news update come true

Malam ini, Presiden SBY akan Keluarkan Pernyataan Sikap soal Malaysia

2010-08-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dijadwalkan kembali menyatakan sikapnya terhadap menghangatnya hubungan Indonesia-Malaysia di Markas Besar Tentara Nasional Indonesia, Rabu malam. Usai melaksanakan berbuka puasa bersama dengan Panglima TNI, tiga kepala staf angkatan dan seluruh jajaran TNI, Presiden akan memberikan pidato terkait sikapnya terhadap perkembangan yang terjadi antara Indonesia-Malaysia, belakangan ini.

Sejak 13 Agustus 2010, hubungan Indonesia dan Malaysia kembali menghangat pascapenangkapan tiga petugas Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan oleh aparat Malaysia di Tanjung Berakit, Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia. Tindakan aparat Malaysia tersebut mengakibatkan dua negara terperangkap dalam perang mulut yang cukup panas, diplomasi megapon yang sangat tak sedap.

PM bahkan telah mengeluarkan peringatan bagi warganya untuk tidak bepergian ke Indonesia, mengingat demonstrasi anti-Malaysia yang dianggap berlebihan. Menanggapi itu, Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono telah menyurati PM Najib untuk menyelesaikan persoalan antara dua negara secara baik. Selain itu, Presiden juga mengajak PM Najib untuk mempercepat pembahasan masalah perbatasan kedua negara.

Namun, surat Presiden Yudhoyono tersebut ditanggapi kurang bersabahat oleh PM Najib. Pemerintah Malaysia justru meminta Indonesia untuk menertibkan aksi demo anti-Malaysia dan menuding para demonstran sebagai tentara bayaran. Terkait itu, Presiden Yudhoyono akan kembali menyampaikan sikapnya dalam pidato yang disampaikan usai Shalat Tarawih di Mabes TNI, Cilangkap, Jakarta

Obama's Leave For Their Vacation on the Gulf Coast of Florida...

2010-08-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle O. along with their daughter Sasha made their way to board Air Force One on August 14, 2010 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Obama is traveling to Florida's Gulf Coast this weekend for a family trip intended to show solidarity with a region struggling in the wake of a massive oil spill.
See more looks that first lady Michelle O. packed for their trip to the Gulf Coast HERE.

President Barack Obama, followed by daughter Sasha and first lady Michelle Obama, board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. , Saturday, August 14, 2010, for a weekend in Panama City, Fla. The first family, absent Malia who is at summer camp, plans to spend time enjoying the area's recreational activities. But the president has also scheduled a meeting with small-business owners as the government's focus moves from plugging the oil leak to rebuilding the region's economy.
[photos via Getty Images and AP Photo]

A Better Developer Doc Experience

2010-08-22T02:53:00.000-07:00

Now that the excitement of the new Management API launch has just passed its zenith, you might have also noticed that there were some interesting changes to the Analytics for Developer pages on Google Code.

Since Nick, Alex, and I were under the hood making docs and sample code for the Management API, it also seemed like a good time to spiff up the site and add some structure to handle this burgeoning developer resource.

New Look and Feel
Nick went to town on our new home page. If you attended his talk at the Google I/O conference this May, you might notice that the Analytics data model diagram has reappeared, but this time as a gateway into the key parts of our documentation on Google Code. We surfaced the most important links to provide deep access to the key parts of each section of the site.

New Landing Pages
Since we now have 3+ major sections on our site, it was time to provide landing pages for all the news and updates relevant to Tracking Code configuration, Management API, and Export API. Here you will always be able to see the latest release news and best practice guides for each API without having to dig down into the site.

We’ve also redesigned our navigation bar to be more visually appealing and consistent across all three APIs.

New Groups Pages
We have three major developer groups to help you out with your Analytics coding--Async tracking, Management API, and Export API. Not only that, but our general Help Forum is great for issues with general tracking topics. Since we have so many different groups, we created a new groups landing page to help you figure out which group will help you best.

Our Management API and Export API groups use the new Google Discussion Forum, which is embedded right in the page--a pretty nifty feature.

We hope that you find the new design makes it clearer and easier for you to find what you need for Analytics development. We’d love to hear your feedback, so please post any comments on one of our developer groups pages and let us know.

Patricia Boswell on behalf of the Analytics API team.

This Blog Google Blogs Web Blog News This Blog Google Blogs Web Blog News Creating Targeted Tests using Doub

2010-08-22T02:52:00.000-07:00

This guest post was contributed by Daniel Waisberg, the Founder and Editor of Online Behavior, a Marketing Measurement & Optimization website. Daniel looks at how you can use DoubleClick Ad Planner to find ideas for testing.

Testing is probably the most effective way to optimize websites. Through testing we can understand what our customers like, which ultimately will help us create a better customer experience for our audience. But "our audience" is usually not a unique type of person; it is important use techniques such as Test Segmentation to understand the differences in the tastes of each cluster of customers.

However, where can you get ideas for tests? How do you choose, for example, if you should use an image of a man, a woman, a couple, a baby or a family? Most of us do not have the privilege of testing the YouTube homepage: traffic is limited for most sites, so it is important to run tests that have a high chance of making a difference. We have to focus our efforts on our best guesses. In this post, we will show a way to use DoubleClick Ad Planner to research for testing ideas that will be tailor made to the segments you are trying to target in your website.

Finding Your Audience on Ad Planner

In a recent blog post on the DoubleClick Advertiser Blog, the DoubleClick Ad Planner mission is described as:

...to provide the deepest, most accurate insight into online audiences possible. This insight helps display advertisers select the best sites for their media plans and drive results for their campaigns.

However, I believe this description is missing an important part, which is not less important to advertisers: to understand your audience tastes and which kind of websites they like. The DoubleClick Ad Planner provides important insights into how to design your campaign landing pages and your website at all.

So, let's suppose I am working to optimize the eMetrics Summit website for the San Francisco conference in 2011. The Summit targets marketing managers, web analysts and business intelligence experts that are trying to understand how to increase the return on online investments. Here is how to find the tastes and preferences of this audience:

Sign in to DoubleClick Ad Planner and create a new Media plan;
Go to Research tab, choose the Research by Audience secondary tab;
Choose among the various segmentation options in order to narrow the audience and the websites they visit. Below are the segments chosen for eMetrics San Francisco audience:

Geography: chose country USA and refined it to include only West Coast states. That's the main target for this show since eMetrics also hosts a Washington DC conference
Demographics: included both males and females, between 25 and 44 years old, with at least a bachelor degree, with a household income above $75K. I think this segment is very close to the audience of the conference (but I have no inside information)
Online Activity: chose a large website that the audience is likely to visit: Google Analytics
Interests: chose everything under 'Business' and 'Computers & Electronics'
Ranking Method: chose the ranking method to be 'Best Match' since we are not doing this analysis in order to find a place to advertise (in which case we might sort the websites by reach), but to find a place that our target likes to visit

Below is a screenshot from DoubleClick Ad Planner showing all the segmenting options and the audience created above. We can call the list created below "Website Testing Inspiration"

Click for full-size image

Getting Ideas for Your Test

Once we find the "Website Testing Inspiration" table, which shows the websites where our targeted audience is surfing around, we have the raw material necessary to get ideas for our testing efforts. Continuing our example above, we can visit the websites in the Top 10 websites that match our audience and start analyzing them.

So, here are a few insights from the analysis above for the eMetrics San Francisco home:

First of all, looks like Jim Sterne chose the right color, blue is very prominent in all the websites;
Idea #1: it could be worth a try to add some geeky machines to the page, such as in the Pitney Bowes, Kaiser Permanente and Frys websites;
Idea #2: call these companies and have someone present at eMetrics and feature it at the conference homepage;
Idea #3: submit a post to both TechCrunch and Gizmodo, which would certainly be happy to feature interesting content about social media metrics. The posts would be useful in order to promote the conference and, in terms of testing, the eMetrics homepage could try featuring in a prominent place that the conference is being quoted in these websites (something like "In the news");
Idea #4: interesting to see that Stack Overflow is number 5 on the list, a website for "professional and enthusiast programmers". It looks like many technical people are inside this audience. Maybe it could be worthwhile to try showing a classification on the site targeting different types of people: "Programmers only talks", "Business Minded talks", "Marketers, Statisticians and liars"...

These are initial ideas that should be discussed and improved based on the website and the target being studied. As the analysis gets deeper, the insights will become more valuable.

Bonus: Instead of looking for your audience and which sites they visit, you can also look into your competitors' sites and understand which segments they are attracting that you are not. Read more about it on Avinash's post: Competitive Intelligence Analysis: Google / DoubleClick Ad Planner.

New Season

2010-08-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

By SVUMac

Hello everyone!

We are back and shooting has already started. You can look out for the start of Season 12 on September 22.

It's been a busy hiatus and a lot of stuff is changing here at SVU. Over the rest of the summer I'll be filling you in, so come back to this site for updates! As always, the start of the season is always crazy, but I didn't want to leave you empty handed. So I snapped some shots on the first day of filming for you.

Enjoy:

Robotics Technology - Controllers

2010-08-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

The robot connects to a computer, which keeps the pieces of the arm working together. This computer is the controller. The controller functions as the "brain" of the robot. The controller can also network to other systems, so that the robot may work together with other machines, processes, or robots.

Given that the robot arm movement is appropriate to its application, that the arm strength and rigidity meet the payload needs and that servo drives provide the necessary speed of response and resolution, a robot controller is required to manage the arm articulations, its End Effector, and the interface with the workplace. The simplest type of control, still widely used, is "record-playback," or "lead-through". An operator positions arm articulations to desired configurations. At each desired location the articulation encoder positions are recorded in memory. Step by step, an entire work-cycle sequence is recorded. Then in playback mode the sequence is observed and modified.

As applications become more challenging, some jobs require continuous path control of an End Effector. For this action all articulations must be programmed in speeds appropriate to the particular task. This requires programming for the control of the robot. Robots today have controllers run by programs -- sets of instructions written in code. The program sets limits on what the robot can do. These requirements call into play sophisticated computer-based controllers and so-called robot languages. These languages permit a kind of robot control known as hierarchical control, in which decision making by the robot takes place on several levels. These levels are interconnected by feedback mechanisms that inform the next higher level of the status of previous actions. The advantage of a general-purpose robot arm is that it can be programmed to do many jobs. The disadvantage is that the programming tends to be a job for highly paid engineers. Even when a factory robot can perform a task more efficiently than a person, the job of programming it and setting up its workplace can be more trouble than its worth. Commotion Systems, a new California firm, is developing easier ways to program robots using pre-designed software modules. For now though, the job of "training" robots is still one of the main reasons that they are not used more. In the future, controllers with Artificial Intelligence could allow robots to think on their own, even program themselves. This could make robots more self-reliant and independent. Angelus Research has designed an intelligent motion controller for robots that mimics the brain's three-level structure, including instinctive, behavioral, and goal levels. The controller, which can be used in unpredictable circumstances, uses a Motorola 68HC11 microprocessor.

Feedback control is a means of getting a system (in our case a robot) to achieve and maintain a desired state by continuously comparing its current and desired state. The desired state is also called the goal state of the system. Note that it can be an external or internal state: for example, a thermostat monitors and controls external state (the temperature of the house), while a robot can control its internal state (e.g., battery power, by recharging at proper times) or external state (e.g., distance from a wall). If the current and desired state are the same, the control system does not need to do anything. But if they are not, how does it decide what to do? That is what the design of the controller is all about. A control system must first find the difference between the current and desired states. This difference is called the error, and the goal of any control system is to minimize that error. In some systems, the only information available about the error is whether it is 0 or non-0, i.e., whether the current and desired states are the same. This is very little information to work with, but it is still a basis for control and can be exploited in interesting ways. Additional information about the error would be its magnitude, i.e., how "far" the current state is from the desired state. Finally, the last part of the error information is its direction, i.e., is the current state too close or too far from the desires state (in whatever space it may be). Control is easiest if we have frequent feedback providing error magnitude and direction. Notice that the behavior of a feedback system oscillates around the desired state. In the case of a thermostat, the temperature oscillates around the set point, the desired setting. Similarly, the robot's movement will oscillate around the desired state, which is the optimal distance from the wall. How can we decrease this oscillation? We can use a smoother/larger turning angle, and we can also use a range instead of a set point distance as the goal state. Now what happens when you have sensor error in your system? What if your sensor incorrectly tells you that the robot is far from a wall, but in fact it is not? What about vice versa? How might you address these issues? Feedback control is also called closed loop control because it closes the loop between the input and the output, i.e., it provides the system with a measure of "progress."

The alternative to closed loop control is open loop control. This type of control does not require the use of sensors, since state is not fed back into the system. Such systems can operate (perform repetitive, state-independent tasks) only if they are extremely well calibrated and their environment does not change in a way that affects their performance. We have talked about feedback control so far, but there is also an important notion of feed forward control. In such a system, the controller determines set points and sub-goals for itself ahead of time, without looking at actual state data.

Reactive control is based on a tight loop connecting the robot's sensors with its effectors. Purely reactive systems do not use any internal representations of the environment, and do not look ahead: they react to the current sensory information. Thus, reactive systems use a direct mapping between sensors and effectors, and minimal, if any, state information. They consist of collections of rules that map specific situations to specific actions. If a reactive system divides its perceptual world into mutually exclusive or unique situations, then only one of those situations can be triggered by any sensory input at any one time, and only one action will be activated as a result. This is the simplest form of a reactive control system. It is often too difficult to split up all possible situations this way, or it may require unnecessary encoding. Consider the case of multiple sensors: to have mutually-exclusive sensory inputs, the controller must encode rules for all possible sensory combinations. There is an exponential number of those. This is, in fact, the robot's entire sensory space (as we defined earlier in the semester). This space then needs to be mapped to all possible actions (the action space), resulting in the complete control space for that robot. Although this mapping is done while the system is being designed, i.e., not at run-time, it can be very tedious, and it results in a large look up table which takes space to encode/store in a robot, and can take time to search, unless some clever parallel look up technique is used. In general, this complete mapping is not used in hand-designed reactive systems. Instead, specific situations trigger appropriate actions, and default actions are used to cover all other cases. Human designers can effectively reduce the sensory space to only the inputs/situations that matter, map those to the appropriate actions, and thus greatly simplify the control system. If the rules are not triggered by mutually-exclusive conditions, more than one rule can be triggered in parallel, resulting in two or more different actions being output by the system. Deciding among multiple actions or behaviors is called arbitration, and is in general a difficult problem. Arbitration can be done based on

fixed priority hierarchy (processes have pre-assigned priorities)
a dynamic hierarchy (process priorities change at run-time)
learning (process priorities may be initialized or not, and are learned at run-time, once or repeatedly/dynamically)

If a reactive system needs to support parallelism, i.e., the ability to execute multiple rules at once, the underlying programming language must have the ability to multi-task, i.e., execute several processes/pieces of code in parallel. The ability to multi-task is critical in reactive systems: if a system cannot monitor its sensors in parallel, but must go from one to another in sequence, it may miss some event, or at least the onset of an event, thus failing to react in time. Now that we understand the building blocks of a reactive system (reactive rules coupling sensors and effectors, i.e., situations and actions), we need to consider principled ways of organizing reactive controllers. We will start with the best known reactive control architecture, the Subsumption Architecture, introduced by Rod Brooks at MIT in 1985.

The following are the guiding principles of the architecture:

Systems are built from the bottom up
Components are task-achieving actions/behaviors (not functional modules)
Components can be executed in parallel
Components are organized in layers, from the bottom up lowest layers handle most basic tasks
Newly added components and layers exploit the existing ones
Each component provides and does not disrupt a tight coupling between sensing and action
There is no need for internal models: "the world is its own best model"

Here is a rough image of how the system works: If we number the layers from 0 up, we can assume that the 0th layer is constructed, debugged, and installed first. As layer 1 is added, layer 0 continues to function, but may be influenced by layer 1, and so on up. If layer 1 fails, layer 0 is unaffected. When layer 1 is designed, layer 0 is taken into consideration and utilized, i.e., its existence is subsumed, thus the name of the architecture. Layer 1 can inhibit the outputs of layer 0 or suppress its inputs. Subsumption systems grow from the bottom up, and layers can keep being added, depending on the tasks of the robot. How exactly layers are split up depends on the specifics of the robot, the environment, and the task. There is no strict recipe, but some solutions are better than others, and most are derived empirically. The inspiration behind the Subsumption Architecture is the evolutionary process, which introduces new competencies based on the existing ones. Complete creatures are not thrown out and new ones created from scratch; instead, solid, useful substrates are used to build up to more complex capabilities.

