A Modern Fairy tale

The 29th of April 2011 is a day which many of us all around the world will never forget. It was the day the world joined Britain in celebrating the wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William. There was a great deal of speculation about what the bride would wear and how she would look. Despite frantic efforts by the media the designer and the gown remained a closely guarded secret.

But it was all worth the wait and the suspense.Kate made a beautiful bride. Her dress was simple yet elegant falling beautifully into box pleats as she stepped out of the car and made her way down the red carpet at Westminster Abbey.She wore a short veil and the train of her gown was in perfect proportion to her dress.

The dress with its long fitted lace sleeves and lace bodice was traditional and yet beautiful in its understated simplicity. Kate was calm and collected as she made her way down the aisle on her fathers arm.

Her sister Pippa who was her bridesmaid, looked stunning in a simple fitted white dress.

Both Prince William and best man Prince Harry looked dashing in their official uniforms.
As the bride walked down the aisle, the sun came out and the crowds waiting eagerly outside cheered noisily.
. The trees decorating the inside of the church added a touch of nature to the celebration.
The actual ceremony was short and sweet and all too soon the royal couple made their way to the open carriage waiting for them outside the church.
The bridal procession was magnificent. The pomp, the show , the pageantry-it was a sight worth seeing. At the centre of all the excitement was the beautiful bride and her handsome prince. The couple waved to the crowd which roared in excitement. Following the bride were a number of carriages carrying other members of the royal family. The carriages, the horses, the footmen - It looked like a scene from medieval times and yet there was this very modern and beautiful couple who had just got married.
It was a wonderful day...A fairy tale come true....A beautiful young girl had married a handsome prince and had become a princess and future queen of the country. It was the stuff dreams are made of.
As the couple appeared on the famous balcony at Buckingham Palace and kissed not once but twice the crowd applauded and chanted their approval.
A wedding is a day of hope and excitement, a new beginning..For a day people all over the world were able to put aside all their problems and worries...This royal wedding makes one believe in romance and love...It is a reminder that dreams can come true.
It is a modern fairy tale


Image  http://www.news-world.us/index.php/2011/04/kate-william-wedding-cake/

American Idol-The top six

This week the top six performed the music of Carol King, a famous singer and song writer. With the royal wedding around the corner, enthusiasm for the show dropped and  ratings fell by 5%..

This week apart from the individual performances by the top six, the audience were entertained with 3 duets.

Casey and Haley sang "I feel the Earth Move". It was an average performance. Judge Steven hinted about an affair between the pair and asked  Casey if he was in love with Haley, a question which remained unanswered to the disappointment of the audience.

Lauren and Scotty performed their third duet together, singing "Up on the Road". The performnace was not as good as their earlier duets. The pair also squashed any rumours of a budding romance by saying they viewed each other as brother and sister.

The best duet of the night was by Jacob and James.who sang "Something good". It was a lively performanc with a lot of acting and the audience loved it.

The individual performances were not as good as they were last week when every performance was superb.I think that the singing itself was good but some of the songs chosen were a bit dull

 The best performance of the night was James singing "Will you still love me?" .Randy said that this performance proved that James was not only a great rocker but a great singer as well. With last weeks excellent performance under his belt, James has emerged as a serious contender for becoming the next American Idol.

Casey gave a superb performance of "Hi De Ho". He is a brilliant performer and a great entertainer. I loved the way he played a few bars on the piano at the beginning of the song.
Despite  a superb performance and lavish praises from the judges, Casey was voted out of the show the next day.
This just goes to show that no one knows what happens next on American Idol and the competition can still be any ones game.

Casey went out with a bang giving a very entertauning performance in which he hugged the judges and a number of adoring fans in the audience. There has never been another performar like Casey and we will all miss him.

Scotty and Jacob were also in the bottom three.

But for now America has chosen its top five and we can look forward to some brilliant performances next week from James, Jacob, Scotty, Lauren and Haley.


Image   http://www.bsckids.com/2011/04/american-idol-top-6-sing-carol-king-performance-reviews/






. The best performance of the night for me was

American Idol Season 10 - Top Eleven

What a depressing week this has been. An earthquake, a tsunami, a  massive loss of lives and the threat of a nuclear disaster in Japan.

But the show must go on.

This week American Idol ( season 10. Episode 18) began the show on a very sombre note

The three judges together with Ryan extended their sympathy to Japan and its people. They announced that the proceeds from the sale of this weeks songs available on i-tunes would go towards helping Japan.

The show which was aired on March 16, 2011 featured America's top twelve singers singing songs from their birth year

The show opened with Naima Adedepo (1984) singing Whats Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner. Naima was looking her usual exotic self but she did not manage to wow the judges who thought her voice was a bit pitchy.

