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Paul Oakenfold On Working With Madonna, Brittany Murphy

Veteran DJ/producer has Cee-Lo, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ryan Tedder lined up for next LP, Pop Killer. By Akshay Bhansali Madonna Photo: PictureGroup/ Evan Agostini When MTV News caught up with British DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold last weekend in Miami, he was right where we expected him to be: poolside at the Raleigh Hotel, both a fan and an artist amid the many revelers and dance-music industry types making their annual pilgrimage to the Winter Music Conference. Even for a dance-music icon, Oakenfold has seen and done it all: He’s toured around the world and worked with U2, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, New Order and dozens of other stars. He’s scored films and video games; he’s held club residencies in England, Spain and now Las Vegas. Still, with such a rich past, it was pleasing to hear Oakenfold say how exciting dance music is these days. “The great thing about Madonna, when I produced ‘Celebration,’ she understood that the way forward was through electronic music,” Oakenfold said. “Hats off to her for realizing that. With the rock singers, we’ve always been involved in some respect, because a lot of rock records have been remixed and done really well in Europe and the rest of the world. It’s more the urban world now is knocking on the DJ’s door.” For proof of the latter statement, look no further than the work of French DJ/Producer David Guetta, 1634864 who’s recently worked with the Black Eyed Peas (“I Gotta Feeling”), Akon (“Sexy Chick”), Kid Cudi (“Memories”), and Kelly Rowland (“When Love Takes Over”). For Oakenfold, it’s all par for the course. Over the years he’s worked on songs with Nelly Furtado, Pharrell Williams, Ice Cube and even the late, legendary writer Hunter S. Thompson. And he’s got a similar team of A-listers on his forthcoming album, Pop Killer. “I have some interesting people, actually,” he said. “From the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Ryan Tedder, the lead singer of OneRepublic, and Cee-Lo, who’s in Gnarls Barkley.” Not appearing on the album but certainly another notable name that the producer worked with is the late actress Brittany Murphy , whose Oakenfold-helmed dance hit “Faster Kill Pussycat” (from the producer’s 2006 Lively Mind LP) was a showcase for the actress’ largely overlooked talent as a singer. “That song did really well,” Oakenfold said. “It’s a shame, because she was not only a wonderful person but a fantastic vocalist. She was very open to embracing someone else’s material, and she was the first actress I had worked with in terms of directing and producing a piece of music. She was very open-minded. The world never got to hear how good of a singer she really was.” Related Videos Sights And Sounds From Winter Music Conference 2010 Related Artists Madonna Paul Oakenfold

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Paul Oakenfold On Working With Madonna, Brittany Murphy

The Origin Of April Fools’ Day

Prank-pulling has been an April 1 tradition for more than 500 years. By MTV News staff April Fools! Photo: Getty Images Who was the first joker to put a frog in the teacher’s desk? What clown originated the idea of rearranging his friend’s apartment and putting all the furniture on the roof? Hard to say, but by most accounts, these pranks and countless other annoying gotchas have been a tradition for more than 500 years on the first day of April. Ever since, it has become the one day a year when all manner of pranks, practical jokes, fake headlines and assorted mischief is not only tolerated, but expected. While the first inklings of accepted foolishness on the doorstep of April is found in a misreading of a line in Chaucer’s 1392 ode to all manner of saucy behavior, “The Canterbury Tales,” the most common origin of the odd tradition is attributed to 16th-century France. During that period, King Charles IX tore up the traditional calendar and moved New Year’s from the end of March to January 1 in 1582, leading to the mocking of those who still celebrate the new year in spring as fools. In fact, one of the most popular jokes to play during this period was sneaking a paper fish onto an unsuspecting fools’ back, with the victim dubbed a Poisson d’Avril, or April Fish, which continues to be the French term for the practice to this day. One place it definitely didn’t come from is the Romans during Constantine’s rule in the 300s, when a group of court jesters is alleged to have tricked him into making one of them king for a day. Constantine agreed to make a fool named Kugel monarch on April 1, and during his brief reign, he decreed that the day would be a celebration of hoaxes and absurd behavior. Only that story, too, was a prank, pulled off by Boston University professor Joseph Boskin in 1983, who managed to fool an Associated Press reporter into printing it before the wire service realized its mistake. By the mid-17th century, the April Fools’ prank parade had spread throughout much of Europe under the name “All Fools’ Day.” It developed into a day on which friends tried to trick each other into running silly errands in search of nonexistent objects, such as pigeon’s milk. One of the most infamous early widespread reports of the practice was from the April 2, 1698, edition of the British newspaper Dawks’ News-Letter, which reported on a group of people who went to the Tower of London to see a nonexistent ceremonial washing of the lions, a joke repeated annually for centuries to come. In addition to such modest tricks, more elaborate hoaxes have been pulled over the years, from a 1998 ad by Burger King in USA Today for a left-handed burger, a 1957 one from the BBC show “Panorama” that blew the lid off the eradication of the dreaded spaghetti weevil from Italy’s spaghetti trees, and a joke played last year on U2 fans who were tricked into rushing to a shopping center in the Irish town of Cork for a phantom rooftop show from the band. For more of these classic hoaxes, visit the Museum of Hoaxes Web site . Share your great April Fools’ Day stories in the comments below!

