Does anyone have a good recommendation for a mortgage loan?

On the cover of her new album, Hard Candy, Madonna rocks a championship belt around her waist and sits with her legs spread open. She sure deserves the champion-of-sex title. No one could eye and mind fuck us longer than she could. She did it when she was “Like a Virgin.” She is doing it again like a MILF.

Right off the opening “Candy Store,” she wastes no time offering us her raw sugar (“sticky and sweet”). Then in “4 Minutes” she flirts with the young Justin Timberlake: “Just say the words and imma give you what you want.” In the next track, “Give It 2 Me,” she follows up with more seductions: “If it’s against the law, arrest me / If you can handle it, undress me.” While she does all these sizzle talks, a handful of hot, clubbing beats (courtesy of Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Nate “Danja” Hills) are backing her up. The only problem is that you don’t take a fifty years old woman to a club, even though she is Madonna. You want to take her somewhere else away from the crowd. Know what I mean?

All in all, Hard Candy is nothing more than a dance album with Madonna’s sex touch lost in the beats. Though her words are filled wit lust, suggestive metaphors, her delivery lacks the passion. Even when she sings, “Sex with you is… uh… incredible,” she comes off like a kindergarten teacher who offers her kids some candies for their cooperation. In the closing “Voices,” Timberlake brings up the questions: “Who is the master? Who is the Slave?” Not sure if she still holds the whip.

NPR profiles Bessie Smith:

No blues singer can escape the influence of Bessie Smith, “The Empress of the Blues.” Through hugely popular recordings and a busy nationwide touring schedule, she gave the blues a raw, regal poignancy — and marketability. Her feverish growls and impassioned delivery informed nearly every facet of African American music, from Mahalia Jackson to Mary J. Blige.

Check out the program here.

A video shows the policemen beat the shit out the suspects. Damn!

A young hoodrat chick acting like a fool on the train disrespecting an older lady. Where is the stick? This chick needs some serious whipping.

Viet Bistro seems like a nice hangout joint in the summer. The spot is kind of hip—actually it is the best decorated restaurant in Eden Center—and it opens later than most places in the strip. We were there last night around 9:30 after a long evening of going through the contract. I ordered the Clay Pot Rice with Baby Clams (Com Tay Cam Hen) and a Long Island Ice Tea, and they were the perfect combos to cool off the night. The portion was huge and I was going to save half of it for today’s lunch but the crunchy rice and mild spicy baby clams were irresistible; therefore, I shoved down everything while enjoying the Cleveland and Celtics on three large-screen TVs. The alcohol in the Long Island also enhanced the flavor. It was only last night and I can’t wait to go back for another pot already.

As long as Asia Entertainment still around, the war will forever be reminded. Its new release, La Thu Tu Chien Truong (Letters From Battle Fields), conceptualized around the theme that the production has beaten to death already; therefore, it would be pointless to hear what the MCs had to contribute.

Musically speaking, the show only had two or three standout performances. It’s about time Asia brought a real talent on board. Not all that physically attractive, but Bich Van (whose voice mesmerized me two years ago) gave an exceptional rendition of Pham Dinh Chuong’s “Anh Di Chien Dich.” She hit the high notes right on the spot and her enunciation was flawless. By the time she finished, there was no room left for Y Phuong to match up. It’s the musical director’s fault for the unfair pairing. Bich Van’s performance should have been grouped with Nguyen Hong Nhung’s version of Hoang Trong’s “Nguoi Tinh Khong Chan Dung.” Again, Nguyen Hong Nhung was so damn hypnotizing that she left Thien Kim out in the cold. Nguyen Hong Nhung looked great too, but the sexiest chick of the show went to the new-but-blazing-hot Ho Hoang Yen. If there were a dress (military-inspired color with plenty of open space to display cleavage) like what she had on in the army, there will be a lot of jerking off in the boot camp. What song was she singing anyway?

That’s all I could walk away with from the show. The rest were just same old shit.

I had the best five years of my career at Vassar. So if you’re looking forward to design and grow, Vassar is the place to be.

“Bye Bye”

“Too Real“