Weekends Daily News July 31 - Aug 2

mariemarie · Jul 31, 2009

The O2 denies Robbie and Whitney rumours as search for Jackson replacement continues

Event space The O2 is yet to fill the void caused by Michael Jackson's death, but is denying rumours that Robbie Williams and Whitney Houston are poised to fill the spots.

It was widely reported yesterday (30 July 2009) that Williams and Houston were set to make their comebacks at The 02, which featured in Event's Top 20 Venues last year, by filling this year's empty dates. Both performers are scheduled to release albums in 2009.

However, The O2 head of PR Lucy Ellison rubbished these claims, telling Event that Jackson's dates are yet to be filled.

"The reports in the newspapers were false; we are not sure where they came from. We are still working to fill the dates," she said.

http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/News...y-rumours-search-*****-replacement-continues/

Always appreciate the gift of life. Be happy and have fun. Michael Jackson

Click to expand...

Back in history:

ACHTUNG, MICHAEL JACKSON Germany's Bild newspaper is reporting that a 1988 Michael Jackson concert in West Berlin prompted security concerns for East Germany's secret police. The top-selling newspaper published a message from the files of the former Stasi yesterday. It said East German officials thought the Jackson concert in front of the Reichstag could be used to test the authorities east of the Berlin Wall. The Stasi wanted to keep people away from East Berlin areas where they could hear Jackson's West Berlin concert. To do that, the Stasi proposed broadcasting the show in a stadium with a two-minute time delay so any "political provocation" could be censored. The plan never took place. Instead, East German authorities staged a crackdown on Jackson fans in their territory during the concert.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Today/Entertainment/2009/07/31/10322386-sun.html

Name baby girl "Michael" refused by Swedish tax official

According to a report released by UPI, a Swedish couple wanted to name their new baby girl "Michael" in memory of Michael Jackson who passed away last month. However, the Swedish Tax Authority said no to the application. They explained that "Michael" is a name for boys not for girls.

The rejection of the application has angered the couple, and they are considering legal action against the authority. They said they wanted to have "Michael" as the middle name for their little girl, not the first name; moreover, their friends in America told them "Michael" is a neutral name for both girls and boys.

According to statistics from the State Statistics Bureau of Sweden, there are 38 females whose name are "Michael", including two who take it as a first name.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90872/6715945.html

Today in
Michael Jackson History

1995 - Michael Jackson's single "Scream" was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA.

2001 - Michael Jackson's "You Rock My World" was debuted on radio stations around the United States. It was the first single from the forthcoming album "Invincible."

ParisKatherine · Jul 31, 2009

........

sunnyday81 · Jul 31, 2009

Michael Jackson's Oldest Son Prince Could Become Family Leader

Prince Michael Jackson I Is Helping to Guide the Jacksons Through a Difficult Time

By CHRIS CONNELLY, LINDA OWENS and IMAEYEN IBANGA
July 31, 2009

He has spent the better part of his life sheltered, often wearing a mask to hide his face from the public's prying eyes. But now in the wake of his father's unexpected death it has emerged that Michael Jackson's son, Prince Michael Jackson I had become the defacto family leader, according to at least one former Jackson family employee.

Prince Michael Jackson I emerged as a family leader during Michael Jackson's memorial service. He is pictured with sister Paris Michael Katherine Jackson.

Michael Jackson's son, 12, appeared composed beyond his years at his father's memorial. And he has surfaced as a quiet leader inside his home, where workers respected him, even before his father's death.
"It was a bit unusual in the beginning taking instructions from Prince," said the King of Pop's former personal chef, Doug Jones. "But once I understood the process, he was like a go-between [between] Mr. Jackson and myself."
Related

Jones said it was Prince who frequently gave orders — not his reclusive father.
"Prince was usually the only one that would convey to me certain instructions when Mr. Jackson wanted to eat upstairs," he said. "I looked at him as a young man in a kid's body."
Jones said the preteen was "very mature for his age."

Another Michael Jackson chef Kai Chase,says when she was hired to accompany the "Thriller" singer to London for his comeback concert tour,it was Prince who personally made the request on behalf of his father.
Chase said Prince also was the first one Michael Jackson's personal doctor Dr. Conrad Murray, asked for when he found the singer unresponsive in his bedroom.
"I started preparing the lunch and then I looked at my cell phone and it was noon. About 12:05 or 12:10 Dr. Murray runs down the steps and screams, 'Go get Prince!' He's screaming very loud. I run into the den where the kids are playing. Prince runs to meet Dr. Murray and from that point on, you could feel the energy in the house change.," Chase told The Associated Press in an interview.

Prince the Adolescent

Yet with his siblings, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II, Prince is a typical pre-adolescent.
"They always had computer time. One thing they would always do is they would listen to Bill Cosby tapes. They would play games," Jones said. "Prince was working on a project that he was working on for the Guinness Book of World Records."
Prince's paternal grandfather said the child now is spending a lot of time with his cousins. Joe Jackson said recently his grandson is an athletic youngster who enjoys his time at the family compound playing with his cousins.

