Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Taj Mahal Of India Wounder Of The World

Taj Mahal India:

Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built on the southern bank of the Yamuna river, outside Agra in India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal whose real name was Arjumand banu beagum. She died in a child birth in Bhuranpur in 1631 A.D. They got married in 1612 A.D the building was planned to be built in 1632 A.D. It was built by a group of men from India, Persia, Central asia,and beyond. About 20,000 workman were employed daily to complete the complex at the expense of 40,000,000 rupees.


The complex consist of a rectangular plot measuring 1,902 feet x 1,002 feet on each side, bounded on north and south by two oblong sections. The southern oblong has a sand stone gateway to the complex while the northern oblong section terminates at the Yamuna’s edge directly to the mausoleum. The mausoleum is on the west and east by two symmetrically identical buildings, the mosque and the Jawab respectively.

The whole Taj complex was conceived as an entity because Mughal building architecture allowed no amendment in them. The mosque and Jawab of the Red Sikiri sand stone and some pietra duta (hard stone )surface decoration ,contrast in color and texture with the mausoleum of pure white marble. The mausoleum stands on a marble plinth 23 feet high and has four identical faces with a chamfered corner and a massive arch of height 108 feet on each face. Parapets create the skyline rhythm of the mausoleum over each arch and by pinnacle and domed kiosks on each corner.


The Islamic building activity of Shah Jahan period is marked by fresh emergence in India with Persian features that had been seen in the Humayun tomb at Delhi, began in 1564. The Taj Mahal has won a good praise virtually from the time of the erection. The beauty not only lies in its parts but also in the beauty that is seen when viewed from any angle near the complex. The marble surface reflects continuously sunlight during the daytime. All the resources of the emperor was put into the construction of the complex. In addition to the mausoleum the complex includes a wide variety of accessories building parts that gives the building a great appearance. The mausoleum rises on the four sides of the complex and gives it a great appearance.


The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal is a large impressive sceptural monument. The word is derived from the word mausols, which is a word of the ruler of caria, in memory of his dead wife. the most impressive mausoleum present now is the taj complex only .

The emperor wanted to build a black mausoleum opposite to the marble complex but unfortunately before he could finish it. Lord Curzon said the complex as “ triumphal “ on his return from India as the viceroy. He took a personal interest in renovation of the Indian art and architectural monuments. Diamonds and precious stones were depicted on the walls and all were lost during the course of time.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Pyramid of Giza Wounder Of The World

Egypt is a place any one would like to go for a vacation. Tourism is such a great money earner for Egypt. And when somebody travels, one of the most preferred place to visit would be the Cairo and the Giza city.

This is one of the largest pyramids in the world and considered to be one of the great among the seven wonders of the world. There are actually 3 Pyramids located in this place along with a Sphinx. The biggest of all is The Great Pyramid of Khufu and this is the only one among the seven wonders of world.

Location:

These architectural marvels are found in Giza City which is located at the northern edge of the Giza Plateau, about 10 miles west of present day Cairo. Cairo is the largest city in Africa and the 5th largest in the world. Giza city was the necropolis of Memphis (of old Egypt). This whole Giza Plateau is situated west of the Nile, bordering Sahara Desert.

Hotels and accommodations can be found very easily in side the city of Cairo very easily.

Details:
This place is a haven for 3 pyramids and a sphinx. The pyramids are

1. Great Pyramid of Khufu - One of the seven wonders of world
2. Great pyramid of Khafre
3. Great Pyramid of Menkaure

If any body plans a vacation travel to Egypt, they must make sure to visit all the 3 Pyramids. A journey to Egypt would be incomplete without visiting them.
Great Pyramid of Khufu:
This pyramid was built by King Khufu around 2560 BC. Khufu is the second Pharaoh of the fourth dynasty of rulers in Egypt. He was also known as "Cheops". Among all the 3 pyramids listed above, the Great Pyramid of Khufu is the only one pyramid in the list of seven wonders of the world.

This pyramid is believed to have been built over 20 years. When it was built its height was around 146 m. But now it is only 137 m. This was one of the tallest structures in the world till 19th century. It was covered with casings of stones to smoothen its surface. It probably is considered to be one among the seven wonders of world because of its sheer size.

The apex of the pyramid is missing and looks like it was never installed. The casings of the pyramids were removed by the Arabs during 14th century. The sloping angle of the sides is 51 degrees and 51 minutes. Each side is oriented towards one of the cardinal points of the compass that is north, south, east and west. This deserves a place among one of the seven wonders of world for its precision.

On the north face, is the pyramid's entrance. The King Khufu's chamber is located at the heart of the pyramid. The king's coffin is made of red granite, as like the interior walls of his chamber. 5 boat pits surround Khufu's Pyramid on the south and the east. Two of these are believed to be used by the Pharaoh during his life time. One boat is made into a Boat Museum.
This is the only one existing wonder, among all the seven wonders of world.

Great pyramid of Khafre:
Khafre is the son of Khufu and is also known as Rakhaef or chefren and is the second largest Pyramid on the Giza site. He ruled from 2520 - 2494 BC. He built the Khafre pyramid, the sphinx, the mortuary temple and the valley temple. This pyramid is the only one on the top of which the casing still remains.

The burial chamber underground contains a red granite sarcophagus with its lid. Next to this, a square cavity which is believed to have held the canopy chest containing the Pharaoh's viscera.

This pyramid was built approximately during the period 2558 - 2532 BC. Its base is 702 ft square and the height originally was around 143.4 m and now is 136.1 m. This is not one among the seven wonders of world.

Great Pyramid of Menkaure:
Menkaure, also known as Mycerinus, ruled from 2490 - 2472 B.C. He built the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza, and is believed to be Khufu's grandson.

The height of this pyramid now is 62 m. To the south of this Menkaure pyramid, there are 3 small, minor and incomplete pyramids/tombs. One of them (the largest among the three), is supposedly built by Menkaure's principal wife. A coffin with bones of a young woman was found in the central tomb. This also is not part of the seven wonders of world.

Great Sphinx:
This Sphinx is attached to Khafre's complex, north of Khafre's valley temple and with a separate temple of its own. This is a figure with a lion's body and a man's face, which is supposed to be the guardian of the necropolis. This is believed to be a manifestation of sun god.

How to reach there:
The best way is to get to Cairo first. This could be through air or sea depending on the visitor's convenience. After that take a cab to Giza. In about 6-7 miles the
Sphinx and Great Giza Pyramids should become visible.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Amr Diab Biography

Date of Birth
11 October 1961, Port Said, Egypt

Birth Name
Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab

Nickname
The Empror
The King

Mini Biography

Amr Daib was born in Port Said, Egypt into an artistic family. His father Abdul Basset Diab worked for the Suez Canal Corporation where he was chairman of Marine Construction & Shipbuilding. He possessed a fine singing voice and encouraged the young Amr to sing. One evening, when Amr was only 6 years old, his father took him to the July 23rd Festival at Port Said. There they visited the local broadcasting station and Amr made his first singing appearance on Egyptian Radio performing the National Anthem "Biladi, Biladi". He was praised by the Governor of Port Said who gave him a guitar as a prize. Amr began his music studies at the music faculty of the Cairo Academy Art and from which he graduated in 1986. His first album, "Ya Tareeq", followed shortly and it was an instant success. There have been, since then, a further 16 top selling albums in a prolific recording career which has established him as the super star of the Arab World.


Amr Diab
Amr Diab
Amr Diab
Amr Diab

new headpiece


Courtesy of the wonderful whichgoose on etsy.com

Saturday, April 24, 2010

With five number one singles, fourteen Top 40 hits, and four number one albums, the Eagles were among the most successful recording artists of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of those albums -- Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) and Hotel California -- ranked among the ten best-selling albums ever, and the popularity of 2007's Long Road Out of Eden proved the Eagles' staying power in the new millenium. Though most of its members came from outside California, the group was closely identified with a country- and folk-tinged sound that initially found favor in Los Angeles during the late '60s, as championed by such bands as the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco (both of which contributed members to the Eagles). But the band also drew upon traditional rock & roll styles and, in their later work, helped define the broadly popular rock sound that became known as classic rock. As a result, the Eagles achieved a perennial appeal among generations of music fans who continued to buy their records many years after they had split up, which helped inspire the Eagles' reunion in the mid-'90s.


The band was formed by four Los Angeles-based musicians who had migrated to the West Coast from other parts of the country. Singer/bassist Randy Meisner (born in Scottsbluff, NE, on March 8, 1946) moved to L.A. in 1964 as part of a band originally called the Soul Survivors (not to be confused with the East Coast-based Soul Survivors, who scored a Top Five hit with "Expressway to Your Heart" in 1967) and later renamed the Poor. He became a founding member of Poco in 1968, but left the band prior to the release of its debut album in order to join the Stone Canyon Band, the backup group for Rick Nelson. Meanwhile, singer/guitarist/banjoist/mandolinist Bernie Leadon (born in Minneapolis, MN, on July 19, 1947) arrived in L.A. in 1967 as a member of Hearts and Flowers, later joining Dillard & Clark and then the Flying Burrito Brothers. Singer/drummer Don Henley (born in Gilmer, TX, on July 22, 1947) moved to L.A. in June 1970 with his band Shiloh, which made one self-titled album for Amos Records before breaking up. Finally, Glenn Frey (born in Detroit, MI, on November 6, 1948) performed in his hometown and served as a backup musician for Bob Seger before moving to L.A. in the summer of 1968. He formed the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Souther, and the two musicians signed to Amos Records, which released their self-titled album in 1969.

In the spring of 1971, Frey and Henley were hired to play in Linda Ronstadt's backup band. Meisner and Leadon also played backup for Ronstadt during her summer tour, though the four only did one gig together: a July show at Disneyland. They did, however, all appear on Ronstadt's next album, Linda Ronstadt. In September 1971, Frey, Henley, Leadon, and Meisner signed with manager David Geffen, agreeing to record for his soon-to-be-launched label, Asylum Records; soon after, they adopted the name the Eagles. In February 1972, they flew to England and spent two weeks recording their debut album, Eagles, with producer Glyn Johns. It was released in June, reaching the Top 20 and going gold in a little over a year and a half on the strength of two Top Ten hits -- "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman" -- and one Top 20 hit, "Peaceful Easy Feeling."


The Eagles toured as an opening act throughout 1972 and into early 1973, when they returned to England to record their second LP, Desperado, a concept album about outlaws. Produced by Glyn Johns and released in April 1973, it reached the Top 40 and went gold in a little less than a year and a half, spawning the Top 40 single "Tequila Sunrise" in the process. The title track, though never released as a single, became one of the band's better-known songs and was included on the Eagles' first hits collection.

After touring to support Desperado's release, the Eagles again convened a recording session with Glyn Johns for their third album. Their desire to make harder rock music clashed with Johns' sense of them as a country-rock band, however, and they split from the producer after recording two tracks, "You Never Cry Like a Lover" and "The Best of My Love." After an early 1974 tour opened by singer/guitarist Joe Walsh, the band decided to hire Walsh's producer, Bill Szymczyk, who handled the rest of the sessions for On the Border. Szymczyk brought in a session guitarist, Don Felder (born in Gainesville, FL, on September 21, 1947), an old friend of Bernie Leadon's who so impressed the rest of the band that he was recruited to join the group.


On the Border was released in March 1974. It went gold and reached the Top Ten in June, the Eagles' fastest-selling album yet. The first single, "Already Gone," reached the Top 20 the same month. But the most successful song on the LP -- the one that broke them through to a much larger audience -- was "The Best of My Love," which was released as a single in November. It hit number one on the easy listening charts in February 1975 and topped the pop charts a month later.

The Eagles' fourth album, One of These Nights, was an out-of-the-box smash. Released in June 1975, it went gold the same month and hit number one in July. Moreover, it featured three singles that hit the Top Five: the chart-topping title song, "Lyin' Eyes," and "Take It to the Limit." "Lyin' Eyes" won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus, and the Eagles also earned Grammy nominations for Album of the Year (One of These Nights) and Record of the Year ("Lyin' Eyes"). The group went on a headlining world tour, beginning with the U.S. and expanding into Europe. But on December 20, 1975, it was announced that Bernie Leadon had quit the band, and Joe Walsh (born in Wichita, KS, on November 20, 1947) was brought in as his replacement. He immediately joined the tour, which continued to the Far East in early 1976.

The Eagles' extensive touring kept them out of the studio, and with no immediate plans for a new album, they agreed to release a compilation, Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), in February 1976. The album's success proved to be surprisingly meteoric. It topped the charts and became a phenomenal success, eventually selling upwards of 25,000,000 copies and dueling with Michael Jackson's Thriller for the title of the best-selling album of all time in the U.S.


It took the Eagles 18 months to follow One of These Nights with their fifth album, Hotel California. Released in December 1976, the record was certified platinum in one week, hit number one in January 1977, and eventually sold over 10,000,000 copies. The singles "New Kid in Town" and "Hotel California" hit number one, and "Life in the Fast Lane" made the Top 20. Meanwhile, "Hotel California" won the 1977 Grammy for Record of the Year and was nominated for Song of the Year; the album itself was nominated for Album of the Year and for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus. The Eagles embarked on a world tour in March 1977 that began with a month in the U.S., followed by a month in Europe and the Far East, then returned to the U.S. in May for stadium dates. At the end of the tour in September, Randy Meisner left the band; he was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit (born in Sacramento, CA, November 20, 1947), formerly of Poco, in which he also had replaced Meisner.

The Eagles began working on a new album in March 1978 and took nearly a year and a half to complete it. The Long Run was released in September 1979. It hit number one and was certified platinum after four months, eventually earning multi-platinum certifications. "Heartache Tonight," its lead-off single, hit number one, and "I Can't Tell You Why" and "The Long Run" became Top Ten hits. "Heartache Tonight" won the 1979 Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The Eagles toured the U.S. in 1980, and at a week-long series of shows at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, they recorded Eagles Live. (Also included were some tracks recorded in 1976.) Released in November 1980, the double LP (since reissued as a single CD) reached the Top Five and went multi-platinum, with the single "Seven Bridges Road" reaching the Top 40.

The Eagles were inactive after the end of their 1980 tour, but their breakup was not officially announced until May 1982. All five released solo recordings. (Walsh, of course, maintained a solo career before, during, and after the Eagles.) During the rest of the 1980s, the bandmembers received several lucrative offers to reunite, but they declined. In 1990, Frey and Henley began writing together again, and they performed along with Schmit and Walsh at benefit concerts that spring. A full-scale reunion was rumored, but did not take place. Four years later, however, the Eagles did reunite. In the spring of 1994, they taped an MTV concert special and then launched a tour that ended up running through August 1996. The MTV show aired in October, followed in November by an audio version of it, the album Hell Freezes Over, which topped the charts and became a multi-million seller, spawning the Top 40 pop hit "Get Over It" and the number one adult contemporary hit "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

The Eagles next appeared together in January 1998 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when the five present members performed alongside past members Leadon and Meisner. On December 31, 1999, they played a millennium concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that was recorded and included on the box set retrospective Selected Works: 1972-1999 in November 2000. All was not well within the band, however, and Felder was expelled from the lineup in February 2001. A protracted legal battle ensued as the Eagles soldiered on as a quartet, releasing The Very Best of the Eagles in 2003 and achieving minor success with the single "Hole in the World." Felder's case was settled out of court in 2007; that same year, the Eagles returned with the band's seventh studio album, Long Road Out of Eden, a double-disc album that quickly went multi-platinum. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Christina Aguilera Biography


Christina Maria Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980, to parents Jim, a military father of Ecuadorian descent, and Shelly, an Irish professional violinist/pianist. Growing up with her brothers and sisters in Wexford, Pennsylvania, Christina always knew that she wanted to be a performer. In her early 20s, this blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty got more than she bargained for.

Her career as a singer started when she began performing at her school's talent shows. She took her soulful voice to the Star Search stage, (like her singing counterpart, Britney Spears), and performed on national television. The next time she performed in front of a live audience was when she sang the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins.

nailed it

I have found my perfect nude nail colour... As someone who is not a huge fan of painted nails (I see no point really when my nails are so short and ungrowable) I have never been one to go crazy for colour, but a nude nail - now that makes sense to me! Unfortunately the colour I have found (Basil Street by Nails Inc) has been sat on my desk for rather a long time as I bought it and then quickly forgot all about it, never to wear it as I am sometimes wont to do with impulse purchases. Painting my nails for something to do the other day I realised that it is the most perfect colour and that I love it. The problem comes now that I have worn it so much that it is fast disappearing and a quick search on the internet reveals to me that it has been discontinued!! Oh but what to do? If anyone has any solution to this problem I will love them forever - my future nails prettiness hangs in the balance!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Chris Martin Biography

Chris Martin is the front man of Coldplay, performing vocals, rhythm guitar and piano. Coldplay’s debut album, 'Parachutes', sold five million copies, won a clutch of NME and Q awards, two Brits and a Grammy for Best Alternative Album.

Chris, the son of an accountant and a teacher, was educated at Sherbourne School in Devon, then, at University College London, he read Ancient World Studies. Chris met Will Champion, Guy Berryman and Jonny Buckland in the first few weeks at university in the mid-1990s. They became friends and Chris began writing songs with Jonny. Guy liked what he heard and got involved on the bass and Will set to learning the drums. They were determined to be as good as possible and practiced at every opportunity.


In 1998 the band had a gig at the Manchester Festival In The City, they signed to the Fierce Panda label for the single 'Brothers and Sisters' and then made a deal with Parlophone.

Despite their fame, Coldplay remain fiercely independent and insist on controlling every element of their music and its production. They oversee the artwork, the videos and refuse to have their music used on adverts or films.


The band agrees it has a responsibility to make people aware of international injustice. Chris went to Haiti and Dominican Republic in 2003, to support Oxfam’s campaign to change the rules of world trade. Chris also performed at the launch of the Fair Trade Campaign in Trafalgar Square.

Chris is married to Gwyneth Paltrow, and their first child, Apple, was born in the summer of 2004. In April 2006, Gwyneth gave birth to a baby boy in Los Angeles. The couple named the child Moses.


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

festival fashion

H&M are doing a Festival Fashion Against AIDS collection, I for one will snapping up some of those statement trousers - all the rage now and definitely a lot cheaper than the coveted silk leopard-print Chloe ones! Pair with a sheer cropped blouse and you'll be festival-ready for sure.





Collection drops 20th May instore, on your marks...

Monday, April 19, 2010

Johnny Depp Biography


Full name: John Christopher Depp II
Date of birth: 9 June 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky USA
Parents: Betty Sue Palmer and John Christopher Depp
Siblings: older sisters Christi and Debbie, and older brother Danny
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 155lbs

Nickname
"Mr. Stench" (self-chosen)
"Colonel" (given to him by Hunter S. Thompson)


Ethnicity: Johnny has Cherokee ancestry, inherited from both sides of his family but mostly from his mother’s. His great-grandmother, Minnie, was a full-blooded Cherokee. He also has European ancestry. Education: Dropped out of high school at age 16; Studied with Peggy Feury at the Loft Studio, Los Angeles, California

Johnny Depp Biography ...

Born John Christopher Depp in Owensboro, Kentucky, on June 9, 1963. Raised in Florida, he dropped out of school at age 15 in the hopes of becoming a rock musician. He fronted a series of garage bands including The Kids, which once opened for Iggy Pop. Depp got into acting after a visit to Los Angeles, California, with his former wife, Lori Anne Allison, who introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage. He made his film debut in A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984). In 1987, he shot to stardom when he replaced Jeff Yagher in the role of undercover cop Tommy Hanson in the popular TV series "21 Jump Street" (1987).

In 1990, after numerous roles in teen-oriented films, his first of a handful of great collaborations with director Tim Burton came about when he portrayed the title role in Edward Scissorhands (1990). Following the film's success, Depp carved a niche for himself as a serious, somewhat dark, idiosyncratic performer, consistently selecting roles that surprised critics and audiences alike. He continued to gain critical acclaim and increasing popularity by appearing in many features before re-joining with Burton in the lead role of Ed Wood (1994). In 1997, he played the undercover FBI agent in the factually-based film Donnie Brasco (1997), opposite Al Pacino; in 1998, he appeared in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), directed by Terry Gilliam; and then, in 1999, he appeared in the sci-fi/horror film The Astronaut's Wife (1999). The same year, he teamed up again with Burton in Sleepy Hollow (1999), brilliantly portraying Ichabod Crane.


Depp has played many characters in his career, including another factually-based character, Inspector Fred Abberline in From Hell (2001). He stole the show from screen greats such as Antonio Banderas in the finale to Robert Rodriguez's Mariachi trilogy, Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), in the same year as starring in the marvelous family blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), playing a character that only the likes of Depp could pull off, Captain Jack Sparrow. Now, Depp is collaborating again with Tim Burton in a new screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).

Apart from his on-screen life, Depp has dated several female celebrities off-screen, including failed engagements to Jennifer Grey, Winona Ryder, and Kate Moss. He was married to Lori Anne Allison in 1983 but then divorced her in 1985. Currently, Depp is living with French singer-actress Vanessa Paradis, with whom he has two children: Lily-Rose Melody, born in 1999 and Jack, born in 2002.

Johnny Depp is perhaps one of the most versatile actors of his day and age in Hollywood, who has recuperated his image greatly since his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in the acclaimed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), with a supporting cast of Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush.

Though highly successful now, Depp's early life, strangely, was as a rebel, and he took to vandalism and narcotics. He dropped out of school when he was 15, and he fronted a series of music-garage bands, including one named The Kids. However, it was when he married Lori Anne Allison that he took up the job of being a ballpoint-pen salesman to support himself and his wife. A visit to Los Angeles, California, with his wife, however, happened to be a blessing in disguise, when he met up with actor Nicolas Cage, who advised him to turn to acting, which culminated in Depp's film debut in the low-budget horror classic, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984), where he played a teenager who falls prey to dream-stalking demon Freddy Krueger. Three years later, Depp achieved fame as police cop Tom Hanson in the series "21 Jump Street" (1987) (1987-90), and in 1990, he was firmly established as a leading Hollywood actor with the Tim Burton movie Edward Scissorhands (1990), where he played a sad-faced, tragic hero who has scissors for hands.

From then on, Depp was selective of his choice of roles in movies, and he more often than not played dark, sinister characters on-screen. He played an undercover FBI agent in Donnie Brasco (1997), in which he co-starred with Al Pacino; a druggie in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998); and in two more Tim Burton ventures, Ed Wood (1994) and Sleepy Hollow (1999), with Christina Ricci and Casper Van Dien. He is currently filming a fifth Tim Burton film, Corpse Bride (2005), as well as being committed for another Tim Burton production, where he plays Willy Wonka in the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), based on the classic children's novel by Roald Dahl..




During his career, Depp has, unfortunately, gotten himself under bad public scrutiny. He was accused of selling drugs at his own club, The Viper Room, in regard to the legendary celebrity, River Phoenix, who died outside the club due to drug overdose in 1993. The following year, Depp was arrested for smashing and trashing a New York suite. And, in 1999, he was arrested in London for being in a fight with paparazzi outside a restaurant.

Although he gained popularity since the success of Edward Scissorhands (1990), Depp wasn't hugely famous for many years until his portrayal of the suave, charming Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) in 2003. With the film's enormous success, it has opened several doors for Johnny Depp's career and even included an Oscar nomination. He appeared as the central character in the Stephen King-based movie, Secret Window (2004); as the kind-hearted novelist James Barrie in the factually-based Finding Neverland (2004), where he co-starred with Kate Winslet; and most recently as Rochester in the British film, The Libertine (2004).

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Eve Myles Biography


Born:
1978
Place of Birth:
Ystradgynlais
School:
Maes-y-dderwen
Biography:
Born and bred in Ystradgynlais, Eve Myles is a star of stage and screen.

Her television roles have included appearances in EastEnders, the television film Score, and the Doctor Who episode The Unquiet Dead.

However, she is currently best known for her roles as Gwen Cooper in the Dr Who spin-off Torchwood and as Ceri Lewis in the BBC Wales drama Belonging, a character that involves playing a mother, wife and business woman all at the same time.

In 2002 and 2003 Eve was nominated for Best Actress in the BAFTA Cymru Awards for her role as Ceri Lewis in the BBC Wales drama Belonging.


She also played Lavinia in the 2003 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Titus Andronicus. In 2005, she appeared opposite Michael Gambon in Henry IV.

Dr Who writer Russell T. Davies said that he is a great admirer of her work. Of her appearance in Doctor Who he told BBC Wales "It just confirmed to me that she was one of Wales's best-kept secrets. "The part of Gwen in Torchwood was written especially for her so it's a good thing she said yes!"

And in 2008 Eve won best actress at the Bafta Cymru Awards for her role as former police officer Gwen in the murky Cardiff-based Torchwood.

Rhydian Roberts Biography


Rhydian Roberts

Singer and Runner-up on the 2007 series of X Factor

Born:
1983
Place of Birth:
Brecon
School:
Ysgol y Bannau Brecon and Llandovery College
Trivia:
Rhydian's grandfather was Tom Jones' doctor.
Biography:
Rhydian Roberts from Sennybridge made his name as a contestant on the 2007 series of X Factor. He finished as runner-up to Leon Jackson, being pipped into second place by just 1 % of the vote despite being the 3/1 on favourite with the bookmakers before the final.

Profile written by Rhydian's mum, Angela Roberts.

"Rhydian was born in Brecon Hospital attended the Pontsenni Cylch Meithrin and then went onto Ysgol y Bannau welsh medium school in Brecon.

To this day he remains a fluent Welsh speaker.

He represented the school and Powys in the Urdd eisteddfod from the age of 5. He has kept his links with the Urdd whilst at Llandovery College and on through his University life at Birmingham Conservatoire.

This year was his last year as he will be 25 next year and too old.

He was a very keen rugby player, playing with Gwernyfed club, near Brecon, as a junior and later for his school.

He is still very keen on fitness and goes to the gym daily.

He also took up the trumpet and cornet which he played right through to his A Level music exam.


He often says that his time at Llandovery College was one of the happiest times of his life and he felt very privileged to finish his school life as head boy.

He took a gap year working in a school near Pretoria, South Africa.

During his time in Birmingham he has won many prizes and participated in numerous student productions as part of his course.

He did not tell his parents he had entered the X Factor so it was a surprise and a very exciting time for them.

No-one prepares you for the press invasion into your life as a parent when something like this happens.

I would ask that people in Wales do not believe some of the horrid things that have been said about him in the press, judge him on his ability to sing and entertain.

Malcolm, Rhyd's dad is an electrical contractor and definitely not a millionaire as stated in one Sunday paper!


His Mum Angela works for a Carers Charity called Crossroads Caring for Carers, who give breaks to family carers.

Rhydian has said that if successful in the X Factor he hopes to be in a position to make a donation to Crossroads in Wales.

Rhydian is a loving, caring and happy person and when performing makes every effort to give it his all. He said the other week that he is living his dream at the moment and is very grateful to all at the X Factor for giving him this opportunity.

The X Factor have set up a my space (myspace/xfactor-rhydian) site for the competitors and Rhyd writes a weekly blog so you can catch up with news from him. You can also post messages which he gets copies of, as they do not have access to the internet in the X Factor house."

Rhydian has compiled an audio diary for BBC Radio Cymru's Dylan and Meinir Show whilst competing in The X Factor.

He wowed the judges on 27 October 2007 with his rendition of 'The Phantom of The Opera.'

After the performance Simon Cowell stated that Rhydian was 'potentially World Class'.

On 2 November he sang a rendition of Pink's 'Get The Party Started'.

On 9 November he cemented his position as favourite to win the competition with his version of 'You Raise Me Up'

On 16 November The Pet Shop Boys' Go West was given the Rhydian Roberts treatment leaving him in the last six.

A week later a solid performance of 'Somewhere' from West Side Story ensured that Rhydian reached the final five.

On 1 December his show-opening song - Queen's 'Somebody To Love' impressed the voters enough to ensure his place in the semi-final.

The semi-final produced Rhydian's best performance yet, with a stand-out performance of You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel and a breathtaking rendition of Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water.

This meant that Rhydian joined Leon and Same Difference in the final on 15 December.


Rhydian was 3/1 on favourite with the bookmakers before going into the final but was beaten into second place by 18-year-old Leon Jackson.

On finals night Rhydian sang O Holy Night, Somewhere - which had reduced judge Danii Minogue to tears when he had performed it in a previous round - and a duet of You Raise Me Up with Katherine Jenkins.

In January 2008 Rhydian Roberts signed a record deal with Sony BMG.

Sony BMG has the rights to all artists represented by judge Simon Cowell including Rhydian, Leon Jackson and former X Factor winners Leona Lewis and Shayne Ward.

Rhydian stated on BBC Radio Wales that new material is being penned for his debut album. He also confirmed that Jim Steinman has shown an interest and will be writing some songs after seeing Rhydian sing "I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)" on YouTube. There may also be a couple of covers but he refuses to record an X Factor memorabilia album.

Rhydian's eponymously titled album, which took a year to record, was released in November 2008. The album included covers of Simon and Garfunkel, Meatloaf and Queen songs on the record.

The album released in November 2008, sold more than 500,000 copies making him the biggest selling debut male artist of 2008.

