REAL TIME AS 11:20

8,0
5,8
4,7
2,6

[Via http://grupoaudienciadatv.wordpress.com]

Michael Joseph Jackson

This is a note I just wrote on my Facebook in response to a status I saw on my home page. It was from a girl I went to school with, and it said this; “Michael Jackson is better off dead, amen”. Two of my close friends “liked” the status, and the anger it instilled in me is indescribable. I wrote this kind of as a rebuttal to their ignorance and hatefulness, but it turned out to mean so much more to me. I may not have been listening to Michael Jackson for the LONGEST time, but I can tell you one thing, he was an amazing person, and I am finally seeing why people get so mad about this blatant ignorance that people are exhibiting. He did not deserve to be treated this way, and to say that someone is better off dead, well I just can’t believe someone would talk that way. Anyway, I wanted to put this on my blog, mostly because I just like things that I write to be on my blog as well. But, maybe someone out there who hates Michael Jackson as much as these people on my Facebook do, can read this and start to change their line of thinking. Mostly I just don’t want people to believe these lies anymore, but I realize that it’s futile to try to change someones thinking if they don’t want to change themselves. I hope that there are people like that out there; that do want to change. Otherwise, just leave him alone from now on?
Rest in Peace Michael, you deserve no less.

“Your personal opinion about Michael Jackson means nothing. The facts mean something. The fact that he was found innocent by a jury of his peers means something. The fact that you people, are not that jury, and you do not have the right to judge him, or to condemn him. You cannot just appoint yourself to this pedestal and think that you can pretend that you’re so high and mighty that you get to say whatever you want about whoever you want. You’re entitled to your opinions, but that’s only when your opinion can be argued for or against. This opinion is completely wrong. It’s cruel and it’s inhumane. How can you be happy that someone is dead when you didn’t even know the man? What a sad error in judgment, and a pathetic lapse of human emotion.

I know what you’ll say. You’ll say that I didn’t know him either. You’ll say that I’m overreacting. You’ll say that I’m only doing this for attention, or that I only like him because he’s dead. Trust me, none of these things are true, well except for the fact that I didn’t know him. I’ll tell you who I do know. I know a lot of cruel people. I know a few people who I never thought could be so cold, and now that I know who you people are, I no longer want anything to do with you. You can tell me that I’m overreacting, trust me; I’m expecting it. That’s fine. But I also think that I can argue that you are overreacting. This goes for all of you out there who agree that Michael Jackson is better off dead. What a horrible thing to say.

Oh, yes, I seem to have forgotten… he did molest those boys didn’t he? Oh, actually, no..? He didn’t? He was found innocent? Well that’s news to me. I really thought that Jordan Chandler knew what Michael’s penis looked like. Oh no? That was just a horrible rumor spread around by the media? He couldn’t accurately describe Michael’s genitals? Well then why does everyone think he correctly described it? Don’t you think that if Jordan Chandler could’ve accurately described the penis of a man who he claimed molested him, that there would have been a trial, and that Michael probably would’ve went to jail? You think the defense attorney’s would’ve just let that piece of evidence slide? No. They wouldn’t have, and they didn’t, because Jordan could NOT describe it.

Interesting isn’t it? The Arvizo’s case, well that was interesting too. The second time Michael was accused of child molestation. The mother of the boy who was accusing Michael had actually gotten into trouble before, in an incident at a JC Penny’s. She basically accused the security guards from JC Penny’s of beating her, but when she was at the police station she had no cuts or bruises, and looked completely fine. Two days later she came back with bruises and said that the guards “twisted her nipple 25 times” and sexually molested her. Now, I’ve never been molested, but I’m pretty sure if I was that I wouldn’t remember how many times they twisted my nipple, let alone would I be COUNTING the number of times it happened. Janet Arvizo got $20,000 for this conspiracy, but I guess it just wasn’t enough money for her. She needed to go after someone bigger than a JC Penny’s.

Oh and when they took Michael to court, didn’t they have the same two lawyers as the Chandler’s did 20 years ago? That must be just a coincidence, right? And the fact that their case was modeled very similarly to the Chandler’s case, that’s also just a coincidence. I mean, maybe Michael just molested the two boys similarly? Yeah, of course. They weren’t trying to trap him though. Of course not.

Actually I’m not even going to continue defending him. I was born in this country and I know what goes on in this world. The law system says that every man is innocent until proven guilty, but I know it to be the opposite here. Why is Michael Jackson the one exception to this rule? He shouldn’t be, and instead of all of his fans (millions of them) having to defend him constantly, I think that the people who think he was guilty should have to prove it. Please, find me some evidence that he was guilty. I mean, the court transcripts are out there somewhere right? I know my friend has read part of them in various books and sources like that. I mean, if you really want to prove it to me that Michael Jackson was guilty, go out and read the books about it. Find the actual evidence and read it for yourself, and if you still believe that he is guilty from that, I might take a look.

But you won’t do that will you? You all are too lazy to question what you hear on the radio, news, or the TV. Isn’t that right? You don’t want to look up the real answers to this conspiracy because you’re all too stubborn to think that you might be WRONG. Whoa…that’s a new word isn’t it. Being wrong is a wonderful thing that you all have in common, but don’t let me just tell you what I know. You might as well figure it out for yourself. Really, go look up some things about Michael Jackson. Look up some books or articles that were written by people from the courtroom during the trial and find out for yourself whether or not he was really guilty. If you do decide to look, which I know you probably won’t, please don’t have your evidence be from a tabloid or gossip column. Do yourselves a favor and don’t continue to embarrass yourselves.

No, I know you’re just getting angrier at the fact that I’m challenging you with this. I’m terribly sorry but I just don’t understand why you are all still obsessing over this. It just doesn’t make any sense. Michael Jackson is dead. You finally got what you wanted right? Why can’t you just move on? Why must he still be attacked and criticized? You should probably just let it rest now. Just an opinion. But that really doesn’t mean anything does it? The fact is; he was found innocent in the most recent case. The fact is; Evan Chandler and the Arvizos were money hungry bastards who lied about the molestations to extort money from a very popular and rich entertainer as Michael was. The fact is; you don’t care about the facts. You make me sick.”

[Via http://disaster117.wordpress.com]

Thrifting for Michael Jackson by Jess Burg

Im excited to introduce you to our very first guest-blogger post by fellow thrift guru, Jess Burg. Jess is the real deal. I’ve seen her sport some of the wildest, most rare thrift threads out there folks. She will be contributing here all week and hopefully a lot more in the future. She brings a good female perspective on thrift culture and a great fashion mindset to Things I Found, (something that I feel this blog has been sorely lacking.) Here is her first inspiring piece about how Michael Jackson fuels her thirst and tastes when it comes to thrifting. Enjoy!

- – - -

I want to get closer to Michael Jackson in any way possible. Being that I feel robbed of my first idol and self-proclaimed God all too soon, thrifting makes for a good coping mechanism. In theory, I can always find something to remind me of him and the legacy he left.

It used to be, the one item that was easily found in any thrift store was an old beat up vinyl copy of Thriller. When Michael passed, mourning fans and others who tried to sell them on eBay seized every last copy. Still there are many MJ gems to be discovered. Common thrift item such as crazy leather jackets, shoulder padded blouses with pop-up collars, patent leather ankle boots or even the right glove. Once you stop and look, it’s undeniable; his stylistic influences are all over the thrift store. I call his style “sexy tough.”

Some of my favorite Michael inspired items include the following:

A glittery silver knitted blouse with padded shoulders I wore one New Years Eve. A black, hybrid combo of mesh and cotton t-shirt with gold embroidery separating the two textures. I like wearing it when I know serious dancing will ensue. A few studded black belts that resemble those he sported in the “Bad” video. Then, my pride is the high tops I found. The funny thing about the day I found them is I bought them not knowing what they were. For $20 I became the proud owner of a pair of limited edition, Michael Jackson LA Gear high top sneakers. They are so tough! The shoe is modeled similar to early 90s basketball high tops except I’ve never seen B-ball shoes covered in luminous silver studs. In typical LA Gear fashion, two kinds of laces, black and silver sparkle, weave in and out of the shoe. Black leather straps with silver tips and little silver buckles adorn the tops and outer side of the shoe. On the tongue, the sanctified insignia of the King of Pop, knees bent and on his toes, replicating the same move in Moonwalker. A perfect 7.5 fit, I believe that these sneakers chose me. I’ve maybe worn them out of the house twice. I will have them for the rest of my life and honor them as the holiest of all memorabilia. They will be passed down to my children’s children in hopes that his prophecies of “Take a look at your self and make that change,” will one day come true.

