The Loss of the King of Pop - Michael Jackson

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It's a sad day for the millions of Michael Jackson fans, from all over the world. At age 50, Michael went into cardiac arrest at a rental home in Los Angeles, California. He wasn't breathing upon arrival of paramedics and was in a coma at the hospital. He died shortly afterward.

Say what you want about Michael and his issues with plastic surgery and alleged child molestation charges, Mr. Jackson is an Icon in the music industry and is responsible for the career advancement of many, and I mean many music artists, performers, choreographers from the 1980's and beyond. Mr. Jackson changed the way things were done when it came to performing on stage and making music videos. He came a long way from a traumatizing childhood to becoming the king of pop. It's a shame that he wasn't able to go through with his latest tour plans, but it seems it just wasn't to be and better for him to pass on this way, than on stage.

The image in this picture and the video below, is the Michael Jackson I want to remember. Before all the public drama and plastic surgeries, when it was just the man, his dancing and his music. When he unveiled the "Moonwalk" at the Motown Music Awards show in 1983 and just some of the many things I will remember forever.

He was a true star and will be mourned, missed and remembered. My condolences to his family and friends.

Thank you Michael Jackson and Rest In Peace.

Stressed Induced Insomnia, Possible Link to Michael Jackson's Death

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The untimely death of the well renowned, "king of pop", Michael Jackson has caused shock waves around the world. Since his rise to fame as the cute and extraordinarily talented lead singer of the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson captivated millions, spanning several generations. Early on, his role and contributions were seen as the rocket fuel that propelled this once obscure group of brothers to the top of the charts.

As a solo artist, his talent was unmistakable and unforgettable. A legend in his own right, Michael transformed the music and video industry with his original and creative style, energy and vision. Reaching the status of super star at such a young age began to take its toll as Michael developed from a child prodigy to the phenomenal legend he would become.

The spotlight revealed Michael's talent for singing, dancing and creating music that was embraced on a global scale. However, the media focus, strain of fame, continuous pressure to be better than the standard he had previously set and tendencies of self-loathing, which manifested in numerous surgical changes to his face, were all signs that the stress of his life style weighed heavy on him.

Imagine the countless times that Michael performed; the overwhelming exposure to scrutiny from fans and media, from whom he often sought approval; the scandals and legal battles. Each instance, his body was inundated with adrenaline and cortisol, the natural hormones designed to increase reaction time and allow the individual to perform optimally when presented with stimuli, or what may be perceived as danger. These hormones invariably place the body in a state of readiness: quickened breathing, racing heart and a rise in blood pressure. Long term exposure to stress triggers that cause these reactions produce harmful effects, among which is insomnia.

Many people have trouble sleeping and don't realize that the stress in their lives disrupts the natural production of serotonin, which controls the body's sleep cycles. This results in a disrupted sleep pattern, such as unproductive sleep, an excessive need to sleep or in Michael Jackson's case, an inability to sleep.

Often, insomniacs overlook the underlying causes of their sleep disturbances and seek to treat only the symptoms. According to many reports, it is probable that the king of pop opted to use drug assisted methods to get a good night's rest. This is unfortunately a very common practice. Over the last decade, the pharmaceutical industry has seen an increase in sales of drugs that help to induce sleep; though many inherent risks are present, such as addiction and in most extreme cases, death. By choosing to simply treat the symptoms of a stress related problem instead of dealing with the root cause, the individual continually allows exposure to high levels of stress to remain unchecked.

As the nation and the world mourn the loss of one of the greatest musical and creative legends of our time, this tragedy begs the question, "could this have been prevented?" The answer is yes. Each of us experience unique and varying levels of stress, stress triggers and stress vulnerabilities. We may not have the same burdens that Michael Jackson endured as one of the most famous and recognizable figures to walk amongst us. However, we can all fall victim, as Michael did, to the harmful and dangerous effects stress can have on our lives. If we choose to ignore the signs of stress, medicate the symptoms or seek immediate gratification through unhealthy choices, then we set ourselves up to lose the battle and possibly our lives.

Consider Your Own Mortality in the Wake of Michael Jackson's Death

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The deaths of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and pitchman Billy Mayes has many of us seriously thinking about our own mortality. Most of us never consider our own mortality. Our own death is never thought about or discussed. In fact, the American culture is extremely afraid of death - so afraid that we treat it as if it will never happen. We go about each day expecting to awaken the next. While intellectually we know that death will occur for all things living, we act as if death has no hold on us.

If we are spiritual energy in the form of our soul, and energy never dies, then why is death from the perspective of the physical realm so important to understanding spirituality? Death reminds us that we will express spiritual energy through our bodies for a very short amount of time. Death also lets us know that it is not the body that is important, but our souls. Our bodies will age, get sick, and eventually cease to function. Our bodies will then be used to sustain other life on earth. Only our souls will move on. It is the soul that is truly important. It is the spiritual life behind the physical realm that we seek connection with.

When you act as if you will always exist in this physical form, you never truly respect and appreciate the life you have. You never treat your life or any other life with any sense of respect, urgency, or priority. The American culture has become a couch potato society. The values of our lives have been reduced to which of our favorite television shows are coming on tonight. We work in jobs for years that we hate. We shun away those we love over who is "right" or "wrong". We remain in relationships that no longer serve us because they are comfortable and seemingly predictable. We allow our dreams and our true life's work to become a faded memory of what we once thought we could become.

Without an understanding of death, life simply passes you by. Life is much more than the ability of your body to pump blood, breathe, and feed itself. Life is getting in touch with that infinite part of you, and remaining centered in that infinity to express it now. There are people on this planet that are already dead, but that do not know it yet. They live their lives on a perpetual "auto-pilot" and never truly live. Their funerals are simply the acknowledgement that their bodies have caught up to what they already were. They are no longer expressing from the soul level. In some instances, they never have.

The spiritual person knows that death can occur at any time. It is inevitable and often not on our schedule. Death is a reality for us all. We live under the illusion that we can escape it, but the reality is that we will not. Death is a reality for you here and now. It always has been. You may never have taken the time to see that reality.

Many people view this as a depressing thought, because they view life as ending when their bodies stop functioning. However, you are spiritual energy, which lives on infinitely. You never die, but you do change forms. Rather than viewing death as depressing and as something that happens to other people, view death as a reality and a new beginning.

Just as the nature of life is to move towards death, the nature of death is to move towards life. In other words, death is like the ending of a chapter in a book, where the next page is a new chapter and a new beginning. Death is not really an ending. It is simply yet another change in the expression of your soul.

Death is a process. You've already gone through this process time and time again. Remember, if you as soul are infinite, not only will it always live, it always has lived. You have no beginning and no end. You simply always were. You are already a part of all that ever was. Infinity exists within the past, the future, and most importantly the present.

Top Selling Vinyl Records of 2009 - Abbey Road by the Beatles & Thriller by Michael Jackson

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The numbers for the top selling new vinyl records of 2009 out and they're very interesting. As a big Beatles fan I think it's pretty great that Abbey Road (which was released 40 years previous in 1969) was the top selling vinyl LP of the year with 34,800 sales. Abbey Road was also the second biggest seller on this same chart for 2008.

The second biggest seller was the vinyl version of Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller which sold just under 30,000 copies. Of course with MJ's death in June all things Michael Jackson were big sellers this year (he was easily the biggest selling artist of the year overall.)

