Palm Beach Mall in danger

Yesterday I read something about America’s most endangered malls. Among them, the first mall I visited in Florida and the US, as a matter of fact. Palm Beach Mall.

A year ago, the plan was to renovate this fading 42-year-old property. But that changed with the recession. Anchor tenants Dillard’s and Macy’s bolted within the last year, and in April, the mall’s owners defaulted on a big bank payment, triggering a foreclosure lawsuit that could force the sale of the property. The power company even threatened to shut off the mall’s electricity, but the bill was paid at the last minute. While remaining tenants like Sears and JC Penney await the outcome of litigation, other nearby malls are adding space and gaining customers.

Michael Bolton

Although we all were soaked to the skin as a heavy rain has just started when I was parking the car and we had to wait in line to enter, Michael Bolton made all the bad things disappear. He started the show with Soul Provider and continued with Said I Loved You But I Lied and the rest of the hits including some of the Sinatra’s songs (advising everyone to visit New York), a wonderful version of Nessun Dorma, and great moments of his band.
He is not a “king” but he has an amazing voice and a normal appearance. And when he sings When A Man Loves A Woman you get the shivers down your spine.

Edward Burns’ particular voice

I am watching a movie, Purple Violets written and directed by Edward Burns. He also has a part in the movie. I’ve always been fascinated by his particular voice. I don’t even know how to describe it. I don’t know if it’s manly, but it’s part sweet and part grave. I first discovered Edward Burns and his voice in 15 Minutes movie. Then I found out that the guy has Irish roots, he was born a January 29′th (like my father) and he is married to supermodel Christy Turlington.
Returning to his voice… I think it’s very special and it really stands apart.

Megan Fox

Everybody talks about her nowadays. “Sexiest Woman in the World” for the second year in a row, according to FHM magazine.

After having a successful career as a model, Fox launched her acting career in 2001, in which she played a supporting role as Brianna Wallace in Holiday in the Sun, starring opposite Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen. Fox then guest starred in various television series, including What I Like About You, Two and a Half Men, The Help, Ocean Ave. and having a recurring role on Hope and Faith.
In 2007, Fox won the lead female role of Mikaela Banes in the 2007 live-action film Transformers, based on the toy and cartoon saga of the same name. Fox played the love interest of Shia LaBeouf’s character Sam Witwicky. Fox was nominated for an MTV Movie Award in the category of “Breakthrough Performance”.
Fox reprised her role as Mikaela Banes in the Transformers sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. There was some controversy surrounding Fox’s appearance while filming the sequel of Transformers when Michael Bay, the movie’s director, ordered the actress to gain 10 pounds.

Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died

I will begin with Farrah because she was the first to leave us. I think that her death will pass almost unnoticed for obvious reasons. She was a fighter, but she lost the battle. She will be missed.
Today, the wake-up news: “Superstar died too soon”. I am not a fan, never was, I am not in favour of calling anyone king/queen of… He was big, no doubt about it. Because of those times, he was even bigger. Of course nobody will ever succeed in having a career alike because times had changed. Nowadays there are a lot of big artists and they all have their merits. The industry has come a long way and it is harder for someone to emerge as a phenomenon.
I like his songs of the 80’s and early 90’s and I realized today that I don’t have any CD, only one tape.
Both deaths were expected sooner or later, but Michael could have still lived. He has done to himself a lot of damage, and this is the tragic outcome. I am not gonna go into details, but I will say this… no matter the possible reasons, someone should never self-destruct like that. As a person, Michael Jackson was nothing but controversial. For me, at least…
I strongly relate to the following statement:
“I must confess I am not surprised by today’s tragic news. Michael has been on an impossibly difficult and often self-destructive journey for years. His talent was unquestionable but so too was his discomfort with the norms of the world. A human simply cannot withstand this level of prolonged stress.” — Michael Levine.

Finally registered

These last days I had troubles seing this moment coming… I obtained the approval to register my thesis. There were a couple of weeks of tension, and I did not enjoy it one beat. I don’t like to do things in a rush. But I’ve survived. Right now I feel free.

San Juan

Santo festejado por la Iglesia el 24 de junio. A este día y al santo van ligadas numerosas creencias y ritos, de los que no pocos son reminiscencias de antiguas fiestas y cultos solsticiales. Es un conjunto abigarrado de materiales -dichos, símbolos, mitos y observancias. En las iglesias y en ermitas de San Juan muchos tienen costumbre de ofrendar a este santo plantas y frutas, como maíz, trigo, cerezas, peras. También llevan a la iglesia helecho, hinojo, lirio, flores de San Juan o margaritas, a fin de que el cura los bendiga; después los devuelven a casa. De este manojo de yerbas y flores una parte se destina para adornar el umbral de la puerta principal, y lo restante se conserva para quemar y producir humo en casos de tormenta. Existen fuentes que en la mañana de San Juan son visitadas por mucha gente.
En algunos lugares es creencia que en la mañana de San Juan, antes que salga el sol, las aguas son benditas.
Dicen que la siesta del día de San Juan atrae sueño para todo el año. Por eso se dice también de los sueños largos que son sueños de San Juan.
En cambio, se dice que en levantándose temprano por San Juan, temprano se levantará todo el año, o no tendrá sueño por todo el año.
En la mayoría de los lugares en los cuales se celebra actualmente continúa la tradición original aunque en España y Portugal se ha perdido parte de su significado. Habitualmente se realizan hogueras en las calles y plazas de las poblaciones donde se reúnen familiares y amigos.