Behavior-based systems (BBS) use behaviors as the underlying module of the system, i.e., they use a behavioral decomposition. Behaviors can vary greatly from one BBS to another, but typically have the following properties:

Behaviors are feedback controllers
Behaviors achieve specific tasks/goals (e.g., avoid-others, find-friend, go-home)
Behaviors are typically executed in parallel/concurrently
Behaviors can store state and be used to construct world models/representation
Behaviors can directly connect sensors and effectors (i.e., take inputs from sensors and send outputs to effectors)
Behaviors can also take inputs from other behaviors and send outputs to other behaviors (this allows for building networks)
Behaviors are typically higher-level than actions (go-home rather than turn-left-by-37.5-degrees)
Behaviors are typically closed-loop but extended in time (this is often a consequence of #7 above)
When assembled into distributed representations, behaviors can be used to look ahead but at a time-scale comparable with the rest of the behavior-based system

Behavior-based systems are not limited in the ways that reactive systems are. As a result, behavior-based systems have the following key properties:

The ability to react in real-time
The ability to use representations to generate efficient (not only reactive) behavior
The ability to use a uniform structure and representation throughout the system (so no intermediate layer)

The key challenge is in how representation (i.e., any form of world model) can be effectively distributed over the behavior structure. In order to avoid the pitfalls of deliberative systems, the representation must be able to act on a time-scale that is close if not the same as the real-time parts of the system. Similarly, to avoid the pitfalls of the hybrid systems approach, the representation needs to use the same underlying behavior structure as the rest of the system. Note that behavior-based systems can have reactive components to them, i.e., not every part of a behavior-based system needs to be involved with representational computation. In fact, many behavior-based systems did not use complex representations at all. As long as they use behaviors (not just rules), they are BBS.

Robotics Tutorials -Advanced- Programming-Multitasking

2010-08-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

One of the most powerful features of the BasicX operating system is its ability to multitask. This means it can run several tasks at the same time. It's possible to divide large programs into smaller manageable tasks that can communicate with each other.

There is more information in the BasicX documentation about multitasking, this is a brief tutorial that aims to outline a simple implementation of multitasking and not re write the BasicX manual.

The following sample of code simply turns the onboard red and green led's on and off but hopefully demonstrates how multitasking is implemented in the BasicX programming language.

Task 2 switches a global variable, led, between 0 and 1. Task 1 looks at the global variable and toggles the red and green led's according to its value.

Processing time is given to other functions by calling the sleep command. We use the main procedure to call the tasks using the call task command, and then we enter an infinite loop which shares the processor time around all of the active tasks.

dim led as byte
dim stacktask1(1 to 32) as byte
dim stacktask2(1 to 32) as byte

sub main()
calltask "task1", Stacktask1
calltask "task2", Stacktask2

do
call sleep(2.0) 'do nothing and give all time to other tasks
loop

end sub

sub task1()
do
call sleep(0.0) 'allow other tasks to run

if(led=1)then 'turn on/off led
call putpin(25,1)
call putpin(26,0)
end if

if(led=0)then
call putpin(25,0)
call putpin(26,1)
end if
loop
end sub

sub task2()
do 'Set global variable LED
call sleep(1.0)
led=1

call sleep(1.0)
led=0
loop
end sub

Multitasking has some draw backs to sequential programming; mainly multitasking software generally uses more memory as each process is allocated its own stack. Also, because the processor is frequently switching tasks software can run slightly slower. However these are small limitations when compared to the powerful system of multitasking.

Robotics Tutorials - Beginner - Programming Introduction

2010-08-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

This is an introduction to programming using the BasicX micro controller, if you have never programmed before this will help you on your way. More experienced readers should still skim through this to get the basics of the language.

Programming is a common language between you and your Robocore, it lets you tell it what to do. In robotics, programming is necessary to make machines that can work by themselves, without human intervention. These are called autonomous robots.

1) Lets start by connecting your Robocore to the power supply and the serial port of your computer, and loading up the BasicX software.

2) When this is loaded, click on the Monitor Port menu and select the COM port that the Robocore is connected to (probably COM1). The Download Port menu should be set to the same COM port.

3) Click the editor button. A window should open asking for a filename. Just type a name for your first program, lets say Demoprog. It will tell you that the file does not exist, so do you want to create it. Click yes.

Now lets write our first program!

To test that the BasicX is working, we will make it send a message back to your computer. This is done using the debug.print command.

Type the following program into the editor window (or copy and paste it). The first and last lines should already be present, if they are just copy the middle line.

Sub main()

debug.print "Robocore test: Everything is working"

End Sub

Before we can download to the BasicX we need to set the chip preferences. This basically tells the chip what we want to be doing with each pin (input, output etc). To do this click on the project menu, followed by chip (or the F7 shortcut). We can leave everything as it is for now so just click on OK.

Now click on the Compile menu and select Compile and Run (keyboard shortcut F5) This will send the code to the Robocore. Going back to the main BasicX window, you should see the text ' Robocore test: Everything is working ' appear on the screen.

The Sub main() and End Sub commands tell the Robocore where the program begins and ends.

The debug.print command is very useful for telling us what the Robocore is doing, in the next case we will see more of its capabilities.

Now we will make the Robocore solve an equation for us. To do this we will need a variable. This is a value stored under a name in the memory of the Robocore. We will give this variable the name ' answer '.

Sub main()

Dim answerI As integer ' declaring

Dim answer As string ' variables

answerI = 5*5 ' doing the maths

answer=Cstr(answerI) 'convert to printable format

debug.print "5 times 5 is "; answer 'print answer

End Sub

Run the program as before and you should get the computer telling you the answer.

This program shows that you can print values from your program to the screen using debug.print just by adding a semi-colon and the variable name after the "text", this is very handy for example when testing sensors.

The program also uses comments, these have no effect on the program but allow us to add information about each line of the program. The computer ignores everything written on the line after an apostrophe (').

This program has also introduced us to variables, the topic for the next tutorial in the programming series

Qory Sandioriva Pilih Jadi Presiden daripada Miss Universe

2010-08-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

Qory Sandioriva Pilih Jadi Presiden daripada Miss Universe

Tuty Ocktaviany - Okezone

Puteri Indonesia 2009 Qory Sandioriva (Foto: Google)

QORY Sandioriva ternyata menerima pertanyaan sulit saat sesi penjurian dari dewan juri Miss Universe 2010. Mahasiswi Jurusan Sastra Prancis, Universitas Indonesia ini harus memilih menjadi presiden atau Miss Universe.

Rupanya, Puteri Indonesia 2009 ini membuat jawaban mengejutkan dengan memilih jadi presiden. Opsi tersebut bermuara dari cita-cita Qory sejak kecil.

“Saat penjurian, saya diberi tiga pertanyaan. Salah satunya berkaitan dengan cita-cita saya sebagai presiden. Para juri bertanya alasan saya ingin jadi presiden, dan mana yang harus saya pilih terlebih dahulu, apakah menjadi presiden atau menjadi Miss Universe 2010,” cerita Qory dalam press release yang diterima redaksi okezone, Kamis (19/8/2010).

Menjawab pertanyaan tersebut, Qory pun bercerita bahwa dirinya tetap dengan yakin ingin menjadi presiden yang merupakan cita-citanya dari kecil.

“Karena untuk menjadi seorang presiden harus mengenal msyarakat dan masalah-masalah yang ada lebih dalam, agar mendapatkan kesejahteraan dan kemakmuran sebuah negara ataupun lainnya,” jelas pemilik tinggi badan 172 cm dan bobot tubuh 54 kg ini.

Qory sukses melewati sesi penjurian untuk menentukan 20 besar finalis Miss Universe 2010 pada 17 Agustus lalu. Berusaha mencuri perhatian dewan juri, Qory pun menyanyikan lagu Indonesia Raya sehubungan dengan HUT Republik Indonesia ke-65 tahun.

“Tanggal 17 Agustus seluruh finalis Miss Universe 2010 menjalani sesi tanya jawab dengan dewan juri. Sebelum menjawab pertanyaan juri, Qory pun menyanyikan lagu Indonesia Raya,” tukas Head of Communication Department Yayasan Puteri Indonesia Mega Angkasa.

Untuk diketahui, ajang Miss Universe 2010 mulai dihelat 7-23 Agustus di Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino di Las Vegas, Amerika Serikat. Pada malam puncak pemilihan Miss Universe 2010, Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez dari Venezuela akan memahkotai sang pemenang yang berhasil menyisihkan finalis yang tahun ini diikuti 83 peserta.

Miss Universe photos: Parade of national costumes causes a stir

2010-08-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Miss Universe photos: Parade of national costumes causes a stir

Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih poses for photographers in her national costume at Mandalay Bay on Aug. 16, 2010.

Photo: Patrick Prather/Miss Universe

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

The 2010 Miss Universe Pageant at Mandalay Bay is less than one week away, but the annual international competition is already garnering headlines for unexpected reasons. The 83 contestants wore their national costumes in a parade at Mandalay Bay last night, and the ensembles worn by Miss USA Rima Fakih, Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell and Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson raised a few eyebrows.

Fakih’s gold outfit with larger-than-life wings was inspired by a bald eagle and designed by Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show costumer Martin Izquierdo; Campbell’s high-heeled Ugg boots, sheepskin shrug, one-piece swimsuit hand-painted by an Aboriginal artist and multicolored flamenco-style skirt has been lambasted as a “national joke and travesty”; and Gibson’s mirrored costume has been described as part disco ball and part Lady Gaga (that’s not a good thing?!).

Fashion and Skin Care

2010-08-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hello kids! First and foremost, I'd like to thank all you lovely (smart a**) people trying to challenge me with questions pertaining to nuclear physics or how to make a pizza from scratch... Ha ha... gave me some laughs. Okay, I'm just going to dive right into question and answering mode:

Let's talk about fashion for a minute. A lot of you are inquiring as to where we get our clothes from on the show. That magic is masterminded by our costume designer Jayne Marie Kehoe, who has an insane ability to find really cute clothes, usually on SALE! We all like clothes on sale. She shops at most of the same places we all do:
Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom's. But she does find a lot of amazing clothes for a great deal at Loehmann's! You don't have to spend a lot of money to look good. Our clothes on the show prove that. Most of the dresses Chloe wears on the show are under a hundred bucks. The most important part is wearing something YOU like, and wearing it with confidence. :)

Now, on to skincare: This is tough because not everyone's skin will necessarily react the same way to the same product. All I can do is tell you what I like, and I can interview my beautiful castmates as to their preferences. Right now, I'm loving a skincare line called "Epicuren." A lot of spas carry the products, and I like them because they're pretty much all-natural and keep my skin problem-free, which is always a good thing. But I also really like some drugstore brands. I think Oil of Olay has always carried a really good variety of products for different skin types... so does L'Oreal. A lot of skincare products are trial and error. You usually have to try a few brands before you really love one. Also, I don't think there's anything wrong with mixing and matching different brands, as long as they don't contain the same ingredients, which could irritate your skin if used too much. For example, don't use several creams at the same time with acids in them, such as salicylic or glycolic, or your skin will hate you. I'll keep talking about this later... just breaking the ice...

So, I promise to do an in-depth interview and discussion with my hair and make-up guys at work to give you a play-by-play as to how they put me together in the morning. But in the meantime, come back next week when I'll talk a bit about how I do my own make-up... and what I like. PLEASE continue to send your questions to me at: NadiaBeautyBlog@gmail.com

source:nbc.com

Welcome to Nadia's Beauty Blog!

2010-08-19T13:43:00.001-07:00

Welcome everyone to "Nadia's Beauty Blog." I'm so excited to be blogging for the first time! This is the perfect outlet for me to share my personal and trade secrets that I've come to learn over the years... this idea really started with the magical world of social networking known as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and also good old-fashioned snail mail. I've gotten lots of questions over the years from inquiring minds, like yours, about what the heck to do with everything from your hair to your skincare! You can ask me anything on here... well, not ANYTHING! ;) But, hopefully, I can give you some helpful advice on beauty and fashion and such. I won't be alone in doing this; obviously I owe most of what I know from the amazing people I work with every day. The DAYS hair, make-up and wardrobe team are the BEST! I'll also being asking my very hot coworkers for advice as well...

With summer just around the corner and the Daytime Emmys only a couple weeks away, I guess I'll start there! I still need to pick out a dress, but I'm not going to stress out about it. First of all, I believe in wearing something that makes you feel good rather than trying to conform to some idea of a trend. I don't believe in following trends because we're not all built the same. Something has to be flattering to your body shape no matter what. You wouldn't catch me dead in harem pants or shoulder pads... though I'm sure they're lovely on someone else! I think you should feel great in a dress and not worry about what fashion has forecasted as the "in" colors of the season. Wear a color because it makes you smile. The only rule that applies is fabric. I wouldn't wear velvet, tweed or cashmere in the summer! Though, I doubt you'd want to... too darn hot outside!

Personally, I like to pick a dress for any special occasion at the last minute. Yes, I'm a major procrastinator, but I also don't think you should OVER think an outfit or dress. Usually your instincts are right, because if you feel comfortable wearing it, that's what's most important. Confidence is sexy... pulling on your dress cause you feel like it's too short, for example, is not. I also believe in trying on lots of styles. Never trust any garment on a hanger. I've found some of the most amazing clothes that look like nothing on a hanger. I initially didn't want to try on the dress that ended up becoming my pick for the Emmys last year! You might be surprised what is flattering on you and makes you feel good... well, that's it for now.

I'll keep you updated on my dress search, and only then will I know what shoes to wear, what kind of jewelry, handbag and etc. Then, what to do with my hair and make-up?! Stay tuned...

And please send me your questions to NadiaBeautyBlog@gmail.com

Intel to buy McAfee for $7.68 billionIntel plans to buy security company McAfee for $7.68 billion

2010-08-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Intel plans to buy security company McAfee for $7.68 billion--the biggest acquisition in its 42-year history.

The chipmaker said Thursday it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy all of McAfee's common stock at $48 per share in cash. McAfee's stock closed Wednesday at $29.93, making Intel's offer a 60 percent premium.

The boards of both companies have approved the deal.

Security has become an essential element of online computing, on par with energy-efficient performance and connectivity, Intel said. But today's security isn't adequately addressing the array of new Net-connected machines on the market, such as mobile devices, TVs, cars, ATMs, and medical gadgets, according to Intel. Offering protection requires a new approach that can tie together software, hardware, and services, the company said.

"With the rapid expansion of growth across a vast array of Internet-connected devices, more and more of the elements of our lives have moved online," Intel CEO Paul Otellini said in a statement. "In the past, energy-efficient performance and connectivity have defined computing requirements. Looking forward, security will join those as a third pillar of what people demand from all computing experiences."

By integrating McAfee's core technology, Intel asserts that it can improve current products and offer new ones that can better secure both the cloud and devices used by consumers and businesses. Those include traditional computers and embedded products--any device where chips play a prominent role.

"Our view is that everywhere we sell a microprocessor, there is an opportunity to sell security software with it," Otellini said in a conference call.

The chipmaker also sees the acquisition as augmenting its wireless strategy.

"Hardware-enhanced security will lead to breakthroughs in effectively countering the increasingly sophisticated threats of today and tomorrow," Renee James, Intel senior vice president, said in a statement. "This acquisition is consistent with our software and services strategy to deliver an outstanding computing experience in fast-growing business areas, especially around the move to wireless mobility."

The number of connected devices is expected to grow from around 1 billion today to 50 billion in another 10 years, according to McAfee CEO Dave DeWalt. This growth will reshape opportunities in communications and commerce, he said in a video presentation, but cybercriminals and cyberterrorists will also take advantage of the Net's open architecture, putting users at risk and jeopardizing the future of the Internet. Tackling next-generation cybersecurity is a key reason and motivation for Intel and McAfee to join forces, DeWalt said.

The merger stems in part from projects that Intel and McAfee have already been working on together. The two companies have been collaborating for the past 18 months on ways to improve security, James noted in the conference call.

"After working alongside each other and recognizing that we share a common vision for improving security, it made good sense that we take this step," James said.

The first product resulting from the team-up will be released in early 2011, James said, though she didn't reveal any details.

The deal also continues Intel's strategy of growing its business by using software to enhance its hardware, added James, citing the company's 2009 acquisition of Wind River Systems as just one example.

The deal is expected to close following McAfee shareholder approval and regulatory clearances, which Intel is hoping will occur before year's end. Once the acquisition is finalized, McAfee will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary, tied to Intel's Software and Services Group.

Intel noted the McAfee management team has promised to stay on for many years after the acquisition closes. Intel also said it's committed to the McAfee brand and all McAfee products.

