Celebrity Books: Who’s Next and Why We Buy

 

By Nick Krimp

 

The public seems obsessed with celebrities, and those entering the celebrity books arena endear themselves to fans even more. Film, music, television and sports stars who publish books show us everything from how to copy their hairstyles and fashion choices to how to become better parents and teach our children. There are even books by celebrities who tell us how to manage a boyfriend, or how to cook for one once trapped. As if the beloved superstars are known to date singularly and stay married forever.

Still, we follow the every move of our stars, often discussing what celebrity authors disclose in their books as if they’re our dearest friends. We embrace stars as though they’re a real part of our daily lives. It all begs this question: Why?

It’s only natural that we’d get pulled into their well-publicized dramas. Pop culture stars summon our most human yearnings: to love, admire gossip and immolate.

It’s difficult to accurately define, but it’s their charisma that attracts the audience to their lives, both public and private. Charisma refers to a seemingly “supernatural” or uncanny ability to charm, lead, influence, inspire, and/or persuade others. This particularly refers to a quality in some who easily can attract the attention and admiration – or even hatred – of others through a “magnetic” personality or appearance.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however. It’s possible to derive value from a celebrity’s life and knowledge beyond the acting or singing for which they’re best known. Many actually deserve praise as book authors, too.

A number of superstars have valiantly written biographies, novels, or children’s books. In fact, many books by celebrity authors are quite good.

What follows isn’t a list of self-serving autobiographies written by ghostwriters. All of the books on this list actually were written by the celebrity credited. You’ll be surprised by who’s now an accomplished children’s author, cook book author or novelist. A few of them have even published self-help tomes.



Jane Fonda, the screen legend and member of one of Hollywood’s most famous families seeks wisdom and meaning after 60 in My Life So Far.

Kim Cattrall, author of self-help books such as Sexual Intelligence and Being a Girl.

Dolly Parton, author of various cookbooks, an autobiography, and the children’s story Coat of Many Colors.

Pamela Anderson, author of the popular chick lit novel Star.

Jay Leno, author of the children’s story If Roast Beef Could Fly, plus co-author of books about motorcycles and cars.

Madonna, author of various books including Yakov and the Seven Thieves and The English Rose.

Billy Crystal, children’s book author of Grandpa’s Little One and I Already Know I Love You.

Katie Couric, author of various stories for children such as The Blue Ribbon Day and Brand New Kid.

Whoopi Goldberg, author of Whoopi’s Big Book of Manners, Alice and other books.

Woody Allen, author of several tomes including two humorous short story collections: Mere Anarchy and The Insanity Defense.

Bette Midler, author of The Saga of Baby Devine.

Bill Cosby, author of the young readers book series Little Bill and many other humor books.

Jane Seymour, author of the self-help Jane Seymour’s Guide to Romantic Living and also the interior design book Making Yourself at Home: Finding Your Creativity and Putting it All Together.

Alan Alda, author of the second chance look at life, Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself.

Jerry Garcia, author of the children’s books There Ain’t No Bugs on Me and The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, and others.

Felicity Huffman, self-help author of A Practical Handbook for the Boyfriend.



Some critics question about the quality of books by celebrity authors, contending their being published is only due to their celebrity, not their writing talent. Another common criticism is that such books prevents other, more deserving writers from being published, since there’s only so much money from book publishers, online bookstores, and retail outlets to go around.

Yet, the trend of big celebrity book publishing continues. Throughout 2008, look for memoirs, biographies, cookbooks, and more from these highly-anticipated celebrity authors:



Christopher Andersen, Somewhere in Heaven: The Remarkable Love Story of Dana and Christopher Reeve (due in July).

Rev. Run and Justine Simmons, Take Back Your Family (due in August)

Michael J. Fox, Always Looking Up: Meditations on Optimism (due in September)

David Letterman, The Late Show Fun Facts (due in September)

Diahann Carroll, The Legs are the Last to Go: Aging, Acting, Marrying, and Other Things I’ve Learned Along the Way (due in September)

Jenny McCarthy, Mother Warriors (due in September)

Judge Greg Mathis, Inner City Miracle (due in September)

Perez Hilton, Red Carpet Suicide: A Survival Guide to Keeping Up with the Hiltons (due in October)

Ty Pennington, Good Design Can Change Your Life (due in September)

Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Estefan Kitchen (due in October)

Ted Turner, Call Me Ted (due in November)

Stefan Kanfer, Somebody: The Reckless Life and Remarkable Career of Marlon Brando (due in November)

Sir Roger Moore, My Word is My Bond (due in November)

Kanye West, Through the Wire: Lyrics and Illuminations (due in November)

Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio (due in November)

Paul Simon, Paul Simon Lyrics 1964-2006 (due in November)

 Magic Johnson, Magic Moves (due in December)



By: Nick Krimp

About the Author:

I usually wonder what happens when a marriage license in form of a marriage certificate is issued to a loving couple. Their love story takes a dramatic turn and becomes sorrowful. When people are dating, there is a lot of endless love and their long term relationship is hoped to be the best. They have a lot of trust in their feelings and that is why they decide to tie the knot. After the honey moon is over, a lot of bad things happen. Couples turn against each other as they question each others true colors. When people are dating, a lot is hidden to win the other party. Enough self control is practiced to avoid portraying a bad image about themselves. Relationship advice is important for people who are courting. Hiding your true characters acts as a serious time bomb.

Nothing remains in the dark for a lifetime. Many people pretend to be close to perfect when dating. They are princes and princesses until after they are honored with marriage license. Things move from best to worst. If enough relationship advice is not given to these newly married couples, they call it quits immediately after honeymoon or even before it ends. Marriage is about tolerance and it requires a lot of understanding and patience. An ideal love story features relationship problems. Do not shy away from small problems. You should be bold enough to overcome problems for a lasting marriage relationship. May be you have never seen your spouse angry and so when it happens you flee. If you show him his anger shakes you, you will be a victim of failed marriage.

To be on the safe side, establish problem solving skills early enough to avoid living in an emotional torture. It feels good to narrate to your grand children about your successful love story. Most young people have a negative attitude towards marriage due to the high level of divorces in our society today. There is no any good marriage to emulate since what they have grown up seeing was a real hell. It is always good to seek relationship advice before overreacting to a relationship problem. It is abnormal for two people living together to live without colliding. Disagreements do not mean hate. You should look at it as a difference in opinion. A marriage license should make you feel emotionally settled. It legalizes your love affair.

