| Storm Track Infiltration: Indonesian Jihad
Yesterday I did a post on the Swedish Jihad and how Islam has infiltrated that nation placing its feet on the path to dhimmitude. But not only non-Muslims nations are threatened by political Islam. The moderate Muslim dominated countries in Southeast Asia are also the target of the Islamists. A recent documentary by PBS “Struggle for the Soul of Islam: Inside Indonesia," part of the “America at a Crossroads" series, brings this threat into focus. Those most feeling the pain and pressure of militant Islam's rise have been moderate Muslims, many of them horrified by the tactics and goals of their fundamentalist brethren. It is these moderates who are potentially the Western world's strongest allies in the struggle to contain the radicals. One of the great stages for this struggle is Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country and home to about 210 million Muslims, more than any other nation's.
Jamie Kennedy
JAMIE KENNEDY (Justin Schumacher, age 32) An actor with a unique view and offbeat sensibility, Jamie Kennedy skyrocketed to fame with a groundbreaking performance and scene-stealing rants in Wes Craven's Scream and Scream 2. His portrayal of Randy Meeks, the video-store-clerk-turned-horror-hero with a knack for pop culture, secured him a place in the annals of horror movie history. He has gone on to work with some of Hollywood's biggest names, including George Clooney, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, and Will Smith. Kennedy will next be seen in April 2007 starring in Kickin' It Old Skool which he was also a producer on. Kickin' It tells the tale of a 12 year old break dancer who in 1985 hits his head performing at a talent show and as a result is comatose for 20 years. He awakens to find out he is a grown man who thinks like a young break dancer in the 80's.
Why we love Kerry Katona
The claim by Gordon Brown, in Saturday's interview with this newspaper, that we in Britain have "fallen out of love with celebrity" shows that the prime minister-in-waiting is way out of touch with the popular culture of his times. If Brown were right, he should have had someone from his office get in touch with Prince William and his former girlfriend Kate Middleton and tell them the good news - hey guys, you don't have to split up. The public are no longer interested in celebrity! But Gordon Brown shouldn't feel too bad about getting it hopelessly wrong. For he belongs to a group of illustrious pundits, pop stars and professional zeitgeist watchers who have, since the 1990s, all predicted the end of celebrity culture - and they've all been wrong. I should know, I was one of the first to make this mistake in 1995 when I wrote about the rise of "celebrity fatigue".
Popular culture conference
Dr. Marty Knepper, professor and chair of English at Morningside College; Stacy Baldus, a senior from Grand Meadow, Minn.; and Rachel N. Castillo, a senior from Sioux City, all presented papers at the national conference of the Popular Culture Association (PCA)/American Culture Association, April 4-7, in Boston." target="_blank"> | Small | Large
Dr. Marty Knepper, professor and chair of English at Morningside College; Stacy Baldus, a senior from Grand Meadow, Minn.; and Rachel N. Castillo, a senior from Sioux City, all presented papers at the national conference of the Popular Culture Association (PCA)/American Culture Association, April 4-7, in Boston.Knepper was chair of the session ''Mystery/Detective Fiction III: Debating the Ending of the Harry Potter Series.'' During the session, Knepper presented ''Reading Harry Potter: Making Predictions for Book 7,'' which included results of surveys conducted with readers, monitored internet chat rooms, and fan fiction as a means to discover predictions for the final book of J.
SEASON'S SWIMSUITS SHOW RESTRAINT 1Skimpy out, coverup in as ...
Michael Kors put full-cut bikinis on the runway two years ago, and Abaete designer Laura Poretzky has been making pinup-style suits since 2004. But the retro swimwear trend really took off with the spring collections, when Stella McCartney showed a playful blue-and-green two-piece with bloomers on the bottom, and Karl Lagerfeld channeled Brigitte Bardot with a boucle knit bandeau and briefs at Chanel. Miuccia Prada made the most convincing case for poolside modesty when she paired jewel-tone satin tunics and turbans straight out of "Sunset Boulevard." More than anyone else, Prada broke from the kind of ornamentation that had been driving fashion. Above all, she exulted the female form, putting the spotlight on the most innocent of feminine assets, a great pair of gams. And as unimaginable as it might have seemed, our bare-it-all pop culture is catching on to the coverup trend.
Briefly: Dance theater to present ‘Fairytales’
A repertory dance theater production of Modern Fairytales will be presented at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday on the Center Stage of the Performing Arts Center at St. Cloud State University. Modern Fairytales will feature two new epic fairy tales, Beauty White and Alices Parts. Beauty White is a modern dance about a young girl and temptation, complete with apples and falling snow. Alices Parts takes a pop culture view of a classic tale, emphasizing the coy aspects in Alices encounters. Artistic directors are April Sellers and Tracy Vacura. The universitys department of theater, film studies and dance is sponsor for the event. The performances are free. For information, contact Adam Raine at 282-0349 or raad0402@stcloudstate.edu. .
Not-So-Sunny California Art
As the maître d' looks toward heaven in "Nouvelle Cuisine," a 1988 painting by Robert Colescott, he overlooks the people making his self-satisfaction possible.
Trapped underneath the dishes, refuse and wasted food are the washers and busboys, the folks paid to go unnoticed and, if possible, unseen.
Anyone who has ever worked behind the curtains of a trendy restaurant - whether it be in California or West Hartford - will nod with recognition.
The contrast between the American underclass (in this case entirely comprised of African Americans) and the wealthy, who literally discard their trash upon the workers after a night of flirty fun, could not be more marked.
Colescott is one of 65 San Francisco Bay area artists featured in "California to Connecticut: The Joanne and William Rees Collection," an exhibit opening Friday at the New Britain Museum of American Art and running through July 3.
Gold Rush Goes Hollywood Announced By AOL
AOL announced that Gold Rush is making its return this fall, exclusively on AOL. As with the original, “Gold Rush Goes Hollywood" is co-produced by legendary TV pioneer Mark Burnett. The groundbreaking interactive game lets players turn their pop culture smarts into real gold. The original Gold Rush attracted nearly 11 million users and five blue chip sponsors. .
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