Did you ever think that the reason you can’t get through to her is because she talks so much? Or the other way round, why doesn't he say anything? Well put on your sunglasses because here is a news flash – guys talk just as much as girls. According to a new peer reviewed report to be published this Friday, women use 16,215 words a day as compared to men who use 15,669. The difference of 546 is “statistically insignificant”. Check out the Miami herald to read more about the study.

Despite the new studies and changes in perception that we go through everyday, we would all be wise to choose carefully what we say. And while we are building up our word counts please don’t forget to put together three words - "I love you".

COMMENTS

Haha! Made you click! Wait. . . before you leave let's talk about the future - seriously.

My theory is that you get rich not by spending money, but by saving it. (If you disagree, please leave a polite comment). So I'm thinking about what to write as a blog and I'm thinking about Borders. You know "Borders", the book store that is more than just a book store. It's like the library your Aunt Jemma built with a nice cafe, some comfy chairs and thoughtful music in the background. I have very little money to spend and buying books is on the bottom of my list but I do like to read so Borders is perfect. I buy a book once in a while maybe a drink.

What if there was a “Borders-for-bikes”? You know, you want to go hiking and get fit but you don't do that every weekend. You just want a bike for this summer because your boyfriend is a real adventure buff. Do you want to spend $400+ on a bike just for this weekend? Maybe you'll never ride it again. So you go to the "Borders-for-bikes”, get one for let's say $50 and bring it back at the end of the month. (Economists with more realistic estimates please leave a comment.)

I'm not just thinking renting equipment that is so 20th century! I'm talking about returning your PC to the store after 2 years and getting a new one at half price. Then they take the old one apart and reincarnate it as your dishwasher. Can you see what I see or is my font not big enough? So the iPhone is coming out on the 29th of June (too early for Santa, ouch!) but how about if you could return the iPod mini-nano-wamo-whatever and get a rebate on the iPhone?

It is like renewable business model for the 21st century that would definitely save you money – if it existed. I just hope Google reads this and hires me to make it happen. Fingers crossed.

PS: I arranged everything with nice little headers for the speed readers who just want the juicy bit without the build up.

PSS: Oh discussions happen over here.

Maybe it is because I am new to the “city of Nashville!” (say it like the narrator on the Power puff girls), but this sudden turn in the weather is troubling me. It is getting harder to cycle without coming back home as a sweaty mess and even harder to get a good night’s sleep.

Being the creative personality that I am, instead of buying more antiperspirants which irritate me and the environment or cranking-up the air conditioning, ditto, I would rather start a mini-revolution – Daylight wasting time.

The idea is very simple. In winter we turn the clocks back by one hour so we get more time in the Sun, why don’t we turn them forward TWO hours to AVOID the Sun! Com’on, I know my logic is flawless and for once stop being so rational and just feel me on this one. Here's how it would work.

You would get up at 8 am, which would in reality be 6 am, and drive to work in the cool of the day. You would get home at 5 pm, which would be 7 pm, when the sun is actually setting. Next to hibernation I think this is the most natural way to deal with nature and her seasonal mind games.

Don’t spend another night tossing and turning as your body tries to switch circadian gears. The panel is now open for discussion.

Interesting predictions from a music legend, but what’s of equal interest to me is that he predicted all of this would take place within ten years. We are half way there now from the time he made those statements. While I don’t believe copyright will ever cease to exist; I do think he may have been right about everything else. Over 30,000 albums are released annually; of that 30,000+ only about 250 ever sell more than 10,000 units. And on average, 30 or less albums released each year ever reaches platinum status (1 million units sold in the U.S.). The so called “big box” retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy and Circuit City account for around 50% of all CD’s sold in the U.S. They sell music as a loss-leader to draw their customers in. You can buy CD’s cheaper at these outlets than just about anywhere else. Their loss-leader strategy with music is simple and effective; while you’re there, in addition to Jay-Z, you’ll also pick up a toaster, a coffee maker, and a Coke. Brilliant!

The problem is their selection is so scaled down that you’ll only find the top-sellers. If you’re into indie music that’s a little under the radar, look elsewhere because there is only so much shelf space and they depend on every slot to deliver a certain amount of revenue. In some cases, they require record labels to guarantee those sales and will charge the difference back to the labels if expectations are not met. Somewhere along the line, the goals of the record labels and their major retail partners went separate ways. I think instead of the industry fighting the changes that the internet and the digital age are bringing, they should be embracing them and engaging the digital music fan instead of suing them. I believe piracy needs to be stopped, but there is a better way. It’s time to develop a new model that works for music fans and labels.

Look at radio these days; there are a lot of similarities between radio and retail. Radio stations have been consolidated nationwide due to legislation passed in 1996 that allowed corporations to own practically as many stations as they wanted to. Prior to that, owners were capped at about 40 stations nationwide. With the consolidated ownership came consolidated playlists; it’s very common to find stations with a playlist only 20 songs deep. So between radio’s depth-deprived playlists and the narrowing selection at retail, the very creative soul of the music industry is being squeezed into an ever-narrowing box to fit a certain mold or formula and people are taking fewer chances nowadays. That’s not what music is about. The thing is though; the industry will adapt or be left behind because there are a lot of creative minds out there leaving the traditional behind in pursuit of their dreams using unconventional means.

What if labels started acting more like networks and used the enormous platforms they have to draw us in; to talk to us and listen too. What if these networks brought their music directly to the people? It seems that for the most part labels are not pursuing anything along these lines. What if the labels “broadcasted” direct to THEIR customers – fans of their artists? Instead of depending on radio, retail and other traditional means, what if they created a direct link?

Imagine a DRM-free market where you could listen to music direct from the labels… any label and get exactly what you want when you want it. I'm a fan of the subscription model. Technology has a little ways to go yet to make this universally possible on a grand scale, but what if you could pay an extra $10 or $15 a month like a utility bill for DRM-free music with unlimited use, digitally delivered to your home system, car stereo, computer, portable device and mobile phone? Would you do it? Who wouldn’t! I think tens of millions would and eventually the total money spent on music subscriptions would by far exceed what labels are currently earning.