Many are the times a marriage license is perceived as bad news. It is a wrong perception because if you watch carefully, most of the married people are so stable both financially and emotionally. They are successful because they are settled. A love story of a victim of a failed marriage will always discourage you from saying i do. My relationship advice is that, you should be wise enough not to look at the society with a lot sceptics. Do not believe everything you read, otherwise do not read. The world has never been a perfect place. The society consists of failed and successful things so it is up to an individual to choose either to be a failure or a success.



By: Francis Githinji

About the Author:

If Christmas is supposed to be about giving, then why are children always so grabbing? It’s no surprise really – they’re advertiser’s dreams. They see something – they want it, it’s no different than when you and I were kids! But at least this Christmas you can sleep easy, knowing you’ve got the best Christmas Gifts for Children around!

As well as unique and one-off Christmas Gifts for Children, we also stock branded items and guaranteed fail-safe Christmas Gifts for Children that’ll have them counting the days ‘til next Christmas from the day! You can easily select boys, girls and babies Christmas Gifts for Children to make sure you don’t have any confusion over who gets what! Our Christmas Gifts for Children are suitable and spectacular!

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You may think all kids are interested in are the latest PS2 games, but we can assure you that Christmas Gifts for Children have come a long way since your traditional Connect 4! Girls and boys can be difficult to separately buy for – but the art is to find Christmas Gifts for Children that will be loved by all – we’ve mastered it!

Take for example the Racing Nuns as a Christmas Gift for Children. There wouldn’t be a little boy or girl dissatisfied with this holy humorous gift from Christ – they’re anything but innocent at the speed they race at!

What about the Marshmallow Shooter Gun? The Christmas Gift for Children that understands all small children have a sweet tooth and all small children will be fascinated by the fluffy treats being shot out at 30 feet!

The Simpsons and Harry Potter are hardly going to go out of fashion any time soon, what with their new movies this year being absolute gems and their insane popularity by children of all ages! Wizardry and yellow-bellies make the perfect Christmas Gifts for Children! The Harry Potter Levitating Wand Pen is back to school cool, whilst Homersapien is a fun addition to any backpack!

And finally, not forgetting the little animal-lovers in our lives! For boys and girls that adore anything small, cuddly and cute – a little companion makes a wonderfully received Christmas Gift for Children! Choose from Gupi the great little 3V-Interactive Pet Guinea Pig or what about a warming water-bottle Sheep Hot Hugs or the snoozing Sleeping Pet Kitten? All of our novelty animal gifts are guaranteed to become best friends with boys and girls when given as Christmas Gifts for Children!

Don’t think we’ve given up on those kids who just don’t know what they want – there’s hundreds of Christmas Gifts for Children that are sure to tickle their fancy! From radio-controlled games to flying planes to colour changing toys! Find it here, don’t find it anywhere else!

So ensure their waiting up until midnight hasn’t been a tiring experience that amounts to nothing with our fun-filled range of creative, unique and exceptional Christmas Gifts for Children!

For any additional information on these specialised Christmas Gifts For Children please email info@findmeagift.com or call 01926 640710

Regards

Katy Young

Christmas Gifts For Children Expert!



By: Find-me-a-gift

About the Author:

Orgasms are supposed to be natural just like normal breathing in and out, yawning or a sneezing. Sometimes we fail to understand why women would have any trouble experiencing orgasms whenever they wanted one or multiple orgasms. It is estimated that a high percentage of women fake orgasm. They are as old as thirty years but have never experienced the thrilling moment. Some women confess to having experienced it only once in their lifetime. This leaves them yearning for it to happen again. Here are some tips on helping you to prime for the big ‘O’. May be it is something small which is robbing you off your sexual pleasure. May be you are so stressed with deadlines to meet. You are too worked up to enjoy a climax.

Perhaps your sexual partner is not so good at helping you to prime for the big orgasm. Whatever the hindrance, it is now your time to stop missing out on the fun. You deserve it girl! help yourself out and get the big payoff. Amazing orgasms are enjoyed by people who are bold enough to get out of their head. Self criticism sends you out of the bed and in to your head. He is not concentrating on how your thighs are fat. This kind of an attitude is a major passion squelcher. If you love yourself you will enjoy screaming orgasms. It sounds funny but you have to love yourself by experimenting what makes sends you over to the edge.

Take your fingers for a trip all over the erogenous zones. Try it hard and fast then slow and soft. Apply different pressures and prime for the big ‘O’. The revelation is going to help you guide your partner on what you like. If missionary style makes you scream with orgasmic pleasure, go for it it does not make you look prude. You learn about orgasm by experiencing them all by yourself. Masturbation is a sure route to self identification. Get adventurous. It is in this trip that you may find your G-spot. If you play with your fingers right you will certainly find the female hotspot. The new found G-spot will help you prime for the big orgasm. You will never regret getting naughty while you are alone.

When you have a G-spot you are lucky to have orgasms through clitoral stimulation and vaginal penetration. The erogenous zone is said to be behind the pubic bone and about two inches inside the vagina. The end justifies the means and the all roads lead to Rome. It does not matter what you do provided you prime for the big orgasm. Some women get orgasms through the touch on their breast or a rub on their neck. Others even climax by fantasizing alone. Without any touch whatsoever. To prime for the big orgasm you should get adventurous because if you do not know you cannot even give directions. A G-spot and a clitoris are not the only holy grails of sex. Women have several sensitive ares which can give then orgasms.



By: FRANCIS K GITHINJI

About the Author:

Are you a milf hunter?  The term \”milf\” stands for sexually attractive women in their 30s – 50s (putative \”moms\”). This is an abbreviation of \”Mom I’d Like to Fuck\”. Many women in their 30s and 40s go through blossoming of their sexuality.

 

Mature milfs are more relaxed and frequently think of sex. According to a survey made by the \”Health Plus\” magazine 75 percent of women in their forties enjoy much more exiting sexual life than when they were younger. Mature milfs are very inventive in their sexual life. Thus, 6 out 9 UK milf respondents are fond of lovemaking in living room, about 30 percent love to have sex in bathroom, and 12 percent like outdoor sex.

