Music is my religion

Where would I be without music?

To me my life would be empty without the inspiration that music brings onto my doorstep from day to day. Whether I am happy, sad, or just in a weird mood, I can always rely on music to be able to comfort my soul.

It doesn't matter if it's from the Blues, Jazz, Rock, or Hip-Hop. All forms of music confides itself in a part of my life, and without it I have no clue which personality or character, if any, I would have. So Like Jimi Hendrix said, "Music is my religion," and I feel the exact same way.

So as this semester winds down, and we go back to our regular lives, and schedules add a little hop into your step, listen to a genre you never tapped into before. Experience music in your life you have never felt before, and add a little more character in your great lives.

If you would like to check out some great bands, you can always go onto myspace music, or the music services like napster, itunes, rhapsody and indulge your tastes. Or just ask me, because I can always feel the music.

This was my first time doing a blog, and I appreciate the feedback which to inspired me to try something new. So with this last post I felt I would throw my love for music out there to inspire someone else as it did me. So thanks again, keep in touch, and have a great summer.

60th Anniversary of No. 42

A logo showing the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's
breaking the color barrier, with all the L.A. Dodgers in the backround

wearing his number 42.

Major league baseball players of all races, and from every team played tribute to former Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson on the 60th anniversary of him breaking major league baseball's color barrier, which was this day in 1947. They celebrated the anniversary of his debut throughout the country Sunday, when more than 200 players, managers and coaches wore his number.

I've often said that baseball's most powerful moment in its really terrific history was Jackie Robinson's coming into baseball," commissioner Bud Selig said before the Dodgers played the San Diego Padres. Hank Aaron, and Frank Robinson threw out the first pitch, with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, and Dave Winfield also on hand. His widow Rachel Robinson was also there, as well as two of his former Brooklyn Dodger teammates.

Cincinnati Red's Outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. brought the idea of wearing Robinson's number 42 in tribute to Commissioner Selig, who approved, and asked Griffey if it was all right for the rest of baseball to do the same, in which he also agreed. Ceremonies were held at 10 of the 15 big league ballparks where games were scheduled Sunday -- rain-washed out games at the five other sites.

On the day he broke the color barrier Robinson went hitless, but reached base on an error and scored the go-ahead run in the Dodgers' 5-3 victories over the Boston Braves. He retired following the 1956 season -- after the Dodgers traded him to the rival Giants -- and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. Robinson died in October 1972 at age 53.

Welcome to Wrestlemania

Almost twenty years after Wrestlemania III appeared in Detroit, Michigan, the wrestling spectacle returned again to bring wrestling's finest together for Wrestlemania 23. Just like the Super Bowl of the NFL, Wrestlemania, http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/, is the known as Grandest Stage of Them All, bringing a showcase of the immortals every year.

The spectacle of Wrestlemania, brings together is it's greatest wrestlers to compete against each other for their top championships, and has many celebrities take part in the festivities. Just as in Wrestlemania 3, Aretha Franklin will sing, "America the Beautiful," and John Cena will defend his championship in the main event for the second straight year, the first to do so since Hulk Hogan.

Wrestlemania 23, also sees Donald Trump make his fifth appearance in the Battle of the Billionaires, where he will compete against owner Vincent K. McMahon in a hair versus hair match. Both will be represented by WWE Wrestlers, Trump with Bobby Lashley, and McMahon with Umaga. The loser must shave their head bald, and this plays on Trump being known for having a bad hairstyle.

Also, Detroit is where a reported record-setting 93,173 fans filled the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987). This Wrestlemania also will see a attendance record breaker where a Ford Field record 80,103 fans will attend.

Wrestlemania 23 ticket sales stand at over $5 million USD. This makes WrestleMania 23 the highest-grossing pay-per-view in WWE history as well as the highest-grossing event in professional wrestling history, shattering the previous record of $3.9 million USD held at WrestleMania X8.

It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh

Once again Mario Lemieux has saved the Pittsburgh Penguins, http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com , with a little help of phenom Sidney Crosby, and the recent play of the team. And finally, the city of Pittsburgh, and it's fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that it will have its hockey team stay right where it belongs.