In initial trading Thursday, McAfee stock was surging toward Intel's offer price, up about 57 percent to around $47.16, while Intel's own shares were trending down about 3 percent to the vicinity of $18.90. Intel said it expects the integration of McAfee to slightly dilute earnings during the first year of combined operations due to merger-related costs but then have little effect in the second year.

Although Intel is paying a 60 percent premium for McAfee over the stock's closing price from Wednesday, Intel noted the premium is in the range of recent large software and security transactions and is reasonable given McAfee's growth and profitability and the added value that Intel and McAfee can create together.

The Intel acquisition of McAfee illustrates the trend of security proliferating through all the layers of technology, said IDC analyst Chris Christiansen.

"I think this is a dramatic acceleration in the previous trend of security going from boxes to board to chips," he said. "Intel can bring economies of scale and advanced chip management to McAfee, and McAfee has technology in messaging, Web, encryption and DLP, areas that Intel can use in a variety of ways. It represents a shift in the security market of security into systems, chip and storage management and other disciplines."

The news also makes Christiansen wonder whether Symantec might not be next as an acquisition target.

"We are going to see more and more security companies absorbed into system management," he said, noting that "Microsoft consolidated security into its system management division."

The McAfee acquisition fits nicely with Intel's purchase last year of Wind River, McAfee Chief Technology Officer George Kurtz noted. Intel bought the maker of embedded-systems software for $884 million.

"Given the current challenges in dealing with the proliferation of virulent malware, bringing software closer to silicon will provide a real advantage for consumers and businesses. Beating back the tide of malware proliferation by changing the game on the bad guys is an exciting proposition," Kurtz said in a blog post.

"McAfee's strategy of protecting the multitude of devices such as ATMs, printers, digital copiers, and cars fits with helping organizations better manage and protect the IP enabled mobile and embedded devices that run Wind River embedded and mobile software," Kurtz said. "This also dovetails nicely with McAfee's acquisition of Solidcore, a leader in dynamic whitelisting technology that already provides protection for millions of embedded devices."

Intel had already announced an acquisition this week, saying it plans to buy Texas Instruments' cable modem unit to broaden the markets for its Atom processor line.

CNET's Elinor Mills contributed to this report..

Touring Detroit, Obama Hails Bailout

2010-08-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

DETROIT—President Barack Obama on Friday declared the controversial bailout of the U.S. auto industry a success in visits to Detroit auto plants that came weeks before General Motors Co. is expected to take a critical step toward an IPO.

Public and investor support of the U.S. government's $60 billion rescue of GM and Chrysler LLC is important to Detroit auto makers as they prepare to make a return to public markets that will rely on solid sales and Wall Street support.

Also, public support for the bailout is key for the Obama administration, worried that Democrats who supported the unpopular bailout could be ousted in November elections.

The collapse of the companies would have been a "brutal, inevitable shot" to the nation's already struggling economy, Mr. Obama said in a speech at a Chrysler truck factory in Detroit. "Today, the industry is growing stronger, it's creating new jobs."

A new White House report released Thursday defends the decision to take ownership stakes in GM and Chrysler, saying the bailout helped avert an economic disaster. The administration said the U.S. auto industry has gained 55,000 jobs after losing 334,000 in the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies.

Ron Bloom, the Obama administration's auto czar, said Friday the latest valuation of the U.S. investment into the auto industry by the Office of Financial Stability stands at $60 billion.

"If we had done nothing, not only were your jobs gone, but supplier jobs were gone and dealership jobs were gone, and the communities that depend on them would have been wiped out," Mr. Obama said at the Chrysler plant.

The argument has done little to win over critics of the bailout who see it as a massive overreach of the federal government and a misuse of federal funds.

"The Michigan auto industry still has a long way to go and President Obama's tax, borrow and spend policies will only prolong Detroit's recovery," Republican National Committee spokesman Ryan Tronovitch said.

GM in mid-August is expected to file papers to launch an initial public offering, which would allow the Treasury Department to begin offloading its 60% stake in the auto maker. The Obama administration would like GM to go public this fall, a goal GM is unsure it will meet, people familiar with the matter said.

On Friday, GM and Chrysler moved to prove the rescue was worthwhile. Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, speaking at the truck factory where Mr. Obama spoke, said the company would likely begin running the Detroit factory around-the-clock to meet improving demand. The company earlier announced a plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., which was previously expected to close, will remain open and will add a second shift.

Chrysler worker Harold Gilbert said he knows many Americans oppose the bailout that saved his job at the Chrysler Detroit factory. "We are proving the point that we are worth saving," said Mr. Gilbert, who waited seven hours to see Mr. Obama speak.

GM used the visit to announce it would build 45,000 Chevrolet Volt electric vehicles in 2012 rather than the 30,000 it planned. Mr. Obama toured and spoke at the GM factory in Hamtramck, Mich., where the Volt is being built. In a break from protocol, Mr. Obama, who almost never drives a vehicle for security reasons, drove a Volt about 10 feet. He called the ride "smooth."

The auto bailout ushered GM and Chrysler through bankruptcy with the goal of making them profitable and shifting toward more fuel-efficient vehicles. GM has repaid direct loans of nearly $7 billion, but the remaining $43 billion can be recouped only when GM returns to the public market.

In recent months, GM has added shifts and rehired laid-off workers. GM is expected to report a second-quarter profit in the next couple of weeks. It would be the second profitable quarter in a row for the auto maker after it reported its first profit—$865 million—since 2007 for this year's first quarter.

Chrysler reported an operating profit in the first quarter.

The Wall Street Journal, page A5

Apple Scrambles to Secure iPad Deals

2010-03-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

Apple Inc. is still trying to secure media content for the iPad with just weeks to go before the tablet computer's release, said people familiar with the matter, as the company tempers some of its initial ambitions for the much-hyped device.

Since the iPad became available for pre-order last Friday, Apple has seen strong demand and sold hundreds of thousands of units, say people familiar with the matter. One of these people said Apple could sell more iPads in the first three months than it sold iPhones in the three months after the smart phone's debut.

With just weeks before Apple releases the iPad, the tech giant is racing to secure content for the tablet. Plus, Toyota calls on ABC to retract and apologize for what it says was a fabricated news report by the network; and the price tag for an overhauled health plan is in at $940 billion over a decade, paving the way for a climactic vote as soon as Sunday.

But lining up TV programming, digital newspapers and other content ahead of the iPad's April 3 release has proven difficult for Apple as some potential collaborators weigh the advantages of working with the company against the potential threats to their current sources of revenue, people familiar with the matter say.

Apple is still negotiating with media companies for a price cut on TV shows that people can download onto the device, some of these people say. Apple also hoped to work closely with newspaper, magazines and textbook publishers on new ways to digitally present print content on the iPad, but has for now put the effort on backburner, said one of the people.

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An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

The last-minute discussions show the complexities that Apple and Chief Executive Steve Jobs are facing in creating an Internet-connected multimedia device, which has pushed the company to pare back some of its initial intentions for the iPad's release.

When Apple unveiled the tablet in January, Mr. Jobs touted it as a "magical and revolutionary" product that would let people play games, surf the Internet, watch video, and read books and newspapers on a 9.7-inch color touch-screen display.

Apple has narrowed the device's scope. It has put on hold its idea to offer TV subscriptions that would be viewable through the iPad, because few media companies were interested. Instead, Apple is discussing dropping the price of TV shows to 99 cents from the $1.99 and $2.99 charged for most shows on its iTunes store, said people familiar with the situation.

Apple hasn't yet reached a deal with many major TV producers on the price cut, these people said. Some are concerned a price cut could hurt their existing businesses, these people said, including jeopardizing the tens of billions of dollars in subscription fees they are paid by cable and satellite companies for their traditional TV networks.

People familiar with the matter have said Apple is trying to allay concerns by arguing that lower pricing on iTunes could help create a new market. These people said they still believe Apple may reach deals with some to offer 99-cent shows by the time the iPad ships.

It's also possible TV companies could offer access to their shows on the iPad through applications that would stream the videos, rather than selling them through iTunes. But streaming is often limited by a tangle of licenses between producers and TV networks. The iPad platform could also pose technical hurdles.

At the same time, some magazine and newspaper publishers said they are hamstrung by several factors that could delay the apps they are developing for the iPad from being ready by the time of the device's release.

Some publishers and TV executives are concerned the iPad doesn't support Adobe Systems Inc.'s Flash video technology, which many publishers use to showcase their multimedia content and is also an underlying technology of online ads.

One area where things appear on schedule is Apple's new virtual bookstore iBooks, which lets iPad owners purchase and read digital books. People familiar with the matter said the largest publishers are on track to deliver most of their titles and it should have almost all of the books as existing e-readers like Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle and Barnes & Noble Inc.'s Nook.

The Change We Need

2010-03-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

This is a defining moment in our history. We face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression -- 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling, and pensions are disappearing. Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the costs of health care and college have never been higher.

Corbis

At a moment like this, we can't afford four more years of spending increases, poorly designed tax cuts, or the complete lack of regulatory oversight that even former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan now believes was a mistake. America needs a new direction. That's why I'm running for president of the United States.

Tomorrow, you can give this country the change we need.

My opponent, Senator McCain, has served his country honorably. He can even point to a few moments in the past where he has broken from his party. But over the past eight years, he's voted with President Bush 90% of the time. And when it comes to the economy, he still can't tell the American people one major thing he'd do differently from George Bush.

It's not change to come up with a tax plan that doesn't give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class Americans -- a plan that even the National Review and other conservative organizations complain does far too little to benefit the middle class. It's not change to add more than $5 trillion to the deficits we've run up in recent years. It's not change to come up with a plan to address our housing crisis that puts another $300 billion of taxpayer money at risk -- a plan that the editorial board of this newspaper said "raises more questions than it answers."

If there's one thing we've learned from this economic crisis, it's that we are all in this together. From CEOs to shareholders, from financiers to factory workers, we all have a stake in each other's success because the more Americans prosper, the more America prospers.

That's why we've had titans of industry who've made it their mission to pay well enough that their employees could afford the products they made -- businessmen like Warren Buffett, whose support I'm proud to have. That's why our economy hasn't just been the world's greatest wealth creator -- it's been the world's greatest job generator. It's been the tide that has lifted the boats of the largest middle class in history.

To rebuild that middle class, I'll give a tax break to 95% of workers and their families. If you work, pay taxes, and make less than $200,000, you'll get a tax cut. If you make more than $250,000, you'll still pay taxes at a lower rate than in the 1990s -- and capital gains and dividend taxes one-third lower than they were under President Reagan.

We'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and laying broadband lines that reach every corner of the country. I'll invest $15 billion a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating five million new, green jobs that pay well, can't be outsourced, and can help end our dependence on Middle East oil.

When it comes to health care, we don't have to choose between a government-run system and the unaffordable one we have now. My opponent's plan would make you pay taxes on your health-care benefits for the first time in history. My plan will make health care affordable and accessible for every American. If you already have health insurance, the only change you'll see under my plan is lower premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of plan that members of Congress get for themselves.

To give every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, I'll invest in early childhood education and recruit an army of new teachers. But I'll also demand higher standards and more accountability. And we'll make a deal with every young American: If you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition.

And when it comes to keeping this country safe, I'll end the Iraq war responsibly so we stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while it sits on a huge surplus. For the sake of our economy, our military and the long-term stability of Iraq, it's time for the Iraqis to step up. I'll finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11, build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and restore our moral standing so that America remains the last, best hope of Earth.

None of this will be easy. It won't happen overnight. But I believe we can do this because I believe in America. This is the country that allowed our parents and grandparents to believe that even if they couldn't go to college, they could save a little bit each week so their child could; that even if they couldn't have their own business, they could work hard enough so their child could open one of their own. And at every moment in our history, we've risen to meet our challenges because we've never forgotten the fundamental truth that in America, our destiny is not written for us, but by us.

So tomorrow, I ask you to write our nation's next great chapter. I ask you to believe -- not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours. Tomorrow, you can choose policies that invest in our middle class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed. You can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo. If you give me your vote, we won't just win this election -- together, we will change this country and change the world.

Mr. Obama is the Democratic nominee for president.

Obama, SBY to discuss climate center in Indonesia

2010-03-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his United States counterpart President Barack Obama are slated to talk on climate change issues, and aiming to set up the first regional climate center in Indonesia.

Under the plan, Indonesia will become a hub for scientific data and a training center on climate change issues for five countries in Southeast Asia — Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines and Indonesia — and 17 nations in the Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Fiji.

“We hope the US will provide technical assistance, financing and technology transfer facilities to support the establishment of the regional center on climate change in Indonesia,” Yudhoyono’s special assistant on climate change Agus Purnomo said Monday.

Obama, who spent a small part of his childhood in Jakarta, will visit the country this month.
Agus, who is also the National Council on Climate Change (DNPI) secretary, said the regional center would be a hub for climate information especially on issues related to oceans and forests as well as on mitigation and adaptation programs.

He said Obama and Yudhoyono would also discuss a comprehensive partnership on capacity building and technology transfer to help more accurate forecasting of climate phenomenon in Indonesia.

“We are in dire need of such technology to help us make more accurate forecasts on climate phenomenon. Many natural disasters — floods, landslides and harvest failures — in Indonesia reflected that without adequate technology it was harder to forecast events due to climate change,” he said.

Head of the climate change division at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Advin Aldrian said Indonesian officials, chaired by the Research and Technology Ministry, had visited Washington to discuss cooperation.

“We have made a draft proposal to be submitted during Obama’s visit,” he said without elaborating.

“However, the government plans to conduct more scientific research on oceans and forests and their role in climate change. The United States has increased their support to help us in this research,” he added.

Indonesia led the way by formally tabling issues on oceans and climate change in Copenhagen last year.

During the global environment ministerial meeting in Bali last week, Yudhoyono was given an award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for his leadership in promoting ocean and marine conservation and management.

The US has provided financial assistance to implement the Coral Triangle Initiative agreed in the Manado summit last year. In terms of forestry, the US has provided funds to protect the forest including through the debt-for-nature scheme.

Both Indonesia and the US are currently negotiating a second deal in the debt-for-nature scheme by which funds would be used to help conserve forest areas in Indonesia.

The two countries signed the first debt-for-nature deal last June, swapping US$30 million of Indonesia’s debt that could then be used to conserve around 7 million hectares of forest in Batang Gadis National Park in North Sumatra, Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Central Sumatra and Way Kambas National Park in Lampung.

- Jack Tween in phone contact with King of pop

2009-07-06T23:58:00.000-07:00

MICHAEL JACKSON wants to attend the funeral of Big Brother star Jade Goody.

"Michael has been very moved by Jade’s story," a source close to the Thriller singer told the Daily Star.

"He has pledged to offer any support he can and he has promised to try and make it to the funeral."

Jackson has already spoken to Goody's widower, Jack Tweed, and previously invited the couple's children to one of his upcoming concerts at the O2.

But while Jackson would be welcome, glamour model Jordan has been banned from the funeral.

Jordan has publicly asked for an invite to the June funeral, but is persona non grata with the Goody clan after attacking Jade for, "being paid for interviews on subjects people are really traumatised by."

"If she turns up she will not be allowed in," a family source told The Sun. "A lot of people were offended by Jordan's remarks."

Jade Goody's funeral is to be held this Saturday, 4 April at the St John the Baptist church in Burkhurst Hill, Essex.

Michael Jackson Memorial Service

2009-07-06T23:52:00.000-07:00

MICHAEL JACKSON FUNERAL

Details about the Michael Jackson Funeral:

Michael Jackson will be privately buried July 7th at Forest Lawn Cemetery at 8 am.

The public memorial ceremony to follow will be:

Date: July 7, 2009
Time: 10:00 am
Place: Staples Center
Tickets: Free

If you do not have a Michael Jackson funeral ticket you will be barred from the Staples Center area by the Los Angeles police department.

Michael Jackson Funeral Ticket

The the Michael Jackson Memorial will start at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7th, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Travel Arrangements for Michael Jackson’s Public Memorial

This will be an ‘event’ and not an all-day opportunity for a viewing.

—–

Michael Jackson’s will has been released and is available here:

Read Michael Jackson’s Will

Michael Jackson’s body has been released from the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office. Although a full report is expected to take several weeks, the initial indication is that there was no foul play.

For privacy reasons Michael Jackson’s family has had his body taken to a private mortuary.

Remember to Bookmark this site to get the latest Michael Jackson funeral notices and information.

Michael Jackson is survived by three children: Michael Jr., Paris, and Prince. He was not currently married, having previously divorced from Lisa Marie Presley and then Deborah Jeanne Rowe.

Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson has filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court seeking control over Michael Jackson’s estate and to be appointed the guardian of his three children. She was appointed temporary custody until August 3rd when a hearing on the matter will occur. On July 6th, the court ordered that the executors in the will shall have control of the estate until the August 3rd hearing.

Who will decide Michael Jackson’s funeral arrangements? Do they have to follow his religious views? The answers are in this new special post.

Final autopsy results are still pending. The family has now obtained a second and more definitive autopsy opinion from a private source. The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office has thus far been unable to make conclusive findings.

Michael Jackson’s private physician has been the subject of much speculation and has retained a criminal attorney. Aside from his personal interests in protecting himself, there is yet no public word from the physician about what happened to Michael, although he has spoken privately to investigators.

Special Limited Time Offer for US Residents:

Michael Jackson to be buried in LA on July 7

2009-07-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

ondon, July 2 (IANS) The last rites of pop legend Michael Jackson, who died following cardiac arrest last week, would be conducted in Los Angeles next Tuesday, according to thesun.co.uk.

The funeral will be held at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, which is owned by AEG Live, the event management company behind the singer’s comeback tour at London’s O2 arena.

Proceedings of Jackson’s funeral will begin at 10 a.m.

According to sources, AEG will put up gigantic screens outside the facility for the thousands of fans who will not be able to get inside to see the funeral proceedings.

Earlier reports suggested that Jackson’s family was opting for traditional Islamic burial rituals for the late pop legend.

Staples Center Michael Jackson Tickets

2009-07-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson Memorial Tuesday at Staples Center

Fans of the King of Pop will get a chance to pay their final respects to the entertainer, at the Los Angeles Staples Center, Tuesday. AEG, the concert promoters behind Jackson’s ill-fated ‘This is It Tour,’ announced that it will distribute 11,000 tickets to the event free of charge.

Staples Center has been chosen as the venue for an official public Michael Jackson Memorial, scheduled to be held Tuesday, July 7 at 10 am. The event will also be simulcast on screen at the Nokia Theatre at LA Live! across the street. Free tickets to both venues will be distributed in a random drawing. You must register at StaplesCenter.com by 6 pm Saturday, July 4th to have your name placed in the drawing. 8750 names will be drawn to receive 2 free tickets each to either Staples Center or Nokia Theatre. You must have a ticket to be admitted to the venue area. There will be NO broadcast on the outside screens. The family has announced that there will NOT be a funeral procession. The service will be broadcast live on local television stations.

For more information and to register visit www.staplescenter.com

Heal The World lyrics

2009-07-06T22:46:00.000-07:00

little girl talking

((i think about the gererations
and thay say thay want to make it
a better place for our children & our children's children
so that thay thay thay know it's a better world for them
and i think thay can make it a better place))

There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living

Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow

We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares

We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

You And For Me

You And For Me
Make A Better Place
You And For Me
Make A Better Place
You And For Me
Make A Better Place
You And For Me
heal the wordl we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children

Michael Jackson Hated His Skin

2009-07-06T22:43:00.000-07:00


	Malcolm X; Black, Brilliant, Beautiful. He said "You can't hate the roots of a tree without hating the tree. You can't hate Africa without hating yourself...."

[Michael Jackson: Dissenting Evaluation]

Editor's Note: We believe that Michael Jackson was the most phenomenal entertainer who ever lived. The writer here deals with an issue that has been grappled in our communities allover the world and we invite all readers to share their own views as well on the topic.

In the wake of Michael Jackson’s death I as many other are forced to reconcile the fact that he died a white Frankenstein due to numerous alterations of his features.

I could care less about what the white media has to say about MJ. At this point it galls me to see the likes of Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson and other Blacks rally around the ultimate symbol of self- hatred that has ever lived.

Malcolm X would have called Michael Jackson out on every aspect of his self-hatred. We can't even be honest with ourselves about the horrible impact that his conduct and ours has had on the minds of people of color around the world; not to mention the fact that his conduct simply reinforced white supremacist ideals.

In typical ignorant fashion, we African Americans fell in line to mourn and support the individual who betrayed his people. MJ proved the truthfulness of Frantz Fanon's eloquent assessment of the Black man in “Black Skin, White Masks,” when he wrote that, “the black man who strives to whiten his race is as wretched as the one who preaches hatred of the white man."

He also added: "As painful as it is for us to have to say this: there is but one destiny for the black man. And it is white."

It comes as no surprise to me that we can't see the truth for what it is. After all we are products of white America, and they have mastered the ability to lie to themselves and deny the truth.

'King of Pop' Michael Jackson is no more

2009-07-06T22:33:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson, the 'King of Pop', who 'Moon walked' to the hearts of millions with his mesmerizing music and signature break dance in the 80s, died of a suspected cardiac arrest just weeks before his much awaited comeback concert 'This Is It'.

Jackson, 50, christened 'Wacko Jacko' for his bizarre lifestyle, sex scandals and numerous plastic surgeries, died last night after collapsing at his Bel Air mansion in Los Angeles.

The singer was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centre here by the fire department paramedics after they failed to revive him.

Lieutenant Fred Corral, of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office, said Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm (0256 IST) local time.

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home, however, the cause of his death is unknown until the autopsy results are known. Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy, it is a tough time for us,"

Michael Jackson, Great Champion Of Charity

2009-07-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

By Marc H. Morial


	Michael Jackson, the "great one," with Nelson Mandela the "greatest one."

[Michael Jackson’s Passing]

One of the most interesting things about Michael Jackson is that even though he died at the young age of 50, so many of us seemed to have grown up listening to his music and trying to copy his dance moves.

I guess that is what happens when you’ve been performing and making records since 1968 at the age of 10 – first as the lead singer of the Jackson Five and later as the world’s most popular solo artist.

But, while his iconic artistry and eccentric lifestyle are well known, I want to spend a few moments reflecting on Michael’s equally impressive record of service to humanity.

Born in 1958 in the steel-mill city of Gary, Indiana, Michael’s life and career paralleled generations of social and economic change. In 1967, just one year before the Jackson Five burst on the scene as Motown’s newest sensation, Richard Hatcher was elected Mayor of Gary, becoming one of the first African American mayors in the country.

Michael and his brothers first captured the nation’s attention in 1968, the year of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Their jubilant music brought people of different races together, some for the first time, at a moment when the forces of discord seemed intent on tearing us apart.

In songs like “We are the World,” and “Man in the Mirror,” Michael spoke to the hearts of people and made powerful statements about the need for greater unity, compassion and peace in the world.

Much of the proceeds of his records and tours were donated to charities devoted to African relief, college scholarships and HIV/AIDS. In 1992, he founded the Heal the World Foundation to relieve the suffering of children around the world.

His “Dangerous World Tour” that year gave him the opportunity, in his own words, to “visit children around the world, as well as spread the message of global love, in the hope that others will be moved to do their share to help heal the world.” In 2000, the Guinness Book of World Records cited Michael Jackson for holding the world record for the “Most Charities Supported by a Pop Star.”

Michael Jackson takes his place among the greatest entertainers of all time. As his mentor and collaborator, Quincy Jones said, “In the 40s you had Sinatra, in the 50s Elvis, in the 60s the Beatles, in the 70s the innovation of Dolby—in the 80s you had Michael Jackson. He was the biggest entertainer on the planet.”

As we mourn his passing in these uncertain times, we might do well to remember the words to one of Michael Jackson’s most poignant songs: “I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer – if you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself then make a
change.”

Our prayers go out to the Jackson family and Michael’s children. We will all miss the King of Pop.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

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For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).

Michael Jackson
Jackson at the White House in 1984
Background information
Birth name	Michael Joseph Jackson
Born	August 29, 1958(1958-08-29) Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Died	June 25, 2009 (aged 50) Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre(s)	Pop, R&B, rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, record producer, musical arranger, dancer, choreographer, actor, author, businessman, financier, philanthropist, inventor
Instrument(s)	Vocals, multiple instruments
Years active	1964–2009
Label(s)	Motown, Epic
Associated acts	The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
Website	MichaelJackson.com

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut on the professional music scene in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5. He then began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group and was referred to as the "King of Pop"^[1] in subsequent years. Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time,^[2] and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller"—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.

Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundations, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior, generated significant controversy which damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s along with conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and brought up three children, actions which caused further controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges.

One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 750 million records worldwide.^[3] At the time of his death, he was preparing for This Is It, a series of 50 concerts that would have been held in London beginning July 13, 2009.^[4]

Life and career

1958–75: Early life and The Jackson 5

Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago.^[5] The son of African-American parents Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther Scruse,^[5] he was the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.^[5] Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called The Falcons with his brother Luther. Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother.^[5] Joseph Jackson has an additional daughter named Joh Vonnie Jackson who is actually the youngest sibling of Michael Jackson.

A screenshot from The Jacksons: An American Dream show The Jackson 5 in concert

Jackson stated that he was physically and emotionally abused by his father from a young age, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling. However, he also credited his father's strict discipline as playing a large part in his success.^[6]^[7] In one altercation—later recalled by Marlon Jackson—Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks".^[8] Joseph would also trip or push his male children into walls. One night while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window. Wearing a fright mask, he entered the room screaming and shouting. Joseph said he wanted to teach his children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterwards, Jackson said he suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.^[8] In 2003, Joseph admitted to the BBC that he had whipped Jackson as a child.^[9]

Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. He said that during his childhood he often cried from loneliness and would sometimes start to vomit upon seeing his father.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] In Jackson's other high profile interview, Living with Michael Jackson (2003), the singer covered his face with his hand and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse.^[8] Jackson recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you".^[14]

Jackson showed musical talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates and others during a Christmas recital at the age of five.^[5] In 1964, Jackson and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine, respectively. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.^[5] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968. The band frequently performed at a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened for stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.^[15]

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967 and signed with Motown Records in 1968.^[5] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts", noting that Michael "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer" after he began to dance and sing with his brothers.^[16] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.^[5] During The Jackson 5's early years, Motown's public relations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old—two years younger than he actually was—to make him appear cuter and more accessible to the mainstream audience.^[17] Starting in 1972, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben. These were released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and produced successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben" and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input.^[18] Although the group scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.^[18]

1975–81: Move to Epic and Off the Wall

The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records.^[18] As a result of legal proceedings, the group was renamed The Jacksons.^[19] After the name change, the band continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984. From 1976 to 1984, Michael Jackson was the lead songwriter of the group, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel" and "Can You Feel It".^[15]

In 1978, Jackson starred as Scarecrow in the musical The Wiz.^[20] The musical scores were arranged by Quincy Jones, who formed a partnership with Jackson during the film's production and agreed to produce the singer's next solo album, Off the Wall.^[21] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty surgery was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and other subsequent operations.^[22]

Jones and Jackson jointly produced Off the Wall. Songwriters included Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".^[23] Off the Wall reached number three on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified for 7 million shipments in the U.S. and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.^[24]^[25] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".^[23] That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough").^[23] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.^[26] In 1980, Jackson secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37% of wholesale album profit.^[27]

1982–85: Thriller, Motown 25, We Are the World and business career

After Jackson's early 1982 contribution, "Someone In the Dark", to the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which won him a Grammy for Best Album for Children,^[28] Epic issued his second album, Thriller. In what would turn out to be the apex of his career, the album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks, 37 at the peak. Seven singles from Thriller concurrently hit the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".^[29] Thriller went on to sell upwards of 109 million copies, making it the best-selling album of all time,^[2]^[30]^[31]^[32] causing Jackson biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli to muse that "at some point, Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item — like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie — and started selling like a household staple."^[33]

The period of Thriller was an extraordinarily lucrative one for Jackson, whose lawyer John Branca had negotiated what he boasted then as the highest royalty rate ever in the music industry, approximately $2 per album. Meanwhile, Jackson raked in profits from The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary by Jackson and John Landis which quickly sold over 350,000 copies. In addition, he began profiting from his image in earnest, as Michael Jackson dolls and other novelties hit the market.^[34]

Jackson debuts the moonwalk during his performance on Motown 25

Beyond its record-breaking success among fans, Thriller instituted multiple changes within the music industry. First, it raised the importance of albums, while challenging notions about how many prospective hits an album should contain.^[35] Second, it restored to the industry a sense of confidence in its ability to release high-level artistry during a time when profits had been sinking due to what one industry analyst called "the ruins of punk and the chic regions of synthesizer pop".^[34] Third, it helped bring MTV into its heyday, even as MTV helped fuel Thriller's success. Fourth, Thriller paved the way for other well-profitable acts such as Prince.^[36] In many ways, Jackson was a one-man rescue team for the music business.^[37] At its 25th anniversary, Thriller retained important influence over the music industry, artists, and American culture.^[33]

On March 25, 1983, he performed live on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special, both with The Jackson 5 and on his own singing "Billie Jean". Debuting his signature dance move—the moonwalk—his performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers during its initial airing, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.^[38] The New York Times said, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing".^[39]

Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, he suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. Happening in front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, the incident was the subject of heavy media scrutiny and elicited an outpouring of sympathy.^[40] PepsiCo settled a lawsuit out of court, and Jackson gave his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, where he had been treated, allowing the hospital to acquire the best available technology for treating severe burns; Brotman subsequently renamed its burn ward "Michael Jackson Burn Center" in his honor.^[40] Jackson had his third rhinoplasty shortly afterwards and grew self conscious about his appearance.^[22]

Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1984

On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award presented by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The award was given for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.^[41] He won eight awards during the 1984 Grammys. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of his new solo material to more than two million Americans.^[42] He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity.^[43]

Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in Africa and the US. He was one of 39 music celebrities who performed on the record. The single became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief.^[44]

While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles "The Girl Is Mine" and "Say Say Say", the pair became friendly, occasionally visiting one another. In one discussion, McCartney told Jackson about the millions of dollars he had made from music catalogs; he was earning approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. Jackson then began a business career buying, selling and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists. Shortly afterwards, ATV Songs—a music catalogue holding thousands of songs, including most of the songs written by Lennon-McCartney between 1963–1973—was put up for sale.^[45]^[46]

Jackson took immediate interest in the catalog but was warned that he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, "I don't care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]". Branca then contacted the attorney of McCartney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding; "It's too pricey". After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million. When McCartney found out he said, "I think it's dodgy to do things like that. To be someone's friend and then buy the rug they're standing on". ^[45]^[47]

1986–90: Tabloids, appearance, Bad, autobiography and films

In 1986, the tabloid press ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber^[48] to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, Jackson disseminated the fabricated story himself. The singer was promoting his upcoming film Captain EO and wanted to promote a science fiction image of himself.^[49] Jackson had a fourth rhinoplasty and, wanting masculine features, had a cleft put in his chin.^[22] Then he starred in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted in Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994.^[50]

Jackson in 1988, two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, here in the early stages of the disease

Jackson bought and befriended a pet chimpanzee called Bubbles, an act which extended his eccentric persona. In 2003, the singer claimed that Bubbles shared his toilet and cleaned his bedroom.^[48] Later, it was reported that Jackson bought the bones of The Elephant Man.^[48] Although untrue, it was a story that Jackson again disseminated to the tabloid press.^[49] These stories inspired the pejorative nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson acquired the following year. He would eventually come to despise the nickname. Realizing his mistake, he stopped leaking untruths to the press. However due to the profit being made, the media began making up their own stories.^[48]^[51]

Jackson's skin was a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the early 1980s, his skin gradually grew paler. This change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that Jackson was bleaching his skin.^[10] In the mid-1980s, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the latter was in remission in Jackson's case, and both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale.^[52] The structure of his face changed as well; several surgeons have speculated that Jackson had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips and a cheekbone surgery.^[53] Changes to his face were, in part, due to periods of significant weight loss.^[19] Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body".^[54] Witnesses reported that Jackson was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem for the singer later in life.^[55] Some medical professionals have publicly stated their belief that the singer had body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer has no concept of how he is perceived by others.^[52]

Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth."

—Michael Jackson^[56]

With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.^[57] Bad had lower sales than Thriller, but was still a substantial commercial success. In the US, it spawned seven hit singles, five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, more than any other album.^[58] As of 2008, the album sold 30 million copies worldwide, including eight million shipments in the US.^[25]^[59]

Jackson wore a gold-plated military style jacket with belt in the Bad era.

