Salam Terakhir Sherlock Holmes

Salam Terakhir Sherlock Holmes adalah sebuah kumpulan cerita pendek karangan Sir Arthur Conan Doyle yang mengisahkan tentang sepak terjang Sherlock Holmes sebagai seorang detektif di London dan sekitarnya. Seri ini menjadi penutup dari seri kumpulan cerita pendek Sherlock Holmes. Diterbitkan dalam bahasa Inggris dengan judul His Last Bow pada tahun 1917, isi novel ini mencakup cerita pendek mengenai Holmes yang beredar antara tahun 1908 hingga 1913 ditambah satu cerita yang dikarang pada tahun 1917.

Kumpulan cerita pendek ini pada awalnya berjudul Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes (mengenang Sherlock Holmes) dan be

lum berisi kisah utamanya, yaitu Salam Terakhir yang dimasukkan belakangan setelah penerbitan novel Lembah Ketakutan. Terbitan yang terakhir mau tidak mau harus menyesuaikan sehingga judulnya diubah menjadi seperti saat ini. Akan tetapi, masih ada beberapa penerbit yang menjual edisi lengkap tanpa mengubah judul aslinya.

Masalah Penerbitan di Amerika

Saat buku ini diterbitkan untuk pertama kalinya di Amerika Serikat, penerbit merasa bahwa cerita Misteri Kotak Kardus terlalu vulgar untuk dibaca orang Amerika karena mengandung kisah perzinaan. Dengan terpaksa cerita tersebut tidak diikutsertakan dalam edisi Amerika Serikat hingga bertahun-tahun kemudian.

Namun demikian, elemen nasionalisme dan penolakan terhadap perang yang diikutsertakan dalam cerita, secara tidak langsung membuat banyak mahasiswa lebih menyukai novel ini daripada kumpulan cerita pendek pendahulunya, Kembalinya Sherlock Holmes, yang terbit pada tahun 1904.

Source: Wikipedia

Los Angeles

Los Angeles ( /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ lawss-AN-jə-ləs; Spanish: [los ˈaŋxeles], Spanish for "The Angels") is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City, with a population of 3.8 million, on a land area of 498.3 square miles (1,290.6 km2). It is the focal point of the larger Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside combined statistical area, which contains nearly 17.8 million people and which is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most multicultural counties in the United States. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos" ( /ændʒɪˈliːnoʊz/).

Often known by its initials, LA, and nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is a world center of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, technology, and education. It is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. Los Angeles has been ranked the third richest city and fifth most powerful and influential city in the world, behind only New York City in the United States. The Los Angeles combined statistical area (CSA) has a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of $831 billion (as of 2008), making it the third largest economic center in the world, after the Greater Tokyo Area and the New York metropolitan area.

As the home base of Hollywood, it is known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World", leading the world in the creation of motion pictures, television production, video games, and recorded music. The importance of the entertainment business to the city has led many celebrities to call Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs home. Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics. Los Angeles is also home to renowned universities such as the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Los Angeles was founded on September 4, 1781 by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence. In 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4, 1850, five months before California achieved statehood.

Los Angeles enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with an average of 35 days with measurable precipitation annually.




Source: wikipedia

Moscow

Moscow (English pronunciation: /ˈmɒskaʊ/ or /ˈmɒskoʊ/; Russian: Москва́, tr. Moskva, IPA: [mɐˈskva] ( listen); see also other names) is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent. Moscow is the most northern city on Earth with a population above 10,000,000, the most populous city on the continent of Europe, and the seventh largest city proper in the world. Its population, according to the preliminary results of the 2010 census, is 11,514,300. Based on Forbes 2011, Moscow had 79 billionaires, displacing New York as the city with the greatest number of billionaires.

Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia. In the course of its history the city has served as the capital of a progression of states, from the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and the subsequent Tsardom of Russia to the Soviet Union. Moscow is the site of the Moscow Kremlin, an ancient fortress that is today the residence of the Russian President and of the executive branch of the Government of Russia. The Kremlin is also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. Both chambers of the Russian parliament (the State Duma and the Federation Council) also sit in Moscow.

The city is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railroad terminals, and the Moscow Metro, second only to Tokyo in terms of ridership and recognised as one of the city's landmarks due to the rich and varied architecture of its 182 stations.

Over time, Moscow has acquired a number of epithets, most referring to its size and preeminent status within the nation: The Third Rome (Третий Рим), Whitestone (Белокаменная), The First Throne (Первопрестольная), The Forty Forties (Сорок Сороков).

The demonym for a Moscow resident is Moskvitch, rendered in English as Muscovite.

Source: wikipedia

Singapore

Singapore (i /ˈsɪŋəpɔː(r)/), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. The country is highly urbanised with very little primary rainforest remaining, although more land is being created for development through land reclamation.

Part of various local empires since being inhabited in the 2nd century AD, Singapore hosted a trading post of the East India Company in 1819 with permission from the Sultanate of Johor. The British obtained sovereignty over the island in 1824 and Singapore became one of the British Straits Settlements in 1826. Occupied by the Japanese in World War II, Singapore declared independence, uniting with other former British territories to form Malaysia in 1963, although it was separated from Malaysia two years later. Since then it has had a massive increase in wealth, and is one of the Four Asian Tigers. Singapore is the world's fourth leading financial centre, and its port is one of the five busiest ports in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing, which constituted 26% of Singapore's GDP in 2005.

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. The People's Action Party has won every election since self-government in 1959, and governs on the basis of a strong state and prioritising collective welfare over individual rights such as freedom of assembly, an approach that has attracted criticism from organisations such as Freedom House.

Some 5 million people live in Singapore, of whom 2.91 million were born locally. Most are of Chinese, Malay or Indian descent. There are four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. One of the five founding members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, Singapore also hosts the APEC Secretariat, and is a member of the East Asia Summit, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Commonwealth.


Source: Wikipedia

Jakarta - Indonesia

Jakarta (English pronunciation: /dʒəˈkɑrtə/

Indonesian: Jakarta formerly Batavia and officially the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta), is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of 661 square kilometres (255 sq mi) and a 2010 census count population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre. It is the most populous city in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia, and is the tenth-largest city in the world. The urban area, Jabodetabek, is the second largest in the world. Jakarta is listed as a global city in the 2008 Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) research. The city's name is derived from the Old Javanese word "Jayakarta" which translates as "victorious deed", "complete act", or "complete victory".

Established in the fourth century, the city became an important trading port for the Kingdom of Sunda. It grew as the capital of the colonial Dutch East Indies. It was made capital of Indonesia when the country became independent after World War II. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa (397–1527), Jayakarta (1527–1619), Batavia (1619–1942), and Djakarta (1942–1972). Jakarta has also been known as the Big Durian by most Indonesians and some foreigners.

Landmarks include the National Monument and Istiqlal Mosque. The city is the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat. Jakarta is served by the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, and Tanjung Priok Harbour; it is connected by several intercity and commuter railways, and served by several bus lines running on reserved busways.

Source: wikipedia

Bangkok-Thailand

Bangkok (bahasa Thailand: กรุงเทพฯ, กรุงเทพมหานคร, atau Krung Thep, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon)( กรุงเทพมหานคร (bantuan·info)) adalah ibu kota dan kota terbesar di Thailand. Kota ini terletak di tepi barat Sungai Chao Phraya, dekat Teluk Thailand.

Bangkok adalah salah satu kota dengan perkembangan terpesat, dengan ekonomi yang dinamis dan kemasyarakatan yang progresif di Asia Tenggara. Kota ini sedang berkembang menjadi pusat regional yang dapat menyaingi Singapura dan Hong Kong, namun masih mempunyai masalah dalam sektor infrastruktur dan sosial sebagai akibat perkembangannya yang pesat. Bangkok telah lama menjadi pintu masuk bagi penanam modal asing yang ingin mencari pasar baru di Asia. Kota ini juga mencatat sebagai salah satu kota di dunia dengan laju penambahan konstruksi gedung pencakar langit tercepat. Kaya akan situs-situs budaya membuat Bangkok sebagai salah satu tujuan wisata terpopuler di dunia.

Propinsi Bangkok berbatasan dengan enam propinsi lainnya: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon dan Nakhon Pathom.




Sejarah

Kota Bangkok ( บางกอก (bantuan·info)) dahulu adalah sebuah pusat perdagangan kecil dan pelabuhan di tepi Barat sungai Chao Phraya melayani Kerajaan Ayuthhaya, perintis Thailand modern yang berjaya dari tahun 1350 hingga 1767. Ada kepercayaan bahwa nama Bangkok berasal dari Bang Makok, Bang sebutan dalam bahasa Thailand bagian Tengah untuk kota atau desa yang berlokasi di tepian sungai, dan Makok (มะกอก) adalah nama dalam bahasa Thailand untuk Spondias pinnata, Spondias mombin atau Elaeocarpus hygrophilus (tanaman yang menghasilkan buah seperti buah olive), atau Bang Koh, Koh berarti "pulau", merujuk kepada suatu wilayah yang terukir oleh sungai-sungai dan kanal-kanal.