- Jess Burg

[Via http://thingsifoundatthethriftstore.wordpress.com]

España apuesta por el mercado nacional

Últimamente los artistas españoles están en todas partes. Triunfan dentro y fuera de casa, es magnífico dado que al mercado español de música siempre le ha costado mucho romper fronteras. Sin embargo, no vengo a hablaros sobre los logros que los artistas españoles están logrando fuera de nuestro país. Prefiero hablaros de los discos más vendidos esta semana dentro del territorio nacional.

Esta semana encabezan la lista artistas nacionales y no es hasta la octava posición cuando aparecen discos extranjeros. Así pues, comienzo con los tres discos que se han colado en el “top 10” dominado por españoles.

La octava posición es para nada más y nada menos que “The Time Of Our Lives” de Miley Circus. Todavía no estamos en navidades así que intuimos que esta jovencita está conquistando el corazón de muchos caballeros o, más bien, la ilusión de muchas pequeñas que también sueñan con ser princesas. La novena posición es para Michael Jackson con “This is it”, una posición bastante baja si se tienen en cuenta las expectativas que habían puesto en el disco. El décimo puesto (y con esto acabo con los grupos extranjeros) es para Bon Jovi y su “The Circle”.

Encabezando la lista de Top10, Joaquín Sabina se convierte en el número uno, siendo la entrada más fuerte de la semana gracias a “Vinagre y Rosas”. Un disco que además ya le ha proporcionado el Disco de Platino en muy poco tiempo, lo que refleja las ganas de que este personaje volviera a por todas. El segundo puesto es para unos hermanos que se hacen llamar Estopa. No sabemos si su protagonismo en el cómic “Estopa Ultimate” ha dejado algún superpoder a los hermanos Muñoz; lo que si sabemos es que su público ha querido celebrar con ellos su “X Anniversarium”. Llegamos al tercer puesto con “Paraíso Express” de Alejandro Sanz que durante su primera semana en el mercado ya fue Disco Platino, según las listas de Promusicae. Lo celebraríamos con él, pero es imposible acceder a su persona para darle la enhorabuena.

Pasado el oro, el plata y el bronce vamos a la cuarta posición con Mecano y “Siglo XXI”, un recopilatorio más de la banda que incluye el tema María Luz. Le sigue El Barrio con “Duermevela”, Fito & Los Fitipaldis con “Antes de que cuente diez” y David Bisbal con “Sin mirar atrás”.

[Via http://rockolafm.wordpress.com]

Las nuevas tarifas de la ANDA para el agua potable y alcantarillado

Antes de entrarle al tema les menciono que hay un viejo refrán popular que dice:

“No hay que caer de lo sublime a lo ridículo”

!Ojo y no les vaya a pasar lo de Michael Jackson!

Partir del hecho que la proporcionalidad del consumo es la base para racionalizar el subsidio es una aberración de primer orden que ni siquiera valdría la pena tomar en cuanta como elemento de base para cualquier argumentación seria que pueda elucubrarse a partir de esta bastante poco inteligente teoría.

ANDA tiene que utilizar la tecnología más apropiada para efectuar un censo catastral, mancomunado a las bases de datos del Ministerio de Hacienda y alcaldías, para poder determinar los radios de acción objeto de la segregación de la tarifas y que dicho trabajo debe hacerse sobre la base dogmática que tanto pregona el FMLN: el que tiene más que pague más, que por cierto es bastante correcta desde el punto de vista de la proporcionalidad del ingreso y de la paupérrima distribución de riquezas que se vive en El Salvador (y en todo el mundo).

Por cierto que para esto podrían apoyarse en el sistema de información comercial que recientemente se diseño para ANDA y que según me cuentan se conoce con el nombre de “CASIOPEA” y del que ni siquiera ha querido mencionar públicamente que existe el Ing. Gómez porque parece que a criterio de él dicho sistema fue elaborado por un “Arenero”

Ese sería un esfuerzo serio para la conversión integral del sistema tarifario y que subsanaría eficientemente las adversidades financieras que atraviesa la institución para poder brindar un servicio que no solo no es subsidiado sino que se trabaja bajo un régimen de pérdidas en la ecuación explotación/facturación que no ha querido ser actualizado hasta la fecha por el desgraciado efecto e impacto político que esto representa.

Es el momento adecuado de hacerlo, pero hay que hacerlo bien.

Desafortunadamente …. (siempre hay peros) … vale la pena mencionar lo siguiente:

El senil presidente de la autónoma, Ing. Francisco Gómez, no tiene pelos en la lengua para presentarse ante las cámaras de televisión para dar a conocer sus versiones, bastante sui generis por cierto, de la realidad de ANDA, de la situación del agua potable, sobre la factibilidad del servicio, sobre las nuevas tarifas y no tiene el mas mínimo resquemor de atacar a diestra y siniestra a “todo aquello que huela a ARENA.”

El susodicho pseudo titular de la institución trata a toda costa de despotricar las peores patanadas en contra de sus adversarios políticos y de forma altanera, mal educada y prepotente trata de venderse como la panacea del conocimiento ingenieril en materia de agua potable y drenajes.

No obstante lo anterior, debo ser enfático al señalar que muchas de estas situaciones no son más que producto de la senilidad misma, tal como lo dejan ver en Radio Cadena Mi Gente y de lo que hago mención porque me parece un punto importante que nace de una institución es de “izquierda recalcitrante” de la mas pura. ¡Conste que lo dicen ellos! , yo únicamente lo comparto.

Se entiende que el Ing. Gómez trabajo para ANDA en 1986 y según él universo se detuvo en esa fecha y que todo en ANDA esta igual a su regreso 26 anos después.

Aparentemente el referido ingeniero no se ha enterado que en el ultimo cuarto de siglo se invento la Internet, que cayo el muro de Berlín, que ya existen los teléfonos celulares, que los niños dispone de juegos de video bastante mas adelantados que los Ataris que el talvez conoció, que el mundo se globalizo, que la tecnología ha cambiado dramáticamente el curso de la naturaleza y que estamos enfrentando una crisis mundial económica, política, dogmática, religiosa y fanática. Habría que informarle que en el presente siglo las transmisiones de televisión son a colores y que los aparatos de tubos catódicos han sido reemplazados por otros del tipo LCD y plasma.

Parece que tampoco se ha enterado que en estos últimos 25 años crecieron desmesuradamente los grupos oligárquicos mundiales que han explotado a todo el planeta manteniéndolo al borde de un colapso financiero, social y económico, que aparecieron los grupos ilegales que se dedican a extorsionar, aparecieron los Talibanes, cayo el régimen de Sadam Hussein, los EEUU vivieron la pesadilla del Septiembre 11 y en todo el planeta se experimenta un desmesurado calentamiento global.

Habría que contarle que el “Pato Alfaro” de la KL ya esta en otro mundo que Albertico y Aniceto tampoco están más con nosotros, que Matthies Hill defraudó plata a lo loco, que condenaron a Pinochet, que todo el cono sur se volvió de izquierda y que los tangos de Agustín Lara, los boleros de la Billos y las cumbias de los Hermnos Flores ya son cosa del pasado y que ahora se baila Raeggeton y Perreo.

Todo esto parecería no lo sabe el Ing. Gómez y por ende parecería que tampoco es muy adicto a la lectura, a la investigación y talvez ni siquiera de los noticieros televisivos.

Ya en ANDA él ha sido feliz haciendo valer su minúsculo poder y se ha conformado con despedir y contratar a su santo antojo al mismismo estilo de las administraciones de ARENA, PCD y PDC. Por supuesto que la peor aberración ha sido la adicción a contratar a sus concubinas como empleadas de la institución en detrimento del personal calificado que pensó eran “Areneros” “faltos de confianza”

El referido presidente, en su estilo de administración, no pasa de ser un diminuto e insignificante clon de “Don Nadie” (quiera él que se le comparara con el famoso presidente al que mandó a callar el Rey de España), claro que sin el grado de notoriedad de este último y mucho menos a’ a tener jamás la capacidad de conducir las riendas de lo que tiene a cargo con el debido liderazgo.

