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Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as Madonna, is
an American pop singer-
Since her debut in 1982, Madonna has released many chart-
Early life and career
Madonna Louise Ciccone (her adopted Catholic confirmation name but not legal second
middle name is Veronica) was born in Bay City, Michigan. She was the third of six
children (her siblings are Martin, Anthony, Paula, Christopher, and Melanie) born
to Silvio "Tony" Ciccone, an Italian-
She was raised in a Catholic family in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills). Madonna's mother died of breast cancer at age 30 on December 1, 1963. Her father later married the family housekeeper, Joan Gustafson, and they had two children, Jennifer and Mario, together.
Madonna convinced her father to allow her to take ballet classes. Her ballet teacher,
Christopher Flynn, exposed Madonna to gay discotheques. As a young girl, Madonna
attended St. Frederick's Elementary School and St. Andrew's Elementary School (present
day Holy Family Regional) and West Middle School. She attended Rochester Adams High
School, where she was a straight-
After being convinced by her ballet teacher, she left the University of Michigan at the end of her sophomore year, in 1977, and moved to New York City to pursue a dance career. Madonna has said:
"When I came to New York, it was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first
time I'd ever gotten a taxi-
She had little money and for some time lived in squalor, working low-
While performing as a dancer for the French disco artist Patrick Hernandez, on his 1979 world tour, Madonna became romantically involved with the musician Dan Gilroy, with whom she later formed her first rock band, the Breakfast Club, back in New York. In it, she sang and played drums and guitar before forming the band Emmy in 1980 with drummer and former boyfriend Stephen Bray. She and Bray wrote and produced dance songs that brought her local attention in New York dance clubs. DJ and record producer Mark Kamins was impressed by her demo recordings, so he brought them to the attention of Sire Records founder Seymour Stein.
1982–1985: Rise to fame
In 1982, Madonna signed a singles deal with Sire Records, a new wave label belonging
to Warner Bros. Records, while the label's owner, Seymour Stein was in the hospital.
He signed her from his hospital room. Her first release, on October 6, 1982, was
"Everybody", a self-
Her debut album, Madonna, a collection of dance songs, was primarily produced by
Reggie Lucas, who had also produced for several R&B singers including Stephanie Mills.
Madonna felt Lucas would be the producer to get the best vocals from her as he had
experience working with many established R&B singers. After finishing several songs,
however, she was dissatisfied with the outcome. She felt her vocals were fine but
was unpleased with Lucas' music tracks. Madonna took the finished product to her
then-
Madonna's look and manner of dress, portrayed in photographs, live performances and music videos, became increasingly influential among young girls and women. Defined by lace tops, skirts over capri pants, fishnet stockings, jewelry bearing the Christian cross, and bleached hair, this distinctive style became an iconic female fashion trend in the 1980s.
Her follow up album, Like a Virgin, became her first number one album on the U.S.
albums chart. Buoyed by the success of its title track, Like a Virgin, which reached
number one in the U.S. with a six week stay at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles
Chart[10]. Other hits included "Material Girl" (U.S. #2, kept out of the number one
spot by USA For Africa's "We Are The World"), Angel" (U.S. #5) and "Dress You Up"
(U.S. #5). The album sold eight million copies in the US and another four million
worldwide at its time of release. It currently stands at 17 million copies worldwide.[11]
It also produced four top-
In 1985, Madonna entered mainstream films, beginning with a brief appearance as a
club singer in the film Vision Quest. The soundtrack to the film contained her second
U.S. number one pop hit, the Grammy-
Madonna embarked on her first concert tour in the U.S. in 1985 titled The Virgin Tour, with opening act The Beastie Boys.
In July 1985, Penthouse and Playboy magazines published a number of black and white nude photos of Madonna taken in the late 1970s. The publications caused public controversy. Madonna took legal action to try and block them from being published, but when that failed she became unapologetic and defiant. Speaking to a global audience at the outdoor Live Aid charity concert at the height of the controversy, Madonna made a critical reference to the media and stated she would not take her jacket off, despite the heat, because "they might hold it against me ten years from now". Madonna later appeared on the cover of the NY Post newspaper, quoted as saying about the photographs "I'm NOT ashamed."