The Bad World Tour began on September 12, 1987, and finished on January 14, 1989.^[60] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.^[61] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to a total audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further Guinness World Record when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages and other charities.^[60]

In 1988, Jackson released his first autobiography, Moon Walk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies.^[62] Jackson told of his childhood, his experience in The Jackson 5 and the abuse he suffered as a child.^[63] He also spoke of his plastic surgery, saying he had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin.^[54] In the book, he attributed the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style and stage lighting.^[54] Moon Walk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list.^[64] The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage, music videos, and a feature film that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. Moonwalker debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.^[65]

Jackson with President Bush Sr. in 1990

In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. The 2,700-acre (11 km²) property had Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, the property was valued at approximately $100 million.^[16]^[66] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone.^[67] Shortly afterwards, Jackson became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad for Russia.^[65]

Jackson's success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop", a nickname conceived by actress and friend Elizabeth Taylor when she presented Jackson with an "Artist of the Decade" award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul".^[68]^[69] President George H. W. Bush presented the singer with The White House's special "Artist of the Decade" award in recognition of Jackson's musical influence in the 1980s; Bush commended Jackson for acquiring a "tremendous following" among other achievements.^[70] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.^[71]^[72] Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination.^[65]

1991–93: Dangerous and Super Bowl XXVII

In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million; a record breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.^[66] Jackson released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous has shipped 7 million copies in the U.S. and has sold 32 million copies worldwide; it is the most successful new jack swing album of all time.^[25]^[73]^[74] In the US, the album's first single "Black or White" was the album's biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide.^[75] The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the US, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.^[12] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a wheelchair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals.^[76] In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.^[12]

Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch, to go on theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property after he purchased it. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. The Dangerous World Tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. All profits from the concerts went to the "Heal the World Foundation", raising millions of dollars in relief.^[12]^[77] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.^[78] Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.^[79]^[80]

In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.^[81] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable reception of more than 100,000 people in "spiritual bedlam", some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael".^[81] In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief.^[81] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.^[81]

One of Jackson's most acclaimed performances came during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. As the performances began, Jackson was catapulted onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvass, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for several minutes while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and began to sing and dance. His routine included four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.^[10]

Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.^[12]

1993–94: Sexual abuse accusations and first marriage

Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his first television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied previous tabloid rumors that he bought the bones of the Elephant Man or slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The entertainer went on to dispel suggestions that he bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by 90 million Americans, becoming the fourth most-viewed non-sport program in U.S. history. It also started a public debate on the topic of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition before then. Dangerous re-entered the album chart top 10, more than a year after its original release.^[10]^[11]^[12]

Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old child named Jordan Chandler and his father Evan Chandler.^[82] The friendship between Jackson and Evan Chandler broke down. Sometime afterwards, Evan Chandler was tape-recorded saying amongst other things, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever...Michael's career will be over".^[83] A year after they had met, under the influence of sodium amytal, a controversial sedative, Jordan Chandler told his father that Jackson had touched his penis.^[84] Evan Chandler and Jackson, represented by their legal teams, then engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to resolve the issue in a financial settlement; the negotiations were initiated by Chandler but Jackson did make several counter offers. Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer's genitals.^[85]

An official investigation began, with Jordan Chandler's mother adamant that there was no wrongdoing on Jackson's part. Neverland Ranch was searched; multiple children and family members denied that he was a pedophile.^[85] Jackson's image took a further turn for the worse when his older sister La Toya Jackson accused him of being a pedophile, a statement she later retracted.^[86] Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted at his ranch. The search was required to see if a description provided by Jordan Chandler was accurate. Doctors concluded that there were some strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match.^[86] Jackson made an emotional public statement on the events; he proclaimed his innocence, criticized what he perceived as biased media coverage and told of his strip search.^[82]

Jackson began taking painkillers, Valium and Ativan to help him cope with chronic pain a consequence to an accident involving the collapse of stage rigging during the Dangerous Tour and for joint inflammation from Lupus. Jackson started taking Xanax for panic attacks and stress stemming from the allegations made against him of child abuse. By the fall of 1993, Jackson was addicted to the drugs.^[87] His health deteriorated to the extent that he canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour and went into drug rehabilitation for a few months.^[88] The stress of the allegations also caused Jackson to stop eating, and he lost a significant amount of weight.^[89] With his health in decline, Jackson's friends and legal advisers took over his defense and finances; they called on him to settle the allegations out of court, believing that he could not endure a lengthy trial.^[88]^[89]

Tabloid reaction to the allegations put Jackson in an unfavorable light.^[90] Complaints about the coverage and media included everything from bias against Jackson, accepting stories of alleged criminal activity for money to accepting confidential leaked material from the police investigation in return for money paid.^[91] On January 1, 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandler family and their legal team out of court, in a civil lawsuit for $22 million. After the settlement Jordan Chandler refused to continue with police regarding criminal proceedings. Jackson was never charged, and the state closed its criminal investigation, citing lack of evidence.^[92]

In May 1994, Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They had first met in 1975 during one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993.^[90] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Lisa Marie for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs.^[87] Lisa Marie explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it."^[93] In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional.^[87] Shortly afterwards, she tried to persuade Jackson to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover—he subsequently did both.^[87] Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?".^[87] Presley and Jackson married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy; the parties denied they had been married for nearly two months.^[94] The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active".^[95] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image in light of prior sexual abuse allegations.^[94] Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later, remaining friendly.^[96]

1995–99: HIStory, second marriage and fatherhood

One of many identical statues, positioned throughout Europe to promote HIStory. The statue illustrates the singer's flamboyant clothing and hair style, influenced by military imagery.

In 1995, Jackson merged his Northern Songs catalog with Sony's publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs.^[46]^[97] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits – HIStory Vol. I in 2001, the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US.^[98] It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.^[75]^[99] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for best album.^[100]

The first single released from the album was the double A-side "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".^[100] "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[67] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".^[100] In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress related panic attack.^[101] "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK.^[100]

In early 1996, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a press release charging Jackson with antisemitism regarding lyrics in the song "They Don't Care About Us", the fourth single from HIStory.^[102] The song had originally been recorded with lyrics that included the phrase "Jew me, sue me", and "Kick me, kike me". The ADL complained and Jackson responded by saying he would re-record the lyrics before the album went into production. However the ADL's press release charged that Jackson had performed the song live and included the lyrics in question during the live performance.^[102] The dispute over the lyrics upset long-time Jackson friend Steven Spielberg, who considered the song anti-semitic.^[103]

The HIStory World Tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans. The show, which visited 5 continents and 35 countries, became Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures.^[60] During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married dermatologist nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe, who bore him two children: a son, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (also known as "Prince"), and a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson.^[96]^[104] The pair first met in the mid-1980s, when Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo. She spent many years treating his illness as well as providing emotional support. They built a strong friendship, then became romantically involved.^[105] Originally there were no plans to marry, but following Rowe's first pregnancy, Jackson's mother intervened and persuaded them to do so.^[106] Jackson later claimed that he was in such a rush to leave the hospital with daughter Paris in 1998 that he cut the cord and left with the baby covered in blood, taking the placenta with him in his haste.^[107] After the couple divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Jackson, they remained friends.^[108]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies as of 2007, making it the best selling remix albums ever released. It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track.^[109]^[110] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24.^[25]^[100] Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.^[66]

Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization Warchild, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala.^[111] Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana Chandrakumar, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross and UNESCO.^[112]

2000–02: Label dispute, Invincible and third child

In 2000, Jackson was listed in the book of Guinness World Records for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality.^[113] At the time, Jackson was waiting for the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him; this allowed him to promote his old material how he liked and prevented Sony from getting a cut of the profit. Jackson expected this to occur early in the new millennium, however, due to the fine print and various clauses in the contract, this revert date is still many years away. Jackson began an investigation, and it emerged that the attorney who represented the singer in the deal was also representing Sony, creating a conflict of interest.^[110] Jackson was also concerned about another conflict of interest. For a number of years, Sony had been pushing to buy all of Jackson's share in their music catalog venture. If Jackson's career or financial situation were to deteriorate, he would have to sell his catalog. Thus, Sony had something to gain from Jackson's career failing.^[114] Jackson was able to use these conflicts as leverage to exit his contract early.^[110] Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was leaving Sony.^[110] As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were canceled. Jackson made allegations in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain.^[110] He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".^[115] Sony disputed claims that they had failed to promote Invincible with sufficient energy, maintaining that Jackson refused to tour in the US.^[116]

Six years after his last studio album and after spending much of the late 1990s out of the public eye, Jackson released Invincible in October 2001 to much anticipation. To help promote the album, a special 30th Anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden occurred in September 2001 to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984.^[117] The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, and Slash, among other artists.^[30] In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert was aired on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale.^[114] Invincible was a commercial success, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 10 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US.^[25]^[75]^[114] However, the sales for Invincible were notably low compared to his previous releases, due in part to a diminishing pop music industry, the lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute.^[114] The album spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video.

Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (also known as Blanket) was born in 2002.^[118] The mother's identity was never released by Jackson, but he has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm cells.^[108] In November of that year, Jackson brought his newborn son onto the balcony of his hotel room in Berlin, as fans stood below. Holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face, Jackson briefly extended the baby over the railing of the balcony, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".^[119]

2003–07: Documentary, trial and business ventures

In 2003, Sony put out a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album peaked at number 13 and was certified platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.^[25]^[120]

In a 2003 Granada Television documentary titled Living with Michael Jackson, the singer was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, who would later accuse him of child sexual abuse.^[121] In the same documentary Jackson was observed spending large amounts of money in an apparently frivolous manner, including as much as $6 million in a single store.^[66] Shortly after the documentary aired, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child sexual abuse and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in order to commit that felony. All charges involved the same boy, Gavin Arvizo, who was under 14 at the time of the alleged crimes.^[121]

Fans showing their support for Jackson after the entertainer is accused of child molestation in 2003

Michael Jackson with his children in Disneyland Paris, 2006

Jackson denied the sexual abuse allegations, saying that the sleepovers were in no way sexual in nature. Jackson's friend Elizabeth Taylor defended him on Larry King Live, saying that she had been there when they "were in the bed, watching television. There was nothing abnormal about it. There was no touchy-feely going on. We laughed like children and we watched a lot of Walt Disney. There was nothing odd about it."^[122] During the investigation, Jackson's profile was examined by mental health professional Dr. Stan Katz; the doctor spent several hours with the accuser too. The assessment made by Katz was that Jackson had become a regressed 10-year-old and did not fit the profile of a pedophile.^[123]

The People v. Jackson trial (2005) began in Santa Maria, California, two years after Jackson was originally charged. During this period the singer became dependent on morphine and Demerol, a dependency which he subsequently overcame. He also suffered from stress-related illnesses and severe weight loss, that would alter his appearance. The trial lasted five months, until the end of May 2005, he was acquitted on all counts.^[124]^[125]^[126] Jackson then relocated to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.^[127]

In 2004 Jackson appointed Leonard Muhammad (Nation of Islam Chief of Staff) as business manager.^[128] ^[129] Nation of Islam members served as bodyguards for Jackson. Jackson rented his most recent residence from the Nation of Islam.^[130]

Sony BMG released Visionary: The Video Singles to the European market: a series of 20 of his biggest hit singles of the 1980s and 1990s. Each single was issued weekly over a five-month period in DualDisc format (DVD video on one side, CD audio on the other), and the whole group of discs was made available as a boxed set afterwards.^[131] The box set was released in the U.S. on November 14, 2006.^[132]

Reports of financial problems for Jackson became frequent in 2006 after the closure of the main house on the Neverland Ranch as a cost-cutting measure.^[133] One prominent financial issue for him concerned a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings. After delayed repayments on the loan, a refinancing package shifted the loans from Bank of America to debt specialists Fortress Investments. A new package proposed by Sony would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake).^[97] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal, although details were not made public.^[134] Despite these loans, according to Forbes, Jackson was still making as much as $75 million a year from his publishing partnership with Sony alone.^[135]

One of Jackson's first documented public appearances since his trial was in November 2006, when he visited the London office of the Guinness World Records. He received eight records, among them "First Entertainer to Earn More Than 100 Million Dollars in a Year" and "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time".^[67] Jackson was awarded the Diamond Award on November 15, 2006, for selling over 100 million albums, at the World Music Awards.^[75] Following the death of James Brown, Jackson returned to the U.S. to pay his respects. He, along with more than 8,000 people, paid tribute during Brown's public funeral on December 30, 2006.^[136] In late 2006, Jackson agreed to share joint custody of his first two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe.^[137] Jackson and Sony bought Famous Music LLC from Viacom in 2007. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.^[138]

I've been in the entertainment industry since I was six-years-old... As Charles Dickens says, "It's been the best of times, the worst of times." But I would not change my career... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me.^[139]

—Michael Jackson

2008–09: Milestones, real estate, planned return to live performance

Neverland Ranch was Jackson's permanent residence from 1988 to 2005. Pictured is an aerial shot of the theme park area of the property.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson issued Thriller 25, comprising original material from the album, re-mixes, the previously unreleased song "For All Time" and a DVD. Two singles were released to moderate success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008". Thriller 25 was a commercial success, having done particularly well as a re-issue, peaking at number one in eight countries and Europe. It reached number three in the UK and top 10 on over 30 national charts.^[140]^[141]^[142] It was ineligible for the Billboard 200 chart as a re-release, but entered atop the Pop Catalog chart, where it stayed for 11 non-consecutive weeks and had the best sales on that chart since December 1996.^[143]^[144]^[145] In 12 weeks Thriller 25 sold over three million copies worldwide.^[146] As of November 2008, U.S. sales of Thriller 25 stood at 688,000 copies, making it the best-selling catalog album of 2008.^[145] To date, it sold 774,000 copies in the US.^[147]

To celebrate Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a compilation album called King of Pop in various countries. These albums included tracks from Jackson's group and solo career, all voted for by fans. The albums had different tracklists, according to how the fans of each nation voted.^[148]^[149] Although it was not released in the US, King of Pop did reach the top 10 in the vast majority of countries where it was issued. It also charted in other countries, albeit lower, from imported sales.^[150]^[151]

Fortress Investments considered a foreclosure sale of Neverland Ranch to service a loan Jackson owed on the property, but ultimately sold the loan to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred the title of Neverland Ranch to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned an unknown stake in the property; Sycamore Valley Ranch was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. The loan Jackson owed was cleared, and he acquired $35 million in the venture.^[152]^[153]^[154]

Jackson had been scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts to over one million people, at London's O₂ arena, from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Following this residency, Jackson also planned to tour Europe, Asia, Australia and North America.^[155] During a publicity press conference, he had made suggestions of possible retirement.^[156] Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, had stated that the first 10 dates alone would have earned the singer approximately £50 million.^[157] Phillips said that the promotion company had a three-and-a-half year plan to work with Jackson, including a possible world tour, the release of new music and a 3D film based on Thriller.^[158]

Jackson made a music video, currently known as "Dome Project", in early June, 2009. The video is scheduled to finish post-production in mid-July, 2009.^[159]^[160]

2009: Death

Main article: Death of Michael Jackson

On June 25, 2009, Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by his personal physician were unsuccessful.^[161] Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 p.m. (PDT), arriving three minutes and seventeen seconds later at Jackson's location.^[162]^[163] He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed.^[164] Resuscitation efforts continued both en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for an hour further after arriving at approximately 1:13 p.m. (20:13 UTC).^[161] He was noted to have been in cardiac arrest by the paramedics who attended him at his house.^[164] Jackson was pronounced dead at approximately 2:25 p.m. local time (21:25 UTC).^[165]^[166] Rumors and news of Jackson's death broke web records, triggering a cyberspace traffic jam^[167] and creating severe traffic spikes to websites such as Google,^[168] Facebook,^[169], Twitter^[170] and Wikipedia.^[171] Vigils were held by members of the general public after the death.^[172]

Musical style and performance

Themes and genres

Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres.^[173] As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar.^[16] Michael, himself, stated at his pre-release party for his Off The Wall album that Little Richard (who inspired James Brown) had a "huge influence" on him.^[174]

Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder; when recording he would sing from memory.^[22]^[175] Several critics observed Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco-pop, soul, soft rock, jazz and pop ballads.^[173]^[176]^[177] Prominent examples include the ballad "She's out of My Life", and the two disco tunes "Workin' Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor".^[176]

According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.^[173] Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".^[173]^[178]^[179]^[180] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.^[180] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".^[179] In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers.^[173] In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.^[180] The anti-gang violence rock song "Beat It" became a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.^[16]^[173] He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years.^[173] In 1985, Jackson wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a central component of his life and music.^[173]

"Thriller"

One of Jackson's signature pieces, "Thriller", released as a single in 1984, utilizes cinematic sound effects, horror film motifs and vocal trickery to convey a sense of danger.^[21]

"Smooth Criminal"

A single from the album Bad, released 1988, "Smooth Criminal" features digital drum sounds, keyboard-created bass lines and other percussion elements designed to give the impression of a pulsing heart.^[181]

Problems listening to these files? See media help.

In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".^[182] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" was a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror", an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution, improved on his earlier "We Are the World".^[57] "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.^[57] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a stark paradoxical individual.^[183] He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World".^[183] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time".^[184] The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs.^[184] Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts like "In the Closet", a love song about desire and denial, risk and repression, solitude and connection, privacy and revelation.^[184] The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire.^[184] The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson finally opening up about various personal struggles and worries.^[184] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.^[185]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.^[186] Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media.^[187] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces.^[186]^[187] In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not — shall we say — done him the honor of listening to it, but I’ve been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot".^[188] Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins.^[173] It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip hop, pop and rap in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".^[189]^[190]

Vocal style

Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably, either through puberty or a personal preference to align his vocal interpretation to the themes and genres he chose to express. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice "descended ever so slightly from boy soprano to his current androgynous high tenor".^[191] In the mid-1970s, the singer adopted a "vocal hiccup" as seen in "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)". The purpose of the hiccup—somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping—was to help promote a certain emotion, be it excitement, sadness or fear.^[18] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Allmusic described him as a "blindingly gifted vocalist".^[176] At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly".^[177] 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone were of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".^[180]

Michael Jackson - "Black or White"

The lead single from Dangerous, "Black or White" was one of Jackson's most successful songs. The single is described by Sony Music as a hard rock song.^[192] The track contains many features of Jackson's vocal style, including the vocal hiccup he is known for.

The release of "Bad" in 1987 displayed gritty lead vocals on the verse and lighter tones employed on the chorus.^[21] A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him.^[193] The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous; here Jackson used his vocals to intensify the split themes and genres described earlier. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone".^[184] When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.^[184] "In the Closet" contained heavy breathing and a loop of five scat-sung syllables, whereas in the album's title track, Jackson performs a spoken rap.^[181]^[184] When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed, "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".^[194] Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".^[181]

Music videos and choreography

Consciousness expresses itself through creation. This world we live in is the dance of the creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on. On many an occasion, when I am dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists. I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved. I become the victor and the vanquished. I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song. I become the knower and the known. I keep on dancing and then, it is the eternal dance of creation. The creator and the creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing...until there is only...the dance.^[195]^[196]

—Michael Jackson, in Dangerous

Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers.^[173] According to director Vincent Paterson, who collaborated with the singer on several music videos, Jackson conceptualized many of the darker, bleak themes in his filmography.^[197]

US patent 5255452, filed by Jackson, described the anti-gravity lean used in the music video for "Smooth Criminal".

Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV because he was African American.^[198] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition.^[199] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.^[199]^[200] Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated.^[201] The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines.^[202] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.^[67]

In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. While he has described this as "choreography," it garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles.^[51]^[203] For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452.^[204] Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.^[65]

The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor.^[12] "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video.^[75] It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized.^[205] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.^[206]

Jackson and sister Janet angrily retaliate against the media for misrepresenting them to the public. The acclaimed video for "Scream" was shot primarily in black and white, and at a cost of $7 million.

"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine.^[207] The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece to date. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.^[12]

The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".^[208] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993.^[209] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.^[100]^[210]

"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, war ends and the forests re-grow.^[100]^[211] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.^[100]^[110]^[212]^[213]

Legacy and influence

Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, set in 1984

Jackson had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world. He broke down racial barriers, transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country. Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced hip hop, pop and R&B artists, including Mariah Carey,^[16] Usher,^[214] Britney Spears,^[16] Justin Timberlake^[114] and R. Kelly.^[181] For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.^[215]

Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.^[30]^[216] He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.^[30] His awards include multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone), 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sale of over 800 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist.^[3]^[28]^[67]^[75]^[217]^[218]

Queues for a Michael Jackson concert in West Berlin in June 1988

He was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".^[173] In the mid-1980s, Time described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley".^[34] By 1990, Vanity Fair had already cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business.^[65] Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley called him an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius".^[219] In late 2007, Jackson said the following of his work and future influence, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever."^[220]

His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars.^[66]^[221] As one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.^[75]^[222]

Discography

Main articles: Michael Jackson album discography and Michael Jackson singles discography

Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory (1995)
Blood on the Dance Floor (1997)
Invincible (2001)

Note - for Jackson's discography with The Jackson 5/The Jacksons, see Jackson 5 discography.

Michael Jackson Dikabarkan Meninggal Dunia

2009-06-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

Angeles - Penyanyi pop legendaris Michael Jackson diisukan meninggal dunia. Ia meninggal setelah mengalami serangan jantung.

Seperti diberitakan Los Angeles Times, Kamis (25/6/2009), kabar kematian ini pertama kali dikabarkan situs hiburan TMZ.

"Penyanyi pop Michael Jackson diumumkan telah meninggal oleh dokter sore ini setelah mengalami koma," kata reporter situs tersebut.

Belum ada pengumuman resmi dari orang dekat Michael tentang hal ini. Namun diinformasikan, Michael sebelumnya sempat mengalami serangan jantung di rumahnya di kawasan Holmby Hills dan tidak bernafas saat dibawa ke rumah sakit.

Michael sedianya dijadwalkan akan melakukan konser "combeback' pada tanggal 13 Juli mendatang. Rencananya, konser akan digelar di London. Latihan pun sudah dilakukan sejak 2 bulan lalu.

Ratusan Penggemar Jacko Menunggu di Depan RS

2009-06-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

Novia Chandra Dewi - detikNews
Angeles - Kabar meninggalnya superstar Michael Jakson membuat masyarakat Amerika terutama penggemarnya terkejut. Meski belum ada pengumuman resmi, ratusan penggemar sudah berkumpul di depan rumah sakit Los Angeles, AS, tempat jenazah artis legendaris itu menghembuskan nafas terkahir.

Seperti diberitakan Reuters Jumat (26/6/2009), saat ini jenazah dikabarkan masih berada di rumah sakit Los Angeles. Ratusan penggemar berkumpul di pelataran rumah sakit sejak pukul 03.00 sore waktu setempat. Mereka menyatakan berduka dan kaget atas kabar tersebut.

Michael yang akrab disapa Jacko ini koma saat berada di rumah. Pihak keluarga sempat menghubungi emergency call 911 dan pemadam kebakaran setempat untuk pertolongan pertama. Di perjalanan menuju rumah sakit, Jacko diketahui mengalami gangguan pernafasan serius. Artis Afro Amerika ini sebelumnya diketahui mengalami gangguan pernafasan sejak dibawa dari kediamannya.

Hingga kini belum ada pernyataan resmi dari pihak keluarga mengenai kabar tersebut. Namun pihak keluarga diketahui sudah berada di dalam rumah sakit.

Petugas rumah sakit setempat saat ini mulai menyiapkan tempat untuk media seperti akan melakukan konferensi pers. (nov/nrl)

Intelligence Literature: Suggested Reading List

2009-06-26T01:06:00.000-07:00

World War II & Before

Alan Harris Bath

Tracking the Axis Enemy: The Triumph of Anglo-American Naval Intelligence.

Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1998.

An account of the importance naval intelligence played in WWII.

Willam B. Feis

Grant’s Secret Service: The Intelligence War from Belmont to Appomattox.

Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2002.

A look General Ulysses Grant's use of intelligence in the Civil War.

Thaddeus Holt

The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War.

New York: Scribner, 2004.

A study of the various deception operations the Allies conducted against the Axis during WWII.

Douglas J. MacEachin

The Final Months of the War with Japan: Signals Intelligence, U.S. Invasion Planning, and the A-Bomb Decision.

Washington, D.C.: History Staff, Center for the Study of Intelligence, 1998.

The importance of signals intelligence at a critical juncture in WWII.

David Robarge

Intelligence in the War for Independence.

Washington, D.C.: Center for the Study of Intelligence, 1997.

Use of intelligence operations in America's fight for freedom.

P.K. Rose

Black Dispatches: Black American Contributions to Union Intelligence During the Civil War.

Washington, D.C.: Center for Study of Intelligence, 1999.

The story of African-American contributions to Union intelligence during the Civil War.

Hugh Sebag-Montefiore

Enigma: The Battle for the Code.

New York: John Wiley & Sons, inc., 2001.

The story of the incredible efforts of the Allies to obtain the Enigma machine and break the Nazi code.

Simon Singh

The Code Book: The Evolution of Secrecy from Mary, Queen of Scots to Quantum Cryptography.

New York: Doubleday, 1999.

A history of codes and ciphers and the role they play in warfare and politics.

Robert W. Stephan

Stalin's Secret War: Soviet Counterintelligence Against the Nazis, 1941-1945.

Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2004.

An examination of Soviet military counterintelligence and deception operations against the Nazis during WWII.

[Top of page]

CIA & OSS History

Christopher Andrew

For the President's Eyes Only-Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush.

New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995.

Ray Cline

The CIA: Reality vs Myth--The Evolution of the Agency from Roosevelt to Reagan,
(Revised edition of The CIA under Reagan, Bush and Casey).
Washington, DC: Acropolis Books, 1982.

The author, a former top official of the Agency, discusses what clandestine work in an open society is like, why it is needed, and how it can be carried out effectively.

Arthur Darling

The Central Intelligence Agency An Instrument of Government to 1950.

State College: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1990.

A look at the bureaucratic struggles that led to the development of the CIA and the battles that ensued afterward.

Douglas F. Garthoff

Directors of Central Intelligence as Leaders of the U.S. Intelligence Community — 1946-2005

Washington, DC: Center for The Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, 2005.

A comprehensive study of how politics, institutions, and personalities influenced the DCI's ability to oversee the Intelligence Community.

Ted Gup

The Book of Honor: The Secret Lives and Deaths of CIA Operatives

New York: Random House, 2000

Journalist Ted Gup presents the stories of many of the CIA officers who died in the service of their country.

Loch K. Johnson

The Central Intelligence Agency: History and Documents.

New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Johnson, a professor at the University of Georgia who worked for the Church Committee, discusses both the history of the Agency and the theory of intelligence as he grapples with the issues of secret intelligence in a free society.

Barry M. Katz

Foreign Intelligence: Research and Analysis in the Office of Strategic Services 1942-1945.

Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1989

An intellectual history of OSS's Research and Analysis Branch.

Ronald Kessler

The CIA At War: Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror.

New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003

A look at the major events of the Agency from the 1980s to the present based mainly on interviews with DCIs and former Agency personnel.

William M. Leary, ed.

The Central Intelligence Agency: History and Documents.

Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 1984.

This book reprints Anne Karalekas's "History of the Central Intelligence Agency," originally published in Book IV of the Church Committee's report. Leary has added an introduction and an appendix of historical documents.

Patrick O'Donnell

Operatives, Spies and Saboteurs: The Unknown Story of the Men and Women of WWII's OSS.

New York: Public Affairs, 2004.

Through OSS officer interviews and archive records, O'Donnell tells some heroic and often amazing OSS officer tales that have not been told before.

G. J. A. O'Toole

Honorable Treachery: A History of Intelligence, Espionage, and Covert Action from the American Revolution to the CIA.

New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1991.

A wide-ranging study by a former Agency officer places intelligence in general and the CIA in particular in historical context.

John Ranelagh

The Agency: The Rise and Decline of the CIA.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987.

A comprehensive and well-researched history of the CIA written by a British author, this work provides a sharp description of the people and events that created the Agency. The most recent comprehensive treatment.

Donald P. Steury

On the Front Lines of the Cold War: Documents on the Intelligence War in Berlin, 1946-1961.

Washington, D.C.: CIA History Staff, Center for the Study of Intelligence, 1999.

A look at the beginnings of the Cold War from the front lines of Berlin.

Thomas F. Troy

Donovan and the CIA: A History of the Establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Frederick, MD: University Publications of America, 1981.

Troy studies the concept of centralized intelligence from 1939-1947 and describes the bureaucratic battles involved in trying to establish a central intelligence organization. He had access to many classified documents, some of which appear in the book.

Michael Warner, ed.

The CIA Under Harry Truman

Washington, D.C.: Center for the Study of Intelligence, 1994.

The early years of the Agency under the President who created it.

Michael Warner

The Office of Strategic Services: America's First Intelligence Agency.

Washington, D.C.: CIA History Staff , Center for the Study of Intelligence, 2000.

The story of CIA's WWII predecessor.

H. Bradford Westerfield, ed.

Inside the CIA's Private World: Declassified Articles from the Agency's Internal Journal, 1955-1992.

New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1996.

Declassified articles from the Agency's "Studies in Intelligence" authored by mostly CIA employees and covering a wide range of intelligence topics.

Robin Winks

Cloak and Gown: Scholars in the Secret War, 1939-1961.

New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1987.

An account of the beginnings of the link between the American academic community and the Intelligence Community beginning with the creation and running of the Research and Analysis Branch of the OSS.

[Top of page]

Biographies & Memoirs

Clarence Ashley

CIA Spymaster

Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 2004

A biography of legendary CIA case officer George Kisevalter, who handled the extremely important Soviet assets Pyotr Popov and Oleg Penkousky.

Mary Bancroft

Autobiography of a Spy.

New York: Morrow, 1983.

The author worked for Allen Dulles in Switzerland in World War II.

Anthony Cave Brown

The Last Hero: Wild Bill Donovan

New York: Times Books, 1982.

The biography of the father of the Office of Strategic Services, CIA's predecessor.

Victor Cherkashin with Gregory Feifer

Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer

New York: Basic Books, 2005

When CIA officer Aldrich Ames and FBI special agent Robert Hanssen offered their services to the KGB, Victor Cherkashin was the man they encountered in the Washington Embassy. He tells his side of the story in this memoir.

Duane R. Clarridge with Digby Diehl

A Spy For All Seasons: My Life in the CIA

Dulles, VA: Brassey’s, 2004

Colorful “Dewey” Clarridge was the role model for a dynamic case officer in the CIA that DCI Bill Casey wanted. Their interaction makes good reading as does the balance of Clarridge’s career during some turbulent times in the Cold War.

William E. Colby with James McCarger

Lost Victory: A Firsthand Account of America's Sixteen-Year Involvement in Vietnam.

Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1989.

Former DCI Colby tells of his role while serving intelligence and CIA Headquarters.

Robert M. Gates

From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996.

Gates, a former Director of the CIA, gives an autobiographical look at the White House and National Security planning and policy during the five administrations in which he served.

Tom Gilligan

CIA Life: 10,000 Days with the Agency.

Connecticut: Foreign Intelligence Press, 1991.

The author covers his 28-year career from his recruitment through his training as a CIA operations officer, culminating with his assignment as chief of applicant recruitment in New England.

Peter Grose

Gentleman Spy: The Life of Allen Dulles.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

A biography of the Director who many consider a "legendary figure".

Richard Helms with William Hood

A Look Over My Shoulder: A Life in the Central Intelligence Agency.

New York: Random House, 2003.

Richard Helms, former OSS officer and longtime Director of Central Intelligence, looks at his career and world of intelligence. Helms reviews his role in many operations and discusses the relationship of the Agency with the White House and Congress.

James Lilley with Jeffrey Lilley

China Hands: Nine Decades of Adventure, Espionage and Diplomacy.

New York: Public Affairs, 2004

A look at America's involvement in East Asia through the eyes of an operations officer who rose through the ranks to become the first Chief of Station in China and eventually Ambassador to that country

Richard L. Holm

The American Agent: My Life in the CIA.

London: St. Ermin's Press, 2003.

What is involved in being a CIA operations officer through the eyes of a retired officer. This book reviews an entire career, the type of training, various assignments, family considerations, and retirement considerations.

David Kahn

The Reader of Gentleman's Mail: Herbert O. Yardley and the Birth of American Codebreaking.

New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004.

The story of the man who revolutionized code breaking in America, making it part of peace time intelligence gathering and not just for war.

Oleg Kalugin

The First Directorate: My 32 years in Intelligence and Espionage Against the West.

New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994.

The head of the former KGB tells about life in the intelligence world on the other side.

Patrick E. Kennon

The Twilight of Democracy.

New York: Doubleday, 1995.

The author offers the lessons he learned from his 25 years as a global political analyst for the CIA.

Tom Mangold

Cold Warrior: James Jesus Angleton: The CIA's Master Spy Hunter.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1991.

Mangold is a BBC producer whose biography of the CIA's famous head of counterintelligence will probably hold the field until the Agency releases its files on such topics as the investigation of Soviet defectors' claims.

Antonio J. Mendez

The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA.

New York: Morrow, 1999.

The story of the ex-operative whose blend of artistry and insight saved many lives in the field.

Ludwell Lee Montague

General Walter Bedell Smith as Director of Central Intelligence.

