Holy Ground

The song was written by Taylor Swift and produced by Nathan Chapman with Swift's help. It was released on January 19, 2010 by Big Machine Records as a promotional single from the corresponding soundtrack for the 2010 film Valentine's Day, which she acted in. Swift had previously written the song and offered it to producers for the film's soundtrack. Musically, "Today Was a Fairytale" is pop-influenced and, lyrically, speaks of a magical date.It received generally positive reception from contemporary critics, some who deemed it the best song on the soundtrack, and enjoyed commercial success by reaching the top ten in three countries. In Canada, "Today Was a Fairytale" became Swift's first number-one song. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and therefore tied for her highest-charting song in the United States. Swift promoted "Today Was a Fairytale" at several venues and included it on a revised set list for the continuation of her Fearless Tour in 2010.

Picking up where her 1994 hit 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' left off, Mariah Carey will be releasing a brand new holiday album, 'Merry Christmas II You,' on Nov. 2. The record includes four original songs written by Carey, including 'Oh Santa!', the album's first single. Jingling bells and a plea to Santa open the upbeat, festive track that has Carey wishing that he'll bring her back her "baby" for Christmas. 'Merry Christmas II You' also features a new recording of 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' and some traditional holiday tunes, including 'The First Noel,' 'Little Drummer Boy,' 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' and 'O Come All Ye Faithful.'

Ever feel like you need to add some color into your life and Getaway from the ordinary? So that is the message in companion to Michelle Branch's "Getaway" music video premiere. The clip is created in partnership with MINI and based on "the idea of getting away." "Getaway" is expected to appear in Michelle Branch's upcoming studio album "Everything Comes and Goes". The music video sees Michelle hooking up with Timbaland in studio. The country, pop/rock singer is laying her vocal and strumming her guitar in the recording booth, while the rapper/producer is sitting behind the mixing table. "Everything Comes and Goes" itself was actually slated to be released in 2009, but pushed back to later this year due to some situations in her label which were out of Michelle's hands. In order to keep it fresh, "we're gonna have some fantastic new people on board to work this record," Michelle said earlier this year. In addition to Timbaland, she reportedly will also work with Akon.

Dexter is an American television drama series that centers on Dexter Morgan, a forensic bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer. The show debuted on October 1, 2006, on Showtime and the fifth season ended on December 12, 2010. As of December 2, 2010, the show has been renewed for a sixth season. Set in Miami, the show's first season was largely based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, the first of his series of Dexter novels. Subsequent seasons have evolved independently of Lindsay's works. It was adapted for television by screenwriter James Manos, Jr., who wrote the pilot episode.
Dexter structures his killing around "The Code of Harry", a body of ethics and procedures devised by his adoptive father Harry (who was a Miami cop) to make sure Dexter never gets caught and to ensure that Dexter kills only other killers. Harry also trained Dexter in how to interact convincingly with other people despite being a psychopath, since the murder of his biological mother, Laura Moser, did in fact turn Dexter into a serial killer. As an adult, Dexter has largely escaped suspicion (with some exceptions) by being genial and generous and maintaining generally superficial relationships. However, his attachment to his sister Deb, his significant other Rita, his stepchildren and (later) his biological son have all complicated his double life and made him question his need to kill.
In February 2008, edited reruns began to air on CBS. The series has enjoyed wide critical acclaim and popularity. Season 4 aired its season finale on December 13, 2009 to a record-breaking audience of 2.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched original series episode ever on Showtime. Michael C. Hall has received several awards and nominations for his portrayal of Dexter, including a Golden Globe. The series was picked up by Showtime for a sixth season, which was billed as not being the final season, leaving possibilities open for a seventh.