 

According to the survey 75 percent of mature milfs think of sex at least once a day. 25 percent of amateur milf respondents say they feel sexual desire more than three times a day. According to the survey’s results mature milf respondents have orgasms much more frequently than younger women. They already know how to reach it and are not likely to engage in intercourse without orgasm. This factor makes them feel more self-confident in bed and there is no need to imitate orgasms.

 

Our site welcomes hot milfs and milf hunters looking for adult fun and this is a great place to meet up with amateur milf personals from the UK and worldwide. This is a real opportunity for UK milf personals, sexy moms from worldwide and milf seekers to make friends and engage in sexual relationships with horny moms they both would enjoy.

 

Join us to explore thrilling milfs sex! View hot milfs pictures and video clips on the site for free



By: Tigger Theswinger

About the Author:

You’re exhausted. You spent weeks preparing for the “big event” and it’s all over in one day. It seems that it should have lasted longer given all of the preparation and work that you’ve been through but it doesn’t. The “spirit of the Season” wanes rather quickly after the day concludes and you’re back to working at it again although this time it’s about cleaning up the mess. If you’re reading this while doing that unwanted chore, just sit down for a moment and let’s take a look back at something. The Holiday Season will be upon us once again next year and it’ll come around before you know it. Although it’s a Joyful Season, for many it’s also a very stressful season as well. For some of you, it may be downright traumatic. I know that some of you plan to start your shopping early to avoid the rush so you might be back into it some time in June or July…just a few months away.

Let’s take a look back…a look at what you went through this year and let’s see if by doing so you might be able to avoid some of the stressful pitfalls you experienced in your preparations for the Holidays. One of the values of looking backwards is our ability to learn from our experiences and replicate what we thoroughly enjoyed and avoid what we might determine was undesirable. One of the sayings that I’ve adopted is that “you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been”. I’ll ask a bunch of simple questions which you can quickly answer to help you understand more about what you’ve been through.

The first thing I’d like for you to contemplate about is your expectations…both of yourself and of others this year. Did you “bite off more than you could chew?” Many people tend to do that around Holiday season for various reasons. Did you tend to feel guilty if you didn’t “go all out”…the parties, the decorations, everything having to be “perfect”? Did you notice yourself becoming more uptight as the Season rolled on? Did you find yourself feeling tired, listless, ragged, overworked, overwhelmed, angry, and short-tempered, not having enough time in the day, running around like a “banshee”, no time for yourself, not enjoying what you were doing or the people for whom you were doing it?

Well if you answered “yes” to even one of those points, you probably were expecting too much of yourself…you “pushed the envelope”. People have the tendency to become very obsessive during the Holidays and choose to do too much and demand perfection in the process…most of which isn’t really necessary. There’s a saying that goes “keep it simple…stupid”. After all, what are the Holidays really about, anyway? It’s about “good will” toward others…it’s about PEOPLE ENJOYING PEOPLE.

Why can’t it be about you as well…why can’t you benefit from some of that same good will that you extend to others? You’re a “person” too, aren’t you? What if you chose to do something good for yourself at least once a day…even it that’s sitting back while putting your feel up and relaxing for just a few minutes…or stopping for lunch with a friend…or meeting your spouse after shopping for a bite to eat…or going to a movie you’ve wanted to see? I know…all of those examples take time and YOU DON’T HAVE ANY TIME TO SPARE!! Well, I understand that but what if in your doing something nice for yourself you ACTUALLY GOT MORE ACCOMPLISHED because you’re feeling refreshed and motivated? That would be a good thing, wouldn’t it?

And so, your expectations of yourself have a great deal to do with the amount and severity of stress that you’re going to experience. If your expectations are more reasonable, your stress level will be lessened and more able to be managed. Essentially, what I’m recommending is that YOU THINK OF YOURSELF FIRST! Now, that’s a novel and very unusual thought isn’t it? In fact, for many of you it’s verboten or forbidden. Interestingly, when we do what’s good for ourselves first, our ability to “do for others” is enhanced. That’s why, on a plane, the steward or stewardess asks that if there’s a change in pressure and you have small children, you place the oxygen mask on yourself first and then help your child. This teaches by example and facilitates the process.

Many times we become caught up in our “holiday rush” because we expect certain reactions from people and we don’t always get it. It’s as if our worth as a person will come from others and how they relate to us especially at the Holiday time of year. It can become a vicious circle because others operate from a similar stance as well. I remember one individual that I treated in therapy who was quite well-to-do and spent literally thousands of dollars buying gifts for family and friends. He would have a gathering of maybe fifteen to twenty people gathered in his home on Christmas Eve and dole out his favors to each and every one of them. He also made sure that the values were similar so that no on would feel slighted.

Naturally, others had gifts to share as well. When it came time for him to receive what others brought as gifts for him, he would find some excuse to leave the room. It was very difficult for him to receive anything from anyone but very easy for him to give to others. Although his concept of his tradition was that of benevolence, what it really amounted to was a question of control. Receiving, for him, made him feel “in control” while receiving resulted in very uncomfortable feelings that represented his being “out of control”. My work with him ultimately showed that experiences from his youth resulted in his feeling unloved. His yearly traditional gift-giving episode was his way of insuring that people would “love” him. He worked hard and finally realized that there were many people in his life who truly loved him for who “he was” and for what he gave them.

And now, there is a very special point that I’d like to make about this Season. There is GIVING, RECEIVING and then there is SHARING. Just about anyone can give or receive but many people do not understand the meaning of sharing. Sharing requires INVOLVEMENT…involvement between people which means there is an emotional connection associated with gift-giving. It’s not just a matter of getting what you wanted or being surprised and overwhelmed with a gift that you didn’t expect. It’s a matter of feeling connected to the person who gave or shared the gift which is more important than the gift itself. Again, this Season is about PEOPLE and now, introducing the word SHARING into the mix there is a whole different perception of what is meant by the Christmas Season. I’m always struck by the gift a child might give to someone he or she loves…a parent, grandparent or other friend or relative…something that they have made themselves. I still have objects that my children made for my wife and I thirty and thirty-five years ago. They are treasures and for me represent the true meaning of the Season and the sharing that can take place.