Imagine if you had access to virtually every piece of music ever recorded and it would be at your fingertips 24/7. No such thing as an “out of print” album; no such thing as out of stock. This is happening already and eventually everything will be available online. What if the labels decided to provide their content directly to consumers? What if they shifted their way of thinking and built an infrastructure directly linking them to us? What if they focused on building a community?

Think part iTunes, part Napster, part Xbox Live, part satellite radio, part cable TV, part internet, and part wi-fi… these already exist; we just haven’t connected all the dots yet. I think in this new digital age, the idea of labels creating a community-based network for music fans all over the world would not only create new and improved revenues for the labels, but would also encourage direct interaction between labels and fans. Imagine a network that allowed you to legally share your playlists, chat with people with similar interests in music, talk directly with the artists, get sneak peeks behind the scenes at the labels, in the studio, etc. Imagine what potential opportunities such a network or community would provide for ministry with all that interaction throughout the world. Music is a lifestyle thing and it’s something that everybody uses. It’s one of the most universally shared bonds in the human experience. Technology is bringing an opportunity that shouldn’t be squandered.

I work in the music business and sometimes it’s a scary place to be. When you read the statistics and you hear about one corporate merger after another and the downsizing that always follows, you start to wonder where this is all going. At the end of the day, the music industry will survive, but if statistics and sales figures are any indication something has to change. A new model is indeed emerging and a new world awaits the creative thinkers who embrace it. Imagine a music community of fans and artists driving the industry rather than being driven by it… this is just the beginning. Thanks for listening.
COMMENTS

Basically, EMI and Apple have been listening to its customers and gave them the two biggest things they’ve been wanting. Keep in mind there’s a small cost difference – 99 cents up to 1.29 per track – but it’s well worth the trade-off. First, a lot of people, myself included, have been turned off by the file quality you get when you buy something digitally. If you buy a CD, it’s a huge format file, meaning it’s great quality, exactly how the band, producer, label and everyone in between wants you to hear it.

Right now, when you buy it on iTunes, you get a 128 kbps encoded file – about 20 times WORSE than CD quality. Ouch. So, the two companies decided to double the quality up to 256kbps. Good news – human hearing is not that amazing, and we can’t hear a ton of difference between that file and the CD version. Odds are, if you’re listening on iPod earbuds, it’ll sound like a dream.

Second, and much more interesting (read: nerdy), EMI is the first label to agree to sell songs on iTunes without Digital Rights Management Protection (DRM). You might have heard your resident geek curse DRM in the past, skinny fists raised in the air, full of frustration. Well, what was he all mad about, anyway?

DRM basically stores a lot of data with the song you purchased, so it knows who you are, when and where you bought the song, and if you own the devices you’re using the song with. It is the virtual Big Brother of digital music. This prevents you from loading your songs onto different players, sometimes preventing or limiting you from burning a copy or loading onto a different computer.

Well, what if I want a backup CD-R to use in my car? What if I have a desktop computer and a laptop, or a home and work computer? What if I have a Zune, an iRiver, or any other non-Apple player but want to put my iTunes songs on it? Previously, I’d just be out of luck. Now, if I buy an EMI track on iTunes, I can do all those things and not run into anything blocking me or slapping my wrist. Basically, they’re allowing me the ability to use the music the way I want, on my terms – to me, this is the GREAT thing about digital music.

To sum up, EMI and Apple are really just extending a helping hand to us, the music lovers. They’ve given us a couple of great benefits to buying music on the go and in the digital format. They’re removing restrictions and increasing the quality of the thing we love most. Nerds everywhere, lift up your laptops and rejoice.
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"Coach Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts. Who upon winning the AFC Championship Game, first gave all the glory to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful thing to both see and hear. The owner of the team also thanked God first and foremost!"

"I respect MercyMe for going out into the world with the Gospel. I really respect the fact that "I Can Only Imagine" was a song that was definitely about Jesus Christ and Heaven and you weren't left wondering if that was who they were singing about, yet it was played a ton of times on secular radio stations, etc. I think it was a song that probably got people thinking about their eternal destination. I also respect Ron Luce (the speaker for Acquire the Fire and Teen Mania Ministries). I believe he is making a difference in the lives of youth all over the world. Thanks for letting me share!" -Abby

"I’ve always respected Amy Grant for sticking her neck out in the 80’s. I think she received the bulk of the grief back then, so now it’s considered “a good thing” by most church-goers." -Melissa

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Commercial advertising is amazing. Each of you probably have a story much like mine. We all know that advertising is the biggest strength to a business. What's everyones favorite part of the super bowl? The commercials. So I am here to advertise for a few products that are worth your while.

We are an apple generation, just admit it. So to go along with your macbook and your iPod, let me introduce iPhone. Here's what the apple website has to say. "iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone." It isn't available just yet, but when it is, its through cingular wireless. And you can bet that many people are going to be changing providers for this phone. Next on the list is Product (RED). Many of you have probably heard about (RED), but for those of you who haven't, here is a statement from www.joinred.com "(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT) RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. What's the meaning of the parentheses or brackets? Well, we call them "the embrace." Each company that becomes (RED) places its logo in this embrace and is then elevated to the power of red. Thus the name--(PRODUCT) RED. You, the consumer, can take your purchase to the power of (RED) simply by upgrading your choice. Thus the proposition: (YOU)RED. Be embraced, take your own fine self to the power of (RED). What better way to become a good-looking samaritan?!" Some of the companies involved where you can purchase (RED) products include: GAP (they have an extensive clothing line that includes tshirts, jackets, books, bracelets, bags, candles,etc.), Emporio Armani(they are selling(RED) watch), Motorola(a (RED) phone), Apple(a (RED) iPod Nano), Converse((RED) shoes), and American Express(a (RED) card). Each company varies in how much they give back to the Global Fund, starting with apple's $10 per Nano to GAP's 50% of each item.

Hope you guys had a wonderful holiday season. Hope you're sticking to your new year's resolutions. And don't worry, the Super Bowl is right around the corner. More advertising is coming!
COMMENTS

The number one movie is “The Pursuit of Happyness,” the drama/true story film starring Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith. Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a talented salesman who is struggling to get by and finds that he and his son have been evicted from their apartment without any place to go. The story is about the many hardships that Gardner and his son go through to reach his dream of a better life for himself and his son.