Next cane Paul McDonald (1984) singing an Elton John  number I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues. Paul bad been down with the flu and had a sore throat which made his voice was raspier than ever.However he managed to please the judges. Steven Tyler enigmatically called him a "cool dude with a loose mood". I am not quite sure what that means.

Thia Megia (1995) , the youngest contestant of the show, looking her usual simple. pretty self sang a ballad Colours of the Wind which had originally been sung by Vanessa Williams in the Disney classic Pocahontas. The performance was sweet and I enjoyed it but the judges urged her to avoid being safe and to go for songs which showcased her voice.

 Rocker James Durbin (1989) sang  I'll be there for You by Bon Jovi. It was a good performance and Steven Tyler promised to join James on the stage if he had it to the finale.

Haley Reinhert (1990) failed to impress with a Whitney Houston number I'm Your Baby Tonight. Hailey had an embarrassing moment as a gallant Ryan tried to blot out the bright red lipstick which had smudged over her face.

The judges just loved wild card contestant Stefano Langone (1989) who sang If You Don't Know Me Now by Simply Red. Randy called it the best performance of the night. It was my favourite performance. I feel that this extremely likable singer has the talent to make it all the way to the top.

Pia Toscano (1988) gave another great performance singing Where Do Broken Hearts Go by Whitney Houston. Randy said that Pia was in it to win it and Steven said that she was the reason why the show was called American Idol.

Country singer Scotty Mc Creery (1993) famous for his deep voice wowed the judges who were impressed by his growth in the competition.. He sang Travis Trip's Can I Trust You With My Heart.

Looking stunning in black leather boots and a black mini dress Karen Rodriguez (1989 ) gave a rather lack lustre performance for the second night in a row.The judges said that her performance of Love Will Lead You Back by Taylor Dayne was better than her last performance but still not good enough.

The judges loved Casey Abrams (1991) singing Smells Like Teen Spirit This was the first ever Nirvana song to be performed on Idol and the judges applauded him for not being afraid to take risks.

Lauren Alaina (1994) was another idol who was down with the flu. But the judges loved her rendition of I'm The Only One by Melissa Etheridge. They said that her sickness had actually improved the quality of her voice.

The final performance of the night was by gospel singer Jacob Lusk (1987) who pleased the judges with his muted  performance of Alone By Heart.

There were so many good performances that the judges said that this was developing into a hot  competition.

I feel that. on the whole, the boys gave  more solid performances than the girls.

This was proved the next night in the Result Show.. 

Three girls Naima, Haley and Karen were in the bottom three . Naima was saved first , followed by Haley.

A disappointed Karen had to sing for her life but failed to impress the judges. She was voted out of the show.




Image http://www.news.raafatrola.com/entertainment/tv/637-next-american-idol-will-enjoy-thursday-nights























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Natures fury

Japan is the most developed country in Asia and one of the most developed countries in the world. Being in the ring of fire, a zone of seismic activity in the Pacific region Japan had taken every precaution and was fully geared up to meet the very real possibility of an earthquake.

Then disaster struck and despite being one of the most prepared nations in the world Japan cowered under natures fury.
First there was the massive earthquake and then an earthquake triggered tsunami. Over eight thousand people have lost their lives and eleven thousand are still missing.The coastline is covered with debris. Mangled cars, capsized boats,broken houses are scattered everywhere. Once genteel villages have vanished. There were fires everywhere. Japan is even now facing the challenge of a nuclear crisis.
Looking at the pictures and listening to the news , I cant even begin to imagine what the Japanese people must be going through.
It makes me realise just how vulnerable we all are.
We think we are so powerful with our fancy cars, our latest gadgets and our posh houses which we try to cram with every comfort possible. Japan had all the latest technology and a sophisticated system of nuclear reactors to guarantee an almost limitless supply of power.Everything was well organised, All contingency plans were in place.
Yet they were no competition for natures fury.
Looking back at the events of the last week I cant help but realise how very powerless we are and how we are no match for nature.
Anything can happen to any one at any time.
The thought scares me . I cower with the thought of my own helplessness and insignificance.



Image   http://www.shmula.com/japan-earthquake-2011-queueing/8321/

It all happened in an instant

. It was a calm peaceful Friday afternoon . People were already planning for the weekend ahead,when disaster struck.It just took an instant for life to change forever for the people of Japan

 First there was the earth quake.A massive 9.0 earthquake. Japan is in the ring of fire- a zone of seismic activity in the  Pacific region.They live under the constant threat of earthquakes. Their houses are built to withstand the impact of an earthquake,there are warning systems and disaster management plans in place..But they have never experienced such a high intensity earthquake.As the ground trembled with strong aftershocks people scrambled around in panic as they tried to protect themselves.

