Friday, 4 November 2011

g mail new look

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXKe7gi1Be4TvRyCMx5smUdpmWrWRsi-LGn1vvtFVRv2hC35yZ7KO7Yybv1Cam0n22blVXAJXEZqiz5d4perb05ypr4ywP9ky8QCCxna3X3J1t29aP-v9_uW9nMXR5A_zcJxwhyRMxJE/s1600/Gmail+Email+from+Google+-+Google+Chrome_2011-09-07_20-07-22.png

Love that smile!

Preview madonnas perfume, out 5/12



Madonna_Truth_Dare_OK.jpgIf you buy a celebrity fragrance for the celebrity and not the jus, then it must be because you want to purchase a piece of them. Madonna herself was inspired by the charisma of her own mother seen through her child's eyes and the memory of her fragrance to create her upcoming perfume, Truth or Dare. Although she doesn't say what compositions her mother wore, she picks out the notes as being those two great American pop icons, gardenia and tuberose,

"She always smelled like gardenias and tuberose, an intoxicating mixture [that was] feminine and mysterious. I wanted to re-create this scent, but with something fresh and new about it as well. Something honest and yet daring — hence the name Truth or Dare."....

There is thus nothing devious or far-fetched about the new Madonna perfume in case you were expecting something a bit outrageous. In fact, a gourmand undertone said to suggest "darkness" makes sure everyone stay in their comfort zone even when invoking deeper atmospheres. Obviously, Madonna wants to please her fans, not stroke them the wrong way.

The white floral perfume was created with perfumer Stephen Nielsen of Givaudan. The scent has opening notes of gardenia, creamy tuberose and dewy neroli; a heart of carnal jasmine, benzoin tears and white lily petals, and a drydown of vanilla absolute, caramelized amber as well as a sensual musk aura.

The flacon makes references to typical Madonna-persona Catholic symbols. There is an ascetic-looking Christian cross. The flacon does not look unlike a coffin. It would work great as a memento mori of sorts. The bottle is unusually flat, like a hybrid form inspired by a pocket book, a smart phone and a flask, all suggesting portability. There is also an ancient feel about it, with its choice of milky white opaline, beaded rims, and a crown-like top.

"Eaux de parfum in two sizes — 50 ml. for $55 and 75 ml. for $68 — will be sold in the U.S. A 30-ml. edp will be sold internationally. The line also includes a body lotion, $28, and shower gel, $25."

Truth or Dare eau de parfum will debut at Macy's on March 26, 2012. The international roll-out is planned for May 2012.

Via WWD


Thursday, 3 November 2011

Debi Mazar's First Dance with Madonna - The Rosie Show - Oprah Winfrey Network

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktUvkp6bZqU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Brand New Items added to Madonna's Official Store



To view this newsletter in your Web browser, CLICK HERE.
star Visit: Madonna.com    star Shop: Madonna.com Store



Dear Madonna Fans,

The official Madonna store is pleased to announce new updates! We have added three brand new Madonna items, featured below. In addition, the Madonna Store now supports multi-currency for your shopping convenience. Shop in U.S. dollars, British Pounds or the Euro. You will find the currency selector in the left-hand navigation column.

The official Madonna 2012 Calendar is now available for pre-order! You will get a selection of 12 Iconic images — chosen by Madonna herself — including the stunning Steven Meisel photograph featured on the cover. The Madonna Store is pleased to offer the European edition of the 2012 Calendar.

PRE-ORDER NOW

Madonna has teamed with City of Hope to help support cancer research. Order your special Madonna vintage styled t-shirt today and 50% or more of the retail price will be donated to City of Hope. "Don't just stand there," get your t-shirt now and help cancer research to find a cure.

order now

We're also happy to announce that the printed version of Icon Magazine 2010 is now available from Madonna's store! The 80-page magazine, printed on high quality glossy paper, is your guide to 365 days of Madonna history and is filled with stunning photos, amazing fan articles and more. If you are an Icon member, visit the store and add it to your collection! Not a member yet? Just click here to register for free.

order now

A new Madonna era is about to begin, so get ready for more!


The Official Madonna Store team








Madonna launching a new clothing line for adults!


Madonna is Launching a Fashion Label for Grown Ups! What Can We Expect?

Well, we guess this was inevitable. Following on from the success of Material Girl, Madonna is launching her second lifestyle brand, Truth or Dare by Madonna. According to WWD, the label is aimed at an older customer (women aged 27 to 50) in comparison to the Taylor Momsen types that her tween range with Lourdes targets. Yay for us!Over the past several years, I have been approached countless times to create my own brand,' Madonna says. 'The timing is right and I have found great partners in Iconix, who can help translate my vision to reality.' Yep, not content with being a pop sensation AND a movie director, Her Madgesty is proving her business savvy yet again by creating a line for grown ups. Smart move, missy. So has she caught the designing bug from her pals Dolce & Gabbana after posing as a foxy Sicilian housewife in their recent campaigns, we wonder? Perhaps the boys will be lending a helping hand in conjuring up lace-tastic black gowns and womanly corsets? You'll remember when the trio collaborated on a limited edition range of sunglasses, called MDG Sunglasses, proving that they're a match made in fashion heaven. Or MAYBE Madge was spurred on after seeing her fellow musician Kanye West showing his debut collection at Paris Fashion Week, not to mention Victoria Beckham's gob-smacking successwith her line...