University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1992.

The biography of the DCI credited with defining the Agency's structure and mission in its early years.

Floyd L. Paseman

A Spy’s Journey: A CIA Memoir

St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2004

A fine candid account of how a young man comes to join the CIA’s clandestine service, raise a family, and rise to high position after a number of careers ups and downs.

Joseph E. Persico

Casey: From the OSS to the CIA.

New York: Viking Penguin, 1990.

The biography of William J. Casey, Director of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987.

David Atlee Phillips

The Night Watch: 25 Years of Peculiar Service.

New York: Atheneum, 1977.

The memoirs of a senior CIA operations officer whose career involved many of the Agency's most important covert activities.

Thomas Powers

The Man Who Kept the Secrets: Richard Helms and the CIA.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979.

An account of the evolution of CIA as seen in the professional career of Richard Helms, from his OSS service in World War II through his years as Director of Central Intelligence from 1966-1973.

John Prados

Lost Crusader: The Secret Wars of CIA Director William Colby.

New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

The story of the career of the former OSS officer and Director of Central Intelligence, William Colby, who served during a controversial period in the Agency's history.

Evan Thomas

The Very Best Men--Four Who Dared: The Early Years of the CIA.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995.

Written by the first "outsider" allowed to see the CIA's own secret histories of its operations in the first twenty years of its existence. This book relates how the Agency saw itself through the eyes of the men who made the history.

George Tenet

At the Center of the Storm.

New York: HarperLuxe, 2007.

The controversial memoir by the DCI whose tenure spanned 9/11, the fall of the Taliban, the Iraq WMD debate, and the first phase of the war in Iraq.

Stansfield Turner

Secrecy and Democracy--The CIA in Transition.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1985.

The author reviews his controversial tenure as DCI under President Carter. He discusses the problems involved in operating a secret intelligence organization in a democratic society.

Markus Wolf

Man Without a Face: The Autobiography of Communism's Great Spymaster.

New York: Random House, 1997.

The story of the head of the East German foreign intelligence service, one of the most professional and successful opponents faced by the CIA.

Women in Intelligence

Sarah Helm

A Life In Secrets: The Story of Vera Atkins and the Lost Agents of SOE

London: Little Brown, 2005

In the “man’s world” of WWII European intelligence, Atkins rose quickly to a key position in Britain’s Special; Operations Executive (SOE) selecting agents and sending them to Europe. After the war she went searching for those who hadn't returned. This book tells her story.

Mary S. Lovell

Cast No Shadow: The Life of the American Spy Who Changed the Course of World War II.

New York: Pantheon Books, 1992.

The story of Amy Elizabeth Thorpe Pack who spied for the British Security Coordination and the Office of Strategic Services. Her work led to the acquisition of the Italian and French naval ciphers prior to America's landing in North Africa and other critical data.

Melissa Boyle Mahle

Denial and Deception: An Insider’s View of the CIA from Iran-Contra to 9/11

New York, Nation Books, 2004

The author was a successful operations officer in the CIA’s clandestine service. In he book she tells how that came about, what the training was like, and share some of her experiences in espionage.

Elizabeth P. McIntosh

Sisterhood of Spies: The Women of the OSS.

Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1998.

Veteran of the OSS, Elizabeth McIntosh relates her own experiences and those of fellow OSS women in this book that reveals interesting stories and long kept secrets from WWII.

Judith Pearson

Wolves At The Door : The True Story of America’s Greatest Female Spy

Guildford, CT: The Lyons Press, 2005

Pearson tells the story of American Virginia Hall who became first a British agent with the French resistance, then an OSS officer behind the Nazi lines, and finally a CIA officer. All this despite the slight handicap of her wooden leg. She was the only women in WWII to receive the Distinguished Service Cross.

Tammy M. Proctor

Female Intelligence: Women and Espionage in the First World War.

New York: New York University Press, 2003.

This book examines several important but little known espionage cases involving female spies during WWI.

Margaret Rossiter

Women in the Resistance.

New York: Praeger, 1991.

Stories of the Allied women who were part of the WWII resistance movement behind German lines.

Elizabeth R. Varon

Southern Lady, Yankee Spy: The True Story of Elizabeth Van Lew, A Union Agent in the Heart of the Confederacy

New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

New details from archives highlight this biography of this very successful Union agent who lived in the South.

Adsense for Feeds

2009-06-26T00:38:00.000-07:00

Ever since Google bought Feedburner they have been working towards placing Adsense on the Feedburner feeds. No surprise there as G needs to keep growing and Adsense/Adwords is what feeds the beast. A few months back Feedburner made Adsense available and I attempted to try it but for what ever reason it didn't work. No doubt I screwed things up - not a surprise either as most of you know I am not technically gifted and spent about 5 seconds trying to figure out what went wrong before ditching the whole works.

Long story short - a few days ago I noticed a new link on my Adsense Overview page (see image below) which is entitled Adsense for Feeds. Of course it may have been there for a while and I just didn't notice it until now.

Click Image to enlarge

Needless to say I clicked the "Get Started" button. I was taken to the following page.

Click Image

Naturally it told me that I had no feeds in my account and gave me a link to "View our Account Migration Guide". Apparently you will have to have Google migrate all your feeds from Feedburner to Adsense. Turns out this isn't complicated.

Click Image

In fact Google will do it for you. This is right up my alley - anytime I can get someone else to do the tech stuff suits me just fine. Just ask my good friend Terry! Just give Google your Feedburner username and provide your Adsense email address and they will do the necessary steps for you.

So I did and am waiting to see what happens next.

Now I'm telling all you folks this because should things work out all of my feed subscribers will be snarling and nashing their teeth as soon as the Adsense ads start appearing on my feeds. Before you all hit the unsubscribe button please hear me out.

This whole Adsense on Feeds thing has me more than curious as it just doesn't fit in with Google's current policies. How are they going to assure quality clicks for the Advertisers? At present they frown on too many clicks coming from the same IP. One of the things you have to be careful of is that some of your readers may try and help you by clicking your ads repeatedly. This doesn't help at all and can get your account banned. Clicks have to be natural and repeated clicks from the same IP is not natural.

However, if I have Adsense on my Feeds then I am only going to get clicks from my readers. Search traffic will not see these ads. Presumably G wants my readers to click the ads - if not then why offer the service. So does this mean that they won't mind the same people clicking ads on a more frequent basis? They can hardly penalize me for repeated clicks when my pool of readers is limited. This, in a nutshell, is what I want to find out. In one sense my readers are highly targeted for my keywords and Google likes that. I suppose they feel this will benefit the Advertisers - maybe it will. On the other hand this just seems ripe for abuse and I am curious as to how G plans on counting clicks. Which will they consider valid and which will be considered suspect?

I am asking you dear readers not to get all un-subscribe on my ass when the ads appear as I simply want to see how this program is going to be monitored by Google. I will certainly keep you abreast of my findings. I should also say that this is not a call to entice you to click those ads. Please, please, please... don't unless it is something you really are interested in. I have no wish to game Adsense in any way and you shouldn't either. I suspect that my readers will ignore them in the same way they ignore the ads on my blog - just background noise that bloggers tend not to notice. I understand why search traffic clicks ads - I don't understand why targeted feed subscribers ever would though. And I don't understand why Google thinks they would either.

In any event you now know up front what I'm up too and I hope you will not get offended when you see the ads. Just another little experiment and I'll fill you in when I get some results.

Jon 'hurt' by Kate's remarks as she cites his weekend 'activities'

2009-06-26T00:29:00.000-07:00

Jon and Kate Gosselin both said they want their divorce to be "resolved amicably," but an unexplained Father's Day weekend dispute lurks within written statements released by each of them this week.

TLC says Jon and Kate Gosselin's show will be on hiatus until August 3 to give them "time off to regroup."

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"Jon's activities" over the weekend "left me no choice" but to file for divorce Monday, Kate Gosselin said.

Jon Gosselin said he was "hurt" by her words, but his weekend alone with their eight kids was great.

Divorce documents filed Monday by Kate's lawyer contend their 10-year marriage is "irretrievably broken," but it saves any specifics for later.

While a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, judge sealed the Gosselin divorce file, CNN has obtained a copy of Kate's petition for a "no-fault divorce."

The couple announced their separation and divorce filing on a special one-hour episode of their TLC reality series "Jon & Kate Plus 8."

Their additional statements indicated that something happened this past week that was not seen on the TV show.

"Over the course of this weekend, Jon's activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children," Kate Gosselin said. "While there are reasons why it was appropriate and necessary for me to initiate this proceeding, I do not wish to discuss those reasons at this time, in the hope that all issues will be resolved amicably between Jon and myself."

Jon, in response, said he "was hurt by the statement Kate made last night about the divorce."

He, too, hinted that something happened while he spent the Father's Day weekend with his eight children -- minus Kate.

Don't Miss

"I have always done everything I can to protect our family," he said. "This weekend, I was home with the kids for four days, just being a dad. No nannies, just the kids and me. In fact, with the exception of Aaden's visit to the doctor, I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend Father's Day weekend."

Aaden Gosselin, one of the couple's 5-year-old sextuplets, was seen in his father's arms with a small bandage on his forehead on Saturday.

It may be another six weeks before TV viewers learn the details, since TLC said it has placed the show on hiatus until August 3 to give the Gosselin family "some time off to regroup."

The cable network said it would "work closely with them to determine the best way to continue to tell their story as they navigate through this difficult time."

The eight children -- sextuplets and twins -- will continue living in their Wernersville, Pennsylvania, home, the couple said. Each parent will stay there during their time with them. iReport.com: Share your custody success story

Farrah Fawcett, sex symbol and actress, dies

2009-06-26T00:09:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Farrah Fawcett, the blonde-maned actress whose best-selling poster and "Charlie's Angels" stardom made her one of the most famous faces in the world, died Thursday. She was 62.

Farrah Fawcett rose to fame in the 1970s, thanks to a best-selling poster and the hit show "Charlie Angels."

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more photos »

Fawcett's death was confirmed by Paul Bloch, one of her representatives at Rogers and Cowan, an entertainment public relations firm.

Fawcett, who checked into a hospital in early April, had been battling anal cancer on and off for three years.

Bloch told CNN that Ryan O'Neal, Fawcett's romantic partner since the mid-1980s, and her friend Alana Stewart were with Fawcett at Saint John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, when she died. Gallery: The life of Farrah Fawcett »

"Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world," O'Neal said in a written statement. Read more tributes to Fawcett

O'Neal is the father of Fawcett's son, Redmond O'Neal, born in 1985. Redmond O'Neal is in an intense rehabilitation program conducted in the Los Angeles county jail, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore told CNN on Thursday.

Fawcett's son was informed on Wednesday night by a grief counselor and a chaplain that his mother's death was imminent, and a grief counselor and chaplain also told him when she died, Whitmore said.

The young man, who is currently with a chaplain, has spoken with his father, Whitmore said.

Ryan O'Neal had recently told People magazine that the sex symbol was declining.

"She stays in bed now. The doctors see that she is comfortable. Farrah is on IVs, but some of that is for nourishment. The treatment has pretty much ended," he said in a story posted May 7.

Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest

2009-06-25T23:05:00.001-07:00

(CNN) -- Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.

A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson's home after a 911 call.

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Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT.

An autopsy is scheduled Friday, he said. Results are expected Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner's office, who also said Jackson was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN paramedics were sent to a west Los Angeles, California, residence after a 911 call came in at 12:21 p.m.

Law enforcement officials said the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division opened an investigation into Jackson's death. They stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but that they would conduct interviews with family members and friends.

CNN Analyst Roland S. Martin spoke on Thursday with Marlon Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson.

"I talked to Frank Dileo, Michael's manager. Frank told me that Michael last night was complaining about not feeling well. He called to tell him he wasn't feeling well.

"Michael's doctor went over to see him, and Frank said, 'Marlon, from last night to this morning, I don't know what happened.' When they got to him this morning, he wasn't breathing. They rushed him to the hospital and couldn't bring him around."

"Janet Jackson is grief-stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of her brother," Kenneth Crear, her manager said. "She is ... flying immediately to California to be with her family."

What are Gadgets?

2009-06-23T23:13:00.001-07:00

Gadgets are simple HTML and JavaScript applications that can be embedded in webpages and other apps.

Simple to build

Built-in JavaScript libraries make it easy to create gadgets that include tabs, Flash content, persistent storage, dynamic resizing, and more. Use the Google Gadgets Editor to build gadgets quickly and easily.

Multiple sites

Your gadget can run on multiple sites and products including iGoogle, Google Maps, Orkut, or any webpage. Write your gadget once, and with minor changes it can run in multiple places.

Reach millions of users

Many gadgets are viewed millions of times per week and generate significant traffic for their authors. When users add your gadget to their iGoogle homepage for instance, they'll see your content each time they visit Google.

Saina Nehwal wins Indonesian Open

2009-06-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Saina Nehwal wins Indonesian Open Super Series final by defeating Lin Wang. Saina Nehwal vs Lin Wang shuttle final match took place at Jakarta, Indonesia.The finals was held on June 21 2009, Sunday.

Saina has been unbeatable in India . She won two titles last year including the girls' singles of the World Junior Championships in Pune, and this makes her a strong contender for the world title.

Saina Nehwal is 19 years old and she is creating a big waves in the Badminton area.India's badminton authorities are very happy by this victory and they announced a prize amount of rupees 200,000 lakhs as reward for her.Padukone had a word of praise for Saina Nehwal.The laurels and accolades should not drive her away from her focus and hard work.

DJARUM INDONESIA OPEN - Official launch in Planet Hollywood

2009-06-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

The Djarum Indonesia Open Super Series organizers held a press conference at Planet Hollywood Kartika Candra Jakarta on June 9, 2009. The press conference, which started at 1:30PM was attended by the head of PBSI (Badminton Federation of Indonesia) Djoko Santoso, committee head Mimi Irawan, by Yan Haryadi, representative of the title sponsor, and by media partners from trans 7 as well as by a BWF representative and some players.

By Ira Ratnati, Badzine correspondent, live in Jakarta.

The US$250,000 tournament will kick off on June 16 and run until June 21 at the historical badminton building Istora Senayan Jakarta. Shuttlers from 27 countries will battle to prove their worth. Last year, this Super Series tournament was not as exciting because of some shuttlers had chosen to take some time off before the Beijing Olympics, but this year the top shuttlers have confirmed their attendance. Lin Dan, Peter Gade, Wang Yihan, Xie Xingfang, Cai Yun / Fu Haifeng, Wong Pei Tty / Chin Eei Hui are some of the names that will show up at the tournament. Indonesia, as the host of the event, will come to the tournament at full throttle, with shuttlers from both the junior and senior ranks, including Taufik Hidayat, who skipped the recent Aviva Singapore Open.

Four shuttlers from Pelatnas (national training center) attended the press release and said that they would show their best at their first Super Series event no matter who their opponents are.

“I will try to do my best, and show the world what can I do on the court,” said Richie Dili Puspita,who plays mixed doubles with her partner Tantowi Ahmad. Tommy Sugiarto and Linda Weni Fanetri expressed simliar intentions. Christian Hadinata and Lius Pongoh, who came as the representatives of the PBSI, said that during this tournament, Indonesia will try to come back to the top after their failure at the Sudirman Cup last month.

The photographers' positions during the event was one of the issues raised during this press conference, because of the history at last year event where the committee and the photographers had some miscommunication about the photographers' area.

MECHANICS - ROBOT CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION

2009-06-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

Robot Part Mounting
Design Wheels DC Motors Servos	Batteries Electronics Sensors RC Chassis

This robot tutorial should help you with the mechanical aspect of building your very first robot. You should have already read my build your first robot tutorial before moving on to this tutorial.

Design
When I first started building my first robot, someone much more experienced than me once said paraphrased, "if you build a mechanically crappy robot with expert programming and control, you will only get a crappy robot; build a mechanically professional robot with crappy programming and control, you will still get a well built robot." Its very good advice which I still use today.

Planning. Would you say someone who plans his future will have a better future? YES! I cannot emphasize any more for you to design your robot out on paper (or computer) first. This means plan out everything, such as what material to build your robot out of<, where to put every screw, how you will attach your sensors - EVERYTHING. You will save money and time, and will have a better constructed robot too. To do this, you should draw all your parts out to dimension, mark your holes, and understand how all your parts connect.

Use fewer and simpler parts! You will probably quickly realize that the fewer parts your robot has, and the simpler they are, the less you will have to design, make, and pay for. As you design your parts, always consider how you will actually manufacture these parts. Don't use unneccessary or over complicated features, or designs you do not have the tools to make or are really hard to make. Fewer and simpler parts also mean a smaller chance for mistakes in your design. K.I.S.S.