You may be thinking that it's only older albums that are selling in the vinyl market, that it's a purely nostalgia driven thing but that's not the case. The #3 biggest seller was actually a 2009 release; Animal Collective's critically acclaimed Merriweather Post Pavilion, although it was substantially behind the best two sellers with a total of 14,000 sales.

Also the biggest selling vinyl artist overall was not The Beatles or Michael Jackson but instead Radiohead who sold over 45,000 copies of their albums in the vinyl format. The Beatles were second at 38,800 which raises the question: Why did the "Fab Four" only sell 4,000 copies of all of their other albums combined while Abbey Road sold 34,400? The answer is that Abbey Road is the only Beatles album currently in print in vinyl.

Many Beatles fans are hoping that changes in 2010 as there are rumors that the band's entire catalog will be rereleased in vinyl with the new pressings being based on the new 2009 remasters.

The Michael Jackson Franchise

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Michael Jackson's death has led to speculation as to the future earnings potential of his franchise. As expected, there has been a surge in album, iTunes and Amazon MP3 sales since his death and that demand is expected to continue for several more weeks. Savvy entrepreneurs have taken the opportunity to hawk Jackson memorabilia via online outlets such as eBay and Craigslist. This type of activity is expected in the wake of the death of a high profile celebrity. The question that has yet to be answered is will the Jackson franchise equal or exceed that of Elvis Presley, whose Graceland property and other ancilliary revenue sources generates roughly 40 million per year. Presley continues to churn impressive sales even though he died 32 years ago (August 16, 1977).

Early indications are that there is and will be a huge demand for Jackson products. At the time this article was written over 1.5 million people had requested tickets for the July 7th memorial service to be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Thousands of fans gathered in New York for a Jackson tribute at the Apollo Theatre. Unlike Elvis, Jackson's fan base is global. Jackson is more popular in the UK, France and Japan than he is in the United States.

On the downside, the vision of turning the Neverland Valley Ranch into a Graceland type cash cow may never come to fruition. The infrastructure of Neverland may not be sufficient to support the type of crowds Neverland would attract. In addition, the people who live in the community are not in favor of having that type of an attraction in their neighborhood.

Despite the absence of a Graceland type attraction the Jackson franchise will prosper because it can leverage off of a marketing tool that wasn't available to Presley in 1977: the internet. The ability to market online brings a viral Neverland to the customer. The online selling potential of Jackson music and goods is unlimited. It will be very interesting and a bit of a learning experience for all of us as we watch the online development of the Jackson franchise.

Christian Dream Interpretation - Isn't it Just a New Age Thing?

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Christian dream interpretation is not for everyone. Christian dream interpretation is an art from and a real gift that is practiced by prophets today just like the prophets of old. It is not just a dangerous New Age thing.

When many people think of dream interpretation their minds think up of the New Age and danger. Many people have no idea that God still has prophets and still has people that can bring the meanings of your dreams to life in a healthy and directional way that can help you, guide you and bring you comfort.

It has been a couple of months since I had my first dream interpreted. The first as second dream gave me directions that I have implemented, things that God wanted me to do and things have gone very well.

It is true that the New Age has people that do dream interpretation yet these people should not be sought out by a Christian says John Paul Jackson who is an expert in interpreting Christian dreams. He says that the New Age has the wrong meanings on spiritual things and can be misleading.

To order a paid Dream Interpretation you can visit a website that I have had success with.

We live in a world where clairvoyants give people spiritual insight and direction rather than prophets and prophetic people giving people direction off God. And we live in an age where the New Age give people meanings to dreams when Christians should be stepping up into the stage.

It is time that people who are of the Christian faith have faith and approach Christians that can tell them the meaning of their dreams

Michael Jackson's Impact on the World

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Since the day I heard about Michael Jackson's Death on July 25, 2009, it still amazes me how much he has impacted my life. I never paid attention to Michael's current music as I am from the generation of the Jackson 5 era. To this day I have always played Michael Jackson's music on my iPod. My favorite song being "PYT" and "Ben". Since Michael's passing, I have been flooded with memories of all his good songs, his famous moonwalk, his cartoon show "The Jacksons" and his screen debut in the movie "The Wiz". Those were the good ol days when Michael was not scrutinized as heavily as he is today. Even though he is gone, his memory will continue to live on. The king of pop as we know him will leave his legacy behind for generations to come.

Michael came from a very large family of 9 brothers and sisters. His brothers formed a music group in the earlier days which became the Jackson 5-consisting of Michael, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie. Randy joined the group years later and they changed the name to The Jacksons.

From the time Michael went solo, he has amazed us with a plethora of albums which includes:

Beat It
Earth Song
Blood On The Dance Floor
History
Dangerous
Bad
Thriller
Off The Wall
Ghosts
The Wiz
Got To Be There
Music & Me, Motown
Forever Michael
Moonwalker
Number Ones

and so many more. Michael has sold an estimated 750 million records in his career. His number one selling album Thriller, sold over 50 million worldwide. Guinness Book Of World Records recognizes Michael as the most successful entertainer of all time with Thriller being the biggest selling album of all time.

Amongst these list of albums, Michael has won 13 Grammys, released 13 Number 1 singles, and received the American Music Awards "Artist of the Century" award, which he so rightfully deserves.

There are still many speculations surrounding his death which are still to be confirmed. People want to know what is the real cause of Michael's death. Why did he go into cardiac arrest? There are now conflicting reports indicating that his doctor and nurse might have mistakenly overdosed him on prescription pain medication. Toxicology reports and the results of his autopsy will provide more clarification.

Fans around the world continue to pay tribute to Michael Jackson, constructing makeshift memorials around his Neverland Ranch in Los Angeles , childhood home in Gary Indiana, and even around the hospital where his death was confirmed (UCLA Medical Centre).

A Michael Jackson Mask For Halloween

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I think it goes without saying that for quite a few years now one of the top accessories for a Halloween costume has been the Michael Myers Mask. This year though, following the death of probably the most famous man on the planet, could the Michael Jackson Mask take top spot?

Halloween originated back in the days of the ancient Celtic races of Ireland, Scotland and Wales when on the 31st October the boundaries between living and dead were thought to dissolve giving the dead and gone the opportunity to create havoc for the living by making them ill or ruining their crops. In order to prevent the dead from doing this the ancient Celts used to dress up in scary costumes that were supposed to imitate the dead in order to placate them, so there you have it, the origins of the very first scary Halloween costume.

In more recent years however Halloween costumes have taken on the form of representing movie characters, TV personalities and famous celebrities.  Michael Myers played the central character in the film Halloween which was made way back in 1978 and was the slasher serial killer that murdered his big sister and wore a horrific mask and blood stained boiler suit as he went about his grisly business, killing as many people as he could lay his hands on.

So you can see, playing the central character in a really scary movie with the name of the film being the very event being celebrated had to put his character in a prime position for a favorite Halloween fancy dress costume.

But what of Michael Jackson, well apart from being one of the most famous celebrities ever he also produced 'Thriller' the biggest selling album of all time and for which the supporting video is all about the living dead, zombies and ghouls, the very essence of Halloween. On You Tube alone, the video for Thriller has been viewed at the time of writing over 69 million times. This is just one of the many achievements of Michael Jackson the legendary king of pop.