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The Origin Of April Fools’ Day

The Illustrated Tea Party Dictionary [Teabonics]

Ever wondered what ‘Real America’ means? Or how precisely Sarah Palin defines communism and fascism? Look no further. Using misspelled Tea Party placards, from this excellent Flickr gallery , we’ve compiled the first comprehensive dictionary for this new dialect. Here are 26 key words (and their associated misspelled placards, click for the full illiterate glory) that are now charged with the fevered, dog-whistling undertones of Fox News and the new right. ( Further suggestions for the Illustrated Tea Party Dictionary are welcomed in the comments or by email . ) ACORN: is a sinister organization which operates from a network of underground lairs to undermine democracy, and freedom through various nefarious means like getting poor people to vote. They were rightfully revealed as being… nice to very white people who try and trick them by Tea Party hero James O’Keefe. America, the real America, Americans: this is code for white, conservative people who dwell within 49 of the 50 United States (Hawaii is suspicious), but preferably away from the coasts. Especially the east coast. America, the real America and Americans all love guns and God and hate abortion. Activities such as shooting things are American. Activities such as helping other people to do anything are un-American. Birth Certificate: this is a code phrase often applied to the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is meant to indicate that he is not really American and cannot prove that he is by showing his birth certificate. The phrase continues to be used despite conclusive evidence that the President was born in Hawaii (see America, the real America, Americans). Border, Borders: the borders define the edges of America, but not of the real America which is a more nebulous concept. It is at these borders that ‘illegals’ get into America and undermine America by working extraordinarily hard with no help at all from the Government or their neighbors, who all hate them. Communism: is used to define any plan or program, usually put in place by the government, that has any aspirations to help the poor. The word ‘red’ and the phrase ‘redistribution of wealth’ are also regularly applied. All are meant to imply that the ordinary business of a capitalist government, to provide the things that the free market does not, is sinister and evil. Draws on mythology created in the 1950s and 1960s. Constitution, Constitutional: the constitution is a document that must be used to define and defend only right-wing actions. Anything liberal or progressive is ‘unconstitutional’, no matter how desperate the logic used to arrive at this conclusion. Torture, for example, is constitutional though ‘cruel and unusual punishment’, is specifically forbidden in the document. But the rescue of the financial sector was unconstitutional. English: the Tea Party does not like immigrants with their filthy foreign ways and their unintelligible gibbering in their filthy foreign tongues. They want everyone to follow their example and echo the peerless use of language that figureheads like Sarah Palin demonstrate. Fascism: any decision that does not agree with a right-wing perspective, approved by democratically elected lawmakers in various arms of Government and signed into law by the democratically elected President, is Fascism. Obama is thus Hitler. Both men were apparently known for their moderate views and hosting of Seders. Freedom: is defined as the rights of any individual to do anything, without government interference, as long as those things do not include falling in love with a member of one’s own gender, or deciding to get an abortion. Government, big Government, takeover by: the Government, like ACORN, is a sinister organization with secret aims to enslave all Americans by providing them with cheap, easy-to-access healthcare, helping students get reasonable loans and many other such disgusting ploys. Hope: is a universally bad thing, used to lure people into voting for a communist government that will eventually enslave them. Kenya: is a mysterious place where monsters roam, and devilish people plot to put one of their own into the White House and thus take over the world. It is a little like Mordor. But with black people in. Liar: anyone who does not completely agree with the Tea Party, and produces ‘evidence’ of their contrary views, is a liar. Mainstream Media: like ACORN and the Government, the Mainstream Media is a nefarious cabal who, unbeknownst to most of the nation, meet in smoky dens to deliberately play down conservative ideas and promote liberal ones by using ‘journalism’ and ‘objectivity’. Fox News , Rush Limbaugh and a select few others eschew these tools and are safely above the conspiracy. Marriage, Sanctity of: any mention of this phrase is code for ‘I don’t know what’s right, but I know that gay people freak me out and and make me feel funny, and it just ain’t right and it shouldn’t be allowed’. Maverick: anyone who has read Ayn Rand and studiously applies Conservative dogma and ideology to any situation by rote, however ludicrous the results in the real world, is a maverick. ObamaCare: is the evil tool by which Government, the Mainstream Media and ACORN will take over the country and turn it into a filthy, foreign place like Europe where people have access to medical care even if they cannot afford it and are almost never pushed into abject poverty by the misfortune of getting sick. Patriotic: any American, preferably a Real American, who supports all wars, decries all foreigners and attempts to help the poor, even if poor themselves, is patriotic. Politicians: are tools of the Government, ACORN and the Mainstream Media. Many of them are in on the conspiracy to take over America, and subjugate the Real America. Some Mavericks like Eric Cantor, Jim DeMint and John Boehner are fighting this conspiracy with the raw power of idiocy. Plumber, Joe the: code for any American who works in an average, blue-collar job and earns an average living doing so. Unless that American is swarthy of skin, in which case it does not. Responsibility: means spending whatever you like, screwing everyone you can over and refusing to perform even the meanest kindness towards anyone that is not you. Socialism, Socialised: a sinister political system in which any consideration at all is given to anyone except the wealthiest and most privileged in society. Taxes: are an evil system of control used to pay for evil things like police forces, the army, street lighting and roads. Thus tax is a tool to help the Government, ACORN and the Mainstream Media turn America socialist or communist. Wealth: definition here definition here definition here definition here definition here definition here Your, You’re: a totally arbitrary, communist, socialist, fascist distinction that is used to help hope-mongering, gay, liberal elites without birth certificates, Politicians, the Government, ACORN and the Mainstream Media take wealth, taxes and freedom and responsibility away from mavericks, Joe the Plumber, Patriots, America and the Real America and away to some post-ObamaCare Kenya.

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The Illustrated Tea Party Dictionary [Teabonics]

SEGA Reveals First Official Details For The Conduit 2

Forget cryptic teases and random posters at game events. SEGA Europe has officially pulled back the curtain on High Voltage Software’s sci-fi shooter sequel, The Conduit 2 , and revealed a slew of details in the process. First off, the alien invasion kicked off in the first game has now spread throughout the world, and, shockingly, it’s up to you to take care of it. Single-player and multiplayer return, and players can expect “multi-tiered levels featuring dynamic environments, cinematic battles, giant adversaries, and deep customization features.” The game also introduces a new co-op mode called Team Invasion that can be played online and off. The offline mode features four-player split-screen as well. The Conduit ’s 12-player competitive multiplayer returns with some big improvements including “larger and more intricate indoor and outdoor battlefields.” Sega plans to release The Conduit 2 in fall 2010, and fans can most likely expect to see plenty more about the game as we get closer to E3. Hit the jump to see two more screens from the game. Source: SEGA Europe Blog Should the need arise, feel free to E-Mail me your tips, suggestions, and/or personal philosophies, or follow me on Twitter .

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SEGA Reveals First Official Details For The Conduit 2

Jen Flamenco’s!

Another day, another opportunity to promote The Bounty Hunter in Europe! After attending the Madrid premiere of the film, Jen Aniston and Gerard Butler went to a local flamenco room and boogied down.

Monday Options Recap

Frederic Ruffy submits: Sentiment Stocks are holding modest gains in another day of rather slow market action Monday. The consumer was in focus early after data showed spending up .3 percent in February, which was in-line with economist forecasts. Incomes were flat, and a bit less than the .1 percent uptick that had been forecast. The market didn’t show much reaction to the data. Meanwhile, major averages across Europe finished with modest gains on diminishing concerns about debt problems in Greece. The dollar fell, but gold and oil moved higher. Crude added $2.25 to $82.25 a barrel and gold gained $5 to $1094 an ounce. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has traded in another narrow 67-point range and is up 50 in the final hour. The NASDAQ added 8. The CBOE Volatility Index (.VIX) is up .04 to 17.81. Trading in the options market is on the light side. Approximately 4 million puts and 5.4 million calls traded so far. Complete Story