But we digress. Back to the facts, so far we know that Madonna will be the face of the brand (obvs) and Truth or Dare will 'truly capture her essence'. Which means? It 'will be designed to showcase the duality of her image, a power icon intertwined with feminine beauty', according to WWD. A women's fragrance will be released next year followed by footwear, handbags and intimates — then who knows what's the next stop on the Madonna adventure!

Unsurprisingly, this has sent Grazia Daily into an excited flurry as we predict what sartorial treats the line will bring. It goes without saying that we're expecting to see our favourite Madonna motifs — think crucifixes, fishnets and sharp suits as opposed to sporty tracksuits and baseball caps. Thanks to her latest reinvention as a vintage queen since directing 'W.E', we're crossing our fingers for retro gowns and elegant sexiness. And — question of all questions — will there be a cone-shaped bra?! Aided by clues from Madonna's recent outfits, let's gather together our fash-pectations…

madonna gold corset

Bejewelled corsets

source; GRAZIA

--
Thanks!
Jeannie

email: Madonnasworld@gmail.com
Website: www.madonnasworld.com

Madonna excited for nov. 12




And Madonna is eager to check out the talent, stating, "Even with my crazy schedule, any chance I get to be on a dance floor in New York with fabulous music and incredible dancers is still my idea of a perfect evening. I can't wait for November 12th."

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

W.E. Movie Review


(Wallis & Edward )
W.E.
The movie
Review by Jeannie Buxo
Special thanks to Christine, Jeremy, and Joey
Attended the NYC Advanced Screening (Survey) Thursday October 27th, 2011
Celebrity Sighting: Liz Rosenberg, Harvey Weinstein
The film W.E. begins in a flurry of shocking images, it sort of sets the
tone for a fast paced film. We see the beginning of Wallis Simpson's (played incredibly by Andrea Riseborough) early life with her first husband. We find out that she has had a very difficult time finding a man who would truly love her. You root for Wallis and are mesmerized by the acting , you really think that the story is unfolding between your eyes at one point. The story of Wally
however is not as strongly defined, we are meant to believe many things thats are not too convincing, (she was named after wallis (makes it abit confusing) she is obsessed with wallis, and is writing an article on wallis) but regardless of these minor flaws the film takes you on a grand journey and your are both swept up by the riches of the jewelry, the clothes and the storied romance between the future king of England, Edward, and his soon to be wife Wallis Simpson, or so it seems, because the English would have nothing of it. Back then, to marry a divorcee was frowned upon, let alone a woman that is still married to her second husband.
(Wallis finds new love, with  Oscar Isaac's character, Evgen)
The film is based on a true story and throughout the film, the
fictional character of Wally, played splendidly by Abbie Cornish,  spends her time trying to defend wallis (
they were not nazi sympathizers!) , It's as if Wally is really Madonna, that's how I saw it anyway.
There's a scene where Wally wants desperately to have a baby with her husband but he wants nothing of it, you could almost imagine, is this the story of Madonnas relationship with Guy? Oscar Isaac's character, Evgeni, is the most entertaining of all the cast.

 Madonna fans will see many instances of her, in the work. The styling in certain scenes
are a nod to different eras and images in madonnas own career, (oh
father, this used to be my playground) references to Madonnas passed transformations. During some press interviews, Madonna has admitted that there are many similarities between her and the leading ladies characters in the film.
Madonna is inspired by so much and she soaks it all in, and wants you,
the audience, to be just as captured and mesmerized by her vision. She
wants to share with you what her definition of love is (defining love vs. romance) and for a man
to give up his kingdom for a woman is something that she would and believes
all woman would like for themselves. It's a fairytale but for one
woman, it did ultimately come true, despite all odds.
And despite the reviews you've read, the film is definitely worth seeing.

The scenes with music are my favorite, the dance sequences are well
placed and there are some great bits of comedy placed at different
points to lighten the load. The styling, colors, are flawless.
Madonnas first big budget directing debut gets two enthusiastic thumbs
up, from me, for w.e.
I look forward to seeing what story madonna will tackle on in her next
film, it will surely be worth the wait.

--
Thanks!
Jeannie

--
Thanks!
Jeannie

Hack Administrator Password

Dear friends, lets have a look on how to change the password of Administrator account in a computer. Infact this trick was used by me in my college days. The same trick works in command prompt. We will be completing it in a step wise process like this:
Read more »

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

New outtake from 2008 !



