Video - Ronan Parke Does Lady Gaga “Edge of Glory” – Preps for First Album

Not a lot of people in the United Sates know who Ronan Parke is.

He came in second place in the “Britain’s Got Talent” television show last year and, much like our own United States AGT runner-up Jackie Evancho, seems to be doing pretty well for himself.

Ronan, who was only 12-years-old when he competed on BGT, has already been signed to a record label and is preparing his first studio album.

But it has not been an easy ride for young Ronan.

During the Britain’s Got Talent competition he and Simon Cowell were accused of rigging the competition.

Parke was accused of training in secret for two years under the care of Simon – who was also accused of paying for his vocal couch and buying his cloths and sitting him with a fashion coach.

In fact, the day before the final show Cowell actually called the police to try and stop the rumors.

Watch Ronan Parke Talk about BGT Scandal


Ronan started singing when he was only three and has been taking singing lessons the last two years. After singing at a few birthday parties he decided to enter the BGT auditions.

He blew away the judges and audience, and was booked for the show and made it all the way to second place.

Watch Ronan Parke Sing on Britain's Got Talent


But now the show is over and Ronan has been in the studio after being signed by Simon Cowell’s record label.

He has also been performing live shows and has appeared at the Manchester Opera House, The True Loves Academy in London, The Edge Festival in Edinburgh, and at The Kazimier in Liverpool.

Not bad for the now 13-year-old.

His upcoming album will release on October 24, 2011 and will consist of remixes of popular cover songs.

In preparation for the new album release, Parke has been giving his fans a sneak peek at the various tracks.

One that caught our eye was an acoustic version of Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory”.

Watch Ronan Park Sing Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory


He may not be the next Justin Bieber, Greyson Chance or Cody Simpson but this kid has talent.

Ronan says that music is in his blood and it is all he wants to do in life. His parents are behind him 100 percent and it seems he is off to a good start.

You can visit Ronan on his Facebook page and can pre-order his new album here on Amazon.

Go get ‘em kid.

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Video - Meet Austin Mahone – Social Media Genius or the Next Justin Bieber?

Have you ever heard of Austin Mahone?

I bet your kids have. And they either love him or hate him – but they have heard of him.

So, who is Austin Mahone? What’s his bio?

Mahone lives in San Antonia Texas and is a 15-year-old singer and musician known for looking like Justin Bieber and recording cover songs on YouTube.

So what? There are lots of kids uploading videos and singing covers these days right?

But Mahone and his fans are different.

His fans are known as Mahomies - and he has his own Blog, Facebook, YouTube, Dailybooth, Tumblr, Twitter, SoundCloud, Formspring, and Myspace accounts.

He records popular cover songs and posts them to YouTube and interacts with his fans on a daily basis and claims that Justin Bieber is his favorite artist.



And oh yea, Mahone LOOKS like Justin Bieber and his fans love him.

The thing that fascinates us about this young man is his savvy for working the social media to create a name for himself while building his own fan base from the ground up without a record label or marketing rep.

He has learned to do what many adults and big companies have failed to do – create a successful brand.

In addition to uploading covers he has hundreds of thousands of Facebook fans, dedicated fan sites, over 13 million YouTube views, and sells t-shirts, posters, wristbands, Stickers, and Necklaces.

This is the kind of interaction that defines social media.

His fans love him but he admits that he also has haters saying,

“Haterz don’t matter to me because they are just jealous and the hateful words that they say are garbage. That’s why I don't listen to hate. I am curious of what haterz have to say sometimes just because I'm a curious person. But their opinions of me don't matter to me, because I’m not trying to please them.

What is important are my fans. I love them so much and everything they do for me. Haterz can't hurt you unless you let them. And I just have one last thing to say.... Haterz gonna hate Mahomies gonna love.”

Austin’s success is a prime example of how social media can springboard you into fame, build a fan base, and possibly launch a music career if you’re good enough.

So how powerful can a homegrown fan base be to a young artist like Mahone?



One day last week his fans decided he should appear on the “Ellen Show” with Ellen DeGeneres, and in one magnificent push of social media network power trended the phrase “#MahoneOnEllen” on twitter for the day as a worldwide trending topic.

His fans also bombarded DeGeneres’s Twitter and Facebook account and called her studio’s switchboard requesting she book Austin as a guest.

Why is this significant?

Because it was Ellen DeGeneres and her “eleveneleven” record label that discovered 14-year-old Greyson Chance.

And with less effort than Austin, Greyson has been propelled into a celebrity status with his first album “Hold on ‘til the Night” due to release next week.

Related: Greyson Chance gives video tour of his home town - Video

That kind of power by your own fans is exactly what made Justin Bieber what he is today.

