Ecclesiastes...quote!

I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly.
I perceived that this also is a vexation of the spirit.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1:17-18

Grammy Awards...50th Anniversary show! Justin Timberlake & Bruce Springsteen nominated!

The Grammy Awards sauntered into middle age this week.

A staggering 50 years of musical innovation is cause for a special celebration, indeed!

Not unlike the Oscars in many respects, the Grammy Awards are the top glitzy glamour event of the year - albeit - solely in the musical arena.

Without doubt, there will be quite a bit of wild cheeky fashion spirit on display this year.

The award-getters are determined by 12,000 music industry professionals who belong to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Only albums released between October 1st (2006) and September 30 (2007) are considered for the Awards.

Kanye West heads up the nominations with a staggering 8 in total.

Amy Winehouse - amid a swirl of publicity over reports of drug abuse - will appear via satellite telecast from London due to the controversial denial of a Visa.

Understandably, because of the logistics and time constraints involved, Winehouse handlers were forced to offer up the next best thing.

"I'm raring to go and really excited to be performing at my first Grammy Awards," the vocalist gushed at a recent press junket.

"I'd like to thank everyone for their support over the last couple of weeks. I'm really sorry I can't be there, but I appreciate that I'm being given a second chance via satellite."

She will take a brief leave from her drug rehab to rehearse Friday and Saturday and be rarin' to go Sunday.

Many will tune in on the old boob tube, nonetheless, to catch the much-anticipated performance, if only for curiosity's sake.

According to producers, the ratings-grabber is expected to grace the airwaves on Sunday Night without much of a hitch. (CBS 8 o'clock)

The final lineup of presenters and performers for this weekend's Grammy Awards has been set, according to the producers.

Despite speculation, the organizers have vehemently denied that the much-loved "Gloved One" or a former Beatle, will show despite planned tributes to the legendary work of each.

There will be a few high-wire hairy moments, though.

For example, performers from Cirque du Soleil's Grammy-nominated - "Love" - have scaled down a high-flying stage act (normally performed at the Mirage in Las Vegas) to fit the comparatively narrow confines of a circular stage at the Staples Center.

But, the heart of the event has always been the music.

The 2008 Grammy Awards will not disappoint.

On hand to perform live will be the likes of Feist, the Foo Fighters, Carrie Underwood, and Aretha Franklin.

John Fogerty - who has waited awhile to perform at the Grammy Awards - will realize his dream to strut his stuff on stage in front of peers. At 62, he'll finally step out of the wings.

Fogerty, the former frontman for Creedence Clearwater Revival, will be part of the show's - "Cornerstone of Rock" tribute - with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard.

The old-timer won a Grammy in 1997 - and in addition to singing Sunday night at the Grammy show - will be considered for rock album of the year category with his recent offering "Revival."

How apropos!

The Golden Anniversary show is sure to entertain - what with the likes of A-list presenters like Prince, Ludacris, Bonnie Raitt, Miley Cyris , and Kid Rock - on tap to perform.

There will definitely be an '80s flashback zest to the Sunday Grammy Awards when Jimmy Jam revisits his musical roots in a one-night-only reunion with the musical band "The Time"

"We can't remember the last time we all played together," the 48-year-old record producer said.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (former high-school classmates in Minneapolis) formed a band called Flyte Time that evolved into The Time.

In 1981, they were joined by Morris Day and toured with Prince as Morris Day and the Time.

Pop hits included "Cool," "Get It Up" and "The Walk."

By the end of the decade, Jam and Lewis moved on to produce a string of hit albums for Janet Jackson.

Jam, chairman of The Recording Academy, is working on new albums with Usher and Jennifer Hudson, currently.

Jam rehearsed Wednesday for the Grammy Show.

"I'm shocked at how quickly it all came back," Jam said.

"We're having a great time. We're getting along so good. We're just soaking up the whole atmosphere."

An alleged rift with Prince has been mended, he noted on an upbeat end note.

