Illumination
....Be sure to scroll down on this page and those listed in the menu at the top of each page of my website to view all the poems that I have written to inspire peace, love, and understanding. Click on "CONTACT US" in the menu above for my e-mail address and decode my secret if you can!....I look forward to your feedback on my poetry or songs. If you are having trouble with Danny's e-mail with NETZERO....please let me know. As a writer, singer and poet I need your feedback to continue to bring you my own type of poetry that I hope will inspire all generations as we set sail on this "BOLD NEW FRONTIER" into the cosmos........From US TO YOU
HEY YOU....POETS AND PROFITS WILL ENVY WHAT WE DO
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Let us not forget the 3000 souls who died on 9/11/01..
The STARS still shine their lights on NEW YORK CITY....
But remember if we can't feed our own people how will we "Feed The World"
USA for AFRICA: 20 YEARS AFTER LIVE-AID....
"WHERE HAVE ALL THE CHILDREN GONE?"
“I was sure she was going to hate me after I was done.”
Dr. Sam Merabi is speaking about his dental patient, Lisa (not her real name), an HIV positive thirteen year old girl at the Home of Hope Orphanage in Lilongwe, Malawi. Dr. Merabi had good reason to think that Lisa would be angry after an arduous and painful procedure to extract several decayed teeth.
Lisa was one of four hundred children at the orphanage screened by Dr. Merabi and his team of three dental residents, a dental assistant, and a faculty member from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine this past October.
Dr. Merabi, DDS, is President of Child Dental Relief, Inc., and Clinical Instructor at Harvard. The trip was sponsored by Raising Malawi, and was a follow up to a previous trip made in August by the team.
On the follow-up trip, all 400 children received fluoride treatments and oral hygiene education (demonstrations in tooth brushing, etc.). In addition, 258 children received full screenings, which resulted in 89 receiving restorations, and 26 having extractions.
In the developed world, dental care is often sought for cosmetic reasons, but in Malawi it can be life saving. Because of Lisa’s HIV positive status, her decayed teeth left her vulnerable to many opportunistic infections.
Even for those with healthy immune systems, oral hygiene is important for all around health and quality of life. According to the orphanage, dental pain is the number one reason kids miss school. Yet, despite its importance, dental care has been a low priority in many aid programs.
Dr. Merabi observed that Raising Malawi is unique in its understanding that oral health is an essential cornerstone in overall health. He added that “many international dental aid programs are poorly designed because dental providers will work in Africa as a ‘feel good’ trip with no follow up.”
For most of the children at the orphanage this was the first dental care and oral heath education they’d ever received. In the past, the only oral health care offered to those in the vicinity of the orphanage was the hospital in the Mchinji District, many kilometers away.
Dr. Merabi’s second trip to the orphanage was just the beginning of his and Raising Malawi’s long range plans to boost the dental infrastructure in Malawi.
To further this goal, Harvard donated $70,000 worth of dental equipment to the local hospital in the Mchinji District. It’s a critical donation as the hospital has only able to perform extractions because supply shortages prevent them from offering anything other than tooth extractions. There are also plans to offer more advanced training to the dental staff at the hospital.
Dr. Merabi said he’s “very impressed with how adept Raising Malawi is at absorbing different ideas,” adding that the organization’s commitment to prophylactic oral prevention “is a very smart move and will have major ramifications.”
Hopefully, Malawi will be an example of how other NGOs can offer dental care throughout the rest of the developing world.
Once Dr. Merabi finished working on Lisa she surprised him with a warm hug. She understood that while it was a scary experience, it was for her own good. To top it off, Lisa had absolutely no pain the next day.
Oral Health Relief Program Brings Smiles to Orphaned Children in Malawi
August 29, 2007
By Rachel Strickland
Lilongwe, Malawi – A team of Harvard College dentists have travelled to Malawi to perform preventative and restorative dental services on hundreds of disadvantaged children.
In recent years, a greater emphasis has been put on developing global policies in oral health promotion and disease prevention, as oral diseases have been linked with other chronic aliments, such as cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.
A shortage of certified dentists and the rising costs of curative dental services have led to a multitude of health problems among Malawi’s 13 million citizens.
In line with its mission to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children, Raising Malawi sponsored a team of Harvard College dentists to perform oral health screenings, emergency and preventative dental services, restorative operation, and oral health education for 600 children at Consol Homes and Home of Hope Orphanage in July, 2007.
This initiative is part of an overall strategic plan designed by faculty at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine to define short term and long term solutions for lack of oral health care on the African Continent.
“The oral health disease burden in Africa is a significant health issue and one of increasing importance,” says Sam Merabi, DMD, President of Child Dental Relief, Inc., and Clinical Instructor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Dental pain is an excruciating experience and one of the reasons oral health has a significant effect on quality of one’s life. The most vulnerable are orphans and impoverished children in rural areas of Africa. They are the least likely to receive proper dental attention.”
A second visit to Malawi by the Harvard team in October, 2007 will involve oral screenings including evaluation of previous treatments as well as continued emergency, restorative, and preventative procedures. Oral health education will also be provided focusing on an oral health analog of hygiene and disease etiology and prevention.