Setelah kejatuhan Ayutthaya terhadap Kerajaan Burma pada 1767, raja baru, Raja Taksin mendirikan ibu kota baru, Thonburi, pada wilayah yang sekarang adalah bagian dari kota Bangkok. Ketika masa pemerintahan Taksin berakhir pada tahun 1782, Raja Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke membangun ulang ibu kota di sisi timur sungai dan memberikannya nama resmi upacara (ceremonial name) Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit dan kemudian disingkat menjadi nama resmi sekarang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Namun demikian, kota baru tersebut juga ikut menerima nama Bangkok, yang terus digunakan oleh orang-orang asing untuk menunjuk kepada seluruh wilayah kota dan menjadi nama resmi dalam Bahasa Inggris, sedangkan dalam Bahasa Thailand nama Bangkok tetap hanya menunjukan kepada kota tua di tepi barat sungai. Kota tersebut sejak saat itu telah dimodernkan secara luas dan mengalami banyak perubahan, termasuk pengenalan transportasi dan infrastruktur pada masa pemerintahan Raja Mongkut dan Raja Chulalongkorn, dan dengan cepat menjadi pusat perekonomian Thailand.





Source: wikipedia

die another day

Die Another Day (2002) is the twentieth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale. In the pre-title sequence, Bond leads a mission to North Korea, during which he is found out and, after seemingly killing a rogue North Korean colonel, he is captured and imprisoned. More than a year later, Bond is released as part of a prisoner exchange, and, surmising that someone within the British government betrayed him, he follows a trail of clues in an effort to earn redemption by finding his betrayer and learning the intentions of Gustav Graves, who in typical Bond fashion, is not all that he seems.

Die Another Day, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and directed by Lee Tamahori, marks the franchise's 40th anniversary. The series began in 1962 with Sean Connery starring as Bond in Dr. No. Die Another Day includes references to each of the preceding films and also alludes to several Bond novels.

The 2002 film received mixed reviews—some critics praised Lee Tamahori's work on the film, while others claimed the plot was damaged by excessive use of CGI. Thus lauded by some and despite criticism, it was the highest-grossing James Bond film to that date.










Source: wikipedia

Band Of brother

Band of Brothers is a 2001 ten-part television World War II miniseries based on the book of the same title written by historian and biographer Stephen E. Ambrose. The executive producers were Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who had collaborated on the World War II film Saving Private Ryan (1998). The episodes first aired in 2001 on HBO and are still run frequently on various TV networks around the world.

The narrative centers on the experiences of E Company ("Easy Company") of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment assigned to the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. The series covers Easy's basic training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, the American airborne landings in Normandy, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of Bastogne and on to the end of the war, including the taking of the Kehlsteinhaus (Hitler's Eagle's Nest).

The events portrayed are based on Ambrose's research and recorded interviews with Easy Company veterans. A large amount of literary license was taken with the episodes, with several differences between recorded history and the film version.[4][5][6] All of the characters portrayed are based on actual members of Easy Company; some of them can be seen in prerecorded interviews as a prelude to each episode (their identities, however, are not revealed until the close of the finale).

The title for the book and the series comes from a famous St. Crispin's Day Speech delivered by the character of Henry V of England before the Battle of Agincourt in William Shakespeare's Henry V; Act IV, Scene 3. A passage from the speech is quoted on the first page of the book, and is also quoted by Carwood Lipton in the final episode.


source: wikipedia

The Pacific (miniseries)

The Pacific is a 2010 television series produced by HBO, Seven Network Australia, Sky Movies, Playtone and DreamWorks that premiered in the United States on March 14, 2010.[2]

The series is a sister show to the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers and focuses on the United States Marine Corps' actions in the Pacific Theater of Operations within the wider Pacific War. Whereas Band of Brothers followed one company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment through the European Theater, The Pacific centers on the experiences of three Marines (Eugene Sledge, Robert Leckie and John Basilone) who were all in different Regiments of the 1st Marine Division.

The Pacific was spearheaded by Bruce McKenna (co-executive producer), one of the main writers on Band of Brothers. Hugh Ambrose, the son of Band of Brothers author Stephen Ambrose, served as a project consultant.

Source: Wikipedia

Sex In the city

Set four years after the events of the series finale, the film begins with a montage of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) walking through New York and a recap of what happened in the TV series as well as what happened between the season six finale and the film. It then jumps to Carrie and Big (Chris Noth) viewing apartments with the intention of moving in together. Carrie falls in love with a penthouse suite far from their price range, which Big immediately agrees to pay for. However, Carrie experiences doubts over the wisdom of this arrangement, explaining that they are not married, and as such she would have no legal rights to their home in the event of a separation. She offers to sell her own apartment, and quelling her fears, Big suggests that they get married.

Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is finding balancing her home, work, and social life ever more difficult, and confesses to the girls that she hasn’t had sex with Steve (David Eigenberg) in six months. She is devastated when Steve reveals he has slept with another woman, and immediately separates from him.

After an argument with Steve at the rehearsal dinner, Miranda, still upset about Steve's indiscretion, tells Big bluntly that he and Carrie are crazy to be getting married, as marriage ruins everything. On the day of the ceremony, Big cannot go through with it, but repeated attempts to telephone Carrie fail. A devastated Carrie flees the wedding. Big changes his mind and intercepts Carrie as he sees her limousine drive away. Carrie, humiliated and betrayed, furiously attacks Big with her bouquet while he earns scathing looks from Miranda and Charlotte. The four women subsequently take the honeymoon that Carrie had booked to Mexico, where they de-stress and collect themselves.

Upon her return to New York, Carrie hires an assistant, Louise (Jennifer Hudson), to help her move back into her old apartment and manage her administration. Charlotte learns she is pregnant after a visit to her doctor. Miranda eventually confesses to Carrie about what happened during the night of the rehearsal dinner, and the two have a brief falling out. After reflecting on the argument she had with Carrie, Miranda agrees to attend couples counseling with Steve, and they are eventually able to reconcile. Samantha begins over-eating to keep from cheating on Smith with Dante, but eventually realizes that their relationship is simply not working, and that she needs to put herself first. The two break up, and she moves back to New York. Charlotte for several months is concerned that something might happen to the baby, because she feels her life seems to be too perfect.

A surprise encounter with Big at a restaurant leaves Charlotte so outraged that she goes into labor. Big drives her to the hospital, and waits until baby Rose is born, hoping to see Carrie. Harry passes on the message that Big would like her to call him, and that he has written to her frequently, but never received a reply. Carrie searches her correspondence, before realizing that Louise has kept his e-mails password-protected from her, after Carrie earlier announced she wished to sever all communication with him. She finds that he has sent her dozens of letters copied from the book she showed him in the weeks before their wedding, Love Letters of Great Men, Vol. 1, culminating with one of his own where he apologizes for screwing it up and promises to love her forever.

One hour before the locks are due to be changed on their shared penthouse apartment, Carrie travels to the home Big had bought for them to collect a pair of blue Manolo Blahnik shoes she had left there. She finds Big in the walk-in closet he had built for her, and the moment she sees him, her anger at his betrayal dissipates. She runs into his arms and they share a passionate kiss. After they have spent the final hour in their apartment together making up, talking and apologizing to one another, Big proposes to Carrie properly, using one of her diamond-encrusted shoes in place of a ring. They later marry alone, in a simple wedding in New York City Hall, with Carrie dressed in the original dress she had bought in a vintage shop and the blue Manolos. After Big kisses the bride, he whispers into her ear "Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours," a line by Ludwig van Beethoven Carrie read to him from Love Letters of Great Men, Vol. 1 earlier in the film. They hold a get-together at a local diner with their friends. The film ends with the four women around a table in a restaurant, sipping cosmopolitans, and celebrating Samantha's fiftieth birthday, with Carrie making a toast to the next fifty.












Source: wikipedia

Spartacus : Blood and sand

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a Starz television series that premiered on January 22, 2010. The series is inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus (played by Andy Whitfield), a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Executive producers Steven S. DeKnight and Robert Tapert focused on structuring the events of Spartacus' obscure early life leading up to the beginning of historical records. The show has been rated TV-MA for graphic violence, strong sexual content, and coarse language.

The show was initially renewed for a second season but production was delayed because Whitfield was diagnosed with early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Due to the delay, Starz produced a six-episode prequel series, entitled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena. Pre-production of season 2 began following the announcement that Whitfield was cancer free, however his cancer recurred. Starz has since replaced Whitfield with actor Liam McIntyre, who will play Spartacus for season two.

Source: wikipedia

Airliner

Airliners is a U.S. magazine dedicated to the airline industry. Six issues are circulated each year. The title was first published by World Transport Press in 1988. Since the 100th issue (July/August 2006) it has been produced by Airliners Publications, LLC.

The magazine includes articles about the world of commercial aircraft and air carriers, including new low cost airlines, changes at legacy companies, jetliners such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787, trips around the world, historical airlines, adventurous flights, airliner crashes and pictures of airliner liveries.

Featured authors include John Adlard, Sebastian Schmitz, Dave Nichols, Ben Wang, Bill Hough, Joel Chusid, Royal King, Robbie Shaw, and Cody Diamond. Photographers contribute images of airlines, aircraft, personnel, facilities and operations.

The magazine's first editor was John Wegg. Subsequent editors were Bryant Pettit, Nick Veronico, Jon Proctor, David Kaufman and Jay Selman. Starting with the November/December 2007 issue, the editor was Dwayne Darnell. On December 11, 2009, Darnell announced that he was leaving, and that designer/Creative Director Robert Christensen would lead the magazine.

