lazycrockett said: EmeraldSkies said: Yeah,she loves them so much,she hasn't had anything to do with them in 12,and 11 years. I hope that the Jackson's are able to use the interview that she did with 20/20. Anyone else see that? [Edited 7/11/09 0:05am] Now lets just calm the hate down, From my understanding MJ made Debbie seeing those kids next to impossible. Let's not forget that once someone pissed of MJ they were pretty much out of the inner circle and shown the door. No one here knows the deal that went down with mj and debbie. Is she a loving caring mother, who knows hell the kids themselves were made from a contract not love. But they are her's biologically is she courting this for more money and that any more different than what the jacksons are going to do? No one on either side really gives a shit bout those kids stability, everyone is seeing dollar signs. i didn't see 20/20 but i am familiar with some of the broad strokes as reported: - she has repeatedly stated on-camera that she had those kids so that mj could be a father, that she did not want to be a mother. -she unilaterally renounced her parental rights, mj did not make her do that. - she came back into the picture during mj's trial claiming she was concerned about his relationship with the noi. though mj fought it, the judge reinstated her parental rights. - during the trial, she acted as though she was going to be a prosecution witness, even going so far as to publicly have lunch with the d.a.the day before her testimony. then she flipped on them on the stand; whatever she was supposed to testify to she chickened out. but put yourself in mj's shoes; would you trust someone who even appear to be in league with the man who has made it his mission to destroy you? i would have made it 'difficult' for her to be anywhere near my kids, too. - in exchange for giving him sole custody this last go around, she accepted a shitload of money, more than she would have been given if she had been married to him for years. the noi has continued to be around mj for the last 4 years or doesn't she care about that anymore? so i would echo emerald's concern about her motives specifically, not to say that others motives may not be as suspect. [Edited 7/11/09 0:50am] | |
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kibbles said: motownlover said: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlIKw6ceEKo
rodney jerkins about michael wow, that's something. reminds me of my friend's husband. about four years ago, he had this feeling that he should start going to church. i wouldn't say he was an atheist or anything, but he wasn't in church every sunday, either. he was baptized, joined a little church near his house, and started making everyone in the house go to services with him. he was on his way to bible study when he was killed in a drive by on the freeway. maybe he had a feeling he was about to be called home soon. This must be what I was referring to in an earlier post, that I thought bboy87 had made, where it was mentioned that MJ had 'accepted Christ' or been 'reborn' just a few weeks before he passed. | |
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Serena said: kibbles said: wow, that's something. reminds me of my friend's husband. about four years ago, he had this feeling that he should start going to church. i wouldn't say he was an atheist or anything, but he wasn't in church every sunday, either. he was baptized, joined a little church near his house, and started making everyone in the house go to services with him. he was on his way to bible study when he was killed in a drive by on the freeway. maybe he had a feeling he was about to be called home soon. This must be what I was referring to in an earlier post, that I thought bboy87 had made, where it was mentioned that MJ had 'accepted Christ' or been 'reborn' just a few weeks before he passed. oh THAT one! Yeah, I posted that I think in the first RIP thread damn, that's still surreal to write "We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world." | |
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ya'll just ignored my essay.....
ya'll muthafuckas don't appreciate nothin'! runs out of thread "We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world." | |
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lazycrockett said: EmeraldSkies said: Yeah,she loves them so much,she hasn't had anything to do with them in 12,and 11 years. I hope that the Jackson's are able to use the interview that she did with 20/20. Anyone else see that? [Edited 7/11/09 0:05am] Now lets just calm the hate down, From my understanding MJ made Debbie seeing those kids next to impossible. Let's not forget that once someone pissed of MJ they were pretty much out of the inner circle and shown the door. No one here knows the deal that went down with mj and debbie. Is she a loving caring mother, who knows hell the kids themselves were made from a contract not love. But they are her's biologically is she courting this for more money and that any more different than what the jacksons are going to do? No one on either side really gives a shit bout those kids stability, everyone is seeing dollar signs. My concern is for the children,which is why I don't think she should get them. They had a business arrangment,she got what she wanted ($$),and he got what he wanted (the kids). She was a surrogate whom was paid for her services,nothing more. She has stated in interviews that she had nothing to do with any of their care after they were born even when she was living in the home,that Michael did it all,got up at night,changed their diapers,fed them,everything,and she was perfectly okay with it. Now she wants to play Mommy.Why now? Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach | |
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EmeraldSkies said: lazycrockett said: Now lets just calm the hate down, From my understanding MJ made Debbie seeing those kids next to impossible. Let's not forget that once someone pissed of MJ they were pretty much out of the inner circle and shown the door. No one here knows the deal that went down with mj and debbie. Is she a loving caring mother, who knows hell the kids themselves were made from a contract not love. But they are her's biologically is she courting this for more money and that any more different than what the jacksons are going to do? No one on either side really gives a shit bout those kids stability, everyone is seeing dollar signs. My concern is for the children,which is why I don't think she should get them. They had a business arrangment,she got what she wanted ($$),and he got what he wanted (the kids). She was a surrogate whom was paid for her services,nothing more. She has stated in interviews that she had nothing to do with any of their care after they were born even when she was living in the home,that Michael did it all,got up at night,changed their diapers,fed them,everything,and she was perfectly okay with it. Now she wants to play Mommy.Why now? business deal or no biz deal all i know she will use the occasion to make some money for herself and u know she did it b4 when she wanted custody and walked away with a settlement . She is just being cautious since the news is still fresh | |