Orphaned at the age of three, Dexter Morgan is adopted by Miami police officer Harry Morgan and his wife Doris. After discovering that young Dexter has been killing neighborhood pets, Harry believes that the boy is a psychopath and teaches him "The Code" as a way to channel his violent urges towards people who "deserve it". In this code, Dexter's victims must be killers themselves who have murdered the undeserving and will likely do so again. Dexter must also have proof that the criminals are guilty. Most importantly, Dexter must never get caught. Flashbacks throughout the series show Harry, who died several years before, instructing Dexter in how to appear normal and cover his tracks. Dexter has followed The Code religiously to satisfy his Dark Passenger (what he calls his urge to kill). Like many serial killers, he keeps trophies; before dispatching a wrongdoer, Dexter makes a small incision on their right cheek with a scalpel and collects a blood sample which he preserves on a blood slide. He stores his collection in a box concealed inside his air conditioner. Dexter is (with varying success) able to fake 'normal' emotions and maintain his appearance as an unremarkable friend and neighbor. He does maintain a few personal relationships, however. He is "fond" of his adoptive sister Debra. She is unaware of Harry's training or Dexter's secret life, but harbors lingering jealousy of the perceived preferential treatment Harry gave Dexter. As part of his "disguise", Dexter dates a woman named Rita who is too traumatized from years of abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, Paul Bennett, to be intimate with Dexter. This suits Dexter, who believes getting intimate will reveal his darker side to Rita. He is fond of (and good with) children in general, particularly Rita’s two children, Astor and Cody.
Connections have been suggested between the TV show Dexter and an ongoing murder charge against Mark Twitchell of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. On December 3, 2008, Twitchell pled not guilty to the charge of first degree murder of 38-year-old John Altinger, whose body is still missing. Twitchell filmed footage for a production of House of Cards (entirely unrelated to the British production House of Cards), a horror-romance similar to Dexter's clandestine murders in which he allegedly murdered Altinger. Det. Mark Anstey of the Edmonton Police Service was quoted as saying "We have a lot of information to suggest he definitely idolizes Dexter." In the summer of 2008, Twitchell had posted a series of ominous Facebook statuses in which he "believed he had a lot in common with Dexter Morgan". In November 2009, Andrew Conley, 17, was arrested in Rising Sun, Indiana, US, in connection with the death of his 10-year-old brother, Conner. In an affidavit filed in Ohio County court, police said that Andrew told investigators that he identified with the character. "Andrew stated that he watches a show called 'Dexter' on Showtime, about a serial killer," prosecutors said in an affidavit. "He stated, 'I feel just like him."