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Thanks!
Jeannie

email: Madonnasworld@gmail.com
Website: www.madonnasworld.com

How madonna became british


Madonna, from the Detroit area, became an Anglophile at some point in the late 1980s. By the time she met second husband Guy Ritchie, who was British, she was already sounding like one of his countrymen. How did it happen? Superstar producer Nile Rodgers, who made the "Like a Virgin" album with the burgeoning pop starlet in 1983, has an explanation. Madonna may have picked it up from his then live in girlfriend,Nancy Stoddart, who'd been reared on the Philadelphia Main Line, educated at Sarah Lawrence, then spent time in Rome and Paris among titled royalty.

"Madonna' s nose for advancement had picked up the scent of Nancy's blue blood," Rodgers writes in his impossible to put down memoir, "Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny." Rodgers–whose stunning list of hits include those by his own group Chic, plus David Bowie, Diana Ross, Mick Jagger, and Duran Duran–earlier recalls Madonna as obsessed with fame. He writes: "I'd never met anyone–ever–who worked so hard to become famous."

When he worked with Madonna shaping her key second album, "Like a Virgin"–which also contained her other signature hit, "Material Girl"–Rodgers says Stoddart's traits rubbed off on Madonna in a big way. Madonna became "schooled" by Stoddart, Rodgers recalls, preferring her friend's uptown Victorian digs to her own bohemian downtown loft.

Rodgers writes: [Madonna] was an apt pupil all right, but she must have missed a couple of Nancy's classes on life at the top. At her '85 bridal shower [for the Sean Penn wedding] she received all sorts of presents from her downtown friends as well as Nancy's uptown friends. A pair of berry spoons from James Robinson's antiques shop awoke the Detroit girl in her.

"'Berry spoons! What the fuck are berry spoons?' shouted Madonna. I bet she knows now."

Rodgers' book is such a much read about so many people. But Madonna as Eliza Doolittle sticks out. Don't worry–he's very complimentary about her work ethic. But he also reports that Madonna never really knew her own singing voice– and insisting on singing those hits in an "unpleasant" key for her. This does explain why later Madonna sounds so different from early Top 40 Madonna.

"Le Freak" is fascinating. I've known Nile for 25 years, yet never really understood his background, the life in drugs, his rise to fame, an early friendship with Oprah Winfrey before she really became famous, and his extremely thoughtful take on race. There's a lot more, but you've got to read it to believe it. Here is the genuine, authentic and moving story of a success that nearly didn't happen. Bravo!

Source showbizz 411

Monday, 31 October 2011

Win Tix to see Madonna host dance competition at Roseland

thanks to amber

Madonna tapped the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project Experience to host a competition to find a dancer for her next world tour. You can't buy tickets to the show but JustJared.com has yourexclusive VIP tickets!

The grand prize winner will win (1) pair of VIP tickets to the November 12 dress rehearsal as well as (1) pair of VIP tickets to the 9 p.m. show (there will be free catering and drinks all night long)! Both will take place at NYC's Roseland Ballroom (239 W 52 St.) whereMadonna performed her albums Musicand Hard Candy.

Also, (4) additional winners will each win a pair of regular tickets to the show, where 11 finalists will dance in front ofMadonna to compete for the once-i



HOW TO ENTER:

STEP 1: Like JustJared.com on Facebook

STEP 2: Post a picture of yourself showing love for SmirnoffJustJared, AND Madonna on the wall of Facebook.com/JustJared.

You need to be at least 21 to enter this sweepstakes. Transportation will not be included. Deadline is Sunday, NOVEMBER 6, at 4:59 p.m. ET. Approximate retail value for the tickets is $100; ARV for the grand prize is $350. Read the official rules here.

The most creative photos will be selected by the show's artistic director Normann Shaymusicdirector Hardy "Indiigo" Muanza, and Just Jared. We'll notify all the winners via Facebook after the contest ends. Good luck!!!

FYI: For more updates on the show and Madonna's upcoming world tour, follow us on Twitter@ShayNormann @IndiigoMusic @JaredEng @JustJared!n-a-lifetime opportunity.






--
Thanks!
Jeannie

email: Madonnasworld@gmail.com
Website: www.madonnasworld.com

William Orbit tweets again!

William Orbit
1 hr ago
recording an orchestra tomorrow

--
Thanks!
Jeannie

email: Madonnasworld@gmail.com
Website: www.madonnasworld.com

William Orbit tweets on new album progress

source: MTV news

Since Madonna manager Guy Oseary announced she'd be working on an album over the summer, tentatively slated for a spring release, the Queen of Pop's most loyal followers have been clamoring for updates about the progress of the record.

Last week, it was rumored Madge had plans to work with M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj, and now producer William Orbit has some more news for the singer's most loyal devotees.

"Madonna has phenomenal understanding of both the minutiae of music and the big picture. Zooming in, zooming out. 4ever amazing. Plus VISION!!!" he tweeted. "Working with Madonna is a treat. Fantastic tracks and vibes. Going deep. She's ON IT !!! This is THE album!"