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bboy87 said: Serena said: This must be what I was referring to in an earlier post, that I thought bboy87 had made, where it was mentioned that MJ had 'accepted Christ' or been 'reborn' just a few weeks before he passed. oh THAT one! Yeah, I posted that I think in the first RIP thread Phew! I was wondering if I'd just totally mixed up comments or what. | |
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kibbles said: lazycrockett said: Now lets just calm the hate down, From my understanding MJ made Debbie seeing those kids next to impossible. Let's not forget that once someone pissed of MJ they were pretty much out of the inner circle and shown the door. No one here knows the deal that went down with mj and debbie. Is she a loving caring mother, who knows hell the kids themselves were made from a contract not love. But they are her's biologically is she courting this for more money and that any more different than what the jacksons are going to do? No one on either side really gives a shit bout those kids stability, everyone is seeing dollar signs. i didn't see 20/20 but i am familiar with some of the broad strokes as reported: - she has repeatedly stated on-camera that she had those kids so that mj could be a father, that she did not want to be a mother. -she unilaterally renounced her parental rights, mj did not make her do that. - she came back into the picture during mj's trial claiming she was concerned about his relationship with the noi. though mj fought it, the judge reinstated her parental rights. - during the trial, she acted as though she was going to be a prosecution witness, even going so far as to publicly have lunch with the d.a.the day before her testimony. then she flipped on them on the stand; whatever she was supposed to testify to she chickened out. but put yourself in mj's shoes; would you trust someone who even appear to be in league with the man who has made it his mission to destroy you? i would have made it 'difficult' for her to be anywhere near my kids, too. - in exchange for giving him sole custody this last go around, she accepted a shitload of money, more than she would have been given if she had been married to him for years. the noi has continued to be around mj for the last 4 years or doesn't she care about that anymore? so i would echo emerald's concern about her motives specifically, not to say that others motives may not be as suspect. [Edited 7/11/09 0:50am] Here ya go! http://abcnews.go.com/Pri...3028&page=1 Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach | |
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Death and taxes: Big IRS bill looms for MJ estate
NEW YORK – The Tax Man is in the mirror for the estate of the late King of Pop. Creditors and heirs of Michael Jackson hoping for a cut of his musical empire will have to line up with the Internal Revenue Service, which could lay claim to $80 million or more in federal estate taxes. To settle his tax bill, the executors of his estate may have to sell or borrow against lucrative but hard-to-value assets or ask the IRS for a multi-year extension. That could allow the estate to pay the tab over time with earnings from Jackson's share in rights to songs by the Beatles and his own music — prized properties whose value will likely make the estate's tax bill only bigger. "The government is not going to take a Beatles record as payment. They want to be paid in cash," said Roy Kozupsky, a veteran estate lawyer in New York who has worked on behalf of several wealthy clients. Given the convoluted nature of Jackson's finances, coming up with the cash won't be easy. Technically, the tax bill is due nine months after the date of death. In special cases, estates can spread out the payments for a period of up to 14 years. Once paid, the tax bill could dramatically shrink the inheritance passed on to the pop star's heirs — his 79-year-old mother and three children. "It's going to mean less money going to the beneficiaries," said Lawrence Heller, a partner in the tax and estate practice of the law firm Bryan Cave in Santa Monica, Calif. "They're the ones that are going to suffer." The estate's tax dilemma highlights the cost and complexity of dying wealthy in America. Ironically, had Jackson died six months later, his estate may have had to pay no estate tax at all. Under current law, the estate tax is set to be lifted for one year starting Jan. 1, 2010. However, most experts expect Congress to overturn the one-year suspension before the end of 2009, meaning the estate tax would remain in place. Established in the early 1900s, the so-called "death tax" assesses up to a 45 percent tax on individual estates worth more than $3.5 million. As in a bankruptcy case, Jackson's creditors will jockey for first crack at his fortune. But the estate's initial obligation will be to pay the late star's taxes, said Beth Kaufman, a Washington-based attorney specializing in estate tax issues. "There is no question that the U.S. government has first priority," she said. To calculate the amount owed, subtract an estate's debts from its assets and set aside 45 percent of what's left for the IRS. The first $3.5 million is exempt. The IRS also allows unlimited, tax-free transfers of assets to a spouse and charities, as well as deductions for funeral expenses, attorneys' fees and other administrative costs. The current value of Jackson's estate isn't known, making it impossible to know how much he'll owe in federal estate tax. According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, he claimed $567.6 million in assets as of March 31, 2007, including Neverland and his share of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog, which holds the rights to songs by the Beatles, Bob Dylan and other artists. The documents also show that Jackson had $331 million in debt. That would leave him with a net worth about $236 million at the time. Based on that number, Jackson's federal estate tax bill could exceed $83 million after exemptions. California, where Jackson lived at the time of his death, has no estate tax, but some states do. Representatives of Jackson's estate declined to comment. The pop icon died June 25 of what his family said was cardiac arrest. According to his will, all of Jackson's assets will go into a trust. The twice-divorced entertainer left 20 percent of his estate to charities. That could leave 80 percent of his net estate subject to "a very sizable" death tax, said Randy Godshall, an estate attorney at Los Angeles-based Sheppard Mullin law firm. "But there will no doubt be a lot of negotiation with the IRS on that, because his assets are hard to value," Godshall said. The IRS is not required to accept the