Last Tuesday, the Penguins and government officials said they had ended months of difficult negotiations and agreed on a $290 million plan to build a new arena. Under the deal, the government agreed to waive upfront money from the team, while the Penguins will receive $10.5 million in compensation for delays.

The sides also agreed to share responsibility for some cost overruns, and according to the deal, the Penguins will pay $4.2 million a year for the building, including $2.2 million a year for a 29 1/2 -year lease. The rest could be funded by naming rights or covered by the Penguins. The city will provide a 500-space parking lot next to the new arena, or the Penguins may elect to contribute an additional $500,000 annually for a new parking garage.

The Penguins will continue to play at 46-year-old Mellon Arena, http://www.mellonarena.com/ , until the new arena is completed sometime during the 2009-10 season, even though it might not be ready at the start of that season. Mellon Arena will be demolished when the new arena is completed.

That same night Lemieux, skated onto the ice to tell the sold out crowd at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena that, "Tonight, I'm proud to announce that your Pittsburgh Penguins will remain right here in Pittsburgh, where they belong." The Penguins also enjoyed a victorious night as well with Crosby having a goal and two assists and scored the deciding goal in the shootout as the Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 on Tuesday night.

The oscar goes too...

With this years Academy Awards there are there allot of story lines that have taken the spotlight in the days upcoming to the ceremony. But, the most intriguing one is if director Martin Scorsese can finally break his Oscar hiatus with his picture, "The Departed."

He has had a great body of work such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, GoodFellas, Gangs of New York, and the Aviator, and with his latest captivating film I believe this is the year that he will do it. So now on to my predictions for the 79Th Academy Awards, and for any other Oscar knowledge feel free to check out there website, www.oscar.com, for all that Hollywood buzz...

Best Actor:

Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happiness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland


Best Actress:

Penélope Cruz, Volver
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren, The Queen
Kate Winslet, Little Children


Best Supporting Actor:

Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed


Best Supporting Actress:

Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel


Best Director:

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Babel
Martin Scorsese, The Departed
Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93


Best Picture:

Babel
The Departed
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

And the grammy goes to...

With tonight's Grammy Awards being lead by eight nominations from Mary J. Blige's comeback in 2006 it all but seems that she will still the show with her latest body of work. But take a look at last year, having the most Grammy nomination does not nessicarily mean that it will go that way.

It will be hard to say if this will be the case again this year, but with stiff competition from John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, the Dixie Chicks, and Gnarls Barkley it will be something great to tune in to watch. With my love and appreciation of music I will take a stab at tonight's nominations. So here are my predication's for the 49Th Grammy Awards:

Record of the Year: "Crazy," Gnarls Barkley

Album of the Year: "Continuum," John Mayer

Song of the Year: "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige

New Artist: Carrie Underwood

Rock Album: "Try," John Mayer Trio

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal: "Is It Any Wonder?" Keane

Pop Vocal Album: "Continuum," John Mayer

R&B Album: "The Breakthrough," Mary J. Blige

Fitting super bowl match-up in black history month

With us entering into February its brings us into a our celebration of African-American history. How fitting is it that this Sunday we will see, for the first time, two African-American head coaches compete against each other for the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy. Tony Dungy, of the Indianapolis Colts, and Lovie Smith, of the Chicago Bears, will enter this Sunday's game as the first two black head coaches to coach in the Super Bowl, and one will become the first ever African-American to win one too.

Almost four years ago then Commissioner Paul Tagliabue wanted owners to improve in the hiring of minority coaches, and had put together a committee headed by Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Dan Rooney, then the only two African-American head coaches at the time were Tony Dungy, and Herm Edwards.

The NFL now has a total of 6 African-American head coaches in the league. A number that doesn't seem to be big at all, but with the way things had been in the past it is quite something to be pleased about. So when it comes to the Super Bowl this Sunday, and with us being in the month of February, we need to think back on how far we have come as a society when Tony Dungy, and Lovie Smith stand on the sidelines in Miami as they will change history.

We will look back at this moment years from now, and really see how great of a thing it truly is for the African-American community, and our entire country as a whole.

- Cory Callen

Getting things started

Hello all. Well this is my first time ever writing a blog, and I am doing it for a class I am taking this semester. So just sit back, and wait awhile for me to let all of this sink in here, and I will begin my regular posting soon. Hope you all enjoy it, and talk to you soon.