I don't like this.... Makes me want to

California could consider acquiring Neverland Ranch as a state park

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As home to pop legend Michael Jackson, Neverland Ranch housed a working locomotive, a Ferris Wheel and other amusement park rides, a 10,000-volume library and a zoo.

But could the opulent Santa Barbara County estate become home to California’s newest state park?

A resolution is in the works to order state parks officials to study converting the roughly 2,600-acre property into a state park. The state NAACP is backing the idea, and a lawmaker has signaled he is on board to carry the legislation.

"I think Michael’s history is world history and I think it would become the No. 1 attraction for the state parks if we could pull it off," said state NAACP President Alice Huffman, who also serves on the state Parks Commission.

Huffman said in addition to celebrating Jackson’s contributions to music and pop culture, Neverland would join Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park as state parks honoring African Americans. Those factors, she said, would make Neverland a "great, great addition to the state parks system."

Assemblyman Mike Davis, who chairs of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media, said while details of the resolution still need to be worked out, he thought the idea made "great sense" when it was first proposed to him at a recent reception.

"If they want to do it, I think it would be a great venture for the Parks Department of the state given the worldwide success (of Michael Jackson) and the fact that the state is lucky to have this property in our state," the Los Angeles Democrat said.

The property is controlled by Santa Monica-based Colony Capitol, LCC, a private-equity firm that acquired the ranch when Jackson was facing foreclosure in 2008. The company declined to comment, though company President Thomas J. Barrack Jr. told Bloomberg News last month he hoped to sell it for more $100 million when the housing market recovers.

While Huffman said she hoped the state could explore partnerships for acquiring the ranch, such a potentially high asking price could be a deal breaker for some stakeholders.

State parks spokesman Roy Stearns said the already cash-strapped parks department isn’t looking to add properties to its portfolio, especially one that would cost $100 million.

"There has been no participation in any discussions about us acquiring Neverland," he said. "At this point in time we have no interest in acquiring the property."

Davis and other supporters also pointed to Tennessee’s Graceland, the privately-owned and operated estate of Elvis Presley, as an example of how such a venture could create revenue. Graceland park operations generated $36 million in revenue in 2009, according to the Memphis Business Journal.

Huffman likened a Neverland state park to Hearst Castle, another high-dollar celebrity dwelling that has come into the state’s hands.

The San Simeon estate of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst was donated to the state in 1957 and welcomes about 800,000 visitors a year.

A tour costs $24 per person, but Stearns said it isn’t exactly a money-making venture for the state.

"It’s usually close to breaking even, but it’s an expensive place to maintain," he said.

Photo by AP (file)

The train station at Neverland Ranch is shown in Los Olivos, Calif.

Http://news.bostonherald.com...ion=recent

[Edited 7/13/10 20:48pm]

silverchild said:

Mike tellin' Flip Wilson like it is:

"Man, you owe me 13 DOLLARS!"

This one is funny too, but something is wrong with this one. Notice Michael's reaction toward how Flip grabbed him and stuff in the video (even though it's just acting). Sad!

[Edited 7/12/10 23:35pm]

One of my favorite vocal peformances of Michael's

[Edited 7/13/10 20:54pm]

cdcgold said:

Common sense should have told you there is no way to bleach your skin that white.

now please shut the fuck up. You are like a broken record.

[Edited 7/13/10 20:45pm]

Careful.. Reel might dismiss you completey by saying you worship Michael as a God and that the autopsy report might be "photoshopped"

Timmy84 said:

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ViintageJunkiie said:

I don't get why he sung the first line LIVE, then started lipsyncing. His voice was on point that first line

[Edited 7/13/10 13:49pm]

Hmm? what are you hearing there. At what time is that cause the vocal isnt live when it starts.

edit: nevermind. u mean at the intro part. i thought after the song starts with the drum and all. yeah i hear that. i dont get it either.

[Edited 7/13/10 21:57pm]

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[Edited 7/13/10 22:55pm]

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[Edited 7/13/10 22:44pm]

this beautiful it brings tears to my eyes, i don't know how someone couldn not like it

[Edited 7/14/10 0:12am]

bboy87 said:

Reel said:

Why should people have believed that MJ had vitiligo.....because he said so? He lied so many times about his surgeries. He said on Oprah that he only had "2" things done. When clearly that was a big fat lie. So if he lied about that....people will find it difficult to believe that he is credible when he made other claims. Doesn't give people the right to call him "wacko jacko" in the press, but it does give people the right to question his honesty. Who believes everything that someone they don't know tells them?

