Happy New Year

Overall I'll be glad to see the back of 2006. Apart from getting a job, there has been too many personal setbacks this year.
Also, the recent death of James Brown and the farce surrounding the English football team's World Cup campaign (ah yes, those WAGS) was pretty depressing too...

Still I'm glad the Fort Myers High School Marching Band from Florida will be attending London's New Year's Day parade after parents vetoed an official ban on terror grounds.

So, for what's it worth, A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!!
See you in 2007...
Banned band leads New Year parade

Saddam is dead....

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein was hanged at dawn on Saturday, a dramatic end for a leader who ruled Iraq by fear for three decades before a U.S. invasion toppled him and was then convicted of crimes against humanity. As day broke on one of the holiest days of the Muslim year and the call to prayer echoed out from minarets across a dark and bitterly cold Baghdad, officially-backed television channels flashed the news shortly after six a.m. (0300 GMT).

Note: an uncut video of Saddam's execution (including the actual hanging) is currently on the internet. I have decided against posting this footage on my blog.

Two years on...

Two years ago, nations were devastated as waves crashed into coastlines and killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries from Thailand to Somalia.
Let us pause and remember that awful event on Boxing Day 2004.

Respect due for the "Godfather of Soul"

I was already feeling a tad melancholy (obviously with a relative in hospital over Christmas, one's thoughts are concentrated on his well-being).

Then I hear the news that James Brown, "Godfather of Soul" is dead at the age of 73. He was admitted to hospital in Atlanta after being diagnosed with severe pneumonia but died at 0145 local time (0645 GMT).

I couldn't BEGIN to measure the impact James Brown had on music. In an era of "pop idols", James Brown is up there with Elvis and The Beatles.

In short, the man was a LEGEND, period.I know of his problems - but hey, none of us are perfect.

To say Hip-Hop owes James, big time is an understatement....
And as a forty-something black man, I still get chills up my spine when I listen to "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud".

He had the FUNK, all right.....RIP, Godfather.
Soul star James Brown dies at 73

Angel

A face for the future: 20-year old Hip-Hop honey Angel, aka Lola Luv...
Angel/Lola Luv Myspace webpage

Christmas starts here...

Ok - the "Temptation hamper" has arrived today. Nuff respect to John Lewis for such a prompt delivery!!

Now it's starting to feel like Christmas (but still having a relative in hospital during this period does dampen the mood)....

Get physical with your video-game....

An interesting tale regarding over-enthusiastic video-gamers, sweaty palms and flying "Wiimotes" (but nothing related to Karima "Lara Croft" Adebibe - sorry)...
Video gamers share their pain as they get active

Ca$hley (continued).....

The Metropolitan Police are prepared to arrest supporters for trying to smuggle in Ca$hley pound notes or inflatable mobile phones during the Chelski v Arsenal match today (for those of you wondering what the fuss is all about, refer to my previous posts on Ca$hley).

I can see the charge now - Conspiracy with intent to mock....

If this doesn't make you quit smoking, nothing will....

The death of the Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko has placed the radioactive material polonium-210 in the spotlight.
For example, polonium-210 has been found in tobacco smoke from tobacco leaves grown with phosphate fertilizers. This apparently carries a cancer risk of 4 per 10000 smokers.
In view of this information, shouldn't cigarette packets carry the following sign?

Will this end the conspiracy theories?

According to the BBC, DNA tests on blood samples appear to prove the driver of Princess Diana's car was drunk on the night of her fatal accident.
As far as I'm concerned, that's that - her death was nothing more than a tragic accident.
But there will be doubters who'll view the demise of Princess Diana as another conspiracy similar to Jimmy Hoffa, President Kennedy and Marilyn Munroe.
Tests 'prove' Diana driver drunk

It's tough being a polar bear....

Yep - it's tough being a Polar Bear.
Besides being threatened by the effects of warmer temperatures in the Arctic, which is melting the ice cap, shrinking their hunting grounds and making it increasingly difficult for them to find food, these majestic animals have to watch out for bozos who want to LASSO them.
Ice cowboys fined for lassoing a polar bear

Meanwhile back on planet Earth....

"Celebrity Big Brother" is scheduled to begin in January 2007. Apparently Whitney Houston is in talks to appear on the show. Other stars tipped to enter the Big Brother house in the New Year include Britney’s estranged husband Kevin Federline and Girls Aloud member Sarah Harding.
Somehow gargling razor blades seems a more exciting prospect than watching this show....

Water, water everywhere.....?

Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that liquid water is flowing on Mars today. NASA pho­tos have re­vealed bright new deposits in two gullies on Mars that suggest liquid water coursed through these ditches sometime in the past seven years.
However some scientists think these fresh gullies could also have been cut by liquid carbon dioxide (CO2).
Usually whenever liquid water is found on Earth one will also find life. Does the same hold true on Mars?
It's a good enough reason to visit the planet....
Water flowed 'recently' on Mars

Back to the moon...

Is this the next "giant leap for mankind"?



Nasa, the US space agency, has revealed plans to set up a permanent human settlement on the moon by 2024, as the first stage to manned exploration of Mars and beyond in the solar system.
Under the new programme, beginning in 2020, astronauts would make stays of a week. These would be gradually lengthened, so that within four years the base would be permanently manned, with astronauts living on the base for six-month stretches.
Unofficial estimates put the price tag at around $100bn (£50.8bn). For sending a man to Mars the costs will be far higher however, at least $600bn (£304bn).
US plans for Moon base

We can be Heroes (continued)...

Good news - the Beeb have purchased the UK rights to NBC's Heroes. The show should appear on BBC Two in 2007.