McLaughlin

This is a post that I have been very excited about writing, and should have been something I should have written a long time ago. It's long over due, but I think now is a great time to do it. Jon McLaughlin is no stranger to fame and having his music out there. He is probably one of the biggest stars I have talked about on here that is in America. And like always, I noticed him in a strange way, making him one of the best I have found.

"It's high time for singer/songwriter Jon McLaughlin to earn his due....a joyous uptempo romantic romp, featuring hook after hook, from tinkling piano to driving percussion and a start-and-stop bridge, alongside a joyous effortless vocal that soars with falsetto to the high heavens. The accompanying video is simple enough, but effectively illustrates McLaughlin's charms as a palatable sex symbol. "Heart" pumps with instantaneous hit potential, and proper promotion of it could propel the artist to superstar status." That is what Chuck Taylor had to say about his single "Beating My Heart" that came out three years ago.

That time was when I first noticed him. Wonder why? Because the lovely Delta Goodrem was touring with him across the nation. He instantly caught my attention, and I starting researching him. Turned out I had known him before with his song "Beautiful Disaster". So he then was instantly added to my "Now Playing List" and I started listening to more of his music. And to my suprise, he was the type of artist that I have been into for awhile. Thank Delta, because her music is what caused me to look for music such as Jon's.

I was so excited to hear that they were going to tour at Atlanta Georgia, only two hours away from me! My parents had planned to buy tickets, and make my dreams come true! Unfortunately, the date was cancelled, and Delta left the tour. Some something did come out of it, I became aware of Jon, and I haven't stopped listening to him since.

Most of you are probably aware of his two albums "Indiana" and "OK Now". Those are some great albums! And recently I bought his "Early Recordings" album. And that one is just as good. So I suggest you go out and buy them! Some of his top songs I think are "Beautiful Disaster" "Beating My Heart" "You Can Never Go Back" and "We All Need Saving". All are classics.

If you are a new fan or even an old one, I suggest you follow him on Twitter at @JonMcLaughlin. And hold up, if you want to see him sometime soon, then now is your chance. He is going on tour to a few places. So if you would like to see him, you can see the locations and dates here.

Jon, if you are reading this, I hope you enjoyed the post! I got your back, and I'm ready to blog about any new works of yours in the future! Best of luck!

-Tyler

Divided

Sorry guys, but that post has been bumped again. One day I'll release it. But this new story broke in hours ago, and I felt it should be talked about. Thousands of One Call lovers and fans were in for a shock just mere hours ago and now just a few minutes ago. Jose Bordonada, former member of Menudo, and AG announced that they were leaving the group. This seems rather sudden, leaving fans in complete shock and sadness. Even I, a growing fan for this group, was suprised to hear this. But is it all true? Some fans are questioning it because of the timing, while some fans have no idea where the band will go from here.

While I was working, I got a text from the group's twitter saying, "Whats up people! I have something very IMPORTANT to say.. go to facebook.com/onecallmusic to find out... love yall. - Jose". And I thought, awesome, they are going to release some new stuff! And since their hot single "Blacklight", I have been waiting for some news for their next single, or even word of an album.

When I read the messages, I was nothing short of suprised. This is what Jose had to say:

"Hey, guys! This is Jose. Throughout the past 4 years of my life I’ve had many blessings in which a lot of you have been a part of. I was lucky to have found what I’m destined for at such an early stage in my life. Before I continue, I want everyone to know that I’m very, VERY GRATEFUL of all the opportunities and stages that have come my way. But sometimes in life we have to stop running, take a breath and start running again. With all this I wanna announce to all of you that I am no longer a member of One Call. I wanted to say this myself, not only because I don’t want rumors going around, but because my fans and the people who have been on this journey with me, deserve it. This decision WAS NOT made for me, I chose to follow my heart and sing because it makes me happy, not because being in a group its what I had been used to for so long. The fact that I left the group doesn’t mean that One Call is done, I’m not saying anything by it, I have no knowledge of what the groups’ next step will be, but I’m sure you will get news soon. Some people might like this, some people might not… but I know the true fans (not the haters) will never disappoint me, you guys never do. CHANGE ITS ONLY THE BEGINNING… YOU’LL HEAR MY VOICE AGAIN SOON. I LOVE YOU ALL, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! Last thing since I've seen so many comments already :P I will get my own twitter (LOL) and continue to keep singing, but all in good time, I'll find you guys ;) LOVE U ALL! - JOSE"

And AG announced his only thirty minutes ago, saying close to same thing as Jose.

Their account was instantly flooded with words of farewell, and sadness. But some were not convinced by this announcement. Some think this is an early April Fool's joke. Which makes sense, and the timing fits well. A fan even went as far to comment with "i really hope this is a really early april fools joke, cause im pretty bummmed,:(". Even thought AG denies that this is all a joke, many fans, including myself thinks that this could still be a hoax. And with both of them saying close to the exact thing, it is hard to think they are not joking.


So if this is true, which it 90% seems like it, where does that leave the rest of the band? It leaves only Justin and and Chris, unless they also make a sudden announcement. Will they continue to record music and release it? Or will they all start to leave as well, like what we saw with the rising band V Factory, until 2 left? Not sure. But by the sound of Jose and AG, the group plans on continuing on. But I really don't see how "One Call" can go on. This group seemed like a family and each voice went together like a puzzle peice. And without two of the pieces, I don't see how the group can continue. But I expect that the band will make some announcement of their future before fans go into an uproar.

Also, I think fans will be asking why they left. Although they said they felt they were better off on their own, I think fans will suspect that something else was going on. And while they shut down some ideas, many more remain. So I am sure the truth will come out soon.

So One Call, I'm sure many fans are hearbroken right now, but they support decisions you make. Hopefully it will come clear why things happened so fast, and they can return to just thinking about your great music!