One thing that helps make Mahone a fan favorite is he covers songs that are popular in today’s young music culture ranging from Cody Simpson, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Ne-yo, Usher, Adele, Chris Brown, and Edwin McCain.



So take note big record labels.

The youth of today have developed the social media skills to find, fall in love, promote, and make famous the musical artists THEY want to see and listen to - not who YOU want them to listen to.

Not that there’s not any place for “big music”, but things are changing these days and kids have grown frustrated with the “business as usual” mentality shown by the music industry.

They say that “necessity is the mother of invention”, and our kids are inventing a new way to communicate and enjoy their favorite artists and musicians.

We hope some of the adults out there are listening because these kids can teach us a thing or two about what makes them tick – and they are showing us what it is they want to listen to and who they want to fall in love with as a fan.

Time will tell if a shirtless Austin Mahone will become the next big teen idol or music sensation…

But shouldn’t we be listening to what they are trying to tell us?

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Feed Your Inner Serial Killer....New Dexter Game for Facebook!

I love Dexter, so I think this game falls under awesome! Thanks Jennifer!

Inner Serial Killer

27 minutes ago by Jennifer Van Grove

Those of you who have a need to satisfy the Dark Passenger within — and who know what that means — will find relief in “Dexter Slice of Life”, a social game for Facebook that’s based on the decadently sinister Showtime series Dexter and its vigilante serial killer.

Showtime released a trailer and screenshot for Slice of Life, developed by Ecko Code, at Comic-Con. The game will be released in September.

What can we expect? Based on the trailer, our interview with Ecko Code founder Mark Ecko and information shared exclusively with Mashable, we can reveal several key details.

The game will launch on Facebook alongside the Season 6 television premiere. Players will take on the role of Dexter Morgan — the serial killer of serial killers — and they’ll be tasked with stalking victims, satisfying thedark passenger, finding evidence and completing missions. It’s the first Facebook game to offer real-time stealth gameplay.

The game will mirror the events of each new episode. In fact, “Dexter Slice of Life” players can expect to awake to updates Monday after each Sunday evening airing.

Ecko, a game publisher for more than a decade, has no intentions of disappointing Dexter fans. To that end, his team will use a variety of social media analysis tools to figure out the story lines, characters and show moments that are resonating with fans in real time. The idea, says Ecko, is to blur the lines between the show’s content and gameplay.

SEE ALSO: Dexter Fans: Michael C. Hall Answers Your Questions [VIDEO]

“This is a living, breathing narrative-based consumer product, no different than the show,” says Ecko. “[Fans] want it and expect it to be as good as the show.”

“Slice of Life,” inspired by Zynga’s social games, takes the casual genre to the next level. Ecko calls it “Cas-Core gaming” — a blend of casual (because it’s on Facebook) and hardcore games (because all the game assets are built in a 3D massively multiplayer online client).

Some trivia for non-fans: “Dexter Slice of Life” gets its name from the name of the boat the show’s lead character uses to dispose of the bodies he kills and dismembers. Something tells us this game won’t be much like your typical casual game.

Check out the game trailer above and the screenshot below, and let us know your thoughts on the soon-to-be released Facebook game.

Related articles

• New Promo Trailer for DEXTER Season 6 - Thank God (geektyrant.com)
• 'Dexter' Season 6 Promo: 'Thank God' for Dexter? He's a Serial Killer on A Spiritual Search (buddytv.com)
• 'Dexter' Season 6 Trailer Shows the Serial Killer's True Calling (screenrant.com)

Darn You, Zuckerberg!

So, got a few messages on my Facebook wall that said something to the effect of, "Your blog took up my entire Wall!", followed by a text from my buddy Mikey that said, "Dude, someone hacked into your FB account."

I have my blog imported into Facebook.  And the way its supposed to work is that when I post something on Clouds in My Coffee, a few days later, maybe the next day, maybe later that day, Facebook imports it over.  Now, videos don't come along, and sometimes pictures are skewered, but otherwise, its not a bad system. 

There are a lot of people who read this blog via Facebook, so it's a great system... until it isn't.

This has happened once before, and apparently it happened again... Facebook doesn't import them as I write them.  Its like their systems wait a few weeks and then bring over a dozen or more all at once.  For anyone who "likes" the site on Facebook, this is definately something that might make you "unlike" it... I know I'd be annoyed by it.

So, if this happened to you, I offer my apologies, and will tell you its not my fault... its Facebook! 

Darn you, Mark Zuckerberg!

I would keep going, but not only am I sleepy, but "Road House" is on MGM HD, and my attention is now drawn elsewhere...

The Summer of Blogging Day Forty Two

Forget About Planking - “Owling” is the Next Big Craze – Are These People Nuts? - Photos

I think the youth of today are getting extremely bored.

