S: Is for Singing gone array!

I am loath to admit, one of my guilty pleasures is watching American Idol, that is until last night. First I was forced into seeing George Bush and his pulled too tight wife, act as if they care. When that happened I knew I have entered a world I soon needed to leave. Unlike most Americans I liked most of what Simon Cowell had to say. He was bluntly honest and in the world of music and celebrity where you have a delusional world thinking that they have what it takes to make it, his comments keep a reality in place. Last weeks show made no sense in any way shape or form. First the guest mentor was Andrew Lloyd Webber. Simon is a person who has a strong dislike of cabaret and musical theatre and is constantly putting down those whose talents lie in this area. Carly Smithson is someone who was born for this jandre. Reminiscent of Broadway star Linda Eder, vocally Smithson was one of the best and definitely the best female chanteuse this season. But Carly had a problem, she wanted it too much and for that she was punished. In a land where we are told to go after our dreams Carly was subjected to ridicule. Simon was highly critical of her and she stood her ground. In trying to express how she felt in a heart wrenching version of "Blackbird" Simon tried to stamp out her spirit. Though there are two David's, who have the total package, Carly should of been beside them. Instead she went home after one of the best renditions of "Jesus Christ Superstar" I have ever seen and I have seen a lot. In Australia and the UK there is a phenomenon called "The Tall Poppy Syndrome." Poppies growing in a field strangle any poppy that is different. Last night Carly proved that this irrational way of thinking has reached America. A show that supposably was to be based on talent is now based on how someone looks. Brooke White forgot the lyrics and stopped and started again. She never really recovered. Jason Castro just outright stank and this was not the first night. The teen fan based has kept him around for his looks not his singing. We have shows for models and now we have another. To make it even more unfair the loser gets to independently strut their stuff after they are booted off. Last night Carly had to share her farewell with Syesha Mercado who despite being more talented than Brooke or Jason will probably be gone next week.

I write this column because as a society we are missing the mark. I felt the same way when Chris Daughtry was also voted off way before other more untalented individuals. Now look at where he is and the girl who won just had to cancel off the Alicia Keys for vocal strain. Singing is an art and it is being abused on American Idol and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for Trials and Tribulations!

A friend of mine sent me a letter telling me about something disturbing that is happening in England. To say I was skeptical didn't even begin to cover what I thought. Surely we have learned from the past. My friend knowingly sent proof in the form of what to google and sure enough I found the world back to the time over hundred and fifty innocent people were accused of witchcraft. Nineteen were hung, one pressed to death for holding strong to who he was and five died. All because of greed and fear. Mediums are fighting a new law designed under the guise of protection. A list of disclaimers must be added before the spiritualists starts to see into your life or they will be fined and jailed. Things such as 'this is a scientific experiment, the results of which cannot be guaranteed'. This new act is called the new Consumer Protection Regulations. This replaces The Fraudulent Mediums Act which replaced the 1735 Witchcraft Act, when anyone could accuse another person. In Britain this crack down will reach a multi million pound psychic industry. Now if a psychic charges a fee or accepts 'gifts' in exchange for a service they are sent to court and are most likely to lose. There are more than 300 Spiritualist churches and they also fall under this tyranny. Under the umbrella of protection shouldn't that cover every church that preaches and tells me armageddon is coming, if you don't join their group and tithe. How many times have people been told they will burn in the fires of hell and then they pass the collection plate? I want to go to the UK and sue a church under these laws. The problem seems to be that they believe that churches are telling the truth and psychics are not. We all supposably have free will and if we choose to see a psychic and pay them, how does a government have the right to say we can't. For the past half a century, mediums have been protected by the 1951 Fraudulent Mediums Act. With that protection gone, there will now be nothing left but chaos. The government says this will simplify the law and bring Britain into line with European Union rules. This new European Union legislation is placing humanity back into the dark ages, for while spiritualism has a commercial side, it is also a religion and for many it is a way of life. Under the new European consumer protection directive, it will be the psychic's responsibility to prove they did not mislead or coerce credulous consumers. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? There are many that state that mediums will be targeted by people intent on making money by suing what they see as easy targets.

We are about to become the North American Union without our consent. Will this practice make it's way across the ocean? Wake-up America we are losing our freedoms and this is a disturbing F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Charities Saving the Planet!