-Tyler

Dina Meyer

You know, I had a whole different post planned for today, written and scheduled to be released, but then I suddenely decided to scrap that for another day to talk about this person. And let me tell you, for the past few hours, people have been following her as fast as people have been following Charlie Sheen, but for the reason that they act crazy in front of God and everyone.

To describe her, I figured this article from her site would help: "She attacked arachnids on alien planets, teamed with a knight and a dragon to overthrow an evil king, battled winged bloodsuckers in the American Southwest, and led a team of superheroines from a wheelchair. She's been a teacher, a psychiatrist, a soldier, a secret agent, a Romulan, and many others, but always with the same air of confidence and determination. The person who brings each of those characters to life is Dina Meyer."

Yes, Dina Meyer is who I am referring you to. And as it just told you, she has quite a reputation. You have probably noticed her on 90210, Friends, Birds of Prey, the Saw Films, and most recently on Castle and Scoundrels.

I first noticed her off of Birds of Prey. This show was based on the comics which was from the Batman legacy. I have yet to talk about the show on here before. But anyways, the 13 episode series is ranked as one of my all time favorite. And I have Dina to thank for that. Her role as Barbera Gordon was done exceptionally well, and I adored her for it. She defined beautiful and sexy to any of the super hero fans out there. Sadly, the show was cancelled, and just when I thought both the show and Dina was in their prime.

But she has done some very well note worthy things. She had parts in the first 3 Saw movies, playing a big part in Saw 2. We have also seen her in Miss Match, Star Trek Nemesis, Point Pleasant, Castle, and the new Piranha movie. And she has been amazing in each of these parts. One part in particular was her part in Nip/Tuck. A priceless scene that she plays in that episode!

Recently she got her own Twitter account. A few hundred were following her, including myself. But just a few hours ago, Nathan Fillion mentioned her on his account, welcoming her to the Twitter community! And since then, over a thousand, if not more have started following her. And the numbers continue to clime. Dina said, "800 new followers (and counting) in less than 10 mins. @NathanFillion, you've always impressed me- but this is just silly. muah! ok,seriously, I'm floored. Thank you all for the warm welcome. Will do my best to get the hang of this tweeting biz as fast as possible." You can now follow her at @DinaMeyer.

Dina has been and will probably always be one of my most favorite actresses/celebs ever. She is so talented and goes after all the good roles. And I have loved her in every one. And I look forward to any future projects that she takes on, because I know she will be amazing in them!

Dina, if you are reading this, I hope you enjoyed my post, and we all would love to hear of any projects that you have going on, or in the works of getting! Best of luck!

-Tyler

Betrayed

Who would have thought that a nice guy like me would be stuck in between a crappy situation, and making what I thought was a good idea turn into exactly the opposite. It's situations like this that really make you see who your friends are, and who is not. It doesn't have to be anything big either. It can be a simple misunderstanding or a lack in communication. Or it could be the support you need from who you thought was a friend, and don't get it.

To get a better understanding of this situation, let's go back a year. My senior year. I was friends with two people in my class. He was a junior, she was a senior. Let's call him X, and her Y. And against our "Class Code", they decided to date. Well of course we weren't thinking of that because of how perfect they looked together. People would tell then that they were the perfect couple. I know, I was one of them. But in the back of my mind I knew if something went sour then me and the friends associated with them would pay dearly.

A few months had passed, we had graduated, and when you work 70 hours a week, you really don't care what is going on in other people's lives. I found out that Y was ignoring my other friends because she was so up X's butt that my friend was left in the dirt. Later on, I find out that they were hanging out more. I wondered why. And then I found out that it ended between the two, and then found out that he wasn't as "good" as she thought he was, if you know what I mean.

Like I said, I knew it wouldn't last, no matter how good it looked. But I wasn't concerned because I was in college and all that teen stuff would remain on the high school steps where it belonged. And with that thought, I managed to balance being friends with X and Y.

Here is when things get sour. A week ago, my friend invited me to go bowling. I said sure. But eventually we couldn't get it planned out, and I thought I was going to have to babysit my sister, so I canceled. She said it was okay, and that was the last that I heard of it. And at that point, me, her, her sister and boyfriend were the only ones invited.

I send a text message to all of my old classmates wishing them good luck at the competition that they were participating it a few days later. Turns out I didn't get a good reaction. X sends me a message back, pretty much cussing me out about what happened at bowling the other night. I had no clue what he was talking about. When I asked, he said to talk to my friend because she would know.

I did, and it turns out that after I canceled, Y and her boyfriend was invited and so was X. When Y found out that X was going as well, Y bailed on everyone, and pretty much everyone followed her lead and left as well, leaving X solo. And what got me into the mix was his thinking that I had left before he got there. But as I have said, I was never there.

I was furious to say the least. I have never been accused of anything and treated that way as a result. I mean come on, at least get your facts right before you start pointing fingers. I tried to explain, but he doesn't reply. And then I ask people to tell him for me, and they say the only reply he gives is "OK". Excuse me? Shouldn't I get an apology for being dragged into this sort of feud?

What really burns me up is that Y won't defend me. She knows that crap I am taking, and my friend says that she has no intention of defending me or clearing my name. I told my friend to tell them to grow a pair and stop running away when an ex is mentioned.

But it gets better. X applied at where I work weeks ago. Now my boss is saying that she is looking at his application with my referral on it, and wondering what I think of him. I told her I didn't know enough of his work ethic to decide. What I wanted to say was "Oh Hell No, you better now hire him!" But I'm just not that kind of person. I don't want to be the one that stops someone from being hired. Trust me, I have felt that, and it hurts.

So yeah, I am left in this situation, and the funny thing is that it was never my fault. But hey, I guess that is what friends are for, right?

