All right, after seeing his frazzled hair, lined face and bow tie, many of you may think that I've officially cracked. But I stand by my declaration: No man in the entertainment industry even comes close to the animal magnetism projected by James Burke. If you clicked on that link you're probably giggling by now. "But Charity! He's just a goofy BBC Television host!", you say. And I say, "Bah!" The reality is that this man has a brain calculated to make ladies swoon for miles around.

Youth Service America's website offers a list of organizations that have mobilized to support the relief effort. Also available at this website are project planning tools and resources. Included is a downloadable project planning toolkit and easy to use tip sheets. These will help you and your friends think through the steps needed to plan and impl

The Rolling Stones just released yet another album this month titled A Bigger Bang. So far it’s gotten good reviews, showcasing this well-established group’s talent for rock n’ roll. If you take a listen, you’ll experience some decent guitar work and classic Mick Jagger vocals.

The CD is on order now, so put yourself on the hold list!

If you’re standing at a traffic light or driving around Ann Arbor, crank up the CD Between Here and Gone, by Mary Chapin Carpenter. The entire collection is good, but one of her best songs is “Goodnight America,” with the memorable traffic lyric: “The noise, the heat, the crush of cars just robs me of my nerve/Then someone yells and blasts their horn and pins me to the curb.” Is she singing about Ann Arbor? No, east LA, but this CD will keep you good company anywhere.

Four years after the 9-11 attacks, Hollywood appears ready to tackle the subject with several feature films in the works.

What many don't realize is that Spike Lee's film, 25th Hour, powerfully commented on the post 9-11 world just one year after the attacks. Based on the book by David Benioff, Lee's film follows Monty Brogan, played to perfection by Edward Norton, as he lives his last day as a free man before heading off to serve a seven-year jail term for drug dealing. Although the film's plot has little to do with the events of 9-11, the heart of the film really has everything to do with life after 9-11. This is especially evident in an important scene in which two main characters discuss Monty's fate as they sit in an apartment with a large window overlooking The Pile.

The library's collection also includes several documentaries that deal with 9-11 in some form or another, including Nine Innings from Ground Zero, WTC: the First 24 Hours, and 9/11.

Late Registration by Kanye West is this week's no. 1 hit on the Billboard 200 chart. His 2004 debut The College Dropout opened at the no. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. Kanye West has been in the news lately with his comments against the president, George W. Bush during the NBC Universal Hurricane Katrina telethon. Kanye West is also embroiled in a lawsuit with a Chicago D.J. over an alleged forged recording agreement.

The Play Ground is on its toes this week because there are so many dance events on the horizon. Flamenco Michigan featuring Peter Suarez and many local artists will be at the Kerrytown Concert House on September 14 at 8pm. Suarez has performed with the
Gypsy Kings, at Radio City Music Hall and is a regular with the Metropolitan Opera.
In addition, the Artichoke Dance Company of New York City will present an evening of intimate dances for small spaces on Monday, September 12 at Canterbury House. The company is known for its daring and energetic dancing. Wait, there's more: The Mark Morris Dance Group will be at the Power Center on September 16 and 17. Once considered the bad boy of modern dance, Morris is now an influential choreographer.

Last week featured hip-hop history on the National Public Radio program Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Several artists interviewed on the program have talent to spare. In addition to recording their own music, artists like Queen Latifah, Will Smith, the RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, and Mos Def have acted in movies and television series, composed film scores, and even provided voices for animated films.

Are you still looking for a summer escape? If you like mysteries, four popular authors have released new titles to entertain you. For a more contemplative read during these last days of the season, the final volume of poetry by Mattie Stepanek enters the list at #15.

At #1 is Point Blank by Catherine Coulter: the latest romantic thriller by this very prolific author features the married FBI couple of Savich and Sherlock.

At #6 is Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston: hunting dinosaurs in the Southwest takes a deadly turn.

Celebrate the birthday of classic film star, Claudette Colbert, born September 13, 1903 in Paris. Known primarily for her screwball comedies like It Happened One Night, Colbert was also a fine dramatic actress, appearing in such films as Imitation of Life and Drums Along the Mohawk. A friend recently watched The Palm Beach Story, a lesser known comedy and was in tears with laughter. Check out the videos and dvds of [ht