Last night I had the privilege to attend the 17th annual benefit for The African Rainforest Conservancy's Artist For Africa at The Bowery Hotel. Matt Dillon, Amy Sacco, Rachel Weisz, Henry Buel, T-Salon owner Miriam Novalle and over 200 people gathered together to support protecting the world's climate and conserving our shared planet’s resources. ARC works to conserve and restore Africa's rain forest's through training, community development, education and research while empowering local men, women, and children, preserving the natural heritage for all present and future generations. Since 1990, ARC has been saving endangered species while helping the forests to come back. Carter Coleman is the passion behind this effort. Having lived in Tanzania from 1987 through 1991, where he re-launched the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group. A journalist who has written for several well know magazines, Carter is the author of two novels. Currently he is the managing director of InfEnergy Limited, a sustainable bio-fuels company. Every year ARC honors someone who makes a difference with a New Species Award. This year, previous recipient James Gandolfini awarded Gloria Flora seen in "The Eleventh Hour. The award was a photo of a new species named after her called "Nectophrynoides Florae" which is a toad. I had the great fortune to meet Gloria's childhood friends prior to the event and sat with this amazing women of substance that I am now proud to call my friend. In 2000 she called attention to antigovernment zealots engaged in the harassment and intimidation of Forest Service employees. Chris Wood, calls Gloria an American hero for her courageous stewardship of public lands. Receiving the Murie Award from the Wilderness Society, another award from the Natural Resources Council of America, and the Environmental Hero Award from Sunset Magazine. In 2004, she was selected as one of the nation's top environmentalists by Vanity Fair Magazine. Today Flora is the Director of Sustainable Obtainable Solutions, a nonprofit dedicated to the sustainability of public lands and of the plants, animals and communities that depend on them. She speaks on ecosystem stewardship, forest and public land sustainability, people's relationships to landscapes cultural, historical, social, and psychological, and on the critical role of leadership that strives to make a difference. Previous recipients include: George Plimpton, Peter Seligmann, Harrison Ford, Lewis H. Lapham and Professor Michael Oppenheimer. After this event ARC will be able to help over 130 communities in 4 mountain ranges.
Thousands of families will increase their income through small eco-friendly businesses–from fish ponds to bakeries to
maize milling machines.
The most innovative is butterfly farming. Every dollar donated saves 50 old growth trees for a year. $250,000 more yearly could end the devastation of the Rubeho, Nguru and Pare Mountains, three ranges where there is no conservation, where the forests and people need your help. This was a life changing event and I recommend getting involved. Deforestation contributes over 25% of global warming gases to the atmosphere. The forests they protect contain the highest number of endangered species anywhere on earth, and breathe in a 100,000’s of tones of carbon each year. Only 30% of the original forest remain...if they disappear, they're gone for good. Since 1990, 7 million trees have been planted by the villages ARC supports and the forests are coming back. Invest now in the future of the world's natural resources. EVERY $100 PLANTS 200 TREES and this is a F.A.C.T.

A: is for Art that Steps out of the Box!

At the bridge art fair, one artist stood out among the masses. Maxim Wakultschik belongs to a new generation of Russian artists who embrace expression and experimentation. His current work could be categorized as NeoPop, though there is a realism that keeps you hypnotized. Currently living in Germany, his mediums extend to painting and sculpting. His newest series embraces the emotionality of faces caught within time encased in boxes, like still goth portraits. It is a mixture of reality and unreality. A serious face, but with humor hidden somewhere within. Others are actually three-dimensional objects with two faces showing a duality. Alternating light cycles, allowing the beginning and end of a narrative filled with opposing ideals of chaos and order. There are portraits of the actors Angelina Jolie and Tommy Lee Jones more real than on celluloid. As I stood there captivated by this imaginative take on a shadow box, all I could think of was this would make the perfect gift for the person who has everything. Move over Andy Warhol. This new vision is 2000's answer to the self portrait and yes, he takes commissions. There was a time that this was how an artist made their living. Status was gleamed by what famous painter of the time immortalized you for all to see. This is reminiscent of a holographic embodiment. I look forward to the Maxim of what Mr. Wakultschik comes up with next year.

Currently at Morgan Lehman Gallery located at 317 10th Ave (between 28th & 29th) is Judith Belzer: The Inner Life of Trees. Belzer investigates and reveals our relationship to trees and nature by de-generalizing it, pressing closer, and shifting our perception and expectation of it. Throughout history, trees have played an ever-present role as an emblem of our shifting cultural values and concerns. Belzer depicts abstract, unexpected, and detailed views of these trees and their surfaces forming a new relationship. It is so common to pass right by nature, without taking the time to experience it, or even consider our relationship to it. During these times of mounting worries about the degradation of our local landscapes, an intimate engagement with nature, a recognition of the active part it plays in our daily experience, seems particularly urgent. Judith Belzer lives and works in Berkeley, California so it is natural with the Redwoods that dominate that area her insight can show us a new way to relate both to nature and ourselves. There is a ebb and flow to life and the barrier between nature and humanity is then and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Fitness over the River!

Last week I attended an opening of a new luxurious fitness club. City View Racquet Club is 80,000 square feet geared towards tennis and squash with the added attraction of a spa. Located on the rooftop of the iconic Swingline Stapler building in Long Island City they claim it is minutes of midtown Manhattan. The answer is 45 minutes on the 7 from 42nd Street. Make sure you catch the local because if you don't you will be dumped way out of your way. Who knew Queens needed an express train. Thought it is beautiful, what I didn't get was the why's until I checked out their competition. Roosevelt Island Racquet Club charges $150 for initiation and $1,550 a year, while CityView's prices are $1500 for an a initiation fee and $2000-4000 for yearly dues. Neither of these prices include court fee's which run $30 at City View and $36-80 at Roosevelt. If you play once a week Roosevelt would end up costing $1500 more in court fees. In terms of tennis there are 7 courts at City View however their competition in Roosevelt Island has 12. Though I do not play racquet ball the seven Har-Tru courts and four squash courts are why you join. The cost for playing here is only $10 per person. This $10 million state of the art facility, simply put is elegant and spacious. The state-of-the-art fitness facilities and in house spa make this an great event space. My favorite part about attending was that they did it as a benefit for children living with AIDS in Africa. Maru-a-Paula School played traditional sounds and had the attendee's joyously wanting to join in, helping these talented kids.

By the way the spa services are by the White Tea Spa also located on 14th Street. This is where Verika Seddik does semi-permanent make-up. Verika will be featured on the Tyra Banks Show today at 5:00. Be sure to tune in and see why I have ranted about her in several columns. After you watch Verika do her thing log onto www.tryashow.warnerbros.com and support her. For it is a F.A.C.T that art needs to be appreciated and nurtured and Verika is definitely an artist of the highest caliber.






(offering a variety of massage techniques to help you work out that tennis elbow). 43-26 32nd Pl between Queens Blvd and Skillman Ave (718-698-3664