Use off-the-shelf parts. When you purchase a part, it costs money. However there is a good chance that the off-the-shelf part is better than anything you can design and build yourself. Off-the-shelf parts are already well engineered, designed, and tested. This means there is less likely to go wrong on your robot, and less time and effort you need to spend to finish it. How much is your time worth? No point in spending 20 hours making a ghetto circuit when you could buy a high quality one for just $20. Ask yourself if the price of a part is greater or less than your willingness and ability to make the part yourself.

Do not use more than 2 or 3 different screw types. There was a robot I once had to work on that another engineer built. He used a different screw type for every part! I had to use like 10 different unlabeled hex wrenches and 2 different screwdrivers to assembly/dissasemble it. Even worse, he had to purchase 10+ different boxes of screws! If you can make your entire robot out of only the very common 4-40 screws, you are on the right track.

Frame
The frame of your robot is the basic structure to which you attach everything else. It is probably the largest part of your robot, so make sure it is made of a light weight rigid material such as aluminum or HDPE. I recommend reading those tutorials as well.

Materials
If you are like how I was my first 3 years of building robots, you are probably super cheap and incredibly poor. Robot parts are expensive. Don't even pretend you can make a robot out of parts just lying around your house. Check out my tutorial on funding your robot. To summarize, expect to spend about $10-$50 per robot motor, about $20 on frame material, wheels about $8, and about $10 on miscellaneous nuts and bolts. You can try to search garbage bins and other old stuff for this, but you may or not be lucky. You might be able to find a few reasonable good motors, but it might be much harder to find two of the same motors. Just don't build a crappy robot because cereal box cardboard is the only material you can find!

Mounting
When a beginner asks 'how do I attach my robot part?' what they are really asking is 'what is the best way to mount this part?'. Every part on a robot has a different method of mounting. This is due to obvious constraints such as placement, weight, size, function, etc. So I will go over each of the parts you may want to mount and tell you one or two of the best ways to do this.

Wheel Basics
Wheel diameter. When buying (or making) your wheels you want to put your motor into consideration. For a start, there is torque and velocity. Large diameter wheels give your robot low torque but high velocity. So if you already have a very strong motor, then you can use wheels with larger diameters. Servo's already have good torque, so you should use larger diameter wheels. But if your motor is weak (such as if it does not have any gearing), you want to use a much smaller diameter wheel. This will make your robot slower, but at least it has enough torque to go up a hill! Another dumb mistake someone can make is buying a wheel that has a diameter close to or less than the motor diameter. For example, if you have a 1" diameter motor, and a 1.5" diameter wheel, you have a .25" ground clearance ( (1.5"-1")/2=.25" ). How high is the tallest object you want to go over?

Wheel texture. The texture of your wheel is very terrain dependent. A common mistake for beginners is to ignore the texture of the wheel. If your wheel is too smooth then it will not have much friction. This is a serious issue with omni-wheels. An all plastic omni-wheel works poorly compared to an omni-wheel that uses rubber for the side wheels. Overly smooth robot wheels would likely skid while accelerating and braking. However a wheel that is really rough, such as a foam wheel, has higher friction with the ground leading to innefficiency. You also need to consider wear and tear on the wheel.

Wheel width. You do not want it too wide as it causes increased resistance to rotating the wheel on a surface. I once used a 1" foam wheel on a concrete surface and it was very poor at rotating.

Wheel center hole diameter. This is where you would actually mount the output motor shaft to your motor. So you must know the length and diameter of your motor output shaft so that you may put this shaft into the hole of your motor.

Mounting Your Robot Wheel Techniques
Jamming. Lets start with a basic wheel attached to a basic motor. If the wheel does not have a center hole, just drill one out slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft of your motor. Make sure the hole is perfectly centered!!!! Then you can fill the hole with a little superglue, and finally press fit (jam, if you will) the motor shaft into the wheel. Perhaps use a little more superglue around the edges.

Servo Wheel Mounting. Mounting a wheel onto a servo is fairly easy, and only requires a little drilling. When you purchase a servo, you also get a bunch of other little goodies with it. One of the items is called a servo horn. This is usually a black/red circular, X shaped, or I shaped plastic piece that attaches to the output shaft of the servo. So what you do is attach the wheel to this servo horn, then just screw the servo horn as designed into the servo. In the images below, I drilled two holes into my wheel, 2 holes into the servo horn (the red X thing), and screwed 2 screws into it to hold them together. Then I just attached the servo horn to my servo output shaft with a 3rd screw.

This servo wheel mounting method, with slight modification, can work for other motors too. Just make your own custom 'servo horn' with a custom hole designed to fit your motor output shaft.

Purchasing Wheels
The best robot wheels are actually hobby RC aircraft wheels. Strange, huh? Anyway, there is a huge variety of them online for you to choose from. Just go to any RC hobby website. For example, I have bought several wheels from this online RC hobby store.

Motors
There are huge varieties in motors. But for your robot I will assume you are using a basic DC motor. Make sure you get a motor which already has a gear box attached, as it makes your robot much better controlled, more efficient, and stronger. Designing your own gearing and/or chain systems can and will cause you headaches. My first attempt at it was a miserable failure . . . I recommend against trying it.

Motor Mounting
To mount any type of motor to your chassis you will need to use an L shaped bracket. For a DC motor, all you need to do is take a sheet of aluminum, drill two holes in two of the corners, drill two more holes on the other half to match the motor screw holes, then bend the entire piece in a 90 degree angle. This particular image I had found a U shaped piece of aluminum in some bin, I cut it to size, and just drilled the appropriate holes to attach it to my white HDPE chassis.

Servo Mounting
To mount your servo to your chassis, once again you will use the little baggie of goodies that came with the servo. You should have two black cube looking things with holes in it. There will be three holes in front and a single hole on the bottom. Your servo should also have four mounting holes, two on each side. Using screws, attach the front of the black things to each side of the servo. As shown in the image below, then attach your robot base with two more screws to the bottom hole of the black thingies. This particular robot used a thin reinforced sheet of aluminum as the base with two drilled holes for the mounting screws.

And the completed mounted servo and wheel configuration . . .

Mounting Robot Batteries
Mounting your batteries is very simple. As long as you are using an RC battery pack (such as NiCad or NiMH, you can simply mount your batteries to your robot using strips of velcro. This is the velcro that has a sticky tape side and a velcro side. The advantage to this mounting method is that you can easily swap out your batteries for freshly charged ones - great if you are in a robot competition. You can also group multiple batteries together using zip ties. This is an example of a velcro strip taped to a NiCad battery pack:

Electronics
Mounting your electronics to your robot can potentially be tricky. If you're lucky, your microcontroller has holes for screws or something other method of mounting. For this Cerebellum microcontroller (pictured below) I drilled holes into my HDPE robot base, then screwed short metal spacers into the HDPE. Then all I had to do is put my screws through the Cerebellum screw holes and screw them into the spacers.

Things to keep in mind when mounting your electronics . . . Keep your electronics high up on your robot. It probably weighs little, so you want the heavier items using the space closer to the ground. You want to keep it out of splashing dirt too. Also keep in mind you probably want certain sensors and other sensitive electronics to stay away from your motors as electronic noise could cause interference. Lastly, plan out your wiring on your chassis - have routing holes drilled through your chassis beforehand, for example.

Mounting Sensors
Mounting sensors is very much a case-by-case basis. What makes mounting sensors difficult is that you are very limited on where you can place them onto your robot. They must be away from noisy motors, and probably at the front/sides of your robot. You must also keep them protected so that collisions and dirt wont damage your sensors too. If your robot is a line follower, you have to keep your sensors at an exact distance from the ground or risk bad data - even when the ground is uneven! If you are lucky, your sensor has screw holes in just the right place at just the right angle. But in my experience this is very unlikely. Unfortunately I have not yet mastered the art of mounting sensors (because of the huge variety of them), but I can go over a few tricks. So you must get creative, build a mount, use a little glue . . . you get the picture.

Here (click to enlarge) you see a homemade aluminum mount for a sonar transducer and another mount on a servo for two Sharp IR Rangefinders. The sonar mount is aluminum bent at 90 degrees with a few screw holes drilled into it, and plastic spacers to prevent any shorting of the circuit board with the aluminum. The IR Rangefinder mount is aluminum with double sided sticky tape holding the sensors onto the aluminum plate.

Hacking RC Car Frames (the cheating method)
Hacking a toy remote controlled car or tank is a great way to get a professionally built robot chassis with much less work. In this image (click to enlarge) I took a $10 car, hacked the motor wires, and attached all my electronics to it. When buying an RC vehicle, understand that you want a high quality motor so I suggest to avoid the cheap $10 toys. Get something nice if you are going to spend any money on your robot. Notice that you do not need a wireless car! Make sure that the car you will purchase uses a servo for it's rack-and-pinion steering, or you will have to place in your own. I placed my own servo into this cars' steering mechanism so it's definitely possible, but it took time/effort and wasn't perfect. The servo is the easiest way to do any steering system because it has position control.

Robot Tank Treads
I have never actually built tank treads onto a robot before - mostly because I have been told, and I fully understand, how difficult this task can be. The best way to get treads for your robot is to get a motorized toy tank and hack it into a robot like you would for any RC car. In this robot I ripped off the top part of the tank, drilled screw holes into the plastic, and screwed on a flat sheet of HDPE. From there you can mount whatever you want onto the HDPE - electronics, sensor setups, etc. I also ripped out the guts and used the empty space inside to store my happy little NiMH battery. I built this robot in less than 5 hours (minus programming and testing). It's that easy!

5 Langkah Mengganti Logo Google dengan Nama Anda

2009-06-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

Siapa yang tak kenal dengan Google, mesin cari populer dengan latar halaman bernuansa putih sederhana plus logo â€œGoogleâ€ di atas kotak mesin carinya.

Jika Anda bosan dengan tampilan logo tersebut, Anda bisa membuat halaman seperti Google dengan nama Anda. Caranya sangat mudah. Cukup klik-klik saja logo dan style yang diinginkan, dalam sekejap Anda akan bisa memiliki halaman mesin cari seperti Google dengan nama Anda. Simak langkahnya:

1. Buka situs http://www.funnylogo.info/create.asp
2. Masukan nama yang Anda inginkan pada situs tersebut.
3. Tentukan style tulisan yang diinginkan, misal: Google Style.
4. Klik â€œCreate My Search Engineâ€.
5. Setelah itu akan muncul tampilan â€œSitus Googleâ dengan logo yang kita inginkan.

Untuk membuat tampilan tersebut menjadi halaman default ketika Anda membuka browser, copy alamat yang tertera pada Address.

Untuk Browser Internet Explorer (IE):
1. Klik menu Tools - Internet Options
2. Pilih tab General, lalu ubah field Home Page dengan alamat tersebut.

Untuk Browser Mozila:
1. Klik menu Tools - Options
2. Pilih tab Main, lalu ubah field Home Page dengan alamat tersebut.
3. Pada field When Firefox starts, pilih settingan Show my home page, lalu klik OK.

Setelah semua langkah dilakukan, Anda bisa mencoba membuka browser dan melihat hasilnya

ROBOT SENSOR INTERPRETATION

2009-06-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

Robot Sensor Interpretation
Most roboticists understand faily well how sensors work. They understand that most sensors give continuous readings over a particular range. Most usually understand the physics behind them as well, such as speed of sound for sonar or sun interference for IR. Yet most do not understand how to interpret sensor data into a mathematical form readable by computers. Roboticists would just make case based situations for their sensors, such as 'IF low reading, DO turn right' and 'IF high reading, DO turn left.' That is perfectly ok to use . . . unless you want fine angle control. The other problem with case based programming is if your sensor reading bounces between two cases, your robot will spass out like crazy (oscillate). Most amazingly, to do fine angle control is actually almost just as simple.

There are only 3 steps you need to follow:

Gather Sensor Data (data logging)
Graph Sensor Data
Generate Line Equation

The first step is incredibly simple, just somewhat time consuming. Graphing just takes minutes. And generating the line equation is usually just a few clicks of your mouse.

Gather Sensor Data
This is fairly straight forward. Do something with your sensor, and record it's output using Excel. If you have a range sensor (such as sonar or Sharp IR), record the distance of the object in front of it and the range data output. If you have a photoresistor, record the amount of light (probably arbitrarily . . . # of candles maybe?) and the sensor data from it. If you have a force sensor, apply weight to it, record the weight, and yes, the data. This is very simple and probably brain deadening easy, but there are a few things you will have to watch out for.

First is non-continuity. Some sensors (such as sonar and Sharp IR) do not work properly at very close range. Stupid physics, I know.

The next is non-linearity. For example, your sensor readings may be 10, 20, and 30. But the distance might be 12cm, 50cm, and 1000cm. You will have to watch for these curves. Usually however they occur only near the minimum and maximum values a sensor can read.

Then there is sensor noise. Five readings in the same exact situation could give you five near yet different values. Verify the amount of sensor noise you have, as some sensors can have it fairly bad. The way to get rid of noise is get a bunch of readings, then only keep the average. Make sure you test for noise in the actual environment your robot will be in. Obvious, but some desktop robot builders forget.

The last issue you will have is the number of data points to record. For perfectly linear sensors you only need to record the two extremes, and draw a line between them. However since this is almost always not the case, you should record more. You should always record more points the more non-linear your sensor is. If your sensor is non-linear only at certain cases, record extra points just in those cases of concern. And obviously, the more points you have recorded, the more accurate you can get your sensor representation. However do you really need 10,000 points for a photoresistor? Its a balance.

Graph Sensor Data
Ok now that you have all your data recorded in two columns in Excel, now you need to graph it. But this is simple.

1) First scroll with your mouse and highlight the cells with data in the first column.
2) Then hold Ctrl and scroll the cells in the other column of data. You should now have two columns seperately highlighted.
3) Next click the graph button in the top menu.
4) A window should open up. Select XY (Scatter). Then in Chart sub-type select the middle left option. Its the one with curvy lines with dots in them. Click next.
5) If you want to compare multiple robot sensors, use the Series tab. Otherwise just use the Data Range tab. Make sure the 'Series in: Columns' is selected. Click next.
6) Pick the options you want, label your chart, etc. Click next and finish. A chart should now appear.
7) Still confused? Download my excel sensor graph examples.

There are some possible graphs you may see with your sensors:

This above graph is of a linear sensor. There is a straight line, so a simple 10th grade y=x*c+d equation can predict distance given a data value.

This above graph is non-continuous and non-linear. You will see crazy stuff happen at the beginning and end of the graph. This is because the sensor cannot read at very close distances or very far distances. But it is simpler than it looks. Crop off the crazy stuff, and you will get a very simple non-linear x=y^2 line. You basically need to make sure that your sensors do not encounter those situations, as a program would not be able to distinguish them from a normal situation.

Although this above graph looks simple, it can be a little tricky. You actually have two different lines with two different equations. The first half is an x=y^2 equation and the second half is a linear equation. You must do a case based program to determine which equation to use for interpreting data. Or if you do not care about accuracy too much, you can approximate both cases as a single linear equation.

Generate Line Equation
After determining what kind of graph you have, now all you need to do is use the excel trendline ability. Basically this will convert any line into a simple equation for you.

1) If there is no non-continuities (kinks in the graph), right click the line in the graph, and click 'Add Trendline..." If you do have a non-continuity, seperate the non-continuous lines and make two graphs. That way each can be interpreted individually. If you do not care about error, or the error will be small, one graph is fine.
2) Now select the Trend/Regression type. Just remember, although more complex equations can reduce error, it increases computation time. And microcontroller usually can only handle linear and exponential equations. Click OK and see how well the lines fit.
3) Now click the new trendline and click 'Format Trendline.' A new window should appear.
4) Go to the Options tab and check the box that says 'Display equation on chart.' Click OK.
5) There you have it, your equation that you can use on your robot! Given any x data value, your equation will pump out the exact distance or light amount or force or whatever.

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

Life and career

1958–75: Early life and The Jackson 5

1975–81: Move to Epic and Off the Wall

1982–85: Thriller, Motown 25, We Are the World and business career

1986–90: Tabloids, appearance, Bad, autobiography and films

1991–93: Dangerous and Super Bowl XXVII

1993–94: Sexual abuse accusations and first marriage

1995–99: HIStory, second marriage and fatherhood

2000–02: Label dispute, Invincible and third child

2003–07: Documentary, trial and business ventures

2008–09: Milestones, real estate, planned return to live performance

2009: Death

Musical style and performance

Themes and genres

Vocal style

Music videos and choreography

Legacy and influence

Discography

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