Tot pe la jumatatea lui iunie 1962, Marilyn Monroe era programata la sedinte foto pentru revistele Vogue si Cosmopolitan. S-a hotarat sa se duca. Pentru una dintre ele, dorea sa foloseasca drept fundal plaja din spatele casei lui Pat Kennedy Lawford. Astfel, ea si Pat s-au intalnit sa discute despre sedinta foto si sa se mai puna la curent cu noutatile.(...) Cand Marilyn a ajuns acasa la ea, Pat si-a dat seama ca se afla intr-o stare groaznica. Conform unei marturii ulterioare, Marilyn i-a spus lui Pat ca era umilita de ceea ce se intamplase la Fox, ca niciodata pana atunci nu avusese parte de atata agitatie in viata ei, insa acum incerca sa se concentreze pe viitor.(...) I-a spus lui Pat ca, dupa parerea ei, filmul "Something's Got To Give" avea sa fie reluat. I-a zis ca trimisese telegrame multora dintre actori, cerandu-le iertare si rugandu-i sa se intoarca. "Cu toate astea, mi-ar placea ca intreaga echipa sa fie noua," ii spusese ea lui Pat, "pentru ca nu stiu daca pot sa le fac fata. I-am dezamagit pe toti, iar acum cred ca ma urasc."(...) Pat era ingrijorata.I se parea ca Marilyn innebunise. Cativa dintre prietenii lui Pat luau masa pe terasa, cand a sosit actrita.Pat i-a propus sa se alature grupului."Poate ca soarele ne face bine," a zis ea."Vrei un whisky sec?" Marilyn a spus ca bineinteles ca vrea un whisky sec, insa mai intai a rugat-o ceva pe Pat."Te rog, spune-le oaspetilor ca sunt aici si le vad reactiile. Daca nu sunt incantati de faptul ca o sa stau si eu la masa, n-am sa vin cu tine." Lui Pat i s-a parut foarte ciudat. Insa nimic nu parea in regula cu Marilyn in acea zi. Cand a inceput sa murmure cuvinte pe care Pat nici macar nu putea sa le inteleaga, a decis ca e mai bine daca Marilyn nu face cunostinta cu restul grupului. Dupa cum isi amintea mai tarziu, a stat cu Marilyn la bar si a incercat sa discute serios cu ea despre medicamentele pe care le lua, daca facea sau nu abuz. Nu se cunosc detaliile acestei conversatii, ci doar faptul ca Marilyn s-a suparat foarte rau:"Credeam ca ma simt mai bine", i-a spus ea lui Pat, cand se pregatea sa plece, "insa acum vad ca nu ma simt mai bine. Ma simt mai rau, Pat. Mai rau ca niciodata. Poate ma simt mai rau ca mama, iar ea se simte foarte rau, Pat!" A iesit din casa plangand. Aceeasi ruda a familiei Kennedy completeaza:"dupa acest episod, Pat tremura toata. Atunci si-a dat seama ca nu era o idee buna sa fi sincer si deschis cu Marilyn.Cred ca trebuie sa fiu ca toti ceilalti din viata ei si sa-i spun ca totul e in regula, a spus ea, pentru ca nu cred ca este in stare sa faca fata adevarului. Pat a afirmat ca daca ar fi fost vorba de oricare alta femeie care avea necazuri, l-ar fi sunat imediat pe sotul respectivei. Insa Marilyn nu avea pe nimeni, doar pe psihiatrul acela infiorator, in care nu avea deloc incredere."(...) La 26 iunie 1962, intr-o miercuri, Bobby Kennedy trebuia sa se intoarca la Los Angeles fara Ethal, iar Peter si Pat planuiau sa ii intoarca gestul frumos si sa dea o petrecere pentru el. "Vreau ca Bobby sa vada casa mea cea noua," i-a spus Marilyn lui Pat la telefon, la inceputul saptamanii."(...) Si iata cum s-a ajuns la situatia putin probabila ca, la 28 iunie, Peter Lawford sa-i conduca pe Pat si pe Bobby Kennedy cu masina la casa lui Marilyn Monroe. Dupa ce au ajuns, Marilyn i-a invitat inauntru si i-a aratat casa lui Bobby; Peter si Pat mai fusesera la ea. Curios este faptul ca Marilyn nu avea nici o pretentie de la casa ei. Era foarte cu picioarele pe pamant, mai ales luand in considerare cat de cunoscuta era atunci. Casa ei era destul de modesta, avea doar cateva camere. Nu era mai mare decat casa sotilor Bolender, in care a crescut. De fapt, era chiar mai mica! Cu toate astea, nu a manifestat nici o retinere cand a venit vorba sa i-o arate lui Bobby Kennedy, un om bogat care traia in ditamai vila din Virginia, pe o proprietate uriasa. Casa ei era a ei si era mandra de ea; Marilyn era dornica sa se mandreasca cu ea, indiferent cat de mica si neimportanta parea in ochii strainilor. Marilyn considera ca existau probleme mai importante decat cati bani castiga ea si cat de bine etala lucrul asta.