McCartney.com :: Newsletter May 2009

Hopefully all our Stateside readers enjoyed an extra Sunday for Memorial Day - but let us not forget what it is all about... remembering both those now passed, and those in active service who give their time and courage so that we can live in freedom. We salute all the men and women of the armed forces of the USA and our allies for their selfless service.

Now on to matters of entertainment, communication and media at hand. Here are some of the projects and McCNetwork members' news which have kept us at McCartney Multimedia (thankfully in these times) gainfully employed...

L to R Bill Burgin, Carol Andersen, Irene Bryant, Dorothy Bamber and Ed Stampfli.

Early Bird Special is a show about seniors having fun and finding love again, with some drama of course. The ladies would tell you they are looking for love. The chaps - as ever - would tell you they are just looking for fun. Whichever side of this never-ending argument you sit on, it is proof that "Life Begins at 80". No Botox - no B.S. Real people. Real stories. Real life. We could all learn something from their spirit. Follow them from Palm Springs to Vegas to points yet undiscovered on their quest for the pursuit of life, love and happiness.

The potential audience (not to mention potential sponsors) for this project is enormous as Baby Boomers move into the AARP age group. Our express thank you's to the cast and crew, to Mel Haber and the fantastic staff at the legendary Ingleside Inn (our pilot location), and last but not least to Executive Producer Richard Hartley Hammond for his vision and belief in this project.

So, all you studio young execs and distribution divas listen up, if you sign our project - more likely than not - your Grandparents will love you for it, and maybe even put you back in the Will :)

The mission of the Rialto Unified School District is to maximize student academic, social and cultural development so that graduates can apply acquired knowledge and skills to live meaningful and productive lives in a democratic society.

An amazing cast of performers lit up the evening for the 800+ attendees at the state-of-the-art Rialto Unified Theater.

Special thanks to Syeda Jafri the Public Information Officer for the RUSD, and Superintendent Dr. Harold L. Cebrun Sr. (pictured) and his wonderful staff for a 5-star evening which raised much needed funds.

Dr. Cebrun attended the University of Nebraska on an athletic scholarship. He earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Columbia Pacific University and his Ed.D. from Argosy University. He also completed his additional graduate school studies for his Life Credentials as a teacher and an administrator. Later, he was selected as the first African American to be employed by the California Interscholastic Federation (C.I.F.) since its inception in 1913.
You can see more pictures of the event by clicking here...

The brainchild of 19 Entertainment President Nigel Lythgoe, BritWeek organizes a program highlighting the rich connections between Britain and Southern California once a year.

Last year BritWeek ran from late April well into May, and offered many dozens of events in Los Angeles and Orange County. Click Revisit BritWeek2008 on the site for details and see the photo gallery for hundreds of shots of the celebrity launch party, the comedy awards dinner and other fun occasions.

BritWeek.org has information about British organizations in the area and has many links to other sites you may want to visit. T

he site also contains some articles and features about the British in Southern California from the beginning of the last century until the present day. You are guaranteed to be surprised by the breadth and depth of the British contribution to Californian life, from being the biggest foreign investors to being prominent in all forms of artistic endeavor. If you visit the site, you will see Angie nestled between John Cleese and Sir Richard Branson - splendid company indeed.

Well it finally arrived!
After almost 3 years in production (the wait was worth the while, I can assure you.) Mike Peters Guitars delivered my custom built 12-String Koa guitar.

It is a fantastic instrument. Light in weight, tone hold up to 10 seconds, this guitar is truly one of a kind.

I used to play a lot of 12 string on stage and so the muscle memory is coming back to my fingers. It's like welcoming an old friend, never mind the calluses. Anyway, look for a coming recording of it soon.

"My goal as a luthier is to craft a powerful guitar with character and beauty of tone. The guitar I build is typically a big sounding concert instrument that has a warm focused tonality with color and balance. They have the feel and response to accommodate different playing styles, technique, and repertoire.

The way I accomplish this is by carefully crafting the guitars to very fine tolerances in thicknesses, weights, and how components are fit together. I also believe that the careful design and adjustment of the bracing layout plays a crucial role in optimizing the efficiency of the tops vibration. Essentially I combine my intuition with how I understand a guitar to work. "

She is an abstract expressionist painter who began painting before she could walk. At age 1 she completed all the works in her first show.