Seems pretty fitting to me then that on the 31st October this year that there will probably be more Michael Jackson's  running around than any other costumed film character or celebrity, he sort of has a tradition to keep up.  A little ironic that his return to popularity is due to a large extent on his passing and even more ironic that if you do choose his mask you will be doing exactly what the ancient Celts did.

How You Can Lighten Your Skin Like Michael Jackson

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When was the last time that you saw Michael Jackson on your TV set and said to yourself or the person sitting in the room with you watching TV, "man he looks great"! Probably never, because the truth of the matter is that he has really screwed himself up good.

If you stop for a moment to thing about it though, there is something to be learned from what he has done to himself. That is that it is now possible more than any other time in history to actually change the way that you look.

For instance, have you ever noticed that he has treated his skin to lighten the color that it is? This is because, there are now substances available that can actually remove pigment from a persons skin. These substances are what is contained in new skin treatment products that are available for treating dark skin blotches that are the result of aging and exposure to the sun.

These products were developed as the result of years of research into to actual intrinsic biological functions of the skin its self. The fact is, that your skin has a natural biological process by which it rids itself of skin pigment and this is why a tan goes way in time.

In dark skin blotches this process has shut down and that is why the pigment in them stays. Effective skin whitening products on the market now function in the skins substrate on a cellular level to click the skins pigment removal process back on long enough for it to rid itself of the accumulated pigment in dark skin blotches.

More and more skin care products now function on this same principle of functioning below the skins surface to temporarily stimulate the skins natural biological functions that have been lost due to aging or sun exposure.

The Meaning of Art

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When I refer to "art" here, I am referring specifically to visual art, and more specifically to painting because that's what I do. But I'm sure it applies to other forms of art as well.

Art can have very concrete, literal meaning to it--the more representational a work of art is, the easier it is to attribute a meaning to it. Everyone understands realistic representations of things from real life--for example, paintings of trees--when looking at one, you can say, "It's a painting of trees, and trees are lovely to look at--that's the obvious purpose of this art; no mystery there."

This is why purely abstract art tends to appeal to a smaller audience. It is common to want to know what you are looking at so you can place a literal meaning on it. But art, even art that is fairly straightforward in its subject matter, has a larger and deeper meaning that goes beyond the literal.

This larger and deeper meaning is not intellectual in nature--it is emotional. All you need in order to "get" art is to look at it and become fascinated, motivated, influenced, impressed, inspired, or otherwise stimulated by it. All you need is to feel a connection to the art.

Most people do feel a connection when looking at art (not all art, of course, but the art that particularly appeals to them personally.) Putting this feeling into words can sometimes be difficult, but just because you can't always explain it in concrete terms does not mean it's not real or important, and it does not mean you are missing anything. If you look at a piece of art and feel nothing, all it means is that particular piece of art is not meant for you. If you look at enough art, you will learn what you like and what has the most meaning for you.

The artist has the job of living, feeling, and processing her unique experience and then finding a way to express that to others. The viewer may or may not get the same feelings that the artist meant to express--and that is okay. One of the fun things about art is how different people interpret it differently. Art is the physical manifestation of a mysterious human force: imagination. If it sparks your imagination or puts you in a certain mood, then you "get it."

And that's nice...But how does all of this apply to real life? What is the point of art--what is its use? Well here's where choice comes in. Once you look at enough art to realize what you like, what you connect to, you get to make the choice to surround yourself with those things that inspire you and help you in your life.

The trick is to figure out what you really, really love--when you find it you will know. If you realize that a certain shade of red makes you happy and energized, making the conscious choice to put something of that color in your living room so you see it every day will, in theory, make you a more happy and energized person. When your spirit feels heavy and sad, art can help lift you out of that. When you feel bogged down by apathy or lost in painful frustration, looking at art can bring you back to yourself and help you keep going. Deliberately creating a mood in your immediate surroundings can help you to create the life that you want, in a very tangible way.

This interpretation of art's meaning is obviously the result of my optimistic, existential outlook on life. I try to apply my energy--mental, emotional, physical and spiritual, towards personal transformation and growth.

But art has a myriad of uses: it is used as a tool for psychological healing, a symbol in spiritual rituals, an impetus for political or social change, an expression of inquiry, a form of entertainment, evidence of status or identity, a reminder of what's important, and most commonly, a simple celebration of beauty.

You can decide what meaning art may have in your own life. It's up to you! So, what does art mean to you? How will you choose to use it?

An Amazing Source of Information to Grow Taller Fast!

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Do you want to know how to grow taller fast? Like most of the people do you also believe that height can only increase till certain age? Yes, most of the people have this myth that height cannot increase after twenty five years of age or so but this is not true. All you need to know is how to grow taller fast and forget about your age.

It is known for years that exercise contributes a lot in increasing height quickly. Scientific innovations such as supplements or height growing pills and medications are also used by most of the aspirants. Some of the people tend to believe every other person who gives advice on how to grow taller fast. It has also been seen that some of these medicines or pills result in one or the other side effects. It is therefore important that you should consult your physician before consuming any type of medications.

Stretching exercises help to stimulate the growth hormones in your body and helps to gain more height than usual results. Intense exercise regime is required if you want to gain results fast. Sometimes it is better to start working rather than searching more on how to grow taller fast.

Do you still think that you really know how to get taller? If yes, then you are wrong. There is one very amazing idea that would help you gain height without much exercise or diet. All you need to do is to keep your bed elevated by some inches from the foot. This would result in your body to work against gravity thus helping in increasing your height. Use these amazing ideas and see yourself grow taller fast.

Michael Jackson Collectibles

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There is a massive inventory of Michael Jackson collectibles being offered for sale right now and there has never been a better time to find a piece of Jackson memorabilia that works for you or your collection. Since the death of "The king of pop", people all over the world have been cleaning out their garages, attics and basements in search of their forgotten gems of years ago in hopes of making a few dollars. This is great news if you are looking for these Michael Jackson collectibles!

Never before has there been so much Jackson Five and MJ vintage memorabilia on the market! If ever you were in need of a missing piece for your collection, now is the time to find it while the selling frenzy is still going strong. Whether you are a hard core collector in search of a rare vintage piece or an avid fan who just wants a sentimental keepsake, the pickings are very good at this time. Here's a few of the top selling items:  

Dolls and Figures There were lots of Michael Jackson dolls, action figures, figurines and statues produced in the 80's and many are quite nice! Some of them are very rare while most are just very collectible. They are vintage, no longer produced and make a great piece of memorabilia so people are buying them up!

Thriller Vinyl Album Besides being the best selling album of all time, this is particularly interesting from a collectible standpoint because it was produced during the dying days of the LP. CD's were in their infancy but coming on strong. Almost everybody who owned the Thriller album during it's initial release owned in on vinyl. So any Thriller album from 82-84 in decent shape is a nice collectible. There were more than "a lot" of them made but still, because of the time period, the transition from Vinyl to CD, they are practically a "must have" for any Michael Jackson collector.
 T-Shirts Everything collectible has a t-shirt attached to it's marketing somewhere and of course Michael Jackson is no different. But this category is split. There is a massive amount of avid fans buying tribute or memorial shirts, which to most is not likely to become a rare or valuable collectible. Still nice though for any collection and it helps one get through the shock of MJ's sudden death. The other part of this category is the vintage or concert tour shirts. Like the dolls, there are quite a few of these out there right now and they are nice! Michael had a lot of designs printed out for different cities around the world. Many of the shirts are not tee shirts but jerseys, or long sleeved shirts with beautiful designs and quality fabric. They can be a little pricey but the good is that you can pretty much find what you need at this time, and that's priceless in a collectible! 
 Magazines Michael Jackson cover story's and special editions from many years ago of top magazines like Life, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, People, Ebony and others are being made available like never before and people are buying them up like crazy! There were a lot of these magazines printed out and while most are not worth a lot in the money sense, sentimentally they are a great collectible! Magazines often have great pictures and the old ads really put you in the time period the interview took place. There's often dates on the pages and just being able to hold it and read it is a very nice way to remember Michael Jackson. They are generally not very expensive although there are some vintage ones out there too like never before for the hard core collector.

