Friday, April 6, 2007

Kelly Clarkson


Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982 in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter and actress who has enjoyed success in the pop and rock music genres. Clarkson made her debut under RCA Records after she won the highly publicized first season of the television series American Idol in 2002. She was originally marketed as a pop musician with her debut album Thankful (2003). With the release of her multi-platinum sophomore album Breakaway (2004), Clarkson moved to a more pop rock-oriented style of music, and won two Grammy Awards. Clarkson's new album, entitled My December, is scheduled to be released in mid-2007.

I think the most attractive thing about here is she looks almost like a real human being, unlike so many high gloss celebs out there today (side note: Cannot stand her music, and loath the very concept of American Idol, but thats kinda besides the point here, isn't it?). Could be just a personal opinion, but meh, its my Blog.

TomC

Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Caroline Nonnenmacher Bündchen (born July 20, 1980) is a Brazilian supermodel who is considered the most famous and the highest-paid model in the world. Since her introduction to the fashion scene in the '90s she appeared in countless billboards and magazine covers, as well as numerous TV and print ads. Gisele is currently the face of more than 20 brands from different countries such as United States,Russia, Brazil, Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, Turkey, Korea, Germany and Switzerland. According to Forbes, Gisele made $30 million between June of 2005 and June of 2006. She also appears in Guinness World Records as the "world's richest supermodel", with a net worth of $150 million.

Gisele's debut on the cover the July 1999 edition of Vogue Magazine, and the accompanying editorial entitled, "The Return of the Curve" is widely viewed as marking the end of the"heroin chic" era. She would grace the cover again in November and December on her way to winning the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year for 1999, and a January 2000 cover shot would give her the rare honor of three consecutive Vogue covers in a row. In 2000 she was the fourth model in history to grace the cover of Rolling Stone, when she was named "the most beautiful girl in the world".

Since her debut, she has been the face of a variety of advertising campaigns including several seasons of Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace, Céline, Givenchy, Bvlgari, Lanvin, Guerlain, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Earl Jean, Zara, Chloé, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, and Victoria's Secret. Bündchen is also the face of several Brazilian brands like Vivo, Brazil's leading mobile company, Multiplan, Colcci and Credicard. After C&A Brazil hired her and started their television commercials, sales increased by 30%.

In May of 2006, Bündchen signed another multi-million dollar deal, this time with American giant Apple Computer. She starred in an advertising campaign to promote the new Macintosh line through the Get a Mac advertisements.

She has her own line of sandals with shoes company Grendene, called Ipanema Gisele Bündchen, which have sold more than 100 million pairs since 2001. She is also the owner of a hotel in the south of Brazil, the Palladium Executive.

Bündchen consistently works with photographers, like Nino Munoz, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, Mert and Marcus, Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Sorrenti and Patrick Demarchelier, among others.

Bündchen has also been on the covers of most of the main fashion magazines around the globe like, W, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Allure and many international editions of Vogue, as well as style and lifestyle publications like i-D, The Face, Arena, Citizen K, Flair, GQ, Esquire and Marie Claire. She has also been featured in broader market publications such as Time, Vanity Fair, Forbes, Newsweek, Veja.


TomC

Gurkha Doble Maduro Toro

6" X 52, Oscuro

Seem to be reviewing a lot of Gurkhas as of late. And getting a lot of very similar responses. But we will get to that in a minute. The Gurhka Doble Maduro (that's right, Doble and not Double, a pretty dumb gimmicky name, if you ask me) is a well made cigar, with a pretty looking deep smooth, vein less cocoa brown Oscuro Wrapper. This cigar clipped, burned, and drew perfectly, a sign again of a quality made cigar. Recently I have been mentioning a lot about how a well made cigar can enhance the flavor experience. that just may be the case with this stick, but unfortunately that was not enough to make this cigar great. This cigar was. . . . . .okay. Alas much like most Gurkhas. It had some nice maduro flavor, but nothing out of the standard stuff (like you could get in a decent bundled maduro cigar, even, Like a Consuegra #9 Maduro.). Also, this cigar seemed surprisingly mild for an Oscuro Wrappered cigar. This cigar is not worthy of a full stogie write up, and it will not get one as such. That said, this is not a baaaaad cigar, but it was mildly dissapointing, alas.

TomC

Good Friday


Good Friday is the Friday before Easter or Pascha. It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus at Calvary. This year, it is on April 6, 2007.

Good Friday is a holy day observed by most Christian religions. Special prayer services are often held on this day with readings from the Gospel giving accounts of the events leading up to the crucifixion. Mainstream Christian churches view Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and vicarious act, and one by which, along with resurrection on the third day, death itself was conquered.

Roman Catholic Christians treat Good Friday as a fast day, which is defined as only having one large meal (but still smaller than a regular meal) and two small ones not equaling the large one. In the United States, it is not a day of abstention from work however; people work until shortly before the beginning of the afternoon liturgy. In Latin America, all Catholics have work abstention on Good Friday (as well as Holy Thursday, the day of the last supper).

The Catholic Good Friday in the Roman Rite afternoon liturgy - held around 3 p.m., the time Christ is said in the bible to have died, in those countries where Good Friday is a public holiday - involves a series of readings and meditations, as well as the (sung) reading of the Passion account from the Gospel of John which is often read dramatically, with the priest, one or more readers, and the congregation all taking part. In the traditional Latin liturgy, the Passion is read by the priest facing the altar, with three deacons chanting in the sanctuary facing the people. Unlike Roman Catholic services on other days, the Good Friday liturgy is not a Mass as it lacks the consecration, the central element to the Mass, and in fact, celebration of Catholic Mass on Good Friday is forbidden; unlike the Eastern Churches, the feast of the Annunciation is moved to the week after Easter if it should fall on Good Friday. Eucharist consecrated the night before (Holy Thursday) may be distributed (otherwise, it is only available as viaticum for the dying). The violet draping is removed from a Crucifix (not required to be the same one which is on or near the altar at other times of the year) with the people given an opportunity to venerate it. The services also include a long series of formal intercessions. The solemnity and somberness of the occasion has led to a phenomenon whereby in the course of history the liturgical provisions have a tendency to persist without substantial modification, even over the centuries (Anton Baumstark). In some countries, such as Malta, Italy, Philippines and Spain, processions with statues representing the Passion of Christ are held.

(The Shrine of St. Rita's, Lowell MA, the center of Holy Week in my young life.)

For those among us who are not catholic, or were interested.

TomC

Jon Lester makes Minor League Start; First Since Cancer Recovery


Jon Lester made a successful return to the mound on Thursday night, but Wilmer Pino delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Charleston RiverDogs a 1-0 triumph over the Greenville Drive.

Lester looked sharp in his first start since being diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma last August. He allowed two hits and one walk with five strikeouts over four scoreless innings.

The 23-year-old left-hander, who was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA with the Red Sox last season, underwent six chemotherapy treatments and reported to Boston's training camp cancer-free. He is expected to make three more rehabilitation starts for Class A Greenville to build up his stamina.

But after reaching 96 mph on the radar gun at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark, it might not be long before Lester returns to Fenway Park.

It might have been an A ball start, but his like looks promising:

4IP 2H 0ER 1BB 5K


This is a guy I can rally behind, I hope to see him in Fenway as the 5th starter soon!

TomC