It’s no joke, the Guiness Book of World Records says “a world record in the length of a queue to a toilet was set on Sunday when 756 people lined up to a latrine in central Brussels to raise awareness for the need for clean water on World Water Day.”

What an achievement! And boy did it raise eyebrows AND awareness to the cause of World Water Day.

The event was organized by the United Nations’ children’s agency UNICEF which gave each participant a wristband with his or her number in the line and T-shirt certifying participation in the event.

“The latrine was of the same design as we use in third world countries — a dry latrine — and we formed the longest queue this morning,” UNICEF spokesman Benoit Melebeck said.

All I can say is… let the record be broken next year! I’m sure the organizers are thinking of more “grandiose” ways for clean water.

 

It’s that time of the year again when golden boys are given to deserving hands for jobs well done.  When America and the world take a stance to pause and enjoy the glares of lights… specially that red carpet.  What we would like to notice though is that there are news that even this prestigious is not without any points of adjustments too, with the recession biting down further in the USA.

Specific to that would be the swags… the celebrity give-aways.  Every year celebrities attending this event get more than a bagful of free items from designer jeans to jewelry, to wrist watches to toys.  This year, though, there will be limited items to share.

Award shows often mean free loot for celebrities. But with the economy tanking, this Academy Awards season could see some subtle changes in the giveaway culture, industry insiders say.

“The country has shifted, and I think that bling is out,” said Jane Ubell-Meyer from Madison and Mulholland, which bills itself as a VIP gift bag and product placement company. “I think that people are a little more conservative and they don’t want to flaunt it in everyone’s faces.”

 

Countdown is starting all over the world.  It’s just a few hours from now when everyone releases 2008 to the past and welcomes 2009, whatevere it brings, to their embrace.  I love the New Year celebration, a worldwide event that all cultures, race & tradition celebrates.

On to New York City, one of the biggest celebrations ever specifically in Times Square.  Do you know that they have designed a new ball to drop down on the last minutes of 2008?  Yes they did!

Each year, millions of eyes from all over the world are focused on the sparkling Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball.  Today, CNN reports that there is a new ball design… twice bigger than last years.

The new Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball is a 12 foot geodesic sphere, double the size of previous Balls, and weighs 11,875 pounds.  Covered in 2,668 Waterford Crystals and powered by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDS, the new Ball is capable of creating a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns producing a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop One Times Square.

How’s that for a celebration!  I’m very sure all eyes would be fixed on it.  And those who merry around and under it will have a grand time!

Happy new year everyone!

 

 

At 35 years old, Seth MacFarlane has made a great achievement.  Not only has his creation been raking in top ratings, it has also earned him a spot into the $100 million dollar man circle.  Yes, that’s right, for “The Family Guy”, “The American Dad” and “Cleveland” Fox studio has served him a $100 million dollar contract to keep their family guy as happy as he can be.

Just heard recently that “Family Guy” has even trumped “The Simpsons” in popularity and total earnings.  I am a huge fan of Homer and his family, but I’m getting up over the fence to meet the new family on prime time TV.

Here’s a quick snippet of an interview by Associated Press… just one, and you can read the rest of it right here:

Q: So, how does $100 million change your life?

Seth MacFarlane: Nothing I can do can really live up to that amount of money on a daily basis, so my view of it … (is that) I gave them all of my 20s, which are irretrievable. (I put my) heart and soul into that show, and, in turn, they give me $100 million. I think that’s fair. One of those is replaceable, the other isn’t.

 

Ask a singer how they would like to “go” and they’d probably say… on stage… performing my heart out… singing my last song.  

Well that’s how Miriam Makeba “went”.  The South African singer who wooed the world with her sultry voice but was banned from her own country for more than 30 years under apartheid, died after collapsing on stage in Italy. She was 76.

She was physically on exile but her voice has reached deep within the physical confines of her country… she lived in her countrymen’s hearts.  

Makeba collapsed on stage Sunday night after singing one of her most famous hits, “Pata Pata,” her family said in a statement. Her grandson, Nelson Lumumba Lee, was with her as well as her longtime friend, Italian promoter Roberto Meglioli.

“Whilst this great lady was alive she would say: ‘I will sing until the last day of my life,’ ” the statement said.