Disney Interactive Studios has released a trailer for their new video game, “Club Penguin Game Day”.  ”Club Penguin” will feature several sports and games to compete in, as well as lots of customization.  You can also explore the Club Penguin world and take on your family and friends.  The game includes 12 different winter sports, of course.  Because a penguin competing in Olympic summer games is just ridiculous.   Score points and then hit the Club Penguin website to get game goodies.  You can also have a drawing competition or a dance off.  Now that would be funny to do against your dad!

This one’s a pretty active game, which is what the Wii specializes in.  Which game looks better, “Club Penguin” or Disney’s other release, “Guilty Party“?  Both are available for the Wii.  Which will you get first?  ”Club Penguin” releases on Oct. 5 and is set to retail at $49.99.

Selena Gomez and the Scene have gone platinum and gold in sales! Their album Kiss and Tell went gold, while the single Naturally went platinum. They each received a both records enclosed in one frame, and we have photos for you to see below!

This is fabulous news for both Selena Gomez and her band the Scene. It is also a great path to lead up to their second record which comes out in September. This is really good news for each member in the band and for their career as a whole. Not every album reaches gold, silver or platinum-which makes this a very big deal.

You can read about who helped Selena Gomez out on her upcoming album. Which is a really good sign that this upcoming album will be a hit. I cannot wait for when her newest album goes gold and platinum! She is well on her way to have a full time singing career with all the talent that she has.

source-popstaronline.com

Taylor Swift is getting ready for her new single to be released in August, and they recently released the cover for the first single off Speak Now. The single is called “Mine”. It should hit local airwaves in matter of a few weeks from now. Here is a line from the song

You made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter / You are the best thing that’s ever been mine

Taylor Swift’s new song makes me think of her previous hit songs. I think that she might be playing it safe, though. I think she should step out of her comfort zone, now that she has the fan base built up from her previous 2 records. Otherwise, her fans may get bored with her typical music and she may not be able to cross over into pop perfectly without taking risk.

You can also hear what she told her fans during a live web cast a few weeks ago, about Speak Now. You can also see her recent “Got Milk” ad. And start to pay attention to the radio in August to hear Taylor Swift’s new song Mine

source-oceanup.com

We all know that Shaquille O’Neal will be competing with Justin Bieber in a dance off and he handed him 4 awards recently. Yet they seem to be good friends and here is proof of that when Shaq sings to Justin during a recent sound check. You can watch the video below this post.

To hear Shaquille O’Neal singing is a surprise! I would have never pegged him that type, but he is really bonding with Justin Bieber. Who knows, maybe they could do a duet at some point?! That would be one of a kind and would likely sell well for both of them. I think they should look into it!

What do you think? Can Shaq sing or not? Do you think he and Justin Bieber should do a song or an album together-or not? I am curious to see what our readers have to say. So please do share your thoughts in the comment box. Now for the actual video of Shaq singing to Justin, be sure to pay extra attention at what is being said.

source-disneydreaming.com

Look no further than Diane Duane’s A Wizard of Mars to find the best novel about the Red Planet since Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. Hold on; did I use the word “since”? I have not read every novel ever written about Mars, but of the ones I have read, Duane’s is the best. In this, the ninth and latest book in her “Young Wizards,” series, she has perhaps surpassed herself in her skills at world-building. Juanita (Nita) Callahan and Kit Rodriguez take center stage, as usual; but, Mars itself is described so well, it becomes almost like a major character in the novel. In a letter at Amazon.com, Duane says:

I had help from NASA in scouting my locations for the main story events. The Mars Global Surveyor satellite completely mapped the surface of the Red Planet before its sad demise, and NASA’s made that data available to anyone who wants it. So with the right software to process the data for you and create the imagery, you can seem to stand on the surface of Mars yourself, and take a look around.

Dairine, Nita’s younger eleven-year-old sister and fellow wizard, is also in the novel, but doesn’t play as large of a role as she has in some past novels, such as High Wizardry, in which she became a wizard (a quite powerful one) and undertook her Ordeal (a test or one-on-one battle against the Satanic Lone Power), and the seventh novel, Wizard’s Holiday.  In that one, she onlyhelps save the Sun itself and the Earth from being destroyed by the Sun’s erratic flare-ups, with the aid of three alien wizards participating in an exchange program. They stay at the Callahan’s house, living in the basement in sort of pup-tent-like structures, linked by portable world gates to their own planets. The prince, Roshaun, is first introduced in this novel, and despite Dairine’s younger age and initial dislike of Roshaun because he seemed very stuck-up and rude, there seemed to be the beginning of sparks between them.