In 2010, Robert Christensen initiated a series of online initiatives, releasing e-book formats of the print magazine and establishing a social media presence. Popular components of past issues such as the Air Photo News section are being returned to the magazine's pages.

Source: Wikipedia

Daniel Craig

Daniel Wroughton Craig[2] (born 2 March 1968) is an English actor and film producer. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert. His breakthrough performances were in the films Layer Cake, Some Voices and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Craig became well known internationally after he was cast as the sixth actor to portray fictional secret agent James Bond in the film series. He made his début as the character in the 2006 film, Casino Royale. He was critically acclaimed, and was nominated for a BAFTA award, for his portrayal in the film.

James Bond: 2005–present

On 23 October 2005, Craig signed a five-film contract with EON Productions to portray James Bond. He stated that he "was aware of the challenges" of the James Bond franchise which he considers "a big machine" that "makes a lot of money". He aimed at bringing more "emotional depth" to the character. Being born in 1968, Craig is the first actor to portray James Bond to be born after the Bond series already started, and Ian Fleming, the novels' writer, had died.

Numerous actors publicly voiced their support of Craig's casting. Most notably, four of the five actors who had previously portrayed Bond – Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, Sean Connery, and Roger Moore – called his casting a good decision. Clive Owen, who had been linked to the role, also spoke in defence of Craig.

The first film, Casino Royale, premièred on 14 November 2006 and grossed a total of US$594,239,066 worldwide, which makes the film the highest grossing Bond film to date. After the film was released, Craig's performance was highly acclaimed.

As production of Casino Royale reached its conclusion, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced that pre-production work had already begun on the 22nd Bond film. After several months of speculation as to the release date, Wilson and Broccoli officially announced on 20 July 2006 that the follow-up film, Quantum of Solace,[16] was to be released on 7 November 2008 and that Craig plays Bond with an option for a third film. On 25 October 2007, MGM CEO Harry Sloan revealed at the Forbes Meet II Conference that Craig had signed on for four more Bond films, through to Bond 25.


On 12 June 2008, Craig sliced the top of one of his fingers off while filming Quantum of Solace. The accident was the latest in a string of incidents surrounding the shoot, including a fire at one of the sets in Pinewood Studios, UK; a car crash that left the stunt driver in a serious condition; and an Aston Martin skidding off the roads in heavy rains while being transported to the set in northern Italy and plunging into Lake Garda.

Craig describes his portrayal of Bond as an antihero: “The question I keep asking myself while playing the role is, ‘Am I the good guy or just a bad guy who works for the good side?’ Bond’s role, after all, is that of an assassin when you come down to it. I have never played a role in which someone’s dark side shouldn’t be explored. I don’t think it should be confusing by the end of the movie, but during the movie you should be questioning who he is.” Craig also states that his favourite previous Bond actor was Sean Connery, but says, "I'd never copy somebody else. I would never do an impression of anybody else or try and improve on what they did. That would be a pointless exercise for me". His favourite Bond film is From Russia with Love. On a James Bond-centric episode of The South Bank Show, Connery divulged his thoughts on Craig's casting as Bond, whom he described as "fantastic, marvelous in the part." When he was told that Craig had taken particular note of his performances, Connery said that he was "flattered," and that Craig "really gets" the 'danger element' to Bond's character.

On 19 April 2010, Craig's expected third Bond film (the 23rd overall in the series) was announced to have been suspended indefinitely due to the crippling debt and uncertain future of MGM. However, both Craig and Sam Mendes hoped to resume work on the film soon. The film has since resumed and Craig will return as Bond once again, with the film due for release on 9 November 2012.

Source: wikipedia

Britney Spears

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999. During her first decade within the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Her first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s.

In 2001, she released her third studio album Britney and expanded her brand, playing the starring role in the film Crossroads. She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, In the Zone released in 2003, which yielded chart-topping singles "Me Against the Music", "Toxic" and "Everytime". After the release of two compilation albums, Spears experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus. Her fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in 2007 and despite receiving little promotion, it spawned hits "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me". In 2008, her erratic behaviour and hospitalizations caused her to be placed in a conservatorship. The same year, her sixth studio album Circus was released, with the global chart-topping lead single "Womanizer". After embarking on The Circus Starring Britney Spears, she released greatest hits The Singles Collection, which featured U.S. and Canadian number-one single "3". In 2011, Spears returned with her seventh studio album, titled Femme Fatale, which was released on March 29, 2011, including the lead single "Hold It Against Me" which has become Spears' fourth U.S. number-one single. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard 200. This made Spears the only female artist ever to have six number one debut albums, and have seven albums debut in the top two spots.

Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists in the history of contemporary music. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States, with 32 million certified albums.Spears is also recognized as the best-selling female artist of the first decade of the 21st century, as well as the fifth overall.

She was ranked the 8th Artist of the 2000s by Billboard. In June 2010, Spears was ranked sixth on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world; she is also the third most mentioned musician on the internet, according to Forbes.

Source: wikipedia

maddona

Madonna (born Madonna Louise Ciccone (Italian pronunciation: [tʃik̚ˈkoːne]); August 16, 1958) is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983. She followed it with a series of albums in which she found immense popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her music videos, which became a fixture on MTV. Throughout her career, many of her songs have hit number one on the record charts, including "Like a Virgin", "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes". Critics have praised Madonna for her diverse musical productions while at the same time serving as a lightning rod for religious controversy.

Her career was further enhanced by film appearances that began in 1979, despite mixed commentary. She won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role in Evita (1996), but has received harsh feedback for other film roles. Madonna's other ventures include being a fashion designer, children's book author, film director and producer. She has been acclaimed as a businesswoman, and in 2007, she signed an unprecedented US $120 million contract with Live Nation.

Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States, behind Barbra Streisand, with 64 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Madonna at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard chart. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year. Considered to be one of the "25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century" by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry.

Source: Wikipedia

Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE (lahir di Navan, County Meath, Irlandia, 16 Mei 1953; umur 57 tahun) adalah seorang aktor film dan televisi, produser film dan aktivis lingkungan hidup, yang memegang dua kewarganegaraan yaitu Irlandia dan Amerika. Setelah meninggalkan sekolah pada usia 16 tahun, Brosnan mulai berlatih dalam ilustrasi komersial, dan kemudian ia kuliah di Drama Centre di London selama tiga tahun. Setelah beberapa waktu menjadi aktor teater, ia lantas membangun popularitas melalui serial televisi Remington Steele.

Brosnan memerankan agen rahasia James Bond dalam GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough dan Die Another Day. Ia juga menjadi pengisi suara untuk permainan video James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing. Pada tahun 1993, Brosnan membintangi film Mrs Doubtfire dengan memerankan karakter Stuart Dunmeyer. Ia juga memainkan peran ahli vulkanologis Harry Dalton dalam film Dante's Peak bersama dengan aktris Linda Hamilton pada tahun 1997. Pada tahun 1996, ia membentuk sebuah rumah produksi bernama Irish DreamTime, bersama dengan Beau St Clair, seorang AS. Ia menikah dengan Cassandra Harris sampai kematiannya, dan sekarang ia menikah dengan Keely Shaye Smith.

Sejak meninggalkan peran James Bond, Brosnan kemudian membintangi beberapa film seperti The Matador dan Seraphim Falls. Ia menjadi warga negara Amerika pada tahun 2004. Dalam tahun-tahun berikutnya, ia lebih dikenal sebagai pekerja amal dan aktivis lingkungan hidup. Ia sekarang bekerja pada proyek-proyek seperti The Topkapi Affair,Caitlin dan The Big Biazarro. Ia kemudian membintangi film musikal berjudul Mamma Mia! sebagai Sam Carmichael, dimana atas perannya tersebut ia meraih Golden Raspberry untuk "Aktor Pendukung Terburuk". Ia sekarang menjadi narator untuk acara Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends.

James Bond

Brosnan pertama kali bertemu dengan produser film James Bond Albert R. Broccoli pada saat syuting For Your Eyes Only karena istri pertamanya juga turut bermain dalam film tersebut. Broccoli lantas berkata, "kalau ia (Brosnan) bisa berakting... dialah orang yang cocok untuk mewarisi peran Bond dari Roger Moore". Dilaporkan oleh Entertainment Tonight dan National Enquirer, bahwa Brosnan akan mewarisi peran lain Moore, yaitu sebagai Simon Templar dalam serial The Saint. Brosnan kemudian membantah rumor tersebut pada bulan Juli 1993, tetapi menambahkan, "setidaknya saya masih ada peluang di dua peran tersebut, tapi itu masih tersimpan di pikiran seseorang yang kini duduk di Hollywood."

