heath Ledger dies at 28 Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New York Police Department said.
Ledger was found naked and unresponsive, facedown on the floor at the foot of his bed by a housekeeper trying to wake him for an appointment with a masseuse, said police spokesman Paul Browne."Pills were found in the vicinity of the bed," he told CNN."This is being looked at as a possible overdose, but that is not confirmed yet."Browne later told reporters some prescription medications were found in the room, including sleeping pills.But he stressed police have made no determination of the cause of Ledger's death -- that would be done by the medical examiner. He said the pills were not "scattered about." No note was found and there was no indication of foul play, Browne said.Ledger was found at about 3 p.m., and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel about 3:30 p.m. A crowd of onlookers, photographers and reporters gathered outside the apartment building after news of Ledger's death was reported. Police officers were guarding the doors. Browne said he did not know how long Ledger had been renting the apartment, which he said took up the entire fourth floor.An autopsy would be conducted on Wednesday, said Ellen Borakove, spokeswoman for the New York City medical examiner's office. Ledger's family called his death "very tragic, untimely and accidental." "Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life, but few had the pleasure of truly knowing him," his father said. "He was a down-to-earth, generous, kindhearted, life-loving, unselfish individual extremely inspirational to many." Condolences began pouring in from Ledger's friends and co-stars. "I had such great hope for him," said Mel Gibson, who played Ledger's father in "The Patriot," in a statement."He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."Actress Nicole Kidman, a fellow Australian and close friend of Ledger's, said in a statement, "What a tragedy. My heart goes out to his family." At the time of his death, Ledger had just finished playing the villain The Joker in "The Dark Knight," the latest installment in the Batman series. The film is to open in July. Ledger was born in Perth, Australia, and named Heathcliff Andrew after the main characters of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights." He began acting at a local theater as a child. Ledger's first American film was the teen comedy "10 Things I Hate About You" in 1999, and he immediately attracted attention from Hollywood. He passed up several scripts before taking a role in the Revolutionary War drama "The Patriot" in 2000 and "A Knight's Tale" in 2001. He also played a supporting role in "Monster's Ball," among other films. "In a way I was spoon-fed a career," he told the Glasgow Herald in 2005. "It was fully manufactured by a studio that believed it could put me on their posters and turn me into a product. ... I hadn't figured out properly how to act, and all of a sudden I was being thrown into these lead roles." Controversial role But Ledger was perhaps best known for his 2005 portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain," about two cowboys who had a secret romantic relationship. The role earned him an Oscar nomination. "I felt that choices were being made for me, so I feel this has been my time now to find the good stories and test myself," Ledger told the Glasgow Herald in the 2005 interview. "It has been an interesting year, where I finally have a sense of accomplishment." Asked how he felt about filming love scenes with another man, Ledger said he and his co-star Jake Gyllenhaal simply focused on their roles."We can't say that we weren't nervous about it," Ledger told Oprah Winfrey in 2006. "But once the first take was over, it's like, 'OK. So what? It's kissing another human being. How are we going to finish this scene? Let's get on with it and let's get out of here.' "In a written statement, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said it mourns Ledger's death, adding that his portrayal of Del Mar "changed hearts and minds in immeasurable ways."Ledger has a daughter, Matilda Rose, born in 2005 to his then-girlfriend, Michelle Williams, who played his on-screen wife, Alma, in "Brokeback Mountain." The couple have since separated. "He was just so respected in the industry," said Kim Serafin, senior editor of In Touch Weekly. "It's just horribly tragic. He was just a fine actor and a good person, so this is horribly sad and very unexpected." The genius who re-invented chess Bobby Fischer was the man who put chess on the map.