The number two movie is the science fiction/fantasy film “Eragon,” starring Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich. The story is about a boy named Eragon who finds a blue stone in a forest. At first he thinks that the stone will provide food for his family so they can survive the winter. However, he is not so lucky. Instead, the stone brings a dragon hatchling and he is forced into a world of magic and danger.

The number three movie is a remake of the children’s classic “Charlotte’s Web,” starring Dakota Fanning, with the voices of Julia Roberts, and Oprah Winfrey. The story is about a pig named Wilbur who is the runt of the litter. At first only a little girl named Fern thinks that Wilbur is a special animal, so she begins to raise him on her parents’ farm. After being moved to a new barn Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte. The friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte inspire the rest of the animals to be like a family. When they find out that the farmer is planning on slaughtering Wilbur, Charlotte begins to spin words in her web in an effort to save her friend’s life.

The number four movie is animated film “Happy Feet,” starring the voices of Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. The story is set in Antarctica with the Emperor penguins. In this penguin society you are nobody if you can’t sing. Unfortunately for Mumble he is a bad singer, so he is born dancing to his own tune. Mumble’s best friend since hatching, Gloria, happens to be the best singer. Noah the Elder, leader of Emperor Land, casts out Mumble for being so different. As an outcast Mumble meets other penguins called Adelie Amigos who instantly embrace Mumble and his dancing. While in Adelie Land, Mumble goes to Lovelace the Guru for advice. Lovelace the Guru is “a crazy-feathered Rockhopper penguin who will answer any of life’s questions for the price of a pebble.” After his journey with Lovelace and the Amigos, Mumble proves that you can make a difference by being true to yourself.

The number five movie is “The Holiday,” starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black and Jude Law. The story revolves around Iris, who is in love with an ex-boyfriend that is getting married to another woman, and Amanda, who discovers that the man she has been living with has been unfaithful. In an attempt to get over their relationship woes Iris and Amanda decide to swap houses for the holidays. Iris moves into Amanda’s home in sunny L.A. while Amanda moves into Iris’ snowy cottage in England. While adjusting to their new environment they both unexpectedly meet someone and romance ensues. Amanda meets Iris’ brother Graham and Iris meets Miles, a film composer who works with Amanda.

So dear moviegoers, if you haven’t seen these movies perhaps you should. Perhaps you can use seeing a movie as an excuse to step away for a while from the Christmas frenzy.

Happy holidays everyone!
COMMENTS

Ever since I was a child my favorite Christmas movie has been “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” (1983). Some may say it’s a tad immature, but I still enjoy it. Christmas is a time for spending time with the ones you love and along with family gatherings stories of old are told. “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” is a Disney remake of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Goofy is my all time favorite character of Jacob Marley’s ghost and Scrooge McDuck fits the character of Ebenezer Scrooge all too well. Of course Mickey Mouse is Bob Cratchit, but even with the obvious Disney character evolvements to Dickens’ characters, it’s an animated classic in my opinion that appeals to today’s children as well as those who were children when it was made.

My second choice has become a holiday favorite and new classic. I’m talking about “Home Alone” (1990). It’s a classic story of every child’s dream: they’re the boss and can do whatever they want without the interruption of their clueless parents and bully siblings. You know the story I’m sure. During the family’s morning rush to get to the airport on time, the youngest Kevin is accidentally forgotten and left behind after being sent to sleep in one of the extra spare beds set up for visiting family in the attic. He’s sent to the attic for misbehaving. When he awakes he thinks his wish came true and that his family has disappeared. The fun part is when he fights two amateur thieves who plan to break into his house. Thieves be warned, don’t mess with a small child. Their toys can become weapons and the video games they’ve played for hours on end have given them some ideas for war if they need to protect their turf. For those who aren’t as cheerful during this time of year, this movie will surely bring at least a smile to your face.

Next is another holiday comedy, “The Ref” (1994). This movie is about a man who is a cat burglar and is forced to hold a family hostage while escaping the police and trying to wait until it’s safe for him to get away. The only catch is he picked the most dysfunctional family to hold hostage. While having a gun and having control in the beginning his hostages begin to drive him nuts and the thief is forced to play referee to their problems. This movie is great for a laugh and it makes you appreciate how much more functional your family is compared to the one in the movie.

You can’t have a list of favorite holiday movies without including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964). This is the classic tale of dear old Rudolph, only it’s in claymation and has a few different elements such as the island of misfit toys and an elf who wants to be a dentist. Come on, that’s a recipe for success! It’s a heartwarming tale of those who feel like they don’t fit in and their pursuit of happiness and love only to find that they were loved despite being different. It’s a fun version of the old Rudolph tale and the narration of Sam the Snowman (voice of Burl Ives) makes it that much more enjoyable.

My final holiday favorite is “Scrooge” (1970). However, this isn’t just any typical version of the Charles Dickens favorite, it’s the musical! This is a good selection for those who enjoy Christmas stories but are not fond of animations, plus it’s just a fun rendition!

So my fellow last minute shoppers, there are a few holiday ideas to put under the tree. Of course, you could always buy a copy for yourself while you’re at it and have yourself a merry little viewing party of some holiday favorites. Happy viewing!
COMMENTS

Besides being a trendy new gadget it’s also convenient. Instead of having to listen to the same old CD or carry an extra bag of your favorite 20 CDs for variation, you can carry a MP3 player that can hold 1,000 of your favorite songs while also being small enough to fit in your pocket. Talk about convenience in an age of music loving consumerism! You can be trendy and be entertained at the same time! But, such wonderful things aren’t generally cheap. Don’t expect to spend less than $150-200 for such convenience.

With downloading being as high as it’s ever been you can be sure that those who do not have an MP3 player yet have it on this year’s holiday wish list. The most notable and commonly seen MP3 player in the market has long been the iPod. With programs such as iTunes being one of the innovators in legal downloading, industry insiders and artists alike can let a sigh of relief. But with the iPod being such a desired electronic device for playing music other electronic and computer companies are jumping on the bandwagon hoping to be just as successful with their MP3 player.