Ahora nos anuncia que ANDA nos recetará “nuevas tarifas” y ni siquiera se da cuenta que el dimensionamiento de las mismas carece del mas mínimo sentido común y que el plan de focalizar el subsidio no es ni siquiera, ni remotamente cerca de lo que él ha planteado en nombre de la institución.

Pero Don Eugenio Calderón de Canal 4 ha hecho famosa una frase bastante singular y que aplica muy bien a conductas erróneas y anormales como la del Ing. Gómez

¡¡VAYA USTED A SABER!!

[Via http://guanakolandia.wordpress.com]

Michael Jackson Oxford University Speech

With the recent leaks of taped phone conversations of Michael Jackson saying ’shocking’ things about some jewish people, I thought I would post this speech that he gave at Oxford University. Michael Jackson was a genius; in my humble opinion, whatever he said he said for a REASON. The speech he gave at Oxford is a true reflection of his genius and gives the full context of how he thought and proves that he was MUCH MUCH more than an ‘entertainer’.

Reference:

http://www.michaeljackson.com/cn/node/93244

The Kids – Oxford Speech Oxford University, March 2001 by Michael Jackson

Thank you, thank you dear friends, from the bottom of my heart, for such a loving and spirited welcome, and thank you, Mr President, for your kind invitation to me which I am so honoured to accept. I also want to express a special thanks to you Shmuley, who for 11 years served as Rabbi here at Oxford. You and I have been working so hard to form Heal the Kids, as well as writing our book about childlike qualities, and in all of our efforts you have been such a supportive and loving friend. And I would also like to thank Toba Friedman, our director of operations at Heal the Kids, who is returning tonight to the alma mater where she served as a Marshall scholar, as well as Marilyn Piels, another central member of our Heal the Kids team. I am humbled to be lecturing in a place that has previously been filled by such notable figures as Mother Theresa, Albert Einstein, Ronald Reagan, Robert Kennedy and Malcolm X. I’ve even heard that Kermit the Frog has made an appearance here, and I’ve always felt a kinship with Kermit’s message that it’s not easy being green. I’m sure he didn’t find it any easier being up here than I do! As I looked around Oxford today, I couldn’t help but be aware of the majesty and grandeur of this great institution, not to mention the brilliance of the great and gifted minds that have roamed these streets for centuries. The walls of Oxford have not only housed the greatest philosophical and scientific geniuses – they have also ushered forth some of the most cherished creators of children’s literature, from J.R.R. Tolkien to CS Lewis. Today I was allowed to hobble into the dining hall in Christ Church to see Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland immortalised in the stained glass windows. And even one of my own fellow Americans, the beloved Dr Seuss graced these halls and then went on to leave his mark on the imaginations of millions of children throughout the world. I suppose I should start by listing my qualifications to speak before you this evening. Friends, I do not claim to have the academic expertise of other speakers who have addressed this hall, just as they could lay little claim at being adept at the moonwalk – and you know, Einstein in particular was really TERRIBLE at that. But I do have a claim to having experienced more places and cultures than most people will ever see. Human knowledge consists not only of libraries of parchment and ink – it is also comprised of the volumes of knowledge that are written on the human heart, chiselled on the human soul, and engraved on the human psyche. And friends, I have encountered so much in this relatively short life of mine that I still cannot believe I am only 42. I often tell Shmuley that in soul years I’m sure that I’m at least 80 – and tonight I even walk like I’m 80! So please harken to my message, because what I have to tell you tonight can bring healing to humanity and healing to our planet. Through the grace of God, I have been fortunate to have achieved many of my artistic and professional aspirations realised early in my lifetime. But these, friends are accomplishments, and accomplishments alone are not synonymous with who I am. Indeed, the cheery five-year-old who belted out Rockin’ Robin and Ben to adoring crowds was not indicative of the boy behind the smile. Tonight, I come before you less as an icon of pop (whatever that means anyway), and more as an icon of a generation, a generation that no longer knows what it means to be children. All of us are products of our childhood. But I am the product of a lack of a childhood, an absence of that precious and wondrous age when we frolic playfully without a care in the world, basking in the adoration of parents and relatives, where our biggest concern is studying for that big spelling test come Monday morning. Those of you who are familiar with the Jackson Five know that I began performing at the tender age of five and that ever since then, I haven’t stopped dancing or singing. But while performing and making music undoubtedly remain as some of my greatest joys, when I was young I wanted more than anything else to be a typical little boy. I wanted to build tree houses, have water balloon fights, and play hide and seek with my friends. But fate had it otherwise and all I could do was envy the laughter and playtime that seemed to be going on all around me. There was no respite from my professional life. But on Sundays I would go Pioneering, the term used for the missionary work that Jehovah’s Witnesses do. And it was then that I was able to see the magic of other people’s childhood. Since I was already a celebrity, I would have to don a disguise of fat suit, wig, beard and glasses and we would spend the day in the suburbs of Southern California, going door-to-door or making the rounds of shopping malls, distributing our Watchtower magazine. I loved to set foot in all those regular suburban houses and catch sight of the shag rugs and La-Z-Boy armchairs with kids playing Monopoly and grandmas baby-sitting and all those wonderful, ordinary and starry scenes of everyday life. Many, I know, would argue that these things seem like no big deal. But to me they were mesmerising. I used to think that I was unique in feeling that I was without a childhood. I believed that indeed there were only a handful with whom I could share those feelings. When I recently met with Shirley Temple Black, the great child star of the 1930s and 40s, we said nothing to each other at first, we simply cried together, for she could share a pain with me that only others like my close friends Elizabeth Taylor and McCauley Culkin know. I do not tell you this to gain your sympathy but to impress upon you my first important point : It is not just Hollywood child stars that have suffered from a non-existent childhood. Today, it’s a universal calamity, a global catastrophe. Childhood has become the great casualty of modern-day living. All around us we are producing scores of kids who have not had the joy, who have not been accorded the right, who have not been allowed the freedom, or knowing what it’s like to be a kid. Today children are constantly encouraged to grow up faster, as if this period known as childhood is a burdensome stage, to be endured and ushered through, as swiftly as possible. And on that subject, I am certainly one of the world’s greatest experts. Ours is a generation that has witnessed the abrogation of the parent-child covenant. Psychologists are publishing libraries of books detailing the destructive effects of denying one’s children the unconditional love that is so necessary to the healthy development of their minds and character. And because of all the neglect, too many of our kids have, essentially, to raise themselves. They are growing more distant from their parents, grandparents and other family members, as all around us the indestructible bond that once glued together the generations, unravels. This violation has bred a new generation, Generation O let us call it, that has now picked up the torch from Generation X. The O stands for a generation that has everything on the outside – wealth, success, fancy clothing and fancy cars, but an aching emptiness on the inside. That cavity in our chests, that barrenness at our core, that void in our centre is the place where the heart once beat and which love once occupied. And it’s not just the kids who are suffering. It’s the parents as well. For the more we cultivate little-adults in kids’-bodies, the more removed we ourselves become from our own child-like qualities, and there is so much about being a child that is worth retaining in adult life. Love, ladies and gentlemen, is the human family’s most precious legacy, its richest bequest, its golden inheritance. And it is a treasure that is handed down from one generation to another. Previous ages may not have had the wealth we enjoy. Their houses may have lacked electricity, and they squeezed their many kids into small homes without central heating. But those homes had no darkness, nor were they cold. They were lit bright with the glow of love and they were warmed snugly by the very heat of the human heart. Parents, undistracted by the lust for luxury and status, accorded their children primacy in their lives. As you all know, our two countries broke from each other over what Thomas Jefferson referred to as “certain inalienable rights”. And while we Americans and British might dispute the justice of his claims, what has never been in dispute is that children have certain inalienable rights, and the gradual erosion of those rights has led to scores of children worldwide being denied the joys and security of childhood. I would therefore like to propose tonight that we install in every home a Children’s Universal Bill of Rights, the tenets of which are: 1. The right to be loved without having to earn it 2. The right to be protected, without having to deserve it 3. The right to feel valuable, even if you came into the world with nothing 4. The right to be listened to without having to be interesting 5. The right to be read a bedtime story, without having to compete with the evening news 6. The right to an education without having to dodge bullets at schools 7. The right to be thought of as adorable – (even if you have a face that only a mother could love). Friends, the foundation of all human knowledge, the beginning of human consciousness, must be that each and every one of us is an object of love. Before you know if you have red hair or brown, before you know if you are black or white, before you know of what religion you are a part, you have to know that you are loved. About twelve years ago, when I was just about to start my Bad tour, a little boy came with his parents to visit me at home in California. He was dying of cancer and he told me how much he loved my music and me. His parents told me that he wasn’t going to live, that any day he could just go, and I said to him: “Look, I am going to be coming to your town in Kansas to open my tour in three months. I want you to come to the show. I am going to give you this jacket that I wore in one of my videos.” His eyes lit up and he said: “You are gonna GIVE it to me?” I said “Yeah, but you have to promise that you will wear it to the show.” I was trying to make him hold on. I said: “When you come to the show I want to see you in this jacket and in this glove” and I gave him one of my rhinestone gloves – and I never usually give the rhinestone gloves away. And he was just in heaven. But maybe he was too close to heaven, because when I came to his town, he had already died, and they had buried him in the glove and jacket. He was just 10 years old. God knows, I know, that he tried his best to hold on. But at least when he died, he knew that he was loved, not only by his parents, but even by me, a near stranger, I also loved him. And with all of that love he knew that he didn’t come into this world alone, and he certainly didn’t leave it alone. If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can he dealt with. A professor may degrade you, but you will not feel degraded, a boss may crush you, but you will not be crushed, a corporate gladiator might vanquish you, but you will still triumph. How could any of them truly prevail in pulling you down? For you know that you are an object worthy of love. The rest is just packaging. But if you don’t have that memory of being loved, you are condemned to search the world for something to fill you up. But no matter how much money you make or how famous you become, you will still fell empty. What you are really searching for is unconditional love, unqualified acceptance. And that was the one thing that was denied to you at birth. Friends, let me paint a picture for you. Here is a typical day in America – six youths under the age of 20 will commit suicide, 12 children under the age of 20 will die from firearms – remember this is a DAY, not a year – 399 kids will be arrested for drug abuse, 1,352 babies will be born to teen mothers. This is happening in one of the richest, most developed countries in the history of the world. Yes, in my country there is an epidemic of violence that parallels