Photo of the Day

I found this photo on the Internet and there was no information associated with it. The composition of the dandelion and sun make for a stunning photograph. If anyone knows the photographer, please leave a comment.

August Rush

If you love the power of music and hear it everywhere you go, you will LOVE the new movie August Rush. What the heck, you'll love this movie no matter what. Saturday evening my best friend and I went to see a sneak preview. We each saw the trailer (see below) and thought it might be a movie worth seeing. DANG! We couldn't have been more right. It was terrific! I had a smile on my face almost the whole movie.

Freddie Highmore (Peter in Finding Neverland) plays August Rush, and he is amazing. With a calm demeanor, August (who was given up at birth) believes with every fiber of his being that he will find his birth parents. August hears music everywhere he goes and believes that if he can get his own music heard he will find his parents and his parents will find him. Sounds far fetched, but watching August and his devotion, he makes you believe too.

From Warner Bros.
A charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) have a chance encounter one magical night above New York’s Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, orphaned by circumstance. Years later, performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams) who gives him the name August Rush, the child (Freddie Highmore) uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.

www.augustrushmovie.com/?main=video

Fascinating Stories: Lost Temples of India

Mysteries of Asia: The Lost Temples of India

Photo of the Day

Detian Falls

According to Wikipedia:

Detian Falls are an array of waterfalls in the Karst hills of Daxing County in the Chongzuo prefecture of Guangxi Province, China along the border with Vietnam.

It is the second largest waterfall along a national border after Niagara Falls and was one of the crossing points for China’s army during the brief Sino-Vietnamese War. Nearby there is the Tongling Gorge accessible only through a cavern from an adjoining gorge. Rediscovered only recently, it has many species of endemic plants, found only in the gorge, and used to be used as a hideout by local bandits whose treasure is occasionally still found in the cliff-side caves.

A road running along the top of the falls leads to a stone tablet from the 1950s that marks out the border with Vietnam in French and Chinese.

Fascinating Stories: Best Evidence—Chemical Contrails

Best Evidence: Chemical Contrails

This special program was broadcast August 10th, 2007.

It looks at those who claim that jet fuel of commercial and military aircrafts contain secret experimental additives, such as aluminum oxide, for weather modification purposes.

The scientific theory behind this claim is that such additives could act like small mirrors to reflect sun rays, thus, slowing down the coming disastrous effects of global warming and climate change.

Those who make this conclusion also say that some of these alleged experimental jet fuel additives can harm the health of plants, animals and humans, even if there was a positive intent behind them to help slow down global warming.

Interviewed are atmospheric scientists who say that there is no scientific evidence available to make such conclusions.

The Discovery Channel team traveled to Kettering University in Flint, Michigan, where they commissioned a scientific test of a random jet fuel sample from the local airport. Though a limited test using only one random sample of commercial jet fuel, it doesn’t show anything abnormal about its chemical composition.

Discovery Channel’s conclusions is that though there is no proven scientific evidence yet that contrails of civilian or military airplanes contain experimental additives and chemicals, they discover that the US military has the technology available to manipulate the weather using these means if they wish to do so through a secret program, as they did in Vietnam during the Vietnam war through a project called “Operation Popeye.”

Journalist William Thomas concludes by saying that in the winter of 2005, the United States government established a federal bureau of weather modification in Washington, DC. He says this is a government mandated agency whose stated mission is to modify the weather and climate. Under this rubric, he claims that the government could come out and admit to a chemtrail-type project. [2007, Length: 59:32]

Photo of the Day

Another wicked storm photo for today. As I've said before, I love watching storms and would love to be one of those storm chasers—even for just one day. I have no photographer info, so if anyone knows the photographer and/or a link, please leave a comment.

Fascinating Stories: Detroit S.W.A.T.

Detroit S.W.A.T.

A special documentary for the Discovery Channel exploring what it takes to serve and protect the city of Detroit. Amongst it's riverfront, casinos, two new sporting arenas, and world-class events, these brave men and women give their lives so that you can feel safe, either living or visiting this once great city reemerging as a new destination place for people around the world. True heroes that go unsung. Narrated by Kate Fleming. [2000, Length: 50:00]

Photo of the Day

This remarkably beautiful photo was sent to me in an email that read, when God paints He uses all His colors. There were a total of nine wonderful photos included—I’ll post each one in the following days (this is photo #9; last in this series). If anyone knows anything about these photos, please leave a comment as I would love to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Fascinating Stories: Can We Save Planet Earth?

Can We Save Planet Earth?

Can We Save Planet Earth? was released on June 1, 2006 on the BBC and The Discovery Channel as the second of a two-part series, the other entitled, Are We Changing Planet Earth?

The documentary is presented by acclaimed filmmaker David Attenborough as he discusses the science and implications of climate change and what we can do to stop climate change. [2006, Length: 58:53]

Photo of the Day

This remarkably beautiful photo was sent to me in an email that read, when God paints He uses all His colors. There were a total of nine wonderful photos included—I’ll post each one in the following days (this is photo #8). If anyone knows anything about these photos, please leave a comment as I would love to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Fascinating Stories: Are We Changing Planet Earth?

Are We Changing Planet Earth?