Personally I believe that the iPod will remain the top seller in the MP3 player market. My reasons are because I mainly see iPods being used; I hardly ever see another brand. The iPod is an electronic brand of good social standing, whereas other brands are not as hip. Sure they play MP3s as well, but it’s like getting the generic brand instead of the real deal. The competitor that I’ve heard the most about is of course the Microsoft Zune. Not only have MAC and Microsoft been competitors in computers for decades, now they are competitors in MP3 player software and hardware. Is the repeat of product imitation a coincidence? I think not. Microsoft isn’t the only one striving for the success of the iPod. Other companies have made their MP3 players too, such as the Sandisk e280 8 GB, Creative Zen Micro 5 BG, Toshiba Gigabeat MEGF 40S, iRiver U10 1 GB Digital Media Player, mobiBLU Cube2, iRiver clix 2 GB, and Samsung YP-Z5QB Digital Media Player. All of these players, as well as the iPod, are available online as well as in most stores.

My personal holiday pick, however, is the iPod Nano Red MP3 player. Not only does it hold up to 1,000 songs and 25,000 photos, but $10 from each iPod nano sold goes toward a good cause: the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. You can listen to music, support a good cause and help take a step closer to saving millions of lives by finding a cure for AIDS. Now that’s a Merry Christmas.
COMMENTS

If we were at a conference, more than two-thirds of you would have your hands in the air, and maybe with a little "WOO!" alongside.

I'll be the first to admit that I love my iPod. Stella (that's what I have lovingly named her) comes with me everywhere. She goes to the grocery store to keep me moving. She goes on a jog to keep me entertained. She's at the coffeeshop to keep me focused. She even comes shopping with me so I don't have to deal with people trying to sell me more than what I want. Stella helps me stay in my own bubble.

Therein lies the problem.

In our technological society it takes 5 minutes to make a meal. We can talk to our friends across the world in a video chat. We can work from home, shop from home, even order groceries from home. You can learn everything about anything on the internet and connect with MILLIONS of people on MySpace. But are we really connecting?

Our generation is falsifying relationships. Dr. Moorehead has this to say:
"...we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, talk too much, love too seldom, hate too often, and pray too seldom.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill..."

When I read this, I thought it was rather harsh. But upon a second and third reading, it's blatantly obvious how true it is. It's something we don't want to admit to, but we all know.

Well, now's the time to do something about it.

If each of us made a valiant effort to actually spend time with someone or on something that we truly cared about, we could make a difference. There are so many worthy causes to donate time to. We're researching even now to bring more ministries for you to get involved in. Our time here is so short and precious that we need to make the most of it.

Put down the iPod.
Close your laptop.
Call a friend.
Send a letter.
Volunteer in your city.
LEAVE the great indoors.

Let's break the stereotype for our generation. Let's show them that we can do something to better our future.

Make a difference.
Be the change.
COMMENTS

This labor day weekend, my parents came to town. It is now that I have learned just how true to form my habits are.

Originally from Texas, I immediately picked back up on that twangy southern accent. I was so excited to show them the home that I am so blessed to live in and was elated that they were coming to visit...and also to spoil me just a little!

Have you ever heard someone say "Oh Gosh, I've become my mother"? That was my exact exclamation after only five short hours. Our similar personalities were already beginning to differ on opinion because both of us try too hard to please the other. Before long, I was ready to have complete control over my life again, and then scorned my selfishness.

Often times, I wonder why we get this way. I think we see the mistakes our parents have made and try so hard not to make the same ones. But think back to the times when you were five and no one could cook better than mom. Or no one could fix anything like dad. They weren't just our parents. They were heroes. They are heroes.

I know that my parents and I don't always get along, this week proved that. But there is nothing that they wouldn't do for me, and my goal is to do better and to give it back to them in the best way I know how. I've seen such a love from my parents that not many people get to experience. I know that God gave them to me as a just a brief glimpse into the love that He has for me; an unconditional love.

I think we take our parents for granted. Some have lost parents, some have seen divorce take away a parent, and some people don't have the best family situation. But for those of us who haven't had to go through these problems, we shouldn't be so lackadaisical in our thoughts toward our parents.

So maybe its not so bad being like our parents. I hope that I can provide for my children the way my parents provided for me.
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Let's face it. Fashion is a part of our daily lives. It has been known to change one's demeanor, status, and all around attitude.

So far this year, we've seen the return of leg warmers, leggings, printed tights, the button down shirt, big and high-waisted belts, and vintage rounded toe wedges; all of which have been well worn. This fall, we'll see the return of ankle boots (see also: destiny's child), jellies (not your average jellies, styled ones) subtle animal print (don't wear those cheetah print pants, I'm talking as in a piece of jewelry, a handbad, or a headband), and my personal favorite: susupenders. (It's been said that shoulder pads might be returning, but I'm sure we'll squash that before it happens).

Why is fashion so important? Because we've made it that way. Think about when you were a kid and you went back-to-school shopping. Your parents wouldn't let you wear any of the new clothes you bought until the first day of school. Why? So you would have a fresh, new look at the start of a fresh, new year. Because you held your head just a little bit higher with those brand new nike's or your shiny new maryjane's. You felt good because you looked good.

We tend to let the way we look determine who we are. If only it were that easy. I can tell you that I'm a sucker for a well designed outfit. Most times, I'm overdressed for everything. But that doesn't mean I don't know the beauty of board shorts and a t-shirt.

As girls (and even sometimes you guys), we have allowed the media to determine what we should look like. Not all of us look like Jessica Simpson. We're all beautiful in our own right. So it kills me to see the next generation dressing less than modest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should all wear skirts that touch the ground and never show our shoulders, but we shouldn't have to wear a mini-skirt or a low-cut shirt to get a guys attention. I'm actually quite grateful for the comeback of leggings...girls, you should take advantage of them. You're more covered, and twice as fashionable. And, no, thats not just for your average High Schooler. I've seen plenty of twenty, and even thirty-somethings rocking them like its their job. (and you look amazing! :))

I think its just really hard on us to know where we fit in. I say that if you want to wear suspenders, WEAR EM'! If your friends don't like it, it doesn't matter. You don't determine friends by their clothes, your friends are your friends because of their hearts. And besides, you're probably not going to have the same circle of friends in 5 years. My favorite book, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" says this:

"Things change, friends leave:
Life doesn't stop for anybody."

I think that says it all.