The Ray of Lights producer's tweets even reveal where the two have been cooking up tracks for the record. "WOWOWOWOW just looked out the window here in NY and IT's SNOWING !!!!!" he wrote. "A Fairy Tale in New York but Hot Hot Hot in the studioooooo."

At the London screening for her film "W.E.," Madonna spoke to Sky News about the top-secret project, addressing the nature of her celebrity and how it relates to her art. "Even when I try something old [I get criticized]. When I make my music, I come up against criticism," she said. "So it kind of goes with the territory. I'm used to it."

What are you expecting from Madonna's next album? Let us know in the comments!


--
Thanks!
Jeannie

email: Madonnasworld@gmail.com
Website: www.madonnasworld.com

Sunday, 30 October 2011

Classic rock tshirts book with madonna on cover

Thanks to amber

Classic Rock T-Shirts

Over 400 Vintage Tees from the '70s and '80s

Lisa Kidner & Sam Knee[9781847329196]

Publisher: Carlton Books
Published: March 2012
All
160 pages
ISBN: 1-84732-919-5
ISBN13: 9781847329196
$16.95 US
No Canadian Rights
Hard
all in color
8 1/4 X 8 1/4

Territory: US Only



T-shirts have become an essential fashion statement--a form of self-definition for both the average person and those in cutting-edge subcultures. This fascinating compilation takes you on a visual journey through the most popular, style-setting rock-based tees from the 1970s and '80s. Featuring such iconic bands as AC/DC, the Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Public Enemy, the Ramones, the Stones, and the Sex Pistols, it showcases a range of designs from this timeless era of pop culture and puts you inside the collections of T-shirt fans and fanatics, with wonderful backstories and gorgeous spreads. 
 



Sam Knee worked for four years in San Francisco, grading T-shirts and sourcing vintage clothes for a number of retailers. He has traveled worldwide in pursuit of rare and unusual T-shirts. 
 
Formerly a fashion journalist for 19 magazine, Lisa Kidner has a degree in fashion textiles. After dealing in vintage clothing at Portobello market in London, Lisa and Sam sold a range of their clothes under the Heart of Glass label at UK retailer Whistles and under the Upper Fifth range at Top Shop.




Dolce and gabanna's top 10 list

Madonna on your playlist is #7. /allure nov 2011

New book

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Madonna and Anthony Ciccone's other siblings: What happened to them? | Mail Online

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2054867/Madonna-Anthony-Ciccones-siblings-What-happened-them.html

Madonna to play the Olympics



Madonna is to play a huge concert in London next year to coincide with the 2012 Olympics.

The 53-year-old singer will perform to 60,000 fans in Hyde Park next July when the UK capital will host the prestigious sporting event.

A source close to the 'Hung Up' hitmaker - who recently took a break from music to direct new movie 'W.E' - told The Sun newspaper: "Madonna is planning a huge comeback and was determined to do it at Hyde Park while the Olympics are on.

"She's been out of the limelight musically for a while but is ready to jump back into the saddle and thinks there's no better time to do it than when London hosts the Olympics."

Earlier this week, it was also revealed Madonna is to perform at next February's Super Bowl, where she will headline the annual NFL match after beating off competition from Lady Gaga.

A source said: "When Madonna heard Gaga was in the frame, she knew she had to step up her efforts. She is going to deliver the kind of show never seen before in NFL history."

In headlining the prestigious sporting event, Madonna is following in the footsteps of stars including the Rolling Stones, Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake and the late Michael Jackson.

Friday, 28 October 2011

W.E. Reviewed by Madonnasworld

MOVIE REVIEW: I will be submitting my review of W.E. later today.
The film was amazing!
Don't beleive the critics, its well worth the price of admission and then some, 'we're proud of you Madonna, you done good!'

(ps. i will also be submitting my book recommendation of 'not about madonna'

Madonna could be working with NERVO

Madonna is hard at work on her follow-up to 2008's Hard Candy. So, what will this album sound like? Well, in a recent interview with Swedish Sveriges Television, she simply stated: "It will be more good music." Fair enough, Madge, you needn't say more!

There haven't been too many details about the album, but here is what we know so far: it'sexpected to drop early next year, the first single may be released in February or March and she's working with Ray of Light producer William Orbit.

Yet, we recently learned another possible detail about the hotly awaited record – some of that good music may just come from Aussie sister DJ-duo NERVO (Liv and Mim). The girls, who spent their summer as an opening act on Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Tour, have written songs for some of the biggest artists in the business, including, Ke$ha, David Guetta and Nicole Scherzinger, and could possibly be adding Madonna to that list.

"That one, you know, it's another one we'll see if the stars align," Liv told us. "But she's expressed interest in a song of ours and she's working with William Orbit, who's an incredible producer, and who she's worked with in the past."