Raising Malawi is committed to ensuring the success of this mission, and will continue to seek other opportunities to enhance healthcare throughout the country.
For more information, please contact Philippe van den Bossche at: philippe@raisingmalawi.org
With a little aid we can increase the quality of life for countless children and adults in Africa as well as the AMERICAS.
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Madonna Madonna’s involvement with Raising Malawi began indirectly through her series of children’s books. The impetus to write these books (such as The English Roses and Mr. Peabody’s Apples) came from her desire to communicate practical, spiritual wisdom in a way that would help kids make smarter choices in their lives. This successful endeavor led her to join forces with an organization with the same goal of empowerment, called Spirituality for Kids (SFK). SFK is a unique educational program for children and families from at-risk communities that teaches them how to overcome the challenges of poverty, violence, drug abuse, and a host of other social ills. She is spearheading the construction of The Raising Malawi – Consol Homes Orphan Care Center, a place where children can come to eat, learn, read, and play in a safe, nurturing environment. This will also be where the children will be taught the principles of an SFK-based curriculum that is being co-created with local Malawian teachers to address the specific challenges in Africa. Madonna’s universal appeal touches children of all backgrounds everywhere in the world. Raising Malawi is delighted and honored to have Madonna working on this vital and historic initiative. | ||
SFK – Malawi: Whatever They Are Facing… Will You Be There To Help?
August 24, 2007
By Rachel Strickland
Lilongwe, Malawi – In July, 2006, Sylvia Namakhwa assumed the role of Program Director for SFK–Malawi and began the challenge of transforming the lives of Malawi’s orphaned and vulnerable children.
Under her leadership, SFK–Malawi has reached over 2,000 children, as well as parents and caregivers. We recently caught up with Sylvia to discuss SFK’s successes, challenges, and plans for the future.
Direct Physical Assistance
The preferred model for child care in Malawi is community based. This method allows orphaned children to retain a family environment by remaining in their native villages.
At this time Raising Malawi provides financial support for 8 community based organizations. With our support, these organizations provide food, shelter, clothing, education and medical care to over 50,000 orphans and vulnerable children.
Orphan Care Centre
Malawi is home to over 1 million orphaned children. This number is expected to grow considerably by the year 2010. Today, financial resources are lacking to handle this growing orphan crisis.
In collaboration with Consol Homes, we have opened the Raising Malawi–Consol Homes Orphan Care Centre, to serve approximately 4,000 children. The Orphan Care Centre provides orphans with food, education, psycho-social programs, playtime activities, as well as support for elderly caregivers in the community.
Sustainable Village
A continuing food crisis in Malawi afflicts more than 4 million people - and more than a million of them are children under age five. Nearly half of Malawi’s population struggles to live on less than $1 a day. The “Millennium Village” project seeks to end extreme poverty by providing affordable and science-based solutions to economic, health and agricultural challenges.
Working in conjunction with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, former Special Advisor to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and author of The End of Poverty, Raising Malawi is funding its first the Millennium Village in Gumulira (population 6,000). Gumulira Village is located in the Mchinji district (on the Zambian border).
As a result of the newly implemented Millennium Promise strategies in Gumulira:
- crop growth doubled last year creating a rare food surplus in the village;
- interventions in the way of education and water contamination have taken place, producing viable results;
- nearly 100% of all local households have been provided with bed nets - which will reduce the instances of malaria by up to 60 percent.
“We at Millennium Promise are overjoyed that Raising Malawi is leading the fight against extreme poverty by partnering with the Village of Gumulira, Malawi. Gumulira's 6,000 villagers now have the chance to escape from the trap of poverty, disease, and hunger and to achieve self-sustaining economic progress.”
- Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University
The Raising Malawi-Consol Homes Orphan Care Centre is setting a new standard for quality child care across Malawi.
Tools for Empowerment
Spirituality for Kids (SFK) is a specialized psychosocial, non-religious program that provides at-risk children with the tools of resiliency & empowerment – tools that can help children change their debilitating belief systems so that they can control their destinies.
SFK-Malawi was created as a response to the urgent need for empowerment among children affected by poverty, disease, parental loss, sexual abuse, and chronic hunger.
In 2006, eight Malawian teachers were hired and brought to the SFK Headquarters in Los Angeles for comprehensive educational training. These teachers have since returned to Malawi and have successfully co-created a specialized empowerment program (SFK-Malawi) for orphans and vulnerable children.
SFK-Malawi has gained the support of government and tradition authority leaders in Malawi, and as of April, 2007 SFK-Malawi has graduated over 700 children.
Volunteer Program
Raising Malawi has developed a volunteer program which utilizes the commitment of volunteers working in home-based positions.
Our volunteers dedicate their time and efforts to fundraising, research, awareness-building, student activism, and pen-pal exchanges:
- Fundraise Malawi (fundraising)
- Global Village (research)
- Raising My Voice (awareness)
- Students for Malawi (student groups)
- The L.O.V.E Project (pen-pals)
- Team Malawi (community groups)
- Malawian Support Network (native Malawian volunteers working in many areas)
Today, hundreds of volunteers are working to bring lasting solutions to Malawi’s orphans, for example:
- A Students for Malawi chapter at Lakeland College has completed a large scale book drive to benefit over 550 orphans at Home of Hope Orphanage.
