Peace and salutations, my online readers! I hope you all survived your Christmas intact, and got all the gifts that you were looking for this year! As the wickedly short vacation time winds down to it’s true elfish nature, many of you maybe online today, looking for something to spice up your last minutes of holiday freedom. For those stuck in the frozen tundras on the East Coast or about to brave the lines at the airports, I dedicate this edition of the Really Really Good show to you! Thanks to the wallet crunching effects of our economy these days, St. Nickalicious had to scale back on the festivities for this winter solstice season here at the Canhead compound. On the positive side of it, we were able to have a quite little holiday at home, and plan to top it off with a drive up the coast. But before I start packing and head out the door this week, and to coincide with our planet tilting a bit more, I have dog day edition of RRG for you to end out the year!
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Bad Dog!
Lassie, Snoopy and Benji are in the..uhmm..doghouse as a new book is accusing them of harming our very planet! Seems the canine community, whose previous criminal records consisted of vandalism (dog ate my homework), assault (biting the mailman, humping your leg) and disorderly conduct (barking nonstop during your last vacation, to the dismay of your neighbors, knocking over all those garbage cans) has upped the ante and added terrorists threats to their resume! That’s right, your cute little terrier is actually a environmental terrorist!

“Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living”,  by Robert and Brenda Vale, is the new book that accuses man’s best friend as one of the earth’s biggest enemies!  According to The Vales, Fido’s carbon foot..or paw..print is surprisingly large, comparable to a family sized car in some instances! Reaction to the book and it’s studies are strong and divided, and Rin Tin Tin sadly cannot speak in his own behalf. The Vales say they don’t actually suggest that we eat dogs, but the title alone conjures up all sorts of terrible images in my mind; many of which are documented on Wikipedia’s page on “Dog Meat”, along with a list of the countries that serve man’s best friend to man!

Polluting pets: the devastating impact of man’s best friend by Staff Writers Paris (AFP) Dec 20, 2009
quote::
“To confirm the results, the New Scientist magazine asked John Barrett at the Stockholm Environment Institute in York, Britain, to calculate eco-pawprints based on his own data. The results were essentially the same. ‘Owning a dog really is quite an extravagance, mainly because of the carbon footprint of meat,’ Barrett said. Other animals aren’t much better for the environment, the Vales say. ‘Cats have an eco-footprint of about 0.15 hectares, slightly less than driving a Volkswagen Golf for a year, while two hamsters equates to a plasma television and even the humble goldfish burns energy equivalent to two mobile telephones.”

Your dog may be more damaging to the environment than an SUV, new book claims
BY Issie Lapowsky Read more at NY Daily News.com
quote::
“”Any claims on the Earth’s resources, whether it’s having pets or having children, we need to think about. It doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid of your pet now,” Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute, tells ABCNews.com. “I don’t think there’s any way of saying how many pets somebody should have or a country should have. But it is useful to think about the environmental demands that pets make in the same way that people do.”

While I am in no position to speak as a expert on the subject, I wonder how big some of today’s “star” or “celebrity” pets paw prints are.   What about Velvet, the black lab that saved those climbers on Mount Hood a few years back? I bet those lost hikers would gladly trade her heavy paw print for their lives!

Do you remember the legendary Balto and his trek across Alaska, racing vital medicine and antitoxin, helping to thwart off a impending epidemic back in the 1920s? If not, watch the cartoon and catch up on your history! I’m sure his pawprint was pretty big too, but no one is counting!

I don’t even want to think about The Obama’s new dog Bo, as he chews on his toys nonchalantly, in the Oval Office.  I wonder if anyone has shown our POTUS the Vales’ new book.

Little Orphan Annie’s dog Sandy must have had a incredibly small carbon pawprint, at least until Daddy Warbucks came into the picture!

Don’t even get me started talking about the legendary dog named..Nigger. Yes folks, the legend of Nigger The Dog is true. His story is actually quite remakable and his paw print was probably as big as his name was unfortunate!

I’m pretty sure that Lancelot II, that cloned dog that is down in Florida somewhere, has a heck of a carbon paw print…TWICE!

No, My Dog Is Not Destroying the Environment:How the authors of Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living get it wrong.
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/blogs/healthy-food/pets-environmental-impact-47122303#ixzz0aptSvnIX

The Latest Advice From the Eco-Zealots: Eat Your Pets- Julia Szabo

Doggy Dog Videos
Handsome Dan

Odie loves you!

Mr. Wrinkle

Lancelot aka Lancaclone aka Freak Dog of the Century aka Lancelot Attack of the Clones

It all sounds like yada yada yada to Eddie!

Taken from press release:::
NEW AMERYKAH, PART II: RETURN OF THE ANKHIN FEBRUARY 2010
Universal Motown Records multi-platinum-selling, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter-actress ERYKAH BADU will release her fifth studio album, New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh, on February 23, 2010.
“With Part I, I was standing at an apex, looking at what was going on around me politically, socially, and economically,” Badu explained. “With Part II, I’m hovering over me, looking at what’s going on inside of me.”

