Saturday, June 12, 2010

RANDOMora: Mini Lady Gaga is nothing but show

Who is behind that Poker Face?

Well it is but young eight-year-old Brazilian Laura Fontana, best known as Mini Lady Gaga. Fontana has become rapidly popular on the web because of her cover of Lady Gaga's single "Poker Face" on "Britain's Got Talent."



It's rather disturbing than "Aw ain't she a cutie" sort of thing. Compare sixth grader Greyson Michael Chance, who became an overnight Internet Youtube sweetheart after his cover of Gaga's "Paparazzi," she's not as aspiring.

Not to say the girl isn't cute or trying, but it seems like her parents are, well stage moms. However, when Fontana had gotten teary at the end of her performance, that did fill a sweet whole in my heart.

Nonetheless, it is just strange that the young star is singing provocative lyrics where at least Chance is sure to censor himself when necessary.

Mini Lady Gaga is sure to stay on the web for awhile, but unlike Chance, I doubt Ellen DeGeneres will be calling her home anytime soon.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

RANDOMora: Gaga you amaze me

I cannot go a minute after watching Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" and click to a new tab without feeling sheer effect come over me.

It casts religion, sex of course, and crazed enough, total shock value your grandma would weep to with every scene flashing through the screen.

Gaga, you won.

The video's essence is raw, dark, and incredibly not suited for any age. It has a bit of a Madonna essence within it as Gaga is dancing in hollow light with an all over black outfit which can't still cover much of what she exposes. The whole "Like a Virgin" scene comes into mid-action when Gaga is being tossed around over rickety (mind you disgusting) beds by men of which eventually her clothing is consumed of and she is buried beneath them.

Gaga doesn't seem to worry about the amount of sex she portrays to her audience, instead that is something she's more than aware of to succeed in displaying in her video unlike past ones.

What is really shocking are the scenes that contain religious aspects but more the dark and gloomy shadows of her soul within it. This isn't to me as an artistic aspect, but just plain thrilling in a Gaga sort of way; thus weird.

"Alejandro" is such an upbeat dance song but by watching this video you would see the actual monster theme she was thriving for.

It's scary enough for the weak souls I suppose, but I don't think anyone can get up from seeing "Alejandro" and say it's not good. But to say I love it, well it would probably take a lot of energy and time to actually take in what I witnessed today. Thanks to "ALejandro," the video "Telephone" has barely become tolerable.

Friday, June 4, 2010

That Religious Guy: The Empire strikes back ... at Mother Teresa?


..... Catholic League president, Bill Donohue, has made a name for himself defending the Church against rampant anti-Catholicism. He doesn't look for trouble. Trouble finds him. And just recently, trouble did find Donohue in the form of a rejection letter.

..... Like many people, Donohue admires Mother Teresa's contributions to society. Out of a desire to honor her on her 100th birthday, Donohue applied to the Empire State Building Lighting Partners in February to have the structure light up in blue and white, the colors of the Missionaries of Charity. After all, the Empire State Building has been lighted up in red, white, and blue for America and has featured Yankees colors whenever they win. The U.S. Postal Service is even going to publish a Mother Teresa commemorative stamp in honor of her birthday. In May, however, Donohue's request was denied for unknown reasons. Was it because the Empire State Building doesn't try to promote religious groups? Nope, since it apparently flies holiday colors for Christmas, Hannukah, and Islamic holidays. So why can't this structure honor a woman who dedicated her life to helping the poor? When it all boils down to it, it's anti-Catholicism at its best, or should I say worst?

..... Last year amid the protests of human rights activists and U.S. congressmen, the Empire State Building chose to honor the 60th anniversary of the 1949 Maoist Communist  Revolution. The communists are after all, the ideal role models for society right? It apparently didn't matter to the Empire State Building Lighting Partners that the Maoists can now live in infamy for intolerance and murder. Donohue puts it best when he observes, "Yet under its founder, Mao Zedong, the Communists killed 77 million people. In other words, the greatest mass murderer in history merited the same tribute being denied to Mother Teresa."

.....Though she didn't commit hundreds of human rights violations, Mother Teresa did receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Medal of Freedom. She has also been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church and is on her way to becoming a saint. So you decide. Why is the Empire State Building Lighting Partners refusing to honor Mother Teresa? Is it because she helped care for refugees, gave homes for orphans, and fed the hungry? Or is it simply because she's a Roman Catholic, a member of a religion that faces a lot of prejudice to this day. So readers, you decide and post a comment.

- Jeremy Dela Cruz

That Religious Guy: Of Priests and Nuns


..... Well, a certain splinter group of our neighbors to the north have just recently "ordained" a women "priest." Now, it's not the Canadians I'm speaking of, after all, les Quebecois are too conservative for that. The organization Womenpriests, which seeks to persuade the Roman Catholic Church to extend priestly ordination to women, has given its blessing to Diane Whalen, 58, of Olympia, Washington.

..... It's not surprising that I'd find this "ordination" offensive and strange. Some might say that the Church is too traditional, too Medieval for the modern world. These people will say that the Church's policy on male-only ordination is sexist and demeaning to women. Well, I find Womenpriests worldwide ordinations to be sexist and demeaning to women and men!

..... As a Roman Catholic discerning a vocation to the priesthood, I'm insulted that many of the women ordained by Womenpriests are married or have been married. Whalen says that she felt the call to the priesthood in high school but also realized that "she also wanted to have boyfriends and to marry." One cannot just pick and choose features of vocations and blend them into something else. Each vocation has its virtues. Married life has the benefit of loving families and consecrated life (That is the life of priests and nuns) provides an opportunity to serve God's people. The Church isn't some sort of Baskin Robbins where people can say "Hey, I want a scoop of married life... and a side of priesthood too." The new "women priests" should maybe take a page from their many male contemporaries, who never married and stayed loyal to the discipline of chastity.

..... The whole mission of Womenpriests also ends up demeaning women. Their advocates say that becoming nuns or sisters isn't enough for women. Apparently we need women to be in leadership. Of course I agree with this. You know why? It's because the Church has had women in leadership positions for centuries: they're called the female religious. Womenpriests is underestimating the contributions and influences of the nuns and sisters in the life of the Church. Women hold high positions in Catholic education, social services, and other venues. Women, both lay and religious, have become saints. As Catholic.org says: "The history of the Church is full of many women Catholic saints, who received recognition for great deeds or meritorious conduct. Many lost their lives in defense of the faith, while others were themselves the mothers of important saints. Many were also honored for their contributions to the Church and their community." Let's not forget the historical trend of women maintaining the faith in their families. Mothers, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers have all contributed to the family's religious life by preserving traditions and encouraging Mass attendance.

..... The Church owes its longevity to all its members, both male and female. Each has his or her role and purpose. Womenpriests is too busy trying to look for imperfections in the Church that it ends up shortchanging the female gender.

- Jeremy Dela Cruz