We need to remember that we are children of God and even the smallest thing -- cussing, fibbing, or an outfit that makes a guy or girl look at you in lust -- can ruin our testimonies. You never know who's listening to you or who's watching you that really needs you to be firm in your faith.

I hope that you all try out some of the new fall fashions (I already have 3 pairs of suspenders and 2 pairs of ankle boots that I'm ready to rock) and you wear them proud. But just remember, it's not the clothes that makes the man, its the man that makes the clothes. Your beauty is going to come through your personality moreso than your wardrobe.

I would love to hear your comments and feedback. Or if you have any pictures of you and your friends rockin the fall fashions, send em! You can find me at krystin@hearitfirst.com
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Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Krystin and I'll be giving you guys some insight into our culture. I think that pop culture is definitely a hot topic with our generation; it seems to come up even in short conversations. Think about how many times you've talked about a TV show or discussed a certain style of clothes, all of these are what make our culture what it is. What you will read here, and in the future are merely my opinions. I'm an observationalist by nature and I like to write about what I see. Hope you enjoy!

I've noticed that since the new millenium, there have been quite a few movies about superheroes - Spiderman, Superman Returns, Batman Begins - which are all based on old comics. Personally, I love them and get more and more excited about each one as they come. But I also think they have a deeper meaning than what we see on the surface.

When you take away the elaborate storylines, you are left with the basic plot: someone is in trouble, superhero saves the day, superhero defeats the bad guy, good trumps evil. The people of these towns rely on their superheroes to keep them safe and give them peace at night. They put all of their hope into these heroes and put them on pedastals. Sound familiar?

I think that we idolize these characters. We run out and see the movies and talk about these heroes with our friends and invest so much of ourselves into these characters. We love the thought of someone saving the world. But it's already been done.

The comic writers, the script writers, and even us as viewers make these superheroes into saviors. But, when it comes down to it, the heroes may keep you safe day to day, but they can't save us from eternity.

I think that we are so baffled by the simplicity of how we were saved that we try to figure it out; we put other people and other situations into those to make it all make sense. The thing is, if we were supposed to completely understand, we would. Our generations is searching so hard for something to believe in and something to be a part of that we create these fantastical heroes and don't see the real savior. He is what we are looking for.

Call it a complex, call it the truth. Either way, it's just a cape.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Email me: Krystin@hearitfirst.com
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It's insane how so many things keep popping up in the world that I want to blog about, after hardly anything and I'd have to search for something interesting.

Anyways, the biggest news over just the past few days seems to involve the Middle East, one of the fast growing loved book series, and well movies, as always!

First, let me start off with what's going on in the Middle East. The article I found on CNN states it the best:

Israeli troops crossed the border into southern Gaza early Wednesday after airstrikes targeted a power plant and at least two bridges, the Israeli military told CNN. The campaign is aimed at securing the release of a soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants. Palestinians have been building sand mounds on border roads to try to slow a land attack.

It seems as if Isreal v. the rest of the world is always somewhere in the news. This is just the most recent…and as always keep both sides in your prayers.

So now that we've got that mentioned, let's move on to happier topics!

Almost everyone has an opinion on the lovely "Harry Potter" books. First, let me say I am not promoting them, I'm not recommending them, and I'm not denying the fact that I read them. I'm mostly going to tell you the facts – and what every tv station, talk-radio-host, and newspaper has been reporting since Sunday. The lovely author, J. K. Rowling, appeared on a British television show, announcing the fact that she's had the end of the 7-book series written since the early 90's. She said that she has changed it up some – and that 2 main characters will die. She continued with the fact that people always wonder if Harry will die and that she never thought he would – but that she's considering it so that after this book is done, no one will ever be able to take on another "Harry Potter" book. Also – just an interesting fact, it's been stated that J. K. Rowling is actually richer than the Queen of England.

Obviously, it's summer – and obviously, that means it's time for the Summer Block Busters to come into play. The last movie I saw was "Nacho Libre" and I have to admit, I was un-impressed. I love Jack Black – but this movie was full of just stupid humor. If you want, go and make up your own mind. Also, starting on Wednesday this week – the what's-said-to-be-the-biggest-summer-blockbuster will come to theatres. And yes, that is "Superman Returns"! The movie theatres are actually showing a special pre-showing tonight (Tuesday) at 10pm around the US. I meant to get tickets, but it totally slipped my mind. I'm sure you'll be hearing about it next week though. And the movie I'm looking most forwards to is "Pirates of the Caribbean". Me and one of my best friends already have plans of getting together the night before, watching the first, and then the next day when I get off work to go watch the newest installment. Sadly, it comes out next Friday – so you'll have to wait for my lovely thoughts on it's sure-to-be-greatness!

And now I must end my blog to you lovely HIF fans. And I want to ask you to remember that next Tuesday, the fourth of July, is not just about fireworks and cookouts. It's a time of remembering the people who fought to make this country what it is today – a free country, It's not perfect, and it never will be – but we've got it so much better than so many other people in the world. So remember those great men and women who made this country what it is – either through war, politics, or other acts of greatness – and also remember those less-fortunate than ourselves and keep them constantly in your prayers and thoughts that they might one day know and have what you do.

Firstly, we must say happy belated birthday to the beloved Paul McCartney for his 64th birthday.

“Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
when I'm sixty-four?"

I’d have to say, yes –Paul – we still need you and your musical inspiration.

Anyways – moving on. It’s summer – and the news headlines are finally flying! I actually have things to talk about again! And in all reality, I might even have too much to talk about…

So I have something great, something weird, and a bit of sadness for you today…

I’m sure by now you all know how much I love going to the movies. And I’m sure you know how much I love apple, iTunes, iPods, and the like. Well, finally – we might be able to download movies for cheap! Big-time-Hollywood-Movie companies are in talks with Apple and Microsoft. Apple wants to provide downloadable movies for $9.99. That seems to be a sticking point in the negotiations though. We’ll just have to wait and see what the outcome is…but I hope it works out!

The weird news…is that of a cat named Lewis who is under house-arrest. You don’t normally hear of a cat…under house arrest. That’s normally left for us human-beings. Basically long story short – the cat with extremely long claws has been attacking friendly neighbors and Avon Representative (yes, those makeup ladies!) in the area. It’s also brought Lewis and his owner a ton of publicity and a myspace account with currently over 3,000 friends! My myspace doesn’t even have that amount!