The reason Dairine isn’t in A Wizard of Mars very much in comparison with the other two books I mentioned, and the eighth novel, Wizards at War,is because she is trying to find out whether Roshaun is alive or dead. Also, she’s being taught by Roshaun’s father, the king, the wizardry needed to maintain their own Sun, which in the past flared up and devastated half of the planet. With Roshaun dead or missing, Dairine takes it upon herself to learn the skills he knew that are vital to making sure the past doesn’t repeat itself.

Back to A Wizard of Mars,artifacts called supereggs, haikus, Nita’s new skill at foreseeing the future, a practically Ponch-less book, and Carmela’s (Kit’s sister) increasing role in the series, even though she’s a non-wizard. The rest of the review will hopefully make these references clear, though they might seem confusing at the moment.

For the past few novels, there’s been mentions that Kit was really anxious to go to Mars and accomplish some mission there, and in A Wizard of Mars,that’s what he does. Several other wizards, some who have been in other books in the series, also are very interested in Mars, and in whether or not there might have once been life there. If so, they want to learn more about it, and what happened, and see if they can possibly bring life back to Mars. Ronan Nolan, whom Nita met in Ireland in A Wizard Abroad,Darryl, the abdal (conduit of power for all of the wizards on Earth) and very powerful wizard who had been autistic from A Wizard Alone, and the whale S’reee from Deep Wizardry,are some of the ones from other novel in the series who show up and play major roles in the plot. Other very interesting wizards in the book include a saurian (dinosaur-like creature) called Mamvish, and Irina, the wizard over the entire Earth, who is seen with her baby and a parakeet that is her pet.

Many of the chapters are named after certain volcanoes, craters, or mountains on Mars where the action in that particular chapter takes place. The young wizards are encased though magic–the speech they weave spells from–in protective bubbles with a supply of air inside, as well. How the Sun and the Earth looks as seen from Mars is described, and details like the grittiness of the red dust on Mars and how it gets into Kit’s clothes and is difficult to totally get off. The rich details are one of the things that really add realism to the mission the wizards are on.

An egg-shaped capsule is discovered on Mars by one of the teams designated to find evidence of artifacts and life there. It’s called a superegg in the novel. Kit being Kit, he goes up to Mars eary one morning by himself to check out the superegg, and it starts to vibrate and then split into three parts. It reforms into a giant metal scorpion-looking creature, and then it sends off colored blasts of light to various points around Mars. Kit believes he’s in deep trouble, for messing around with the superegg when no one else is around. He uses his wizard’s manual to notify Mamvish, Irina, Ronan, and Darryl about what happened, and a message also to Nita (though not as detailed).

This is just the start of the action. Quite a bit of the novel is split into two separate but very related plot lines, with the teen males trying to locate the other areas on Mars where the scorpion’s signals went and to learn what the result is, and with the teen females (Nita, S’reee, and Carmela) also on Mars, but learning more about its history and the sentient life that came there from another planet in the distant past, by Carmela’s deciphering hieroglyphic-like engravings on the walls of the interior of an extinct volcano. Carmela likes to flirt and shop, and get under the skin of Kit and any teen boy around, but she is also very smart, and can pick up languages extremely easily.

As in other books in the series, Nita learns more about her skills and what seems to be a developing specialty–the ability to see into the future and sometimes alter it slightly. She trains with Tom, learning how to move a small cloud across the sky with her mind; also, Tom’s and Carl’s goldfish, or koi, speak in prophetic haikus and koans again, and assist Nita in her developing skills. All in all, pretty cool–I just wish Kit’s dog, Ponch, was still around, because I liked to read about his developing talents at wizardry, and he added a lot of humorous moments to the series.

A Wizard of Mars is a must-read for fans of the “Young Wizards” series by Diane Duane. It’s a can’t beat combination of Fantasy and SF, with plenty of suspense and a dash of humor thrown in. Oh, and did I almost forget to mention

–Spoiler Alert–

something that fan of the series have been wanting to happen, does happen by the end of the book–romance begins to blossom between Nita and Kit! Read the other books in the series first–you’ll be glad you did, if you haven’t read them yet–then, heed the call of the Red Planet, and add A Wizard of Mars to your reading lists!

From the first delicate picture of a young girl holding a steaming bowl of sweet tea, alone on a dirt road in the cold early morning in a village in India, this book captivates with art and words that work together to bring this tale of love and hope to life. 