- A Team Malawi chapter in Denver, Colorado has committed to providing Home of Hope Orphanage with much needed computers supplies.
- A Students for Malawi (high school) chapter in Arizona has raised nearly $1,000 through donation jars, to benefit children in need.
- A FundRAISE Malawi volunteer recently hosted a event in Los Angeles, raising over $50,000 for our program partners in Malawi.
- A Malawian Support Network volunteer has committed over 10 acres of land in Malawi for educational purposes.
MAY 12, 2008
IS THIS GUY A MOUSKETEER OR A "FRIEND" producer, and co-writer of Madonna's new "HARD CADY" CD and TOUR:
Timberlake gets MTV producer job | |
Singer Justin Timberlake is to be the producer for a new reality game show on MTV, network bosses have said. The programme is based on a Dutch production and begins each time with two hidden mobiles ringing in different locations of a big city. Last month, production company Reveille Studios also said Timberlake was producing a comedy TV pilot for them. Timberlake is best known for his singing career in boy band N'Sync and now as solo artist. He has also appeared in several films, including Alpha Dog and Black Snake Moan as well as voicing a character in Shrek the Third. In the MTV show called The Phone, contestants who answer the mobiles will have five seconds to decide if they want to play the game for a cash prize. A guide on the other end of the line then gives them a mission to complete before time runs out. MTV executive vice-president Tony Disanto described the show as "genre-busting". "Reinvention is at the core of what we do, and The Phone does just that. Each week will be an action-packed mini-movie," he added. The show will be produced by reality specialist FremantleMedia North America and will begin in the US in the autumn. Grammy award-winner Timberlake's other ventures include his own record label, launched last year, and co-founding the William Rast fashion line with friend Trace Ayala. MEANWHILE.......MORE NEWS FROM THE "MADONNA SAGA" | |
It seems as if "Madonna Louise Ciccone Penn- Richie" has forgotten that she has become the richest female "artist" since she first posed nude in 1985- and performed in Philadelphia at the LIVE AID concert to "FEED THE WORLD" Since that time she has accumulated multiple millions and has embarked on numerous world tours. Now after 10 albums, records, CD's with Warner Brothers and over 100 million copies sold...She has again decided to tour the world with her new friend Justin Timberback and the "Hard Candy" show. The tour information found on her new website can be seen b elow. It is unknown if the "official press release put out by her publicist Liz Rosenberg and the two "Guys" in her life- Her manager and husband have also agreed to this new tour for "Hard Candy" as she is still in the adoption process of her adoptive son DAVID and the struggle with disease, AIDS, starvation, malnutrition, tyrany and War itself in Malawi if not Africa itself. I would only hope that we can still remember 1985 and the beginning of the "LIVE AID for AFRICA' movement and the LIVE 8 and LIVE EARTH concerts that followed. Children are dying every snap of a finger and they might not have $ and "4 minutes" to save their lives much less the world.
This has been a officical press release from Danny aka romeoICON and REEDYREED on the www.madonna.com ICON website. What follows are some naughty pictures from 1985 when a unknown girl came to New York with $35 dollars and became a multiple-millionaire with a little help from her adoring fans...and those "stars" who also tried to SAVE THE WORLD but forgot where all their money was donated to. For more information and a letter from "MADONNA" about her call to help the kids in Malawi please continue to read the pages on my website and get linked into your favorite website or pictures from yesterday, today and our future on the Moon and then to MARS.
Yours truly,
Danny
MAY 8, 2008
MORE MADONNA NEWS FROM HER NEW CONFUSING WEBSITE:
WHAT THE FUCK IS A SWEET AND STICKY TOUR?
CLOSE YOUR EYES KIDS....YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO SEE THIS PICTURE OF AN UNKNOWN GIRL FROM DETROIT:
THE KIDS IN AFRICA COULD USE SOME OF THAT STICKY TOUR MONEY........
Madonna News
"HARD CANDY" CD DEBUTS AT NUMBER 1 AROUND THE WORLD IN 27 COUNTRIES THUS FAR INCLUDING US, UK, FRANCE, GERMANY, JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA
LOS ANGELES May 8, 2008 Madonna, the world's tastiest sweetheart, has announced more non-stop treats for her legions of legendary and devoted fans. Following the latest news that "HARD CANDY" has debuted at Number 1 around the globe, it has been confirmed that Madonna's "STICKY & SWEET TOUR" will begin (hip) hopping around the world on August 23rd in Cardiff, Wales with stops in major European markets through September including London (11-September) and Paris (20-September).
The North American leg of the "STICKY & SWEET TOUR" begins October 3rd at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with stops at New York's Madison Square Garden on October 6th and 7th, followed by performances in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and more before stopping at Miami's Dolphin Stadium on November 26th. Madonna's "STICKY & SWEET" tour will also visit Mexico and South America later this year. (Show dates, and on sale information in these markets will follow at a later date.)