estate's appraisal of Jackson's assets, and very likely will conduct its own audit, he said. "They'll often come back with their own, higher values — I've never heard of them coming back and saying, 'You overvalued this'," he said. The IRS declined to comment, citing federal rules prohibiting it from discussing individual taxpayers. If the two sides can't agree, the case would go into litigation. In rare cases, the IRS can seize assets to cover a tax bill, but usually settlements are reached. Worries over estate tax were a big factor in the lengthy legal battle over the estate of singer James Brown, who died of heart failure on Christmas Day, 2006. A judge in May approved a settlement that gives nearly half of his assets to a charitable trust, about a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to Brown's adult children. The IRS won't say how much tax is owed on his estate. The federal estate tax affects less than 1 percent of the U.S. population. It will generate an estimated $26 billion this year — only about 1 percent of federal tax revenue. Still, the estate tax has become the subject of political debate in recent years. In Washington, some Republican lawmakers want to abolish it. Others have called for exempting estates up to $10 million from the tax. They also want estates larger than that to be taxed at a 35 percent rate. As it stands now, the threshold for the estate tax is set to fall back to $1 million in 2011, but the Obama administration is expected to change that so the tax will still kick in at $3.5 million. None of the proposed changes would impact Jackson's estate, whose tax bill is technically due March, 25, 2010. Experts say it's likely the IRS will grant a multi-year extension. But even then, the estate would still have to begin paying interest in March. Jackson's estate may have planned for a big estate tax bill. He had an insurance trust in his name as of Aug. 26, 2003, according to a financial document addressed to the singer and obtained by the AP. Insurance trusts are often set up by estates to pay federal estate tax. One possible wild card: Jackson's estate could claim that his debt exceeds his assets, in which case he'd owe no estate tax. But "it would be hard to incur that kind of liability," Kozupsky said, noting that creditors would be wary of such debt-ridden borrowers. He noted we may never learn the amount of Jackson's estate tax bill since the IRS isn't required to say. "It could remain a mystery for quite a while," Kozupsky said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...kson_taxes Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach | |
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DONT FORGET THE TAXES ON PROFIT FROM SELLING ATV WHICH WILL RUN SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION TOO | |
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It's taken a while for me to gather my thoughts, and I wanted to share them with you all.
----- Being a Michael fan hasn’t been an easy journey. Over the last 30 years there were moments of sheer frustration with him, for the position he put himself in, for having to constantly defend him to people who wanted to believe nothing but tabloid stories. Even now people still want to diminish his impact on the world of music. We’ve seen it time and time again, people want to build you up and celebrate you only to then want to tear you down. But for all the frustrations and ridicule being a Michael fan sometimes brought, the rewards far outweighed them. I bought my first Michael Jackson album when I was 7 years old. It was Off The Wall and from there a soundtrack of my life began. Michael’s music introduced me to a passion for music. His music introduced me to so many different styles, and different artists. His videos taught me how to dance. His music taught me how to compose. His vision taught me how to dream. As I grew up Michael’s music was always there, like signposts for my memories. I can remember the excitement of Thriller, when every kid was a fan and it seemed everyone had this album. I remember travelling on a family holiday to the USA and hunting down a black BEAT IT jacket (they were all out of red) and getting a white glove and glittery socks. I remember staying up to watch the premier of Thriller, and every subsequent video release that were more like events. I remember being in awe of his performance when he toured Australia with BAD, and again a decade later with HiStory. I can remember rushing to the record store every time there was a new release and feeling like that 7 year old again eager to hear what he was presenting us with now, whether it was the infectious grooves from Dangerous, the honesty and anger in HiStory, or the joy of Invincible. As a life long fan I always felt Michael’s art was unfairly judged. No matter what he did or achieved there was always going to be a pre-Thriller and post-Thriller period. And his own artistry set the bar so high that there were many all too willing to write him off when 30 million copies of BAD was considered a flop, or when Invincible sold just a measly 10 million. I think the success of Thriller was also part of his downfall. There was no way anyone could ever top it, yet the pressure was always there to. And with music that was just as visually iconic as it was sonically, people wanted to see the songs with the dance routines boxing Michael in even more to a time and a place and maybe even an image that perhaps was not truly of his making. Although he was a perfectionist Michael wasn’t perfect. His humanity often got lost in the tabloid tales and the spectacle of his performance. Quite often the personality overtook the person. His passing has been a surreal time for me. Not because of not wanting to face the reality of it but rather because I had always listened to his music. It was just surreal to suddenly hear his music being played again in cafes, in passing cars, on work colleagues computers. But it is comforting to know that if people are re/discovering his music and getting to appreciate his work then as a fan who am I to want to deny others the enjoyment his music has brought me? I will miss seeing what was next for Michael. I will miss not being able to see him perform live in the This Is It tour. To see how he was going to present himself. The tickets will be my keepsake. I always hoped that the tour would put the focus back where it belonged, on the incredible music he created and the brilliant talent he was. But as I look at the album charts, listen to tributes flood in from around the world, and hear his songs in the most unlikely places. I can’t help but smile and think that maybe the focus is finally back where it belongs. Thank you Michael for giving me a lifetime of great music and memories. Swa "I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love" | |
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Swa said: It's taken a while for me to gather my thoughts, and I wanted to share them with you all.