A shift in attitude around this concept will reduce stress significantly. Apart from the Holidays, I would recommend that you practice more of a “sharing attitude” during the rest of the year as well. When we share, there is an involvement that exists that allows the “giver” to benefit as much as the “receiver”. It’s a win-win situation which is what the Holidays are supposed to result in for all of us. Be aware of whatever pattern results in “post traumatic Holiday syndrome” and decide to make some changes. Everyone will benefit as you start the process.

And so, here is a synopsis of the salient points of this article. This article aims at reducing the stress of the Holidays

§ Much of the stress comes from our perception of our roles

§ Examining what patterns we practiced this year will help identify patterns that need changing for the future

§ Our expectations of ourselves is a key factor worthy of examination:

o Did you “bite off more than you could chew?”

o Did you tend to feel guilty if you didn’t “go all out”…the parties, the decorations, everything having to be “perfect”?

o Did you notice yourself becoming more uptight as the Season rolled on?

o Did you find yourself feeling tired, listless, ragged, overworked, overwhelmed, angry, and short-tempered, not having enough time in the day, running around like a “banshee”, no time for yourself, not enjoying what you were doing or the people for whom you were doing it?

§ Answering yes to any one of these would indicate that you have existing stress patterns that may need to be changed

§ The Holidays are supposed to be about people interacting and enjoying other people

§ Doing what’s good for yourself should be the first rule of thumb

§ Do you expect certain reactions from others that you may not realize?

§ Is your giving presents your way of getting people to like/love you?

§ Might your gift-giving be a way of your trying to control others’ relationships to you?

§ Are you loved for what you give or for “who you are”?

§ Know the difference between giving/receiving and sharing

§ Changing patterns will significantly reduce your stress level during the Holidays



By: Charles M. Bonasera

About the Author:

If you look at the average 20 year old, the chances that they have had any real education about relationships and love are pretty slim. Growing up as kids, they probably learned a little biology about the male and female body; they’ve possibly read some love poetry by Shakespeare or some other great author; they’ve usually watched their parents relationship going through some significant ups and downs with little explanation about what’s going on. But in terms of understanding themselves and their needs and requirements for love and relationship the average 20 year old is pretty unprepared for the real world.

The main thing parents have the power to change in this area is to become more honest with children about relationships while they are still living at home. With marriage ending in divorce at the rate of about 50%, it is unfair to teach children that every relationship is supposed to last forever. It is not true that when you fall in love with somebody - or find the right person - you will live happily ever after. Having babies is not the be-all and end-all of relationships and cannot save an unhappy marriage. The form and function of the modern family has changed and children are not responsible for their parents getting divorced (many of them feel they are).

Many parents want to hide what goes on in their relationship from their children in the desperate hope that their children will do better than they have done. But it doesn’t work like that! It never has.

If you want to see your children have better relationships than you it is necessary to start by helping them learn more about the reality of love and relationship. You need to talk with them about how and why relationships work (and don’t work). Make a commitment to being more honest about your own mistakes. You also need to realize that your children know far more than you may sometimes think. When you try to hide the truth it is only confusing to them - their senses tell them one thing while your words say something quite different.

This doesn’t mean you need to spill all the blood and guts to young children and disturb them. They don’t need to know all the ups and downs in your relationship. But it does mean that you need to start to help your children have realistic expectations about relationships, and this includes the fact that every family relationship has problems. Kids need and want to learn how to face up to problems and solve them rather than run away or hide from them. 

If you feel afraid of being honest with your kids about relationships, you are not alone. The majority of parents mistakenly feel that kids need to be protected from the truth because it is often painful or disappointing. But they may not be aware that children see and feel what is going on despite all the things that are covered up or lied about. And to a child, that dishonesty is more painful than the truth. To top it all off, that dishonesty becomes their pattern for their future relationships.

On a more positive note, children can handle much more than we realize if they are treated openly and with respect. Kids who grow up with a more realistic picture of love, relationships and family living are much better prepared for life than those who are kept in ignorance and then are left to make the same mistakes as their parents.



By: Sarah McCrum

About the Author:

“Franz Ferdinand” are a four-piece Scottish indie rock band hailed from Glasgow, Scotland. They are frontman Alex Kapranos (Vocals and Guitar), Nick McCarthy (Guitar, Keyboards and Backing Vocals), Bob Hardy (Bass) and Paul Thomson (Drums). Their music genres include indie rock, post-punk revival and dance rock. Franz Ferdinand derived their name from historical figure Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Franz Ferdinand are back after a four-year wait. With their third full-length Tonight, i would say this album is worth the wait! They’re back with broader musical scope, they’re experimenting music and they’re having fun! Franz Ferdinand is back to rock us!

Delicious Tonight kicks off with the ever sexy “Ulysses”. Alex’s voice is sexy in a steady pace. The opening drum beats is very catchy, you would fall in love with this track once the music starts. Franz Ferdinand started off taking little steps with Alex’s improved vocals. I have never heard Alex singing in such way, Ulysses is sexy and sweaty. The music itself has shown Franz Ferdinand’s desire to add in some new aspects into their sound. “Come on let’s get high, come on let’s get high…” Franz Ferdinand has got to be the sexiest band on the dance floor!

“Turn It On” is another track that continues to make the ladies on the dance floor asking for more. The bass and guitar on this track are too irresistible. In the chorus, the backing vocals really complement Alex’s singing. Alex will go, “Although I know you turn it on yeah…” The rest of Franz Ferdinand will go “Turn it on…” Just amazing to hear Franz Ferdinand do that! Turn It On is like a dance club anthem where it never fails to get the crowd moving their body in a sense of appreciation of the music by Franz Ferdinand. Turn it on now with Franz Ferdinand!

“No You Girls” has some repetitive catchy guitar and bass hooks. The music throughout No You Girls is just simply awesome. The lyrics are smartly crafted as well, “Kiss me where your eye won’t meet me, meet me where your mind won’t kiss me…” The chorus also brings us another mesmerizing moment. It’s anthemic, sexy and catchy. The handclaps, guitar, organ and team-vocals are the climax here. “You girls never know, oh no, you girls’ll never know, no you girls never know, how you make a boy feel…” It’s loud and danceable! Dancing to a rock tune really requires lot of energy!