no other industrialised nation. These are the ways young people in America express their hurt and their anger. But don’t think that there is not the same pain and anguish among their counterparts in the United Kingdom. Studies in this country show that every single hour, three teenagers in the UK inflict harm upon themselves, often by cutting or burning their bodies or taking an overdose. This is how they have chosen to cope with the pain of neglect and emotional agony. In Britain, as many as 20% of families will only sit down and have dinner together once a year. Once a year! And what about the time-honoured tradition of reading your kid a bedtime story? Research from the 1980s showed that children who are read to, had far greater literacy and significantly outperformed their peers at school. And yet, less than 33% of British children ages two to eight have a regular bedtime story read to them. You may not think much of that until you take into account that 75% of their parents DID have that bedtime story when they were that age. Clearly, we do not have to ask ourselves where all of this pain, anger and violent behaviour comes from. It is self-evident that children are thundering against the neglect, quaking against the indifference and crying out just to be noticed. The various child protection agencies in the US say that millions of children are victims of maltreatment in the form of neglect, in the average year. Yes, neglect. In rich homes, privileged homes, wired to the hilt with every electronic gadget. Homes where parents come home, but they’re not really home, because their heads are still at the office. And their kids? Well, their kids just make do with whatever emotional crumbs they get. And you don’t get much from endless TV, computer games and videos. These hard, cold numbers which for me, wrench the soul and shake the spirit, should indicate to you why I have devoted so much of my time and resources into making our new Heal the Kids initiative a colossal success. Our goal is simple – to recreate the parent/child bond, renew its promise and light the way forward for all the beautiful children who are destined one day to walk this earth. But since this is my first public lecture, and you have so warmly welcomed me into your hearts, I feel that I want to tell you more. We each have our own story, and in that sense statistics can become personal. They say that parenting is like dancing. You take one step, your child takes another. I have discovered that getting parents to re-dedicate themselves to their children is only half the story. The other half is preparing the children to re-accept their parents. When I was very young I remember that we had this crazy mutt of a dog named “Black Girl,” a mix of wolf and retriever. Not only wasn’t she much of a guard dog, she was such a scared and nervous thing that it is a wonder she did not pass out every time a truck rumbled by, or a thunderstorm swept through Indiana. My sister Janet and I gave that dog so much love, but we never really won back the sense of trust that had been stolen from her by her previous owner. We knew he used to beat her. We didn’t know with what. But whatever it was, it was enough to suck the spirit right out of that dog. A lot of kids today are hurt puppies who have weaned themselves off the need for love. They couldn’t care less about their parents. Left to their own devices, they cherish their independence. They have moved on and have left their parents behind. Then there are the far worse cases of children who harbour animosity and resentment toward their parents, so that any overture that their parents might undertake would be thrown forcefully back in their face. Tonight, I don’t want any of us to make this mistake. That’s why I’m calling upon all the world’s children – beginning with all of us here tonight – to forgive our parents, if we felt neglected. Forgive them and teach them how to love again. You probably weren’t surprised to hear that I did not have an idyllic childhood. The strain and tension that exists in my relationship with my own father is well documented. My father is a tough man and he pushed my brothers and me hard, from the earliest age, to be the best performers we could be. He had great difficulty showing affection. He never really told me he loved me. And he never really complimented me either. If I did a great show, he would tell me it was a good show. And if I did an OK show, he told me it was a lousy show. He seemed intent, above all else, on making us a commercial success. And at that he was more than adept. My father was a managerial genius and my brothers and I owe our professional success, in no small measure, to the forceful way that he pushed us. He trained me as a showman and under his guidance I couldn’t miss a step. But what I really wanted was a Dad. I wanted a father who showed me love. And my father never did that. He never said I love you while looking me straight in the eye, he never played a game with me. He never gave me a piggyback ride, he never threw a pillow at me, or a water balloon. But I remember once when I was about four years old, there was a little carnival and he picked me up and put me on a pony. It was a tiny gesture, probably something he forgot five minutes later. But because of that moment I have this special place in my heart for him. Because that’s how kids are, the little things mean so much to them and for me, that one moment meant everything. I only experienced it that one time, but it made me feel really good, about him and the world. But now I am a father myself, and one day I was thinking about my own children, Prince and Paris and how I wanted them to think of me when they grow up. To be sure, I would like them to remember how I always wanted them with me wherever I went, how I always tried to put them before everything else. But there are also challenges in their lives. Because my kids are stalked by paparazzi, they can’t always go to a park or a movie with me. So what if they grow older and resent me, and how my choices impacted their youth? Why weren’t we given an average childhood like all the other kids, they might ask? And at that moment I pray that my children will give me the benefit of the doubt. That they will say to themselves: “Our daddy did the best he could, given the unique circumstances that he faced. He may not have been perfect, but he was a warm and decent man, who tried to give us all the love in the world.” I hope that they will always focus on the positive things, on the sacrifices I willingly made for them, and not criticise the things they had to give up, or the errors I’ve made, and will certainly continue to make, in raising them. For we have all been someone’s child, and we know that despite the very best of plans and efforts, mistakes will always occur. That’s just being human. And when I think about this, of how I hope that my children will not judge me unkindly, and will forgive my shortcomings, I am forced to think of my own father and despite my earlier denials, I am forced to admit that me must have loved me. He did love me, and I know that. There were little things that showed it. When I was a kid I had a real sweet tooth – we all did. My favourite food was glazed doughnuts and my father knew that. So every few weeks I would come downstairs in the morning and there on the kitchen counter was a bag of glazed doughnuts – no note, no explanation – just the doughnuts. It was like Santa Claus. Sometimes I would think about staying up late at night, so I could see him leave them there, but just like with Santa Claus, I didn’t want to ruin the magic for fear that he would never do it again. My father had to leave them secretly at night, so as no one might catch him with his guard down. He was scared of human emotion, he didn’t understand it or know how to deal with it. But he did know doughnuts. And when I allow the floodgates to open up, there are other memories that come rushing back, memories of other tiny gestures, however imperfect, that showed that he did what he could. So tonight, rather than focusing on what my father didn’t do, I want to focus on all the things he did do and on his own personal challenges. I want to stop judging him. I have started reflecting on the fact that my father grew up in the South, in a very poor family. He came of age during the Depression and his own father, who struggled to feed his children, showed little affection towards his family and raised my father and his siblings with an iron fist. Who could have imagined what it was like to grow up a poor black man in the South, robbed of dignity, bereft of hope, struggling to become a man in a world that saw my father as subordinate. I was the first black artist to be played on MTV and I remember how big a deal it was even then. And that was in the 80s! My father moved to Indiana and had a large family of his own, working long hours in the steel mills, work that kills the lungs and humbles the spirit, all to support his family. Is it any wonder that he found it difficult to expose his feelings? Is it any mystery that he hardened his heart, that he raised the emotional ramparts? And most of all, is it any wonder why he pushed his sons so hard to succeed as performers, so that they could be saved from what he knew to be a life of indignity and poverty? I have begun to see that even my father’s harshness was a kind of love, an imperfect love, to be sure, but love nonetheless. He pushed me because he loved me. Because he wanted no man ever to look down at his offspring. And now with time, rather than bitterness, I feel blessing. In the place of anger, I have found absolution. And in the place of revenge I have found reconciliation. And my initial fury has slowly given way to forgiveness. Almost a decade ago, I founded a charity called Heal the World. The title was something I felt inside me. Little did I know, as Shmuley later pointed out, that those two words form the cornerstone of Old Testament prophecy. Do I really believe that we can heal this world, that is riddled with war and genocide, even today? And do I really think that we can heal our children, the same children who can enter their schools with guns and hatred and shoot down their classmates, like they did at Columbine? Or children who can beat a defenceless toddler to death, like the tragic story of Jamie Bulger? Of course I do, or I wouldn’t be here tonight. But it all begins with forgiveness, because to heal the world, we first have to heal ourselves. And to heal the kids, we first have to heal the child within, each and every one of us. As an adult, and as a parent, I realise that I cannot be a whole human being, nor a parent capable of unconditional love, until I put to rest the ghosts of my own childhood. And that’s what I’m asking all of us to do tonight. Live up to the fifth of the Ten Commandments. Honour your parents by not judging them. Give them the benefit of the doubt. That is why I want to forgive my father and to stop judging him. I want to forgive my father, because I want a father, and this is the only one that I’ve got. I want the weight of my past lifted from my shoulders and I want to be free to step into a new relationship with my father, for the rest of my life, unhindered by the goblins of the past. In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe. To all of you tonight who feel let down by your parents, I ask you to let down your disappointment. To all of you tonight who feel cheated by your fathers or mothers, I ask you not to cheat yourself further. And to all of you who wish to push your parents away, I ask you to extend you hand to them instead. I am asking you, I am asking myself, to give our parents the gift of unconditional love, so that they too may learn how to love from us, their children. So that love will finally be restored to a desolate and lonely world. Shmuley once mentioned to me an ancient Biblical prophecy which says that a new world and a new time would come, when “the hearts of the parents would be restored through the hearts of their children”. My friends, we are that world, we are those children. Mahatma Gandhi said: “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” Tonight, be strong. Beyond being strong, rise to the greatest challenge of all – to restore that broken covenant. We must all overcome whatever crippling effects our childhoods may have had on our lives and in the words of Jesse Jackson, forgive each other, redeem each other and move on. This call for forgiveness may not result in Oprah moments the world over, with thousands of children making up with their parents, but it will at least be a start, and we’ll all be so much happier as a result. And so ladies and gentlemen, I conclude my remarks tonight with faith, joy and excitement. From this day forward, may a new song be heard. Let that new song be the sound of children laughing. Let that new song be the sound of children playing. Let that new song be the sound of children singing. And let that new song be the sound of parents listening. Together, let us create a symphony of hearts, marvelling at the miracle of our children and basking in the beauty of love. Let us heal the world and blight its pain. And may we all make beautiful music together. God bless you, and I love you.