In spite of these look-backs at the Industry, and a few gem performances, Grammy producer Ken Erhlich assured industry-professionals this past week that his creative team was doing their utmost best to avoid a show that was too nostalgia-inclined.

"We made a conscious decision back in November not to do so much looking back but to stay current. Give it a touch of connecting," he said.

"You got to connect the dots in music, as you well know, and that's what we're going to do on Sunday."

Yes, while it is important not to forget the musical roots of the great industry - first and foremost - it is essential to surge forward.

Especially in view of the fact many new and exciting talents on the turf now, are wallowing in innovative trends, with the advent of a myriad of rich media proliferating on the Internet and elsewhere.

Now, for a look at some of the vote-getters

Best Album nominees include "Foo Fighters" for "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace"; old-timer Vince Gill for "These Days"; and Herbie Hancock for "River: The Joni Letters." Rounding out the category are vocalists Amy Winehouse and Kanye West for "Back to Black" and "Graduation", respectively.

Best New Artist?

Heading up the noteworthy list are Feist, Ledisi, Paramore, Taylor Swift, and Amy Winehouse.

The song of the year includes recordings by Carrier Underwood (Before he Cheats), Plain White T's (Hey There Delilah), Corinne Bailey Rae (Like a Star), Amy Winehouse (Rehab) and Rihanna (Umbrella).

In the hotly-contested record of the year category the musical choices are "Irreplaceable" (Beyonce), "The Pretender" (Foo Fighters), "Umbrella" (Rihanna) "What Goes around comes around" (Justin Timberlake), and "Rehab" (Amy Winehouse).

Rock album of the year nominees include "Daughtry", by Daughtry; "Revival", by John Fogerty; "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace", by the Foo Fighters; "Magic", by Bruce Springsteen; "Sky Blue Sky", by Wilco.

For the first time in Grammy Award history, the pre-telecast awards presentation will be broadcast live online on Sunday, February 10 at Los Angeles' Staples Center.

To catch the warm-up show, surf to Grammy.com from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. (PST) and you will be able to view awards given in each category announced during the pre-tel, including the following:

Best Metal Performance:

AS I LAY DYING - "Nothing Left"
KING DIAMOND - "Never Ending Hill"
MACHINE HEAD - "Aesthetics Of Hate"
SHADOWS FALL - "Redemption"
SLAYER - "Final Six"

Best Hard Rock Performance:

EVANESCENCE - "Sweet Sacrifice"
FOO FIGHTERS - "The Pretender"
OZZY OSBOURNE - "I Don't Wanna Stop"
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - "Sick, Sick, Sick"
TOOL - "The Pot"

Best Rock Instrumental Performance:

METALLICA - 'The Ecstasy Of Gold
RUSH - "Malignant Narcissism"
JOE SATRIANI - "Always With Me, Always With You"
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "Once Upon A Time In The West"
STEVE VAI - "The Attitude Song"

Rock on, eh!

50 Cent...Justin Timberlake (MUSIC VIDEO)

River Rock Casino...Chinese New Year! Mercedes-Benz giveaway!

On a side street in Chinatown yesterday I spied a gaggle of Asian residents boarding a chartered bus emblazoned with the name of RIVER ROCK CASINO scribbled on the side in a decorative eye-catching scroll.

To celebrate the New Lunar Year the gambling resort has been hosting a special promotion for the Chinese community which spans over the next week or so.

Curious, I hopped on board and trekked out to Alexander Valley (on the outskirts of San Francisco) to partake in the festivities.

Outside the main Casino of the Native American Indian resort a handful of inviting red lanterns were hung.

Inside, authentic dragon dancers delighted guests.

Live musicians played traditional Chinese song which sweetly serenaded the slot machines which sang out in their own distinctive top notes.

Members of the Players Club (free) who played the enticing array of slots on hand were automatically entered into a draw and the golden opportunity to win substantial cash prizes.

Being the Numerologist that I am, I was quite impressed with fact the organizers chose a most auspicious occasion for the event to get underway.