-Tyler

Abrams

I bet all of you Idol fans were in for a shock. I am sure the web is already buzzing as we speak. Yes, for those who do not know yet, Casey Abrams was voted off by America tonight. But of course, Casey's end is far from over, and everyone was shocked to hear what happened.

I have to admit, I haven't been on the "Abram Boat" this whole season. I felt he was beyond the range of what Idol judges and viewers were looking for. Towards the end of Hollywood rounds, I started to realize his true talent, and kept a close eye on him.

The top 24, and top 13 is where he has really been shining. The songs he has sung has been blown out of the water. "I Put A Spell on You", "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" has dropped my jaw. He has what people call true talent. And he is talented in so many ways, not just in vocals.

Sadly, I haven't seen the performances from this week yet, but tuned in just in time tonight to see the results. Casey sang "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", a very popular song. But according to America, they didn't like the performance. I was shocked to find out that he got voted off. I knew that something was messed up because whatever happened during this performance, it was outweighed by the past songs. But it wasn't over for him yet.

Like all the contestants, he is able to prove himself to the judges to be saved. This is a cool little feature that they added to Idol a few years ago. It was to prevent unusual elimination from occuring, just like tonight's. But they can only use the save once during the season, meaning that the person they save has to be good.

Casey started performance, and he sounded awesome. Then all of a sudden we see Ryan Seacrest reappear on stage, and tries to stop Casey, and we see Randy try to stop him as well. And I was thinking "Bomb Threat?" But it actually turned out that the judges had already made up their mind and wanted to save him. His reaction was priceless. His body was beyond control, and he was all over the place. He appeared to be in shock with the constant shaking of his hands, and the few cuss words that he added as well. And of course he ran to his parents in relief.

He had really thought that when they stopped him that they weren't even going to give him a chance. But that just goes to show that they knew that he didn't deserve to go home, and went against America's decision. So now not only is he saved, but he is now touring with the top 11 American Idol group. Sadly though, this means that two people are going to be eliminated next week.

I am a huge fan of Casey now. He has really sold me, and if he was releasing music right now, I would so buy it. All I can say is I hope he kicks it up a notch to prove to America that he does in face belong at the top, and should recieve the next American Idol crown! Best of luck Casey!

-Tyler

NOH8

Do you see that NOH8 picture in my profile picture? It probably isn't the first time you have seen it, nor will it be the last. I'm sure you know where I am going at this point. This week, we have seen many things that have brought light to the gay community. We saw the famous letter going viral to push President Obama to go to the next step in his defense on gay marriage, the infamous kiss between Kurt and Blain on "Glee", my first step to support by joining NOH8, and finding out that America is more ready for Same-Sex marriage than we thought.

As I have said many times, I am in support of gays and gay marriage and rights. And now many are coming forth and showing their support as well. We have seen that especially lately. I have also written several posts showing my anger towards the people that hypocritically speak out against the community, and that results to many teens and others taking their own life in the process. You can read my recent thoughts in my Heath Shuler, Outrage and Sickened posts.

This week I recognized and showed my support for the NOH8 campaign. And I noticed it by the famous stars in white with the NOH8 sign somewhere on them. And from there I noticed the many ways to show my support. For instance, I followed NOH8 and added the sign to my own picture, as you can see. You can add those to your Twitter account here. This campaign is growing huge in numbers, and has the stars to back it up.

Another big thing is the famous kiss between "Glee" characters Kurt and Blain. I used to be a faithful watcher, up until Christmas. And I was aware of the Kurt/Blaine relationship build-up since the beginning of season 2. But I was shocked to see how word of the kiss scene went viral. On Twitter, there were thousands that showed their support of it, and actually said, "Finally!" Something I totally wasn't expecting. I was expecting some criticism. That just shows that the media has changed from being scared of airing something like that, to airing it freely, and America accepting it.

Another thing that has gone viral is the letter to President Obama that is making it's way across the nation. Many famous celebrities such as Anne Hathaway, Eric McCormack, Jane Lynch and Melissa Etheridge came together to form this letter to send to Obama to convince him it's time to say "I Do". They say, "Mr. President, the time to end exclusion from marriage is now. We ask you to complete your journey and join us, and the majority of Americans, who support the freedom to marry." So far, there are 45,578 signers to date, and the number is continually growing. By now, I'm sure President Obama has read the letter, and is contemplating where he wants to go from here. If you want to join and sign the letter, you can do that here.

And the last thing that really caught my attention was that the majority of Americans are in support of same-sex marriage. Although it is a slim majority, 53% of Americans feel that gay couples should be married. This is a revalation in the nation because it is higher than the neck to neck tie among Americans. And when you think about it, this shows that all of the past points I have talked about have gotten a better response. People are finally realizing we are equal in every way, and that everyone deserves the same treatment. You can read this article here.

Hopefully at this point people will go to the next step and publicly show their support. And if that results in camping out in front of the White House with a NOH8 or any other support campaign sign hanging over their heads, then so be it. And hopefully that will result in real change for the better.

I want everyone reading this to post a comment on how they feel. I know we all don't share the same views, but I want to hear what everyone has to say. And I encourage you to spread this to many others. Some people may need that push to get them to move to the next step, and I hope this article can help with that.

It makes me proud to see America and people changing, and treating people the way they finally deserve, no matter who they are!

-Tyler

Hush Beyond

I hope everybody is a fan of Batman, otherwise you are going to be lost! As a child, I was one of the biggest Batman fans. From the movies to the animated series to the toys, to the games. And while growing up, the Batman Legacy took a drastic change, but a great one. Bruce Timm took his amazing series a step further by venturing the future 40 years into the world of Bruce Wayne, and the successor of the Batman legend. Batman Beyond began in 1999, and lucky for me, I was growing up during that era. It is now known as one of the top 40 animated series ever.