"Prince, he's busy playin' football with the guys out there and baseball," Joe Jackson said. "And those kids about the smartest kids I ever seen, really. 'Cause that's what Michael put into them," he said of Michael Jackson's young children.
Prince's has come a long way from the days when masks shrouded his face from the world's view. His father never took Prince or his siblings on typical kiddie outings. There were no trips to popular children's restaurants or other children's birthday parties.

"He left the house one time in a red Toyota Prius. And they drove around for about four hours. Michael and the kids never got out of the car once. The bodyguard would pick up the ice cream or the pizza and then put it inside the car," said Ben Evenstad, a photographer and the head of National Photo Group.
While the seclusion of Prince's former life may be gone, a custody agreement about who will raise him and his siblings was reached Thursday.
After weeks of negotiations, Michael Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe reached an out-of-court agreement that gives Katherine Jackson full, permanent custody of the pop icon's three children, while Rowe will be granted "meaningful visitation rights." A court still has to approve the deal.
With this agreement in place the Jackson children's lives will change even more, as Prince, Paris and the child nicknamed Blanket into adolescence under the care of Katherine Jackson.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/MichaelJackson/story?id=8215396&page=1

sunnyday81 · Jul 31, 2009

UVM professors measure happiness

Friday July 31, 2009
Ross Sneyd
Burlington, VT

(Host) Throughout the centuries, philosophers from Plato to Thomas Jefferson have written about the quest for happiness.
Now, a pair of University of Vermont scientists say they've come up with what they think is the best way to measure what makes us joyful or sad.
VPR's Ross Sneyd has more.
(Sneyd) The happiest day over the past several years came on November 4th last year.
(Obama) "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."
(Sneyd) Professor Peter Dodds says Barack Obama's election produced an outpouring of good cheer that he was able to measure.
(Dodds) "There are many things that people said on that day that shifted the average up: good and positive words. But proud was the one that moved the most, people saying, ‘I feel proud' that moved things the most."
(Sneyd) And the opposite? The day of sadness?
(Music from Billie Jean)
(Sneyd) The day Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop," died.
(Dodds) "the three days, including the day of his death, were all about the same and that was a fairly steep drop from where it had been trotting along in June and went pop down and came back up again about four days later."
(Sneyd) Dodds and his research partner, Chris Danforth, come to these conclusions at their computer keyboards.
They keep a tally of the words people use in their Twitter posts and on tens of thousands of blog entries.
They use a scoring system that assigns a number based on how positive a word is - nine is the most positive, one is the least. Then, a software program that Dodds and Danforth created adds up the scores and averages them out to determine how happy or sad we are.
They've done the same thing for presidential State of the Union speeches and for song lyrics.
They've broken music down into nine different categories. Their conclusion is that gospel and soul are the happiest.
(Luther Vandross)
(Sneyd) And the most unhappy, by far, they say, is heavy metal.
(Fear Factory)
(Sneyd) Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," by the way, scored a 7.1 on the happiness index - which means it's a pretty upbeat song with words such as love, beauty queen and truth.
Dodds' and Danforth's work has just been published in the Journal of Happiness Studies. Yes, there's really such a publication. It describes itself as "an interdisciplinary forum on subjective well-being."
They know that there are potential holes in their measurements. Not everyone uses computers, for example.
But they say theirs is the first time there's been such a large measurement of mood.
(Dodds) "Happiness matters, I think. ... Quantifying it is incredibly important. And it's something we've only come to realize more strongly in the last 20 or 30 years. Most measures, pretty much all measure up until now, have been simply asking people, ‘How happy are you?' ... What we wanted to do was trying a remote sensing type approach where we take in millions of peoples' comments about things."
(Sneyd) They have a range of findings. Thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds are the most unhappy among us. And middle-age - from 45 to 60 - is the happiest time of life.
And our happiest presidents - or at least those who used the most positive language in their State of the Union speeches - were JFK, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/85474/

sunnyday81 · Jul 31, 2009

Just wanted to post a warning so it doesn't comes as a shock: Helperin is apparently planning a DOCUMENTARY, too (I posted the article in the tabloid tallk section) claiming that MJ had adopted another son before the trial (as a response to Joe's claims about Omer). This man is a disease that needs to be eradicated!!!!

thrillerchild · Jul 31, 2009

I'm not surprised that Prince Michael I is so mature beyond his years. I mean look who he had raise him!

sunnyday81 · Jul 31, 2009

ET has the latest...
As if Mo'Nique doesn't have enough on her already-busy schedule, she is adding talk-show host to her list of credits, which includes actress, producer, author and stand-up comedienne. "The Mo'Nique Show" will join the late-night race in October, but first the outspoken queen of comedy talks to ET about Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and why she dropped the pounds!
"When I got the call and someone said, 'Hey, Mo’Nique, Michael Jackson, died,' I said, 'May that brother rest in peace.' And I kept on going. Death is going to happen, baby, to every last one of you, I promise you. So when it does happen, what do you do? Do you fall apart or do you keep it moving, because your number's coming too? And I don't want people to fall apart on my number. So why ever would I fall apart on somebody else's number? I wish him the best in his rest. And leave him alone. Leave his family alone. And let that brother rest in peace. Whatever the issues were, they're gone now because he's gone. Stop trying to find a story to write about. Damaging it can be damaging -- and it gets ugly, and he can't defend himself. So as of today, make the promise to let that story die. Write about 'The Mo'Nique Show,' baby."
Mo'Nique says that being a talk-show host was always her long-term goal. She says that Oprah Winfrey is an inspiration and she calls the first time she met the talk-show queen "mind blowing."

http://www.newsok.com/monique-talks-michael-jackson-oprah-more/article/feed/63212

sunnyday81 · Jul 31, 2009

Is it true that 'the good die young'? Dali Lama explains death of Michael Jackson, Elvis, etc.