And if the "We're All No One" singers do end up on the album, they will have William Orbit to thank.

"He actually was the one who pitched her the song of ours – pitched it to Madonna – and fingers crossed! Now that we've spoken about it, of course, it's not going to happen," Liv joked.

NERVO were tight-lipped on what song the Queen of Pop is interested in, but just the thought of working with Madonna would mean everything to these girls.

"It would be amazing. Madonna is iconic," Liv said. "It would be an absolute career high!

--
Thanks!
Jeannie

email: Madonnasworld@gmail.com
Website: www.madonnasworld.com

Thursday, 27 October 2011

Add "uninstall" button to your Right click menu

If you stumble upon unwanted Windows programs, you usually have to head all the way to the Control Panel to remove it. MenuUninstaller adds an "Uninstall" option to the Windows context menu so you can remove programs right from their shortcuts.
Read more »

Madonna and Lola Want You!



Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ5cwjDbwq4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Madonna takes on Lady Gaga for Super Bowl performance

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijb7EIMzNq4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Chris Rene - Love Don't Live Here - X Factor USA (Madonna cover)




This has certainly been the year of the Santa Cruz-made singing star, with James Durbin dominating the first half of 2011 on FOX, and the fall being taken over thus far by garbage man turned rap-pop hopeful Chris Rene.

After advancing past the "Judges' Homes" round of the talent competition last week, Rene performed as part of the top 17 on Tuesday in front of millions of American viewers.

With help from his mentor/judge L.A. Reid, Rene opted to sing a rendition of Madonna's "Love Don't Live Here Anymore." See the video of Rene's performance above.

While his vocal was less than perfect, Rene certainly hit his stride in the second verse, in which he took the opportunity to spin the song from pop to hip-hop.

“I don’t think you are the best singer in this competition, but you are one of the best recording artists in this competition, and that’s what it’s all about,” Simon Cowell said following the performance. "What I love about you is you are 100 percent authentic. I’ve got to see you in the show next week."

Reid, predictably, agreed with the man opposite him on the judging panel.

"I’m very impressed," he said. "What we have in common is we like the unpredictable. ... You did a great job."

Two segments later, Reid put Rene through to the show's top 12 round, eliminating contender Phillip Lomax.

Now six months out of rehab for drug addiction, Rene will perform live again next Wednesday at 8 p.m.

"If he hadn’t had a drink in his life and hadn't gone through those things, I think he’s still a star," Reid said. "And I love stars."

Did you watch Tuesday's episode? What did you think of Rene? Did he deserve to go on to the top 12? Tell us in the comments!

Madonna wins Super Bowl Performer title over Lady Gaga

according to this report from the UK
Madonna is to perform at next year's Super Bowl.



The 'Hung Up' hitmaker has reportedly beaten off competition from Lady Gaga to headline the annual NFL match in February and will use the show to re-launch her music career after taking a break to direct new movie 'W.E'.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "When Madonna heard Gaga was in the frame, she knew she had to step up her efforts. She is going to deliver the kind of show never seen before in NFL history."

In headlining the prestigious sporting event, Madonna, 52, is following in the footsteps of stars including the Rolling Stones, Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake and the late Michael Jackson.

After this year's game - between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers - Christina Aguilera was forced to apologise after fluffing her lines to the US national anthem

The 'Burlesque' star was given the prestigious task of performing the Star-Spangled Banner to open the proceedings ahead of the showpiece game in Texas but shocked onlookers with her mistake.

Instead of the correct line "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?" the 30-year-old singer repeated an earlier line with a slight variation, singing "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming."

Christina later released an apologetic statement saying: "I got so caught up in the moment of the song that I lost my place. I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through."
link

Guy Vs. Madonna this December

Movieline asks, who will win?

Will Madonna or Guy Ritchie Have the Better-Received Fall Film?
This coming winter will bring us two major showdowns: Glenn vs. Meryl in the Best Actress race, and now ferocious exes Madonna and Guy Ritchie are officially duelists: Her W.E. debuts Dec. 9, and his Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows follows up on Dec. 16. Place your bets now: Which of these dubious, aggressively modern “old-fashioned” films will critics and audiences enjoy/tolerate more?



I can’t believe I’m doing this to my sweet panther sorceress Madonna, but I think Sherlock’s Meta-score will top hers. Critics will be willing and primed to accept the nonsense whizzbang of Sherlock’s adventures, but there’s no prefacing Madonna’s waterlogged pretension. Every character in W.E. looks more static than the last, and I can’t say Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law lack personality. Ugh, why! Why does Madonna’s movie have to be so bad? Why! I thought I’d seen the worst of it in I Am Because We Are, but no, now accents, crinkly royal smiles, and that stupid fucking monogram have to come into play. I’ve worked too hard for Madonna to blow this. I tolerated American Life for this queen. I think I even called Jesus Luz “potentially all right” once. Is anyone else even remotely upset by the outlook of this bomb? It’s the unsightly hydrangea of the season, and now Arthur Conan Doyle’s Adderall-addicted, gunpowder-fed step-grandchildren are better than it. This? This is true blue sads.