(...) Tot atunci, Frank Sinatra a sunat-o pe Pat, ceea ce era neobisnuit, pentru ca ei doi vorbeau destul de rar, sa-i spuna ca-i parea rau ca se razbunase pe sotul ei dupa ce presedintele JFK se hotarase sa nu mai doarma in casa lui din Palm Springs. I-a spus ca dorea sa-i invite pe Pat si pe Peter la casa lui de vacanta, Cal-Nevada Lodge, ca sa petreaca impreuna un weekend.(...) Pat s-a impotrivit ideii de a merge in Nevada ca sa-l vada pe Sinatra. Totusi, simtea ca trebuie macar sa-i spuna sotului ei despre invitatie. Desigur, el abea astepta sa mearga.(...) Marilyn a spus ca vrea si ea sa mearga, ca i-ar prinde bine sa ia un pic de aer, mai ales ca era suparata pentru ce i se intamplase mamei ei la Rock Heaven.(...) Cand au ajuns cei trei, Sinatra i-a salutat si a instalat-o pe Marilyn in Chalet 52, unul dintre locurile rezervate pentru oaspetii speciali.Apoi i-a rugat pe sotii Lawford sa plece, ca sa poata discuta singur cu Marilyn. George Jacobs spune ca Frank auzise ca Marilyn "trecea printr-o criza" si dorea sa afle mai multe."Stia ce se intampla," spune Jacobs, "in problema cu fratii Kennedy. Sau auzise zvonuri.Stia ca e suparata si dorea sa afle mai multe." Mickey Rudin, care era atat avocatul lui Marilyn cat si al lui Frank, a spus in 1996:"Frank era un om foarte milos. A chemat-o pe Marilyn la Cal-Nevada ca sa se distreze, sa-i ofere o scapare de la problemele ei. Daca in acele momente a fost suparata, e foarte posibil sa fi facut o indigestie dupa pranzul consumat, atat era de emotiva si cu o sensibilitate exagerata. De fapt, ar fi putut chiar sa aiba o criza imaginara."(...) Este foarte adevarat ca Sinatra era renumit pentru grija pe care le-o purta prietenilor lui. Cu toate astea, una dintre cele mai mari probleme ale sale era ca nu judeca deloc bine cand venea vorba de unii dintre ei, multi fiind personaje mafiote. Mai mult, nu parea sa-i pese pe cine prezenta prietenilor sai mafioti, iar asta se pare ca a fost una dintre problemele mari ale acelui weekend la Cal-Nevada. La aproximativ trei ore dupa sosirea lui Pat si Peter Lawford impreuna cu Marilyn, in holul de la Cal-Nevada ii astepta o surpriza: Sam Giancana, unul dintre cei mai cunoscuti mafioti, care avea legatura cu tot felul de afaceri mafiote, unele dintre acestea implicandu-i si pe fratii Kennedy.Sinatra si-a trimis avionul personal la Los Angeles, ca sa-l ia si sa-l aduca la Cal-Nevada.Faptul ca Sinatra il invitase la casa lui de vacanta in acelasi timp cu sora presedintelui si sotul ei, n-avea nici o logica. Fireste, Pat s-a suparat si a vrut sa se intoarca la Los Angeles.Dupa cum marturiseste un martor, in clipa in care l-a vazut pe Giancana a zis:"Gata. Trebuie sa plecam." Peter, care parea stanjenit de faptul ca Pat vorbise destul de tare si exista posibilitatea ca Giancana s-o fi auzit, s-a indreptat catre mafiot si i-a strans mana si a inceput sa vorbeasca cu el. Cei doi au privit-o de mai multe ori pe Marilyn, in timpul conversatiei, ca si cum ar fi vorbit despre ea, pentru ca Marilyn tocmai il privise pe Giancana cu cautatura uimita; nu se stie daca l-a recunoscut sau nu."Nu ma simt bine", i-a spus ea lui Pat."Nu pot sa zbor din nou.Nu putem sa plecam acum." Pat si-a pus bratul pe umarul lui Marilyn si i-a soptit ceva la ureche. Cuvintele au deranjat-o pe Marilyn."Nu-mi pasa," a zis ea ridicand vocea."Nu-mi pasa de nimic.Vreau doar sa ma intind, chiar acum.Du-ma in camera, Pat. Acum."