Confirmed today by Guy Oseary, Madonna's manager and Arthur Fogel, Live Nation's CEO Global Touring and Chairman Global Music, who is producing the tour, "STICKY & SWEET" will play arenas and stadiums throughout Europe and North America including a number of cities where Madonna has not performed in the past fifteen years. "STICKY & SWEET" will be directed by Madonna's long time creative collaborator Jamie King. The musical director will be Kevin Antunes. The complete tour itinerary is listed below with additional cities and dates to be announced. For complete tour and ticket information, fans can visit: www.livenation.com and www.madonna.com. "HARD CANDY," Madonna's 11th studio album for Warner Bros. Records debuted at number one in 27 countries around the world thus far, including the USA, JAPAN, FRANCE, UK, GERMANY, CANADA, ITALY, AUSTRALIA, THE NETHERLANDS, SOUTH AFRICA, SWEDEN, DENMARK, IRELAND, FINLAND, AUSTRIA, CHILE, SPAIN, MEXICO, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, SLOVENIA, PORTUGAL, BELGIUM, BRAZIL, SWITZERLAND, ISRAEL and U.A.E. The album has received Four Stars in Rolling Stone, Blender and People Magazine with The NY Daily News hailing "HARD CANDY" as Madonna's greatest album ever. Madonna's current smash single "4 Minutes" was co-written and co-produced by Madonna, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. "HARD CANDY" is the Number One most downloaded digital album in the U.S. and many other countries. Madonna's previous studio album "CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR" sold over 8.5 million copies
Madonna and Live Nation entered into a revolutionary partnership last fall and her last three worldwide tours were produced by Live Nation.
A multi-Grammy award winner and recent inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Madonna has long been known for groundbreaking multi-dimensional tours that consist of visual and audio extravaganzas with non-stop singing and breathtaking dancing. Madonna's last outing, 2006's acclaimed Confessions Tour played in 25 countries including Russia, reached a collective audience of over 1.3 million fans, and was the highest grossing concert tour of all time by a female artist.
"I'll be your one stop Candy Shop Everything that I've got"
Madonna "CANDY SHOP" from "HARD CANDY"
TICKETS: Tickets for "Sticky & Sweet" will go on sale beginning Friday, May 16th in London, Paris, Cardiff and Nice followed by on sales Saturday, May 17th in Amsterdam, Boston and Chicago with E. Rutherford and New York City on sale Monday, May 19th. Tickets will range from .00 through 0 (5.00 in Las Vegas) offering a variety of excellent seats at all price levels. Additional on-sales vary and are listed below or available at www.livenation.com and www.madonna.com . There will be a 4 ticket limit per person at the arena performances and a 6 ticket per person limit for stadium events.
MADONNA.COM: Icon is Madonna's official fan club. Legacy members of Icon get first access to tickets starting May 12th, 2008. Fan club members who join May 1st and later will not have access to presale tickets. However, all ticket buyers for the tour get a free trial one year Virtual Icon membership which provides access to the largest digital archive of Madonna photos online, a social networking community of dedicated Madonna fans, contests, news and much more. Sign up for Icon at Madonna.com today.
Citi: "We are proud to provide Citi® cardmembers with access to one of the most anticipated tours of 2008," said Vik Atal, Chairman and CEO, Citi Cards. "The Madonna tour is a great example of the benefits of our alliance with Live Nation which enables us to offer our cardmembers exceptional experiences through our innovative Private Pass Program." Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday May 13th at 10am ET through Citi's Private Pass Program®. For complete presale details visit: privatepass.citi.com. *Applicable for Sticky & Sweet shows in the U.S.
www.stubhub.com: StubHub is the official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace for Madonna's North American Tour 2008.* StubHub is the world's largest ticket marketplace enabling fans to buy and sell tickets to a vast selection of nearly 30,000 sports, concert theatres and other live entertainment events. StubHub reinvented the ticket resale market in 2000 and continues to lead through innovation. The company's unique online marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient and highly reliable environment. All transactions are processed and delivered via StubHub's patent-pending Fan Network (SM ticket delivery service, supported by seven-day toll free customer service at 1-866-STUBHUB and backed by an industry-first Fan Protect Guarantee. *Applicable for Sticky & Sweet shows in Canada & the U.S. (excluding Mexico)
www.viagogo.co.uk: viagogo is the Official Premium Ticketing Partner for Madonna's European Tour 2008*. Premium tickets and VIP packages will be available from Friday 16th May on www.viagogo.co.uk. In addition, viagogo will be the Official Secondary Ticketing Exchange where fans can buy and sell their tickets. viagogo facilitates the exchange between someone who wants to sell and someone who wants to buy a ticket for a live event. It guarantees that buyers receive their tickets in time for the show and sellers receive payment. viagogo is Europe's leading ticket exchange. *Not applicable for Sticky & Sweet shows in Germany & Italy.