The latest craze to take over the internet in recent months has been a thing called “Planking”.

It’s really a pretty simple and stupid craze that consists of laying down anywhere, on anything, on your stomach stretched straight out like a plank of wood.

But it can’t be a dumb idea because some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have done it like Gordon Ramsay and Justin Bieber. Right?

Still, pretty dumb eh?

Here is what “Planking” looks like:

Justin Bieber Planking

The idea is to “Plank” in a bizarre or unusual place while somebody takes your picture.

Believe it or not, people have actually died while doing it – like the guy in Australia who died planking on top of a moving car.

Not too bright mate?

Well, move over plankers because there is a new trend taking over the world.

It started in Australia on Facebook and is called…..

Owling.

That’s right – Owling.

Owling is the simple process of crouching down and staring out into space – like an owl. It’s not difficult and just as stupid as planking.

Here is what “Owling” looks like:

 

Now you might think that that’s as good as it gets right?

Well, you would be wrong because you can score extra technical points if you can “Plank” and “Owl” at the same time.

The Technical Double "Owl and Plank"

Now be careful with that one – and consider that if all you have are Facebook friends you won’t be able to do this double craze because as you can see – you need two people.



If this is all people can come up with as the latest viral craze then we have lost our imagination and creativity.

But then again, they aren’t really hurting anybody and it does kind of make you smile when you see it.

Follow InfoStar on Twitter – we want to start a “Sitting” craze

Christiana – A New York Singer You Should Get to Know – Video

Every now and then we run across a new artist or singer that really impresses us.

We found Christiana from her Facebook page and YouTube channel and are wondering why more people have not picked up on her distinctive style and unique talent.

She hails from New York and has spent a lifetime singing, dancing, and learning how to act - and has an impressive number of professionally done studio videos of her music.

Christiana is the Granddaughter of a famous Opera singer and you can tell by her fashion and musical dexterity that the glamor and style has transcended down through the generations.

The thing we liked most was her throwback to the classic vintage style of music. You know - music that you can actually listen to, enjoy, and understand the words.

Christiana names Judy Garland, Celine Dion, and Queen as her big musical influences – and we definitely see that as young and beautiful as she is, she sports an old soul when it comes to her music.

She almost comes across as a Marilyn Monroe meets Madonna old-fashioned style, but a few of her photos and music videos actually have a slight Lady Gaga look and feel – and we mean that in a good way.

Christiana is very elegant and sophisticated, and clearly does not need a meat dress, plastic egg, shoulder horns, or bizarre costume to express her mood.

She seems very comfortable in her own skin, and this is most evident in her video “Being Alive”.

With a sound somewhere between classical Madonna and Celine, it is a great example of her musical range and emotion she puts into her music.

Watch Christiana perform "Being Alive"


In another song titled “Werewolf”, Christiana shows how effortlessly she can belt out the power notes.

In every song we listened to we could always hear a blend of styles – sometimes pop, sometimes romantic, sometimes musical Broadway, other times more vintage old school.

It is refreshing to find an artist who seems to be all about the music and not the fame, costumes, paparazzi, TV appearances, World tours, tabloid stories, and meat dresses.



Christiana seems like one of those artists that could really outshine her competition if given the right opportunity, producer, studio exposure, and set list.

Perhaps the world is not quite ready to return to the days when music was music and Hollywood was Hollywood.

But someday, we will all wake up and realize that Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Kanye, and others were just an output function of a massive marketing scheme designed more to make money than actually entertain us.

Christiana is a classic musical entertainer.

Yes, someday we will once again stir our inner desire to simply listen to and enjoy music for what it is meant to be – music.

Good luck Christiana, we hope you get your big break and are given the opportunity to express yourself to the world in the way you so clearly are prepared for.

Follow InfoStar on Twitter – no werewolf’s allowed

~In Case You Didn't Know...~

Follow my blog with bloglovin´

"We lived on farms, then we lived in cities, and now we're going to live on the internet!"
-Sean Parker (The Social Network)

In case you didn't know, you can keep up with Glamour Whore on Facebook and Twitter!! Come join me...xoxo

The Glamour Whore

Promote Your Page Too

Kisses Bitches...
Glamour Whore...xoxo

~In Case You Didn't Know...~

Follow my blog with bloglovin´

"We lived on farms, then we lived in cities, and now we're going to live on the internet!"
-Sean Parker (The Social Network)

In case you didn't know, you can keep up with Glamour Whore on Facebook and Twitter!! Come join me...xoxo

The Glamour Whore

Promote Your Page Too

Kisses Bitches...
Glamour Whore...xoxo

Vancouver’s famous kissing couple is revealed

The identity of Vancouver’s famous kissing couple is revealed

By 'Duk

In the age of Facebook and Twitter, it was only a matter of time before the world learned the identities of the kissing couple from that now-iconic photo of the Vancouver riots.