We are often reminded that some very great people die young. Those who believe in a god that controls our lives ask why Elvis, Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, Buddy Holly and others were "taken" at such a young age.

We even have a phrase and song, "the good die young," but is there another explanation of this phenomenon? Consider the wisdom of a human who has been consciously reincarnating for centuries.
HH the Dali Lama says:

"Some people - sweet, attractive, strong and healthy - happen to die young. They are masters in disguise teaching us about impermanence."

As so many have been reflecting on the seemingly premature and sudden death of Michael Jackson, we might do well to pause and consider the Dali Lama's perspective. After all, he has been choosing to come back again and again for centuries in order to help all people awaken to enlightenment.
All the people mentioned above and many more have shown us that all things including our most precious human lives are impermanent. Right now, you could be taking your last breath. The next thing you experience might be your next breath or your next life.
Barack Obama made a wise decision calling for change because all that we can count on is that everything will change. Nothing is permanent expect perhaps the core essence of our being, something often referred to as our soul.
We sometimes believe that our physical wealth will support us and make us happy, yet money, too, has now been proven to be impermanent. Many people have witnessed their monetary wealth disappear overnight, and yet money still cling to the belief that they need money to be secure or happy.
May we recognize the impermanence of all things. And may we bask in the wonder and adventure of change knowing that the person we meet when we wake up is not the same person who went to sleep last night.

http://www.examiner.com/x-7311-Cultural-Trends-Examiner~y2009m7d31-Is-it-true-that-the-good-die-young---Dali-Lama-explains-death-of-Michael-Jackson-Elvis-etc

Ashtanga · Jul 31, 2009

mariemarie said:
1995 - Michael Jackson's single "Scream" was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA.

Scream is perfect! I love this song and the video! :wild::wild::wild:

Linda74 · Jul 31, 2009

sunnyday81 said:
Michael Jackson's Oldest Son Prince Could Become Family Leader

Prince Michael Jackson I Is Helping to Guide the Jacksons Through a Difficult Time

By CHRIS CONNELLY, LINDA OWENS and IMAEYEN IBANGA
July 31, 2009

He has spent the better part of his life sheltered, often wearing a mask to hide his face from the public's prying eyes. But now in the wake of his father's unexpected death it has emerged that Michael Jackson's son, Prince Michael Jackson I had become the defacto family leader, according to at least one former Jackson family employee.

Prince Michael Jackson I emerged as a family leader during Michael Jackson's memorial service. He is pictured with sister Paris Michael Katherine Jackson.

Michael Jackson's son, 12, appeared composed beyond his years at his father's memorial. And he has surfaced as a quiet leader inside his home, where workers respected him, even before his father's death.
"It was a bit unusual in the beginning taking instructions from Prince," said the King of Pop's former personal chef, Doug Jones. "But once I understood the process, he was like a go-between [between] Mr. Jackson and myself."
Related

Jones said it was Prince who frequently gave orders — not his reclusive father.
"Prince was usually the only one that would convey to me certain instructions when Mr. Jackson wanted to eat upstairs," he said. "I looked at him as a young man in a kid's body."
Jones said the preteen was "very mature for his age."

Another Michael Jackson chef Kai Chase,says when she was hired to accompany the "Thriller" singer to London for his comeback concert tour,it was Prince who personally made the request on behalf of his father.
Chase said Prince also was the first one Michael Jackson's personal doctor Dr. Conrad Murray, asked for when he found the singer unresponsive in his bedroom.
"I started preparing the lunch and then I looked at my cell phone and it was noon. About 12:05 or 12:10 Dr. Murray runs down the steps and screams, 'Go get Prince!' He's screaming very loud. I run into the den where the kids are playing. Prince runs to meet Dr. Murray and from that point on, you could feel the energy in the house change.," Chase told The Associated Press in an interview.

Prince the Adolescent

Yet with his siblings, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II, Prince is a typical pre-adolescent.
"They always had computer time. One thing they would always do is they would listen to Bill Cosby tapes. They would play games," Jones said. "Prince was working on a project that he was working on for the Guinness Book of World Records."
Prince's paternal grandfather said the child now is spending a lot of time with his cousins. Joe Jackson said recently his grandson is an athletic youngster who enjoys his time at the family compound playing with his cousins.

"Prince, he's busy playin' football with the guys out there and baseball," Joe Jackson said. "And those kids about the smartest kids I ever seen, really. 'Cause that's what Michael put into them," he said of Michael Jackson's young children.
Prince's has come a long way from the days when masks shrouded his face from the world's view. His father never took Prince or his siblings on typical kiddie outings. There were no trips to popular children's restaurants or other children's birthday parties.