Those are the most popular MJ collectibles being bought and sold, for now anyways. That is likely to change with time. It's also just a fraction of what's out there, but by and far this is the old Michael Jackson merchandise people are seeking out for their collections or just to have. It's difficult to accept a loss that big and old memorabilia seems to help make sense of it all in some way. It gives us a chance to reflect on the happy times whenever we want to.

Be a Thriller This Halloween With a Michael Jackson Mask!

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Michael Jackson Halloween masks promise to be an eye-catching Halloween costume. After the star's untimely death in 2009, many fans are interested in dressing up as their pop music idol. If you decide to get a Michael Jackson face mask for your Halloween costume this year, here are some "king of pop" video-inspired ideas to complete your look!

The king of pop

One of Michael Jackson's more popular looks was a navy blue military style jacket with epaulettes, and "high water" black pants, which are shortened above the ankle. The famous accents are one silver-sequined glove, matching socks, and dark aviator sunglasses.

Thriller

In this popular Halloween video, "MJ" wore a red jacket with two diagonal black stripes on the front. If you have a similar red leather or "Members Only" style jacket, add black "high water" pants, and black loafers to complete the look.

Smooth Criminal

This look had MJ dressed in a white suit with matching white fedora. Of course, the white pants are "high-water" style! Add a black shirt with white skinny tie. Finish this look with a black arm band for contrast, and you're all set!

Rock with You

This video featured Michael wearing a simple black tuxedo with a black bowtie, and his trademark "high water" pants which are shortened above the ankle.

If none of these ideas appeal to you, you can always just go for a navy military-style or red leather jacket, and add the silver sequin glove and/or socks. If you're wearing a Michael Jackson mask, you will be easily recognizable!

Of course, if all else fails, just visit YouTube to get inspiration from any one of Michael Jackson's music videos.

Famous Acoustic Artists of the 20th Century

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There is a certain charm and allure added when it comes to an acoustic guitar. Only when you witness a frenzied crowd of fans immersed in the music do you start truly comprehend the acoustic guitar's power. Though an electric guitar can be argued to be more popular due to its glitz and glamour, it can never replace the charm of the acoustic guitar. Thanks to the talent of certain acoustic artists, this special instrument has gained in popularity since the first string was strummed. Listed below are some of those artists.

Nobody can be unfamiliar with the name Johnny Cash who rocked the music scene till his death in 2003. A Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, Mr. Cash is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Lasting a full fifty years of his incredible career, Mr. Cash sold over 90 million albums. This acoustic artist mainly believed in the success of cross genre and his portfolio includes several art form like gospel, blues, rock and roll, folk, country music etc. Till date he is considered to be the most famous Acoustic artist.

Bonnie Raitt is one another Acoustic artist who still continues to make sure of the popularity of this instrument. Her music primarily deals with blues rock, blues and country genres. Like Mr. Cash, Raitt also has enjoyed success with cross-over music and her songs topped the chart many a times. With a total of 9 Grammy Awards, she has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Sheryl Crow first grasped the attention of the public in 1994 when her solo "All I Wanna Do" hit the top positions of the music charts. She has had many years of continuous success since then and has been associated with great artists like Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and The Rolling Stones. She has done her bit to the popularity of Acoustics guitar and her music portfolio includes folk, pop rock, country, rock, blues rock etc. In spite of various genres, she is well known for her pop music more than anything else.

Jewel Kilcher, proves her name by being a jewel among the famous acoustics artists of the 20th century. With three Grammy award nominations so far, Jewel has sold more than 30 million albums world over. Her music portfolio includes adult contemporary, country, pop, folk and rock. Though she has commercial success in other genres of music, she is mainly known for her passionate acoustic guitar music which she recites beautifully. Though many feel her recent works are not of the same values, her initial albums are permanently listed in the playlists of various famous radio stations across the world.

Apart from these there are several other acoustics artists who did big in the music scene and are still creating an uproar with their music. Though there are several other instruments trying to take over the acoustic world, this beautiful instrument will never go out of fashion thanks to these great acoustics artists.

Michael Jackson - Can You Heal a Damaged Childhood?

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Michael Jackson's unorthodox upbringing with a strict, controlling, abusive father could go a long way to explain his troubled latter years as an adult. Adult children of addicted or dysfunctional parents often grow up stunted emotionally, frozen in a "lost childhood" depicted in his haunting song and music video, "Have You Seen My Childhood?"

For me, this song captures the essence of his damaged "inner child" and fixation with recovering his lost childhood. He sings about searching in the "lost and found of his heart for a childhood I've never known."

As an emotional-energy healer, I inevitably help clients tap into and heal their "inner child". This is the place they have been frozen in time with a memory embedded in their unconscious. They need to "break free fast" (as I call the system I have created) to move onto living a healthy fulfilling life. This is key to my work with Emotional Freedom Tapping which can erase a negative belief implanted from childhood - in minutes.

Imagine the difference it might have made if Jackson, for instance, had been given the chance to use EFT to release the cruel "Big Nose" taunt he said his father shamed him with as a youngster.

Damage from parents and toxic "care-takers" or older siblings when you were an impressionable youngster can "run or ruin your life NOW." Best to clean and clear this toxic mind virus before it damages your life permanently, causing years of distress and pain in the interim.

My personal story My own journey of healing began in my 30s when I discovered a book by Robin Norwood called "Women who Love Too Much". I was shocked to realize I was a typical "Adult Child of an Alcoholic" with symptoms including over-controlling, simmering anger, emotional neediness and a desire to mask my pain with addictions like over-eating and over-spending.

Isolating and approval-seeking are two symptoms of "Adult Children" which I had. The term "Adult Child" also is refers to a child from a dysfunctional or abusive family, like we might call Jackson's.

Jackson's Genius This is not to deny Jackson's innate creative genius which in his 20s and 30s dazzled the world and earned him fame and fortune. But something inside him seemed to unravel from the time the press began referring to him as "Wacko Jacko".

As the years went on, his family and closest friends like Liz Taylor, Elton John and Uri Geller are reported to have encouraged him to go into rehab. But all failed to rescue him from his "addiction" to anti-depressant drugs and painkillers.

Then there was the ongoing plastic surgery which came close to self-mutilation and to me reflected his deep self-rejection, despite all the accolades of his career.

By the end you could say his painfully thin body also demonstrated symptoms of anorexia - an eating disorder associated with self-loathing.

Being beaten as a child Michael Jackson's father Joe admitted to the BBC in 2003 that he whipped his son as a child. And I recently watched a documentary on Jackson from 2003 where he himself admitted details of the kind of straps his father would use to beat him and his siblings during rehearsals if they put a foot wrong. Imagine the fear and torment this caused in them.

