With an increasing number of Floridians scratching their heads as to how on Earth Rick Scott was ever-elected Governor, his public receptions are growing colder. Only a few weeks after lawmakers filed a bill that would help ease Florida’s restrictive Constitution that prohibits public recall of its Governor, Scott showed-up Saturday to throw the first pitch of the game at the Yankees vs. Blue Jays Spring training game in Tampa. Fans in attendance gave Scott a tepid reception, booing loudly and forcing the Governor to issue a “No comment” response to media inquiries about the incident. See the WESH 2 News Report of the incident below: http://www.wesh.com/politics/27263130/detail.html
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Scott Booed at Yankees Game
Apple Facing Mounting Pressure to Pull Exodus App
Last week, Exodus International launched an App on Apple’s iPhone and iPad systems to promote its agenda of “curing” homosexuality. Exodus is a religious-based organization that supports conversion-type therapies to those with “unwanted same-sex attractions.” The App links users to biblical scriptures along with “resources” that can assist him or her in their fight to change their same-sex attractions. Research and rigorous scientific inquiries have over-whelmingly indicated the dangers of these types of “therapies” and every major medical association (including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association) have branded them as completely unethical and unsupported by peer-review and science. After gay civil rights organizations caught news of the App, they immediately began collecting signatures to encourage Apple to pull it. As of today, over 100,000 signatures have been collected. In addition, one of the psychologists (Dr. Gary Remafedi) quoted in the App has indicated his work has been perverted by the group and has alerted Apple to the misuse of his name and research. At this point, it is essential that Apple do the right thing and pull the App. For more information on “Conversion Therapies,” longitudinal research on their efficacy, their dangerous psychological effects on GLBT persons, and the unethical nature of their use, see my 2008 Issues in Mental Health Nursing article “Nursing Implications in the Application of Conversion Therapies on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Clients” under the “Research” Tab.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Listen While You Can!
Britney Spears’ follow-up to “Hold Against Me” has leaked. Entitled, “Till the World Ends,” the song is VERY unique for Spears. With the increasing use of vocal synthesizers, it is apparent that the success of Ke$ha (named 2010 Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine) is having reverberating effects in pop music. Take a listen to the new single (while you can) below:
Friday, February 18, 2011
Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” Video Released
The Princess of Pop herself has released a new video for her single “Hold It Against Me” the first single off her upcoming (March 2011) album. The single was Spears’ 18th single to debut at #1. Only Madonna, with 25 #1 debut singles, tops Spears as the female artist with more debut #1 singles. Last week when Lady GaGa released “Born This Way” Britney was knocked out of the top spot. GaGa also crushed Spears record-selling digital downloads. “Hold It Against Me” was downloaded 411,000+ times when it released but “Born This Way” reached over 460,000 downloads in just 3 days! Watch the fun and poppy video for “Hold It Against Me” by following the URL below. Britney obviously had a lot of fun recording this one and she looks as HOTT as ever! If this song is any indication, her upcoming album should be great! Follow the Link to watch the video: Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” Video Released
Erasure Begins Recording New Album
The internationally successful pop-synth duo Erasure headed to Vince Clark’s studio in Maine today to begin laying down tracks they’ve been working on for over 3 years! Erasure’s last album (2007’s Light at the End of the World) was a major success and was followed-up by an international tour that sold-out practically every city in which it played. The Light at the End of the World Tour played a sold-out Hard Rock Live in Orlando on July 8th 2007. Erasure has a few 2011 tour dates booked (including a March 25th performance in Miami as part of the Ultra Music Festival) but has already announced a world tour that will embark at the end of 2011 after the release of their album. Below, Erasure’s Vince Clark is pictured with one of the producers of the album Vincent Frank (of Frankmusik). You can follow Erasure’s progress in the Cabin Studio by accessing their Web Cam: http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com/studiocam/index.html.