[Via http://betaamentoring.wordpress.com]

BOX OFFICE (USA 20-22 Nov)

”NEW MOON”, ¡el tercer estreno más taquillero de la historia!

Que tal amigos,hoy vamos a revisar el box office semanal de EE.UU. Como era de esperar,vemos el tan ansiado estreno de ”New Moon”,al final no pudo ser. ‘New Moon’ se ha quedado a las puertas de ser el estreno más taquillero de la historia americana con una cifra de vértigo: $140,70 millones.

Tan sólo a 18 millones de ‘El Caballero Oscuro’ quien en su día relegó a ‘Spiderman 3′ por 4 millones. Todos creímos que la marca era batible viendo que el Viernes fijó la mayor recaudación de un estreno por la madrugada. No obstante los fans de la saga le otorogaron ese mismo día el 50% de sus ingresos con $72 millones ($43 el Sábado y casi $25 hoy Domingo). De todas formas, ‘Luna Nueva’ puede presumir de un récord al alcance de muy pocos, el de la mayor recaudación de toda la historia en su estreno mundial con nada más y nada menos que $258,80 millones.

El fenómeno teen protagonizado por Kristen Stewart y Robert Pattinson seguramente establezca nuevos récords con su tercera entrega, ‘Eclipse’. El guardian de Gotham y el hombre arácnido pueden dormir tranquilos hasta el estreno estas mismas navidades de lo nuevo de Cameron, ‘Avatar’.

Sin embargo hay más vida allá de los vampiros, y es que ‘The Blind Side’, quien debuta también este fin de semana, ha dado la campanada logrando unos excelentes $34,51 millones.

La cinta catastrofista de Roland Emmerich, ‘2012′, desciende del primer al tercer lugar para sumar otros $26,50 millones a su montante de $108,22 en un par de semanas. Cuarta vemos a ‘Planeta 51′, la gran apuesta animada del cine español donde se narra una historia de invasiones extraterrestres desde la perspectiva inversa, es decir, desde el punto de vista de un planeta alienígena aterrorizado por la posibilidad de ser invadidos por humanos. La cinta, que ha costado más de sesenta millones de dólares ha recaudado $12,60 millones. Quizá no se ha estrenado en la semana que más le convenía pero seguro que el público americano la da una oportunidad la semana que viene. ‘Cuento de Navidad’ cae del segundo al quinto lugar y recauda $12,23 millones a sus $79,79 en tres semanas.

Sexta vemos a ‘Precious’ con $11,00 millones seguida de lo nuevo de Clooney, ‘Los hombres que miraban fijamente a las cabras’, quien en su tercera semana suma otros $2,77 millones a sus $27,62 totales. La comedia ‘Todo incluido’ Lleva siete semanas en lista y recauda otros $1,95 millones. Cierran la lista el thriller‘The Fourth Kind’ y ‘Un ciudadano ejemplar’ con $1,73 y $1,61 millones respectivamente.

[Via http://allseriestrekvar.wordpress.com]

Siedah Garrett Pays Tribute (136/365)

Sieda Garret duetted with Michael in “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”, Co-wrote “Man in the Mirror” and sang with him on tour. I made an entry with a short interview posted here.

Here is a Youtube from this past summer of her singing “Man in the Mirror” in Agape. I really appreciated what she mentioned before the performance about how all the news stations were asking for interviews from her, but she declined because…. well, they didn’t ask her the Tuesday before.

[Via http://mj365.wordpress.com]

Today: Poor boys.

This is not a good week for the man and male dog in my life.  Nick left Monday morning for a week-long business trip in Omaha, and if the Omaha part wasn’t bad enough, he landed in Nebraska with a fever of 103.  He’s now down a few degrees and managed to get a flight back to Boston.  Nothing like a day trip to Omaha!  Remind me to delete this post immediately if his fellow passengers all come down with one of the flus.

And then there’s Clark.  I don’t think he had any idea what he was in for this week, but I have a feeling he did at some point yesterday…  More specifically, when the doggie drugs wore off and he realized he was missing a couple… parts.

I honestly tried to pep talk myself into taking the dog to get neutered on my own, while Nick was away, without going too mental.  I even made a proactive call to the vet to make sure I didn’t need to do anything ahead of time (I have no idea what that might involve.  Was I thinking I’d prep him for surgery?).   Regardless, the dog seems to be doing just fine, with the exception of 3:30 this morning when he went totally batty.

This morning’s whining resulted in a call from our door person, informing us that someone had complained about the noise.  My 4 AM instinct was to leave a note reading as follows:

We’re sorry to wake you, but think of it this way: It could be worse.  You could’ve been neutered.  –Your neighbors

Fortunately for everyone, I was too tired to execute this brilliant communique.  Speaking of sorry, I’m terribly sorry Nick’s under the weather, but I’m kind of extremely glad he came home, so Clark (and our building mates) can be mad at both of us.  Just kidding. Neutering is a good thing.  I cannot believe I just typed that.  I’m probably going to vom.