"He left the house one time in a red Toyota Prius. And they drove around for about four hours. Michael and the kids never got out of the car once. The bodyguard would pick up the ice cream or the pizza and then put it inside the car," said Ben Evenstad, a photographer and the head of National Photo Group.
While the seclusion of Prince's former life may be gone, a custody agreement about who will raise him and his siblings was reached Thursday.
After weeks of negotiations, Michael Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe reached an out-of-court agreement that gives Katherine Jackson full, permanent custody of the pop icon's three children, while Rowe will be granted "meaningful visitation rights." A court still has to approve the deal.
With this agreement in place the Jackson children's lives will change even more, as Prince, Paris and the child nicknamed Blanket into adolescence under the care of Katherine Jackson.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/MichaelJackson/story?id=8215396&page=1

He may be very mature for his age but I hope they remember that he is only 12.

Linda74 · Jul 31, 2009

sunnyday81 said:
Just wanted to post a warning so it doesn't comes as a shock: Helperin is apparently planning a DOCUMENTARY, too (I posted the article in the tabloid tallk section) claiming that MJ had adopted another son before the trial (as a response to Joe's claims about Omer). This man is a disease that needs to be eradicated!!!!

I don´t know... I mean is there anyone who can take this guy seriously. If anyone does then in must be people who already hate MJ and will only beleive netgative things they hear about him anyway so I wonder who much damage he really does. He is to obvious.

CherubimII · Jul 31, 2009

Thank you ever so much for the news.

I especially enjoyed reading the following stories:

Prince Michael Jackson I Is Helping to Guide the Jacksons Through a Difficult Time
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/Michae...8215396&page=1
But now in the wake of his father's unexpected death it has emerged that Michael Jackson's son, Prince Michael Jackson I had become the defacto family leader, according to at least one former Jackson family employee.

Click to expand...

AND

Is it true that 'the good die young'? Dali Lama explains death of Michael Jackson, Elvis, etc.

We are often reminded that some very great people die young. Those who believe in a god that controls our lives ask why Elvis, Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, Buddy Holly and others were "taken" at such a young age.

We even have a phrase and song, "the good die young," but is there another explanation of this phenomenon? Consider the wisdom of a human who has been consciously reincarnating for centuries.
HH the Dali Lama says:

"Some people - sweet, attractive, strong and healthy - happen to die young. They are masters in disguise teaching us about impermanence."

http://www.examiner.com/x-7311-Cultural-Trends-Examiner~y2009m7d31-Is-it-true-that-the-good-die-young---Dali-Lama-explains-death-of-Michael-Jackson-Elvis-etc

Click to expand...

sunnyday81 · Jul 31, 2009

British Music Experience to Host Iconic Michael Jackson Warhol Portrait

LONDON, July 31 /PRNewswire/ --
- Portrait to be Shown for Three Days Only Before Returning to The States
- With Photo
This Thursday 6th August the British Music Experience, the interactive exhibition of popular music situated within The O2, will display Andy Warhol's (Green) Michael Jackson portrait. The British Music Experience will be the only European venue to host the 1984 portrait before it returns to New York to go under the hammer. For just three days, the piece commissioned to celebrate the world record breaking sales of the King of Pop's Thriller album, will be added to the British Music Experience's collection.
The auction of the portrait will start with an opening bid of $800,000 - the average auction figure reached for a comparable Warhol portrait in recent years is $17 million. In the past the top price for a Warhol picture at auction is $71.7 million for 'Car Crash', and the top price for a Warhol portrait $28 million for 'Lemon Marilyn' - both sold at Christies in New York in 2007.
Paul Lilley, British Music Experience Curator, said: "Michael Jackson's influence on the world of pop is unparalleled. This is a perfect chance for us to give our visitors a once in a life time opportunity before the portrait disappears from the public eye into a private collection."
Janet Lehr, partner at the Vered Gallery, agents for the seller of the Jackson portrait, added: "This Andy Warhol portrait brings together the uncontested King of Pop Art with the uncontested King of Pop. The portrait was painted at the height of their careers and is a celebration of two of the great talents in global cultural history."
The British Music Experience is a combination of cutting edge audio-visual technology and the most coveted music memorabilia of all time, culminating in the creation of one of Britain's most compelling attractions. It enables visitors to trace musical trends through the decades, learn about music's influence on art, fashion and politics and allow visitors to download music from the British Music Experience archive. For the genuine musical experience members of the public can visit the Gibson Interactive Studio, a fully integrated space within the exhibition where they can play various Gibson guitars, Baldwin pianos and Slingerland drums. There is also a full public and educational programme with workshops, lectures, master-classes and concerts.
PORTRAIT DETAILS:

ANDY WARHOL (Green) Michael Jackson 1984
A UNIQUE WORK by ANDY WARHOL
Medium: Synthetic polymer paint and silkscreen inks on canvas
Year of Work:1984
Size:30 x 26 inches 76.2 x 66 cm
Signed.
This work is stamped twice by the Estate of Andy Warhol and the Andy
Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., and numbered twice

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=262756
P050.464 on the overlap.
PORTRAIT EXHIBITION HISTORY: Rio de Janeiro, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Warhol, October - December 1999. Kochi, The Museum of Art; Tokyo, The Bunkamura Museum of Art; Umeda-Osaka, Daimaru Museum; Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art; Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art; Nagoya City Art Museum; Niigata City Art Museum, Andy Warhol, February 2000 - February 2001. Las Vegas, Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, Andy Warhol Celebrities, February - September 2003.
Notes to Editors
A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

ExoticPrincess · Jul 31, 2009

Prince's has come a long way from the days when masks shrouded his face from the world's view. His father never took Prince or his siblings on typical kiddie outings. There were no trips to popular children's restaurants or other children's birthday parties.

"He left the house one time in a red Toyota Prius. And they drove around for about four hours. Michael and the kids never got out of the car once. The bodyguard would pick up the ice cream or the pizza and then put it inside the car," said Ben Evenstad, a photographer and the head of National Photo Group.

When I heard this this morining I was like what?:doh: That was a blatant lie. We have all heard reports of the children being with other kids. We've seen the evidence in the Malkin footage, Paris Hilton's mom said she has taken them out shopping in the past. I swear, they make it seem as though Michael was suffocating these kids by not allowing them to interact with other kids their age and would'nt that be the total opposite of what he has always said he did'nt want for his kids?

"When I got the call and someone said, 'Hey, Mo’Nique, Michael Jackson, died,' I said, 'May that brother rest in peace.' And I kept on going. Death is going to happen, baby, to every last one of you, I promise you. So when it does happen, what do you do? Do you fall apart or do you keep it moving, because your number's coming too? And I don't want people to fall apart on my number. So why ever would I fall apart on somebody else's number? I wish him the best in his rest. And leave him alone. Leave his family alone. And let that brother rest in peace. Whatever the issues were, they're gone now because he's gone. Stop trying to find a story to write about. Damaging it can be damaging -- and it gets ugly, and he can't defend himself. So as of today, make the promise to let that story die.

Wish the media would follow her advice. But I'm sure if any of her children died she can't tell me she would'nt fall apart.

CherubimII · Aug 1, 2009

Neverland tourists Descend on a Wary Santa Ynez Valley

Click on the link to see a video on the left side mid-way down.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-07-30-santa-ynez-valley_N.htm

Neverland tourists descend on a wary Santa Ynez Valley

By Laura Bly, USA TODAY
LOS OLIVOS, Calif. — Five years after central California's low-key, vineyard-dappled Santa Ynez Valley played a splashy supporting role in the Oscar-winning movie Sideways, the faithful keep coming.
Every week, vacationing oenophiles wander into the Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café to ask where the film's four stars shared their first on-screen toast. Just recently, recalls waitress Laurie Madsen, two New Yorkers planted themselves at the bar, addressed each other as Sideways lead characters Miles and Jack, and exchanged bits of dialogue between swigs of the valley's legendary Pinot Noir.

PHOTO GALLERY: Take a tour of Santa Ynez Valley
But Hollywood and vines aren't the only lures around little Los Olivos (pop. 1,000) this summer, and wine lovers aren't its only pilgrims. As Madsen launches into her Sideways story, a young musician from Ohio interrupts for directions. His family's destination, about a 10-minute drive down a narrow two-lane road: Neverland Ranch, the scandal-tinged estate of Michael Jackson, who died unexpectedly June 25.

No matter that Jackson moved away from the 4-square-mile spread in 2005, vowing never to return after his acquittal on child molestation charges. Never mind that the exotic animals, amusement park rides and Disneyland-like railroad were gone long before the entertainer's death, or that curious tourists can't see anything but pastures and oak trees from the closed and guarded entrance gates on Figueroa Mountain Road. Even the name has changed back to its previous one, Sycamore Valley Ranch.

Such setbacks haven't stopped up to hundreds of fans a day from pausing to snap photos at an ad hoc shrine of wilted posies, heartfelt scribblings and stuffed chimpanzees. And though the chances of The Gloved One's former retreat becoming a tourist draw on the scale of Elvis Presley's Graceland appear slim at best, the prospect is churning controversy in the valley Jackson called home for nearly two decades.
"As macabre as it seems, we have seen a blip" in business since the singer's death, says gift store owner Thorn Kinersly. He sells Neverland T-shirts in nearby Solvang, a Danish-themed tourist town better known for faux half-timbers and dirndled waitresses than for Thriller videos. But, Kinersly says, "you can't rewrite history: The ranch will always be associated with Jackson."

They're vocal about liking the quiet
That's just what worries community activists behind Never!. The grassroots coalition, launched last week, opposes "all attempts, including creation of a burial site, to convert the beautiful and secluded former Neverland ranch into a commercial venue or Graceland-like tourist attraction."
"Jackson moved to the Santa Ynez Valley for the seclusion, and almost everyone (about 20,000 residents valley-wide) is here for the same reason," says Never! spokesman Bob Field, who advocates re-creating a version of Neverland in Las Vegas.
Located about 40 miles north of Santa Barbara via an old stagecoach route, this rugged, largely rural area clings to its cowpoke heritage.
Housing subdivisions sprinkle hillsides near the valley's largest municipalities, Solvang and Buellton. A post-Sideways tourism boost has prompted a gaggle of wineries and tasting rooms, and a controversial, Vegas-worthy casino resort built by the native Chumash Indian tribe draws gamblers and music fans to the town of Santa Ynez.
Still, most of the valley remains tagged for agricultural use. Cattle ranches, u-pick-'em orchards and manicured horse farms (Seabiscuit was filmed here, and Monty Roberts of "horse whispering" fame is a local) commingle with vineyards whose strict zoning restrictions preclude on-site, Napa Valley-like hotels and restaurants. One new tour company, Vino Vaqueros, offers wine tastings, picnic lunches, and horseback rides through the vineyards at Fess Parker Winery.
Tour de France cyclist Lance Armstrong used to train on the area's roadways — including Neverland's Figueroa Mountain Road, which winds into the punishingly steep reaches of the Los Padres National Forest. And notwithstanding a new Los Olivos purveyor of wine-infused cupcakes, the most popular item on local menus is "Santa Maria tri-tip," a dry-rub beef barbecue that dates back to the region's 19th-century Spanish cowboys.

No plans for a Jackson 'shrine'
Neverland's owner, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm called Colony Capital, has been officially mum about its future. But this month, says Los Olivos real-estate agent and newspaper columnist William Etling, Colony invited prominent locals for tours and reassured them there were no plans to bury Jackson on the property or to turn the grounds into a Graceland-type museum. Any such move would entail years of legal wrangling, given a lack of infrastructure and past zoning battles, he adds.
"Can you imagine 100,000 or more devoted fans visiting such a shrine, then dashing over to Los Olivos to find a restroom? We can't imagine it. We can't imagine that county government could imagine it. It just won't happen," Thursday's editorial in the Santa Ynez Valley News noted
But while many valley residents want Jackson pilgrims to just beat it, some see their presence as a potential boon in an era when sales of $14-a-glass Pinot Noir are slipping.
And, even with nothing more to ponder than a few crumpled balloons and a "You're Singing With the Angels Now" banner, Neverland continues to draw visitors — including 23-year-old Ohio musician Brent Jackson and his family, The Jacksons.
As part of a cross-country concert tour, parents Bruce and Brenda and offspring Brent, Brittany, Brook and Bryson have already paid homage at Memphis' Graceland. Now, on their way to San Francisco, they've pulled over on a balmy, star-filled evening to do the same for the King of Pop.
"It feels like something huge happened here," says patriarch Bruce. " And if they ever opened it up, this place would be one amazing destination."

Find this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-07-30-santa-ynez-valley_N.htm

FedoraHatGirl2058 · Aug 2, 2009

NISHA KATARIA: MJ's Protégé

Nisha Kataria(now 23 years old) is a singer from a very young age, she has lived at Neverland for a few months in 2003, Michael discovered her and when she was 17 years old invite her and his mother to live at Neverland so Michael could produce her, she lived at Neverland a few months and recorderd some songs, here is an interview from her about that:

Meet Nisha Kataria - Jackson’s protégé

Nisha Kataria may be a new name in the international music circuit, but the pretty lass is sure making waves in the West with her musical legerdemain. Born to Indian parents in Canada, right from her childhood, Nisha has been a passionate singer. From winning the Martin Luther King Scholarship at the tender age of 11, Nisha’s accomplishments grew with her age and within a short span of time, she became a well known name in Phoenix, Arizona.

However, the biggest moment in her life came in the year 2003 when she was discovered by the King of Pop Michael Jackson. MJ was simply amazed by Nisha’s voice and even invited her to the Neverland ranch to record a duet - something he rarely does. Well, Nisha’s claim to fame does not end here as the gifted singer has also toured with Westlife. Known for her soulful voice and mellifluous singing, Nisha’s music has a whiff of East. Be it Hip Hop, R ‘n’ B, Pop or Soul, she is a versatile singer who is equally adept in various musical genres.

In a freewheeling chat with Spicezee.com’s Aman Kanth , Nisha Kataria talks about her future plans and the love of her life – music!

Aman : Tell us something about your background; what exactly brought you into music?

Nisha : I was born in Canada and I now live in Phoenix, Arizona where it is sunny and warm. I have been craving the spotlight since I was 3 years old. I started by putting on shows for family dinner guests. I would do funny acts and sing songs. My first musical accomplishment was being the youngest scholarship winner at the age of 11 for the Martin Luther King Scholarship for Phoenix, Arizona.

Aman : Have you taken any formal training in western music?

Nisha : I try not to do too much vocal training for music, but I stick to pretty standard voice warm-ups that I do every morning to keep my voice going.

Aman : In 2003, you were discovered by the King of Pop Michael Jackson and even performed at his 45th Birthday. It is believed that the talented singer even planned a duet with you. Indeed, it would have been a great high to be the find of Michael Jackson?

Nisha : Michael Jackson loved my voice and because of this, he invited me and my mother to stay at Neverland ranch for a couple of months where we lived in a beautiful guest house right by the lake. I recorded everyday alongside Michael. We recorded a song that he wrote. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Michael would come up with beautiful melodies that he would sing for me, and then I would repeat this melody into the microphone for the recording. He was like my producer and I, his instrument. Vocally he would give me the idea and I would sing it back just like he wanted. The song ended up being beautiful. It was quite an honor to get my big start with Michael Jackson! Not a lot of people can say that, so I think it’s pretty neat that I can.