For example, at 8 o'clock on Friday February 8th, slot-players betting on the one-arm bandits were eligible to win the princely sum of $888.00 cash.

Of course, the number eight is a Master money number; so, the portents were great for one particular guest for sure!

At 8 o'clock on the 21st of February another lucky player will have the opportunity to win the grand sum of $8,888.00.

In addition, there will be a spanking-new Mercedes-Benz giveaway.


On one machine I won thirty (30!) free games which resulted in a cash windfall by the time the lucky streak ended. On another entertaining video slot I slipped down in front of, I managed to scoff up another four hundred wins.


Maybe it had something to do with those elegantly-wrapped candies they were offering up for free at the Players Card desk which a number of my new Asian friends swore up and down were "lucky".

One lady I sat down next to patiently waited as a machine tallied her winnings.

The elegant old gal won an astounding 50,000 credits!

Oh, Nellie! Talk about a jackpot.

Of course, she was betting on a penny machine.

One had only to slash a couple of zeros off the end of the configuration to figure out the excited player had snapped up the tidy sum of $500.00.

Better than a kick in the pants, though!

By the way, if you take the tour bus up to the Casino, the promoters of the tour will hand you five coupons valued at five dollars each as you disembark.

The vouchers may be inserted directly into the machine and used to play the slots.

After you play an initial $5 of your own cash - if you play the coupons right - you can conceivably end up playing on the Casino's moolah all night.

I did.

If you want to drive up, then make a week-end of it.

In Alexander Valley there is a well-equipped trailer park. And, hiking trails are a hop-and-a-skip away.

In Sonoma County a number of wineries offer up free wine tasting, as well.

In addition to the slot magic - River Rock offers Blackjack, Mini Baccarat, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, low and high-limit card tables, Texas Hold 'em Poker - you name it.

There is a formal dining room and a snack bar, but both are a bit pricey.

So, you may want to snack before you roar into the Casino.

I know I get hungry when I gamble.

After all, it's strenuous business working those slots.

But someone's got to keep the economy goin', eh?

Abercrombie and Fitch...obscenity charges dropped; Virgin flesh prevails!

When it comes to sexy, titillating ADS promoting clothing to young adults - particularly teens - Abercrombie & Fitch has been the frontrunner.

But, a dash of fashionable cloth and a splash of tender flesh this past week, catapulted the retailer into the glare of the National spotlight when shoppers at a mall complained of images that were too provocative - on the edge of soft porn - some alleged.

The sizzling photographs - a display of three scantily-clad men with buttocks showing and one featuring a nubile young lady with a breast partly exposed - triggered the filing of a complaint with the local men in blue.

Initially, Abercrombie & Fitch was given a stern warning and ordered to remove the alleged "offending images" from a prominent display area in a store window, or face an obscenity charge.
The clothier was defiant, though, lamented to anyone within earshot.

"The images show less skin than most people would see on any summer day at the beach."

Well, in the cold light of day in a busy shopping mall - out of context - the overt erotic images may have been a bit too scandalous for the regular Joe to digest with wee tots in tow.

In the battle that ensued, the police lost out, and were forced to turn a - um - cheek.

The long and short of it?

Prosecutors said that they were unable to bring a case.

Deputy City Attorney Mark Stiles explained why.

"While the images might be technically in breach of the nudity section of the city's local code, they were in line with the other standards upheld by the law."

To successfully prosecute on the obscenity charge, the images would have to appeal to "prurient interests, lack any redeeming artistic merit, and be offensive to prevailing community standards".

In retrospect, it appears that Abercrombie's assessment of the reaction of city officials was on target.

"This was an incredible overreaction by city officials that would be comical except for its potentially serious legal implications," their press statement pronounced.

Mr. Stiles argued that the police acted in good faith and hinted that the execs at the Abercrombie & Fitch outlets may have courted controversy for publicity purposes.

No, you don't say!

"Abercrombie and Fitch", lawmakers contended, hatched these ads for one reason.

