Bah humbug - Brownies banned from singing Christmas carols for pensioners

Some people just don't seem to get the concept of having the Christmas spirit. You reach out and do something nice for people and in turn it makes a person feel good. That's the way it's supposed to work.

The administrators who run the Marlowes Centre in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire in (not so) jolly, old England could use a dose of holiday esprit. For nearly 20 years, Brownies and Girl Guides put on a carol concert for pensioners and the disabled at a shopping centre, however their joyous voices will be heard no more since the powers-that-be have deemed they were/are a safety risk. The risk in this case was the area around a 25 foot Christmas tree where the Guides used to sing. The approximately 100 girls were were/are considered a health and safety risk because they could obstruct fire escape routes.

See...lots of people - happy people and shoppers - used to stop and listen to the girls causing what they believe could be a bottleneck.

Bosses at the centre say a Christmas tree positioned outside New Look and new mobile trade stalls have limited the number of performers the centre can host at one time.

Marketing manager Eileen Gannon said, "with changes made to the centre's Christmas decorations and trade units there simply isn't space for a huge number of performers."

"We're disappointed, but our priority has to be the safety of people inside the centre."

The carolling has been taking place for 20 years and now suddenly they've become a risk?

She said the new rules were open to change in the future, as decisions made on decorations in the centre are different each year.

Another centre worker said: 'There were a lot of Brownies last year and they caused absolute chaos.'

What a wonderful example of holiday spirit they have set for the young Brownies! Maybe shoppers could consider showing their holiday spirit in ways that will make their feelings felt - $$$$$.

(Sir) Paul takes Quebec and leaves people smiling

"He" came, he played and certainly conquered according to the media reports in today's, Montreal Gazette (Montreal's daily newspaper). Given the historical significance of playing a gig on the Plains of Abraham, 200,000 plus Quebekers and visitors from all over the planet, welcomed Paul McCartney with open arms.

Fans were welcomed in French, a nice touch, with "bonsoir les québécois!" (good evening, Quebecers) and "bon soir toute la gang!" (good evening everyone!").

He opened with "Jet"and continued with picks that included Drive My Car and Only Mama Knows among others. There was a mixture of old favorites but he also included newer numbers. Quebec's 400th anniversary was aknowledged with the song, "Michelle" dedicated by McCartney in French to a "a lady who is 400 years old." Again, nice PR touch.

I, unfortunately, was not among the masses who attended the show. Insert big sigh here.

"I would have loved to attended that concert," I told my husband who also happens to be a McCartney fan, while watching clips from the show.

"How much of fan are you, though," he responded. "Enough to line up the day before the actual concert takes place to get a good place in front?"

He had a point.

So next up in August, Celine Dion will take centre stage and the spotlight. Absolutely the spotlight given her hubby Rene Angelil's managerial prowess and it will be interesting to see if she will draw the same numbers. She's a star for sure but perhaps not the same calibre as McCartney, IMHO.

For more information and photos:

http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2008/07/20/6214161-cp.html
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080721/national/music_mccartney_quebec
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7516711.stm

There are also some clips on YouTube but the sound is almost indistinguishable and the visuals are taken from the big screen for people who weren't lucky enough to be within visual range of the singer.

Celine Dion and Sir Paul McCartney to face off on the Plains of Abraham?

Two well known singers and entertainment personalities in their own right, Celine Dion and Sir Paul McCartney, will be doing a gig in honor of Quebec City's 400th birthday. I mean, not at the same time but it's a coup for sure.

Great idea! Right?

Maybe so but then it would depend on where said gig will be taking place.

See...Celine is scheduled to perform on August 22nd in the sports field located at the west end of the Plains of Abraham and 100,000 Celine fans are expected to attend. They had to line up to get their free tickets. Everything was fine until Rene Angelil, Celine's hubby AND manager got wind that Sir Paul would be performing a f*r*e*e* show on July 20th, one month earlier, in a natural amphitheater at the other end of the plains, with no tickets necessary.

Rene is not a happy man.

In fact he is demanding(!) a change of venue for her concert.

Angelil is demanding the same first come, first-served access as well as the same venue for Dion. The National Battlefields Commission denied the request and organizers of the 400th anniversary are caught in the middle.

As Rosanne Roseannadanna used to say: it's always something...

Talk about egos and insecurities surfacing.

BTW and in case anyone reading this wants to see Celine, word has it that scalpers are selling those free Dion tickets for $700 a pair. In as far as McCartney's appearance is concerned, this will be his only North American concert so you can expect to be among hundreds of thousands of other fans.