The global warming documentary Are We Changing Planet Earth? was released on May 24, 2006 on the BBC and The Discovery Channel as the first of a two-part series, the other entitled, Can We Save Planet Earth? will appear in a future post.

The documentary is presented by acclaimed filmmaker David Attenborough as he discusses the science and implications of climate change. [2006, Length: 57:52]

Photo of the Day

This remarkably beautiful photo was sent to me in an email that read, when God paints he uses all His colors. There were a total of nine wonderful photos included—I’ll post each one in the following days (this is photo #7). If anyone knows anything about these photos, please leave a comment as I would love to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Photo of the Day

This remarkably beautiful photo was sent to me in an email that read, when God paints he uses all His colors. There were a total of nine wonderful photos included—I’ll post each one in the following days (this is photo #6). If anyone knows anything about these photos, please leave a comment as I would love to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Smooth Jazz Pianist: Keiko Matsui

Keiko Matsui is my all-time, favorite smooth jazz pianist. Born July 26, 1961 in Tokyo, Japan, she is married to Kazu Matsui, himself a talented musician, and they have two children.

Matsui received the Oasis award for Best Female Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year in 1999 and again in 2000.

From Wikipedia:

Matsui’s music is powerful and introspective, blending both Western and Eastern musical influences. She has a very spiritual view of composing music, feeling out each composition as though it were, in her words, “coming to me from another space, another dimension,” and “catching notes from the silence and then simply placing them together.” Matsui sees music as “the great gifts from the human souls from the past, for the children of the future.” She believes that music has a power to bring people together and change their lives. “We are connected by music,” Matsui wrote, “as the Ocean connects the continents.”

A lover of nature, Matsui often makes reference to plants, animals, the elements, and other natural features and phenomena in her song titles. She shows an especial fascination with the moon as a number of her compositions refer to the moon in their titles.

Matsui’s music shows signs of evolving over the years. Her American debut album A Drop of Water showed a promise of east meets west with a jazz fusion flavor. However, her recordings for MCA Records in the early 1990s lacked this appeal and, for many, sounded indistinguishable from the rest of what is now known as smooth jazz. Starting with Cherry Blossom, though, her music increased in popularity as she differentiated herself from the rest of contemporary jazz. By the time Sapphire was released in 1995, her music flirted with everything from funk music to Latin and world music.

Whisper From the Mirror from 2000 showed Matsui leaving the smooth jazz style and moving towards new age with a soundscape sound. A number of her fans had a problem adapting to her new style of music (though she continued to play smooth jazz at her concerts). But many welcomed the change. Over time her post-2000 albums show a more worldbeat flavor to them. Her 2005 release Walls of Akendora, however, is a return to her pre-2000, smooth jazz days.

I hope you enjoy her music/videos as much as I do!

Beyond the Light
Bridge Over the Stars
Bridge Over the Stars (live)
Bronze Casting
Doll
Foot Steps
Forever, Forever <--one of my favs!
Kappa
Light Above the Trees
Meadow
Night Hawks' Dream
Night Waltz
1942, from Russia
Ruins of Sonora
Safari
Tears from the Sun
Water Lily
Whisper from the Mirror
White Owl
Wildflower

Official Web site: www.keikomatsui.com

Photo: Keiko in Seattle after concert at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, August 2007.
Photo Credit: Takatakatang

Fascinating Stories: Threads

Threads

Threads is a 1984 television docudrama depicting the effects of a nuclear war on the United Kingdom and its aftermath. Written by Barry Hines and directed by Mick Jackson, Threads was filmed in late 1983 and early 1984.

The premise of Threads was to hypothesize the effects of a nuclear war on the United Kingdom after an exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States escalates to include the UK. [1984, Length: 1:47:45]

Photo of the Day

This remarkably beautiful photo was sent to me in an email that read, when God paints he uses all His colors. There were a total of nine wonderful photos included—I’ll post each one in the following days (this is photo #5). If anyone knows anything about these photos, please leave a comment as I would love to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Fascinating Stories: Nosferatu

Nosferatu

Originally released in 1922 as Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie Des Grauens, director F.W. Murnau’s chilling and eerie adaption of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a silent masterpiece of terror which to this day is the most striking and frightening portrayal of the legend. [1922, Silent; Length: 1:24:19]

Photo of the Day

This remarkably beautiful photo was sent to me in an email that read, when God paints he uses all His colors. There were a total of nine wonderful photos included—I’ll post each one in the following days (this is photo #4). If anyone knows anything about these photos, please leave a comment as I would love to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Fascinating Stories: Plan 9 from Outer Space

Plan 9 from Outer Space

Edward D. Wood Jr. wrote, produced and directed what is considered by Hollywood to be the worst movie ever made. Here’s your chance to see it and make up your own mind! Don’t say I didn’t warn you...heheh [1959, Length: 1:18:21]

Fascinating Stories: Paradise Found

Paradise Found
A Documentary on Islamic Architecture

Paradise. We imagine many things when we think of this word. However, we do not think about Islamic Architecture, which influenced the art of Europe so profoundly. This documentary tours through the Muslim world, in search of that “atmosphere of Paradise,” hidden away in mosques and palaces. [Length: 1:33:25]

Visit www.IslamicVideos.net for more videos like this!