'Communism vs. capitalism' Why such unprecedented attention to this ancient board game? 1972 saw the height of detente, but Mr Fischer portrayed his match as a proxy for the Cold War."It is really the free world against the lying, cheating, hypocritical Russians... This little thing between me and Spassky. It's a microcosm of the whole world political situation," he said. Mr Fischer hated the Soviets with a passion - they had conspired against him for years, he claimed.For the Soviets, chess was a vital propaganda tool. Their superiority at the game proved communism's superiority over capitalism - or so they thought.There were literally millions of registered Soviet chess players, and the elite grandmasters were privileged members of society. Kissinger's calls Then there was Mr Fischer's eccentric - to put it mildly - personality. Since the age of six chess had been his life. He spent hour after hour, day after day, studying the game. At the age of 11, he - in his own words - "just got good". By 15, he was a grand master, the youngest in history - and it dawned on the Soviet chess authorities that their pre-eminence was finally under threat. An evident genius - his IQ was estimated at over 180 - Fischer had no interest in school work and his solitary nature, and brusque manner, was already landing him in trouble.Twice prior to 1972 he had dropped out of the game - as his demands to tournament organisers became ever more extravagant.He complained about prize money, about the lighting, the size of the board and pieces, the noise from audiences. It was unclear whether the 1972 match - the so-called match of the century - would ever take place.It took a couple of calls from Henry Kissinger, the then US national security adviser, to persuade him to continue."This is the worst player in the world calling the best player in the world," one of these telephone calls was reputed to begin. Total recluse Victory in Reykjavik should have transformed Mr Fischer into a multi-millionaire. Offers flooded over. A million dollars alone was offered if he would endorse a chess set.But Mr Fischer would not sign contracts, and within a year he had disappeared, almost without trace. In 1975, he refused to defend his title against Anatoly Karpov, though the International Chess Federation had conceded to all but two of his 179 demands.He became a total recluse - his life a fertile ground for rumour.There was a bizarre episode in 1981 when he was picked up by the police apparently mistaken for a bank robber, and thrown behind bars for two days. He later published a pamphlet, graphically depicting the indignities he suffered: "I was tortured in the Pasadena jailhouse." Icelandic sanctuary Then, in 1992, he defied US sanctions and played a re-match against Mr Spassky for $5m. At a press conference he spat on a warning letter from the US treasury department.He proceeded to beat Mr Spassky again - but from this moment on, he was on the run.By this time he had descended into an abyss of unreality, the world of Holocaust denial, persecution complexes and conspiracy theories.He raged against the Jews, though his mother was Jewish, and - as released FBI documents later showed - his biological father probably was Jewish too.His anti-communism transmuted into a rabid anti-Americanism. America, he said after the 11 September 2001 attacks, had got what it deserved.Finally picked up in Japan, this by now sad, forlorn, ragged character eventually found sanctuary in Iceland.After all, many Icelanders remembered him with affection. He had not only put chess on the map. For a short period, in 1972, he put this tiny country of only 250,000 people on the map too. Nigerian youths’ carnival of extortion The Biblical account of the creation of the universe that God created everything man would need for his comfort in five days, after which he created man on the sixth day. God, however, did not make a mistake of not giving eyes to man so that he can behold the beauty of His creatures and appreciate His superlative sense of creativity.
Every year, as the year draws close, the streets come alive, donning banners that announce festive events . Hand posters, car stickers and vests are printed, in readiness for the end of year festivities. And as the year 2007 gradually faded away, street carnivals, across the length and breadth of the country, ushered in the new year. What is mind boggling, however, is the manner at which the event is being celebrated across the country. The globally-recognised gathering has been turned to an avenue where many negative activities are perpetrated, especially by youths, who have virtually seen it as a forum for expression of lust. This situation is not in line with the intentions of those who came about the idea of carnival several years ago. When in 1833, the black caribbeans took to the streets to mark the first Caribbeans Carnival in Trinidad, the event was meant to celebrate victory. That year, the Slavery Abolition Bill had just passed through the House of Lords in London, and had received the royal assent (which makes it to become a law). The black world had just been recognised as a human race, having right to live, right to freedom and right to be respected. Many groups of people have since adopted carnival as celebration of culture, expression of life. In that line, the Notting-Hill Carnival in Britain and other similar assemblage worldwide have transformed to events where the social, economic and political development of human race are focussed. However, the Nigerian youths’ orientation to what a carnival is, is somewhat in the negative. Many people have something to say about carnivals that are being organised across the country by youths. For Oladapo Onifade, a printer, the weeks leading to festive periods is one that youths capitalise on to extort money from people. He said himself, alongside other business owners in his area are facing a lot of pressure from youths who have levied a sum of N50,000 on them as carnival fees. Speaking further, Mr Onifade stated that, “every year, we pay certain sum, levied on us by community youths but this year, we decided not to cooperate, as we cannot be so stupid to see the youth spend our hard-earned money on disco and beer-drinking parties. When asked why they have been paying the illegal fees in the first place, the printer said the youth always threaten to vandalise their property. “They often threaten to make the area unconducive for business activities if we refuse to cooperate”, Mr. Onifade added. Timothy Akintunde, a driver, recounted his ordeal last year, in the hands of some youths. “It was noon and I was trying to avoid the hectic traffic situation on a major road. This led me to take to adjoining streets as an alternative route to my destination. Then, I noticed there were some young boys who were demanding money from motorists. These youths were wielding clubs of all sorts, threatening drivers who were not cooperating. I was still contemplating whether or not to part with some money, when I suddenly heard a bang on my windscreen. It shattered immediately”, the driver explained. “I then held on to the boy who committed the act. He, along with some elders in the area, started pleading on his behalf, saying he committed the act in error,” Mr. Akintunde stated, saying he later took it as his loss. At the heat of such carnivals, drivers are held up for hours by youths demanding for money, thereby causing traffic congestion on roads. Carnival, as an event, evolved as forum for celebrating unity, towards advancement of socio-cultural heritage of man. The negative way Nigerian youths celebrate street carnivals need to be looked into. Michael Ward, Chief Executive of London Development Agency, says of the yearly Notting-Hill Carnival in London: ”Carnival brings visitors and businesses to London. It is one of Europe’s most spectacular tourist attractions and could even bring more benefits with support”. Ward was commenting on the report of the study into the contribution of Notting-HillCarnival to the economic, social and cultural life of London. The study had found out, among other things, that the “Nothing-Hill Carnival contributes up to £93m each year to London’s economy and supports the equivalent of 3000 full - time jobs”. These are positive developments, which, if imitated in the country, could create employment, at least for the time being, for the unemployed. At the opening ceremony of the Abuja Carnival in 2005, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the event was “intended to showcase the rich Nigerian culture”. He added that Nigeria could not be isolated as tourism had become a major foreign exchange earner around the world and that promotion of tourism was a way of diversifying the nation’s economy.” In effect, the gatherings of people, mainly unemployed youths, in streets and roads, annually, should serve the unique platforms for promoting their cause, fora for deliberations on how to improve the socio-economic life of the participants and the society in general. In some areas in Ibadan, the way the carnivals are being organised is to be emulated. For instance, last year, some programmes were drawn out and among which was a symposium on HIV/AIDS. This is clearly commendable, as it would go a long way in passing across the right information on the disease to the youth, who are most at risk of being infected. While this is a great innovation, other youths who felt the symposium was not entertaining enough, joined those who prefer harassing girls, drinking alcohol and extorting money from motorists, as their own way of having fun. And recently, five secondary school boys reportedly generated about N350,000, allegedly by stealing from their parents to organise a carnival party in an hotel, in company of some girls of same age. The youth, possessing unbridled energy, sound and uncorrupted intellect and limitless abilities, are a great asset to the nation, even though lack of experience of the practical realities of life would always manifest in their taking rational decisions on issues. The youth need to be guided to make them useful to the society. Carnivals are fora for development. The government can encourage its proper celebrations by directly participating in the street carnivals we have all around. Just as in the Notting Hill Carnival in London, Carnival of Cultures in Berlin and other internationally-acclaimed carnivals, governments at the ward level, represented by the councillor, could take charge of street carnivals and give them more befitting status. This will help provide avenues for the government to interact with the governed at the grassroot level. Unemployment, poor education, pitiable living conditions and scarcity of life-easing amenities pervade our society at the grassroot level and the people, will, doubt, be happy to have first-hand discussions with the government on these subject matters. The press can also help to enlighten the public, especially the youth, on how to make maximum benefits from carnivals. |
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