And now for the sad news. I’m not sure how many of you are obsessive with British television, but the BBC canceling 'Top of the Pops' after 42 years. “Top of the Pops" has featured everyone from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Nirvana and the Spice Girls. At its peak, the weekly rundown of Britain's best-selling acts attracted more than 15 million viewers. Sad, I know – but I’m sure there will be other shows…and hopefully they will be able to live up to the legacy of “Top of the Pops” 42-year reign.

And to end this blog…
Last night, I kept thinking to myself what to blog about – before I have everything together that I wanted to blog about (yes, I try to put some thought and effort into my blogs for all of you!). I knew at least a bit of the blog was going to be a few of my most favorite part of summer, because I’d love to know yours too!
My list:
1) Concerts and Festivals – This past weekend I went to see Family Force 5 and Switchfoot play during the Journey’s Backyard BBQ, here in Nashville. Tomorrow I’m taking my little cousin to Warped Tour to see Underoath, Emery, and Less Than Jake.
2) Yard Sales - In the past two weekends I think I have spent around $75 at yard sales. The most unique one was a virtual yard sale…it was also the most fruitful one for me, where I spent a bulk of $64 at. Basically, here’s a short list of everything I’ve bought – Christmas tree, Christmas various items, table, lamp, wall cross, mug, 2 vases, etc. And yes, I am moving and I adore Christmas decorations! We’re get to that once those Holidays roll around.
3) Fourth of July - I’m a sucker for the 4th of July…always have been, always will be. It’s also my family reunion up at my Grandmother’s farm…where we get to swim, goof-off, and hike. At least when I was a “kid”… Plus, fireworks! How can you not love those big bright shiny things in the sky!?

Now tell me your top 3 favorite things about Summer by leaving me a comment…
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I have a terrible habbit - I drive to and from work, and I am constantly changing the radio station. I love listening to the radio, by the way. I mean, a good new CD is wonderful - but with radio...it's unpredictable. You never know what's going to come on next. Espically when you surf as I do. After every song, I'm constantly turning the station. Anyways...back to the point...songs soung like songs from the 80's/early 90's! There is one song, "S.O.S." which has a loop of "Tainted Love" which I can't help to listen to. I mean, I just love hearing the loop. It's actually kind of sad, because it took me the longest time to know what the song was or the performer. All I cared about was the "Tainted Love" loop. There's also another big song out there right now - I'm not sure of the name or the performer - but it sounds like something straight out of the 80's.

I could talk about that all day, so we'll move on a bit. Also, I have to admit, I'm a movie-freak. I can't help but going to the movies. I adore movies...

In the past two weeks I think I have seen at least 5 new movies. I also brought 4 or 5 new DVDs. One of those DVDs is straight out of my childhood. I don't know if anyone of you would know about The Chipmunks or even remember them - but it's one of those fond childhood memories of mine. Me and my brother would stay at my Grandmother's after school and over the summer...and she had "The Chipmunk Adventure." I can not tell you how many times we watched that movie...but it was alot. The other day, whilst buying other DVDs that I found on sale. I saw "The Chipmunk Adventure" - on DVD - with the soundtrack - for only $9.95! I could not pass up that buy. And needless to say, whenever I'm not radio-surfing, I am listening to "Wooly Bully" (it's probably the most famous track from the movie - and the greatest scene).

And while we're on the topic of movies and other things of the such. I did just get home from seeing "The Omen," the much-anticipated remake of the 70's Omen. I'm nor saying to watch it - I'm just giving my oppinion that I enjoyed the movie, as I am obsessed with seeing every-new-movie. I do have to say - the hype over 6.6.06 did get a little annoying. I could barely listen to the radio without hearing it everywhere.

Plus, there were tons of things leading up to the 6.6.06 date. The 2 most over-hyped products that were being released on this apocalyptic day seems to be "The Omen" and the latest installment of the Left Behind series: "The Rapture". It's crazy to me how three little numbers can become this huge day for commericalization. If you want to read more about that, be sure to check outthis article.
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I'm sure we've all seen the commercials on tv by now. If you haven't, they are hilarious. 2 men, one is a mac – the other is a pc. The PC man keeps freezing, while the MAC tries to fix him. It's funny to me at least as a MAC user who switched when all her old PCs crashed.

Anyways, you watch the commercials – and obviously Apple Corp hope you will go to their website. When you do, the first thing you see is the MacBook. It is introducted as the "superfast, blogging, podcasting, do-everything-out-of-the-box MacBook." For me, I see blogging, and I click. And let me tell you, for once I'm disappointed. I thought they were going to have something more. But there doesn't seem to be anything new with the MacBook. It seems to just be a smaller version of the MacBookPro. That is also a little disheartening. I expected variety. The only size they make the MacBook in is 13-inches. Yes, there's 2 different colors. I currently have a 12-inch iBook, and I love it, but it's getting a bit small for me when I'm trying to work on it. So for me, I think I'll save my money, and trade my iBook in for a MacBookPro, which has more specs and more variety.

Let me stop being a computer nerd, and go on to the next topic, that I hope will interest you. CNN had posted an article last week about Apple teaming up with Japanese firm Softbank, to develop a new phone that would carry iTunes, which people are calling the iPhone. Yes, there is the Motorola Rokr, but many have complained about it’s services and the lack of songs the phone will hold. So be on the watch out for that…
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There are so many job openings dealing with blogging. The other day I saw a job opening for a “New Media Blogger.” Basically, you walk around the company – going to all the department meetings – and at the end of the day, you blog about it! Is it just me, or does that just sound like a great job?

Anyways, if you start vlogging, you might not even need a job. Wait, what’s a vlog? It’s a Video Blog. Maybe I’ve just been out of the blogger’s loop, but this is new to me! According to CNN, they are the growing trend in the new media market. As of March, there has been a counted 6,500 vlogs, when only last year at this time there were right around 300. That’s a 210% increase in that market in a years-worth of time. In other words, get in it-while it’s still hot and fresh!