1992–1997: "Sex" controversy and "Evita"
Erotica, produced primarily with Shep Pettibone, featured three (out of fourteen)
overtly sexual songs: "Erotica", "Where Life Begins", and "Did You Do It?". The album
peaked at number two in the U.S. and produced six singles, the most successful being
its title track “Erotica” (U.S. #3). "Erotica" became the highest-
The Girlie Show World Tour in 1993 featured Madonna dressed as a whip-
In the spring of 1994, after the backlash she received from the album Erotica and the coffee table book SEX, Madonna released the single "I'll Remember" (U.S. #2). She recorded the song for Alek Keshishian's film "With Honors" and put her back in good graces with American radio and the American buying public.
Madonna released her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories in 1994, co-
On 7 November 1995, Madonna released Something to Remember, a collection of her best ballads, which featured three new tracks, including a cover of the Marvin Gaye classic “I Want You,” which she recorded with the British band Massive Attack, and the top ten hit (U.S. #6) “You'll See.” The album just missed the top five on the U.S. charts; it has since been certified triple platinum. The second single from "Something to Remember" was "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (U.S. #78) which is a song previously released on the album "Like a Virgin" (1984).
In 1996, Madonna’s most critically successful film, Evita, was released. The film's
soundtrack became her twelfth platinum album[35] and produced two hit singles, “Don't
Cry for Me Argentina” -
On October 16, 2007, Madonna announced she was not renewing her recording contract
with Warner Bros, and had entered a $120 million, 10-
On October 18, 2007, Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg told Hollywood Insider that Madonna's forthcoming studio album could be released in early 2008 and a greatest hits package is slated for a release in late 2008 or early 2009.
Religion, ethnicity, and family
Madonna has cited her Catholic and Italian background as major influences in her life and career. She has also noted on various occasions that her mother's premature death left a lasting emotional burden throughout her adolescence and adulthood. As an entertainer, Madonna has occasionally touched on these subjects in her song lyrics and visual presentation.
Madonna's Catholic background and relationship with her parents were reflected in the 1989 album Like a Prayer, which features songs about her parents and Catholic upbringing. The video for the title track contains Catholic symbolism, such as the stigmata. Madonna used the crucifix as a religious accessory in the setting of the video, and was also included in the stage design of her "Confessions" tour. "Promise to Try" tells of her sadness towards the memory of her mother, while "Oh Father" is of a strict father who elicits fear in his child. In the The Virgin Tour, she wore the rosary around her neck. In the music video for "La Isla Bonita", she prays to the rosary.
She had described the name as being "very Italian", despite the fact that she was named after her French Canadian mother. The name "Madonna" is Catholic and has been referenced to The Virgin Mary, who, in the Roman Catholic Church, is often referred to as "The Madonna" and juxtaposes the two Italian words "ma", a variation on the Italian "mia" (the contextual form for the adjective "my"), and "donna", which literally translates to "my lady".
Madonna's Italian heritage has also been referenced in her work. The video for Like
a Virgin, filmed in Venice, Italy, features her in Venetian settings. The "Open Your
Heart" video sees her boss yelling at her in Italian. In the "Papa Don't Preach"
video, Madonna wears a shirt with the slogan, "Italians Do It Better". The 1988 video
release of her Who's That Girl Tour, titled Ciao, Italia! -
Madonna
Madonna Portrait Wild Music Art
Madonna Funky Music Art
Madonna cartoon Music Art Busy Woman Fitness
Madonna icon Music Art Self Defence
Madonna Nude portrait Music Art MAKEOVER
Madonna Rebel Music Art
Madonna Acid Music Art Teeth
Madonna religion Music Art Identity Theft
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Dog care: how to make homemade dog food
Do you really know what's in today's dog food? You're sure to know all the ingredients when you learn to make the food yourself.
A growing number of studies suggest that dog food on the market today is unhealthy,
often causing stomach, heart and kidney problems. No wonder, after learning what
typical dog foods contain, that it could cause medical ailments. Soybean meal and
corn meal are commonly used for the protein content of many pet foods. These ingredients
are poor sources of protein compared to meats. BHA and BHT are also found in many
of varieties of dog food, and these chemicals are proven to be potential hazardous
additives. If the ingredient label mentions bi-
Items often used for homemade dog food are left over scraps of meat or bone, scrambled eggs, milk and leftover vegetables. These can be stirred up in various combinations, then frozen or stored until the next day. Other possible ingredients include rice, pasta and nuts. In many instances, you can make your own recipes easily by just thinking about how you would like a stew to look or how you would create a meal for your own family. You might want to start out experimenting on your own, or search library books or online resources to find specific recipes.