And even after all this time, I am a huge fan. And I always kept track of any Batman Beyond related material. Fortunately for me, my tracking paid off. From the creation of Adam Beechen, Ryan Benjamin, and Jon Stanisci, a graphic novel was made to further the BB story. Want to know what I thought of it? I'll tell you later...

I don't like giving up too much of stories, so I'll just provide this for eager readers:

"Terry McGinnis – the Batman of the future – and an elderly Bruce Wayne – the original Batman – are the sworn protectors of Neo-Gotham. But when someone targets The Dark Knight’s old foes, the new Batman must begin a case that reaches back into Bruce Wayne’s past and puts Terry’s future directly in danger."

We see some interesting characters appear and return. Many were suprising for me to see in there, and some were the characters I wish were more covered in the TV series. Dick Grayson, Amanda Waller....and Catwoman? Yes, that was a shock as well.

I will be flat out honest, I am not a fan of comics. And I had certain expectations for it, which was a flaw on my end. Because you won't always get the same result when you have different people telling the same story of a hero. And with the great sucess and ending to BB in "The Return of the Joker", it is hard to picture what exactly would happen up to the "Epilogue" moment. But I think the Beechen team did a great job.

And better yet, a continuous series is now in talk. So I am really excited to get back into the BB saga, and I look forward to much more that is ahead. Despite my problems with my expectations, I feel that it was a great read, and I encourage that all of you read it. And please, feel free to let me know how you feel about the story as well. Hope to talk to you soon about more Batman Beyond!

-Tyler

Arms

The last time I mentioned Christina Perri, she was just being noticed by the music industry and the world pretty much. Now, she is a common name amoung teens and her single "Jar of Hearts" has skyrocketed on the charts. And this was all done at an incredible fast rate. And after things settled down, she sat and wrote her debut album, called "Lovestrong". But of course not before her brand new single, "Arms" is released.

"Arms" went public on the web last Friday. Perri wanted her fans to get to hear the single before it was released, and I have to admit, it was good. Probably competes with "JOH". There is something so unique about the song. I can't place it either. I guess it is the genuine message that comes from it.

As I listen to it now, I can already tell that it is going to be a smash hit. While it starts out slowly and not much going on, it gradually builds up to many things coming together to making this song great. And of course the voice is pure talent that makes everything complete. With these two singles blowing the minds of so many, I can't believe what else she has in store for us with her album.

And who would have thought she would have come this far. Before we noticed her, she was a waitress in CA. And then when her "JOH" song was noticed, she skyrocketed to fame when it went on "So You Think You Can Dance". And since then she hasn't stopped, and spreading her music ever since.

I predict that this single will go to the top very quickly. She has built her fanbase for some time, and many people have been eager for more, including myself! So I won't be suprised to see some serious action with this single. And of course the song gives us more reason to buy the album. I know it is going to be great, and I am so excited for it. Are you?

Well guys, you can now be one of the first ones to buy the single here. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for supporting Christina! And Christina, I hope enjoyed my review, and I can't wait to hear more from you!!

No More

Aimee Allen has never diappointed me. Throughout the many musical journeys that she has went through, I have stuck with her. I remember when I first heard her music on "Birds of Prey", I was just in love with it. And to this day "I'd Start a Revolution" remains my favorite song by her. And her debut album "A Little Happiness" gave me everything I wanted from Aimee. Just an album that wants me to go dancing in the sand. And her album provided that. But today she has released a new single and I am just as excited as ever.

When I got the message that she released her single "No More" to iTunes, I was so excited that I just had to run home and purchase it. And when I started listening to it, I was just in awe. This song is all vocal and does not disappoint. It reminded me of her song "God Talks To Us", one of my favorite songs on her album.

And I just love the background vocals. It really reminds me of the older gospel style of music, which I just love. And both Aimee and those vocals work out so well. The song doesn't require much instruments because it all works without much going on.

The only thing that makes me sad about this single is that it is very short. I was very shocked to see it only 1:49 minutes long. But I am such a fan, so I bought it. But I was hoping for the song to be double that length. But you know what? After I listened to it, the length didn't matter to me anymore. The song in general is so good that the length didn't even occur to me. Plus, if you put it on replay, it will play over and over and sound brand new to you everytime.

And who knows, maybe this is just a taste of all the greatness that is to come. And I know for certain that if this type of music continues then I am in store for a very happy album. Aimee, like I have said, you never disappoint. And I continue to stick by you! And if you are reading this, feel free to talk about your plans with us! We would love to hear them!!

As for you other readers, I strongly encourage you to buy this single. You may be hesitant by it's length and want to make sure that you get your moneys worth. But I promise you that you will! You can buy it here for only .99 cents! And make sure to review it to make it popular!

Hope you all enjoy "No More"!

-Tyler

Aftermath

This weekend has probably been the darkest for Japan since WWII. Since my last report, the death toll has more than tripled and is climbing at a rapid rate. And now is the constant fear of the nuclear reactors going into meltdown and threatening to poison civilians with radiation.

Last night they announced that the earthquake was actually stronger. It was actually a 9.0 compared to initial reports that it was a 8.9 earthquake. Althought it was only .1 of a difference, that is major in terms of an earthquake. And it was also reported that many structures, including the nuclear facilties, were only built to withstand 7.9 earthquakes. So these structures face a far more stronger force than they were capable to withstand.

My source's latest report announced that 1600 people have died from the earthquake, and the numbers are continuing to climb. Officials predict that thousands more are feared dead. And the number of missing and injured continue to climb as well. I believe those numbers are in the thousands as well.

At work on Friday, I watched clips that was taken as soon as the tsunami hit. It was horrifying. I never imagined a force like that came at such a fast speed. And when that happens there is nothing to prepare or stop it. And I was just in aw to see how it could pick up cars, boats and homes with little effort. Incredible.