Zach Wahls, Brave College Student who Testified for Equality in Iowa Talks to Ellen
An initiative to repeal marriage equality in Iowa, spear-headed by Republicans in Iowa’s House of Representatives, has been underway for the past few weeks. Democrats have vowed they will do whatever is in their power to make sure the Republicans are unsuccessful. Last week, Zach Wahls, a 19 year-old University of Iowa engineering major who was raised by two lesbian moms, provided testimony against the bigoted effort. Today, he appeared on Ellen and gave an incredible and inspiring interview. Take a look below:
Monday, February 14, 2011
Lady GaGa Wins Grammy, Gives Incredible Performance
Lady GaGa’s new single “Born This Way” released on Friday has already been downloaded more times on iTunes than any other single in history–in over 21 countries! But, if that wasn’t enough–the pop superstar won the Grammy Award on Sunday for Pop Album of the Year for The Fame Monster. Just minutes before, she gave an incredible live performance of the new single. Congratulations to Lady GaGa for her Grammy win! Take a look at her performance below:
Roxette Performs Medley
From TDR: Roxette’s perfomance this weekend on the German television program “Wetten, das
?” was a high-energy medley of “She’s Got the Look,” “It Must Have Been Love,” and the new single “She’s Got Nothing On (But the Radio).” The set designer had Roxette performing in an open tunnel lit mostly with blue spotlights. In the audience shots, several fans could be seen wearing “Charm School Girl” t-shirts, complete with graduation caps at the end. The host said “Welcome back!” to Roxette and presented Marie with a bouquet of sunflowers and yellow roses. Per said the show went “very, very well.” Take a look at their great performance below:
Wonderland Close to Opening on Broadway
The musical Wonderland: A New Alice. A New Musical which got its start under a slightly different subtitle (The New Adventures of Alice) at the Tampa Bay Center for the Performing Arts, is close to opening on the Great White Way. The show begins previews March 21st at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre. The show opened in Tampa at the end of 2009 and was the first ever workshop produced by TBPAC specifically as a Broadway-bound musical. According to Playbill:
Wonderland is a new pop musical about a modern mom who goes down Alice’s rabbit hole, has a book by Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy, lyrics by Jack Murphy, music by Frank Wildhorn, choreography by Marguerite Derricks and direction by Gregory Boyd. It will open April 17. The company features Janet Dacal (In the Heights) as Alice, Darren Ritchie (Little Shop of Horrors, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as White Knight, E. Clayton Cornelious (The Scottsboro Boys, A Chorus Line) as Caterpillar, Jose Llana (Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song) as El Gato, Karen Mason (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) as Queen of Hearts, Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Jekyll and Hyde) as Mad Hatter, Carly Rose Sonenclar (Les Miserables, Little House on the Prairie) as Chloe, Edward Staudenmayer (Spamalot, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me) as White Rabbit and Danny Stiles (regional productions of Guys and Dolls and Sister Act: The Musical) as Morris.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
As Planned, a New Love Never Dies is Opening in Australia
According to Playbill, the Australian production of Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to his international hit The Phantom of the Opera, will begin performances May 29 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, according to the production’s official website. The musical, which received mixed reviews when it opened at London’s Adelphi Theater (where it continues to run) in the Fall of 2010, has had a tumultuous production history. The show’s original director (Jack O’Brien) was replaced by Webber for the Australian mounting of the show, with Priscilla, Queen of the Desert director Simon Phillips stepping in to helm the run.Webber also brought in many of the creative team members from the original Phantom of the Opera, including lyricist Charles Hart and Musical Supervisor Guy Simpson.
Love Never Dies picks-up 10 years after The Phantom of the Opera left off. Opera star Christine Daea, married to the now destitute Raoul, has relocated to the United States to perform in America’s new playgroud, Coney Island. After taking over as the leading Soprano for Coney Island’s opera performers, a mysterious force resurfaces to profess his love for his protege. Love Never Dies was originally slated to open on Broadway in November of 2010. But due to issues with the original London production and Webber’s battle with prostate cancer, the move was postponed until competing Australian and Toronto productions worked out the issues with the book. The production should open sometime on Broadway in 2011. For more information on the Austrailian production of Love Never Dies, visit the official Web Site for the show (http://www.loveneverdies.com.au/). Below, watch a preview trailer for the Austailian production: