On an Island in the Sun...

The island that Shakira bought with other musical stars like Roger Waters is supposed to become a site of construction soon.

There is excellent anchorage for luxury yachts around this very private retreat.

Which celebrities like the Super Yachts? Beyonce and Jay Z have been seen chartering a luxury boat. P. Diddy mostly sticks close to St Tropez with his floating bling

People like Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Shaquille O'Neal, Celine Dion, Bill Clinton, Alex Rodriguez, Heidi Klum, Eminem and Dr. Dre may not have that much in common with Shakira other than solvency and a resistance to sea sickness.

It's My Market

When you want or need to look at some free classifieds, you probably want them to be local.

ItsMyMarket.com is a great site that serves a large portion of the UK. When you arrive at the landing page, you can type the first part of your post code into a box and once you enter that, the site automatically tailors your results to match your location.

It makes a lot of sense whether you are looking for a used bicycle or a lover, you don't want to be traipsing all the way across the country just to be disappointed by slack tyres or a shabby seat or whatever else could be wrong.

Ethical Finance Products

The choices we make with our money can be as much of a force for positive change as any vote we can cast. Think about it, we are making money decisions every day, most of us only get to vote every few years.

Co-operativeBank.co.uk is bound by a very exacting code of conduct, so you know that you can do business with them without worrying about what polluter or human rights abuser you might be bankrolling.

Online loan services from this business are competitive with less ethical entities.

They are proud to say that they have turned away over 10 million pounds of business that was not up to their strict ethical standards.

Beatles Music on iTunes?

I haven't heard anything final yet. I have heard rumors that there is supposed to be a deal in the works between Apple and the owners of the rights to the Beatles' recordings.

I had a little phase of listening to Beatles music online a few years back. I didn't even know that it wasn't a legal source for the music at the time.

Subliminal Recordings

If you want help with quiting smoking, or changing your eating habits, or just about any other personal improvement you can think of Subliminal-CDs.com has a recording that can quietly motivate you to succeed at whatever it is that you want to do.

They have an interesting statement on their landing page. They say that all outer change begins as inner change.

They have over 120 subliminal CDs that fall into 13 categories. You could listen to a brain boosting CD on the bus ride to school. You could listen to the claustrophobia curing CD while you are waiting for someone to let you back out of your locker. You could listen to the Improve your Dance Skills CD while you are sitting with the other wallflowers at the noon hour sock hop. You could listen to a CD about salesmanship while you are out selling cookies door to door...

...Wait a second, you aren't some cheese eating high school kid... Why not check out the Ultimate Sexual Skills CD? There is something for everyone at this site.

World Music Sampler #???

Sometimes people start making jokes about instruments that aren't currently popular. What is truly funny is how they seem to inevitably regain the favor of popular musicians. There was that great banjo riff in a Nellie Furtado hit. Before that there was the accordion in a big Aerosmith release. I don't know if this particular instrument will ever be featured in anything more mainstream than a cough drop commercial.

Custom Car Seat Covers

I couldn't enter the contest to win the SEAT sports car that Shakira customized. I know if I had entered and won this car with the beautiful paint job and the autograph, the first thing I would do would be to buy a set of these high quality Custom Car Seat Covers.

OverTheTop.co.uk has a great name and great products for your car or even for your sitting room furniture. Even if you have a rare car with odd sized seats, you can call them to get custom covers made to your exact specs. I have been looking at an old Moke. I don't think any standard sizes would work for those seats.

World Music Sampler #??

I have seriously neglected my World Tour of music. I will try to get going on it again. I love musical instruments. Thumb pianos are really cool. My daughter has one that she bought from Ten Thousand Villages, which is a business that provides craftspeople in developing countries with a fair price for their products.



This guy is awesome. I once spent a few hours using an old headlight as a thumb piano.

iPod Video Converter

This is a cool new bit of technology PQDVD.com enables users to convert any DVD format movie to an iPod movie.

The technology is a bit complicated, but luckily somebody smart recognized the broad appeal that the application would have, so they made using it simple. I think its cool when new technologies are given control panels that mimic the look and functionality of older technologies. I think this is one of those cases, the reformatted movie that is the end product of the conversion can just be dropped into an iTunes library.

Tax Havens For Celebrities

When I first heard about Shakira's island property all I thought was "Must be nice."

More recently I was starting to wonder if Shakira is investing in a country that she may choose as a residence for the purpose of minimizing her tax burden. I do not know anything about how Colombia taxes it's citizens. Colombia ranks 55th out of 158 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2005.

Shakira's large scale charity work has no doubt exposed her to more government red tape than the average person.

Even if Shakira's choice of a home is related to taxation, at least she is close to her family and her charity work. Shania Twain moved to Switzerland.

How to Seduce a Celebrity

Ok, the title of this post is a bit misleading. I have no idea How to Seduce a Celebrity. This post is about a truly unique online reality program. The key ingredients are: one beautiful and charming celebrity, countless online suitors and unprecedented audience participation.

I am just going to go ahead and let Mirelly Taylor, known for such movies as Kiss Me Again and Serving Sara and television shows including 'Las Vegas', 'Punk’d', and 'Numb3rs', give you the gist of the show. Here she is on one of the many Free videos at GoFish.com:



Oops, that was also Andrew Firestone, he is an important part of the show as well. You may recognize him from 'The Bachelor'.

I have known about this online contest for a date with a celebrity for about 24 hours and I have spent a couple of those hours checking out Mirelly online. I like her. She reminds me a little bit of Julia Louise Dreyfus and a little bit of Penelope Cruz. I am glad to see that she gets to make the final choice from the three video suitors who get the most user votes.

The shows producers have devised some video tasks that Mirelly presents to the competitors on the channel. Any GoFish.com user can then vote for their favorite uploaded response.

Shakira Finally Getting Married, Maybe

There is a report that Shakira and her LONGTIME fiance will get married in the Dominican Republic in September. All the talk can be traced back to a mantion of the story on a Latin Celebrity radio show.

I know some people who write copy for radio shows. If I was one of these people and the idea of mistakenly announcing Shakira's wedding plans entered my head in a weak moment, I might just run with it. I'm sure it will be good publicity for the program.

Shakira owns a luxury home in the DR.

Air Ambulances Save Lives

I have sat thinking about how much has changed in recent history with regard to medical science. Many accidents and illnesses that a few generations ago meant certain death are not even that much of a concern anymore.

I have marvelled at the incredible advances in transportation technology that has taken place over the last few generations. Sometimes I wish that we had Star Trek style transporters, but safe commuter jets are still pretty neat.

You know I think about what computer technology communications technology have done to change our world.

A website and an air ambulance company like AirAmbulance.net brings all these advances to bear on the job of saving lives. Scenarios like air lifting a downed US Marshall from a Texas ranch to an expert surgeon in a hospital in California, or rushing a donated heart from an accident victim in Arizona to a transplant recipient in New York...these are the kind of things that can be done. With regards to accidents, whether they are traffic related, or industrial, getting to a hospital as quickly as possible may be vital to the victims survival.

The website AirAmbulance.net serves as an invaluable information hub for air ambulance services in the USA. They operate a dispatch center in Miami and they have been in this vital business since 1984 without incident. Hospitals, government departments, nursing homes and others use them to charter bith domestic and international flights with qualified emergency medical staff and state of the art equipment on board.

I Had Lice

I may have had head lice. I'm really not sure. When I found out that my children had them I shaved my head.



Shakira comforted a Colombian schoolgirl recently by empathizing with her case of headlice. Shakira also made it clear that she was opposed to the use of toxic insecticides to treat the lice.

She was wrong about what the best treatment options are. A LiceMeister comb and regular dosings with conditioner are most effective.

Fan Fiction About Furniture

When I start to get bored while I am watching a video, I often start looking at the furniture and decor that is on the screen...

There's Britney doing a lame rip-off of a Cabaret dance...yawn...that is a really nice chair, I wonder who designed that chair.

There's Paris Hilton...what is that, a regular king size bed or a California king? That bedroom set looks familiar, I think I've been in that hotel before...

Here's Shakira singing underneath your clothes...what's that underneath her butt? a nice leather sofa.

I vaguely remember the MTV series The Newlyweds. I think I spent most of the time looking at the furniture. The living room furniture lasted a lot longer than the marriage.

Don't even get me started on Cribs. The bedroom furniture and living room furniture that celebrities use to fill their empty lives is just so lavish. I have seen some interesting parodies of Cribs on YouTube, they are easy to find because Viacom makes sure that all the clips of the real show are removed promptly. Here's a short screenplay for a fictional episode of Cribs:

Generic Minor Celebrity: Yo, welcome to my house. I'm going to take you on a 22 minute tour during which I will show you all the expensive things that I have placed at random in my expensive home.

Here is my foyer. Before I became exceedingly rich, I had never heard the word foyer. Wait, there was that one time, this doorman yelled at me "Hey you! You can't sleep here in this foyer!" After I became a superstar I went back and I bought that building. I fired the doorman and I had the building demolished...except for the foyer. I had it reassembled as an addition to this house. It's my master bedroom. Take that mean and nasty out of work doorman!!!

Anyway, come on up to the bedroom, I have a painting I want to show you...

My Poor Attempts at Blogging

I was posting fairly often about Shakira's World tour, but I stopped recently because I thought it was over. In fact, it was only her European dates that were finished. SEAT the Spanish automaker was only promoting the European dates and I based my assumption that the tour was over on their press release. Shakira will give a concert in Mexico shortly. I can imagine that date will be a rocking good time.