And then there is the threat of these nuclear reactors. 3 are in a state of emergency, and 2 is in the "meltdown" state. And depending how badly things go, it could result in a new WWII scenario. Already many are being tested to see how much radiation they have been exposed to. And hundreds of thousands are being evacuated from seeing the same fate. I think this is one of the biggest threats right now.

But another threat is the news that a huge earthquake could come in three days. I don't see how it could compete with the 9.0 unless it was even bigger, which makes it deadly. And it also makes me wonder if this one could be "The Big One" that is referred to the earthquake that will affect California in the future. Already we have seen this 9.0 affect the entire pacific, imagine the horror that will happen if a worse one comes along.

The rest of the globe has come together to assist Japan in this desperate need. 49 have offered aid, including the U.S. who seems to be provide constant aid and relief. And civilians around the world are also making an effort by donating to many online sites that give relief to this stricken country. Like I have said in my last post, I see a telethon in the works, which I think is needed. I hope many talented artists and actors come together and create a great event to raise much needed money.

Keep praying for Japan and many other needed countries, because they will need it for some time to come!

-Tyler

Prayers for Japan

This morning Japan was rocked by a horrifying earthquake. It rocked the area at a 8.9 magnitude, considered the worst for Japan, and the 5th worst in the world in over 111 years. Now hundreds are now confirmed dead, hundreds missing, and thousands injured. But that doesn't stop there. Right after the quake came the threat of tsunami, and then tsunami threats for the rest of the Pacific.

As if it wasn't bad enough with an earthquake that powerful, it was quickly followed by a tsunami that reached up to 33 feet. I saw footage this morning of a wall of water easily sweeping up cars, and homes and carrying it all the way out into farmland. It was as if watching someone pouring a big amount of water over ants. There is no way to prevent it, and no defenses against it.

Another threat for Japan is the Nuclear plants. Althought nothing severe has happened yet, the threat of a nuclear leak remains. That that leaves the question of if a nuclear radiation leak is possible. Many people are racing to stop the rise of the nuclear energy, but so far they have not been making progress.

Japan wasn't the only place to feel the effects. Islands in the Pacific has been rumored to be consumed by the high waters, and earlier this morning Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast have been under threat of a Tsunami. In Hawaii, the water receeded to the point of seeing the reefs, before coming back hard with 10 foot waves. And same goes for the coast that is being hit with 7 foot waves.

Many countries are already running to aide. The U.S. says that they are prepared to assist when needed, and I am sure that other countries have done the same. I guess alot of people are wanting to leave and evacuations will be taking place very soon.

Now remains the question about fatalities and casualties. Sadly, I am sure that the death toll will continue to rise. And I am sure casualties will reach record highs. And structures and buildings will surely be unrecognizable or flattened entirely. And that goes for any other place effected by this.

I am sure that this day will be remembered by all of the big natural disasters like Haiti and Indonesia. We can only hope that this does not have the same number of disasters that was experienced on those days. But while Japan remains in one of it's darkest days, we can only pray and hope for the best outcome possible in this situation.

I am sure that talks are already in progress to see how they can flood the countries with money. They may do a telethon like they did for Haiti and Indonesia. And I am sure donations are already being made to assist in this disaster. If you find anything that associates with donations or relief, please post it in here! And that also goes for any future information that comes after this post is released. And if you do see anything, I encourage you to donate, because this country will need all the help they can get.

Japan, and other countries being affected right now: You are in our prayers and we hope for the safety of everyone!

-Tyler

iPad 2

Big news for the Apple product fans this week. This will will be the release of the iPad 2. This is something alot of people have been waiting for since the successful release of the original iPad. Even I was anticipating news to see what the new iPad would have over my original. But you may be disappointed with what I have to say.

I believe the iPad 2 was unveiled last week, and talks about it had begun long after that. Many people, including the people I call "iPad Owner Wannabes" had a close on it in hopes that this release could drop the price of the original. With the unveiling, they showed a slimmer version with a black and white option. This one is promised to be faster than the original, plus a front and back camera.

But there was some disappointments. The rumor of a SD card on the side turned out to be false. After hearing the rumors, I felt that it was a good idea because it could increase the GB storage. And for other people, it was a disappointment because of no significant changes.

For me, there was nothing about it that would make me drop my old one for a flashy new one. I actually like how thick mine is. It gives me the feel that I am actually holding something. I don't like the thought of having something so small that it could slip and break in a second. I also don't see a need for a camera on a device that big. For me, I don't skype, nor do I do any sort of video communication via the internet. So I am content with what I have right now.

I have many friends and co-workers that have been dying to get their hands on one, whether it is the original or new. I have been doing some research, and just found on walmart.com that they are selling the originals $100 cheaper. I have told everybody to rush and buy it because I fear that as soon as the 2 comes out, the original, plus the cheap prices will be gone.

So unless you are a buisnessman and see some great purpose for those cameras, I would recommend you go ahead and buy the original. Because I don't see many carrying their iPad into Disney World or to the Zoo for some family photos. And other than that one feature, I don't know why you want the original anyways. So go with that while it is so cheap!

So with the release coming in a few days, will you be buying it? Who will be trading their original in for a new one? Who will just stick with their old one, or buy the older one? Comment and tell me!

-Tyler

Sheen

I bet you saw this post coming. And after my little rant on Twitter last night, I felt it would be appropriate to talk about it. We all know of Charlie Sheen, and we definately know of the drama that has surrounded his name over that past month or so. And this week we have seen the child and angry person inside him.

We have heard of his popular show "Two and a Half Men". It had millions of viewers and I think was probably the most popular show around right now. I never watched it, but I had always heard of it. This week, Sheen was fired from the show due to the comments that he made, lashing at his co-workers and bosses, calling them "turncoats" and "Unwanted List".