Try mixing together such leftover items as a couple of cups of macaroni, the same proportion of mixed vegetables, a pound of beef or chicken, 3 cups of water and one to two tablespoons of corn starch for thickening. First you'll need to boil the meat, and then separate it from the broth. Prepare noodles and vegetables as you would for your own consumption, then drain off water. Dissolve the corn starch in a quarter cup of cold water, then add meat, veggies, pasta, broth, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a clove or two of pressed garlic. Bring to a boil, then stir in corn starch and water mixture. Turn the burner down on low and let simmer until mixture starts to thicken. After it is the desired consistency and has cooled considerably, scoop out with a cup into freezer bags. Thaw the concoction the night before the intended feeding.
For a quick puppy snack or treat, pour a pound of chicken livers along with a cup
of liquid into a blender and blend until it is completely liquefied. Add one egg
and blend a minute longer. Pour into a medium sized bowl and add a cup each of corn
meal and flour, along with a tablespoon of garlic powder. Spray baking pan with a
no-
Another great meal for a dog is an omelet. Heat a medium sized pan with a small amount of olive oil. Whip together an egg and 2 tablespoons of instant or mashed potatoes. Spread in pan. Layer with a half cup of cooked veggies and a half cup of diced turkey or chicken. Cover and simmer until egg cooks and the mixture is warm. Sprinkle a quarter cup of cheese on top, then cook a few more minutes until cheese is melted and egg is golden brown. Let cool, then cut into slices. Store in refrigerator until usage. Ideas for creating recipes are hamburgers and meatball meals, vegetable stews, canine cookies or bacon and cheese recipes. A basic rule of thumb when making your own dog food is to prepare foods which look and smell good enough for you to eat, trying to include as much protein as possible. Keep homemade foods from spoiling by storing in the refrigerator or freezer until needed. And for future reference, keep a doggy cookbook so you can recreate your pet's favorite dishes.
Cat care: how to make homemade cat food
Make your own homemade cat food to ensure that your cat receives proper nutrition. Follow the easy recipes here to make homemade cat food.
Many busy cat owners free feed their cats, allowing them round-
Feline evolution
Felines hail from the desert and the plains regions of northern Africa where water was scarce. Fortunately, cats were able to rely on their prey to satisfy most of their water requirements. Since animal protein contains up to 70 percent water, the lack of a constant fresh water supply was not life threatening.
Today, domesticated cats and their feral counterparts are still similar creatures. The most significant difference is their diet, something over which domesticated cats have no control. Feral cats, just like their ancestors, rely on their hunting skills. Cats are carnivorous, relying almost 100 percent on their prey to satisfy their nutritional requirements. Unlike humans, cats are obligate carnivores; they require meat to live. Some of a cat's nutritional needs can only be satisfied with raw animal protein, something that homemade cat food can provide.
Raw plant products have never played a role in cat nutrition. That's not to say that cats didn't eat vegetables. They ingested whatever happened to reside in their prey's stomach, including predigested vegetables. This explains felines' lack of digestive enzymes necessary to digest large amounts of raw vegetables.
Domestic companion cats
Domestic cats have altered their eating habits, because their human owners are in charge of their care and feeding. Most cat owners opt for the quick and easy route: dry commercial cat food.
Dry kibbles consist mostly of binders. These carbohydrate binders connect vegetables, additives, preservatives, and small amounts of animal protein and fat. Dry cat food more closely resembles cheap components from the human food pyramid than feline nutritional essentials.
Why would you want to make homemade cat food?
Is it any wonder that cat owners find dead chipmunks, squirrels, and birds scattered across their lawns? You can scream, "Stop that! Leave Mr. Chipmunk alone," until you're hoarse and the neighbors think you're crazy. It's not just instinct that causes domesticated cats to hunt; their bodies crave the essential nutrition lacking in their diets.
Cats lack amylase, the enzyme necessary to digest carbohydrates, the primary component
of dry cat food. The lack of bio-
Homemade cat food most closely simulates a cat's natural diet. Only homemade cat food provides complete nutrition to cats in a form that allows them to assimilate all the essential nutrients.
Homemade cat food ingredients
Exact recipes for homemade cat food vary, even among experts. If you have committed
to serving your cat homemade cat food and you can afford it, use free-
• Raw ground meat and fat
• Finely diced vegetables
• Bone meal or finely ground eggshells – Cats require nutritional bone meal, not gardening bone meal. Purchase bone meal at the health food store. If using eggshells, grind into a fine powder.