“Send Him Away” is soft danceable rock track where you would see Alex takes on a softer vocals approach. On every album of Franz Ferdinand, there would be songs that slow the tempo down, in other words, let our ears take a short rest from all the hype going on throughout the album. Send Him Away managed to do just that. I find it sweet and cute with the guitar that has a slight country element in it. In the last 1:12 minutes, Alex just sings, “Oh, can’t you let me stay tonight…” until it fades while the guitar just does the opposite as it gets louder near the end.

“Twilight Omens” starts off with scary-like string instrument that sounds like a banjo. It sort of brings back the atmosphere of those classical horror movies. Overall Twilight Omens brings you back to the 60s/70s. The way Franz Ferdinand sing throughout this track reflect the old days as well. A journey back to the past perhaps. Only this time, they do it with the influence of electronic music. Rocking old times!

“Bite Hard” begins slowly with the piano-playing and Alex’s breathy vocals. Once it reaches the right pace, the guitar, bass and drums just come in and it would surely wake you up instantly! In between, i like the organ that plays along, it just happens to be at the right place at the right time to make Bite Hard sounds more complete. The music also has a very heavy bass line that is so suitable on the dance floor. Nearing the end, Franz Ferdinand just keep getting louder, “Well I never, well I never, well I never know… I just had to taste their honey…” I think i’m getting up and dance!

“What She Came For” is also another track that contains heavy bass line, but this time is on mid-tempo pace. There are also some electronic elements in this track which Franz Ferdinand use throughout Tonight. At times, without the vocals of Alex, i find What She Came For cute and cheeky. The chorus hits a high with the group vocals of “Wow, look out, know what she came for. Know what she came for. No question, no doubt. Wow, look out, know what she came for…” And the background music, if you listen carefully, there’s a faint organ-playing. What She Came For also features Rosie Wilson on the vocals contribution part. Towards the end, Franz Ferdinand just go for the maximum volume and rock it hard with the guitars. I absolutely fancy this crazily cheeky yet rockable track.

“Live Alone” sort of reminds me of “You’re The Reason I’m Leaving” from “You Could Have It So Much Better”. At times, Gwen Stefani’s “What You’re Waiting For” just crosses my mind. Franz Ferdinand’s usage of synthesizers is very significant in this track as well. The guitar just comes in on and off as to follow the beat and rhythm of this track. And again, Live Alone is being sung in a way that’ll bring you back to the 60s/70s. The good old days are just getting popular nowadays. “You know that i’ll be here, i’ll be here wishing i could be there…” Nice paradox.

“Can’t Stop Feeling” is funnily good! The music in this track is really catchy, especially the instrument that sounds like a bass or maybe a synthesizers, and the beats that sound like a djembe’s which creates an atmosphere of African music. The music is funnily catchy and the moment you hear it, you can’t help but smile faintly. The singing of Can’t Stop Feeling is similarly catchy too. I like the part where Alex goes, “And you leave me here on my own, yeah you leave me here on the floor, you can’t feel it, and you can’t feel it… Anymore…” Just can’t stop listening to Can’t Stop Feeling.

“Lucid Dreams” sounds like a pure electronic track, which differs greatly from the non-album version. Franz Ferdinand are creating a new sound for themselves with Lucid Dreams here and it clocks in at over seven minutes long. From what i listen here, it’s clearly a remixed version of the non-album version. It goes directly to the chorus and climax without the normal build-up. The second half is pure music with heavy electronic elements and some guitar-playing. Franz Ferdinand are reborn again here.

In “Dream Again”, is a ballad that sees Franz Ferdinand have it soft and slow. At times, Alex can be heard singing in a robotic and echoic voice, “I live to dream again…” If you listen carefully, there’s no guitar in this track, just some beats created by synthesizers. Dream Again will take some time for you to grow into it, even if you’re not into it, you’d still appreciate Dream Again. Sweet and lovely track here.

Franz Ferdinand end Tonight with the acoustic “Katherine Kiss Me”. Alex sings with his heart here. He can be heard singing and strumming his guitar away. During the break, the piano comes in at the perfect time to complement Katherine Kiss Me. This track has the story-telling quality where you can clearly hear the voice of Alex as he sings and then you can figure out the meaning of this song. Franz Ferdinand present it with style and manage to close the chapter of Tonight on a soft note.

Rating: Tonight proved that Franz Ferdinand are exploring new musical elements rather than sticking back to their normal indie rock and post-punk revival. This time, Franz Ferdinand added electronic and slight african influences into their third full-length album. It’s always good to know that one of your favourite indie artists/bands are trying or creating something new and fresh. Franz Ferdinand have this ability to make new sound and at the same time, sounding the same. When it comes to creating catchy and danceable melody, Franz Ferdinand are always a force to be reckoned with. They are evolving with every album, and yet still manage to maintain their catchy trademark. If you’re a fan of Franz Ferdinand, you’ll be glad that you have included the right band into your all time favourite bands list. If not, you better be one now! Another achievement by Franz Ferdinand, 7.8 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Ulysses, Turn It On, No You Girls, Send Him Away, Bite Hard, What She Came For, Can’t Stop Feeling and Katherine Kiss Me.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com



By: Darren Tan

About the Author:

Maids perform typical domestic chores such as cooking, ironing, washing, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, walking the family dog, and taking care of children. In some countries, maids take on the role of a nurse in taking care of the elderly and people with disabilities. Maids are often expected to work at least fifteen hours per day.

Many maids are required by their employers to wear a uniform. Today the maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford. In the Western world, comparatively few households can afford live-in domestic help, usually compromising on periodic cleaners. In less developed nations, fewer educated women and limited opportunities for working women ensures a labour source for domestic work.

Young girls working as scullery maids fell to the bottom of the servant hierarchy which meant they were mocked and ridiculed by upper servants and completely ignored by members of the household despite the fact that they slaved away each day at their work. The scullery maid reported (through the kitchen maid) to the cook or chef.

A between maid (also called hall girl, particularly in the United States) is a female junior servant in a large household with many staff. The position is largely defunct in the 21st century, as few households can afford great retinues of servants with the elaborate hierarchy of the past.