But after he was fired, he retaliated with his own webshow. And I have to laugh at this because I have seen alot of stupid stuff, but nothing like Charlie Sheen making a fool of himself on the web. He comments on the firing, saying that "What has occurred, yes, in fact is a completely and entirely illegal and unconscionable act, or, to quote my lawyer, 'really sh---y sh---y suck suck.'"

And he even goes as far to say to Chuck Lorre, "Can you smell your smell? Can you smell your rotting dogsh--, your fermented puke that is your rotted viscera?" Sheen said. "Can you smell the lies, can you smell the carnage you've created? Can you smell the wimpy, scared child you'll never have the courage to embrace? ... It smells like malaria. If sad and stupid had a smell attached it would be you, F--- Lorre. It's perfect your name rhymes with suck, muck. You picked a fight with a warlock, you little worm....Good luck putting those tin-can sh--brain [words] in the mush-mouth of some arrogant carcass you've traded for this warlock."

And what is with this whole "Winning" thing he keeps talking about? It makes no sense. But on the other hand, is anything he says making any sense at this point? Crazy, right? He calls himself a warlock now? Yes, I guess he will have to think beyond reality to get himself out of the mess that he has dug himself into. He has lost his kids, his wife, his ex-wife and his two girls with her. And no career. Why would you risk all of that? Lord do I know.

But Sheen has found some comfort with this mess. Rosanne Barr has blogged her support for him, saying that working with Lorre was hard for her as well. And people on Twitter have been following him like crazy. I know I was so astonished that people would follow someone like him based on his fiasco and I tweeted, "Everybody is following @charliesheen like crazy. But nobody follows me. Guess I have to destroy my life & create a disaster of a web show...And that, my friend, is not Winning. That is Failing! Epically!"

Charlie, I suggest you go get some help. You are not helping anybody out by acting like an ass right now. Alot of people admired you and I hope they do not follow your example. I hope you get your act together before they cart you off unvoluntarily.

As for you people following him, do you support his actions? Or are you just want to look cool by following him? If you ask me, I suggest you all find someone else to admire because you can't be famous for long acting like that.

-Tyler

Social Network

I think I just watched one of the best movies of the year, if not of all time. The Social Network had the reputaion of a film that would not disappoint. And I would have to agree. I had been wanting to watch it since the release of it in theatres. But of course I don't go to the movies alot, so I just waited til it came out. But watching it was such a delight, and allowed me into the mind of Mark Zuckerberg for a short moment.

When I first started watching it, I thought it was going to be a film that was beyond my understanding. The first part was going so fast it was as if the actors were talking in some other language. But once it slowed down, I was finally able to get into it. I really got into it when I started seeing Mark start on "TheFacebook". And then we see it become just "Facebook" and then see it expand across the globe.

But I am sad and happy that it has been said the film is not all truthful. I'm sad because this movie puts a different impression of Mark in the viewer's head than what Zuckerberg and workers of Facebook claim. They also say that only 40% of the film is actually truthful. But on the other hand, I am glad it has been said that it is untrue because it would suck to be a billionaire and created such a big thing such as Facebook and act like that to get it. And besides, he does look like the type of person to be like that al the time. But I guess you can never know anyone fully.

But it was amazing to watch how something like the great Facebook started with a guy getting drunk and bashing his ex on a blog. And then it progressing to 500 million people worldwide using it and being as addicted to it as I am. And it was also amazing to see a Harvard student become one of the wealthiest people in the world, and youngest wealthiest person in the world may I add.

But like I said, this movie is possibly the best movie I have seen. The actors was great, was the story was awesome, and it was just so great to watch something that I knew everything about and now understand the successful story behind it!

One day I hope to acheive that status! I don't know how or if it is possible. But who knows, it could start with something random like what Mark Zuckerberg did. And who knows, maybe it will start right here on this blog! Anything is possible.

Femme Fatale

For all of the Britney Spears fans, you are going to love this. Word has been spreading for some time that Britney was going to be releasing a new album soon. And weeks ago we got the release date, and we also got the first single, "Hold it Against Me". So now the release date is edging near, and to curb your appetite, she released her new single, "Till The World Ends". And I have to agree with some when saying that it is probably her best song in awhile, if not of all time.

I was a huge fan of her during her first albums. And even of her others as well. But eventually the "Hit Me Baby" and "Oops I Did It Again" era was gone with the wind, and the sexual expression became real big. So then we began to see "Toxic" and "I'm a Slave 4 U".

But then Britney's music took a turn that I really didn't like. It was also at the time when she was really going down a dark path. I won't go into specifics because we all know what went down and it really doesn't do Britney justice.

But anyways, I really got back into her when her CD "Circus" came out. It really brought out the Britney that I once knew. Great songs such as "Womanizer" and "Circus" and "If You Seek Amy". I think that could have probably been her 3rd greatest album yet.

But this new album seems like it is going to top "Circus". While I think "Hold it Agains Me" is good, I think her new single "Till the World Ends" will blow the charts up. Now for the single. The song is very catchy and wants you to go out and dance and it just really brings out her voice in all the right ways. It is very hard to explain, but it just catches your ear. I have it on replay as we speak and I think it could possibly be one of her best. And the only reason "TTWE" isn't #1 on iTunes is because it is competing with two other powerful songs, such as Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and Jennifer Lopez's "On The Floor". But I expect it to be big!

So if you want to ask me, I think this new album is going to be huge. I am very excited, and I won't be ashamed to recommend it to people if they ask if it is good. Heck, I want to recommend "TTWE" as we speak. So make sure to buy it and get ready to rock your head off!