When you review Michael Jackson's life you may notice that his early adult years were enchanted with brilliant success, creativity and humanitarianism - he gave millions to "heal the world and make it a better place for you and me and the whole human race."

Curiouser and curiouser - But from his 30s onwards, Michael Jackson portrayed bizarre eccentricities including forays into plastic surgery to change his appearance which some call "self-mutilation", referring to his destructive nose jobs as making him a "nasal cripple."

Peter Pan - You could say building his Neverland ranch with its zoo and theme park for kids was Michael Jackson's attempt to re-discover and recover his "lost childhood" like Peter Pan. The dark shadow side of this was the "evil" of child molestation which tainted him forever, despite his acquittal. You could say it was downhill  from the time of his court appearances until his death in June 2009. By the end he was addicted to pain-killers, thin as a rake and plagued with legal and financial troubles.

Could Michael Jackson's demons have been saved and healed?

Yes, I believe so, with the right guidance and therapeutic approach. But of course, first prerequisite would have been willingness by him.

Emotional-energy tools like EFT tapping and many others I use in my work, give the damaged self a chance to heal at source. I recommend you start before your symptoms become chronic - the body gives early warning signs which we can heed or ignore at our peril.

The sobering lesson for you, especially if you grew up in dysfunctional or abusive home - is to heal yourself and your childhood - before you attempt to "heal the world." 

There is a saying in the self-help movement: "Everyone is guilty - but no one is to blame."  This means our parents were passing onto us the lessons they grew up with - often toxic and damaging. We have a choice - dig deep and heal the damage in ways I describe in my book "You Can Break-Free Fast."  Or stay "victims" and risk progressive self-destruction and wasting of our "golden years" like Michael Jackson.

The Theft of Cables

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The theft of cables is not a problem one encounters in most first world countries but it is riff in South Africa and apart from the huge inconvenience caused to many people in close proximity to the crime it does account for many deaths.

The theft of electrical and telephone cables are a growing and extremely costly problem in this area of the world. These cables are stolen for the money they can generate for the thieves who sell the copper and other metal content to scrap dealers who in turn sell these to larger businesses who export the commodities to other countries, mainly in Asia.

Because copper wire cables can be melted down, are really un-traceable and can be reused, it becomes a very tradable commodity fetching prices based on the World copper prices.

This practice over the last twenty years has cost the power generating authority and Telephone Company millions of dollars in losses. They even spent millions on trying to mark their cables (similar to cattle branding) to encourage the scrape dealers not to purchase marked cables but this has done nothing to diminish the trade.

Although this side of the cable theft problem is measurable in plain dollar terms and is just passed on to the consumer there is darker side to this problem that is even bigger.

Take a recent underground electric cable theft in Johannesburg where thieves vandalized and stole electric cables below street level. The amount of damaged they inflicted in taking out the length of cable caused two substations in the city to go down. This in turn plunged an entire suburb into darkness for several days and forced one of the largest shopping centres in the Southern hemisphere to close for five days. Imagine the financial loses this caused.

Originally this problem was caused by small groups of vandals and un-employed people who just did in to generate a little money for themselves. Typically your local group of hobos and homeless would do this to generate daily cash for their wine food and cigarettes. However, now that the larger and more organised criminal elements have entered the market things have taken a nasty turn; that is the death of innocent people in homes and hospitals that rely on having an uninterrupted supply of electricity for life support. Also lives have been lost because of not being able to use the telephone in an emergency.

Thieving from cables has grown even further with the advent of electricity being brought to the poorest of the poor areas. Here it is not the cables that are being stolen but the content - electricity itself.

The poor are resorting to connecting their appliances directly to the overhead power lines and thus stealing electricity. It is estimated that a person dies every day attempting this kind of theft and during cold snaps the innocent perish. In the recent cold snap in South Africa faulty appliances illegally connected to the overhead cables killed four children.

As you can see from this brief report there is a lot more to the theft of cables than meets the eyes!

Priscilla Presley's Engagement Ring and Wedding to Elvis

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Priscilla married the king of rock and got quite a rock herself: a 3.5 carat engagement ring surrounded by 21 smaller diamonds. For all of you who have waited a long time to get a ring from your man, you probably didn't wait as long as Priscilla. The courtship leading up to their marriage took place over an 8 year period. Of course, the lengthy courtship may have been due in part to Priscilla's age. She was only 14 when she met Elvis.

Priscilla's family was stationed in West Germany at the same time as Elvis during his period in the United States Army. Priscilla's step-father was an officer in the U.S. Airforce. Priscilla and Elvis met in 1959 at a party at Elvis' off-base residence in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Elvis slowly convinced Prisclla's family that she should live with his father and step-father at the back of Graceland. Reluctantly, Priscilla's parents agreed and Priscilla enrolled in the Immaculate Conception School in Memphis. Slowly but surely, Priscilla spent more and more nights with Elvis.

The pair was married in a civil ceremony in a suite at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas on May 1, 1967. Elvis wore a black silk tux and cowboy boots. Priscilla donned a beaded silk gown that she designed herself coupled with a three foot veil and rhinestone crown. The ceremony was short and sweet and was only attended by a handful of family and friends. The breakfast reception that followed had 100 guests present. At the reception, the two danced to "Love Me Tender" and served a 6 tier wedding cake.

Soon after they were married, the couple had a daughter together, Lisa Marie Presley, in February of 1968. In an interesting twist of fate, Lisa Marie Presley was briefly married to the king of pop, Michael Jackson.

Unfortunately, the Priscilla and Elvis's marriage was fleeting and the couple divorced in October of 1973 and were granted mutual custody of their daughter. Lisa Marie split her time between Graceland and Priscilla's home in California. Elvis blamed himself for the divorce and felt as though he was traveling often and away from home too frequently. Several years after the divorce, Elvis died at the age of 42. After Elvis' death, Priscilla took control of Elvis Presley Enterprises and built it to the organization it is today. One of her missions in life is to keep Elvis's legacy protected and intact.

Astrology - Zodiac Sign Facts

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Do you know your zodiac sign? Do you ever wonder why people have certain personality characteristics? These twelve signs could explain these questions and give you insight into your future and your relationships.

There are two ways to group the twelve signs. The first way is to divide them into four groups, based on the four elements. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are in the Fire group. Fire signs are very intense and exciting, inspirational and imaginative. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are in the Earth group. Earth signs have characteristics such as common sense and stability. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are in the Air group. Air signs are very sociable and intellectual. Lastly, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are in the Water group. Water signs are very emotional and have great intuition.

The second way to group the zodiac signs is to separate them into three modes. The three modes are based on creativity. Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn are in the first mode called Cardinal. Cardinal signs are inclined to initiate change. They cause things to happen. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius are in the mode called Fixed. Fixed signs are inclined to sustain, preserve, endure and solidify change. They are very focused and determined. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are in the last mode called Mutable. Mutable signs are very adaptive and flexible. They take things and attempt to adapt or alter them.

If you combine the two classification systems, you will find that each sign has a different combination of the two groups. For example, Taurus is fixed earth and is the only sign that has that combination. This is what makes each sign unique and what creates different characteristics in people.

People that are Aries are born between March 20th and April 18th. This sign is represented by the ram and ruled by Mars. Some characteristics of Aries are independent, impulsive, competitive, arrogant, dynamic, adventurous, energetic and courageous. Aries always wants to be the best and wants to lead. Aries is very faithful to friends and family. Aries are good matches in relationships with Gemini, Leo, Libra and Scorpio.