Pada 1986, Timothy Dalton menjadi pilihan utama untuk menggantikan Roger Moore. Tetapi perjanjian kontrak dengan film Brenda Starr dan sebuah sandiwara teater dari Antony & Cleopatra dan The Taming of The Shrew sempat membuat Dalton tidak bisa menerima tawaran tersebut. Sebagai alternatif, Sam Neill kemudian sempat masuk tes untuk menjadi James Bond, tetapi kemudian ditolak oleh Albert R. Broccoli. Ternyata dalam kurun waktu setengah tahun, Dalton berhasil menyelesaikan syuting Brenda Starr dan itu berarti ia bisa masuk menjadi James Bond asal Wales yang pertama sepanjang sejarah. Dalton kemudian berperan dalam The Living Daylights (1987) dan Licence to Kill (1989). Dalton sedianya akan dikontrak untuk tiga buah film Bond, dimana untuk yang ketiga direncanakan akan diproduksi pada 1990 dan akan dilempar ke pasaran pada 1991. Saat itu judul yang berkembang di masyarakat adalah The Property of a Lady (yang masuk sebagai salah satu cerita pendek karya Ian Fleming), tetapi akhirnya tidak pernah dikonfirmasi oleh pihak EON Productions. Jalan ceritanya direncanakan akan berkisar seputar penghancuran sebuah laboratorium kimia di Skotlandia, dan Bond bertualang ke London, Tokyo dan Hong Kong. Tetapi film ini kemudian batal dibuat setelah United Artist/MGM berperang dengan EON selama hampir empat tahun. Ketika pertikaian ini berakhir di awal 1994, kontrak Dalton dengan EON Productions sudah habis, dan pada tanggal 7 Juni 1994, Brosnan diumumkan secara resmi sebagai aktor kelima untuk berperan sebagai James Bond.

Impian masa kecil yang menjadi kenyataan


Brosnan lantas menandatangani kontrak film James Bond sebanyak tiga judul dengan opsi tambahan untuk film yang keempat. Ia pertama kali muncul sebagai Komandan Bond pada film tahun 1995 berjudul GoldenEye yang kemudian banyak mendapat pujian dari para kritikus. Kritikus James Berardinelli menggambarkan ia sebagai "seorang yang bisa menyelesaikan perbaikan atas pendahulunya" dengan "bakat kecerdasan yang alami untuk seorang Komandan Bond. GoldenEye kemudian berhasil meraih pendapatan kotor sebesar US$ 350 juta di seluruh dunia. Film ini menjadi film keempat terlaris di dunia pada 1995, dan masuk sebagai salah satu film James Bond terlaris saat itu.

Pada tahun 1996, Brosnan membentuk sebuah rumah produksi film yang bernama "Irish DreamTime" bersama dengan mitranya Beau St Clair. Tiga tahun kemudian perusahaan tersebut merilis film perdananya yang berjudul The Thomas Crown Affair, yang kemudian berhasil sukses di pasaran box-office. Brosnan lantas kembali sebagai James Bond dalam Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) dan The World Is Not Enough (1999), yang juga lagi-lagi mencatat box-office. Pada tahun 2002, Brosnan tampil untuk keempat kalinya sebagai Bond dalam Die Another Day. Selama promosi, ia menyebutkan bahwa ia ingin melanjutkan perannya sebagai James Bond: "Saya ingin melakukan hal yang lain, sungguh. Connery melakukannya enam kali. Enam akan menjadi sebuah angka yang fantastis, yang tidak akan pernah kembali."

Brosnan sempat bertanya pada EON Productions ketika ia menerima peran Bond, intinya apakah ia akan diizinkan untuk bekerja pada proyek-proyek film lain di luar James Bond. Permintaan itu dikabulkan, dan setiap kali film Bond dirilis, Brosnan juga muncul dalam setidaknya dua film utama lainnya, termasuk beberapa film yang diproduksi oleh dirinya sendiri. Brosnan sendiri muncul dalam beberapa judul film di antaranya sebagai ilmuwan di film besutan Tim Burton berjudul Mars Attacks!, ahli vulkanologis di Dante's Peak dan dalam Grey Owl, yaitu sebuah film biografi tentang Archibald Stansfeld Belaney dari Inggris yang mengadopsi nama Ojibwa Grey Owl dan kemudian menjadi salah satu konservasionis pertama asal Kanada.

Mewariskan jabatan

Tidak lama setelah rilis Die Another Day, media mulai mempertanyakan apakah Brosnan akan kembali atau tidak sebagai James Bond untuk kelima kalinya. Brosnan kemudian sempat teringat pada Roger Moore yang dibenci oleh sebagian fans 007 di akhir kariernya sebagai James Bond dikarenakan usianya yang terlalu tua yaitu 58 tahun, namun di sisi lain ia juga banyak mendapat dukungan moril dari pihak produser dan sebagian fans fanatik 007. Untuk alasan ini, ia tetap mencoba untuk bersemangat mengulangi perannya sebagai James Bond. Sepanjang 2004, Brosnan diisukan menemui jalan buntu dalam negoisasi kontrak kerjanya sebagai James Bond dengan EON Productions. MGM sebagai induk EON Productions mengumumkan bahwa mereka akan mencari aktor lain yang lebih muda untuk menggantikan Brosnan. Pada Juli 2004 Brosnan berujar bahwa "Bond adalah kehidupan saya yang lain, ia ada di belakang saya."[31] Kemudian pada Oktober 2004, Brosnan mengatakan bahwa ia telah benar-benar berhenti sebagai James Bond, meskipun banyak isu yang menyatakan bahwa dirinya sedang syuting diam-diam untuk film James Bond kelimanya. Pengumuman pengunduran diri Brosnan sebagai Bond resmi dirilis pada Februari 2005. Dan beberapa bulan sesudahnya, aktor asal Cheshire, Daniel Craig resmi mengambil alih peran Brosnan untuk James Bond. Dalam sebuah wawancara dengan The Globe and Mail, Brosnan ditanya pendapatnya oleh wartawan tentang Daniel Craig sebagai James Bond baru. Brosnan menjawab, "Saya tak sabar lagi seperti kita semua menantikan hal itu. Daniel Craig adalah seorang aktor besar dan ia akan melakukan pekerjaan yang fantastis." Dia kemudian menegaskan kembali dukungan ini dalam sebuah wawancara dengan International Herald Tribune, yang menyatakan bahwa "Daniel Craig sedang dalam perjalanan untuk menjadi Bond yang akan dikenang sepanjang sejarah."[36]

Selama masa kerjanya di film James Bond, Brosnan juga menjadi salah satu bagian dari seri permainan video James Bond. Pada tahun 2002, wajah Brosnan digunakan sebagai model dalam video game Nightfire (dimana suaranya diisi oleh Maxwell Caulfield). Pada tahun 2004, Brosnan menjadi bintang utama dalam video game James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, dimana untuk sulih suaranya ia bekerja sama dengan beberapa aktor pengisi suara lain.

Sumber : Wikipedia

Justin Bieber

Justin Drew Bieber (pronounced /ˈbiːbər/ BEE-bər, born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian pop/R&B singer-songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who happened to come across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Braun arranged for him to meet with Usher in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher, and then to a recording contract with Island Records offered by L.A. Reid.

His debut single, "One Time", released worldwide in 2009, peaked in the top ten in Canada and charted in the top thirty in several international markets. His debut release, My World, followed on November 17, 2009, and was eventually certified platinum in the United States. He became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the Billboard Hot 100.


His first full studio release, My World 2.0, was released on March 23, 2010 and has since received similar success; it debuted at number one and within the top ten of several countries, and was certified platinum in the United States. It was preceded by the worldwide top-ten single, "Baby," in January 2010. The music video of "Baby" is currently ranked as the most viewed and most discussed YouTube video,[12] and was the most disliked until being overtaken by Rebecca Black's song Friday.[13] Bieber followed-up the release of his debut album with his first headlining tour, the My World Tour, the remix albums My Worlds Acoustic and Never Say Never – The Remixes, and the 3D biopic-concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never – which had an opening weekend gross that nearly matched the record for the biggest opening weekend for a concert-film.

The singer has been nominated and awarded numerous accolades over the past few years, winning Artist of the Year at the 2010 American Music Awards, and being nominated for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 53rd Grammy Awards, among others. Bieber is considered a teen idol, and has been subject to acclaim from fans, as well as criticism and controversy from matters concerning his popularity and image.

2008–09: Discovery and My World

While searching for videos of a different singer, Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def, clicked on one of Bieber's 2007 videos by accident. Impressed, Braun tracked down the theater Bieber was performing in, located Bieber's school, and finally contacted Mallette. Mallette was reluctant because of Braun's Jewish religion; she remembered praying, "God, I gave him to you. You could send me a Christian man, a Christian label! ... you don’t want this Jewish kid to be Justin’s man, do you?” However, after praying with her church elders and receiving their encouragement, she permitted Braun to fly Bieber, then 13, to Atlanta, Georgia, to record demo tapes. A week after arriving, Bieber sang for R&B singer/songwriter Usher. Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher.Justin Timberlake was also reportedly in the running to sign Bieber, but lost the bidding war to Usher. Usher then arranged an audition with Antonio L.A. Reid of Island Def Jam Music Group, who signed Bieber to Island Records in October 2008 (resulting in a joint venture between RBMG and Island Records). At that point, Bieber and his mother moved to Atlanta temporarily, also the home of Usher and Braun, to record and get counseling from Braun. Braun became Bieber's manager.


Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while Bieber was still recording his debut album. The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in July 2009, and later peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. During fall 2009 it had success in international markets. The song was certified Platinum in Canada and the US and Gold in Australia and New Zealand. Bieber's first release, an extended play entitled My World, was released on November 17, 2009. The album's second single, "One Less Lonely Girl", and two promo singles, "Love Me", and "Favorite Girl", were released exclusively on the iTunes store and charted within the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100. "One Less Lonely Girl" was later also released to radio and peaked within the top fifteen in Canada and the U.S., being certified Gold in the latter. My World was eventually certified Platinum in the US and Double Platinum in both Canada and the UK. To promote the album, Bieber performed on several live shows such as mtvU's VMA 09 Tour, European program The Dome, YTV's The Next Star, The Today Show, The Wendy Williams Show, Lopez Tonight, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, It's On with Alexa Chung, Good Morning America, Chelsea Lately, and BET's 106 & Park with Rihanna. Bieber also guest starred in an episode of True Jackson, VP in late 2009.

Bieber performed Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas" for U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House for Christmas in Washington, which was broadcast on December 20, 2009, on U.S. television broadcaster TNT. Bieber was also one of the performers at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest on December 31, 2009. Bieber was a presenter at the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. He was invited to be a vocalist for the remake of We Are The World for its 25th anniversary to benefit Haiti after the earthquake. Bieber sings the opening line, which was sung by Lionel Richie in the original version. On March 12, 2010, a version of K'naan's "Wavin' Flag" recorded by a collective of Canadian musicians known as Young Artists for Haiti was released. Bieber is featured in the song, performing the closing lines.

2010–present: My World 2.0 and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never

"Baby", the lead single from his debut album, My World 2.0, which features Ludacris, was released in January 2010 and became his biggest hit thus far, charting at number five in the U.S. and reaching the top ten in seven other countries. Two promo singles "Never Let You Go", and "U Smile" were top thirty hits on the U.S. Hot 100, and top twenty hits in Canada.According to review aggregator Metacritic, the album has received "generally favorable reviews". It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Bieber the youngest solo male act to top the chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963. My World 2.0 also debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, Irish Albums Chart, and Australian Albums Chart, and the New Zealand Albums Chart and reached the top ten of fifteen other countries. To promote the album, Bieber appeared on several live programs including The View, the 2010 Kids Choice Awards, Nightline, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Dome and 106 and Park. Bieber collaborated with Sean Kingston on his single "Eenie Meenie" which also appeared on Bieber's debut album. The song reached the top ten in the United Kingdom and Australia, and in the top-twenty of most other markets.


On April 10, 2010, Bieber was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. On July 4, 2010, Bieber performed at the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in New York City.The second single from My World 2.0, "Somebody to Love", was released in April 2010, and a remix was released featuring Bieber's mentor Usher. The single reached number ten in Canada, fifteen in the United States, and the top twenty in multiple international countries.

On June 23, 2010, Bieber went on his first official headlining tour, the My World Tour, starting in Hartford, Connecticut, to promote My World and My World 2.0. In July 2010, it was reported that Bieber was the most searched for celebrity on the Internet. That same month his music video, "Baby", surpassed Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" to become the most viewed, and most disliked YouTube video ever. In September 2010, it was reported that Bieber accounted for three percent of all traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social-networking site.

Bieber began recording his second album in July 2010 in New York City. At this point, because of puberty, his voice was deeper than it was when he recorded his first album. In April 2010, the singer discussing his vocals remarked, "It cracks. Like every teenage boy, I'm dealing with it and I have the best vocal coach in the world. Some of the notes I hit on "Baby" I can't hit anymore. We have to lower the key when I sing live." British singer/songwriter Taio Cruz confirmed in July 2010 that he is writing songs for Bieber's next album. Hip hop producer Dr. Dre produced two songs with Bieber in July 2010[51] but it is unknown if they were made for the album, which is currently due for a 2011 release.

Bieber guest-starred in the season premiere of the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, aired on September 23, 2010. He played a "troubled teen who is faced with a difficult decision regarding his only brother." Bieber was also in a subsequent episode which aired on February 17, 2011, in which his character is killed. Bieber performed a medley of "U Smile", "Baby," and "Somebody to Love" and briefly played the drums at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010. Bieber announced in October 2010 that he would release an acoustic album, called My Worlds Acoustic. It was released on Black Friday in the United States and featured acoustic versions of songs from his previous albums, and accompanied the release of a completely new song titled "Pray".

A 3-D part-biopic, part-concert film starring Bieber entitled Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was released February 11, 2011, directed by Step Up 3D director Jon Chu. It topped the box office with an estimated grossing of $12.4 million on its opening day from 3,105 theaters. It grossed $30.3 million for the weekend and was narrowly beaten by the romantic comedy Just Go With It, which grossed $31 million. Never Say Never is said to have exceeded industry expectations, nearly matching the $31.1 million grossed by Miley Cyrus's 2008 3-D concert film, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, which holds the record for the top debut for a music-documentary. The film is accompanied by his second remix album, Never Say Never – The Remixes, released February 14, 2011, and features remixes of songs from his debut album, with guest appearances from Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, and Kanye West, among others.







Source: wikipedia

Heal The World - Michael jackson

"Heal the World" is a song from Michael Jackson's hit album, Dangerous, released in 1991. The music video features children living in countries suffering from unrest, especially Burundi. It is also one of only a handful of Michael Jackson's videos not to feature Jackson himself, the others being "Cry", "HIStory" and "Man in the Mirror". (The clips for "HIStory" and "Man in the Mirror" only feature Michael Jackson in archival footage). The version of the video included on the box-set "Michael Jackson's Vision" contains an introductory video that features a speech from Jackson taken from the special "spoken word" version of the track. This version was not included on an previous DVD featuring the music video. Jackson performed the song in the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show with a 35,000 person flash card performance.

In a 2001 Internet chat with fans, Jackson said "Heal the World" is the song he was most proud to have created. He also created the Heal the World Foundation, a charitable organization which was designed to improve the lives of children. The organization was also meant to teach children how to help others. This concept of 'betterment for all' would become a centerpiece for the Dangerous World Tour. In the documentary Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson said he created the song in his "Giving Tree" at Neverland Ranch.

An ensemble performance of "We Are the World" and "Heal the World" closed Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009. The song was performed as rehearsed by Jackson at the venue just days earlier, in preparation for his planned "This Is It" tour in London along with "Dirty Diana". R&B singer Ciara sung the song as a tribute to Jackson at the 2009 BET Awards. Jennette McCurdy is performing this duet with Brittany Hargest of Jump5 for her new album.

The song was played at the funeral of James Bulger, and Jackson also donated the song to be used as the anthem for the charity the James Bulger Red Balloon Center, a school for children to go if they are being bullied or have learning difficulties.

The theme seems to have been inspired by the Soundtrack of Jaws where it can be heard in the Main Title at 1'23.

Source : Wikipedia

Never Say Never - Justin Bieber

"Never Say Never" is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. The song serves as the theme song for The Karate Kid (2010), and features rap interludes from the film's star, Jaden Smith. It was originally a risque demo with sexual lyrics performed by American singer Travis Garland, it was written and produced by The Messengers, and Omarr Rambert. However, for unknown reasons, Bieber was tapped to record the song for the film. He re-wrote the song with The Messengers, Rambert, Smith, and his vocal producer Kuk Harrell, to feature inspirational lyrics to foil the film's theme. The song contains R&B and pop elements while merging hip-hop. The song was released for digital download in the United States on June 8, 2010. The song was later included as a track on the remix album My Worlds Acoustic (2010). On December 16, 2010, it was reported that the song had made the shortlist for the 83rd Academy Awards for Best Original Song. To promote Bieber's 3D concert film of the same name, the song was released as the lead single from Bieber's second remix album, Never Say Never – The Remixes.

"Never Say Never" peaked within the top twenty in Canada, Norway, and New Zealand, while reaching the top forty in the Australia, as well as charting in other international markets. After it was re-released as the lead single from – The Remixes, promoting his film, the peaked at eight on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Bieber second top-ten single in the United States. Its accompanying music video, directed by Honey, features Smith and Bieber in a recording studio playing around and dancing, and is intercut with scenes from the film. He has notably performed the song on Today and on his My World Tour. Smith joined Bieber during the tour's stop at Madison Square Garden to perform the song for scenes in Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.

Background
A demo of the song, "Sexy Together" was originally recorded by Travis Garland. Reportedly Bieber re-wrote the song with its original writers Adam Messinger, Nasri, Omarr Rambert, and his vocal producer Kuk Harrell, while Smith added lines. Carina Adly MacKenzie of Zap2it preferred Bieber and Smith's version, commenting, "No wonder Bieb skipped this version -- it's a total snoozer. You'd think that a song about sex would be more interesting than a song about little kids doing karate... but no." Bieber hinted at the collaboration by posting a promo photo of he and Smith on his Twitter, and also posting that a video of his would premiere before "Somebody to Love," the second single from his studio album debut, My World 2.0. The song was confirmed when the track listing for the soundtrack was revealed. It was released on iTunes in the United States on June 8, 2010

Composition

Never Say Never" is a pop-R&B which includes hip hop. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Never Say Never" is set in common time with a metronome of 96 beats per minute, which is described as "steady, not too fast."It is composed in the key of A minor with vocals spanning from the low-note of G3 to the high-note of C6. The song follows in the chord progression of Am–C–G–D Bieber provides lead vocals in the song while Smith provides the backing with rap interludes. The song is a "motivational track," containing inspirational lyrics, such as Bieber singing about a life filled with adversity, through lines like, "I never thought that I could walk through fire / I never thought that I could take the burn". Idolator thought the song as a tween-friendly version of Eminem's "Lose Yourself." Smith's lines reference his father, and puns in the phrase, "raised by the power of Will". He also makes reference to his lineage by saying "Born from two stars so the moon's where I land.", as he is the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, who are both Hollywood stars. Smith also makes references to Luke Skywalker and Kobe Bryant in his lines.