Like many other kids, she began by painting on large sheets of paper in her play-group. Her father, Michael Andre and Mother Nikka Kalashnikova (who shares a birthday with Ruth) paint as a hobby.

When her father placed one of his canvases on the floor to paint, Aelita crawled onto it and began dabbing and smearing the paint with such a conviction and passion that her father let her alone to continue. He placed another canvas beside his on the floor and let her paint on her own.

Her works are so vivid and expressive; so full of energy and depicting amazing subjects. "As soon as she finished her first acrylic on canvas, I saw the MIR Russian Space Station surrounded by cherry blossoms. It was just so poignant and evocative".

The question of intention is just not relevant. What matters is the impact on the viewer - admiration and pleasure the works evoke and the discoveries each viewer makes within the works.

From January to May Christian taught a class (for the first time ever!) at OTIS College of Art and Design in web design and marketing strategies.

In this class Christian taught design fundamentals, technological how-to with Dreamweaver and Flash, usage of online tools such as iFanz.com and Google Analytics, and how to create a database of clients and customers.

Basically all the same stuff he does at the office! Many of these students were graduating seniors but there were also many juniors and few sophomores.
In addition to teaching this class, Christian also participated as a keynote speaker at the annual OTIS Senior Seminar event where he spoke for 2 hours to the entire graduating senior class on web design fundamentals and how to create an online portfolio to appeal to HR managers and potential employers. Christian had a great time this semester teaching a wonderful bunch of students and was truly honored to have had this experience at such a distinguished institution.

The photo of Christian participating at the OTIS Commencement Ceremony for the Graduating Class of 2009 with fellow colleagues Professor Art Durinski and Professor Lewis Hall (left to right). Photo courtesy of Professor Michael Wright.

Fallbrooke's new single, "Losin' It," is number 10 on the top 40 indie chart!

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your ongoing support!

We'll keep you posted as their star continues to rise!
Thank you--and keep listening!

A wonderful and well deserved tribute to Rikki featuring Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Sherry Lansing, Developer and business mogul Rick Caruso and not to mention the Chief of the LAPD her husband - William Bratton.

Rikki is not only a lawyer and a legal analyst but also an actress, activist, author and all-around angel.

Here at McCartney, we just call her "Da Boss!" Click the image to launch the video.

I asked my physical therapist if she could show me how to do the splits. She asked: "how flexible are you?" and I replied, "well, I can't do Tuesdays or Fridays."

I went to the local video shop and asked, 'Can I take out The Elephant Man?' He said, 'He's not your type.' I said 'Can I borrow Batman Forever?' He said, 'No, you'll have to bring it back by Wednesday.

A waiter asks a man, 'May I take your order, sir?' 'Yes,' the man replies. 'I'm just wondering, exactly how do you prepare your chickens?' 'Nothing special, sir. We just tell them straight out that they're going to die.

On a recent trip to Palm Springs I had the pleasure of spending time at a newly opened hotel in Desert Hot Springs. DHS is blessed with mineral waters and is fast becoming a mecca for health and fitness gurus from all over the world. There are all kinds of resorts to choose from but a brand new one I recently sampled should be on your "to do" list for sure!

It is called Bella Monte and is smoothly run by General Manager Patrick Sturgeon whom we originally met when he was at The Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach.

The rooms are beautifully appointed, and mine had a hot tub with mineral spring water, in addition to the regular shower.

If you fancy pampering yourself I strongly recommend this hideaway. There is gated parking, and a pool and Jacuzzi in the courtyard, as well as a fire pit which burns all night, and a magnificent view of the San Jacinto mountains and twinkling lights of Palm Springs.

For my birthday this year, the ladies
bought me an Amazon Kindle. Being spoiled with all the technological gadgets such as iPhone, iPod, etc. I have to admit that I was skeptical at first, but when I took out of its packaging I fell in love immediately.

Not only is it very intuitive and easy to operate but it also has vast capacity for over 200 book titles.

Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.

Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing. Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed. Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute. More than 275,000 books available, including more than 105 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers. New York Times® Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise. Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
Holds over 200 titles.
Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
Unlike WiFi, Kindle utilizes the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones—so you never have to locate a hotspot.
No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
Includes free wireless access to the planet's most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.