But the worst was not over.Within half an hour Japan felt natures fury once again as a violent tsunami swept over the north east coast, destroying everything in its path. Cars were lifted as if they were plastic toys, buildings were destroyed, ships were overthrown and a train was flung far away from its tracks.As the wild waters carried everything in its path, the debris caused even more damage.People were swept away and villages were destroyed. The death toll is mounting with each passing day.Today over six thousand people are reported dead and over seven thousand are still missing.

They say that trouble comes in threes. After a massive earthquake and a monstrous tsunami Japan is now battling against a nuclear meltdown. The force of the water destroyed the pumping systems which had been built to control the temperatures in the nuclear plants.The Japanese are cautious people. They had made alternate plans to be deployed in case of an emergency. Incredibly all plans failed.

Today many brave Japanese are courageously trying to save the situation. They are using helicopters to dump water over the reactors to try and cool down the spent fuel . But things can go either way and radiation levels are known to be rising.

Amidst all this tragedy and uncertainty the Japanese people have remained calm and cool. There is no fighting, no panic , no looting. They accept everything stoically.This is their worst disaster since World War when Hydrogen bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Refusing to be defeated they went on to become the third most developed country in the world.

Today even as Japan struggles with widespread destruction and tragedy and even as they mourn for the loss of life and the misery of over four million people who have been evacuated form their homes one thing is clear. Japan is going to emerge from this disaster, stronger than ever.


Image   http://newamericamedia.org/2011/03/tsunami-country-man-vs-nature-in-japans-devastated-northeast.php

Earthquake of 8.9 magnitude devastates Japan

Less than 10 hours ago ,there was a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake on the Pacific coast of Japan.This was followed by over 30 powerful aftershocks.The earthquake was so powerful that it is reported that the tremors were felt up to Beijing.

Within a short time, the earthquake triggered a deadly tsunami which swept over the north-eastern coast of Japan causing widespread destruction . The huge waves swept inwards carrying a deadly load of debris which destroyed everything in its path

Houses crumbled and cars were carried and tossed by the massive waves.

A tragedy of epic proportions is unfolding in Japan. There has already been a huge loss of human life and the worst is not yet over. There are over 80 fires raging around Japan including a massive fire at an oil refinery. Two nuclear plants are in danger and have been shut down. Thankfully, there are no reports of any radiation leaks.

Two of the airports have been shut down..There has been a complete breakdown of transport and communications systems. A ship carrying over a 100 passengers was swept into the sea by the tsunami. A passenger train has been reported as missing..

Even as the government tries to take control of the situation, offers of help and support are pouring in from all quarters of the world

.But the danger is not over. Nor is it confined to Japan. Over 50 countries located in the Pacific Rim face the danger of the tsunami which is already making its way across the Pacific Ocean. An alert has been sounded to all places in its path.Right now the gigantic wave is reported to be speeding towards the western coast of the USA. It is shortly expected to strike the coastal region of California.

People in the danger zones have been advised to stay away from the beaches and the sea. They have been asked to evacuate to higher lying ares. We hope and pray that these places do not feel the fury of the tsunami and that people follow the safety instructionas and remain safe.

But for Japan, its going to be a long night


Image  http://2daynewsupdates.blogspot.com/

The fabulous sisters

It was so lovely to see  Joan and Jackie Collins being interviewed on 'Piers Morgan Tonight'. It was the first time the famous sisters had appeared on an interview together, It was a real scoop for Piers and a great treat for the viewers.

Famous actress, Joan Collins, is best known for her memorable role as the glamorous Alexis in the the hit television series Dynasty.She is also a successful writer with a number of bestselling novels and several lifestyle books to her credit .
But the famous writer in the family is younger sister Jackie Collins who has written 27 novels all of which made to the New York Times best selling list
The two sisters looked gorgeous.No one would say they were in their seventies.They  both denied ever going to the plastic surgeon to enhance their looks. We got to see a couple of their photos when they were young and both of them were very beautiful.
The two sisters reminisced about their childhood and talked about their dad who was very strict. He was a dominating man who never appreciated his daughters despite the success they both managed to
achieve.
Jackie told us how from a very young age she wanted to be a writer. Joan it seems was a good artist and loved making sketches and Jackie would quickly write a story about the characters in the drawing.
She told us how at the age of 15 she left her home in Britain and went to join her sister who was making a name for herself in Hollywood.
Joan has been married five times but seems to have found the love of her life with Percy her fifth husband. Jackie was married twice .She left her first husband because of his drug abuse problem and her second husband died.
Jackie claims that she was very wild when she was young and all the experiences she had has been fodder for the very bold and racy books she writes.
It was a wonderful relaxed interview and both sisters had many interesting stories to tell.


Image   http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/celebrities/joan-and-jackie-collins