The craziest thing to me about these vlogs is the fact that advertisers are taking notice of them. In the United States, Internet video ads brought in $225 million in 2005 and are expected to break the $1 billion mark in 2008, according to eMarketer, a New York research firm. "Vlogs are very targetable," says eMarketer analyst David Hallerman. "They're small, but they have a niche audience."

Right now, the most popular vlogs include MobuzzTV, and Rocketboom (with 250,000 visitors a day, and that number is rising fast).

Anyways, whilst researching this exciting new media take-over, I found the history of the Vlog on Wikipedia and thought I’d share it with you:
1966 Douglas Engelbart demonstrates (analog) videoconferencing over a network. source
1970 AT&T offers Picturephone for $160 per month
1998 Adrian Miles publishes a paper called Cinematic Paradigms for Hypertext
November 2000 Adrian Miles posts his first (known) videoblog entry ever on November 27, 2000.
In early 2000s, various experiments with "video blogging", never take off.
In 2004, Steve Garfield announces 2004 is the year of the videoblog. There are still only a handful of regular videobloggers.
June 2004 - Peter Van Dijck and Jay Dedman start the Yahoo Videoblogging Group, which becomes the center of a community of vloggers.
During the second half of 2004, big media discovers videoblogging, with articles in the NYT and a few others.
December 2004 - mefeedia.com is the first vlog directory to use an aggregator.
September 2004 - iPodderX, the first desktop video aggregator, is released
January 2005 - VloggerCon, the first videoblogger conference, is held in New York City. ANT (now: FireAnt), is released.
1 February 2005 - Gabe McIntyre taught the first courses in creating video blogging at the College of Arts in Utrecht in a college curriculum.
February 2005 - FreeVlog, a step-by-step guide to setting up a videoblog using free tools and services, launches.
May 2005 - vlogdir.com, the videoblog directory launches.
June 2005 - The Yahoo Videoblogging Group grows to over 1,000 members.
July 2005 - VlogMap.org launches using Google Maps and Google Earth to display vloggers worldwide.
October 2005 - Apple announces the 5G iPod will play video, and that iTunes Store will serve video content.
February 2006 - Rocketboom, popular vlog earns $40,000 in eBay auction, promising five 15-second ad spots to ATM maker TRM.

I have to say, I think I’m excited. I’m going to get home tonight and research some more and maybe start my own.
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Every year since I can remember, I’ve watched the 1956 version of the “Ten Commandments,” staring Charlton Heston, which actually won the Oscar for best special effects back in 1956. (In other words, if you haven’t seen it – go rent it and watch it!) But if you wish for an updated version, starting tonight is the all-new 2-part mini-series of “The Ten Commandments” on ABC at 9PM EST, click here to watch a preview.

So after watching your Easter movie of choice, you can sit down and read, “The Da Vinci Code” to see what all the hype is about. Laurence J. Kirshbaum, the long time head of Time Warner Book Group stated, "Unborn babies must be reading 'Da Vinci, Who else on this planet is left?" The book had always been sold as a hardcover, which obviously means for a higher price. Two weeks ago, the book was released in a paperback version. Within the first week of its paperback release, "The Da Vinci Code" had already sold more than 500,000 copies, added on to the 40 million copies sold world wide of the hardback version.

So what’s pushing the sell of this already heavily-sold book? First, the court case that author Dan Brown had “appropriated the architecture” of a 1982 book entitled “The Holy Book and the Holy Grail,” whose sales have also gone up since the court case. Secondly, the May 19th release of the film staring Tom Hanks. We're not endorsing the book or the film, but we do encourage people to form their own opinions about events and issues in our world.
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Yes – that’s right – March Madness. I do have to say, this seems to have been the year of the “underdogs.” For the 2nd time in NCAA history, there is not a single No. 1 seed in the final four.

So who’s playing and when?
No. 11 George Mason will battle No. 3 Florida tomorrow, Saturday April 1, @ 6PM(eastern time zone), on CBS. At 8:47PM (eastern time zone), or as closely following the previous game, will be No. 4 LSU verses No. 2 UCLA, also on CBS.

Predictions, hopes, and wishes?
I do have to admit, most of my hopes with my bracket here in the office, has already been smashed. I do have an alternative bracket with friends, and I still have hope. Being from Baton Rouge, I’m holding out for a Tiger(LSU) win all the way!

As everyone who’s followed this tournament knows, these games are so unpredictable you shouldn’t even try.
But if I had to pick, I’d say the winners of the final four would be George Mason and LSU. Both of these teams have been unstoppable, and you can see the passion in their eyes. If you’re not a college basketball fan, you will be after watching these teams play.

The championship game will be on Monday, April 3, at 9:21PM(yes, still eastern time zone!). If my prediction for the final four is correct, it will be LSU v. George Mason. That, in my honest opinion, would be the most intense game out of all that is left, and of course, that is what we all hope for!

As for Most-Valuable-Player, I’m going to give it the Glenn “Big Boy” Davis, of LSU. For being only a sophomore, he’s supported the LSU team very well.

Now it’s you’re chance…
What are your predictions for the last bit of “madness”?
We here at hearitfirst.com want to know!!
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Good Night, And Good Luck
It was released on March 14th, and within its first week, it already produced $5.5 Million in rental sales. For an independent film, that’s pretty good! For anyone who’s a little bit obsessive with the media (of any kind), this is a must-see.

Out of all the movies that came out in 2005, it was my favorite. I can not express to all you loyal hearitfirst-ers, how passionate I am about this movie. So check it out, and please, let me know what you think of it!
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Normally Apple’s newest technological endeavors catch my eye before anything else. But this week, I must confess, I have been entranced by Microsoft’s latest stab at success in the ever-growing new media world.

Its project code-name is “Origami,” elaborate marketing campaign. But what is it? It’s an “ultra-mobile” PC (also referred to as UMPC). The first of these, manufactured by Samsung, is expected to be released in April. They are positioning it as a handheld organizer, an MP3 portable music player, a mobile television receiver, a games device, and of course a miniature-sized PC(the actual size being that of a paper-back book) that will connect wirelessly to the Internet and carry full-sized hard drives.

The device will cost around $500 to $1000, which puts it out of range of directly competing with Apple’s iPod products and Sony’s PSP, so Microsoft hoped to lure your attention through global positioning systems for car navigation, digital TV tuners or Web cameras.