The term hall girl came from her chief duty, which was waitressing in the Servants’ Hall. She was required to set the table and remove the dishes, as well as waiting at table. She may also have carried meals up to the head housekeeper, if, for example, that head of staff had breakfast or afternoon tea in her room(s).

The term between maid came from the fact that her duties came under the area of responsibilites of the housekeeper, butler and cook; if these individuals did not like one another the job of the between maid was a very difficult one.

In developed countries most families can no longer afford live-in help. In nations where there is still a ready supply of inexpensive labour the middle classes may still be able to afford servants. For these households, the remnant of the once grand position of head housekeeper is often a cook-housekeeper. The modern cook-housekeeper performs cooking and cleaning duties.

A maid service, also known as a residential cleaning service or home cleaning service is a business which provides cleaning services as a convenience to homeowners who do not have (or do not wish to spend) the time to clean their own homes. Maid services have become more common over the last 20 years or so, partly because of the rise in two-income families.

Although a maid service may be more expensive than simply hiring a part-time maid, it offers a number of advantages. First, a service will provide not only someone to do the cleaning, but also all of the necessary supplies. Second, in the United States, if you hire a maid directly, you are responsible for withholding social security taxes. Third, a maid service is, or should be, insured, and can be held accountable if something is stolen, whereas a private individual may be difficult to track down.

There are several large maid service franchises in the United States, such as MaidPro, Molly Maid and Merry Maids. There are also thousands of independent perators around the country. They are also becoming more prevalent in England, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere. There are also numerous companies supplying useful services to maid service companies, like training, marketing help and supplying management software.

There are now thousands of residential cleaning businesses throughout the United States and Canada. More spring up every year. Maid services are becoming more popular in other countries, too - perhaps a sign of a relatively well-off population, or perhaps these businesses have sprung up just as the two-earner household has become the norm.

Way back, it was traditionally a woman’s role to clean the home, but as more and more women have joined the work force, the time pressure on families with children has grown immeasurably, so paying someone to do the cleaning makes sense to time-pressured couples where both work, and are making a reasonable income.

A maid service is a relatively easy sort of business to start, because one needs little more than a phone and one or two workers to get started. However, to make the business really successful, one must plan appropriately and have sufficient capital for start-up costs and marketing, and be prepared to go through some relatively lean times at first, while you build up a clientele.

Men working in the cleaning profession are usually called janitors. A janitor is a person who takes care of a building, such as a school, office building, or apartment block. They are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often (though not always) some maintenance and security. A female janitor is called a janitrix, although this term is rarely used. The title custodian is sometimes given to janitors as a term of higher respect. In some settings janitors are called housekeepers or housekeeping staff. Janitors have also come up with a number of alternative job titles.

Domestic workers perform typical domestic chores such as cooking, ironing, washing, cleaning the house, buying foods and drinks, accompanying the female head of the household for grocery shopping, taking the family dog for a walk, and taking care of the children. In some countries, maids replace the role of a nurse in taking care of the elderly and people with disabilities.

Domestic service, or the employment of people for wages in their employer’s residence, is also sometimes simply called “service.” It evolved into a hierarchical system in various countries at various times.

Prior to the labour reforms of the 20th Century, servants had no protection in law. The only real advantage that service provided was the provision of meals and accommodation in addition to the modest wage. Also, service was an apprentice system; there was room for advancement through the ranks. However, it was also perilous, particularly for females, as there was no protection from unscrupulous employers or members of the family. Many employers require their domestic workers to be in a uniform.



By: Josh Stone

About the Author:

Everything was serene in the land of the saints. As serene as hell. First, it was about as hot as the Inferno’s eighth ring (in case you lost count, that’s the one where the great sailor Ulysses is eternally slow-roasted for his part in the Trojan War). Second, it was humid enough to bathe in. Third, there was no wind. And fourth, I was beginning to quote poetry. Saints, 

preserve us! 

It had begun well enough. My husband Rick and I, along with our friend Hal, had decided to celebrate a kind of midsummer All Saints Day by cruising the St. Marys River and visiting its related nominal holinesses—St. Mary’s College, Historic St. Mary’s City, St. George Creek, St. George Island and St. Inigoes Creek—names further sanctified by being crucial to Maryland’s founding story. Maryland’s first settlers landed on St. Clements Island, but learned that the Yaocomaco Indians were holding a kind of going-out-of-business sale along the St. Marys River (not its name then, of course) because the tribe wanted to consolidate its numbers farther upriver as protection from attack by another more fearsome Native American organization. In addition to the land, the Indians also threw in their old houses and all their cultivated fields, so the newcomers pulled out their chests of pretty beads and closed the deal. Then they named everything in sight for various saints and settled down to make a new colony. 

On the morning before the official cruise was to begin, Rick and I sailed across the Potomac from the Yeocomico (same Indians, different side of the river) and then idled away the long, still afternoon with iced drinks and good books under the ancient oaks at St. Mary’s Yachting Center on Carthagena Creek. (Carthagena was named by William Hebb II for a spectacularly unsuccessful 1741 battle fought for the Caribbean port of Cartagena during the War of Jenkin’s Ear by the British—with the aid of colonists such as Hebb and Lawrence Washington—against the Spanish. Nothing came of the war, and Jenkin’s ear was eventually pickled.) 

Hal arrived on his powerboat early the following morning, which dawned clear and promising, but dead calm, prompting us to opt for a Saints Day cruise by power rather than sail. The three of us set off in Hal’s boat with the rising sun and a second cup of coffee. We began our cruise with a perfectly agreeable tour of St. Inigoes Creek—the first creek to the right as you come up the St. Marys. (Inigo is Spanish for Ignatius, so the creek was actually named for Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. A Jesuit priest arrived with the first settlers in 1634, and the Jesuit order in the years that followed held thousands of acres in this area—as well as the entirety of St. George Island, which was more impressive then than it is now since it used to be considerably larger.) 