(...) Roberta Linn, care canta la Cal-Nevada impreuna cu Frank Sinatra si Buddy Greco, isi aminteste:"Tin minte ca parul ei a fost ciufulit tot timpul, iar uneori si-l tinea strans sub esarfa.Era foarte trista si parea absenta.A participat la spectacolele lui Sinatra in fiecare seara: el canta in sala principala, iar ea statea in spate, cu un aer foarte nefericit.Ce pacat, ma gandeam, ca fata asta avea tot ce-si putea dori, insa de fapt nu avea nimic.Era foarte greu s-o vezi in starea aia."(...) Marilyn incepuse sa-si injecteze singura o combinatie de fenobarbital, nembutal si seconal, pe care o numea "injectie cu vitamine". Joe Langford confirma:"In ziua cand si-a deschis poseta si a scos seringile, stateam langa domnul Sinatra si Pat Kennedy Lawford.Marilyn a fost foarte relaxata.Cauta altceva, asa ca le-a scos si le-a pus pe masa.Lui Sinatra i-a pierit culoarea din obraji, devenise alb ca hartia: Marilyn! Iisuse Hristoase! Pentru ce sunt seringile astea? Ea i-a raspuns: A, sunt pentru injectiile mele cu vitamine. Avea o atitudine foarte nonsalanta. Pat parea ca mai are un pic si lesina. Of, Doamne, Marilyn, a spus ea. Of, Doamne! Apoi Marilyn a raspuns:E in regula, Pat. Stiu ce fac.
A tot cautat in geanta pana cand, in sfarsit, a gasit ceea ce cauta: un ac.Toti stateam in jurul ei cu gura cascata, iar ea a deschis o cutie de pastile si a luat una. Apoi a dat o gaura mica la unul dintre capetele capsulei si a inghitit-o. In felul asta, ajunge mai repede in sange. S-a intors catre Pat si i-a zis:Vezi? Ti-am spus ca stiu ce fac."
Mai tarziu, in aceeasi seara, dupa spectacolul lui Sinatra din sala de spectacole de la Cal-Nevada, sotii Lawford si prietenii lor au baut cateva cocktailuri. Marilyn a baut un singur pahar. Apoi s-a scuzat, spunand ca nu se simte bine si vrea sa se odihneasca in camera ei. Mai tarziu, Pat a trecut pe la ea ca sa vada ce face. Dupa cum povestea mai tarziu, Pat a batut la usa lui Marilyn de mai multe ori, pana cand Marilyn a raspuns, impleticindu-se si cazand inapoi in pat. I-a zis ca-i era greata. Pat s-a speriat si a intrebat-o pe Marilyn daca-si facuse o "injectie cu vitamine".La un moment dat, lui Marilyn i s-a facut foarte rau.Pat spune ca a ingenuncheat langa ea si i-a tinut parul pe spate, cat Marilyn a vomitat in toaleta. Apoi a ajutat-o sa se schimbe, pentru ca bluza alba pe care o purtase Marilyn se patase de voma. Marilyn a rugat-o pe Pat sa arunce bluza intr-unul din cosurile de gunoi de pe proprietate, spunandu-i ca "cineva o sa verifice gunoiul din camera, mai tarziu."
Fireste, s-a dovedit un weekend foarte dificil pentru toti cei care venisera la Cal-Nevada, ingreunat si mai mult de agentii FBI, prezenti din cauza lui Sam Giancana.Pentru ca Sinatra apreciase gresit situatia, au aparut o multime de scenarii imaginare din povestile care au circulat, majoritatea neadevarate, despre acele doua zile din iulie 1962. Daca-l pui pe Sinatra intr-o camera cu Kennedy, un mafiot si o vedeta de cinema, oare te poti astepta la altceva decat zvonuri,barfe si insinuari?(...)