----- Being a Michael fan hasn’t been an easy journey. Over the last 30 years there were moments of sheer frustration with him, for the position he put himself in, for having to constantly defend him to people who wanted to believe nothing but tabloid stories. Even now people still want to diminish his impact on the world of music. We’ve seen it time and time again, people want to build you up and celebrate you only to then want to tear you down. But for all the frustrations and ridicule being a Michael fan sometimes brought, the rewards far outweighed them. I bought my first Michael Jackson album when I was 7 years old. It was Off The Wall and from there a soundtrack of my life began. Michael’s music introduced me to a passion for music. His music introduced me to so many different styles, and different artists. His videos taught me how to dance. His music taught me how to compose. His vision taught me how to dream. As I grew up Michael’s music was always there, like signposts for my memories. I can remember the excitement of Thriller, when every kid was a fan and it seemed everyone had this album. I remember travelling on a family holiday to the USA and hunting down a black BEAT IT jacket (they were all out of red) and getting a white glove and glittery socks. I remember staying up to watch the premier of Thriller, and every subsequent video release that were more like events. I remember being in awe of his performance when he toured Australia with BAD, and again a decade later with HiStory. I can remember rushing to the record store every time there was a new release and feeling like that 7 year old again eager to hear what he was presenting us with now, whether it was the infectious grooves from Dangerous, the honesty and anger in HiStory, or the joy of Invincible. As a life long fan I always felt Michael’s art was unfairly judged. No matter what he did or achieved there was always going to be a pre-Thriller and post-Thriller period. And his own artistry set the bar so high that there were many all too willing to write him off when 30 million copies of BAD was considered a flop, or when Invincible sold just a measly 10 million. I think the success of Thriller was also part of his downfall. There was no way anyone could ever top it, yet the pressure was always there to. And with music that was just as visually iconic as it was sonically, people wanted to see the songs with the dance routines boxing Michael in even more to a time and a place and maybe even an image that perhaps was not truly of his making. Although he was a perfectionist Michael wasn’t perfect. His humanity often got lost in the tabloid tales and the spectacle of his performance. Quite often the personality overtook the person. His passing has been a surreal time for me. Not because of not wanting to face the reality of it but rather because I had always listened to his music. It was just surreal to suddenly hear his music being played again in cafes, in passing cars, on work colleagues computers. But it is comforting to know that if people are re/discovering his music and getting to appreciate his work then as a fan who am I to want to deny others the enjoyment his music has brought me? I will miss seeing what was next for Michael. I will miss not being able to see him perform live in the This Is It tour. To see how he was going to present himself. The tickets will be my keepsake. I always hoped that the tour would put the focus back where it belonged, on the incredible music he created and the brilliant talent he was. But as I look at the album charts, listen to tributes flood in from around the world, and hear his songs in the most unlikely places. I can’t help but smile and think that maybe the focus is finally back where it belongs. Thank you Michael for giving me a lifetime of great music and memories. Swa Thanks Swa! So many people who all share the same experience and memories. Sometimes being a fan felt like being stranded on a lost island (very beautiful island of course) but thanks to the internet we are not alone on this island. Once again thanks to all the org members for the last couple of weeks. BlueNote | |
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Swa said: It's taken a while for me to gather my thoughts, and I wanted to share them with you all.
----- Being a Michael fan hasn’t been an easy journey. Over the last 30 years there were moments of sheer frustration with him, for the position he put himself in, for having to constantly defend him to people who wanted to believe nothing but tabloid stories. Even now people still want to diminish his impact on the world of music. We’ve seen it time and time again, people want to build you up and celebrate you only to then want to tear you down. But for all the frustrations and ridicule being a Michael fan sometimes brought, the rewards far outweighed them. I bought my first Michael Jackson album when I was 7 years old. It was Off The Wall and from there a soundtrack of my life began. Michael’s music introduced me to a passion for music. His music introduced me to so many different styles, and different artists. His videos taught me how to dance. His music taught me how to compose. His vision taught me how to dream. As I grew up Michael’s music was always there, like signposts for my memories. I can remember the excitement of Thriller, when every kid was a fan and it seemed everyone had this album. I remember travelling on a family holiday to the USA and hunting down a black BEAT IT jacket (they were all out of red) and getting a white glove and glittery socks. I remember staying up to watch the premier of Thriller, and every subsequent video release that were more like events. I remember being in awe of his performance when he toured Australia with BAD, and again a decade later with HiStory. I can remember rushing to the record store every time there was a new release and feeling like that 7 year old again eager to hear what he was presenting us with now, whether it was the infectious grooves from Dangerous, the honesty and anger in HiStory, or the joy of Invincible. As a life long fan I always felt Michael’s art was unfairly judged. No matter what he did or achieved there was always going to be a pre-Thriller and post-Thriller period. And his own artistry set the bar so high that there were many all too willing to write him off when 30 million copies of BAD was considered a flop, or when Invincible sold just a measly 10 million. I think the success of Thriller was also part of his downfall. There was no way anyone could ever top it, yet the pressure was always there to. And with music that was just as visually iconic as it was sonically, people wanted to see the songs with the dance routines boxing Michael in even more to a time and a place and maybe even an image that perhaps was not truly of his making. Although he was a perfectionist Michael wasn’t perfect. His humanity often got lost in the tabloid tales and the spectacle of his performance. Quite often the personality overtook the person. His passing has been a surreal time for me. Not because of not wanting to face the reality of it but rather because I had always listened to his music. It was just surreal to suddenly hear his music being played again in cafes, in passing cars, on work colleagues computers. But it is comforting to know that if people are re/discovering his music and getting to appreciate his work then as a fan who am I to want to deny others the enjoyment his music has brought me? I will miss seeing what was next for Michael. I will miss not being able to see him perform live in the This Is It tour. To see how he was going to present himself. The tickets will be my keepsake. I always hoped that the tour would put the focus back where it belonged, on the incredible music he created and the brilliant talent he was. But as I look at the album charts, listen to tributes flood in from around the world, and hear his songs in the most unlikely places. I can’t help but smile and think that maybe the focus is finally back where it belongs. Thank you Michael for giving me a lifetime of great music and memories. Swa My memories of MJ nearly run the course of 35 years plus, starting with my older sister love of the Jackson 5 to my own personal favourite J5 song; Looking Through the Windows(which is even more haunting now than ever before) My memories continue through the disco era. I remember my sister and cousins dismissing the more commercial Jackson stuff and being in more into songs like "Blues Away", "Even though You're Gone" "Find me Girl" etc, songs I only started to appreciate as I got older. I remember my mother saying how grown Michael has become when he reached 21 and released OTW. I remember my mother dancing and singing to "Don't Till You Get enough" whilst cooking dinner. I remember going to Maidison Square Gardens to see the Jacksons on the Triumph and remembering red roses being thrown at Michael and his brothers on stage & years later going to the Bad concerts and thinking as good as Bad was Triumph was better. Michael was always at his best with brothers in my opinion. I remember Thriller being released to little fanfare and without much initial warning it went on to become a monster; Motown 25, the Thriller video, the pepsi advert and the accident. Thriller had a life of it all which in the end went onto seal Michael's fate. I don't know whether to say Thriller was a good or bad thing, but I do know I wouldn't of miss all those years for the world. So I thank Michael for the memories and pray he finds peace where ever he is. [Edited 7/11/09 3:10am] [Edited 7/11/09 3:14am] | |
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bboy87 said: ya'll just ignored my essay.....