Serene? Very. Up one branch and then another we went, enjoying the quiet, long-settled, woodsy character of houses that lined St. Inigoes—like so many Maine lake cottages—while remarking on the dozen or so new docks, long steep stairs and walkways of the creek’s new construction. We also noted several fine potential anchorages—particularly a wooded spot at the top end of Lucas Cove that already had a temporary resident, a lone cruiser who resolutely refused to look up from his book as we motored slowly by, waving futilely. All this while, however, we kept an eager eye on a military helicopter that was doing dramatic touch-and-goes at Webster Field, part of the Naval Air Warfare facility at Priests Point. No welcome mat on their doorstep for cruisers, of course, but the inadvertent air show was free for the viewing. Next door to the Navy, on Molls Cove, the St. Inigoes Coast Guard station was as peaceful as its Maine cottage neighbors this weekend morning. The facility serves the Potomac and its tributaries from Point No Point and Smith Point near the river’s mouth all the way up to the U.S. Route 301 bridge.

Two homes along St. Inigoes Creek are worth particular note. Rose Croft graces the point of the same name at the northern entrance of the creek and was the seat of the Maryland colony’s first collector of revenue. (Ships coming up the Potomac were supposed to stop here to be taxed—cannons were pointed toward the river to encourage cooperation. But those ships bound for Virginia ports simply hugged the opposite shore and so kept well out of range of both cannon fire and tax collection.) Farther up St. Inigoes, on the opposite shore, sits Cross Manor, probably the oldest home in Maryland, its original parts dating to the late 17th century. It is now owned by newsman Ted Koppel and his wife.

Things were still as serene as Buddha as we left St. Inigoes Creek to work our way up to the navigable limits of the St. Marys River. Passing Chancellor Point, we remained theologically neutral and took Pagan and Church points right down the middle. (The two points, which jut out from either side of the river, offered the new settlement of St. Mary’s excellent protection from potential enemies, such as Spanish, Dutch and Virginia Protestants.) Just beyond these points, we emerged into Horseshoe Bend, where the river changes direction from north to northwest. 

Once we had gotten about as far upriver as we could, about two nautical miles, we gingerly circled Tippity Wichity Island—a notoriously shallow area with the added menace of an overhanging power line crossing from the northeast shore. (This unassuming geographic feature was once an intriguing blot on the local landscape known as Happie Land, established after the Civil War by a Confederate smuggler named Howgate, who changed the name of the island from Lynch to Tippling-house and  Witchery-house Island—hence Tippity Wichity. Or at least that’s the story.)

Serenity onboard was wearing thin as we began our trek back downriver, past points Long and Short, and entered Horseshoe Bend once more. The light morning breeze had petered out at 10:15, as punctual as a Swiss train, and we had entered that brief breathless purgatory before the temperature soars and the day goes well and truly downhill. 

Hal was steering us well clear of the shoal waters that trail off Horseshoe Point, when the sun topped out for the day. The humidity and the temperature kept up their neck-and-neck race for 100 as we idled across Horseshoe Bend. It was at this point that serenity flew out the window. 

Sweating and sulky, I found myself questioning the very nature of cruising—you know, the whole “Why are we here?” and “What’s the point?” revisionist talk. As Rick and Hal looked on helplessly, I began reciting Edna St. Vincent Millay’s The Unexplorer, which you’ll be happy to know is very short because I’m going to quote it: 

     There was a road ran past our door

     Too lovely to explore.

     I asked my mother once—she said

     That if you followed where it led

     It brought you to the milkman’s door

(That’s why I haven’t traveled more.) Maybe the mother was right, I whined. Maybe all we’re doing is motoring by hundreds of Elsie and Elmer homes, I said, referring to the famous Borden spokescows. Sure, it’s all nice and pretty, but so is Dubuque. And so forth. . . .

Well, as it turned out, the fault lay not in bovine TV stars, but in my stomach. I didn’t suddenly hate cruising, I was just very hungry. And fortunately there are few things that a good $6.50 all-you-can-eat college buffet can’t cure. 

On reaching Horseshoe Bend, Hal headed directly for St. Mary’s College docks, carefully dodging an outgoing fleet of Special Olympians on the way in, and we went ashore. Providentially, a sophomore political science major from the D.C. area promptly materialized and, taking us figuratively in hand, led us by the shortest possible route to the college commissary. Half an hour and four slices of fresh vegetarian pizza later, life was great and Elsie and Elmer had re-established themselves as fascinating reasons to explore the world. 

Call it a minor miracle if you like, but then St. Mary’s College of Maryland has always come down on the side of the angels as far as cruisers were concerned. Not only does the college invite cruisers to tie up at the college docks during the day (no overnights, though), it also welcomes them to use the athletic facilities at $5 a day and make use of its showers, as well as the cafeteria, coffee shop and bookstore. If the college docks are full, no problem, there is enough room in Horseshoe Bend for the entire Pacific Fleet to drop anchor (okay, a few of the aircraft carriers might have to wait outside) and dinghy ashore. There is plenty of room at the sandy beach nearby for dinghies.

 “The school has always looked to the water,” college President Jane Margaret O’Brien told me when we talked the following week. “All the old buildings face the river because that’s the way students saw the school—from the water—until 1934, when the steamship stopped running.” It’s a question of hospitality in a very rural area, O’Brien continued. The college continues to maintain a close relationship with the water; its sailing team, with 13 national championships, is ranked number one in the country. 

For a place that’s pretty much the last stop before the end of the road, St. Mary’s was humming on this summer day. The Special Olympians we had encountered on the way in were part of a weekend of racing on a variety of watercraft for the state Special Olympics championships. Next door to the college, Historic St. Mary’s City was hosting its annual Archaeology Weekend, which lets visitors sift for themselves among the potsherds and get a once-a-year look at the site’s artifact filing system—housed in the climate-controlled basement of a former house.

