We’re back from the Middle East! God Loves Me: I Just Missed the Bombing in Cairo’s Khan al-Khalili Market, Folies Bergere Final Shows, Maxim Article on “Push”, Speaking of Strange Radio Show, Monster Circus at LV Hilton, Revolution Lounge’s Absinthe Party, and more...

 

Les Folies Bergere, the classic Parisian revue, will host their last wholly-ticketed night of performances on March 27, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. with both shows uncovered. I’ve seen Les Folies Bergere several times and it really is sensational. This Las Vegas standard-bearer of glamour and elegance is leaving! I’ll be at the 7:30 show! Come join me!

 

The final performance on March 28, 2009 will be primarily for invited guests; 100 tickets will be available for the general public to purchase. Tickets for all remaining performances are on sale now as supplies last. Tickets for the Folies Bergere begin as low as $35 plus tax and surcharge and are available at the Tropicana Box Office or by calling 702-739-2411. For additional information visit http://www.tropicanalv.com/. This is the last time to see the fabulous costumes and wonderful sets.

 

The Movie “Push”. In this new thriller taking place in Hong Kong and starring Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning, which I loved, the Division is a super-secret shadow government agency that is hunting civilians with X-Men/Superman powers. Civilians can manipulate thoughts, see the future, or toss objects with their minds. The Division wants to use their powers for evil military purposes.

 

My husband, John Alexander, was filmed at our home for nearly 2 hours by the people making a documentary and trailer for “Push”. An interview with John regarding the reality of the Push premise is on Maxim.com. The Maxim interview, written by Eric Alt, begins: “You think government-trained psychic spies are a bunch of hooey? Col. John Alexander would like to politely disagree. Retired Army Colonel John Alexander—once a Special Forces commander in Vietnam—knows differently. You see, he was once one of the key members of Stargate—a U.S. intelligence agency designed to prove that psychics could be more effective Cold War weapons than spy satellites or wire taps. The most unsettling part? He was right.” http://maxim.com/Thetruestorybehindpush/articles/1/48314.aspx

 

Bombing at Cairo’s Tourist Destination. The Khan al-Khalili Market is a must-see destination stop for tourists and one of Cairo’s most important and famous shopping areas. I’ve been there on every trip to Cairo over the years.

 

On our recent tour of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt (we returned to Las Vegas a mere 2 weeks ago), we were only allotted one hour at The Khan. So on February 13th, after lunch, while the rest of the group went back to the Movenpick Resort Hotel (an oppressive hour and a half away), I chose to go back to The Khan for a few more hours of haggling and shopping.

 

The Khan was also a target of terrorism in April, 2005. It was the first attack in a series of attacks that drove away tourists from Egypt in general and the Khan in particular for some time. The Khan was again a target of terrorism last week on February 22nd. In this attack, a 17-year old French girl was killed and 22 people were injured.

 

As John presciently said, as many of us commented on the large armed security detail that went everywhere with us for 3 weeks, Cairo is only “one boom away from destroying tourism.”

 

The speculation in Cairo is that Islamist militants angry at Egypt’s stance over the recent Gaza conflict may have been behind the bomb attack that was set off close to the al-Hussein mosque.

 

There is no way to enter the Khan without passing in front of the mosque. The Layaly El-Housein Café, right next to the mosque is generally the meeting place where tour leaders wait while their group shops. Next to planting a bomb at The Sphinx, a clear message was sent. Photos by John Alexander, taken on February 13th.

 

 

Monster Circus. Platinum Master’s Monster Circus sets up a virtual big top inside the Las Vegas Hilton Theater beginning Thursday, March 19. A truly unique spectacle, Monster Circus combines a high-octane live rock concert with sexy dancers, human circus acts, aerialists, freaks and of course, a tour bus full of platinum certified rock stars. An irreverent ringmaster, along with Sicko The Clown, Monster Circus’ mascot, lead the audience along the 75-minute journey through the powerhouse rock and metal anthems of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

 

Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider will hold court for the month of March with show dates March 19-21 and March 26-28. Dee’s most recent project is the start of production on the feature film “Strangeland: Disciple”, the much-anticipated follow-up to “Strangeland” (1998), which he wrote and starred in. Dee now brings his unique voice to Monster Circus performing some of his favorite songs from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. For more information on Dee Snider, please visit www.deesnider.com.

 

Rock star debauchery begins with an all-star lineup of the jaw-dropping Monster Circus band featuring artists Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe), Fred Coury (Cinderella), Bruce Kulick (KISS), and Tony Montana (Great White). Various guest artists will “join the circus” and perform the hits they personally rock out to, creating an evolving set list. In addition to these rock and metal masters, special theme nights will be dedicated to the songs of a single legendary band.