-Tyler

Electric Love

When telling Jim Verraros that I was writing an article about him, he jokingly asked if it was going to be a good one. And yes Jim, it is going to be a good one! For you diehard fans of American Idol, you probably remember him among the top finalists in season 1. And for those in the gay community probably know him through the first two "Eating Out" movies. And some of you may just know him from his talented music! For me, I stumbled upon his music about a year ago and all I have done is buy more and more of it. Hopefully after reading this you'll go and buy some as well!

According to Wiki, Jim "is an American singer/entertainer and native of Crystal Lake, Illinois who is most notable for being one of the top 10 finalists in the first season of American Idol. Because he was raised by deaf parents, he is fluent in American Sign Language." Pretty cool, huh?

And something else interesting it says about him during his journey through American Idol was, "Verraros quickly became a celebrity in the American gay press because of a controversy that erupted when Fox Broadcasting Company made him remove gay-related comments from his network-sponsored American Idol web site in the summer of 2002. While Verraros was out to fellow contestants and Idol employees, he did not mention his homosexuality on air. Following the end of the show and the subsequent tour, Verraros came out publicly in an article in The Advocate."

His first album, "Rollercoaster", was released in 2005 and appeared to be a hit. With popular songs such as "Move", "So Deep" and "You Turn it On". You can buy the album here. And some of the recent stuff that he has out is what really got my attention. The song "Electric Love" was the first song that I heard of him, and I bought it instantly. It was pretty good and exciting because I was just starting to get into the electric pop/dance style of music. And this song just has a seductive feel to just get you dancing! You can buy that song here. The next song that I had to get was "Touch (Don't U Want 2)". And this song was obviously meant for the dancefloor because that is all I think of when listening to it. It is very good and I encourage you to buy this song as well here! And his next album, "Do Not Disturb" is due out in the recent future, so make sure you keep up with him to find out when it will be released.

If you want to keep up with Jim via Twitter, you can request to follow him with his link @JimVerraros.

So Jim, you asked for a good review, and I hope and think that is pretty good. I hope I was able to bring your music to justice and I also hope many future fans buy your music!! Let me know how I did.

As for you fans that have never known him, or if you have, comment to tell about your storyies with Jim's music. Does it give you the same dancing fever that it puts me in? And how long have you been following Jim in his journey? Since American Idol? Or since the "Eating Out" movies or his music? Let me know!!

Collaboration

I don't think I have ever talked about a Jonas Brother, but today is an exemption. Not that I never liked them, but because I have moved on music wise. But you know why I want to talk about a certain one today? Why else? Because one is collaborating with Delta Goodrem! Yes, today we have recieved a tweet from Delta saying that her and Nick Jonas were working together. And to be working with someone as popular globabally as Nick is something to be excited about!

Delta tweeted, "Loved creating with the incredibly talented @nickjonas and @greggarbo x http://twitpic.com/467t35".

The picture is pretty cool, and is filled with very talented people, including Delta, Nick and Greg Garbowsky. What made that tweet and photo super popular is the fact that Nick and Greg retweeted it. And with a combined amount of 2.3 million followers between the three of them, the post became a quick hit.

And not only did the tweet recieved the "Retweeted by 100+ others", but the picture recieved massive amounts of views. While other pictures of Delta have recieved 3,000 views, this picture has almost recieved quadruple that amount! And while alot of attention was towards Nick, the picture involved Delta, which is alot of potential fans for the USA.

Now for the song they made. Just the thought of the two of them working together excites me. Both of them have written some amazing balads. Nick has written great songs like, "A Little Bit Longer" and "When You Look Me In The Eyes". And then Delta has had great ballads such as "Born To Try, Be Strong, and Believe Again". If you know me really well, you know that I could go on and on with Delta.

I have a feeling that the song that they produced could be a mixture of "A Little Bit Longer" and "Be Strong". But I would also love to hear a theme like Jonas' "Hey Baby" or Delta's "Electric Storm".

The big question is what will become of the song that they produced? It could go either way, either for a Delta album or Jonas album. I'm really hoping that it will go for Delta, but I have a feeling that she has all of her songs ready for the album. It wouldn't be so bad for it to be on Nick's album either because it is great promotion for Delta as well!

Or it could be a song that we never hear. Which would be a shame because all of that talent would be wasted. So I'm hoping we hear something from that session and we hear some brilliant work! Delta and Nick, keep up the good work and let us know what you have planned for us!

Bad Reaction

Brian McFadden's new single, "Just the Way You Are (Drunk at the Bar)", didn't turn out as hot as I think he wanted. It turns out that fans were actually very repulsed by the song and even go as far as calling it the "Date Rape Anthem". And while I think he has reacted well to the angry response, and even making an effort to show how much of a sensitive subject rape is to him, rumors are that Universal is pulling the plug on the music video.

In the Australian iTunes charts, the single has poor reviews. A grand total of only 2 out of 5 stars. And that is with 138 ratings. That is nowhere close to the successful reviews to his single, "Just Say So", with 4 out of 5 stars with over 300 ratings. And although it is just under "JSS" in popularity, fans are not pleased. Some even went to the point as saying that they would never buy his music again.

This is how he responded via his Twitter:
"feel sick that my single is getting so much attention for the wrong reason. i love making music but i do not want this song played on radio or being sold to profit myself if people think its about "date rape". its not about date rape. i'm gonna give all my profits from the song to victims of rape. because it disgusts me. sorry people misunderstood my lyrics. someone let me know a worthy charity who supports victims...and finally.... my song is supposed to be fun... not offensive....... guess not everyone has the same sense of humour...this is not a publicity stunt... so don't think i'm backing down and agreeing. I just wouldn't give the haters the pleasure. x"

He also urged the media to follow his example:
"i also propose to all the news papers and media who were so concerned about the apparent message in my lyrics should also make a donation"

But I guess all of this was bad timing. This single, plus his rumored incident on the Virgin flight has caused problems later on down the road. This was reported by the Herald Sun:
"Universal has cancelled the video shoot for his latest single Just the Way You Are (Drunk at the Bar).