source

Madonna's W.E. and my 'Inconvenient Nazi' theory

Madonna attends the screening of W.E. at the BFI London Film Festival.
SOURCE: UK GUARDIAN

Here's a quote that Madonna is welcome , nay, advised, to put on the posters of her upcoming film W.E., a hagiography of the deeply unpleasant Wallis Simpson: "Hey! This movie isn't quite as mindblowingly terrible as you expect it to be!" Obviously, the film is inescapably ridiculous, predicated as it is on the idea that not only is some godawful social climber with notorious fascist leanings in any way relevant to women today, but that a modern 28-year-old woman who spends thousands of dollars of her husband's money in order to dress like Simpson is a sensitive feminist heroine as opposed to possibly certifiable.

W.E.
Production year: 2011
Country: UK
Runtime: 114 mins
Directors: Madonna
Cast: Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, James D'Arcy, James Fox, Laurence Fox, Oscar Isaac
More on this film
It is a clumsily assembled jigsaw of bad movie cliches, like the Trailer for Every Oscar-Winning Movie Ever on YouTube, but funnier, if inadvertently so. Strands of pearls are snapped in slow motion, glasses of champagne are thrown in the fireplace, the dialogue is possibly cribbed from a made-for-TV cop movie with lines such as "That's right, go make yourself another drink" and "What is this – an interrogation?"

One of the characters falls in love with a security guard "who used to be a Russian intellectual" because God forbid he should be just a security guard, suggesting the film is not just about a snob, but made by one. As for the scene in which Simpson writhes away to the Sex Pistols' Pretty Vacant, presumably this is Madonna displaying heretofore hidden satirical tendencies and making sparkling fun of Baz Luhrmann.

All that aside, it's not as bad as I expected. Having not seen the cut shown in Venice, I don't know whether the one I saw in London on Sunday has been drastically overhauled. In any event, this version is trite, misguided, beautiful and vaguely coherent. There's another quote for the posters.

It also subscribes to a certain film theory that has always interested me: the Inconvenient Nazi theory. Along with the British royalty and mental or physical disability, Nazis are an Oscars lubricant, easing one's path down the red carpet and straight up to the podium. Sorry, first world war: you may have been the great war, but you didn't have distinctive uniforms. Do you have any other special talents? Singing? Can you balance a broom on your chin? No? You really need to work on getting a USP if you want to get cast more.

But some contrary film-makers, for various reasons, do their damnedest to avoid the whole "Nazi unpleasantness", even if their chosen plots make it seemingly unavoidable. For these film-makers, the Nazis are, well, a bit inconvenient. As they were for many.

Coco Before Chanel presented the designer as a charming little peasant, as opposed to the recent biography Sleeping With the Enemy, where she is depicted as a vehement antisemite who had a relationship with a Nazi during the occupation and possibly collaborated. In the kitschy Life is Beautiful, the Nazis were something one could triumph over with laughter.

W.E. is possibly the greatest example yet of this genre. I couldn't see the thank you to Leni Riefenstahl, film-maker and mate of Adolf, that was reportedly in the end credits in the version shown in Venice, and that is not the only respect in which Madonna tries to downplay Nazi references in the film. Most agree that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor had, shall we say, some dodgy politics. They socialised happily with Hitler and he reportedly supported appeasement and possibly even an alliance with Germany.

Madonna does not think that. The only people who voice such thoughts are the film's real baddies, including, impressively, the future Queen Mother, who is depicted here as a power-hungry destroyer of families. There is something so adorably naive about Inconvenient Nazi films that I almost admire them. "Truth is subjective," Madonna insisted after the film. Unfortunately, photos showing the Duke and Duchess smiling humbly at Hitler when they met him on a trip to his Bavarian retreat near Berchtesgaden are less so. Sandra Hebron, artistic director of the BFI London Film Festival, where the film had its UK premiere, praised Madonna's "understanding and empathy" with Simpson. But if Madonna really needed to find some sort of parallel for her life as an American who found herself in cold, unfriendly Europe, could she not have chosen, say, a Henry James heroine or, indeed, anyone who had never been matey with Hitler? Not only would she not have to break her back bending over to defend her doppelgänger's political leanings, but I for one would love to see her take on The Golden Bowl, a book I always thought just needed a bit of livening up from the Sex Pistols.

A caffeine-fuelled protest

Is Starbucks incompatible with protest? Yes, is the verdict from Melanie Phillips and Louise Mensch. Mensch, who increasingly is contravening the Trades Descriptions Act for she is no mensch, somehow bagged one of Have I Got News For You's notoriously few chairs available for women and promptly wasted it by making an idiot out of herself, sneering at protesters who buy Starbucks, have iPhones and sleep in something called "fancy tents". "You can't be against capitalism and then take everything it provides," she chortled, as though the protesters are shorting the sub-prime mortgage market instead of buying a cup of coffee.