Source: Wikipedia

Die Another Day (song)

"Die Another Day" is the theme to the James Bond film of the same name recorded by Madonna. The single was released in late 2002, marking Madonna's 20th career anniversary, and peaked at number eight in the United States and number three in the United Kingdom, selling 167,863 copies - making it the most successful Bond theme since Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill." The song was later included on her 2003 studio album, American Life, and her 2009 compilation album, Celebration. Stylus Magazine called it "a great slice-and-dice hit of fucked-up electroclash".


Song Information
The song was co-written and co-produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï in the key of C minor[5] with string arrangements written by Michel Colombier. The single spent 11 weeks at number one on the United States Billboard Singles Sales Charts and is her most successful title on the sales chart to date. It became the fifth best-selling dance single of the 2000s decade in the United States. Die Another Day was the most successful Bond theme-song since the 1980s. Critical opinion of the song widely varies as evidenced by the fact that it was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song as well as for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song in 2002. In an official MORI poll in the UK for the Channel 4 program James Bond's Greatest Hits, the song was voted 9th most popular James Bond theme by the general public. Those polled aged 24 and under voted it their number 1 favorite Bond song. Incidentally, while Die Another Day, the film, marked the 40th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, "Die Another Day", the single, marked Madonna's 20th anniversary in the music business; Madonna's first single, "Everybody", had been released in October 1982.

The song peaked #1 in 12 different countries, including an 8 week stint at #1 on the World Music Charts and a then-record 11 week stay at #1 for Madonna on the US Hot 100 Single Sales. The song became Madonna's 35th Top 10 hit, becoming second in career Top 10 singles behind Elvis Presley (who has thirty eight) .

None of Die Another Day's melody was employed by David Arnold in the development of the motion picture score. Instead, the instrumentals of the song's Dirty Vegas Mix can be heard during one scene of the film. Some of the remixes of the song feature bonus spoken word vocals by Madonna. She performed "Die Another Day" as part of her 2004 Re-Invention Tour and used it as a video interlude in the Sticky & Sweet Tour (2008). A live performance of the song is included on Madonna's live CD I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (2005). According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 175,000 copies there.

Music video

The music video was directed by Traktor, a Swedish directing team, and filmed from August 22–27, 2002 at Hollywood Center Studios in Hollywood, California. The video features references to Honey Ryder (from 1962's Dr No), Rosa Klebb and Blofeld's white Persian cat (from 1963's From Russia With Love), Oddjob and Jill Masterson (from 1964's Goldfinger), Tee Hee's metal arm from the 1973 Live and Let Die, Francisco Scaramanga's golden gun from 1974's The Man With The Golden Gun, as well as a spacesuit, a fencing battle in a Venetian glass factory, and a Jaws-like man with metal teeth, all referencing 1979's Moonraker, and even contains a reference to Luke Skywalker's lightsaber battle with Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. And from the film of the same name, the opening titles torture scene with General Moon, a portrait of the then-Bond Pierce Brosnan from a fight scene with Gustav Graves, and the dual role (in black and white fencing costumes) played by double agent Miranda Frost, herself a protege of Verity, played in the film by Madonna herself. The very end of the video has sparked some discussion as Madonna appears to escape Houdini-like from the electric chair, leaving behind only a smouldering chair with a Hebrew expression לאו, a phrase that can be interpreted as "great escape" or "freedom," one of the "72 Names of God," used in the Kabbalah.[12] The video ends with the gun barrel sequence, as Madonna throws open the doors of the torture facility in her escape. The total production costs for the video were over $6,000,000, making it the second most expensive music video ever made, after "Scream" by Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.[13]
Director: Traktor (Mats Lindberg, Pontus Löwenhielm, Ole Sanders)
Producer: Jim Bouvet
Director of Photography: Harris Savides
Editor: Rick Russell
Production Company: Traktor Films

Source: Wikipedia

Like a G6 - Far East Movement

"Like a G6" is a song from Far East Movement's 2010 album Free Wired. The track features female vocals by Devin Star Tailes and male vocals by The Cataracs. It was written and produced by The Cataracs. It was number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks ending November 6, 2010, and then again for the week of November 27 of the same year. It is one of only eight singles in Billboard history to return to #1 after two or more other singles had succeeded it in that position. The song has also topped the charts in New Zealand and South Korea and reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland and Slovakia.

Many questions surround the meaning of "G6." Some believed it to be a reference to the Pontiac G6,[1] however, Kev Nish clarified that the G6 reference is to an airplane, a Gulfstream IV (G4) hyperbole. "A G6 is not a Gatorade flavour. It's not a car, convertible, four-door. It's not a watch," group member Kev Nish told MTV News. "But Drake, Drake talks about having G4 pilots on deck, so we said, 'What's flyer than a G4?' Of course, it would be a G6." Writer and producer Niles Hollowell-Dhar revealed that the reference to G6 was created primarily in order to rhyme.[2] It samples Dev's single "Booty Bounce" as the hook/chorus.

Source: Wikipedia

Musik Pompang Bertahan di Antara Hip Hop

POLEWALI MANDAR, KOMPAS.com — Musik pompang atau yang akrab dikenal masyarakat Mamasa, Sulawesi Barat, sebagai musik bambu ini ternyata bisa lestari di tengah gempuran beragam aliran musik modern, sebut saja aliran musik jazz, pop, blus, dan rock kontemporer atau musik hip hop yang notabene adalah aliran musik dari luar negeri, yang banyak digandrungi anak-anak muda.

Hubungan mutualisme seniman dan masyarakat penikmatnya menjadikan musik khas ini tetap menjadi hiburan rakyat. Yang menarik, musik ini berkembang menjadi sarana hiburan rakyat justru tidak digerakkan oleh tokoh sentral atau figur seniman besar yang biasanya ditokohkan.

Semua seniman merasa tokoh sekaligus penikmat musik pompang. Beragam aliran musik modern, yang gemerlap dan memengaruhi masyarakat dan anak-anak muda, tidak membuat musik pompang yang sudah menjadi musik rakyat Mamasa ini terpinggirkan dan kehilangan penggemar.

Musik pompang bahkan tetap menjadi pilihan hiburan bagi masyarakat. Wajar jika musik bambu ini selalu hadir mewarnai setiap acara pesta kemasyarakatan atau pesta formal pejabat lainnya.

Berbagai kegiatan atau hajatan masyarakat, yang sudah lekat dengan musik bambu, seolah tak afdol rasanya tanpa musik pompang sebagai suguhan hiburan.

Utuk menyambut pejabat ternama atau perayaan ulang tahun kabupaten/musik khas Mamasa ini selalui jadi suguhan hiburan istimewa di tengah hiburan musik lainnya.

Edwin, penikmat dan penggiat musik pompang, tak menapikan adanya aliran musik-musik baru yang tumbuh di masyarakat. Namun, musik pompang tetap menjadi salah satu hiburan yang naris wajib untuk setiap kegiatan apa pun.

"Musik pompang tetap lestari dan tidak kehilangan penggemarnya meski ada beragam musik modern yang muncul" ujar Edwin bangga.

Instrumen musik pompang yang dirakit dari batang bambu dari tangan-tangan terampil pembuatnya mampu menghasilkan irama musik yang merdu dan menyejukkan hati para penikmatnya.

Musik khas Mamasa ini biasanya dimainkan dengan seruling bambu dan rebab yang konon asal-usul alat kesenian rebab tradisonal ini berasal dari arab. Musik pompang sendiri tumbuh secara natural di tengah masyarakat.

Di setiap kecamatan di Mamasa, grup atau kelompok-kelompok musik pompang dengan mudah kita jumpai. Setiap group musik pompang eksis dan membawa warna tersendiri.

Uniknya, musik khas ini tumbuh dan berkembang menjadi sarana hiburan di tengah masyarakat justru tidak didorong atau digerakkan oleh tokoh sentral atau figur seniman besar yang ditokohkan.

Semua seniman merasa tokoh sekaligus penikmat musik pompang. Musik pompang tetap tumbuh di masyarakat menjadi salah satu industri hiburan yang dikelola secara tradisonal oleh kelompok-kelompok seniman.

Imbalan jasa yang cukup menggiurkan menjadi faktor lain yang mendukung para seniman untuk tetap eskis dan percaya diri menekuni musik khas ini.

Mengapa musik pompang bisa lestari di tengah percaturan beragam aliran musik modern? Tiga komponen yang saling memengaruhi, seniman, kesenian itu sendiri, dan masyarakat sebagai penikmat seni menjadi satu komponen yang saling membutuhkan.

Seniman bangga karena karya seni mereka diapresiasi secara luas, sedangkan masyarakat merasa terhibur dan hajatannhya sukses dengan hiburan yang sudah lekat di masyarakat secara turun-temurun ini.