Aman : Can you tell a bit about your musical influences and genre?

Nisha : I love various genres of music. I love mainly Pop and Soul music, but I even like a bit of Country. Basically, I like upbeat music that makes you dance, and I also am deeply in love with slow ballads that show off the voice more. I love Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston.

Aman : What is your upcoming album all about?

Nisha : My upcoming album is about all the necessities of life - love, happiness and just having fun. Some of the tracks are fun and flirty and will make you want to dance, while others are more heartfelt and will make you want to sing along.

Aman: When are you releasing the album?

Nisha: Oh we are ready for the launch, almost. I and my manager keep debating which should be the cover song- that’s taking a lot of time.

Aman : Apart from singing, what else interests you?

Nisha : I love animals and I love watching movies. I love reading books that have been turned into movies. I read the book about 75% of the way, then I watch the movie, and then I finish the book! It’s pretty exciting. Besides this, I love hanging out with friends and family. I love to laugh! My sense of humor keeps me alive.

Aman : If not a musician, what would you have been?

Nisha : A veterinarian for sure!

Aman : Being born and brought up in Canada, do you miss India?

Nisha : Yes and I look forward to coming to India. India is so magical and I am proud to have parents that were born in India. India has so much influence on all other parts of the world. The food is great, the clothes are stunning; the music is incredible, the culture is so beautiful, and Shah Rukh Khan resides there! What more can you say!!

Aman : Does Bollywood interest you; given a chance will you be interested in singing for Hindi films?

Nisha : I love Bollywood! The movies are just so much fun to watch. My favorite actor is Shah Rukh Khan! He is just so convincing in what ever message he is trying to convey. He is one of the few actors that have actually made me cry. I cried in the end of ‘Devdas’! His acting was so powerful in that film! I even made all of my American friends watch that film! I would love to sing a song for a Hindi film one day! Especially one that Shah Rukh Khan is in.

Aman : Any plans to tour India?

Nisha : I believe we will be coming to India for the Energy Globe Awards. Besides that, I would love to get some things going in India, hopefully I can soon.

Aman : Finally, is Nisha single?

Nisha : For the moment, yes! Right now I am focusing 100 percent on my career. There is plenty of time for love a little bit later.

Aman: Michael Jackson has recently passed away, what do you think the kind of musical legacy he has left behind?

Nisha : I can't believe that it happened. He was the nicest human being I've ever met. I, my mom and family were the last guests to live in Neverland

I think she was very lucky i have seen videos of her on youtube, and she has very sweet voice, she made a cover o Michael's Earth Song, and she has only beautiful words about Michael :yes:

IF YOU WANNA SEE A PICTURE OF HER CLICK AT THE LINK BELOW,

http://www.zeenews.com/zeeexclusive/2009-07-15/545893news.html#

FedoraHatGirl2058 · Aug 2, 2009

Re: Meet Nisha Kataria: Jackson's Protégé

HERE I LEAVE YOU TWO VIDEOS FROM NISHA KATARIA

THE FIRST IS A COVER SHE MADE OF MICHAEL'S EARTH SONG, ON THIS VIDEO SHE DOES NOT APPEAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbHy0lxA29o

THE SECOND IS A COVER OF MARIAH'S COVER SONG, HERO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd3p3dIEj9s

Jabz · Aug 2, 2009

Re: NISHA KATARIA: MJ's Protégé

Don't like her.

ExoticPrincess · Aug 2, 2009

Re: NISHA KATARIA: MJ's Protégé

She was interviewed on Larry King I think it was Thursday night. She seemed like a very nice young lady, had some nice things to say about MJ and the kids.

MichaelYoureAStud · Aug 2, 2009

Re: NISHA KATARIA: MJ's Protégé

Is she the one from "You Rock My World" short film?

ParisKatherine · Aug 2, 2009

Re: NISHA KATARIA: MJ's Protégé

no her own music is not very good. dont like it much really. She probs has a good voice but needs good songs written for her.

What did she say about the jackson children??

Remyisme · Aug 2, 2009

Re: NISHA KATARIA: MJ's Protégé

isn't she the one that sang i will always love you for him, and he told her she sings like an angel?

MsMo · Aug 2, 2009

Jackson estate confronts fake merchandise dealers

By RYAN NAKASHIMA (AP)

LOS ANGELES — Down a crowded merchant-lined street in downtown Los Angeles called Santee Alley, a handful of vendors are selling Michael Jackson T-shirts. Two shirts memorialize his passing, but one gets the date of his death wrong. The other has no collar tag.

Martin Melendes, a store manager, looks askance at a reporter's questions about the $15 Jackson shirts worn by his mannequins. "You're not with the FBI?" he asks. Stepping away from his boss, he says excitedly, "We sold 2,000 T-shirts in the first week. We're still selling a lot."

Since the King of Pop died late last month, people around the world have mourned his passing. Others set out to make a quick buck. Now, as estate lawyers battle to secure his fortune in court, they are turning their attention to the hucksters flooding stores and street corners with unauthorized Jackson memorabilia.