He also hit the road for a 16-date UK tour in 2009.

The tour started at Nottingham Royal Centre on Friday 1 May and ended at Sheffield City Hall on Saturday .

His second album, O Fortuna, is released on 30 November 2009.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

GORDIE HOWE Biographay


Gordie "Mr. Hockey" Howe was born on March 31, 1928 in Floral, Saskatchewan, Canada. Howe did not play organized hockey till he was eight, but quickly picked up the game. He exercised relentlessly and gained a powerful physique working construction with his father during the summers. Howe was signed by the Detroit Red Wings when he was 16 and moved through the Red Wings Galt, Ontario junior team, to the Omaha Knights of the USHL and finally to the Detroit Red Wings. Howe was soon teamed up with Ted Lindsay and Sid Abel in what would be called the "Production Line", one of the all-time great NHL combinations. Howe played 33 pro seasons, one has a 17 year old with Omaha of the United States Hockey League, 25 years with the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL, six with the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, one season with the Hartford Whalers of the NHL and one game in 1997-98 with the Detroit Vipers of the IHL.

GORDIE HOWE PHOTO
Godie Howe set numerous hockey records that seemed unbreakable at the time. He was an effortless skater with deceptive speed, tremendous streght and a powerful shot. In his fourth NHL season, 1949-50, Howe began one of hockey's most amazing streaks. The the next 22 years, Howe scored over 20 goals a year. The Red Wings and Howe won the Stanley Cup in 1950 and the following year Howe was atop the league scoring, a feat he would repeat for the next three years. He would go on to win a total of six Art Ross trophies and also added six Hart Memrial Trophies as the league MVP. As 41 year old in 1968-69, he scored 44 goals and added 59 assists for a career high 103 points. At 43, Howe retired from the Red Wings in 1971 after injuries slowed him down. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately.
Two years after his retirement, Gordie Howe could not resist the opportunity of playing with his sons as he signed along with Marty and Mark Howe with the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association. He was an instant success in the WHA and tallyed 508 points in 419 WHA games. In 1979 he returned to the NHL with the Hartford Whalers when they moved from the WHA to the NHL. Howe played that season as a 51 year old, appearing in all 80 games and collecting 41 points. He made his final professional hockey appearance with the Detroit Vipers in 1997, making him the only player to have played in 6 different decades.
Here is a summary of Gordie Howe's NHL accomplishments;

Year    Team                 GP   G   A   Pts   Pim
1946-47 Detroit Red Wings 58 7 15 22 52
1947-48 Detroit Red Wings 60 16 28 44 63
1948-49 Detroit Red Wings 40 12 25 37 57
1949-50 Detroit Red Wings 70 35 33 68 69
1950-51 Detroit Red Wings 70 43 43 86 74
1951-52 Detroit Red Wings 70 47 39 86 78
1952-53 Detroit Red Wings 70 49 46 95 57
1953-54 Detroit Red Wings 70 33 48 81 109
1954-55 Detroit Red Wings 64 29 33 62 68
1955-56 Detroit Red Wings 70 38 41 79 100
1956-57 Detroit Red Wings 70 44 45 89 72
1957-58 Detroit Red Wings 64 33 44 77 40
1958-59 Detroit Red Wings 70 32 46 78 57
1959-60 Detroit Red Wings 70 28 45 73 46
1960-61 Detroit Red Wings 64 23 49 72 30
1961-62 Detroit Red Wings 70 33 44 77 54
1962-63 Detroit Red Wings 70 38 48 86 100
1963-64 Detroit Red Wings 69 26 47 73 70
1964-65 Detroit Red Wings 70 29 47 76 104
1965-66 Detroit Red Wings 70 29 46 75 83
1966-67 Detroit Red Wings 69 25 40 65 53
1967-68 Detroit Red Wings 74 39 43 82 53
1968-69 Detroit Red Wings 76 44 59 103 58
1969-70 Detroit Red Wings 76 31 40 71 58
1970-71 Detroit Red Wings 63 23 29 52 38
1979-80 Hartford Whalers 80 15 26 41 42
NHL Totals 1767 801 1049 1850 1685



Trophies
Art Ross Trophy - 6 (1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1963)
Hart Memorial - 6 (1952, 1953, 1957, 1058, 1960, 1963)


Championships
Stanley Cup - 4 (1950, 1952, 1954, 1955