ya'll muthafuckas don't appreciate nothin'! runs out of thread no- we didn't- I enjoyed it LOVE HARD. | |
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Evvy said: bboy87 said: ya'll just ignored my essay.....
ya'll muthafuckas don't appreciate nothin'! runs out of thread no- we didn't- I enjoyed it I just got around to reading it...this damn thread is 29 pages long but I enjoyed it as well! ..... [Edited 7/11/09 3:45am] I knew from the start that I loved you with all my heart. | |
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utopia7 said: dreamfactory313 said: Stockholm THAT IS TRULY AMAZING ! This is the effect and the Infulence of MJ, The entire "U.S.A" must be on crack if they think that they are gonna have someone like MJ again , Its over, someone like him comes once in a lifetime, There will never be anyone like him MICHAEL JACKSON
R.I.P مايكل جاكسون للأبد 1958 | |
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Timmy84 said: Obama distances himself from Jackson saga
By Jonathan Mann CNN (CNN) -- They were the two most famous African-Americans in the world: President Barack Obama and Michael Jackson. The White House appeared to be putting deliberate distance between the Obama administration and the memorial events following Michael Jackson's death. The White House appeared to be putting deliberate distance between the Obama administration and the memorial events following Michael Jackson's death. But when millions of people paused this week to watch Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles, the president was about as far away as he could get. That President Obama was in Moscow at a summit -- negotiating weapons limits and other agreements -- was obviously no sleight to the late entertainer. But even before Obama left the country, the White House seemed to be keeping its distance. There was no public gesture from the president's office when Jackson died, no official tribute to one of the most remarkable Americans of our time. The White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said Obama had "written to the family and has shared his feelings with the family privately." When the president was pressed by reporters for a public statement, there was careful nuance in his words. "He became a core part of our culture," the president said in a July 7 interview with CNN ahead of the Jackson memorial service. "His extraordinary talent and music mixed with big dose of tragedy and difficulty in his private life." The "big dose of tragedy and difficulty" was a gentle phrase to address unproven allegations of child abuse, the odd changes Jackson made to his appearance and the still unexplained circumstances of his death. Republican Congressman Peter King wasn't as delicate about the deceased. "This guy was a pervert, he was a child molester," King said. "I just think that we're too politically correct, no one wants to stand up and say we don't need Michael Jackson." But Jackson had his defenders. Democrat Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee praised him at his funeral and alluded to the problems in his past. "As members of the United States Congress, we understand the Constitution, we understand laws, and we know that people are innocent until proven otherwise." Obama apparently didn't want to be part of the debate. He said a few words, offered his sympathies and left Michael Jackson to the people who wanted to mourn him. Obama is not easily swayed by hysteria. But I think any President would have done the same thing. It would be immoral to do otherwise. “The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”
- Thomas Jefferson | |
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Obama is a coward... | |
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lazycrockett said: EmeraldSkies said: Yeah,she loves them so much,she hasn't had anything to do with them in 12,and 11 years. I hope that the Jackson's are able to use the interview that she did with 20/20. Anyone else see that? [Edited 7/11/09 0:05am] Now lets just calm the hate down, From my understanding MJ made Debbie seeing those kids next to impossible. Let's not forget that once someone pissed of MJ they were pretty much out of the inner circle and shown the door. No one here knows the deal that went down with mj and debbie. Is she a loving caring mother, who knows hell the kids themselves were made from a contract not love. But they are her's biologically is she courting this for more money and that any more different than what the jacksons are going to do? No one on either side really gives a shit bout those kids stability, everyone is seeing dollar signs. cause cause what everyone says is the gospel. | |
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sunsetdriver1999 said: Obama is a coward...
Obama did say he has all MJ's music on his ipod ..I'm sure he said in private what he could not say in public. The whole MJ story has a political side to it as some people still think he's guilty...maybe it's because he's a black man who looks white, i'm not sure but it upsets people. Why I don't know. I was banned from the org for 3 days for defending MJ in a thread as the man is now dead he has no right to reply. Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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President Clinton also spoke about Michael Jackson a couple of days ago.
http://www.post-gazette.c...68-348.stm Former president Clinton praises Michael Jackson Wednesday, July 08, 2009 from wire reports Bill Clinton paused during an aid mission to Haiti yesterday to honor Michael Jackson for helping the Democratic Party raise cash at a crucial time. The former U.S. president, now a special U.N. envoy to Haiti, recalled Jackson's performance at a 2002 fundraiser at New York's Apollo theater. "He basically helped save my party from terrible financial distress, so he was very kind to me personally," Clinton said during a stop on his tour of a still-struggling northern Haiti, where floods killed several hundred people last year. Clinton, his face bright red under a scorching summertime Caribbean sun, spoke fondly of Jackson, recalling that the singer performed at his first inauguration in 1993. He also said Jackson had struggled with the burden of early fame. "He was an immensely gifted man and I think he basically meant well," Clinton told The Associated Press. "I know about all the trouble he had in his life and I hope he will be remembered for his contribution as an artist. I hope his children turn out well. That would be the greatest tribute you could have." [Edited 7/11/09 6:36am] | |
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bboy87 said: ya'll just ignored my essay.....
ya'll muthafuckas don't appreciate nothin'! runs out of thread Thats because they are not Intrested in great art, they are more intrested in tabloid trash , Post tabloid trash Jay, I bet it will get more reviews MICHAEL JACKSON
R.I.P مايكل جاكسون للأبد 1958 | |
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midnightmover said: Timmy84 said: Obama distances himself from Jackson saga
By Jonathan Mann CNN (CNN) -- They were the two most famous African-Americans in the world: President Barack Obama and Michael Jackson. The White House appeared to be putting deliberate distance between the Obama administration and the memorial events following Michael Jackson's death. The White House appeared to be putting deliberate distance between the Obama administration and the memorial events following Michael Jackson's death. But when millions of people paused this week to watch Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles, the president was about as far away as he could get. That President Obama was in Moscow at a summit -- negotiating weapons limits and other agreements -- was obviously no sleight to the late entertainer. But even before Obama left the country, the White House seemed to be keeping its distance. There was no public gesture from the president's office when Jackson died, no official tribute to one of the most remarkable Americans of our time. The White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said Obama had "written to the family and has shared his feelings with the family privately." When the president was pressed by reporters for a public statement, there was careful nuance in his words. "He became a core part of our culture," the president said in a July 7 interview with CNN ahead of the Jackson memorial service. "His extraordinary talent and music mixed with big dose of tragedy and difficulty in his private life." The "big dose of tragedy and difficulty" was a gentle phrase to address unproven allegations of child abuse, the odd changes Jackson made to his appearance and the still unexplained circumstances of his death. Republican Congressman Peter King wasn't as delicate about the deceased. "This guy was a pervert, he was a child molester," King said. "I just think that we're too politically correct, no one wants to stand up and say we don't need Michael Jackson." But Jackson had his defenders. Democrat Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee praised him at his funeral and alluded to the problems in his past. "As members of the United States Congress, we understand the Constitution, we understand laws, and we know that people are innocent until proven otherwise." Obama apparently didn't want to be part of the debate. He said a few words, offered his sympathies and left Michael Jackson to the people who wanted to mourn him. Obama is not easily swayed by hysteria. But I think any President would have done the same thing. It would be immoral to do otherwise. His job is not to mourn about MJ. What he did in Russia is more relevant for world politics than those pathetic journalists and MJ fans can imagine. | |
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midiscover said: cdcgold said: is anybody else disturbed by this picture? why is joe anywhere near those kids. i bet he has dollar signs in his eyes under those glasses trying to figure out a way to make money off those kids( disney channel perhaps?) Oh STFU already! You're just feeding the vultures with all this whining about Joe! Joe Jackson the uber pimp daddy. | |
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Michael Jackson: Goodbye, or See You Soon? By James Poniewozik July 2009 The most striking statement at Michael Jackson's memorial service was not his daughter Paris' tremulous and wrenching goodbye. It was not Berry Gordy's declaring Jackson "the greatest entertainer that ever lived," nor was it the Rev. Al Sharpton's assertion that Jackson's fame made a generation of white kids comfortable with electing a black President. It came before the encomiums and music began, after Motown singer Smokey Robinson took the stage, read testimonials from Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela, walked off - And there was silence. There was a long gap between Robinson's reading and the rest of the ceremony. The networks hesitated to step on the quiet with commentary. So for a minute or so, there was a TV rarity: an utter hush. Broadcast and cable news alike took a breath — for the first time, it seemed, in a week and a half — and let the darkened arena and the stilled crowd tell the story. It was an unintended tribute, and a blessed relief. It says something about our media culture that it took a mammoth event held in a sports arena to demonstrate the power of a moment of quiet. Jackson's memorial was an outsize spectacle, befitting an entertainer who engaged the world through outsize spectacles. The performers and eulogizers were A-list, the music anthemic, the casket gold-plated. And yet the service was also cathartic and tasteful, especially compared with the media frenzy that preceded it. Indeed, between the memories and goodbyes, much of the memorial was about the media. A clip reel displayed tabloid headlines, and several speakers portrayed the singer as the victim of sensationalism. "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone," his brother Marlon said. "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy," Sharpton told Jackson's children. "It was strange what your daddy had to deal with." People can debate whether that's true, whether Jackson was a victim, whether the media persecuted him during his child-molestation trials and other scandals or soft-pedaled his history after his death. But certainly in death, Jackson served the media the way he did in life: as a limitless draw for audiences. (And yes, I know I write this in a magazine that rushed out a special commemorative issue the weekend after Jackson died.) Jackson was the most famous entertainer on earth; his sudden death was real news, huge news. His memorial 12 days later was a mammoth, global event. It was during the in-between, as it always is, that the coverage went into high-speed idling mode. For a good week, there was little news — about his estate, the toxicology tests, his final moments — so the talk became about how little news there was. There were the prime-time specials, the morning-show reports, the commentators and endless clichés. (He was a barrier breaker, a chameleon, a Peter Pan — I've used some of those myself.) Given the big ratings, clearly not everyone thinks the coverage is too much. The traffic on Twitter showed that the public was generating its own Jackson media. That's the easy media defense: People want it! To paraphrase Michael, we can't stop 'til you get enough. But that ignores the effect journalists' choices have on what people want. The media don't brainwash people into wanting MJ 24/7; millions deeply loved him. But once a news frenzy gets momentum, it becomes its own justification. The spectacle becomes the reason for the spectacle. It becomes The Thing That Everyone Is Talking About. And the media are as susceptible to this as anyone. Journalism isn't a single-minded monolith that decides what to foist on the public. It's a collection of individuals, who are just as easily affected by the feedback loop, while feeding into it. Jackson's farewell service was, in a sense, a rerun. For days, TV had been cycling the same clips, remembering the same songs; some speakers had been on TV sharing the same thoughts. Yet hearing brother Jermaine deliver "Smile," Michael's favorite song, to a crowd whose hearts were breaking had an entirely different effect than Jermaine's singing it to Matt Lauer. Hearing Gordy recall Michael's childhood audition was more moving than the dozens of bio reels that had sought the same response. The news is a poor vehicle for catharsis; it thrives on maintaining tension, not relieving it. And a memorial is a poor medium for objective assessment, which we needed after Jackson's death, and will need if and when there is more news in its aftermath. But in a perfect world, it would provide the media with an end point, a reason to pause and move on. At this time, though, it doesn't look like that has happened. The showman is gone, but the show — as his life proved, for better and worse — goes on. Link | |
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bboy87 said: Okay here, here it goes...
Intro: As we mourn the loss of The Greatest Entertainer of All Time, I decided to finish this essay to pay tribute to the man who made me fall in love with music and dance. I started it in May 2009 and intended to post it on July 28th 2009, the 30th anniversary of the single release of Don' Stop Til You Get Enough, but with the recent events, I thought this was the right time. Back in Christmas 1992, I was 5 years old and being the kid I was, I was never really into toys, but wanted cassettes. For that particular Christmas, my mom and god sister gave me 3 presents: The Jackson 5's Greatest Hits Michael Jackson's Moonwalker video game for Sega Genesis and Off The Wall I played that cassette so much that the tape literally fell apart. I fall in love with every time I play it. The vocals, the rhythm arrangements, the lyrics.....it's all JUST RIGHT That album along with Thriller, cemented me being a fan of Michael Jackson. I'll never forget the feeling I got the first time I heard Rock With You in full and I Can't Help It, or dancing to Burn This Disco Out and Get On The Floor I wanted to make people feel the same way Michael and his music made ME feel, ever since that day so thank you Michael Joesph Jackson thank you for making my world alot happier _____ DO NOT REPOST THIS ANYWHERE ELSE UNLESS YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION On December 4th, 1978, 20 year old Michael Joe Jackson took a break from planning the release of The Jacksons' third LP on Epic Records titled "Destiny", to start production on his fifith solo effort. Going into the studio with producer Quincy Jones, they set out on making an album that blended genres while bringing something new to the platform of pop and R&B music. Destiny was released on December 17th and Michael and his brothers quickly went into promotion, appearing on such shows such as American Bandstand, Soul Train, and Top of The Pops as well as touring Europe and the United States, all the while, Jackson would catch flights back to Los Angeles to studios such as Cherokee Studios, Allen Zenth Recording, and Westlake Audio to continue recording for the solo project which was at the time titled "Girlfriend" In the beginning, Michael was not exactly sure what he wanted as the final product but one thing he knew was that he didn't want to sound like a Jacksons album and strived for the individual and creative freedom that a solo album granted him, which was not something he had on his previous solo efforts at Motown, which were recorded at the same time his albums with The Jackson 5 were being recorded, even during the same sessions (for example, songs from Forever, Michael were recorded during the same session as songs from Moving Violation) Michael began writing songs for the album around late 1977 after the filming of "The Wiz" and two of the songs from those early writing sessions were included on the album "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Workin' Day And Night", which early demos were recorded in 1978 with the help of his younger siblings Randy, then 17 and Janet, then 12 at the family's home recording studio at Hayvenhurst. Another key writer on the album was Rod Temperton, who had been working on an album with Heatwave when Jones called him to write some songs for Michael. Rod told him he’d write a song, and wrote 3 songs for Michael and Quincy to choose from. The duo booked a studio on the weekend when Rod wasn’t working with HW. Rod flew in (while Michael wasn’t there, most likely working promoting the Destiny album) to work on the tracks. He came back to Los Angeles the following week to work with Michael on the vocals, doing all of the background vocals for Rock With You, Burn This Disco Out, and Off The Wall that Saturday afternoon and all of the lead vocals the next afternoon. Michael spent the whole Saturday night learning the lyrics so he wouldn’t have to read off the paper. The first session with Rod, Quincy asked him what musicians did he need to record the tracks, and Rod told him he would need 2 guitar players, a keyboard player, drummer, and a bass player. When he arrived to the studio, Quincy took him to the room with the musicians and told them “Here’s Rod, hit it!” This had been Rod’s first time without