"It was all a part of a marketing plans to get as close to the line as they could get and then make it a judgment call for the officer on the street. I think that's what's happened here," he said.

Wouldn't the officers' time be better spent dealing with real crime in the city's mean streets than wasting costly resource on such trivial pursuits?

Just asking!

Year of Rat...auspicious sign for change; images of McCain reveal poor health!

The Chinese New Year celebrated the arrival of the loathsome - rat!

Well, images can be deceiving. Actually, in the Chinese Culture, the rat is welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity.

The Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol 子.

The first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese Zodiac, the rat (or mouse) is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order; but, is also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities.

Also, the little rodent portends change; it is an auspicious time to access values, and likewise, instigate changes in one's life

With that essentially being the "sound bite" in the Presidential Race in recent weeks, it is evident, therefore, that Americans got a jump start on the "trend".

The key word is "change", and Obama's got it - right?

Actually, a face-reader was asked to take a glance at a handful of photographs of the presidential candidates, and render an impromptu "reading" on the fly.

The wise old sage noted that wrinkles at the corners of Obama's eyes indicated warmth and intelligence - appealing qualities that resonate to many - to say the least. We'll see how far it gets him.

Meanwhile, Hillary's wide face and full cheeks suggested the ability to win people over and charm! Keep going, girl!

The spacing between Mitt Romney's nose and eyes apparently inferred a "complicated" man. If that is the perception of him by the American voters, then maybe he needs to articulate himself a little better to fair better at the polls, eh?

Surprisingly, the insightful soothsayer noted that candidate Huckabee was "not favored" by the Gods. Well, perhaps by his own particular brand of deity, in view of the large vote-count rustled up by a handful of Evangelicals in his midst.

Curiously, the old sage predicted health problems for John McCain, after pointing out black and white coloring in his eyebrows, which allegedly suggested weakness in the physical aspects of his body.

Well, look what all the rigorous campaigning did to Bill Clinton. On occasion, he nodded off into dreamland during keynote speeches - in spite of the fact - the rousing gatherings were inclined to uplift most in the room. And he, a much younger man, than the old maverick.

At McCain's towering age, the strenuous regimen he's caught up in, may prove a bit costly. Who the heck knows!

Slow down, John.

You want to throw your feet up on the desk in the Oval Office sometime in the future, don't you?

www.idthecs.com...pay loan scam, fraudulent debits! Last Chance Cash Advance, rip-off, www.theftprotectsupport.com, fraud!

www.idthecs.com stealthfully looting bank accounts on Internet...



Consumers are being warned about - id thecs and Last Chance Advance Loan - companies of dubious origins, that are engaged in fraud on the Internet.

In the event an individual fills in an application for a pay-day loan with the company - Last Chance Advance Loans - IDTHECS automatically debits the account number (provided for the loan deposit) a fee of $31.98 for ID Theft Insurance.

However, a basic problem is that applicants are not aware that they are being enrolled for this service, nor are they forewarned about the charges being debited from their bank accounts in advance.

In fact, no verification is sent out to verify the individual applied for the service initially; after the fact, there is no confirmation that the party has been billed. In fact, consumers who get caught up in this scam are not even forwarded any package indicating what services they have allegedly purchased.

When an individual notices the debit on their account, it shows up as a charge to: www.idthecs.com. A telephone toll number is listed in the charge line as 866-883-4987.

If you go to the web site, you'll notice there is no location listed for the business, and the specifics of this business identity are either vague, or virtually non-existent.

If you call the 866 number, you get put on hold for ten or fifteen minutes. When an operator does answer, they are reluctant to provide information.

In fact, when one person managed to secure an address, it was determined to be a PO BOX location at 8721 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, and not a business address for an office, as falsely alleged.

The irony of it all is that this company advertises a service to prevent identity fraud!

It is quite evident from the facts the employees at this company are engaged in a massive fraud themselves, looting bank accounts, and Violating a number of Federal and State Statutes in the process.

If you are a victim of this scam, contact the local authorities immediately, and lodge a formal complaint.