About Live Nation: Live Nation is the future of the music business. With the most live concerts, music venues and festivals in the world and the most comprehensive concert search engine on the web, Live Nation is revolutionizing the music industry; onstage and online. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol "LYV." Additional information about the company can be found at www.livenation.com under the "About Us" section
MADONNA STICKY & SWEET TOUR ITINERARY 2008
Showdate - City - Venue - On sale Date:
23-Aug - Cardiff Millennium Stadium - Fri. May 16
26-Aug - Nice Stade Charles Ehrmann - Fri. May 16
28-Aug - Berlin Olympic Stadium - Wed. May 21
02-Sept - Amsterdam Arena - Sat. May 17
04-Sept - Dusseldorf LTU Arena - Wed. May 21
06-Sept - Rome Olympic Stadium - Fri. May 23
09-Sept - Frankfurt Commerzbank Arena - Wed. May 21
11-Sept - London Wembley Stadium - Fri. May 16
20-Sept - Paris Stade de France - Fri. May 16
03-Oct - E. Rutherford Izod Center - Mon. May 19
06-Oct - New York City Madison Square Garden - Mon. May 19
07-Oct - New York City Madison Square Garden - Mon. May 19
15-Oct - Boston TD BankNorth Garden - Sat. May 17
18-Oct - Toronto Air Canada Centre - Sat. May 24
22-Oct - Montreal Bell Centre - Sat. May 24
26-Oct - Chicago United Center - Sat. May 17
30-Oct - Vancouver BC Place Stadium - Sat. May 24
01-Nov - Oakland Oracle Arena - Sun. June 1
04-Nov - San Diego Petco Park - Sun. June 1
06-Nov - Los Angeles Dodger Stadium - Sun. June 1
08-Nov - Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena - Sat. May 31
11-Nov - Denver Pepsi Center - Sat. May 31
16-Nov - Houston Minute Maid Park - Sat. May 31
19-Nov - Philadelphia Wachovia Center - Mon. June 2
22-Nov - Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall - Mon. June 2
24-Nov - Atlanta Philips Arena - Sat. May 31
26-Nov - Miami Dolphin Stadium - Sat. May 31
Additional dates and venues to be announced.
Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour will also visit Mexico and South America later this year. Show date and on sale information to follow.
Another chance to attend Madonna's show at the Olympia Hall
The first 500 fans who will lineup in front of the Olympia Hall, 28 Boulevard des Capucines, 75009 Paris, tomorrow morning, will get a wristband allowing them to attend the show tomorrow night!
Wristbands will be given away tomorrow, May 6, at 10am, Paris time.
Good luck and see you at the show!
Madonna Interview on MTV
Below are the airtimes to the different segments of the interview.
MADONNA ON MILEY
Fri 5/2- 9:50am, EST, 1:50pm, EST
MADONNA CONCERT WRAP
Fri 5/2- 10:50pm, EST
Sat 5/3- 1:50am, EST, 7:50am, EST
MADONNA ALBUM NEWS
Sat 5/3- 11:50pm, EST
Sun 5/4- 4:50am, EST, 6:50am, EST
Mon 5/5- 1:50am, EST, 4:50am, EST, 9:50am, EST, 10:55am, EST
Also, make sure to check MTV's website for an interview of Madonna and Justin Timberlake by John Norris, which was made right after their performance at the Roseland Ballroom on April 30th.
For Madonna Fans, the Wait Is Worth It
It was "Hung Up," about the agony of waiting. And as she finished the song, she added, just in case the message wasn't clear: "Anybody who knows me knows how much I hate to wait."
New York may be a city of the impatient, but for Madonna's fans, Wednesday's show proved that seeing her for free in a 2,200-capacity hall -- minuscule by her usual touring standards -- was something worth waiting for. And waiting for a very long time.
The line outside Roseland, on West 52nd Street, formed 60 hours before show time. By late Tuesday it had stretched around the block as the faithful stood and sat and slept and caffeinated themselves for the chance to score one of the 750 wrist bands that would guarantee free admission.
Erica Gabriel, a 28-year-old makeup artist, waited through the night in line with friends. Once duly wrist-banded some time after 6 a.m., she returned home to prepare the elaborate, swooping hairstyle and "stewardess-Madonna-tricky-tranny look" that she sported early Wednesday evening -- as she waited on line again to receive a second wristband.
"Gays don't camp out," said one of Ms. Gabriel's friends, as the group laughed, "but we'll camp out for this."
Even those who joined the queue relatively late proved to be professionals of a sort.
"I'm not fanatical," said Walter Sharpe, 36, an interior designer from Brooklyn. "But I do collect Madonna magazine covers, and I've got maybe 170 of them."
There is something almost quaint about an overnight line for concert tickets in an era of Internet pre-sales and ordering by text message. But Madonna's show, to promote her new album, "Hard Candy," was also part of a technologically sophisticated, 21st-century product rollout that involved multiple media tie-ins. It was broadcast live on the Internet by MSN and on cell phones worldwide by Verizon and Vodafone. In addition to the 750 spots given to fans on the line -- that's on a line, not online -- about 1,000 were given to radio contest winners, and 200 to members of Madonna's fan club, which now has a social-networking component.
And at 49, Madonna remains on the entrepreneurial vanguard of the music business. "Hard Candy" is her last album for her longtime label, Warner Brothers; in October she announced a new deal with the touring giant Live Nation that will encompass recordings, tours, merchandising and various other projects, and is valued at 0 million.
Not that all of the Music Biz 2.0 stuff mattered much to the people who crammed into Roseland on Wednesday, even those who breathe media and marketing. One of them was Tanesha Fields, a pretty 26-year-old who works in advertising and said her nights are filled with business parties. "I don't have to go to another media event for a year," she said. "This tops them all."