• Nutritional supplementation – The simplest way to add the proper dose of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids (EFA) is to use tablets or capsules formulated for cats.
• Digestive and other enzymes – The simplest way to add the proper dose of enzymes
is to use multi-
• Pure water – Anything is better than tap water.
• Cooked or soaked whole grains – Grains are optional. There is disagreement among experts about feeding grains to cats. Some believe they are part of a healthy diet. Others believe that grains were never part of the cat's natural diet, and there's no additional benefit in including them.
Another disagreement among experts is whether to mix meats. One group believes that cats should eat only one meat at a feeding since cats in the wild did not eat a mouse with a side of bird. The other group finds no benefit in limiting the food to one meat ingredient.
Getting started with homemade cat food
Homemade cat food consists of separate mixtures: a meat mixture, a vegetable mixture, and an optional whole grain mixture. It's easier to prepare each mixture ahead of time and combine the mixtures at feeding time.
Preparing the mixtures and optional grains
Use any of the following raw meats: lamb, beef, turkey, or chicken. Do not use raw pork or raw fish. Ask your butcher to grind the meat and the fat together. You may also feed your cat organ meat up to twice a week. Since organ meat is extremely lean, you'll need to add fat. Ask the butcher to add fat when grinding the organ meat. If this sounds like too much trouble, the simplest way to get started is to buy ground hamburger beef that contains approximately 30 percent fat.
Meat mixture
1 pound combined meat and fat
1 cup water
4 tablespoons bone meal or 3 tablespoons powdered eggshells
Add the water to the thawed ground meat. If you use ground chicken, reduce the water to 3/4 cup, adding more if necessary. Incorporate the water into the meat. Add the bone meal or the powdered eggshells to the meat and mix well. Store the meat mixture in an airtight container or zipper bag and refrigerate or freeze.
Vegetable Mixture
Use several different vegetables for this mixture. If you use any of the hard-
1 cup mixed fresh vegetables
Wash and dry the vegetables. Grate the vegetables, and then chop the grated vegetables into small bits. If you have a food processor, process the vegetables until they are finely diced. Store the mixture in an airtight container or zipper bag and refrigerate or freeze.
Grains
1/4 cup oats, rice, bulgur, millet, cornmeal, etc.
Water
Follow the instructions on the grain package to determine the proper amount of water. Boil or soak the grains until fully hydrated. Hydration is the goal; it is not necessary to cook the grains.
Mealtime preparation
The meat and vegetable amounts are approximations. After you feed your cat homemade cat food for a few days, you can adjust the amount of each mixture according to your cats needs. After your cat has been on the homemade diet for a few weeks, you'll have a better idea how much of each mixture to use. You can make enough for several days at a time, or you can make bulk mixtures and divide into smaller portions before freezing.
Add approximately 3 spoonfuls of meat and 1 spoonful of vegetables to a clean bowl.
If using grains, add a scant spoonful and mix well. Add enough hot water to create
a stew consistency when well mixed. Cats prefer warm food-
Feeding your cat
The time has come to feed your cat its first natural meal, and you're probably excited
about providing your cat with the best possible nutrition, especially after all your
hard work. Well, guess what? Kitty may not be nearly as pleased as you are-
Just like their human owners, cats are creatures of habit, and they expect to eat
whatever it is you've been feeding them. Do yourself and your companion a favor by
gradually incorporating the natural food into the cat's regular food. Start by serving
your cat 3 parts commercial cat food to 1 part homemade food. Gradually decrease
the commercial food over a week or two depending on your cat's tolerance. Even if
your cat never accepts a 100 percent homemade diet, you're still feeding it a higher-
Don't panic!
When your cat adjusts to the homemade diet, you're going to notice some changes.
Over time, your cat will consume less food and water. The homemade food contains
a greater density of nutrients than commercial food, and it contains far more water.
A full-
You may also find that they gobble their food, and then do not require food for an entire day. If you've been free feeding your cat, this might scare you in the beginning. Carnivores' eating habits are quite different from omnivorous human eating habits. They tend to eat, sleep, play, and eliminate before eating their next meal.
This is going to be harder on you than it is on your cat. This is the way cats are meant to eat, the way they've eaten for thousands of years in the wild. You are providing the closest thing to a cat's natural diet. Relax and enjoy the fact that you are doing what many veterinarians and scientists have determined is the best possible thing you can do for your cat, and you may be adding years to cat's life in the process.