 

The circus is in town six nights a month on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with an 11 p.m. show time. March dates are: 19-21 and 26-28. Tickets go on-sale aturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. A nightly after-show party will keep the circus going. Tickets for Platinum Masters’ Monster Circus are $39-$66. fees. Tickets can be purchased at the Las Vegas Hilton box office or online at www.lvhilton.com.

 

Speaking of Strange. On February 21st, I was a guest on Speaking of Strange (SOS) with Joshua P. Warren (News Radio 570 WWNC). Guest host Will Beckwith kindly invited me to talk about “Aliens and Monsters in Real and Reel Life.” But Will didn’t know that I can carry on a conversation for one hour all by myself without even being asked any questions! Will is a movie fan and wanted to discuss “The Day The Earth Stood Still” remake, which I liked so much more than the cheesy original. Joshua was already on his way to speak at my friend, Bob Brown’s, wildly successful International UFO Conference held annually in Laughlin, Nevada. I’ll be meeting with Will (http://psischool.com), Micah Hanks (http://gralienreport.com), and Joshua in Las Vegas after the UFO Conference.

 

I’ll be on Speaking of Strange again, talking with Will about ayahuasca. So, sign up! Speaking of Strange broadcasts live Saturday nights, 8-11pm ET on Clear Channel's News Radio 570 WWNC in Asheville, North Carolina. 570 is the top-rated talk station in the entire region, directly reaching parts of four states (NC, SC, TN, and VA) and streaming live world-wide on the internet, podcast, and archived online.

 

Joshua P. Warren created SOS in January 2005. It's the place to have a good time Saturday nights. SOS explores the weirdest, most outrageous news in the world. Field correspondents often bring us live reports from paranormal locations, and we enjoy airing strange audio, such as EVPs, cryptid sounds, and extraordinary $noises in nature (like the rings of Saturn). http://www.speakingofstrange.com/

 

Absinthe Party at Revolution. The Beatles’ Revolution Lounge is holding an Absinthe Party on March 4th! Absinthe is traditionally a highly alcoholic (45%-72%) beverage. It is an anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green color but can also be colorless. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the Green Fairy).

 

Absinthe originated in Switzerland. It achieved great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among artists and writers. Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, and Aleister Crowley were all notorious devotees of the Green Fairy.

 

The most famous of all Absinthe drinkers was Vincent van Gogh, who painted many of his works in ochres and pale greens, the colors of Absinthe. Many of these paintings also depict the bar in which he used to drink in, and portray himself with glasses of Absinthe. Van Gogh was throughout his life an outcast and a depressive man who suffered from epileptic fits and bouts of psychotic attacks.

 

It is known that van Gogh also drank a lot of Absinthe while living in Arles with Paul Gauguin, and was prone to deeply eccentric behavior, including painting outside at night with candles hooked to his hat. He was sent to a sanatorium in 1888 after he was forced out by a petition from people in his town who were frightened by his bizarre ways. Although van Gogh never acted violently, excepting when he sliced off his own ear during a psychotic fit, this anecdote was used later as part of the anti-Absinthe propaganda.

 

Contemporary drinkers include famous celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and musicians including Eminem, Trent Reznor, and Marilyn Manson. Johnny Depp declared, "I hated cocaine but I used to like Absinthe, which is like marijuana; drink too much and you suddenly realize why Van Gogh cut off his ear."

 

Pictured: L’Absinthe by Edgar Degas.

 

Kingdom of the Blue Whale. National Geographic Channel, my go-to channel, has a fascinating new program premiering Sunday, March 8th at 8 p.m. Narrated by Tom Selleck, NGC goes along with scientists to unravel the mysteries of critically endangered blue whales. NGC is the first to film an infant calf underwater. I have seen the program and it is terrific.

 

Blue whales are the largest creatures ever to live on our planet — larger than any of the great dinosaurs — yet few people have seen one. Blue whales are so rare that even experts know little about them. Today only about 2,000 are left.

 

“Kingdom of the Blue Whale” also opens a window into why these animals have become one of the most endangered species on earth. Today, our oceans are busier and noisier, and resources the whales depend on are disappearing. And while blue whale hunting is now illegal, they remain under assault by another killer — huge oceangoing cargo vessels that power through the sea day and night. In fact, the four dead blue whales found during the making of this film were apparently killed by ship strikes. Whale experts are exploring whether the amount of industrial noise in today’s oceans might be a cause of confusion for blue whales, which can play a role in their tragic, but avoidable, deaths. For more information on blue whales, visit www.natgeotv/bluewhale.com. Here are two NGC videos worth watching:

 

Video “Tracking the Blue Whale” – Researchers on an expedition to answer mysteries of the blue whale find tantalizing clues, but big questions remain unanswered: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com.

 

 

 

Video “Black Market Whale” – In a Tokyo fish market, scientists surreptitiously buy whale meat to see if any of it is from illegally killed blue whales: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com