Also, I saw the Deepak interview prior to the coroner's report being released. And if it was released prior to the interview ....I had not seen heard about it prior to that. In addition the report that I saw didn't mention that he had Vitiligo the one I saw said that he had a black tatoo over the top of his head....he had active sperm production, he has cuts on his head (possibly due to surgery), he had evidence of having knee surgery. So I'm not saying that there was not more details released on the report, I just have not seen them.

But no....i did NOT believe MJ when he initially made the claim to have the disease. And neither did a lot of people. Once you show yourself to be a liar, it makes it hard for "thinking" people to believe everything that you say.

That was probably one of the fake ones that the media was reporting on.

The real one said he had vitiligo, inflammed lungs, short "tightly curled hair" and was typical health of a 50 year old man

He didn't tell Oprah he had 2 done, he told her if you count the things he's had work on on 1 hand It was the little gnome who he told that to

The episode was aired the day prior to the aniversary of his death . Even operah herself called her a liar. Ahd hie DID say that he had only 2 procedures done.

Vintage Junkies clip of TWYMMF took me back the Grammy Awards and the first time I saw that performance. I remember sitting in front of my tv during the broadcast and when that familiar vocal "da doooh" started I was thinking "Oh he's going to do Heartbreak Hotel" (due to the fact that this was the intro to that on the Australian leg of the Bad tour.

Then hearing him go into TWYMMF with that jazzy take on it was like wow. I was blown away by his dancing especially when he freezes and then starts to do the circular slide.

And just when I didn't think it could get any better Man In The Mirror hit and that final live part knocked it out of the park - not to mention that insane spin.

Although Michael didn't win any awards that year - the press all lauded his efforts and called his the best performance. I also loved the cutaway at the end to Prince in the audience acting all cool.

For those of you that need to see it one more time....

cdcgold said:

Reel said:

Why should people have believed that MJ had vitiligo.....because he said so? He lied so many times about his surgeries. He said on Oprah that he only had "2" things done. When clearly that was a big fat lie. So if he lied about that....people will find it difficult to believe that he is credible when he made other claims. Doesn't give people the right to call him "wacko jacko" in the press, but it does give people the right to question his honesty. Who believes everything that someone they don't know tells them?

Also, I saw the Deepak interview prior to the coroner's report being released. And if it was released prior to the interview ....I had not seen heard about it prior to that. In addition the report that I saw didn't mention that he had Vitiligo the one I saw said that he had a black tatoo over the top of his head....he had active sperm production, he has cuts on his head (possibly due to surgery), he had evidence of having knee surgery. So I'm not saying that there was not more details released on the report, I just have not seen them.

But no....i did NOT believe MJ when he initially made the claim to have the disease. And neither did a lot of people. Once you show yourself to be a liar, it makes it hard for "thinking" people to believe everything that you say.

Common sense should have told you there is no way to bleach your skin that white.

now please shut the fuck up. You are like a broken record.

[Edited 7/13/10 20:45pm]

Thank you for reposting a portion of the autopsy report. But when you hurl mean and juveille insults when that sort of thing is not called for....you sound unstable and likie a damned lunatic. Learn to speak your peace without insulting others....because that goes along way. Aside from that you are presenting as a juvenille lunic.....you have called me a bitch, and have said other hideous remarks. I have aboslute no respect for you and your antics....you should really grow the fuck up.

In addtion, where is the autopsy that indicated that he had lupus. It's ok to make your point....its not okey for you to attack others for their belifs . Because If I wasn't a lady I could put you on BLAST , but that's not why I'm here for. So get a grip yourself before you end up bitting more than you chew....daned juvenille. Fuck you...the horse you wrode in on,,,,and your mama.

Guys - enough of the personal attacks on here - it's getting way old.

Some people express a point of view - if you disagree that's cool. Give your opinion but don't go making personal attacks on people. And this goes both ways.

It's not worth it in the end.

Enlighten with facts, discuss and debate your own point of view (but be open that other's may not agree and be willing to have your mind changed) and lets get to enjoying the discussion around the art and the music.

The rest is old and done.

Swa

Swa said:

Guys - enough of the personal attacks on here - it's getting way old.

Some people express a point of view - if you disagree that's cool. Give your opinion but don't go making personal attacks on people. And this goes both ways.