All of this brings up another benefit of the college’s enlightened attitude toward cruisers. Because docking is available, cruisers can easily visit Maryland’s fascinating first capital—a feat rarely possible at the nation’s other historic sites, which have turned their back on their maritime origins. All of which made our visit to Archaeology Weekend a walk in the park . . . then a short stroll through Trinity Church cemetery, a trek past the Woodland Indian Hamlet, and a hike up the hill to the Visitor Center. At the end of it all—including a short drive by van just a spit down the road—stood curator Silas Hurry, quiet-spoken, earnest and full of the milk of good public relations kindness. He had an eager audience. A few took notes. Here are Cliff’s: All of the samples from each dig are clearly marked, sifted, categorized, stabilized, identified, computerized and stored. Now pay attention, because this will be on your final: 

Archaeologists are now leaving as much of the land as possible undisturbed for future archaeologists because they will presumably know more and have better equipment than today’s batch, just as we have it all over the former fellows, who did regrettable things like toss out all the soil that had been turned over regularly in cultivation—soil that, it turns out, actually contains the bulk of what is now considered the good stuff. And like oyster shells, which, it turns out, are important indicators of the health of the Bay because you can measure their rings (kind of like trees, apparently) and thickness and so forth. Because oyster shell fragments were about as common as cucumbers in a pickle factory, nobody ever thought it worth the trouble to collect them—except Historic St. Mary’s City archaeologists, who did hang on to them and who can be excused for feeling just a little smug about the whole thing. So, never throw out anything, no matter how dumb it seems—but only if you’re an archaeologist. End of lesson.

Following our entertaining encounter with dirt and historic debris we retraced our steps, more slowly this time, to visit Historic St. Mary’s City. The town, founded in 1634, was a briefly thriving community that was relegated to the trash heap of history a mere 90 years later when the Protestants gained sufficient power and influence to insist that the center of power for the colony be moved north to the more malleable city of Annapolis. The  jilted capital soon faded into memory and its plowed fields, homes, businesses and government buildings forgotten. (The college, in fact, was established as a kind of consolation prize for the lost capital, starting life in 1840 as a girls seminary and ending up as the state’s public honors college. So over the years, the school and the lost city have maintained a uniquely special relationship, with their property, interests and activities widely overlapping.)

St. Mary’s City was never a city in the sense of a downtown, suburbs and business district. Even at its peak it was only a few dozen homes, a couple of taverns and a state house. The state house was rebuilt in 1934, but most of the other original buildings have been reconstructed only in an outline form called “ghost frames,” which gives the impression of a bankrupt 17th century housing development.

An important feature of St. Mary’s rebuilt past is the Dove—the maritime cargo van that accompanied the first settler’s Greyhound bus, the Ark. When not showing off elsewhere, the Doveis generally parked at a pier not far from the original landing place and at the bottom of a steep descent from the bluff where the “city” stood. On the weekend following our visit, the Dove would be out on the river, serving as the finish line for the 34th annual Governor’s Cup, a perennially popular overnight sailing race from Annapolis to St. Mary’s (from one capital to another)—a distance of about seventy miles, if you don’t count all the extra miles required on those many occasions when a beat to windward is the only way down the Bay. The race is sponsored by St. Mary’s College and culminates in what has been called one of sailing’s top 10 parties.

It was time for us to move on—we still had one more saint waiting in the wings —so we took a final scenic look down at the river from the Margaret Brent Gazebo. (Brent was named executor of the will of colonial governor Leonard Calvert, Lord Baltimore’s son. In 1648 she went before the General Assembly to ask for two votes, one as executor and one as landowner in her own right, and received nothing in return but huffy male disdain.) Back at the college waterfront, we danced inelegantly across the coal-hot sand and returned to Hal’s boat. Special Olympics sailors by this time were off the water and had gathered with friends and families in the shade for the awards announcements. The sound of cheers and applause wobbled through the humidity to follow us down the dock.

Once out in Horseshoe Bend, Hal opened the throttle a little more than careful tourism might recommend, but we reveled in the resulting breeze and turned south for St. George Creek. We made two concessions to speed along the way. The first was to admire Porto Bello, the historic estate built in the 1740s by William Hebb II and extensively restored over the past several years by former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee and his wife, writer Sally Quinn. The estate sits on a bluff above the river’s western shore. (Porto Bello, like Carthagena, was named by Hebb for yet another battle in the War of Jenkin’s Ear—this one a British victory.) Our second tangent was to trace Carthagena Creek past Josh Point, where the creek seems to end before it begins, around the dogleg to the right that materializes at the flashing red “4” to Dennis Point, past private docks and comfortable cottages, and finally turning back as the creek shallowed out beyond Walnut Point. 

Now it was simply a matter of keeping the three green markers (two locals and flashing green “1”) to our right and then resisting the urge to make our turn into St. George Creek before we had reached red “A”. You can get away with the shortcut if you know what you’re doing, but we did not. So we played it by the numbers and split the difference between “A” and flashing green “1”.

St. George Creek feels nice and roomy for much of its four and a half nautical miles, as it separates first St. George Island and then Piney Point from the Maryland mainland. It’s a busy working waterway, too. As we slowed down just before reaching green “1” to try to catch a glimpse of Camp Merryelande at the southern tip of St. George Island, workboats and fishing boats bustled around us and kept us bobbing and binocular bruised. Merryelande, now a private facility with brightly colored rental cabins with varying degrees of civilization and tents, a sandy beach and a fishing dock, was for many years a girls’ summer camp operated by Roman Catholic nuns. (The Jesuits were St. George Island’s first European inhabitants. They kept herds of Elsies and Elmers on the island because of its abundance of tasty grasses.) 

The dominant feature on St. George Creek is the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education and Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. This training complex can be seen from either side of St. George Island and, on a clear day, from well out on the Potomac. The school, which trains merchant seamen for employment on U.S. flagged commercial vessels, is generally closed to visitors, but a slow pass by the docks is a good alternative. 

As St. George Creek narrowed and we slowed to keep down our wake, the temperature onboard began to rise as quickly as the cumulonimbus clouds to the west. Pretty soon now, it would behoove us to get off the river. Late afternoon in midsummer is no time to be lollygagging along sightseeing. So we made one quick side trip into Tarkill Cove on the mainland side of the creek then headed for home—St. Mary’s Yachting Center, in this case. We had just enough time to put up the awning over the cockpit of the sailboat and pull three greenies out of the cooler before the first storm barreled through. As we put our feet up and watched the rain fall, we agreed with generations of boaters before us that discussing a day spent on the Bay over a cold beer in the sudden coolness of a late afternoon shower is pretty close to heaven. Yep, everything was serene here in the land of the saints. 



By: Chesapeake Bay Magazine

About the Author: