Sparkly Bags, Singers and Dissin' the GOP

Cool Quote: "George W. Bush is running on a platform of tragedy — the single
greatest failure of national defense in our history, the attacks of 9/11 in
which 19 men with box cutters put this nation into a tailspin, a failure the
details of which the White House fought to keep secret even as it ran the country
into hock up to the hubcaps, thanks to generous tax cuts for the well-fixed,
hoping to lead us into a box canyon of debt that will render government impotent,
even as we engage in a war against a small country that was undertaken for the
president's personal satisfaction but sold to the American public on the basis
of brazen misinformation, a war whose purpose is to distract us from an enormous
transfer of wealth taking place in this country, flowing upward, and the deception
is working beautifully." From, "We're not in Lake Woebegon anymore," by Garrison Keillor

Who’s Wearing (or Carrying) What: Hilary Duff, star of A Cinderella Story,

carried an evening bag by Daniel Swarovski to the MTV Video Awards.

She set off her black ensemble with a brown velvet clutch covered with

bronze and gold Swarovski crystals in varying shapes and sizes.

The following celebs were carrying these Judith Leiber bags to the VMAs:

Lil Kim
Style O40004
Crystal Minaudiere in white $1,045

Ashanti
Style O40058J
Slender Curved Minaudiere in Red $1,495

Carmen Electra
Style O40047J
Crystal Minaudiere $1,235


BBC Shows: Practical jokes, a hidden camera and a few unsuspecting victims - the laughs are on BBC AMERICA this fall in an all-new hidden camera comedy premiere, Just For Laughs, Saturdays and Sundays beginning October 2 and October 3, 2004 at 2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT.

Getting married should be the best experience of a person's life - but for Mel Cook (Sarah

Alexander, Coupling, Smack The Pony) and Howard Steel (Ben Miller, The Prince and Me,

Johnny English) it turns into the week from hell... All the tension, mishaps and nightmares

that befall a bride and groom during the week leading up to their wedding are explored to

hilarious effect in BBC AMERICA's latest original comedy premiere, The Worst Week of

My Life, Sundays from September 26, 2004 at 9 p.m. ET\PT.

BBC AMERICA turns clutter into cash and dreams into reality in an all-new season of Cash in
the Attic, premiering Tuesdays beginning September 28, 2004 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Alternating
hosts Alistair Appleton and Lorne Spicer join forces with antiques experts, Jonty Hearndon and Paul Hayes, as they delve into more attics, closets, basements and cupboards to uncover hidden treasure in people's homes. The items then go under the hammer at an auction house and, with any luck, bring in enough money to help fund a family's dream.

BBC AMERICA presents a mountain rescue drama about life and love on the edge - Scotland's Nevis mountain range can take your breath away. But its awesome beauty can have a cruel heart - as all too many have tragically discovered. The hauntingly beautiful mountains of Scotland's Highlands serve as the backdrop for BBC AMERICA's captivating new mountain rescue drama Rockface, premiering Fridays beginning October 1, 2004 at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT. Set in the fictitious town of Glentannoch in the Highlands of Scotland, Rockface follows the lives and loves of a volunteer Mountain Rescue Team brought together by their passion for the hills and dedication to saving lives.

Duran Duran Update: DURAN DURAN’S “SUNRISE:” “A BLAST OF FRESH AIR” FIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN 21 YEARS ‘ASTRONAUT’ SET FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 12, 2004 ON EPIC New York, NY-- There’s no stopping Duran Duran, who have reunited for their first studio album in 21 years on October 12, 2004 (Epic) entitled ‘Astronaut.’ “(Reach Up For The) Sunrise,” the band’s first single, “is a blast of fresh air,” exclaims Billboard in an “Essential Review” of the single on newsstands this week. “The uptempo dance/ rock track has a thrilling, uplifting chorus....Simply put, this is a new day for Duran Duran. The group, along with producer Don Gilmore, has captured a mood and spirit sure to bring a smile to fans' faces.... “

"(Reach Up For The) Sunrise" – which was one of the first tracks to be written for the band's new album during a month-long writing and pre-production session in the South of France over a year-and-a-half ago - is a classic Duran Duran anthem in-the-making - a real feel-good record that comes to life with boundless energy and emotion. Rich with the distinctive sound of LeBon’s powerful vocals, Nick Rhodes’ familiar keyboard landscape and the reunited Taylor Trio rhythm and bass grooves, ‘Sunrise’ has a signature Duran Duran sound for the new millennium.

“(Reach Up For The) Sunrise” was written by Duran Duran and recorded at London’s Sphere Studios with producer Don Gilmore (Good Charlotte, Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, Pearl Jam). Jeremy Wheatley (Massive Attack, Sugababes and The Dandy Warhol’s) mixed the track at Olympic Studios in London.

Yellowcard: Yellowcard has won the "MTV2 Award" at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, held in Miami. The winner of the MTV2 Award is chosen by the network's viewers through online voting in the weeks leading up to the awards broadcast. Additionally, Yellowcard's live performance of their hit "Ocean Avenue" was an awards highlight. Yellowcard's third single, "Only One," is now a Modern Rock hit and will go to Mainstream Top 40 tomorrow. The Phil Harder-directed video, which stars frontman Ryan Key and actress Rachel Miner, is top ten at MTV's "TRL" and can be seen here: http://www.yellowcardrock.com/onlyone

JESSI ALEXANDER: “LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME!” Singer/songwriter Jessi Alexander's new single is "Make Me Stay or Make Me Go." Delivered to radio stations this past week, the bittersweet song is from her debut album 'Honeysuckle Sweet' (Columbia). According to Alexander, the single reflects "the endless struggle most of us felt at one time or another; LOVE me or LEAVE me!!!" "Make Me Stay or Make Me Go" was co-written with producer Gary Nicholson and Al Anderson (The Mavericks, Etta James, and others). "Al brought the infectious groove, [and] Gary put the words in just the right places," continues Alexander. The daughter of an artist and musician in Jackson, Tennessee, Alexander was named for outlaw country star Jessi Colter. She traces her passion for music to the days and nights she spent with her father and his musician friends in the clubs of Memphis. While studying social work at Middle Tennessee State, Alexander found the pull of nearby Nashville and its wealth of music impossible to ignore. She left school and soon became a staff writer for Warner-Chappell before she was discovered by Sony Music Nashville president John Grady. Jessi Alexander continues a promotional tour this fall including performances at BB Kings Blues Club in NYC on September 16th, the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA on October 20th opening for Joe Ely and the Borderline in London on November 16, 2004. ‘Honeysuckle Sweet’ will be released on Columbia Records on January 25, 2005. www.jessialexander.com or www.shorefire.com/artists/jalexander

What the Republicans Are Up To: Not sure of the original origin of this, but this sked was sent to me via e-mail:

Republican Convention Schedule, Revised (9:47 EST)


6:00pm - Opening prayer
6:15pm - Supplementary opening prayer
6:30pm - Prayer in thanks of first two prayers
6:45pm - New energy policy presented by Exxon
7:00pm - Canonization of Reagan
7:15pm - Additional prayers
7:30pm - Opening remarks by Halliburton
8:00pm - Prayer for the safety and well-being of Ken Lay
8:15pm - Additional remarks by Halliburton
8:30pm - Stoning of the first homosexual
8:45pm - New healthcare polices presented by HMO leader, Kaiser Permanente
9:00pm - Invasion of Iran or North Korea,.... perhaps both (TBA)
9:15pm - Halliburton contributes 1.4 billion to Republican party
9: 30pm - Reagan elevated to savior, Holy Trinity now referred to as "the quads"
9:45pm - Bush undergoes plastic surgery to look more like Reagan
10:00pm - Cheney runs into Ron Reagan, Jr. Tells him to go fuck himself
10:15pm - Recall of troops from accidental invasion of South Korea
10:30pm - Burning at the stake of 16 year-old Jenny Williams, who had an
illegal abortion after being raped by her cousin
10:45pm - Dancing around the golden calf
11:00pm - Stoning of the partner of the first homosexual
11:15pm - New forestry policy presented by Weyerhaeuser
11:45pm - Thanking God for his wisdom in choosing Bush as president
12:00pm - Closing prayers (lasting until 2:00am)
2:00 am - Hookers arrive for all delegates

New Designers Intro: Neiman Marcus is touting the arrival of designs by new designers, including Walter (trendy jackets), Ernest Swann (denim), Ilsli (sequined tops), Cris Sweaters, Franklin Elman (footwear), Rene Caovilla (evening shoes), Tanner Kroll (handbags).

Resigning Ronald’s Home: TLC star designer Doug Wilson is rolling up his shirtsleeves to work on a special project. During the week of September 12, 2004 Wilson and a team of workers will redesign the family room at the Grand Rapids, Michigan Ronald McDonald House. The makeover inaugurates a one-year national partnership between Discovery Networks and McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) announced in April 2004 that includes a specific partnership between TLC’s TRADING SPACES: FAMILY and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).

Wilson will lead a team of craftspeople and volunteers to completely transform the family room in the Grand Rapids Ronald McDonald House, currently home to 17 families. Resident families will see the redesigned room for the first time on Saturday, September 18. The makeover will be chronicled in a series of eight on-air vignettes that tell the story of the Ronald McDonald House and will air during TRADING SPACES: FAMILY throughout October. Wilson will also tape a public service announcement (PSA) encouraging viewer donations to RMHC.

“Extending our talent, resources and brand to contribute to such an amazing cause is an important part of TLC’s mission and vision,” Roger Marmet, general manager, TLC, said. “We’re proud to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities on such a worthwhile initiative.”

"Among the hundreds of rooms I’ve designed on Trading Spaces, this one holds a very special place in my heart," Wilson said. "I can't wait to bring new energy and vibrance to the Ronald McDonald House in Grand Rapids through design that will hopefully touch the spirits of the families who call it home." Wilson appears on TLC’s TRADING SPACES and TRADING SPACES: FAMILY, and will soon host upcoming series AMERICA’S UGLIEST (premieres October 24 from 9-11PM ET/PT) and MOVING UP (premieres in January 2005).
"We are excited to partner with TLC's TRADING SPACES: FAMILY and Doug Wilson on this makeover project," said Ken Barun, president and CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities. "Our Ronald McDonald Houses are designed to bring comfort to families whose children are receiving care at nearby hospitals. Doug's creativity and style will certainly make the family room a fun and enjoyable space for guests."

The Ronald McDonald House of West Michigan opened on March 23, 1990. All hospitals and treatment programs in Grand Rapids are welcome to refer parents who have children 21 or younger receiving inpatient or outpatient care. The RMHWM will provide a Home Away From Home, where the ever-changing needs of children and families receiving pediatric services will be met with people and programs of compassion, commitment and integrity. The house itself is a 19,000 square foot farm style home with 17 bedrooms, private baths, large family kitchen, dining room, playroom, recreation room with big screen television and pool table, laundry, great room, and sun room on five acres of park-like yard.

Now in its second season, TRADING SPACES: FAMILY provides two neighboring families with $1,000 each, a professional designer, a carpenter, and 48 hours to redo a room of their choice. But there’s a catch – they have to switch houses, and they have no say in how their own room will look. After two days of grueling work, the rooms are totally transformed. How will they react to their brand new rooms? TRADING SPACES: FAMILY is hosted by Joe Farrell and airs on TLC Sunday nights at 7PM ET/PT.

Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Its programs are grassroots-driven to enable the Charity to offer help where children need it most - right in their own communities. RMHC makes an immediate, positive impact on children's lives through its global network of 181 local Chapters in 48 countries and its three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC and its global network of local Chapters have awarded more than $400 million in grants to children's programs around the world. For more information, visit www.rmhc.org.