Also On Tap for Today:

• Buy a Michael Jackson face mask
• Take a serious nap
• Count down the days until Thanksgiving and then count down the days until Christmas

How are the men in your life holding up?  And how are you warding off the flu?

Silver (133/365)

I realize something is missing
I climb to the top of it all
I keep crashing down, crashing down
You say to me,
“Don’t cry, I know you’ll make it.”
I’m in love with you

We were the lovers with silver wings
Flying too high
Melting in the rays of the sun
You say to me
“Don’t cry, I know you’ll make it.”
I’m in love with you,
Starlight
I’m in love with you

We were the lovers in silver,
We were the lovers in silver
Do you think you’ll ever come down?
Starlight
Do you think you’ll ever come down?
And find me now
Reach me now
Who’s gonna find me now?
I got lost
Somehow
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.”

We were the lovers in silver
We were the lovers with silver wings
Wings to fly
Wings that don’t fly, anymore

–The Violet Burning

Michael Jackson molestation accuser commits suicide

 

According to the Telegraph from England, the father of Jordan Chandler, a boy who accused Michael Jackson of child molestation, has shot himself dead.

This accusation, by most accounts, was the event that begun the unraveling of Michael Jackson. The Telegraph says:

Evan Chandler, 65, was found dead in his apartment in New Jersey after shooting himself in the head. Police said there was no suicide note.

In 1993, Mr. Chandler, a former dentist, accused Jackson on behalf of his then-13-year-old son.

Mr. Chandler and his son brought a civil lawsuit against Jackson who reportedly settled the case out of court for $20 million (£12 million,) although he always denied wrongdoing.

Perhaps the media will remember the 2006 court case of Jordan Chandler against his father Evan Chandler.  Foxnews.com gave this account of what provoked this action:

According to court papers obtained by this column, the young man who, in 1994, settled with Michael Jackson for $20 million was allegedly physically assaulted last year by his own father.

Jordan Chandler, now 26, filed a request for a restraining order against his father on August 5, 2005. The reason for the order was that Evan Chandler, formerly a dentist and an aspiring screenwriter, had allegedly hit Jordan over the head from behind with a twelve and a half pound weight. He’d also allegedly sprayed him in the face with mace and tried to choke him.

I pray that God will have mercy on the soul of Evan Chandler.

I pray that we will not be reading anytime soon about the suicides of Martin Bashir, Nancy Grace, Diana Dimond and other such names.

I do not really know what drove Evan Chandler’s despair, or what the inside story of the Chandlers and Michael Jackson really is. However, I  cannot forget one of Michael Jackson’s quotes (adapted from the Bible ) during his second — Gavin Arvizo — child sex molestation travails: “Lies run sprints but the truth runs marathons.”  Now that Michael Jackson is dead and Evan Chandler is dead, we may never know the truth from the lie. Then again, maybe Jordon Chandler will write a truthful tell all book.

So what can I say?  Save a reminder that whosoever digs a pit with malicious intent shall not only fall in it, but in all likelihood will break a neck. I have recent experience of this with a band of workplace degenerates who contrived a false accusation against me. I post this story, really, to say to those who are falsely accused, persecuted and maligned without cause to prayer without ceasing.

There is a God. He is the Truth.

Dance Like Someone's Watching

I heart synchronicity and zeitgeist. A lot.

Example: Two weeks ago I had zero interest in  guys who do Michael Jackson dance routines. Less than zero interest. In fact, watching something like that had a good chance of annoying me.

But add a little synchronicity into the mix and I’m all over it.

Remember that busguy post? Check this out.

Completely unrelated to busguy, someone posts a killer video called “Josh’s Commute to Work” which just happens to be about a  guy who dances his ass off to a Michael Jackson jam on his way to work in Chicago.

It’s nothing short of amazing (especially when you find out this video was shot and edited in under 24hrs.)

(via Zadi)

Design da música é isso!

This is it

Aqui no blog, prestamos a falar sobre tudo aquilo que envolve os acordes, os tons e as letras. Prestamos aqui a falar sobre a áurea da música, sobre o sentido social da arte, sobre a disposição dos artistas em fazer música.

Falamos sobre o conceito que cada artista procura. Sobre a busca de uma música proposital.

Falamos sobre o design da música

Michael Jackson sempre foi conhecido como o Rei do pop, aquele que canta, dança, compõe, interpreta, cativa. “MJ” era o líder de vendas de um álbum – por Thriller, nos EUA.

Só que para quem não conhecia Michael Jackson tão bem, não se sabe se ele era um cantor ou um músico comprometido com o som, com os ensaios, com a própria banda, com os arranjos. Se Michael era realmente o rei do pop ou se parte do que ele significa também era devido a seu produtor Quincy Jones – que foi parceiro dele nos três primeiros álbuns, incluindo Thriller.

E no começo desse ano, Michael ensaiava para a volta aos palcos, para uma turnê de 50 shows que teria sua abertura em Londres.

This Is It é um documentário que dá conta de mostrar as gravações dos ensaios para essa turnê. This Is It são ensaios, e apenas ensaios. São raros os depoimentos, são raras as intervenções.

O filme mostra uma banda perfeitamente ensaiada, executando magistralmente as músicas de MJ, mas não é por isso que This Is It veio parar aqui nas linhas do blog.

A entrega de Michael Jackson aos ensaios é impressionante. Apesar de que suas declarações dizendo que “deus ama a todos” soam um pouco forçadas, a dedicação com a sua própria música é invejável a qualquer músico do planeta.

Ver o sincronismo dos dançarinos, o profissionalismo dos músicos, a preocupação – as vezes até excessiva – do diretor de palco, o trabalho de iluminação, de produção de vídeo. Não tem como não ficar de queixo caído para o preciosismo de This Is It.

Só para o nosso amigo leitor ter uma idéia do que o filme mostra, é possível notar, em diversas e diversas cenas, a perfeição com que MJ executa seus passos, onde a câmera se divide em duas, mostrando dois ensaios diferentes, e a repetição dos passos de MJ é praticamente idênticos.

Tudo é pensado. Tudo é milimetricamente pensado.

Quando falamos aqui no blog, em linhas e entre-linhas, que nada pode ser aleatório, é justamente disso que falamos. De um artista que procura, como o próprio Michael diz em certa cena, levar o espectador a lugares em que ele nunca esteve.

A arte tem de ser responsável pelas emoções que causa ao espectador. E o artista TEM de ser responsável por sua arte.

Ou seja, numa regra de três simples, o artista é responsável pelo espectador. É o artista que escolhe o tanto de trabalho que ele quer ter com um show. E Michael Jackson estava, decididamente, disposto a ir até o fim para fazer um show jamais visto.

Infelizmente, This Is It é o Making Off de um show que jamais existiu. Michael Jackson foi, mas deixa um legado invejável.

O artista desaparece, mas sua obra fica, servindo para sempre de inspiração.

Ins-piração.

por Igor Fediczko

Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough

Money, that is. It seems the Jackson clan cannot get enough of the late pop icon’s money. In papers filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, November 6, father Joe Jackson requested an allowance from Michael’s estate. According to the documents, 80-year-old Joe’s monthly expenses are estimated at more than $15,000 but he has no income. Joe apparently suffers from diabetes and needs financial assistance for his medical bills, rent for his Las Vegas home, travel, hotel accommodations, and eating out. Consequently, he is seeking a monthly allowance in an undisclosed amount from the estate of his late son. He currently receives $1,700 a month in social security payments. The papers further reveal that over the years, Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother, gave her husband Joe money she received from Michael. Mrs. Jackson currently receives monthly allowances of $26,000 for her maintenance and $60,000 for Michael’s children. She was granted this temporary allowance pending receipt of the proceeds of his estate. Mr. Jackson’s request for an immediate hearing was denied.

The lawyer for the administrators of the estate expressed surprise at Mr. Jackson’s request but did say it would be considered. His surprise was undoubtedly shared by many others. The relationship between the father and the son, who died on June 25 of this year, was unpleasant. Michael spoke openly about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. Their relationship was strained and Joe was not included in Michael’s will. Furthermore, Michael requested that his mother get custody of his children and money, but neglected to mention his father.