If you are born between April 19th and May 20th then you are a Taurus. This sign is represented by the bull and is ruled by Venus. People under the Taurus sign are dependable, practical, reliable, patient, stubborn, warm hearted and loving. They are very faithful to family and friends, but if insulted, they won't forget it. Taurus makes good matches in relationships with Libra, Scorpio and Capricorn.

Gemini falls between the dates May 21st and June 20th. This sign is represented by the twins and is ruled by Mercury. Some characteristics include curiosity, adaptability, versatility, witty and expressiveness. Geminis are great communicators; they love to talk. They can be pessimistic sometimes due to the duality of their nature. Gemini makes good matches in relationships with Virgo, Libra and Sagittarius.

The dates of Cancer are June 21st to July 22nd. This sign is represented by the crab and is ruled by the moon. People under the Cancer sign are sensitive, sympathetic, emotional, romantic, shy and lazy. These people take everything personally because they are so sensitive. Cancer makes good matches in relationships with Pisces, Scorpio and Aquarius.

If you are born between July 23rd and August 22nd then you are a Leo. This sign is represented by the lion and is ruled by the sun. Some characteristics include creativity, optimism, loyalty, confidence, generosity and boastful. Leos love to get everyone's attention; they often will buy very expensive items. They also love to entertain. Great matches for Leo are Scorpio, Capricorn and Leo.

Virgo falls between the dates August 23rd and September 22nd. It is represented by the virgin and is ruled by Mercury. Some characteristics are accuracy, competency, rational, intelligent and picky. Virgos need lots of adoration and attention. They are perfectionists and must have their home ordered and clean. Virgo makes good matches in relationships with Gemini, Pisces and Taurus.

People that are a Libra are born between September 23rd and October 22nd. This sign is represented by the scales and is ruled by Venus. These people are cooperative, persuasive, sociable, indecisive, loyal, caring, adaptive and devoted. Libras want everyone to receive fair justice. They are very trustworthy in relationships; however, this sometimes makes them possessive. Great matches for Libra include Aquarius, Aries and Taurus.

If you are born between October 23rd and November 21st, then you are a Scorpio. This sign is represented by the scorpion and is ruled by Pluto. Some characteristics include passionate, motivation, resourceful, clever, intuitive, non-compromising, temperamental, suspicious and sarcastic. Money is very important for these people. Scorpios can say one thing but be thinking another, which makes them great actors. Great matches for Scorpio include Capricorn, Leo and Pisces.

Sagittarius falls between the dates of November 22nd and December 21st. The sign is represented by the archer and is ruled by Jupiter. These people are enthusiastic, generous, blunt, impatient, optimistic, honest and faithful. Sagittarians are not very emotional. They also will quickly adapt to different situations. Some good matches for them are Gemini, Aries, Taurus and Virgo.

The dates for Capricorn are December 22nd to January 19th. This sign is represented by the goat and is ruled by Saturn. Some characteristics of Capricorn are responsible, careful, practical, shy and reserved. They are very faithful to family and friends. They are very affectionate and kind but this is often suppressed due to their shyness. They are also very insecure about their abilities. Good matches for Capricorn are Cancer, Leo, Taurus and Virgo.

Aquarius falls between the dates January 20th and February 18th. This sign is represented by the water-bearer and is ruled by Uranus. Some characteristics are independent, unpredictable, intellectual, charming and sincere. These people aren't very sociable and prefer to be by themselves. However, they can entertain easily. Good matches for Aquarius are Aries, Gemini and Libra.

People that are Pisces are born between February 19th and March 19th. The sign is represented by the fish and is ruled by Neptune. Some characteristics include compassionate, dreamy, artistic, independent, sensitive, loving, impractical and timid. They can easily adapt to different situations and can handle many different tasks at the same time. Good matches for relationships include Aquarius, Cancer and Scorpio.

These twelve zodiac signs can easily explain why people are the way they are and why they do certain things. Zodiac signs can also help you in relationships. This can explain why many relationships don't work out and why others do.

Michael Jackson's Benzodiazepine Tolerance

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For many of us, the news of Michael Jackson's untimely transition was deeply saddening. It would be further disheartening, however, if the current focus on painkillers and anaesthetics overshadows the impact his benzodiazepine use had on his life. A recent CNN news article stated that, "Michael Jackson took more than 10 Xanax pills a night, asking his employees to get the prescription medicine under their names and also personally travelling to doctors' offices in other states to obtain them."

When more of a drug is needed in order for the desired therapeutic effect to be achieved, this is known as 'tolerance'. Michael's behaviour is a classic example of someone in benzodiazepine tolerance. He was truly hooked and was desperate to acquire more to increase his doses. We will never know if he fully understood how the drug was affecting him, or whether he tried to discontinue but could not cope with the withdrawal effects. Did any of the doctors who treated him since his first prescription know enough about benzodiazepines to be able to differentiate between his tolerance symptoms and other presenting issues? If so, how was this handled?

Chronic benzodiazepine use can result in the most bizarre and unlikely manifestations of side effects. In addition, if tolerance has developed and the safe maximum dose has been achieved, withdrawal symptoms will surface. A user can therefore experience memory impairment, paranoia, agoraphobia, insomnia, muscle pain and a host of other physical and psychological symptoms long before discontinuing the drug.

There are also far-reaching social repercussions. Many survivors of benzodiazepine addiction recall having experienced a lack of discernment combined with intense incoherence while on the drug. They made unsound relationship, financial and other life decisions while struggling to function in a constant zombie-like state. People who have not been directly affected sometimes find this devastation difficult to fathom and may blame it on 'other psychological issues'.

While we can't attribute all Michael Jackson's challenges to his benzo use, those familiar with this class of drugs may easily spot the parallels and can now appreciate how unwell he must have been. Anyone who knew him personally and happens to research benzodiazepines will inevitably identify links between his usage, behaviour patterns and health crises.

It is possible that Michael did try to quit. Discontinuing benzos is often problematic and, sadly, many people reinstate in order to be able to function in their daily lives. Abrupt withdrawal or quitting 'cold turkey' can be dangerous. Users should taper under medical supervision with adequate additional support. Those with mild dependencies recover within weeks or a few months. Long-term users, on the other hand, can be subject to a much more prolonged and challenging withdrawal experience. According to Professor Malcolm Lader of the UK's Institute of Psychiatry, "It is more difficult to withdraw people from benzodiazepines than it is from heroin."

The 'king of pop' left us his legendary music. It would be premature to conclude that the outcome of current investigations will impact the general atmosphere of denial regarding the damaging effects of long-term benzodiazepine use. Still, we remain hopeful. In the meantime, for the vulnerable ones in the 'land of benzos', he has brought awareness and much-needed attention to a hidden, global problem - one of epidemic proportions.

Do HGH Injections Help? The Truth Exposed

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Anti aging treatments are extremely popular with vast majority of men and women trying to fight and combat age effects. HGH has been the buzz word recently because of its effectiveness in helping you stay young. There are various forms in which growth hormone is available and one among them is injections. But do they really help?

Do HGH Injections Help?

There is no doubt that growth hormone shots are the most effective form of growth hormone and produce fast results. These shots are a replacement therapy and and involve injecting human growth hormone into the body which is derived form the donor's pituitary post mortem.