The shoot, which had been booked for Sydney this week, was thought to be a parody of McFadden's recent Virgin flight, which saw the former Westlife star questioned with Kyle Sandilands by Australian Federal Police...
Insiders said Universal bosses did not want to fuel the fire after fans slammed the song's lyrics for glamourising date rape."

But Brian has denied these claims on Twitter, saying "i decided not to shoot the video for the new single. it was going to be a comedy video based on an airplane. universal didn't scrap anything".

I really don't have a problem with the song. It is upbeat and fun, like Brian intended it to be. But when you do hear things in the song like "taking advantage" and things like that, you can't help but wonder if there was a more uncontroversial route for him to go down. And also, I felt uneasy when he said that the song was about Delta. I adore Delta to the highest, and I don't think holding her in high regard would be like that. What happened to the usual love songs? And I feel that song smears Delta's good name in some eyes.

So what do you think? Did you listen to the song? And what do you think of the supposed "Date rape" message behind it?

-Tyler

Spanish

It has been awhile since my last post. It hasn't been like me recently. I usually write something every other day, if not every day. But since Friday, I have been very busy. I worked a double on both Friday and Saturday, and then on Sunday I traveled to Atlanta to take care of some stuff. And on my way back I got a call saying that my grandfather had been rushed to the hospital.

When he gets rushed in, it is pretty serious. He is someone that has went through two open heart surgeries, has had fingers cut off, and arms broken and stuff. And last summer we had a major scare when he thought he was having a heart attack. It occured at my house when I was alone and at the time I didn't even think of his heart until my aunt came and took him. That's when I bawled like a baby. In that case, he had worked his heart to the point to where it felt like one.

This time, after hours and hours of test, they found that his gallbladder was fill with stones. And it was filled to the point where some stones had no other choice to go other places, and got lodged into his intestines. So yesterday the lodge was removed, and today his gallbladder was removed. He is doing fine, but it has been a focus for me so far this week. And when something happens to him all of my family comes like its a family reunion.

Another thing on my mind is my Spanish class. I don't think I have mentioned that I have the class, but let me tell you: It is HELL! I have never faced such a hard class in my life. This is the first time that I have looked at something and not understood it on some level, the first time that I have had to get a tutor, and the first time I have felt like I was borderline failing.

But the problem is that we are not being taught the words. My sister had spanish and she was taught the words before using them in sentences. We are the exact opposite. Who does that? I would much rather know how to say the word before trying to put a word I have never seen before into a sentence. And she also assigns 20 assignments due the following week, but the work is material that we haven't even covered. We have asked her what the hell she is doing, and she says that the assignments are to prepare us. Yes, it does prepare us: For the failing grade awaiting me after I realize I have no clue what is being asked of me.

I have thought of dropping it numerous times, but it is alot harder now. Now I have understood that I have to take up to Spanish 4 by the time I graduate with my major. By that time I'll be speaking it fluently I think. And it is also harder now because I have a tutor involved. And then there is the fact that I have never given up on anything before. But that was also because I have never taken a class that has been this complicated, with a teacher that thinks we already know it.

Yes, this has been my recent things going on. And you can tell with my Spanish that I have my hands full. I'm hoping that everything becomes balanced soon and then I won't be so stressed out!

-Tyler

Dirty Love

Some of you probably remember this name, since I have already discussed him before. Even some of you said that my recommendation was so strong that you were going check out one of his songs. The song I recommended, "Dirty Love" has been in my head for months, and today I felt I should go more indepth about Chris, and possibly get you to buy some of his work!

This is what IMDb had to say about Chris: "Chris Salvatore started his career in entertainment as a singer/songwriter, writing his first song at age 15. After graduating high school he studied vocal performance at one of America's finest music institutions, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Chris started gaining notable attention with the release of his debut album After All Is Said And Done. His song Done To Me was recently featured on MTV's Paris Hilton's My New BFF. In 2006 Chris decided to move to New York City to attend The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and study acting. It was there where he discovered his passion for film and theater. He moved to Los Angeles in 2009 and 2 weeks later was cast in his first feature film as one of the lead roles in Eating Out: All You Can Eat. He continues to write music, and even has one of his songs featured on the Eating Out: All You Can Eat soundtrack. Chris plans on releasing his 2nd album in early 2010."

As you can tell, that is a pretty impressive bio. Berklee College of Music. Fancy! And it seems to be just the beginning of his big career. I checked out his role in "Eating Out 3", and he has impressive acting skills as well.

What really caught my attention was the random appearance of his album on iTunes. Like I have said in the past, I come across some of the best stuff out of random. I came across his EP, "Dirty Love" and I instantly fell in love with that song! I have had it on repeat in my car and on my iPod, and I cannot get enough of it. I also bought his song, "It Gets Better", which is great as well!

Today I broke down and bought the entire "Dirty Love" EP, and it is amazing so far! I cannot belive that I haven't bought it before. If you want to purchase it, you can click here. Let's not forget that he has more than one collection of songs out right now. He also has released "The Sound of This Beat" which was released last Novemeber. And that is where I bought "It gets better". And that is the album that I think IMDb was saying he was releasing. I'm going to break down soon and buy that one as well. If you would like to check out that one, you can click here. And he also has the "Dirty Love Remixes" which can be bought here.

But the songs that I have heard from him so far is beyond amazing, and I encourage you to buy them, especially "Dirty Love". I know that he isn't the biggest artist around right now, but he obviously has the talent to be among the best, and I wouldn't be suprised if he doesn't get on top soon! If you want to follow him on Twitter, his link is @CSalvatore. Chris, good luck, and I hope to hear of your success in the future!