The room roared with "Omigods" and lit up with digital camera flashes when Madonna emerged at 10:09 p.m. from behind a revolving stage barrier, dressed in shiny black and wearing lace-up boots. Backed by a live band whose members worked in the far corners of the stage, she performed six songs, four of them from "Hard Candy."
Another big roar rose for the third song, "4 Minutes": Justin Timberlake, who is featured on the song and is one of the writers and producers of it, took the stage in a sharp white jacket and black scarf, and joined Madonna in some dirty dancing that had slight bondage overtones -- with Madonna dominant, of course.
The show was swift clockwork. At 10:23, right after "4 Minutes," Madonna picked up a black electric guitar and, after picking out the riff to the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," led a grungy version of "Hung Up." At 10:32 there was a slight costume change -- she put on a black top with "HARD" in silver letters on the front and "CANDY" on the back -- and she sang the new "Give It 2 Me."
Then came "Music," much dancing, and a quick makeup and hair fix on the wings. By 10:42 Madonna and her dancers had swung back through the revolving wall and the lights went up.
Some had waited for more than two days for a half-hour show. But no one seemed to be complaining.
"I had the time of my life tonight," said Jeanrené St. Pierre, a fan club contest winner from Montreal who wore a "BOYTOY" necklace. "Of course it was worth it."
Madonna Confirms Fall 2008 Tour!
Madonna confirmed that she would go on tour this fall during an interview with Ryan Seacrest this morning. The interview is available for streaming from KiisFM's website. Just click here.
Tour dates and cities to be announced soon so stay tuned!
Madonna and Viagogo Get Into The Groove With Exclusive Competition
viagogo, Europe's leading secondary ticketing company (www.viagogo.co.uk) has teamed up with Madonna to offer fans the chance to see her up close and personal at an intimate club show in Paris and at her first UK show since last year.
The club show, in celebration of Madonna's new album, Hard Candy, will take place at L'Olympia Hall in Paris on Tuesday May 6th. This follows a similar event in New York at the Roseland Ballroom on Wednesday 30th April. Five pairs are up for grabs for the Paris show and fans can enter the competition by registering at www.viagogo.co.uk/hardcandy.
Madonna's UK fans will be able to see her a bit closer to home when the songstress headlines Radio 1's Big Weekend at Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent. Registration for the event has now closed so fans who missed out on one of the 30,000 free tickets have one last chance to join the privileged crowd by registering at www.viagogo.co.uk/hardcandy.
It will be Madonna's first live appearance in Britain since Live Earth in 2007. With the lead single from the album, 4 Minutes, topping the UK charts and anticipation building for her new album, the show is set to be one of the live events of the year.
Eric Baker, CEO of viagogo, added: "We are delighted to team up with Madonna on these new shows. It's an honour for us to be able to offer fans the chance to win tickets to see the most famous female recording artist of all time. At viagogo we always put the fans first and make sure that, whatever the event, they have a 100% guaranteed ticket."
Madonna Special on Fuse
In her first ever Fuse appearance, Madonna will discuss her new Hard Candy album as well as her '4 Minutes' single.
The interview will premiere on May 3rd at 10pm and will be part of a Madonna special, which includes the following programs:
7:30pm: Madonna: Truth or Dare
10pm: Madonna: Hard Candy (P)
10:30pm: Videos That Rocked The World: Madonna: Like a Prayer
Check your local listings for encores to be aired throughout the month of May.
Madonna Live In New York - Official Press Release
"It's my way of saying thank you to my fans," said Madonna. As a result, Roseland will be filled up with the most devoted and die-hard Madonna fans who have been asked to wait in line beginning 6:00 am on the morning of April 30th at Roseland Ballroom (239 W 52nd Street between Broadway and 8th Ave.). The tickets will be distributed on a first come - first served basis.
This historic event will include the debut performance of Madonna's No. 1 single '4 Minutes' as well as several other songs from "HARD CANDY" along with previous hits. The show, presented by Verizon, Vodafone and Control Room, is scheduled to be broadcast live on msn (music.msn.com) and will be available to Verizon and Vodafone customers around the world.
'Madonna's single '4 Minutes' has become the second single ever to have digital sales exceeding one million (Rhianna was first) units in five weeks. As of today, digital sales are l,004,482 units. 'HARD CANDY' is the follow up CD to Madonna's 'CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR' which debuted at No. 1 in 30 countries and has sold more than 8 million copies.. The CD has already received Four Stars (****) in Rolling Stone, Blender and People Magazine. "It may be the best album of Madonna's career," raved Jim Farber in his Five Star (*****) review in NY's Daily News. The album has been described as a brilliant up-tempo collection of 12 songs in which Madonna remains ensconced in dance club mode with an urban-hip-hop beat in creative collaboration with musical partners Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and Nate "Danja" Hills.