These shots are not a natural process and therefore it is largely an interference with your body's internal mechanism. Thus, it is likely to create a lot of adverse effects which are highly undesirable. For instance some of the side effects of such therapy include:

hypertension
soft tissue swelling
muscle weakness
increased risk of diabetes
cancer of various kinds such as colon, lung and breast
possible shut down of pituitary gland- this can result form an excess of growth hormone in the bloodstream and once you stop taking these shots it is likely that you will experience faster aging.

Moreover, these shots also turn out to be extremely expensive. A single shot can amount to $25 and with you requiring 3 shots a day, the expenses could mount to $75 a day. As such these shots are likely to extract a huge price form both your wallet and body.

Growth hormone releaser pills or supplements happen to be a better and safer form as compared to shots. These supplements are simulators that stimulate your pituitary gland to increase the production and secretion of growth hormone so that you can get it through the glandular system in exactly the same way as you did in your younger years.

These supplements do not have any side effects and provide a complete body make over.

Though there are many supplements, you must choose one wisely. You must make sure that the supplement you buy is clinically approved and recommended by doctors. Moreover, you must ascertain that it has been manufactured in a GMP certified lab which provides an assurance of high quality.

Check out the Best HGH Supplements that are clinically approved and recommended by doctors as well.

Acrylic Painting - The Modern Genre of Painting

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The modern art that is being preferred over canvas or oil painting nowadays is the acrylic painting, which comes handful in many ways. Acrylic painting has become the genre of modern painting due to its flexibility, depending upon the type of ingredients that it is made up of. The water resistant property, of the acrylic painting materials, make it more popular than any other form of painting, where there is a chance of water damage to the paintings on coming in contact with water.

The basic reasons why acrylic painting has been taken up over its primitive forms of painting may be pointed out as follows:

Acrylic paints are soluble with water, but once they are dried up, they are absolutely water resistant and cannot be tarnished by water damage.

Depending upon the composition of the acrylic painting materials, they can represent the properties seen among art made of watercolors or oil paints.

The property or luster effect of acrylic paints vary greatly according to their dilution with water or application of acrylic gels. These may resemble watercolors or oil paints or may even bring out certain unique characteristics of the acrylic painting itself, which would not be available using any other media.

Unlike most other painting styles acrylic painting could be done on any texture ranging from cement to wood, along with the general canvas, plaster, etc.; at times it is also used as fabric painting style, due to the easy dry capacity.

Even removal of acrylic paint does not require the usage of turpentine, as was necessary in case of oil paints, thus reducing the chances of allergies and persistent odors.

Problems incurred while acrylic painting is done!

Though there are various advantages to acrylic painting, there are certain drawbacks to perform it freely and could be considered positive on very few occasions. These may be summarized as:

Acrylic paints provide a very small period of drying time and for that reason, the blending of colors becomes very challenging. In case of oil paints the painter could have his own time allowing the paints to blend among them, before applying them on the texture.

To perform acrylic painting, the person has to be an adept painter, as he would get very less time to blend the colors and apply his requisite strokes dexterously pretty fast. Some consider this to be an advantage, as the paint dries off quickly but others find it a hindrance to their work.

Thus, the necessity of acrylic painting can be observed in a manner that evokes quality of watercolor painting as well as oil or canvas painting, with the help of a single painting style. Acrylic painting may have its cons, but the basic fact remains that it does the same work in much lesser time in comparison to the other form of the art. It is quite natural that an advanced form of painting style like this one would be taken up by professionals only, but nowadays people of various strata have started using acrylic paints to their advantage.

Michael Jackson's Death Suggests We Need to Get Our Priorities Straight.

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On June 25, 2009, there were several news stories that could dramatically impact our lives. Riots in Iran, North Korea threatening to launch a missile in the direction of the USA, and a climate change bill in congress that could devastate this country's economy; and what had almost non-stop news coverage for 24 hours and beyond? Michael Jackson.

His untimely passing was sad, but to forsake real news coverage in order to speculate on the cause of Jackson's death and rehash his bizarre behavior was excessive. His lifestyle, in the minds of many, overshadows his extraordinary talent and the revolutionary affect he had on pop music. More important, does our fascination with celebrity warrant the virtual shutting down of general news reporting to concentrate on this event?

As a pre-boomer, I can recall major events that stopped the world on its axis. First it was Pearl Harbor, then the ending of the wars in both Europe and Japan. Later the country faced withdrawal from Vietnam and more recently the terrorists' attacks on the World Trade Center. As for the deaths of individuals, there was the passing of President Roosevelt and the assignation of President Kennedy, which became a television event. On the celebrity level, the deaths of Elvis Presley, John Lennon and even Princess Diana were big but not this big.

Maybe it's the 24/7 cable news networks that have blown the Jackson death out of proportion. Perhaps it was the non-stop chatter on the Internet and other social networks all spewing out information and opinions at almost the speed of sound. Or, it could be the times we live in that is causing us to escape into outside stories rather than deal with the internal strife brought on by today's problems. While the controversy surrounding Jackson makes for great news, is this the news we want to hear; or is it what the TV networks chose to promote in order to garner viewers? The cable people and the blogs were all over this story and enhanced it whenever possible. The broadcast networks were forced to reciprocate along with radio and the print media. It's the proverbial snow ball rolling down the hill increasing in mass and speed as it plummets to an ultimate end.

After several days of wall-to-wall coverage, the Jackson saga continues and raises a number of unanswered questions. What was the exact cause of death? Who will have custody of the children? Is there a valid Will? There will be many more, even if the media fabricates them in order to keep the story alive. In the meantime, we are still confronted with unrest in the middle-east, a mad man with a bomb, and more questionable bills moving through congress.

There was another celebrity who died a few hours before Jackson. Farrah Fawcett lost her several-year battle with cancer a few hours earlier. The story of her courageous fight took a backseat to the news about the "king of pop." Sometime in the future, when reflect back on these two deaths, we may realize that far more can be learned from the way Farrah fought to live rather than the way Jackson tried to run away from life.

Generating Ideas For Your Design Or Canvas Art Based Projects

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1. Properly define the brief outcome that you want - Begin by stating, possibly on paper as a written statement, the exact outcome that you want the idea to satisfy. This could be a list of requirements that you want the piece of work to fulfil. Think about the effect on the viewer. How do you want them to feel? What do you want them to think? What exactly do you want to communicate to them? As soon as you have this clear target the way to your concept will become much clearer. That is to say that you enjoy this way of working as opposed to a more intuitive approach, which leads me on to technique number two...

2. Don't define the brief outcome that you want - By having absolutely no limits on the effect you want to achieve with your concept you allow your intuitive and inspired processes to reign free. This technique can allow for extremely random and 'out-of-the-box' solutions to emerge. Experimentation is a sure-fire way to come up with ideas that are particularly inspired and innovative. The drawback is that it is easy to move to far away from the brief and it can take longer as more reiterations are needed until you happen upon an idea which fulfils the brief. Most people will probably prefer some kind of middle ground between the first technique and the second when generating ideas for design work and canvas art.

3. Pick a random subject - This technique involves randomly selecting a subject and then simply creating an idea that involves this randomly chosen topic. Somehow combine the brief you are working on with the arbitrary theme and you will find that your mind has the innate ability to weave connections into the basis for new ideas.