Universalitas musik seperti halnya musik pompang mungkin bisa menjadi lebih luas penikmatnya. Jika para seniman pompang bisa membangun kerja sama dengan beragam aliran musik lain yang notabene juga punya komunitas penggemar. Dengan cara ini, musik pompang bisa tetap eksis dan penggemarnya makin meluas sejalan dengan universalitas musik itu sendiri sebagai hiburan.


Sumber: kompas

Rahasia Umur

Dulu ketika Tuhan menciptakan sapi, monyet, anjing dan manusia,Tuhan berkata, “Hari ini kuciptakan kau sebagai sapi. Engkau harus pergi ke padang rumput, bekerja di bawah terik matahari sepanjang hari. Kutetapkan umurmu sekitar 50th.”

Sang sapi keberatan, “Kehidupanku akan sangat berat selama 50 tahun, kiranya 20 tahun cukuplah, kukembalikan kepadamu yg 30 tahun.” Maka setujulah Tuhan..

Di hari ke-2, Tuhan menciptakan monyet. “Hai monyet, hiburlah manusia, Aku berikan kau umur 20 tahun!”

Sang monyet menjawab, “What? Menghibur mereka dan membuat mereka tertawa? 10 tahun cukuplah, kukembalikan 10 tahun padaMu.” Maka setujulah Tuhan..

Di hari ke3,Tuhan menciptakan anjing, “Apa yang harus kau lakukan adalah menjaga pintu rumah majikanmu. Setiap orang mendekat kau harus menggongongnya, untuk itu kuberikan hidupmu selama 20 tahun.”

Sang anjing menolak, “Menjaga pintu sepanjang hari selama 20 tahun? No way! Kukembalikan 10 tahun padaMu.” Maka setujulah Tuhan.

Di hari ke-4, Tuhan menciptakan manusia. Sabda Tuhan, “Tugasmu adalah makan, tidur, dan bersenang-senang. Inilah kehidupan, kau akan menikmatinya, akan kuberikan engkau umur sepanjang 25 tahun!”

Sang manusia keberatan, katanya “Menikmati kehidupan selama 25 tahun?
Itu terlalu pendek Tuhan.. Let’s make a deal.. Karena sapi mngembalikan 30tahun usianya, lalu anjing mengembalikan 10 tahun, dan monyet mengembalikan 10 tahun padamu, maka berikanlah semuanya itu padaku, semua itu akan menambah masa hidupku menjadi 75 tahun, setuju ?” Maka setujulah Tuhan..

AKIBATNYA
Pada 25 tahun pertama, kehidupan sebagai manusia kita makan, tidur dan bersenang-senang.

30 tahun berikutnya, menjalankan kehidupan layaknya seekor sapi, kita harus bekerja keras sepanjang hari untuk menopang keluarga kita.

10 tahun kemudian, kita membuat cucu tertawa dengan berperan sebagai monyet yang menghibur.

Dan 10 tahun berikutnya, kita tinggal di rumah, duduk di depan pintu, dan menggonggong kepada org yg lewat, Uhuk,,,, uhuk,,,,(batuk).


Sumber : Rahasia Umur

Ratu Elizabeth 1 | Ratu Inggris Paling Terkemuka

ratu elizabeth 1

Di sepanjang sejarah Inggris, adalah Ratu Elizabeth I yang umumnya dianggap raja yang paling terkemuka. Empat puluh lima tahun pemerintahannya merupakan masa kemakmuran ekonomi, berkembangnya kesusastraan, dan munculnya Inggris jadi kekuatan armada laut nomor wahid di atas samudera. Tatkala Inggris tak lagi punya raja-raja yang menonjol, muncullah yang mengangkat Inggris ke jaman keemasan.

Elizabeth lahir tahun 1533 di Greenwich, Inggris. Ayahnya, Raja Henry VIII, perintis babak pembaharuan Inggris. Ibunya, Anne Boleyn, adalah istri kedua Henry. Anne dipenggal kepalanya hingga menggelinding bagai sebutir nyiur tahun 1536 dan beberapa bulan kemudian parlemen keluarkan pengumuman bahwa Elizabeth yang waktu itu berumur tiga tahun sebagai “anak sundal.” (Ini merupakan sikap umumnya kaum Katolik Inggris yang tidak menganggap sah perceraian Henry dengan istri pertamanya). Meski ada kutukan parlemen, Elizabeth dibesarkan dalam rumah tangga kerajaan dan peroleh pendidikan baik.

Henry VIII tutup usia tahun 1547 tatkala umur Elizabeth tiga belas tahun. Sebelas tahun sesudah itu tidak ada penguasa Inggris yang bisa dianggap berhasil. Edward VI, saudara tiri Elizabeth naik tahta antara tahun 1547 sampai 1553. Di bawah pemerintahannya, kentara sekali politik pro Protestannya. Ratu Mary I memerintah lima tahun sesudah itu mendukung supremasi kepausan dan pengokohan kembali Katolik Romawi. Selama pemerintahannya kaum Protestan Inggris diuber-uber dan ditindas, bahkan sekitar tiga ratus pemeluknya dihukum mati. (Ini menyebabkan ratu dapat julukan tak sedap: “Mary yang berdarah.” Elizabeth sendiri ditahan dan disekap di Menara London. Kendati akhirnya dibebaskan, hidupnya dalam beberapa waktu berada dalam ancaman bahaya. Tatkala Mary tutup usia (tahun 1558) Elizabeth yang sudah berumur dua puluh lima tahun naik tahta. Kenaikan ini memberi kecerahan buat penduduk Inggris.

Banyak masalah yang menghalang ratu muda belia ini: peperangan melawan Perancis; hubungan tegang dengan Skotlandia dan Spanyol; kondisi moneter pemerintah; dan di atas segala-galanya itu adalah awan gelap perpecahan agama yang bergantung di atas kepala Inggris.

Kemelut terakhir ini ditangani lebih dulu. Tak lama sesudah Elizabeth naik tahta, undang-undang tentang “Supremasi dan Persamaan” disahkan tahun 1559, menetapkan Anglican sebagai agama resmi Inggris. Ini memuaskan pihak kaum Protestan moderat, tetapi kaum Puritan menghendaki perubahan yang lebih drastis. Meskipun menghadapi oposisi kaum Puritan di satu pihak dan kaum Katolik di lain pihak, selama masa pemerintahannya tetap bertahan memantapkan kompromi yang tertera dalam undang-undang tahun 1559.

Situasi keagamaan menjadi ruwet dengan keadaan yang berkaitan dengan Ratu Mary dari Skotlandia. Mary dipaksa meninggalkan Skotlandia dan melarikan diri ke Inggris. Sesampai di Inggris dia menjadi tahanan Ratu Elizabeth. Langkah Elizabeth ini bukanlah atas dasar kekerasan dan semau-maunya: Mary penganut Katolik Romawi dan juga punya tuntutan yang layak menggantikan tahta Elizabeth. Ini berarti, andaikata ada pemberontakan atau pembunuhan yang berhasil, Inggris akan punya lagi ratu beragama Katolik. Selama penahanan Mary yang sembilan belas tahun itu memang ada beberapa kali komplotan menghadapi Elizabeth dan ada cukup bukti keterlibatan Mary. Akhirnya di tahun 1587 Mary dihukum mati. Elizabeth menandatangani vonis hukuman itu dengan agak ogah-ogahan. Para menterinya dan umumnya anggota parlemen menginginkan supaya Mary dibunuh lebih cepat lebih baik.

Pertentangan agama betul-betul membahayakan Elizabeth. Di tahun 1570 Paus Pius V mengucilkan dan memerintahkannya turun tahta; dan di tahun 1580 Paus Gregory XIII mengeluarkan pengumuman bahwa tidaklah berdosa membunuh Elizabeth. Tetapi, keadaan juga yang menguntungkan Elizabeth. Sepanjang masa pemerintahannya, kaum Protestan tercekam rasa takut terhadap kebangunan kembali Agama Katolik di Inggris. Elizabeth menampakkan dirinya bagai perisai menghadapi kebangunan itu. Dan ini merupakan sumber penyebab pokok kepopulerannya di kalangan massa Protestan Inggris yang besar itu.

Elizabeth menangani politik luar negeri dengan cermat, luwes, dan berpandangan jauh. Di awal-awal tahun 1560 dia merampungkan “Perjanjian Edinburgh” yang menjamin penyelesaian damai dengan Skotlandia. Perang dengan Perancis berakhir dan hubungan kedua negara membaik. Tetapi, angsur-berangsur keadaan memaksa Inggris terlibat pertentangan dengan Spanyol. Elizabeth berusaha menghindari perang, tetapi buat Katolik militan Spanyol abad ke-16, perang antara Spanyol dengan Protestan Inggris sulit terelakkan. Pemberontakan di Negeri Belanda melawan penguasa Spanyol merupakan faktor pembantu: pemberontak Belanda umumnya penganut Protestan dan tatkala Spanyol menggenjot pemberontak, Elizabeth membantu Negeri Belanda, meskipun sebenarnya Elizabeth pribadi tak punya gairah berperang. Umumnya rakyat Inggris seperti juga para menteri dan parlemen lebih bernafsu angkat senjata daripada Elizabeth. Karena itu, ketika perang dengan Spanyol akhirnya meletus juga di tahun 1580an, Elizabeth peroleh dukungan kuat rakyat Inggris.