Write a Madonna poem and win tickets to her New York show
Madonna to perform live at New York's Roseland Ballroom - April 30th
- Show to be Broadcast Live on MSN.com (music.msn.com) April 30th in the US and May 15th ex-US
- New Madonna CD 'HARD CANDY' Scheduled for April 29th US Release
NEW YORK, NY, April 14, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-- In celebration of the release of Madonna's upcoming CD 'HARD CANDY, Control Room, MSN and Verizon Wireless will present the one and only Madonna live at New York's famed Roseland Ballroom on Wednesday evening, April 30th, it was confirmed today by Warner Bros. Records. The Control Room-produced show will be available live on MSN Music In Concert (www.msn.com) on April 30th in the US and on May 15th ex-US.
Verizon customers will be amongst the handful of lucky winners who will attend the show. Other lucky fans will need to line up outside of Roseland to receive tickets on a first come basis. This special event will be the first time Madonna will debut songs from her hotly anticipated new album 'HARD CANDY' which is scheduled to arrive in stores on April 29th.
The first single from the album, '4 Minutes' has already jumped to the Number One spot in many countries. The song, which features Madonna, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake was produced by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland.
About Verizon Wireless: Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 65.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com.
About Control Room: As the leading producer and distributor of world-class entertainment, Control Room's live music programming showcases the world's biggest artists from a variety of venues through multi-platform broadcasts via television, broadband and wireless platforms. Control Room has produced and distributed nearly 100 live music events delivering the highest quality productions in the industry with 8-10 camera shoots in Native HD (1080p) and using Dolby 5.1 to ensure the most compelling audience experience. In 2007, Control Room produced the largest entertainment event in history, Live Earth.
A Letter from MADGE:
Malawi is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one of the poorest - suffering from famine, drought, extreme poverty, and diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. All of which could be treated with proper health care and education, if it were available.
Through the Raising Malawi, Michael Berg and I have committed to doing all that we can to help this small country in desperate need. We have met with world experts in healthcare, economics, education, and international development - leaders like Dr. Jeffrey Sachs and Dr. Paul Farmer, who have given a voice to the most underprivileged sectors of society. Together we are working to raise the quality of life for a generation of orphaned and vulnerable children.
Now I’m asking you to join us.
Malawi and her children are at the heart of the humanitarian crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. The challenges facing these children are unimaginable. Everyday in Malawi, hundreds of children die from preventable illness, thousands are affected by abuse and neglect, and millions face a lonely struggle for survival without parents or adult supervision.
At Raising Malawi, we believe in turning these challenges into stepping stones. Malawi is a country with incredible promise. Malawians possess resiliency and great spirit. If we give them a chance to achieve lasting sustainability through smart solutions and the proper support we will, in fact, raise Malawi. No matter who you are or where you are, you can join this cause and get involved. Volunteers of all ages and from every corner of the world are needed. Donations, no matter how large or small, can make a big difference: from buying a bed net to helping build a school or a clinic. Every little bit helps.
I urge you to please support Raising Malawi and remember: by committing a little bit of your time, talent, or treasures to these extraordinary children, you will help to save a life."
THESE WORDS WERE WRITTEN BY THOSE WOMEN WHO I BELIEVED WOULD GIVE ME ILLUMINATION INTO MY HEART AND MIND AS I CONTINUED MY SEARCH FOR MY JULIET, MY MATE AND MY TWIN SOUL.....SOME WERE RICH AND FAMOUS...SOME JUST ENTERED MY HEART AND I DREAMED THAT THEY WOULD STAY....BUT, ALAS, THEY GAVE ME HOPE BUT JUST WALKED AWAY AS I TRIED TO COPE...I CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO FIND THAT SPECIAL WOMAN WHO WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO GIVE ME TRUE LOVE AND ILLUMINATION THAT I MAY SOMEDAY, SOMEHOW,SOMEWHERE FIND MY JULIET WHO WILL LEAD ME TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS AND ATTAIN MY GOAL.
***
~For Danny; My Source of Light~
~By Shannon~
~Believe~
I came for you, I came for you, but you cannot see meI've circled the planets, traveled the galaxies, I've died a thousand deaths for you
And then...I found my way, I did, I did
But...when I got there, you had fallen asleep, you injected their potions and I could not wake you
I got there in time, I finally found you, but your eyes were closed
~How do I awaken you~
My darling, wake and see...you are dreaming of what you have already received
The Angel arrived, I came for you, and yes, I need you
I have come to pick you up, fly away, fly away with me now to paradise
Will you awaken and know that the Angel who came to fly you to paradise in reality only has one wing
I need the Angel in you to awaken and come forth to be to me what I am willing to be to you
Thus, My Need...Thus, Our Need, Our Dance, Our Song, Our Flight with One Another
You see, My Dearest One, Together We Would Have One Set of Wings
January 7, 2007
~An Unending Kiss~
And that is where we will begin; a prince and a princess longing for each other, wandering through foreign lands in search of the one we lost. It is not an external "fix" we seek, but an internal blessing, and our souls will bend toward the possibility of union as surely as a flower bends toward sunlight.
Wicked fairies and evil queens, monsters and dragons, and dangerous spells will always threaten our approach to heaven. Yet we are drawn to our destiny as if to a magnet, and while monsters can delay us, they have no power to change our destination. The map to our deliverance is held in trust and guarded by angels.
We will encounter the darkness of a lonely existence, but find each other again in the light of an intense and compassionate understanding. We find, in that place, an unending kiss.
January 19, 2007
~My Dearest Danny~
I see within you not only the weakened, but also the strong.