Similarly, Phillips sees hypocrisy where others see caffeine, railing against "this mob rule by spoiled children" who "have been recharging their mobile phones at that temple of Mammon, Starbucks". Both seem to have confused "protest against the inequities of the financial system" with "anarchy in the name of bringing down society".

Now if the protesters were recharging the gold-plated phones they'd received as part of their bonuses at Goldman Sachs in the offices of, say, Lehman Brothers, Phillips and Mensch might have a point. As it is, they weren't and so they don't, and perhaps Mensch and Philips could cut down on the caffeine themselves.

• This article was amended on 26 October 2011. The original referred to the Duke and Duchess of Wales. This has been corrected.

Monday, 24 October 2011

Discover Facebook Smileys


Dear Friends,today I am going to write about the facebook smileys. Smileys are those pics by which we can describe our mood while chatting with our friends. Just you have to enter the emoticon codes in
Read more »

Saturday, 3 September 2011

Changing GNOME 3 wallpaper

I have been using fedora with gnome 3 for many months.Even though GNOME 3 is a great release,its has some rough edges too.In this example I will explain how to change the wallpaper in regular interval(say 1 minute interval).Here I am using perl script to accomplish my goal.You can also use python to do the same.Following are the steps
  1. Create a directory(ex: /home/senan/wallpaper) and copy all the images to it or you can use the default wallpaper directory
  2. we will store the image names in array
  3. Then we will pick an image randomly and set it as wallpaper using gsettings every 10 seconds
use the following perl script to do the above things


#!/usr/bin/perl -w
#
# Author : Prabhendu V Senan
# Description : This is a perl script for changing the Gnome wallpaper in a specified time interval
# File Name : change_wall.pl
#

# Directory containing the wallpaper images
$wallDir = '/home/senan/wallpaper';

# Wallpaper change interval time

$interval = 10;

# First check whether the directory containing images exists or not

unless(-d $wallDir)
{
print "There is no such $wallDir directory \n";
exit();
}

# Parse the directory,get all the image filenames and fill it into an array

@images = `find $wallDir -type f | grep [jJ]*[pP][nN]*[eE]*[gG]`;

chomp(@images);

#if the directory has no images,Exit()

if(@images == 0)
{
print "No Images found in $wallDir \n";
exit();
}

my $nowShowin;

while(1)
{
$nowShowing = $images[rand(@images)];
`gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri "file:///$nowShowing"`;
sleep($interval);
}

To run the script: Copy and paste it into your favourite text editor.
  1.  Save the file(ex:wallChange.pl
  2.  Make it executable(ex: chmod +x wallChange.pl)
  3.  CD to script dir and run the script :-)
  4.  To run the script during start up:Open gnome-session-properties->Add->Browse the script and add :-) 
  5. Restart your computer



Tuesday, 23 August 2011

Writing a simple app to resolve IP Address from host name

In Linux and Windows we can use various command line utilities to resolve IP address from a host name. Here I am using visual studio 2010 to create a simple GUI app that will give the ip address of a user supplied hostname. It very simple to create an app like this using vs 2010 because we can make use of the existing base class libraries to accomplish the task.

First Open visual Studio->Create New Project

Language C# and choose windows Form Project.

For the GUI Part we need two text fields one for host name and one for IP Address. Also a button named  “Get IP”.In the click event of the button we write code to get ip address.After designing the UI,It will look like this










 To get the IP Address we need to use the following System.Net namespace like this
using System.Net;
 The above name space contains a class called  IPHostEntry and using the method Dns.GetHostEntry(),We can get the IP Address corresponding to a host name :-)
 IPHostEntry iHost = null;
iHost = Dns.GetHostEntry(hostName);
txt_ip.Text = iHost.AddressList[0].ToString();
To download the solution and executable file please click here



Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Try ESET NOD Antivirus Keys for free registeration

Dear Friends Today I want to share the user names and passwords for NOD 32 antivirus. The first step is to download it. The following are the usernames and passwords for the said antivirus program. You an try one of them:
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Tuesday, 19 July 2011

Register Your AVG Antivirus 9.0

Dear Friends, Today I am going to share some of the information regarding the antivirus registeration. Generally we dont want to buy an antivirus program rather we only rely upon the trial versions of antivirus programs. For your ease I have collected some of the serial keys of AVG 9.0 which might help you and You will not change your antivirus program for a long period. Just do the following steps.
Read more »

Friday, 15 July 2011

My first look at fedora 15

Hello All, In this blog post I am going to take a look at Fedora 15 Gnome 3 desktop. Fedora is one of the Leading GNU/Linux distribution providing GNOME3 as Default desktop environment

Installing Linux is not a big deal now a days because tons of tutorials available on the internet. Also schools and colleges use Linux in desktops and servers. Here in Kerala almost  all the schools(as far as I know) use Linux to teach IT and I heard a news that they are switching to ubuntu from  a custom debian based desktop developed by the government IT Organization.