"People expect an increasing amount of functionality when they are on the go," said Otto Berkes, general manager at Microsoft's Mobile Platforms Division.

While Microsoft and Apple continue to battle, there is yet another peer-to-peer transfer website. Excited? You should be…

The site, however, is on the side of the artist. You can download music, for a price. And like many CD stores, you can buy and sell used CDs, and 20% of that will go to the artist. For more on that, read the following posted on www.lala.com’s about section:

The founders of 'la la'…are devout music fans and created the service for the benefit of artists and fellow music fans.

I'm writing this message to encourage you to do right by the artists you enjoy through our service. Despite what is depicted on MTV's Cribs, a wonderfully entertaining show, most musicians don't live large with a big house and five cars. Rather, the majority of musicians struggle to make a living from their recordings and must depend on other income producing activities such as performing concerts or selling merchandise.

I'll be the first to advocate that artists should make a lot more from each CD. 'la la' is taking the unprecedented action of giving artists 20% of our revenues from used CDs, no used record store or online site does this today. I'll also promise to work tirelessly (only sleep four hours a night anyway- this is being written at 3:31 a.m. so pardon my punctuation) to reduce overhead in marketing costs across the industry, so artists can make more from selling their music.

I ask you to do your part by doing the right thing: remove songs from your iPod or PC if you've agreed to send the CD to another member.

If you want to listen to that CD again, just add it to your Want List and help us support that artist you can't get enough of. You'll have access to plenty of good music to enjoy in the meantime. We'll make sure of that!

Respect the artists and Karma will be on your side.

Regards,
Bill Nguyen

With 1.8 million album titles available, members trade the CDs in prepaid envelopes, much like popular mail-order DVD service Netflix Inc. operates. La la said it is talking with the world's major music labels to obtain licenses for the sale of digital music. La la said it enables members to buy a physical CD new if they cannot get it for trade and also hopes to eventually offer digital album downloads at retail prices. However, It does not plan to offer digital downloads of singles. You can read more about this topic, here or visit www.lala.com.
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So what might you have missed if you were caught up in these over-talked-about topics?
Here’s your pop-culture catch-up…

My favorite has been “Apple’s ode to hackers.”
Apple was anticipating hackers' urges to crack into the new MAC OS X running on an Intel chip. If the hackers could do that then they could run pirated versions on non-apple computers. For these hackers, Apple wrote a poem, which reads:

"Your karma check for today:
There once was a user that whined
his existing OS was so blind
he'd do better to pirate
an OS that ran great
but found his hardware declined.
Please don't steal Mac OS!
Really, that's way uncool.
(C) Apple Computer, Inc."

Also, for you Mac users: Beware! There is a new worm out there, directed towards Mac’s OS X operating systems. You can read more on this here.

For all you MySpace.com lovers…
Wireless newcomer Helio has hooked up with the popular social-networking portal MySpace to introduce a pair of multimedia handsets as it prepares to launch a new mobile brand that targets young, tech-savvy consumers.

MySpace Mobile on Helio takes that community experience one step further, enabling the members of that community to connect with each other at any time from any location. Read more about this here…

Also, be sure to add HearItFirst.com’s MySpace!
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It started with the Super Bowl, which seemed to be a bit of a let-down. The game really didn’t get interesting until the last 7 minutes. The commercials, which normally seem to be at the top of everyone’s list to talk about the next day, just weren’t up to par this year. There weren’t moments where you couldn’t stop laughing. There were a few adorable commercials, but then you feel wrong for “Aww-ing” at the little Clydesdale since it was in a certain beer commercial. That and a Jack-in-the-box commercial are the only ones I can clearly remember everything that happened. If you saw a commercial that caught your eye, make a comment and share it with us all…

Yesterday, Apple released yet another iPod! What does this mean? More choices and lower prices! The already small nano at 2GB and 4GB is now in a 1GB for only $150! Not bad, right? The thing that gets me is that 1GB shuffle is only $99(which also means the 512MB went down to $69). The same space and 2 totally different prices.

And that leaves us with the Grammy Awards. Every year, I plant myself in my living room impatiently waiting for the awards to be announced. This year, they seem to have a tough competition going in all the categories. All categories and nominees for this year’s Grammy awards can be found here.

Be sure to check out the Grammy’s tonight at 8pm(eastern time) on CBS!! Feel free to post your comments on who you think/hope will win and your post-show thoughts…
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Judge Gaetano Mautone in Viterbo (just north of Rome) listened to the lawyers of Luigi Cascioli, the atheist accuser, and Rev. Enrico Righi, the Catholic priest. Cascioli filed a criminal complaint in 2002, stating that Righi had violated two Italian laws by stating that Christ actually lived. Cascioli stated that the Roman Catholic Church has been deceiving people for 2,000 years “impersonation” and “abuse of popular belief.” Cascioli’s main goal in the hearing is to take it to the European Court of Human Rights where he hoped to accuse the church with “religious racism.”

While Christians are fighting for Christ in the court of law, the world remembers the Jews.

Last year, the UN passed a resolution to make January 27th as the annual day to remember the 6 million Jews who were brutally killed during World War II. The date marks the 61st anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp in Auschwitz, southern Poland. Survivors, government and religious leaders are meeting in Auschwitz later today, in remembrance of the Holocaust Victims.

Bono, front man of the band we all know and love- U2, once again is trying to make a difference in the fight against AIDS in Africa. At the World Economic Forum, Bono stated that the “Red” program would help the fight against AIDS and HIV in Africa, as well as Tuberculosis and Malaria by raising more money for its programs. Bono has teamed up with global giants Gap, Armani, and American Express to launch this program, which will consist of logo-bearing shirts, sunglasses, and a special red-colored credit card. Red products will raise an income stream and increase awareness of HIV in Africa. Want your own Red Products? Just wait a bit; they’ll be released on March 1, 2006.

There’s no better way to end this, except for a small note to all of you pop culture/music lovers everywhere. Today marks the 250th birthday of Mozart, one of the greatest (and honestly my favorite) classical musical composers. And if you’re not a classical music fan, maybe you’d like to turn into one and fly to Salzburg, Austria next year for the 300 lb. cake.
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