Not only the wounded but also the healed.
Not only the old, but also the new.
New water pours over us now, as we surrender to this wave.
We will wash ourselves of the yesterdays.
This is not death.
We are not drowning.
Forget with me, my darling. Forget what never was.
January 19, 2007
***
WHEN LIFE TAKES YOU TO PLACES IN THE HEART OF
A WOMAN WHO WRITES OF LOVE...
SHE MUST BE TRUE TO HERSELF
OR SHE WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF HER OWN ILLUMINATION.
***
SHANNON....MAY YOU SEE THE LIGHT OF LOVE IN THE EYES
OF A CHILD FOR YOU HAVE LEFT ME WITH DOUBT, CONFUSION,
AND A CONTINUING SEARCH FOR MY TRUE LOVE
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ILLUMINATION BUT MY SOUL HAS
MORE TO GIVE THEN JUST PROMISES IN THE DARK.
MY JULIET AND MY SOULMATE HAS AGAIN ELUDED ME.
WHEN I FIND HER SHE WILL GIVE ME COMFORT AND I WILL GIVE
FREELY MY SOUL....FOR JULIET MUST FIRST BE MY FRIEND BEFORE
SHE BECOMES MY ETERNAL LOVE.
I LEAVE THIS ILLUMINATION AS I BEGAN....IN SEARCH OF
THE WOMAN WHO WILL NOT LIE BUT INSTEAD LEAD US UP
ABOVE....IN THE BLUE SKIES OF LOVE.
WITH LOVE,
DANNY
FEBRUARY !5, 2008
***
MY LETTER FROM SHANNON
My de arest Danny,
Sweetie, I love you so completely . You are so very precious and absolutely beautiful.
I love you so much Danny!
Thank you, my darling, for all you are, all you say and do, all the love and support I receive from you. ...Thank you, my darling,,,,thsnk you for absolutely every and all the things you have done and do for me.
Sweetheart, I do trust you and also know that I believe in you....I love you more than you can imagine.
You are so beautiful Danny, please take these Words to heart...for my words are all I have in this moment to express my unending gratitude and my love, which, my dear, is a love so real and true.
You are my beloved , I love you....Shannon
February 25, 2007
***
A LETTER AND POEM FROM JENNIFER W
Dear Daniel,
Just sending a Thank You for your book EMOTION. I have already read a few of the poems and I enjoy them so. It was very kind of you to send it to me. Thank you Again!
Sincerely and lovingly,
Jennifer W.
P.S. I enclosed something I wrote for you!
For Daniel:
Dear Mr. "Wingsand"
Dear Daniel Reed:
I just want to Thank You...
THank you indeed
I am not much of a poet...nor a person of words
I admit I find comfort in reading your words
I wish you the best and hope you accomplish your quest
A person with heart and something to share
People as you are few and show that they care
Time has passed and you have found your light.
How much time will pass until it dawns in others sight?
Sight of mind and sight of heart
Your verses guide those who are faint of heart...
With this feeble poem...this scribbling of words...
I thank you for EMOTION: THE TREASURE OF LOVE
Which has awakened my heart and put it into motion!
Jennifer W.
July 1, 2005
***
FOR MICHELLE: MY LONDON ICON
Welcome back to my world of reality and rhyme
Are you again ready to step out of time?
Again I am in search of my Juliet as you read
It is a hunger that burns inside of me...an evergrowing need
I question true love and where it is often to be found
Some say it comes to those who seldom seek...but for all to astound
My love is indeed a part of my soul
For she has given me the strength to play the poet's role
Sometimes all we need is inspiration to help others in need
Yet I've found that its hard to overcome ones selfishness and greed
But I try as the days go by
So I continue to call out to a woman named Michelle
She has given me hope that she could someday be my belle
But I'm still full of doubt as to her sincerity to my heart
Even though through her words she has inspired my art
Are you truly my Juliet in waiting...my princess and my queen?
Say that you are and I'll give you love like you've never seen
But first we must meet and know for sure
That this love that I feel can indeed be pure
And if you feel that you love another I will continue my search for a true love mate
Just a chance meeting is all it would take
To know for sure if it is your love I must forsake
For my purpose in writing is to inspire love that we make
2007
YOU GIVE ME HOPE THAT THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE ACROSS THE OCEAN BLUE THAT HEARS WHAT I SAY AND CARES FOR ME AS MUCH AS I CARE FOR YOU.
If you would like to be a part of my space age love story and you are still in search of your true love.....I welcome your communication and feedback on any of the poems, pictures or any of the EMOTIONS that I have expressed here on the world wide web free of charge. I am 46 and still in search of a publisher, agent, and that special someone to become my Juliet and reach out for my helping hand to become my best friend, lover, and with help from the stars above...my wife.
Please click on the webpage below and return to the "CONTACT US" page for my e-mail address and cellphone number if you would like to leave a callback number.
Without communication there can be no connection to the heart, mind, body, and soul.
Eternally yours,
Daniel "Romeo" Reed
I leave you with my picture and these emotions that come from my soul that can also be seen in my green eyes.
The eyes are like a mirror to the soul....they reflect the emotion and make the heart grow fonder.