Tashi is too young to help her mother work in the tea fields, but old enough to know that her mother is growing sicker every day and needs a doctor’s attention as well as rest.  The overseer of the fields laughs at her and calls her stupid when she comes without her mother to try to take her place, so she finds refuge with a group of monkeys who seem to listen when she tells them her sad situation.  She plays with the younger animals and the older monkeys trust her with them, as if they can see she is a gentle child who is attentive and appreciative of the young ones as she should be seen herself by the adults who frown upon her smallness and youth.   She has brought her mother’s empty tea leaf basket with her and the older monkeys grab it and run off before she can stop them.  She is horrified and in her misery and helplessness, falls asleep, only to wake to the sound of screeching and celebration along with a full basket of wonderful and mysterious tea leaves.  The joyful monkeys have brought her a gift for her kindness, one she hauls with difficulty back to the fields and the greedy overseer.  An unusual sight awaits her, for the worried overseer and the other tea pickers are waiting excitedly for an inspection by the royal tea taster, who travels the countryside to choose the very best tea in the land for the empress to drink.  The taster is not impressed by the tea leaves he sniffs until he passes Tashi, who waits patiently with her full basket of leaves.  The scent of them catches his attention, and his expression as he samples the leaves after they have been covered with hot water in a cup are magical.  The wisdom captured in his wrinkled brow and his twitching moustache speak as much as words, and his absolute pleasure in discovering cloud tea picked, apparently, by such a tiny child is wonderful.  He and Tashi engage in a conversation that is respectful and appreciative, as both parties consider the other equals in intelligence and footing, and Tashi learns that her playful monkey friends have given her the gift of freedom with the rare cloud tea that is the only tea fit for the empress to drink. 

After paying handsomely for the basket of tea, the taster returns yearly for more, paying Tashi’s mother more than enough for the small family to live healthy and comfortable for the rest of their lives.  Tashi never reveals the source of her leaves to the taster; he trusts she will provide, and her continued friendship with the monkeys ensures that she will.  An inspirational story wrapped in glorious illustrations, this book is a rare and real treasure.

I must be living under a rock because this is the first time that I have heard a Hey Monday song, and I can dig them.  I Don’t Wanna Dance is pretty hot.  They have energy and Cassadee Pope can friggin sing.  This song is from their mini album (EP) Beneath It All which will be released on August 17th so make sure you grab it.

I hate to have to send you guys away from the site to watch the video, but there is not an embed just yet. So check out Hey Monday I Don’t Wanna Dance  at the MTV2 site. 

The video, directed by Petro Papahadjopoulos (TV on the Radio, Incubus, Backstreet Boys), is also exclusively premiering on MTVU, MTV Hits and MTV.com.  Additionally, “I Don’t Wanna Dance” is now available for purchase on iTunes in advance of the release of Beneath It All on August 17.

Fans can get more of a taste of Beneath It All, a six song EP, with audio streams of the songs “Wish You Were Here” and “Hangover” now playing at www.heymondaymusic.com as well. The band has been playing new songs from the EP this summer while out on Warped Tour.  The West Palm Beach, Florida natives are no strangers to the road. They have toured the U.S. six times with bands such as Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship and Metro Station.

Hey Monday is made up of Cassadee Pope (lead vocals/guitar,) Mike Gentile (lead guitar/vocals,) Alex Lipshaw (rhythm guitar/vocals) and Michael “Jersey” Moriarty (bass/vocals.) Since releasing their debut album Hold on Tight two years ago, the band has sold nearly 500,000 songs, graced the cover of several magazines in the U.S. and overseas, and has received more than 28 million plays on MySpace. Their music has been featured on MTV’s “The Hills” and “The Real World: Brooklyn” and the band appeared on “Silent Library” this past June. Hey Monday has garnered a worldwide fan base including 150,000 followers on Twitter and over 280,000 Facebook fans.

I just watched the video for the first game as I did not have the opportunity to play the iCarly game for the Wii as Activision and Nickelodeon have announced iCarly2: iJoin the Click.  I wanted to get a bit of background on the game by seeing what the first one was about. 

The first game was all about those DS and Wii mini-games we have come to know with the cast of the show, and this time around you will be playing a new student that hangs out the cast while competing in challenges and some more mini-games.  It seems Carly wants her webisodes to get even more traffic and you will be able to help!  If you have a DSi you will be able to use the camera for extra fun.  Check out the press release below and let us know if you are excited for this game. 

CARLY AND THE GANG RETURN TO Wii™ AND NINTENDO DS™ THIS FALL IN ACTIVISION PUBLISHING’S iCARLY 2: iJOIN THE CLICK!
New Game Based on Nickelodeon’s Hit TV Show is Creative, Social, and “LOL” Fun!

SANTA MONICA, CA – JULY 29, 2010 – Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Nickelodeon today announced the second entry in the videogame series inspired by the number-one live-action show on television with kids 2-11, iCarly. Coming to Wii™ and the Nintendo DS™ family of hand-held systems internationally this Fall, iCarly 2: iJoin The Click! puts the player in the role of the new kid at Ridgeway High, where they will socialize with all the characters from the show and meet up to make new iCarly webisodes.

“One of the unique characteristics of the show and a key factor in its success is the show’s interactive integration of its fans,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “With the program continuing to reach new ratings milestones and with our first iCarly game being very well received, we’ve developed a fresh new take on the game that allows fans to immerse themselves in the world of iCarly and to fully interact with its awesome cast of personalities.”

In iCarly 2: iJoin The Click!, the adventure starts with the player as a newbie student at Ridgeway who begins to hang out with Carly, Sam and Freddie at locations from the show, such as Groovie Smoothie, the Pacific Place Mall, and even Carly’s apartment. While exploring the locations and interacting with the cast, players get to compete in a series of fun challenges and mini-games to help out the gang. Carly wants her webisodes to become an even bigger sensation, so they need the player’s help in LIVE in 5! Mode by choosing props for the set, adjusting the crew, and making sure the show goes off without a hitch. For those with a Nintendo DSi™, the game takes advantage of the system’s built-in camera to let the player take shots and import images to customize her look and wardrobe in true iCarly style.

iCarly 2: iJoin The Click! is available internationally this Fall on Wii™ and Nintendo DS™. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information visit www.activision.com.

Year-to-date, iCarly ranked as the number-one live-action series on broadcast and basic cable with kids 2-11 and kids 6-11. It is Nickelodeon’s number-one show with K6-11 and T9-14 and is also the number-one live-action series with kids 2-11. (Source: NMR Live+7 Blended with Live+SD from 12/28/09 – 7/13/10). iCarly airs regularly Saturdays at 8:00pm (ET/PT). A show within a show, iCarly follows Carly Shay and her two best friends, Sam and Freddie, as they create a webcast for and about kids their age while grappling with everyday tween problems and adventures.

On Friday, July 30, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), Nickelodeon will reveal Carly’s bedroom for the first time ever in an all-new special episode, “iGot a Hot Room.” When a birthday gift from Spencer accidentally catches fire and destroys Carly’s bedroom, Spencer recruits the iCarly gang to help make her room into the coolest, most incredible new bedroom imaginable.

Photo Credited to Colette de Barros/Nickelodeon

We all know that Selena Gomez is a fan of Justin Bieber, much like he is a fan of hers. So when you hear that Justin Bieber may get the chance to guest star on Wizards of Waverly Place, it is a big deal. Here is what he had to say, along with his manager in the videos.

I think it would be really great for him to appear on the show and even give the Wizards of Waverly Place higher ratings due to him appearing. Plus it could lead to a possible duet between them! I am really hoping that Justin Bieber will get the chance to be on it and I am sure that many of you agree. Perhaps we could all send the Disney Channel a letter?

Don’t forget to see the sneak peek of Justin Bieber winning big at the Teen Choice Awards! This is another great accomplishment that he has in his books. Of course, appearing on the Wizards of Waverly Place would be another great accomplishment for him. Watch the clip below.

source-disneyinfonet.com

Noah Munck, who plays Gibby on the popular Nickelodeon series “iCarly”, has just been promoted to series regular!  Expect to see more of him on the small screen – and he’s got a new movie coming out next year so you’ll see him on the big screen too!  He’ll be playing the role of Tristan in Bad Teacher, alongside Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake.

Gibby’s favorite character move is to take off his shirt.  Here’s what he thinks about it:

I was weirded out by it at first, and I was really nervous about doing it. But then it became a regular daily activity … I can’t go anywhere now without people yelling ‘Gibby! Take your shirt off!’

Personally, I don’t like the taking off the shirt thing.  I wish the director had given him something to do that didn’t seem to make fun of his weight, because picking on fat kids is mean.  What do you think?  Are you looking forward to seeing more Gibby?