This is not just about a T-shirt or two. At stake are tens of millions of dollars in annual merchandising royalties alone, estimates Mark Roesler, chief executive of CMG Worldwide, the business agent who handles licensing and collects revenue for the estates of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and other deceased celebrities.

Elvis Presley's estate brought in nearly $55 million in revenue last year, 32 years after his death. That included $14 million from retail sales. Royalties from DVDs and TV projects and money from tours, exhibits, hotel rooms and events at the Graceland museum made up the rest. Monroe and Dean's estates took in nearly $5 million each.

Jackson may prove to be more popular than all of them.

The estate and AEG, the concert promoter behind Jackson's planned comeback, are selling Jackson T-shirts, mugs and other paraphernalia online through Universal Music Group's retailing arm, Bravado. Last week, the estate cut a deal with Harmony Books, a division of Random House Inc., to re-release his 1988 biography, "Moonwalk." Deals are in the works for a movie based on concert rehearsal footage — for which Sony bid $50 million to distribute worldwide — and a TV special based on his music and dance moves. There is even a section devoted to Jackson merchandise on QVC, the television and online retailer, which said it spent time vetting the legitimacy of each item.

Jackson's popularity also is providing plenty of opportunities for others to cash in.

"In the piracy and anti-counterfeiting world, this is as big as it gets," Roesler said. "It's a daunting task for the rights holders to get on top of this."

Already, a dozen vendors are hawking Michael Jackson T-shirts, fedoras, watches and buttons on Amazon, which removes merchandise it deems illegal but does not screen items beforehand. Five entities with no obvious link to the Jackson family have tried to trademark the phrase "King of Pop" on everything from drink umbrellas to juggling balls since the day he died.

Others, like street vendors and T-shirt shops from Los Angeles to New York are more brazen, openly flouting laws meant to ensure that the estate of the late singer gets its cut.

John Branca and John McClain, the estate's special administrators, told The Associated Press in a statement that the estate will take legal action to prevent the sale of unauthorized items.

"The sale of unauthorized Michael Jackson merchandise is illegal and provides nothing for the beneficiaries of his estate, namely his mother, his children and charitable causes that were important to him," they said.

The estate's concern is not just limited to memorabilia. Americans freely swapped 9.5 million of Jackson's songs, everything from "Thriller" to "Rock With You," using file-sharing software in the week ended July 16, according to tracking firm BigChampagne Media Measurement.

That alone represents about $24 million in lost revenue, based on what the swappers would have paid if they bought the songs from Apple Inc.'s iTunes.

Legitimate sales of Jackson's music are still booming, with about 3 million albums sold in the U.S. since his death, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Experts say it will take a sophisticated legal and business team to succeed at securing Jackson's rights worldwide. Los Angeles police say they won't take action against suspect retailers or manufacturers unless a trademark owner appears in court to claim that the other items are fakes.

Girlytops, a New Jersey-based retailer which also sells items featuring American Idol runner-up David Archuleta and Britney Spears, has sold thousands of Jackson T-shirts online, said owner Pete Ray. He claimed the company purchased the designs from "licensed retailers," but wouldn't clarify which ones.

"There's been an amazing response by his fans to his death," Ray said by phone. "It's just countless. I haven't really sat down. We've been just too busy sending them out. As fast as they come in, they go out."

Complicating matters is that the phrase "King of Pop" was not actually registered to the singer, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which has some of his applications on display in a free exhibit in Washington.

He registered "Michael Jackson" as a trademark, the office said, but only on sound recordings, videotapes and movies involving music and entertainment. Jackson owned a patent on a shoe that allowed the wearer to lean past his center of gravity, as he did in the "Smooth Criminal" video, but it expired in 2005 because he didn't pay a $2,480 maintenance fee.

That doesn't mean there is a free-for-all on certain products using his name and likeness, because common law can establish ownership of trademarks if they have been used in commercial ventures before, said Sharon Marsh, the USPTO's deputy commissioner for trademark policy.

An applicant can be denied if his or her trademark application creates a false association with a person or an institution, she said.

The quickest way for the estate to end unlicensed selling would be to seek a judge's temporary restraining order, which can take less than a week and requires little proof, said Alan Drewsen, executive director of the International Trademark Association.

The difficulty is tracking down all of the manufacturers that jump into the business and then bail when legal questions arise, he said.

"It's going to be very difficult for the estate to shut down every source of T-shirts," Drewsen said.

TUTM Entertainment, a New Jersey-based maker of party goods, said it applied for the trademark "King of Pop" on everything from cover artist CDs to buffet decorations, as a way to keep the party Jackson started going.

"The market's already flooded with tons of T-shirts and stuff," said TUTM's chief operating officer, Dianne Aronica. "We felt the smartest way to do it was obtain a trademark and do focused items that made sense. We typically like to do it right."

If history is any indicator, Jackson's earning power will last many years past his death and the estate still has time to overcome the sea of knockoffs.

"Elvis Presley's merchandise still sells extremely well," said Charles Riotto, president of the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association. "Whether this would hold true for Michael Jackson, I don't know. There'll have to be a well-organized and cohesive licensing program to achieve that sales result."

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, http://www.uspto.gov, http://www.stopfakes.gov

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...6X1NQD99QSSQ00

pamarella · Aug 2, 2009