It will certainly be interesting to see if the judge in the case considers the history between the two and how the contents of Jackson’s will might affect the decision. If his request is granted, Joe Jackson will profit from an estate that continues to grow in the wake of the singer’s death. There had been speculation surrounding the estate’s value and whether the funds were sufficient to pay all of the expenses related to the singer’s death and to maintain his children. Michael was recently added to Forbes magazine’s list of Top Earning Dead Celebrities and even surpassed Elvis. Jackson’s This is It was sold to Sony, adding $60 million to Michael’s estate. It was a number one blockbuster and grossed over $100 million and is rumored to possibly be an Oscar contender.

– C.G.

Image Source

Michael Jackson's "This Is It"

I saw Michael Jackson’s movie “This Is It” last night with my husband and my youngest son. We went because my youngest son wanted to see it, otherwise I don’t think I would have gone.

It was excellent. Michael Jackson was an amazing performer and because so many songs were from the Thriller era, it brought be back to the time when it seemed like everything MJ did was amazing, his face was not as altered and none of the bizarre behaviors were taking place (or they hadn’t made the press).
There were snippets of clips of him in the Jackson 5 with his brothers which brought me back to my childhood! I remember the Jackson 5 cartoon!

I worked as a picture framer in the 1980’s and for some reason I can’t recall, Vincent Price came into the shop I worked –I think it was to sign a photo before it was framed. He was quite old but incredibly gracious and personable. He chatted with us and was asked how he like being in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. He laughed and said when he read for it, he thought it was for a horror movie, which he, as we all knew, had done more than anyone could ever remember. I asked what he thought when he saw it was on Thriller and he replied, “Oh my dear, when I was first asked, I just read my part into a microphone! I had no idea it was for something as big as THAT!” That is about as close as I ever got to Michael Jackson which made me a Vincent Price fan for life.

I’m glad I saw the movie. I think he was a deeply disturbed guy who had the means to get anything he thought he needed which lead to his early demise. At the start of the movie I kept wondering if Michael Jackson went from his original looks to who he looked like overnight instead of gradually, how horrified would we all be? But as the movie went on, I was taken away with the singing and the dancing which was so good. It’s the first time I’ve felt sorrow and regret about his death. He formed an era of my life.

it's taken you this long.

HELLO!

i want to watch bandslam! ):

 i like miss hudgens’ name in the movie; sa5m (the five is silent.) hahahah! very clever. here is a list of longs i’m in love with right now; not in order.

• Jump then fall – Taylor Swift
• Give in to me – Michael Jackson
• 99 Times – Kate Voegele
• Long Shot – Kelly Clarkson (originally by Katy Perry)
• Speechless – Michael Jackson

And a few other songs by A Fine Frenzy. (: you guys should listen to her music. It’s really beautiful. Just search for her songs on YouTube or MySpace.

X-Factor: Lets make a Movie

X-Factors theme this week was Film week. This weeks theme was inspired by the contestants going to a film premiere of a Christmas Disney Film during the week. iWas expecting someone to sing something from Dreamgirls – but that never happened.

To start yesterdays show was Stacey Solomon, singing “Son Of a Preacher Man”. Stacey was told to sex it up, but Stacey was saying she doesn’t know how to “sex it up” Which iFelt was a very contradicting statement! Because – Stacey has a son! To have a son… U must have “Sexed it up” sometime during ur life! Stacey’s performance was – Okay. It wasn’t her best, but she hasn’t done a performance that iCan say was bad. So She gets a past from the negative comments this week. The only thing iCan say about Stacey’s performance is that her hair looked like she was going to the corner shop! If X-Factor’s Hairstylist thinks that Stacey’s hair was “Sexy” they need to go back to school!

Next to perform was Olly. Olly is one of my favorite Contestants left in the competition. But unfortunately this song was very predictable. To be honest iThought Olly would have sung this during big band week, He sang “Twist and Shout by The Isle Brothers”. The dancing was very Olly, and his becoming very predictable! NO – Olly this must change if u want to carry on being my Favorite. iFeel that Olly is holding back! iWant to hear some notes of his belting out! However it was a good performance! As always, Olly’s personality always comes out in his performances but iDo want to see some Soul, or some heart-felt songs for Olly to sing. He is getting TO Predictable!

Lloyd was after Olly. Last week Lloyd was in the Bottom Two, so he had to come back and fight this week. Lloyd sang “Stand By me – Ben E. King” during this performance Lloyd let out the biggest note he has ever done WITHIN HIS LIFE! – Yes – HIS LIFE! This song was the best song choice Cheryl has chosen for Lloyd! iStill don’t think he can win the competition but this week’s performance was sort of the best performance he has done so far!

Jamie came and performed “Crying – Roy Orbinson”. I don’t think Jamie’s performance was the best… but it wasn’t the worst. Simon is defiantly struggling choosing songs for Jamie, as he had to change the original song this week. Jamie does have a Rock voice, and there is Rock Soundtracks, but Jamie will get to predictable! But iCan’t help but say that Jamie doesn’t suit no over genre but Rock! iCan’t help but point out that Jamie had the same clothes he had during the “Diva Week”. Hmmm – I’m not just not to sure on Jamie’s performance, and iDid think he was vulnerable this week!

Lucie Jones performed a song from “Camp Rock” she performed “This Is Me – Demi Lovato”. It was so predictable to me that Lucie was going to perform a Disney soundtrack song! She looks like the type of Teenager to sit there and love The Jonas Brothers, and buy the CD of the soundtrack! Lucie’s performance was Okay, I felt that she felt comfortable! It looked like she felt so comfortable that it looked like she was performing in her room. But it was an alright performance! I thought she would be safe after this performance.

Drama King was next! And he has a new look! Danyl has cut his hair off! It’s about time – because he was looking like Aston from JLS for a HOT minute! The new look on Danyl suits him! I’m not going to lie, he does look like a star now! Danyl sang “Purple Rain” In my eyes no-one can sing Purple Rain like how Ruth Lorenzo did last year! But Danyl can pass! It was Okay. He looks like his yawning when he hits them big high notes. iThink u cannot change Danyl’s cocky/arrogant/over-confident attitude! If his been like that for Years its gonna take him a WHILE to change!

Satan and his Demon’s was next aka John & Edward. They performed Ghostbusters, and tried to hi-Jack Michael Jackson’s Thriller in the performance as well. Let me just post the video because i’m getting fed up of expressing my opinions on these Demon’s every Flipping WEEK!

Joe McElderly was last but not least! And his Performance was the BEST in my eyes! It was the best performance of the night! iWas really touched by this song! He sang “Circle Of Life – Elton John”. I know it’s from the Lion King but this song was so TOUCHING! and his performance was very Heart-felt! Joe has just made it into my favorites to win X-Factor! I never really liked him before, but this week iLiked him! He seems so humble as well! Well done Joe! This week u stepped up on http://ItzMally.wordpress.com

So That was this weeks performances. Who do u think was the best?

Sunday’s Show review coming soon!

Dig if you will

If Michael Jackson is the soundtrack of my fourth-grade year, Prince is, for me, the sound of fifth grade. I don’t know if this tracks precisely with the release of Thriller and Purple Rain, but I absolutely remember becoming aware of MJ in one classroom and of Prince in another.

I also lived in Minnesota for six years, and at that time (mid to late 1990s), at least, Prince — or, more precisely, talk about Prince — was omnipresent. No dance party was complete without the ritual playing of a Prince song; everyone had their story of seeing/thinking they had seen/knowing someone who had seen The Purple One himself.

I never saw Prince (that I know of! Because he is teeny tiny, you know!), but like any good Minnesotan, legit or temporary, I have Prince stories, and think of them whenever I hear his tunes. I think of the dance my friends performed to “Kiss” when we were in college, which was a hilarious pantomime of shy-girl-busts-out-of-her-shell-and-gets-the-boy. I think of the friend — who was featured in that “Kiss” dance — who took the group of troubled teens he worked with to play basketball at Paisley Park one day, and insisted the hoops were regulation height (because Prince is SO SMALL!). I think of my college classmate who worked as a bouncer at Prince’s club, First Avenue, and of seeing They Might Be Giants in concert at First Avenue in later  years, when I worked right down the street.

That’s my Prince ramble for today, after hearing “When Doves Cry” this morning. For some reason my head is all jumbly today and I am having a hard time coming up with anything brilliant.

I do know “Glee” comes back this week. That’ll make everything all better!