In advance of the album’s release date, ERYKAH BADU hosted a series of intimate candlelit listening sessions for press and VIPs at Chung King Studios in New York City on December 9 and December 10, 2009. Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone, R&B star Ryan Leslie, British pop sensation Corinne Bailey Rae, hip-hop impresario Damon Dash, and rapper-producer Jay Electronica were all on hand for the exclusive preview, where the self-proclaimed “analog girl in a digital world” gave listeners insight into her creative process:”When I write songs, the music always comes first;otherwise, it would be poetry.” she explained.
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Check out the photo gallery and videos below and be on the lookout for that new album soon!!

Photo credit: John Ricard.

Erykah Badu (The Cell) New Amerykah Part 1 – 4th World War

Soldier – Erykah Badu f/ J. Keys

Norah Jones fans have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season!  Along with her new album “The Fall”, which is in stores now, fans can get all the latests new and hear new music, including the single  “Chasing Pirates”, on her new media widget! In addition to that, fans will be excited to hear about Norah’s giveaway contest, which features an autographed children band set, along with a copy of the record for prizes!  Check the links below to enter the contest as well!

Make sure to watch for Norah on television, as she will appear and perform on NBC Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien , Jimmy Kimmel, A Prairie Home Companion and Chelsea Lately in the coming weeks.
*The Fall** Widget: *
http://www.bluenote.com/norah_jones/thefall

*Norah Jones Autographed Children’s Band Set Giveaway:*

*Buy The Fall:*

*NORAH JONES – 2010 U.S. TOUR DATES*
Full venue and ticketing information is available at http://www.norahjones.com/tour/.

March 5 — Tulsa, OK — Brady Theater
March 6 — Kansas City, MO — The Midland
March 7 — Omaha, NE — Orpheum
March 9 — Des Moines, IA — Civic Center
March 11 — Akron, OH — E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall
March 12 — Louisville, KY — Whitney Hall
March 13 — Indianapolis, IN — Murat Theatre
March 15 — Madison, WI — Overture Hall
March 17 — St. Paul, MN — The O’Shaughnessy
March 19 — Milwaukee, WI — Riverside Theatre
March 20 — Chicago, IL — Chicago Theatre
March 25 — Boston, MA — Wang Theatre
March 26 — Mashantucket, CT — MGM Foxwoods
March 27 — New York, NY — WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden
March 30 — Baltimore, MD — Lyric Opera House
April 1 — Charlottesville, VA — The Paramount Theater
April 2 — Washington, DC — Warner Theatre
April 3 — Philadelphia, PA — Tower Theatre
April 18 — Seattle, WA — Paramount Theatre
April 19 — Portland, OR — Arlene Schnitzer Hall
April 21 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore
April 23 — Los Angeles, CA — Orpheum Theater
April 24 — San Diego, CA — Spreckels Theatre
April 25 — Phoenix, AZ — Dodge Theater
April 28 — Albuquerque, NM — Kiva Auditorium
April 29 — El Paso, TX — Plaza Theatre
May 1 — Austin, TX — Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
May 4 — Dallas, TX — Majestic Theatre
May 5 — Houston, TX — Verizon Wireless Theater
May 6 — Mobile, AL — Saenger Theatre
May 8 — Memphis, TN — Orpheum Theatre
May 9 — Birmingham, AL — Alabama Theatre
May 11 — Asheville, NC — Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
May 12 — Charlotte, NC — Ovens Auditorium
May 14 — Nashville, TN — Ryman Auditorium
May 15 — Atlanta, GA — Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

*Tour Info & Pre-Sale Link:*
http://www.norahjones.com/tour

*Norah Jones Hulu Channel:*
http://www.hulu.com/norah-jones

*Stream The Fall on NPR: *
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId= 120013389

*Stream Norah Jones Remixes:*
Stereogum -”Chasing Pirates” Santigold Remix – http://bit.ly/ 6jSS4Q
RCRD LBL “That’s What I Said” Ad-Rock and Mike D Remix– http://bit.ly/ 6qvyjA
Artist Direct – http://bit.ly/ 7nrrR3

It’s no secret that I am a reggae music fan. Since I first heard Bob Marley’s “Rastaman Vibrations”, I have had a love for reggae, constantly checking for the newest sounds to add to my collection. Thanks to the good folks at VP Records, I have a healthy collection of reggae CDs. It has been a while since I posted any reviews up here at Canhead, and I have tons of hot new CDs that you should be on the lookout for. So here is a quick rundown, of one of the choice selections from VP Records, just in time for your holiday shopping. Fill your stockings with some new tunes from yard! Check out the selections below and get your reggae on!
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Strictly The Best 40 & 41
Reggae fans would love the new double disc “Strictly The Best 40 and 41”, for Christmas! It has over thirty songs from the past and present, with old anthems and new favorites to choose from. Legends like Beres Hammond, Beenie Man and Mr. Vegas are here, along with today’s dancehall stars like Vybz Kartel, Queen Ifrica, Etana, Busy Signal, and more! Buju Banton teams up with John Legend on the slick “Can’t Be My Lover”, a perfect song to open up the lovers side of STB #40.

From there on, the CD continues to build the romantic soundtrack, with songs dealing with love and loss, like Etanta sings in “Heartbroken” or Hezron declares in “So In Love.” Busy Signal checks in with a excellent remake of Phil Collin classic “One More Night”, complete with new verses as only Busy Signal could chat! Courtney John checks in with, in my opinion, the hottest song on the entire CD! “Lucky Man” is a retro throwback recalling the grand early years of reggae music, as John sings like a bird, “There’s no holiday from this love!” Be on the lookout for Courtney John!

STB #41 pick up the pace a bit, with its mix of dancehall jams and roots rockers and carnival ready hits. Mr Vegas sets the disc off with his “I Am Blessed”, a reflection on all the gifts we have in our lives. Laden’s “Really Like You” is a slow bouncing hit, complete with “autotuned” chorus to perfection. Beenie Man steps in with another club banger in his new “Gimme Gimme”, although I am not feeling his auto tune experiments as much as Laden’s.

G Whiz – Life

G Whiz is here with the inspirational “Life”, and Mavado contributes three songs to the collection, with “Hope And Pray”, “Just To How You Move”, and “Mockingbird”. Vybz Kartel gives us two songs as well, “Something Ah Go Happen” and “Dollar Sign”. Wasp, Elephant Man and Munga help round out the CD.

Strictly The Best continues to insure its place in reggae collections with this double disc package! It’s a easy pick for anyone looking to add a fresh does of dancehall to their playlist!

QUEEN IFRICA / Lioness on the Rise

“So In Love” Hezron

R&B star Rihanna  is back with a vengeance!  The singer has an tremendous publicity buzz building up around her, with televised interviews, risque pictures of herself floating around the net, and her new album “Rated R” heating up the airwaves! Rihanna’s new album comes as a surprise and a gift! “Rated R’ is on sale on Amazon.com for an amazing price of $3.99!

Download her new single “Rude Boy” here for free!

Click here to download Rihanna “Rated R [Explicit] for $3.99!!! LIMITED TIME AMAZON SALE!!!

Check the videos below!

“”If you don’t send your boyfriend naked pictures, then I feel bad for him. When it happened I sent my mom flowers first before I called and then she texted me – when the world is against me she’s always there supporting.” – Rihanna
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Links

www.rihannanow.com/

www.myspace.com/rihanna

Def Jam Rihanna Page

Tyson is back in the news. Seems a paparazzo photographer got on his bad side! Tyson was put under “citizen’s arrest” at LAX Airport in Los Angeles.

Mike Tyson arrested after L.A. airport scuffle-Reuters.com The Los Angeles Times, citing an unnamed source, said Tyson told police the photographer struck him in an attempt to provoke him, and the photographer claimed Tyson punched him in the face and tried to take film from his camera.

Mike Tyson family, living in a fish bowl
excerpt taken fromExaminer.com
“At first Tyson, obviously tired from the long trip, didn’t appear bothered by the continual videotaping by Echevarria. The trouble would begin when they arrived at the United Airlines ticket counter and Tyson had trouble finding a toilet. There are several different versions of what happened next.

Tyson’s attorney Shawn Chapman Holley later stated: “The characteristically aggressive paparazzi got a little too close for comfort and Echeverria reportedly bumped into the baby’s stroller.”

LAX police Sgt. Jim Holcomb said Tyson allegedly hit the photographer, Tony Echevarria, once in the face with one hand, causing a laceration on the forehead and both men made citizen’s arrests on each other, were booked on misdemeanor battery, and were released without bail.

The L.A. Times reported that some witnesses claim the paparazzi started the fight by getting all up in Mike’s life at the airport. Mike was with his daughter at the time and the videographer was following him everywhere including to the bathroom. Mike told police Echevarria threw the first punch, because he was trying to provoke him. Echevarria ’s story is that Mike busted him in the face first and then tried to take the film out of his camera.”

King:  “Did you hear the question?”  Prejean: “No I can’t hear you.”  Classic television.  Former Miss California Carrie Prejean kinda walks off the Larry King Show while live cameras roll.

“She reminds me of the seductive “V ” alien leader when she tells Scott Wolf not to ask any questions that might paint them in negative light.
Wonder if there’s a lizard underneath that blond hair?” The Dish Rag by Elizabeth Snead, The Envelope-LA Times

“Two days after her daughter told Larry King that the veteran newsman was being ‘inappropriate’ during her appearance on “Larry King Live,” mom Francine Prejean is defending Carrie….’He must feel like a little wimp, which is what he is, in my opinion. That’s just my opinion, no offense to anyone out there,’ Francine continued on Friday.”
Access Hollywood with video of Francine Prejean interview.