Red Chips vs. Blue Chips: Mega Cap China and U.S. ETFs Head-to-Head

Michael Johnston submits: From an investment perspective, the U.S. has historically been the dog and the rest of the world the tail. Global equity markets have taken their cues from Wall Street, and economic developments in the U.S have rippled throughout the world. The U.S. remains a very important part of the global economy, but the last few years have seen a meteoric rise of emerging markets, the new drivers of global economic growth. China in particular has become a critical economy to watch, as evidenced by the intense focus of investors on the government’s plans for unwinding the stimulus plan. While both the U.S. and Chinese economies offer numerous investment options, most investors tend to gravitate towards large firms with established track records. Two of the most popular ways to access these markets are with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF ( DIA ) and iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund ( FXI ) representing the “blue chips” and “red chips” respectively. Complete Story

South Korea Navy Ship Sinking Near North Korea After Explosion

SEOUL, South Korea — Military officials say a South Korean navy ship has sunk off an island not far from North Korea. An official with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said early Saturday that the ship sank some four hours after it began taking on water. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with department policy. The official said at least 58 of the 104 crew members have been rescued. There was no immediate confirmation of casualties. A rescue operation was still under way. The cause of the sinking was not immediately clear. added by: ylin

A rare day: The Vanguard team all in one room

For the first time in more than two months, this week the entire Vanguard team was in one room at the same time. I had just gotten back from Indonesia and India (see above). Mariana had returned fewer than 24 hours before from Paris after more than six weeks abroad reporting two different stories. Christof's been in the U.S. South and then up in Canada, but returned this weekend. And Kaj had just one day between trips reporting from some of the most high-security prisons in America. There we were, all in some room — and I didn't get a photo. Though a rare occurrence when we're all in production, I swear we were all there together. A couple of highlights from our debriefs: I shared the story of how just moments after shooting this video from the middle of a river of shit, I completely lost it. I'd stupidly decided to make myself a protein shake that day — and used tap water. Despite the fact that I was in India to report on the prevalence of unclean water. Still, as Kaj pointed out to our colleagues conferencing in from San Francisco, I was telling this story while eating lunch: sushi. Mariana's trip to Africa, then Europe, then back to Africa, then back to Europe, was interrupted by not one but two epic luggage fails on the part of Lufthansa — and one very public Twitter campaign to reuinte her with her bags (and tripod). Kaj can't talk about his next piece other than to say that a trip to a high-security prison nearly landed him in contempt of court. And to promise he'll be using Twitter more now. And Christof is back from a very intense round of reporting, painfully without his own camera in hand. It's a story we've been careful to talk too much about — unlike my relentness documenting of every pile of shit in India I filmed — because the subjects were, even for the kind of story Vanguard so often goes after, particularly reluctant to speak with the media. We want to tell you — and show you — as much as we can about the next season of Vanguard, even as we're still in the field or back here in LA piecing the shows together. You tell me — what do you want to know? (Follow the full team at Twitter as we all scatter back across the globle.) added by: Adam_Yamaguchi

Mexican traffickers cement grip in US

WASHINGTON — Mexican criminal organizations have more than doubled heroin production in a year and have cemented their grip as the predominant wholesale suppliers of illicit drugs in the United States, a government report concluded Thursday. The National Drug Threat Assessment found that Mexican groups were the only drug trafficking enterprises operating in every region of the United States. The study by a unit of the Justice Department says Mexican traffickers increased the flow of heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States, while they increased production of those drugs in Mexico. The reach of Mexican drug operations comes with the availability of illicit drugs in the United States on the rise, the report said. In 2009, the prevalence was increasing in some areas of the United States for four of the five major drugs: heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and MDMA. Cocaine shortages persisted in many markets as they have since 2007 due to decreased cocaine production in Colombia, increased worldwide demand for cocaine in Europe and elsewhere, and enhanced counterdrug efforts by the Mexican government. Heroin production in Mexico rose from 17 pure metric tons in 2007 to 38 pure metric tons in 2008, with the increase translating to lower heroin prices and more heroin-related overdoses and more overdose deaths, according to government estimates in the report by the National Drug Intelligence Center. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/25/1547256/report-mexican-traffickers-cement…. added by: copperdragon