Zinedine Zidane – 37

Zinedine Yazid Zidane ( born 23 June 1972 in Marseille), popularly nicknamed Zizou, is a retired French football midfielder. He played in France, Italy, and Spain, and was a member of the French national team. His career accomplishments include helping France win the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000, in addition to winning the 2002 UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid.

One of only two three-time FIFA World Player of the Year winners (Ronaldo being the other), Zidane was also named the European Footballer of the Year in 1998. His abilities were further recognized in 2004 when he was included in Pelé’s choice list of the world’s greatest footballers. He retired from professional football after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Zidane holds dual citizenship in both France and Algeria, and therefore was eligible to play for the Algerian national team, but coach Abdelhamid Kermali allegedly denied him a position because he felt the young midfielder was not fast enough. Zidane dismissed the rumour in a 2005 interview, saying that playing for Algeria was out of the question since he had already suited up for France.

On June 1, 2009, Zidane was announced as the Advisor to the President as Florentino Perez was named President of Real Madrid for the second time. He also regularly plays for Real Madrid Veterans team. He along with Jorge Valdano, General Director, and Miguel Pardeza, Sporting Director, will be the key decision makers on the sporting side of the club.

Words are too poor to describe him and awards are not enough to celebrate his career.
Thank You and Happy Birthday!

George Clooney y su cerdo

Max, que falleció en el año 2006, era la mejor compañía del actor.
George Clooney todavía no puede superar la muerte de su mascota, un cerdo que estuvo a su lado muchos años y que respondía al nombre de Max.
Por ello, el actor no ha dudado en contratar a un médium para que le pusiese en contacto con el animal: “El médium me dijo que Max tuvo una excelente vida conmigo. Él está muy feliz de espíritu y todavía sale conmigo algunas veces”, le confesó a un amigo.”No estoy seguro que me haya dicho la verdad, pero quiero creerle”.
Max falleció en la casa del actor mientras Clooney se encontraba promocionando la película “El buen alemán”. El cerdo sufría ceguera y artritis. Durante 18 años, Max y George se hicieron inseparables, y muchas, veces, el protagonista de “Ocean´s Eleven” se lo llevaba a las entrevistas y sesiones de fotos.
George Clooney bromeaba sobre esta peculiar amistad (incluso compartían cama) y decía que era la relación más larga que había tenido nunca.
“Fue el cerdo más viejo que los veterinarios hayan visto. Era una gran parte de mi vida. Es extraño como los animales se convierten en una gran parte de tu familia”, dijo el intérprete en su día.

Prince William – 27

Prince William of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the elder son of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As such, he is second in the line of succession to 16 independent states, although he is resident and most directly involved with the United Kingdom, the oldest realm.

Following his education at various schools around the United Kingdom, obtaining a university degree at the University of St Andrews, and spending parts of his gap year in Chile, Belize, and countries in Africa, William enrolled in the military. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry – serving with his brother – and, two years later, earned his wings by completing pilot training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell. As of 2009, the Prince has transferred to the Royal Air Force, been promoted to flight lieutenant and is training to be a full time pilot with the Search and Rescue Force.

Following his mother’s example, William took interest in various causes from a relatively early age. The late Princess of Wales’ work with HIV/AIDS aid and prevention, and the Prince of Wales’ work with the natural environment and the inner-city disadvantaged, directed William into those areas. However, he also showed a desire to focus on the needy in Africa, sometimes working with his brother’s charity, Sentebale.

On 23 January 2009 it emerged that Prince William has written the foreword to a book for the first time. The cover of Home from War – the autobiography of a soldier from the prince’s regiment who was seriously wounded in a Taliban ambush – notes the Prince’s contribution.

Prince William plays polo both professionally and for charitable causes, and is a fan of football, supporting Aston Villa F.C. In May 2006, he became President of England’s Football Association, and vice royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) in February 2007 (supporting the Queen as patron of the WRU). The same year, the WRU’s decision to name a new cup for test matches between Wales and South Africa the Prince William Cup caused controversy, with some believing it would have been more fitting to name the trophy after Ray Gravell.

Also in 2006, the Prince, along with other Sandhurst officers, took part in running one mile to support the charity Sport Relief, as he had done in 2004 with a team from Clarence House. In May 2007, William became patron of the English Schools’ Swimming Association.