Bertahun-tahun Elizabeth secara tekun membangun Angkatan Laut Inggris; tetapi, Raja Philip II dari Spanyol juga bergegas membangun armada besar –Armada Spanyol– untuk melabrak Inggris. Armada Spanyol punya kapal-kapal yang hampir seimbang banyaknya dengan kepunyaan Inggris, tetapi kelasinya lebih sedikit; lebih dari itu, pelaut Inggris lebih terlatih baik dan kualitas kapal serta persenjataan meriamnya lebih bagus. Pertarungan pun pecah tahun 1588, dan pertempuran laut yang seru itu berakhir dengan kekalahan mutlak pihak Spanyol. Sebagai akibat kemenangan ini, Inggris menjadi mantap selaku kekuatan Angkatan Laut paling jempol di dunia, posisi yang tetap dipegangnya hingga abad ke 20 ini.

Elizabeth senantiasa cermat dalam soal keuangan. Di awal-awal pemerintahannya kondisi keuangan kerajaan Inggris sungguh sehat. Tetapi-tentu saja cekcok dengan Spanyol meminta biaya mahal dan di akhir pemerintahannya keadaan keuangannya amat miskin. Tetapi, kendati kerajaan miskin, keadaan negara secara keseluruhan berkondisi lebih makmur ketimbang pada waktu Elizabeth melekatkan mahkota di ubun-ubunnya.

Pemerintahan Elizabeth selama empat puluh lima tahun (dari tahun 1558 sampai 1603) sering dianggap “Jaman keemasan Inggris.” Beberapa penulis termasyhur Inggris, termasuk William Shakespeare, hidup di jaman itu. Jelas-jelas Elizabeth punya saham dalam perkembangan kultural ini. Dia beri semangat teater Shakespeare menghadapi oposisi pemerintahan lokal kota London. Tetapi, tak ada perkembangan musik atau lukisan yang bisa menandingi perkembangan kesusastraan.

Era Elizabeth juga menyaksikan bangkitnya Inggris selaku penjelajah. Ada berulang kali perjalanan ke Rusia dan percobaan-percobaan oleh Martin Frobisher dan oleh John Davis mencari jalan arah barat laut menuju Timur Jauh. Sir Francis Drake berlayar keliling dunia (dari tahun 1577 hingga 1580), menjejakkan kaki di California dalam perjalanan itu. Juga ada percobaan yang gagal (oleh Sir Walter Raleigh dan lain-lainnya) mendirikan pemukiman di Amerika Utara.

Kekurangan Elizabeth terbesar mungkin ogah-ogahan menyediakan peluang buat pergantian tahtanya. Bukan saja dia tak pernah kawin, tetapi dia selalu menghindari menetapkan penggantinya. (Mungkin karena dia takut, jika dia tunjuk seseorang jadi penggantinya akan segera jadi rivalnya). Apa pun alasan Elizabeth tidak mau menyebut penggantinya, kalau saja dia mati muda (atau kapan saja sebelum matinya Mary dari Skotlandia), Inggris mungkin sudah kecemplung dalam kancah perang saudara sesudah penggantian. Nasib baik buat Inggris, Elizabeth hidup sampai umur tujuh puluh tahun. Di atas tempat tidur menjelang rohnya melayang, dia sebut Raja James II dari Skotlandia (putera Mary dari Skotlandia) menjadi penggantinya. Meskipun ini berarti persatuan antara Inggris dan Skotlandia di bawah satu mahkota, ini merupakan pilihan yang membingungkan. Baik James maupun puteranya Charles I terlampau otoriter buat selera Inggris, dan di abad tengah perang saudara pun meledaklah.

Elizabeth punya kecerdasan yang melebihi orang biasa dan seorang politikus yang cakap, tegas, punya pandangan luas. Berbarengan dengan itu dia punya kehati-hatian dan konservatif. Dia mengidap ketidaksukaan berperang dan pertumpahan darah meskipun jika diperlukan dia bisa bersiteguh. Seperti halnya ayahnya, dia menjalankan pemerintahan dengan kerjasama parlemen dan bukan melawannya. Karena dia tidak kawin, maka tampaknya dia masih perawan seperti dikemukakannya di muka umum. Tetapi, tidaklah pula terlalu benar jika dianggap dia itu termasuk jenis perempuan pembenci lelaki. Malah sebaliknya, dia jelas menyukai pria dan gemar bergaul dengannya. Elizabeth punya kemampuan memilih menteri-menterinya yang becus. Sebagian dari hasil-hasil yang dicapainya antara lain berkat Williarn Cecil (Lord Burghley), yang menjadi penasihat utamanya sejak tahun 1558 hingga matinya di tahun 1598.

Pokok-pokok keberhasilan Elizabeth bisa diringkas sebagai berikut Pertama, dia memimpin Inggris selama tahap kedua jaman pembaharuan tanpa pertumpahan darah yang berarti. (Berbeda dengan Jerman di mana tiga puluh tahun perang (1618-1648) membunuh lebih dari dua puluh lima persen penduduk, sungguh menyolok). Selain dia, meredakan rasa benci keagamaan antara Katolik Inggris dan Protestan Inggris, dia berhasil pula menjaga persatuan bangsa. Kedua, empat puluh lima tahun pemerintahannya –Era Elizabeth– umumnya dianggap jaman keemasan suatu bangsa besar di dunia. Ketiga, adalah juga di masa pemerintahannya Inggris muncul selaku kekuatan pokok, posisi yang bisa dipertahankannya berabad berikutnya.

Kedudukan Elizabeth di dalam daftar urutan buku ini punya keluar biasaan yang jelas. Pada pokoknya, buku ini merupakan daftar para inovator besar, orang-orang yang mengedepankan gagasan-gagasan baru atau membawa perubahan sesuatu keadaan. Elizabeth bukanlah seorang pembaharu, bukan seorang inovator, dan garis kebijaksanaan politiknya umumnya berhati-hati dan konservatif. Kendati begitu, banyak kemajuan terjadi di masa pemerintahannya dibanding umumnya penguasaa yang dengan sadar menghendaki kemajuan.

Elizabeth tidak mencoba berhubungan langsung dengan persoalan gawat yang merupakan urusan wewenang parlemen dan kerajaan. Tetapi, dengan cara hanya menjauhi diri menjadi seorang despot, dia mungkin jadi pendorong utama hidupnya demokrasi di Inggris daripada dia mengumumkan sebuah konstitusi demokratis. Elizabeth tidak mencari kehebatan bidang militer dan pula tidak berminat membangun suatu empirium besar. (Memang, di bawah Elizabeth, Inggris tidaklah punya tanda-tanda sebuah empirium). Kendati begitu, dia mewariskan Inggris Angkatan Laut terkuat di dunia dan meletakkan dasar-dasar empirium Inggris yang menyusul kemudian.

Kebesaran empirium seberang lautan Inggris diperoleh sesudah matinya Elizabeth, paling tidak sebagian terbesamya. Banyak orang yang memainkan peranan penting pembentukan empirium Inggris yang dalam beberapa hal bisa dianggap sebagai hasil wajar ekspansi Eropa secara umum dan kedudukan geografis Inggris. Haruslah pula dicatat bahwa banyak negara Eropa lain yang berpantaikan Samudera Atlantik (Perancis, Span

yol dan bahkan Portugis) juga membangun empirium besar.

Lagi pula, peranan Elizabeth mempertahankan Inggris dan ancaman Spanyol mudah dilebih-lebihkan. Jika dikaji, tidaklah tampak Spanyol itu pernah merupakan ancaman serius terhadap kemerdekaan Inggris. Haruslah diingat, pertarungan antara armada Inggris lawan armada Spanyol sama sekali tidak terlalu berlangsung secara jarak dekat. (Tak satu pun Inggris kehilangan kapalnya!). Dan lebih jauh dari itu, bahkan andaikata Spanyol berhasil mendaratkan pasukan di Inggris, sukarlah dibayangkan mereka dapat menaklukkannya. Angkatan bersenjata Spanyol tidak pernah mencapai kemenangan yang mengesankan di mana pun di Eropa. Jika Spanyol tidak mampu menumpas pemberontakan di negeri Belanda, jelaslah tak ada potongan dia bisa menaklukkan Inggris. Menjelang abad ke-16, nasionalisme Inggris jauh lebih kuat dari kemungkinan Spanyol bisa menaklukkannya.

Lantas di mana Elizabeth mesti ditempatkan di daftar buku ini? Dasarnya dia tokoh lokal. Jika dibandingkan dengan Peter yang Agung dari Rusia tampaknya tak setara. Ditilik dari sudut fakta jelas Peter jauh lebih inovatif ketimbang Elizabeth. Saya akan peroleh kesulitan meyakinkan orang Rusia yang punya pikiran jernih bahwa Elizabeth ditempatkan lebih tinggi dalam urutan dari Peter. Sebaliknya, diukur dari pentingnya peranan yang dimainkan Inggris dan orang Inggris di abad-abad sesudah Elizabeth adalah suatu kesalahan menempatkannya terlampau jauh di belakang Peter. Dalam banyak hal, tampaknya jelas hanya sedikit raja-raja dalam sejarah punya keberhasilan sebanyak Elizabeth.

Sumber : RATU ELIZABETH I 1533-1603