his own band.. Temperton had been in Heatwave for sometime and had gotten used to that environment and this was new atmosphere for him. He recalled feeling inadequate being in the studio when Jerry Hey and the other horns players arrived. At the end of the sessions, Temperton asked Quincy which songs had they picked, and Jones told him they wanted all 3. Temperton recalls Jackson singing uptempo grooves was very rhythmically driven and tried to write melodies with short notes to give him enough staccato, along with mixing them with enough harmonies. Temperton took a different approach to his song writing after spending some time researching the background to Jackson's music style. Temperton mixed his traditional harmony segments with the idea of adding shorter note melodies to suit Jackson's aggressive style. Other key contributors were Greg Philiganes who had worked on The Jacksons' Destiny album and would go on to collaborate with Michael on Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, and tour with him for the Victory, Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory Tour., The Brothers Johnson, especially Louis Johnson who co-wrote Get On The Floor with Michael which was created around the bass groove. Johnson had been playing around with it when he played it for Michael. He liked it, they went into the studio and collaborated on the song other contributors included Stevie Wonder (co-writer of I Can't Help It with former Supremes Susaye Greene), David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager (It's The Falling In Love), Paul McCartney (writer of Girlfriend who would later record The Girl Is Mine, Say Say Say, and The Man with Michael in 1982), and Tom Bahler(writer of She's Out Of My Life) The album did have obstacles. The recording of the album coincided with the European tour of The Jacksons' Destiny World Tour and the promotion of the Destiny album. Many observers feel that maybe Quincy's role in the production of the album has been overexaggerated. Quincy's main role of the album was quality control, cutting down extra instrumentation and runs and getting particular people in the production. He was the person who got people like Temperton, The Johnsons, John Robinson from Rufus, and Patti Austin on board. As time went on, Michael felt the direction of the album should be more dance and funk oriented but Quincy wanted a strict, conservative yet versatile album and the duo butted heads over the overall direction, comprising, and finding constant solutions. Quincy also knew about balance and editing the album to fit the direction, which showed on the final result. At the end of June 1979, audio mixing was handled by Bruce Swedien at Westlake Audio, after which the original tapes went to the A&M Recording Studio, also located in L.A. for mastering by Bernie Grunman. OFF THE WALL initially debuted at #48 on the Billboard 200 but peaked at #3 26 weeks later, staying in the top 10 for 29 non consecutive weeks and stayed on the chart for over 2 years. It also peaked at #1 on the Billboard R&B album chart for 16 weeks, along with peaking at #5 on the UK album charts, selling over 19 million copies worldwide, making it the best selling album by a black artist of all time, for 3 years. Billboard Album 200: #3 Billboard R&B Album- #1 (for 16 weeks) UK Album Chart: #5 Australia- #1 (for 2 weeks) Canada- #4 Finland- #9 France- # 27 (1988) Germany- #25 Holland- #7 Ireland- #12 (2004) Italy- #21 Japan- #26 (LP), #28 (cassette) New Zealand- #2 Norway- #4 Sweden- #26 Zimbabwe- #1 (for 7 weeks) well written Jay, you basically transcribed the OTW interviews from 2001? | |
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Timmy84 said: dreamfactory313 said: I always wondered the same thing. It almost makes me angry. And when you think about it, MJ had the talent to be truly prolific. OK, he was prolific enough in his Motown days but I'm talking about in his adult years, he had SO MANY songs he worked on that never got out because either they were unfinished, unreleased, or maybe even turned down by the heads of his record company. It's kinda like Marvin or Elvis, they wanted to do things that went beyond what people saw them as, but for some reason they either weren't allowed to do it or couldn't do it. I'm sure he got more than 100 songs. He supposedly recorded 100 songs for Invincible of which 22 are known. For Dangerous he recorded 70 and didn't he want to release 32 song for BAD? | |
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Timmy84 said: Marrk said: UK fans don't go near the Daily Star tomorrow. Sneakily they have the headline 'It WAS Murder' on the front but inside is a pic of MJ's Death Mask. Scum. Aw hell naw... Yep their are no depths to which the media will go now that MJ is dead, the racism is beyond what i expected.... poor MJ.. Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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Neverland Burial For Michael Jackson Still a Possibility July 2009 Michael Jackson’s burial may be allowed to take place at Neverland, pending an application process and the approval of Santa Barbara county officials, CNN reports. While the Jackson family has not yet approached country officials about the request, CNN writes that a Jackson family lawyer contacted officials about the possibility of burying the singer at his famed Neverland Ranch. Under California law, it is illegal to bury a body at a private residence. However, by filling out a two-page application and paying a $400 fee, the law can be circumvented pending the approval of county officials. It was previously believed that Jackson’s family was planning to bury the singer at Hollywood Hills’ Forest Lawn Cemetery, but instead that was just the site of Jackson’s private memorial service and open casket viewing. Reports are that while Jermaine Jackson wants to bury his brother at Neverland, father Joe Jackson is against it. There is some precedent in a private land burial, thanks to a former President: California native Ronald Reagan was buried at his Presidential Library in Venture County. However, a request to be buried on private land has never been filed in Santa Barbara County. As we previously noted in our examination of Neverland’s life after Jackson, even if the family elected to bury Jackson at his former home, the quiet county of Santa Barbara might be reluctant to allow the Ranch to be turned into a tourist destination like a West Coast version of Elvis Presley’s Graceland. Also, there’s the question of who really controls Neverland now, since Jackson signed the deed of the Ranch over to billionaire Tom Barrack Jr. as the singer struggled with debt. Barrack said the property’s future would be discussed at a later date. The mayor of Gary, Indiana, the Jackson 5’s hometown, has already opened the door and publicly lobbied for the Jacksons to make Michael’s resting place in the Indiana city. Mayor Rudy Clay’s plan would also include the construction of a Jackson family museum in Gary, as well as a performance arts center. Link | |
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Had to play this again today ..... the words are so true...it needed to be said
r.i.p. mj Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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