"Frank Sinatra nu stia ce sa creada," spune valetul lui, George Jacobs."Era foarte suparat. Da, o iubea pe Marilyn. Insa intrecuse masura. Daca murea la Cal-Nevada, in timp ce el era acolo? Ar fi fost ingrozitor. Asa ca, in secunda in care s-a saturat, mi-a zis: Ia-o de aici si scapa de ea imediat. Asta a fost tot. A trebuit sa facem ce ni s-a spus, sa o dam afara de acolo.Bineinteles ca ne-a parut rau. Femeia era bolnava. Insa, indiferent cat de milos era, si Sinatra avea o limita, iar Marilyn o depasise. Nu vroia ca Marilyn sa moara la Cal- Nevada, asta e adevarul." Ken Rotcop, care era musafir la Cal-Nevada, isi aminteste ca a vazut-o pe Marilyn cand pleca."Tremura toata, avea frisoane, parea foarte, foarte bolnava." Stacy Baron, alt oaspete din hotel, spune:"Ma aflam in hol si l-am vazut pe Peter Lawford tinand-o de o mana si pe Pat tinand-o de cealalta mana. Practic, o duceau pe brate afara.I-am recunoscut pe cei doi, dar nu am reusit sa-mi dau seama cine era femeia, pentru ca tinea capul plecat si era ametita. Cand a ridicat capul, am avut un soc. Era Marilyn Monroe. Impietrisem de groaza."

"All You Wanted" is a song by Michelle Branch, released as the second single from her debut album The Spirit Room. It has been her biggest hit to date as a solo artist, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, the week of May 25, 2002.

The music video was directed by Liz Friedlander. In 2002, the video was nominated on MTV Video Music Awards in 2 categories: Best Female Video and Best Pop Video.

"Where Are You, Christmas", was co-written by Mariah Carey, James Horner and Will Jennings. The song was originally recorded by Carey, but due to a legal dispute with her ex-husband Tommy Mottola, she could not release her own recording. It was re-recorded and released by Faith Hill.A video was released featuring Hill singing from the Grinch's mountaintop home, interspersed with clips from the film and a cameo appearance by Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who.In 2008, the song was performed by Kaitlyn Maher in a live show at The White House, at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on December 4, 2008 which was attended by President George W. Bush.

Naomi Watts has been cast as sceen icon Marilyn Monroe in a new biopic.Watts will begin shooting Blonde — based on the best-selling book by Joyce Carol Oates — in January. The book is a 700 page fictionalized account of Monroe’s life that caused quite a but of controversy when it arrived on booksellers’ shelves in 2000. There were numerous chapters detailing salacious details on her sex life and cryptically referred to the men in Monroe’s life only by nicknames – “The Ex-Athlete”, “The Playwright” and “The President” — references to three great loves of Marilyn’s life Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, and John F Kennedy.One particular telling snippet saw Marilyn offering a famed movie boss sexual favors in exchange for a leading role.The biopic will chronicle Marilyn’s humble beginnings as Norma Jean Baker to her captivating life as a sex symbol. And the effort already has a lensman — Blonde will be directed by Andrew Dominik, whose credits include Brad Pitt’s 2008 western The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Acoustic Hearts of Winter is the latest album by Aly & AJ, a Christmas album released on 2006. The album features two original songs, "Greatest Time of Year" and "Not This Year", as well as several acoustic covers of classic Christmas carols. "Greatest Time of Year" is what kicks the album off, and it's really a great song. Not acoustic, as the title of the album might imply, but packed with electric guitar, and a great high-energy chorus.

The band Train rolled out a new song for the upcoming holidays meant to put a smile on the faces of music fans who are weary of the gloomy economy. The song, "Shake Up Christmas," is a key part of Coca-Cola Co.'s new Christmas advertising campaign that in past years has featured people or animals, such as the friendly polar bears of 1993, which became iconic for generations of TV viewers. For years, bands have struggled against declining CD sales by branching out into selling more merchandise and beefing up live and televised performances. But for San Francisco-based Train, singer Pat Monahan told Reuters the new song is less about commerce and more about wanting to conjure holiday joy during tough times. "It's really an honor to know that, somehow, our music is affecting people in a positive way," Monahan said. "I think of what I did with 'Shake Up Christmas' as a 'how can I help'" spread some happiness.