About 24 hours after photos of the smooch was passed on through emails, IMs and blog posts, the Toronto Star and the CBC are reporting that the boyfriend and girlfriend in the photograph are Aussie bartender Scott Jones and Canadian college student Alex Thomas, who was injured just before the picture was taken.

The papers report that Jones and Thomas have been dating since Jones arrived in Vancouver on a "working holiday." They attended Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, which the hometown Canucks lost 4-0 to theBoston Bruins, and then somehow found themselves between the angry rioters and charging riot police later that night in downtown Vancouver.

The famous aftermath, as captured by Getty Images photographer Rich Lam:

So how were Jones and Thomas ultimately identified as the unlikely "make love, not war" couple of Vancouver's embarrassing night of injury and destruction?

It probably won't surprise you to learn that Facebook was involved.

Though Scott's sister Hannah first identified her brother to an Australian news network, things really started taking off when  Brett Jones, Scott's father, posted the following update on his Facebook profile on Friday morning from the family's home in Perth, Australia.

(Note the funny response from Scott's brother, Ryan.)

Brett Jones now says the couple is being besieged by media requests from outlets around the world. All, of course, are interested in knowing the circumstances that found the couple smooching as cars were burned and windows were smashed around them.

But despite some of our initial assumptions, the kiss seen 'round the world wasn't the product of a riot-fueled, uncontrollable passion. Brett Jones instead notes that Thomas was injured and his son was coming to her aid. An alternate angle taken from above shows other bystanders later attempting to help Thomas and Jones.

Combine that different angle with Brett Jones' story and it certainly dispels the rumors that the couple had intentionally staged the photo.

"They were between the riot police and the rioters, and the riot police were actually charging forward, and Alex got knocked by a [police] shield and fell to the ground," Brett Jones told CBC News. "[Scott] was comforting her and gave her a kiss to say, 'It's going to be OK,' and the photographer just took the shot at that moment."

Jones' mother Marie said she immediately knew it was her son in the picture because "he doesn't have a lot of clothes with him and he always puts on the same thing."

So where do they go from here? The good news is that Jones escaped the incident unhurt and Thomas only suffered a bruised leg. The bad news is that Jones is scheduled to leave Canada soon and head home for Australia after a trip to California. The Jones family says that Thomas plans to visit California with their son but that the couple's future after that is uncertain.

Related articles

• Kissing riot couple identified (globaltvbc.com)
• Vancouver riots' kissing duo are Australian, Canadian (cbc.ca)

Bloomsday - Wikipedia

New Facebook picture #2 :)

River tree (by ViewsOfIreland.com)

Path to the Waterfall (by Child of Danu)

Roughly this time last year, I was getting on a plane with my oldest sister and one of her friends to visit our other sister in Paris. We had several adventures in France, Ireland, and Italy over the course of a month and took some splendid photos.

From just walking around the streets,

Going to the Louvre,

to climbing to the top of Notre Dame

Taking stupid photos on the metro,
Or maybe that’s mostly just me being stupid in the middle…

Going to Versailles

and later getting locked out and walking down this pretty path

Exploring castles in Malahide,

To taking pictures in front of Italian fountains…

….and later swimming in them drunkenly.
 

All those things were crazy and amazing and awesome, but it that trip was important to me mostly because of my sisters. It’s weird to think that this time a year we were all together for a month and the last time we were all in the same room was back in April, and only for a few days.

ANYWAY just me ranting about a 3rd of my immediate family and how I kind of love them and stuff because we’re all kind of ridiculous. 
 “We’re all seesters and we love Roma”
 ….And we love each other

The Cliffs of Moher

Bloomsday - Wikipedia:

Happy Bloomsday, all.

Video - Bill Maher and Jane Lynch Re-enact Anthony Weiner’s Facebook Posts – Hilarious!

One thing we like about cable TV is you can say things you can’t say on network television.

So, in the spirit of Weinergate, Bill Maher invited Glee’s Jane Lynch to re-enact Weiner’s Facebook message exchange with one of his Internet mistresses.

In what Maher calls a dramatic reading, complete with background chamber music, Maher and Lynch read Weiner’s messages he exchanged with Lisa, a Las Vegas Blackjack dealer.

It’s all here – comments about being hard, banging the future Mayor of New York City, Jewish girls giving head, c*ck sucking republicans, taking more photos, etc.

It’s really comedy and satire at its best.



Ah, only in America can you get busted for tweeting a picture of your junk, but make an audience scream by someone reading them your private email.

Hypocrisy at its best friends.

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