If you want to try or Linux you don’t need to write the ISO image to a disk. There are many software utilities available today  that can make a bootable Linux usb drive from the iso images(If your computer is capable of booting from usb drive) .One such utility is unetbootin. It support many Linux distributions and you can download it from here. . Fedora is also providing a live usb creator, for details click here

Let’s take  look at fedora 15

Look and Feel:

Fedora 15 comes with GNOME 3 Desktop environment. I am a big fan of the GNOME desktop and I used the live CD for installing fedora. GNOME  3 is completely redesigned  desktop environment with usability in mind.

After logging in you will be greeted with a desktop with no icons..wow I personally prefer that scheme because I don't put anything on desktop.It will be zen desktop with just  a wallpaper :-)

Where are the applications in GNOME3? For that just place your mouse on top of the activities on the top left corner of the screen then you can see the favorite’s panel, windows and applications. You can easily add an application to the favorite’s panel by just dragging and dropping the application to the panel.

The title bar has only close button so where is minimize and maximize buttons? Do they forgot to include that? No actually you don’t need those buttons because you can maximize a window by jut double clicking the title bar or just dragging it to the top of the screen. To minimize just use the middle mouse button click on the title bar. You can also put minimize and maximize buttons using gnome-tweak-tool

Tweaking Desktop:

The main thing I dislike in fedora gnome3 is the icon themes and shell themes. To change the themes and icons you can use the Gnome-tweak-tool. To install that you can use either yum or Add/Remove software (GUI). I will explain how to install Gnome Shell themes and Icon themes in another post.

Installing Applications:

To install or remove applications you can use the Add/remove software  application. LibreOffice is not included with the CD release,all the other common apps are already installed by default. To Install flash and mp3 plug-in you need to manually configure the repository :-( and details available on fedora wiki

The last thing is about shutting down your computer :-)

How do I shut down my computer because there is no shutdown option listed when I click the user name on the top right corner of the desktop.The trick is click on the username then a popup window will appear then press the 'ALT' key now the suspend will be changed to Power off

Conclusions:

Fedora 15 Gnome 3 is a great release and with many features however it has also some rough edges. At some places you still need to configure things using the command line in fedora.It will be good choice if you are not afraid of the commandline.So my suggestion is to use ubuntu if you are a NEWBIE because ubuntu is well polished compared to fedora. You don’t need any commandline skills(in most cases) when using Ubuntu.But keep in mind that ubuntu doesn’t  ship with gnome 3,they use Unity shell .You can install gnome 3 after installing ubuntu.

Saturday, 9 July 2011

A preview of Gmail’s new look

Gmail will recently be viewed by its users in a new look. As the
We get a lot of great feedback about how Gmail helps you be more efficient, keep in touch with family and friends, and get work done.
Read more »

Using a Wi-Fi powered laptop as an Access point for sharing internet connection


In this blog post I am going to explain how we can use a Wi-Fi enabled laptop as an Access point for sharing internet .All you need is a Wi-Fi enabled laptop, a wired internet connectivity(idea netsetter, mobile modem, wired broadband).I am using  my Nokia E71 modem for setting up a Wi-Fi network on Windows 7 home premium

Step 1:

Connect your device to computer and establish a connection to internet.

Step 2:

Go to network and sharing center. For that right click the network icon on the taskbar 











In that open window select change adapter settings(top left corner of the window)








Right click the appropriate adapter and select properties. Since I am using E71, am going to take the properties for Nokia E71USB Modem. If you are using Idea Internet choose it



















Make sure that Allow other network users to connect through this computers internet Connection is Checked (Sometimes it will show a message about username and password, don’t worry just click ok).
Select Home Networking Connection: as Wireless Network Connection (It’s just blow the checkbox)
Now Click Ok button to finish adapter settings

Step 3:

If the connection is active, it will show a warning since the connection is active the settings can be applied only next time when the connection is active. Just disconnect and reconnect the device

Step 4:

Now we are going to create an Ad-Hoc network. For that do the following
Open Network and Sharing Center as Before









Click set up a new connection or network














Scroll down to bottom and Select Set up a wireless ad hoc network and Click next and again next
















Choose a name for the Network (any name), Security type and Security key. Here I chose No authentication (anybody having a Wi-Fi device can connect).If you want to control access then choose another security type. Make sure that save this network is checked, otherwise changes will be lost in next reboot
Click next and close the wizard

Step 5:

Now switch on your laptops Wi-Fi. Click on the network icon in the taskbar. You will see something like this


















Click Dragon Fly and click Connect button. We are done. Now it’s the time to check whether it is working properly or not. Connect to internet if your connection is not active. Take another wifi powered device and scan for network. Then connect to internet using the “Dragon Fly” access point
Happy Browsing J