4. Let your mind wander - By actually taking your mind off the brief you can allow the subconscious more freedom to work its magic. If you sketch down completely random images and doodles you will find that your pencil will automatically find new solutions.

5. Try less - Sometimes the more you try the harder you find it to generate ideas for your design work and canvas art. A much better approach to doubling your effort is to fall back on tried and tested ways of producing work. This reinstates the flow needed to produce quality ideas.

6. Work in a way you enjoy - Many good ideas emerge spontaneously from simply doing what you love. Making sure you enjoy the process is important. Choose to work with media that you are comfortable and confident with. Once you have a chosen skill or technique, such as painting with acrylics for example, you can then express your ideas in a more free-flowing manner. Good sketching skills are a perfect way to express your ideas and render them quickly. Find materials you enjoy using and which allow an easy transition from your mind to the paper or computer.

I hope this article helps you. Good luck generating ideas for your design or canvas art based projects.

The Michael Jackson Phenomenon

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The death of Michael Jackson, the king of pop, this last week has shaken us in a way that few things do. Was it because he was so young when he died? At age 50, he certainly wasn't old, but many millions of people the world over don't live half that many years. Very few of us actually knew him, so it wasn't that he was a friend or someone that we were personally acquainted with. Still, he was a presence in most of our lives. Alicia Keyes, a well-known recording artist, may have said it best when she said that Michael Jackson's music was the "music of our memories, the music of our dream". So many of us grew up on that music. We associate it with special times in our own life journeys. It is part of us. For that reason, when we learned of his death this past week, it had an unusually profound affect on us.

Much has been written and viewed this last week on the phenomenon that is Michael Jackson. It is a story of triumph and tragedy. One report called it the ultimate American dream coupled with the quintessential Greek tragedy. And so it was. How could someone so supremely gifted erode into such a caricature of himself. What was it that turned him into such a bizarre entity, one whose behavior not only lifted eyebrows but also involved police investigation. How sad that someone so admired and envied somehow seemed to feel that he needed to constantly be changing his appearance and persona.

Certainly it couldn't have been that he wasn't good enough. He was VERY good. We loved that little boy who charmed us with his brilliance at the age of eleven when he first started nationally appearing. We loved him as a young man when he moved his body with such precision and rhythmic force that we were left completely captivated and mesmerized. We loved in the incredible voice that counseled us through son that it didn't matter if we were black or white. We loved the edgy, dynamic Thriller music so much that we made it the number one selling album of all time.

The events of this past week have caused people to reflect, to remember. Some have said that they'll remember where they were when they learned the news of Michaels's passing in the same way that they remember where they were when they learned of the death of President John F. Kennedy or Elvis Presley.

We may never know all the demons that lived in michael's psyche and the struggles that he dealt with along with his amazing fame and fortune, but he has enriched the lives of countless millions of us through his incomparable music and for that, we thank you, Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson "King of Pop" Moonwalking Above

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Michael Jackson, the king of pop, certainly showed the world in his own style that he was truly the Great king of pop with a heart of gold. He cared for those he came across and provided for their welfare. The charities to which he contributed came as a surprise to many. Being featured in Guinness World Records for his contributions is really a wonderful deed in his support of the needy. He also held various Guinness World Records for his performance as a musical artist and for the most sales of records. Truly, Michael Jackson was an artist who cared about others and shared his wealth for the betterment of human kind.

As a musician on the cutting edge, his music was always in the hearts of people. Additionally, his dancing sets the stage for many to enjoy and practice. His Moonwalk dance captured the hearts of many across the globe. He brought smiles across the faces of many when he broke out into his Moonwalk dance. It was just amazing! This is one dance the world will never forget. As a sign of appreciation, I have written the following poem as a tribute to Michael Jackson with the titles of some of his songs:

Michael's Jackson 'Moonwalk' Poem

He walked across the stage like it was the Moon

So many are sad that he has Gone Too Soon

He does it smiling like a Dancing Machine

Even when singing the wonderful Billie Jean

He touched many with words in Beautiful Girl

He reached out and states We Are the World

Many now look in the sky for a Dancing Machine

To see the Moonwalk that made them screamed.

© Joseph S. Spence, Sr.

© All Rights Reserved.

Michael Jackson has established the standards for singers and dancers. He has helped many and is still loved by many across the world. May he continued to sing and dance in his own world, as the world looks high to see him dancing one day across the Moon.

Submitted by "Epulaeryu Master."

The "Michael Jackson" of Socks

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I was washing my son's clothes the other day when I came across what he had done to his socks. He's in his 20's now but sensory integration - how things feel when they touch his body in any way - has always been a part of his disability. He had neatly cut off all the corners of the toes.

"Honestly!" I sometimes wondered, "Does he not think I would notice this!?"

As I was chiding myself for not consulting him when I bought them, a smile crept onto my face.

An amusing memory, or a Magic Chuckle that showcased this very issue, popped into my head. At the time I did not know this was even called a "sensory integration issue". I was just annoyed at how often I had to redress my child every single day.

Remember how Michael Jackson used to go around just wearing one glove? That is how my son got nominated for "The Michael Jackson of Socks".

Moms of the world can attest to the energy and time that goes into dressing a child. In my case multiply this by five. Sometimes I hated to even bother. In fact if we weren't going anywhere I wouldn't and if we were....well you can bet I did it 15 minutes before we left and I could pin him down in his car seat. This still didn't deter him from removing socks and shoes so sometimes I wouldn't even put those on unless it was cold out.

My routine was solid. I would plan what I was going to do and dress myself first and then buttoned, zipped, pinned, pulled and tied my son into his. My hand was poised with the door half-opened when the phone rang. Before I could grab my son he was off, out the door. As I answered hello he was tottering down the steps. I wasn't too worried. We lived on a farm with miles and miles of flat land. If he took off I would be able to see his head bobbling through a field.

I hung up the phone after five LONG minutes and flung the screen door open as I walked through it. I wouldn't have to look far for my first clue: a pair of tiny Velcro sneakers on the steps. As I bent over to pick them up, for future redressing, I noticed his socks piled up 20 feet away. And so it began. I began to understand how Hansel and Gretel felt following a trail of bread crumbs.

I followed the trail to the corner of the garage and sighed. Yesterday my other two children had loosed several gallons of water from the garden hose into the pile of dirt behind the garage. It had turned the place into a massive area of quicksand. At least that is what they had excitedly called it. After playing in it yesterday they were quite leery of ever going back to it. I had had to drag my sucked down feet through it yesterday to retrieve two sobbing children. They'd gotten mired up to their knees. I could still hear the sucking sounds as I pulled little bare legs and feet from the unrelenting mud.

As I turned the corner I expected more of the same. What I encountered was a cooing young child in his glory. He was stark naked, up to his thighs in mud. He was just starting to wobble as his bottom smacked into the surface of this lovely, warmed by the sun, smooth, slippery mud that would caress his rosy body. It took an hour to clean him off.

I decided that it was time to "cure" him of this. It was too embarrassing having him do this in public. It took a month but my diligence paid off. The only "habit" I couldn't crack was the removal of one sock. Yes he only took off one.

It was at this time Michael Jackson started a mini fad of wearing only one glove. My eldest son insisted his brother was just copying Michael and dubbed him: "The Michael Jackson of Socks".

I personally believe it was his compromise at having to give up the joy of removing all his clothes.