UK TV: SPIRITUAL MEDIUM SAYS MICHAEL JACKSON WILL ENJOY LIVE SEANCE

Derek Acorah

For those who missed my previous post announcing news of this sick/ridiculous TV event click here to read all about it.

Spiritual medium/FRAUD Derek Acorah has now responded to his critics and is convinced that ‘Michael will enjoy tonights live séance”.

Via Digital Spy

“I’m certainly not going into it worried, I’m certainly not thinking that if he doesn’t make contact it’s a bad thing. What I have is a quiet, humbled expectancy.

“The most important thing is that I would like Michael Jackson to communicate with me alongside me. It’s for the right reasons. It’s my opinion that if he does make a breakthrough, he’s gonna enjoy it a lot.”

Acorah also said that he is hoping Jackson will be able to tell his family and fans that he is well and happy.

Asked what he will ask the popstar if a connection is made, he replied: “Firstly, how is he? How is he feeling? What’s the place like where he resides now? Are there people he’s met before? Has he reunited with family members?

“I’d want all of his fans to know that he’s well and that he’s adjusted to the spirit kind of life and maybe he’s quite happy. He can come and go as he pleases.”

The live show will also be hosted by June Sapong who should know better. Are you that desperate for TV work June?

Michael Jackson: The Live Séance airs tonight at 10pm on Sky1 in the UK.

Neverland Map (119/365)

Since I’ve been on a Neverland kick these past couple weeks, I figured for my “simple” post of the day, I’d include the map:

Click on the thumbnail for full-size image:

View the other Neverland entries:

-A fan’s account of Neverland Ranch part 1
-A fan’s account of Neverland Ranch part 2
-Neverland in a way I have never seen it

Beatles são mais lembrados do que Michael Jackson e Elvis Presley

Uma pesquisa revelou que a música dos Beatles é mais fácil de ser lembrada do que a música de Michael Jackson e de Elvis Presley.

A pesquisa foi realizada na Europa e conduzida pela emissora de áudio digital Music Choice. Mais de 4 mil pessoas foram entrevistadas.

Os resultados revelaram que 89% das pessoas sabiam a letra inicial da música “A Hard Day’s Night”, dos Beatles, e apenas 23% sabiam o trecho inicial de “Thriller”, de Michael Jackson, e “Blue Suede Shoe”, de Elvis Presley.

Além disso, foi constatado também que o número de mulheres que se lembram da música de Michael Jackson é duas vezes maior que o de homens.

Confira abaixo a música mais lembrada da pesquisa, “A Hard Day’s Night”, dos Beatles.

Small Break (117/365)

I think I’m going to take a bit of a break from the blog this week. I’m getting really burnt out and, quite frankly, updating is getting to be like a drag to do and it feels like a chore. I don’t want to associate such feelings with this project at all, so I think I just need to step back and get refreshed, then come back with some kick-ass content. I’m still going to keep up the daily postings, but probably only like with Youtubes or photos. Sorry if anybody regularly reads this and is disappointed.

In brighter news, I received an awesome package in the mail today from Sasha Sark who I met through this blog near the beginning of its creation. She put together a few CDs for me with MJ remixes and other goodies as well as included a nice little note with one of my favorite MJ photos. I think these CDs arrived in good timing with my break! Maybe they’ll provide me with a little inspiration to keep up this blog . (Thanks again, Sasha)

By the way, you can check out her blog here. She has a few entries about MJ in there.

It has Begun

This is all very new to me, but something i am very much excited and eager to attempt. This is going to be a place where i can express my opinions and reviews of the things that i enjoy in life. Specifically, it will revolve around Movie and DVD, music, games, graphic novels and t.v. show reviews, and maybe the occasional random item i find interesting.

I’ve always been passionate about these things that i enjoy in life, but never really shared my views with many people.

Now i feel is the time to change that.

As i write this i have just come back from seeing Michael Jackson’s ‘This is it’, so i am looking forward to sharing my views on that movie. i will hopefully have that up in the next day or two, so see you then.

Mechanical Shadows

This Is It

Em 25 de junho de 2009, o mundo dava o adeus a mais um de seus grandes nomes: Michael Jackson. Foi com grande tristeza que fãs do mundo todo, choraram e testemunharam sua dramática partida para o além. O legado do MJ fica até hoje. É mais fácil achar coovers dele por aí, do que qualquer outra coisa. Crianças o imitam exaustivamente nos programas dominicais, seu moonwalké marca registrada, o seu ”Who’s Bad?” é dito com fervor e suas músicas cantadas e apreciadas por todos.

Só que antes da sua partida, o astro queria encerrar a carreira de outra forma, fazendo uma maratona de shows na Inglaterra, onde segundo ele, “tocaremos o que meus fãs pedirem!”, e dito isso, dirigido por Kenny Ortega (famoso por dirigir musicais, como o recente High School Musical e por cenas dançantes em filmes como Dirty Dancing e Footloose) e contando com uma equipe invejável, o cantor preparava o show da sua vida. Seriam 50 shows empolgantes, maravilhosos, iluminados e megalomaníacos, coisa que só o Rei do Pop poderia proporcionar.

No auge dos seus 50 anos, ainda com o gás do garotinho que cantava ABC e do marmanjo que fazia todo mundo bailar com Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, ele dança, canta, usa e abusa de efeitos especiais, exige de seus músicos e participa ativamente do processo criativo do seu show. Diferente daquele MJ recatado e mais excêntrico que o normal, como infelizmente ficou estigmatizado. Ele se mostra atencioso, ouve, discute, aprende, assume erros e se mostra humano. A realeza é modesta e iria agradar todos os seus súditos.

As 100 horas gravadas para o arquivo pessoal do astro, foram cuidadosamente condensadas em pouco mais de 100 minutos, e renderam um documentário interessante, que não apenas mostrava os bastidores do show que nunca aconteceu, mas mostrava também as facetas de um ídolo que planejava retornar com tudo. Particularmente não colocava muita fé, achava que seria daqueles documentários maçantes, sem graça, movido a depoimentos de pessoas próximas a ele. Mas com 5 minutos de projeção, mudei de idéia e por quase duas horas, fui agraciado com cenas belas, com passagens interessantes, um This Is It fora do comum, digno do Rei!

Começa com entrevistas dos bailarinos do show, do processo de seleção deles, e da emoção de estarem tão pertos de quem tanto os inspirou. O filme não tem a pretensão de divulgar o show, mesmo isso sendo inevitável, mas quer na verdade, nos fazer ver o homem que ninguém via. Em nenhum momento ele é o Michael Jackson que as câmeras flagravam, fraco, doente, feio, mas sim, um Michael Jackson ativo, feliz, animado, e com vontade de dar a volta por cima (por cima de todo furor que tanto lhe atrapalhou a carreira).

Os minutos seguintes são embalados por ensaios animados, e musicas que fizeram história. Smoth Criminal, Beat It, I’ll Be There, Billie Jean (ele ficou devendo o Moonwalk ¬¬), Thriller entre outros sucessos embalam o filme de ponta a ponta. Mas o mais bacana fica guardado para os bastidores das músicas. O processo de criação dos cenários, as coreografias, os efeitos especiais e as filmagens extras que eles fizeram para enriquecer mais ainda o show, tudo deixa o filme mais interessante a cada momento.

Só que de repente, o filme foge da sua proposta (ou pelo menos vi assim), quando insere uma crítica não ácida, mas que incomoda a quem assiste, sobre o meio ambiente.
Os minutos finais giram todo em torno da música Earth Song e ainda conta com palavras do próprio Michael sobre o meio ambiente e a preservação do mundo. Não que eu esteja discordando do sonho do astro, mas apenas acho que usaram de forma errada essa parte e acabaram deixando as coisas meio confusas.

Mas tirando esse pequeno detalhe citado acima, é um filme mais que obrigatório para os fãs. Vi gente chorando no cinema, vi gente cantando no cinema, vi gente dançando no cinema e vi gente gritando ”Michael I Love you!” o tempo todo. Não fiquei incomodado, pelo contrário, acho que ele deve ter ficado feliz com as demonstrações de carinho mundo afora.

E pra quem não curte muito, fica a dica pra conhecer melhor o trabalho que ele deixou para as futuras gerações apreciarem.

O fim do filme deixa uma mensagem clara: o show deve continuar!

Não percam!

Nota: 9,0

This Is It, 2009

Direção: Kenny Ortega.
Duração: 112 minutos.