It's not worth it in the end.

Enlighten with facts, discuss and debate your own point of view (but be open that other's may not agree and be willing to have your mind changed) and lets get to enjoying the discussion around the art and the music.

The rest is old and done.

Swa

I don't go hurling around insults at people that I"m not in agreememt with . But I aint no punk either, and if someone steps to me.....I'm going to put my foot up their asses. It s one thing not to agree with someone....but if you call them a name that "ups the antey. So he'shes going to get what they are looking for. Now i basically ignored it whan he/ she called me a bitch...butwhen the asshole continues with that ole builshit, He better be preapared to get has hass raked over the coals. Especially when he's posting a partical autopsy report. Damend idiot.

^^ Reel - my post was in repsonse to the attack on you but also just to let every one simmer.

No one should be ganged up on in here, and there's no need for personal attacks. If you disagree with someone then point out the area of disagreement and leave it at that.

Oh and in defence of the posting of a partial autopsy it was probably because posting the full report - all 50+ pages of it would have been overkill. However you can download it from the TMZ website, or atleast you could when it was first released back in November 09.

No let's all chill and focus on a positive discussion.

Swa

Swa said:

^^ Reel - my post was in repsonse to the attack on you but also just to let every one simmer.

No one should be ganged up on in here, and there's no need for personal attacks. If you disagree with someone then point out the area of disagreement and leave it at that.

Oh and in defence of the posting of a partial autopsy it was probably because posting the full report - all 50+ pages of it would have been overkill. However you can download it from the TMZ website, or atleast you could when it was first released back in November 09.

No let's all chill and focus on a positive discussion.

Swa

Positive being the key word (!!!). Really guys, it's starting to get ridiculous.

Can't we all just get along?

http://www.marketwatch.co..._news_stmp

Playmates Toys Announces Details and Plans to Unveil Highly Sought After Michael Jackson Collectibles at San Diego Comic Con

After much anticipation, Playmates Toys is planning to unveil its highly sought after Michael Jackson Collectibles for the first time as part of the Diamond Comics display at San Diego Comic Con, July 21st - 25th. Playmates Toys earlier this year signed a deal with Bravado, the world's leading global music merchandising company, to create collectibles based on the most successful entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson.

"We are delighted to expand our successful line of Michael Jackson collectible memorabilia by working with the innovative team at Playmates Toys," stated Tom Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Bravado. "This new line truly celebrates Michael's unmistakable style and irreplaceable talent. Bringing in Playmates as a licensee only further cements Michael's retail visibility and helps commemorate and preserve the legacy that is Michael Jackson."

Michael's incomparable style comes to life as Playmates rolls out the unique new 10" scale collectible which captures his likeness and the incredible fashions which have become legendary. The first 10" style will be Billie Jean which captures the bold and flashy outfit worn in the short film. The second 10" collectible is Thriller featuring the iconic red with black trim outfit from the most famous short film of all time. These two styles will launch in Fall 2010 followed by additional styles shortly after. The Michael Jackson Billie Jean and Thriller collectibles will be on display at the Diamond Comics booth #2401 at San Diego Comic Con for the duration of the show.

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/kuzeh/22305-Thriller-Ad__scaled_600.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/kuzeh/22301-Billie-Jean-Ad__scaled_600.jpg[/img:$uid]

^^ MAN, I've got a lot of MJ products to buy this fall. HOTNESS!

^^ They look good but I think the japanese HotToys ones were the bomb - especially the Bille Jean one.

can someone clear this up , is there any truth in sony rejecting 4 songs from mike in 2007 ? and are those related to the cascio recordings? and if he did record an entire 12 song album , why not release it as a whole if its coherent ?

motownlover said:

can someone clear this up , is there any truth in sony rejecting 4 songs from mike in 2007 ? and are those related to the cascio recordings? and if he did record an entire 12 song album , why not release it as a whole if its coherent ?

May not be "pop-y" enough. Michael had said upon the release of Invincible that he wasn't interested in making pop albums anymore.

^^ file under rumour, hearsay and what the???

I nearly fell out of my chair cracking up at this! Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air back in the day in his Michael Jackson mode...

Swa said:

^^ They look good but I think the japanese HotToys ones were the bomb - especially the Bille Jean one.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t59/SpawnFan1/DSC04046.jpg

The Hot Toys versions were better in my opinion. The Dirty Diana/Bad one that just came out looks real cool

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