New Online Destination Launched by Belisi Fashions

Belisi Fashions Launches New Online Destination

Innovative, Luxurious, Online Shopping, Fashion Advice ... Lifestyle

PALM BEACH, Fla., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Fashion, it's not just a New
York game anymore. South Florida has become a top contender of those "in
the know." Palm Beach-based Belisi Fashions (http://www.belisi.com), a
driving force behind this new fashion movement, combines luxury, innovative
style and distinctive creations, setting it a part from the rest of the
fashion industry. Fashion-forward designer Peter Belisi of Belisi Fashions
is unveiling his new and improved online destination http://www.Belisi.com,
which is more than a shopping website-it's a community where discriminating
consumers can find valuable fashion advice, keep up with trends and so much
more.
Belisi Fashions is synonymous with luxury, a brand that represents a
growing collection of fine Italian silk ties, pocket squares, and scarves.
Peter Belisi inspires and surprises with characteristic versatility and
responsiveness to an ever-changing market. The very essence of his
collections reflects his emotional and artistic view of life's experiences;
thereby, creating a personal style inspiring men and women to dress and
accessorize according to their own personality.
Belisi was built on the philosophy that a necktie
(http://www.belisi.com/shopping/catalogView.aspx?SGID=1&showproducts=all)
or a scarf
(http://www.belisi.com/shopping/catalogView.aspx?SGID=2&CATID=12&showproduc
ts= all) is more than an article of clothing-it completes your look. "There
are plenty of Web sites where you can buy accessories but few where you
feel like you're a part of a fashion community," affirms Belisi.
"A tie is a focal point that makes a bold statement. When we design and
create a tie, pocket square
(http://www.belisi.com/shopping/catalogView.aspx?SGID=4&showproducts=all)
or scarf, we first think about the person who will wear it. We want our
products to enhance customers' lives through quality, using the most au
courant in fabrics and signature detailing," confirms Belisi. "These
accessories add flare to any outfit with an accent of color that creates a
whole new look."
The Belisi brand is flourishing, and anticipates the release of its new
luxury handbag collection in Fall '07. As with all Belisi products, the
handbag collection will feature extraordinary detailing including real gold
hardware, soft treated Italian leather and brushed fabrics, plus many other
exclusive features only available through Belisi.com.
About Belisi.com
Belisi.com is an online community where customers are "Insiders"
instead of order numbers. Being an "Insider" means access to special
privileges including free shipping, gift wrap on all orders and a
designated place on the Belisi Insider's Advisory Board. Belisi Insiders'
opinions are more than thoughts expressed in cyber space. Peter Belisi
embraces each comment, suggestion or question and responds to his clients
personally. Belisi's fashion blogs offer up-to-the-minute insight from
fashion, beauty and lifestyle experts. Find out more by visiting:
http://www.TheDivasDreams.com for women and http://www.SharpByDesignblog.com for men.
Belisi also has a beauty blog, http://www.BeautifulMeblog.com, which keeps
customers "in the know" about all things related to beauty-inside and out.
About Belisi Fashions
The Belisi brand is the brainchild of Peter Belisi, whose lifelong
aspirations were to fuse the luxury and prestige of Palm Beach with Italian
sophistication. Belisi embodies the spirit of true entrepreneurship with a
passion for the best of everything, which is evident in the quality
products produced. Each dramatic detail in a Belisi tie, pocket square and
scarf represents Belisi's unwavering commitment to creating fashion
products that embody timeless sophistication and enduring beauty.
Peter Belisi is loyal to his community and remains steadfast in giving
back to those in need, never forgetting his roots and the journey that led
him to where he is today. Through the "Belisi Luxury with Meaning" program,
a minimum of 10 percent of the company's pre-tax profits are donated to
those in need. Thus keeping in-line with Belisi's mission to create a
community within a community, customers decide which charity to make their
contribution. Some of the charities include: Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer
Foundation, American Heart Association, and 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I am always happy to post stuff about Peter Belisi and his burgeoning fashion enterprise. The above press release leaves me with precious little to talk about. I might be in an interesting position as far as recognizing the melding of American and European styling in his accessories. I moved from North America to Southern Europe a couple of years ago. There is no Gap in my town. Many of the casual fashion stores are Italian chains. We had a function recently that we had anticipated as having a dress code and I was told that none of my pants were suitable by my wife. I had stocked up with four or five pairs of my favorite jeans before moving and had never up to that point bought pants in Europe. Actually, they call them trousers here, but thanks to the tourist trade they know what I am talking about if I accidentally say pants. They call men's underwear panties. I am never going to get used to that. Anyway, I thought I had chosen a good pair of pants. My wife let me wear them out for the evening but has vetoed them henceforth because the fit is so different that it disturbes her. I don't look like me to her.

Ties and purses look more or less the same on both sides of the Atlantic. Italian styling really is an absolute of sorts. I especially like some of the intricately patterned fabrics that Belisi has chosen for his ties.

Las de la intuicion...

"Las de la intuicion Spanish"...The video is being uploaded to YouTube by people with no respect for copyright. Those awful people. Go look at what they have done. Maybe you can admonish them on the comments section.

The first one I found was uploaded by a person name AvrilLavigneSucks...issues...

Encyclopedia Central

EncyclopediaCentral.com is another site that is melding the best aspects of the encyclopedia model and the business directory model. Articles on Self Improvement are quite varied, talking about everything from toothpicks to air guns. I guess by the broadest definition, if you have something caught in your teeth and you use a toothpick to remove it you are improving yourself, and if you have a gun, who is going to say otherwise?

I learned something that I had not known in the gadgets and gizmos section. I remember my uncles old mobile phone from before cell phones. I did not know that it was actually using VHF waves. Now I do, thanks EncyclopediaCentral.com.

I read the whole article about Bird Flu. It was quite interesting and it was published in 2001, so this site has been around for some time.

Oh ,Yeah, Shakira and Beyonce are #1

I haven't even bothered watching the music charts. It was pretty much a given that this duet would spend time at #1 on the pop charts. Two weeks is a good run, I would expect it will be replaced at the top by something else soon.

I was actually slightly disappointed with the song. I guess I just had high expectations. It is a solid pop duet, executed flawlessly. Maybe that's why it leaves me a bit cold. It's too polished. The video is probably what is driving the success. These women are hot.