2009 » May - News Items Today

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News Items Today

Archive for May, 2009

May 31 2009

Whales and Their Calves Washed Ashore on South African beach

Published by christianna under News Edit This

- 55 Whales and Their Calves Washed Ashore on South African beach -

People on Kommetjie Beach, South Africa, witnessed a heartbreaking and extraordinary sight.

Around 55 Pilot whales and their calves lay dying, stranded on the beach as high waves crashed to the shore stopping rescuers attempts at returning them to the sea.

A host of volunteers and marine scientists went to the whale’s aid as the heavy creatures were washed ashore in the bad weather.

The incident occurred at 1:30 am yesterday when the beach became littered with the whales and their calves.

This is the first mass beaching that this beach has experienced and experts are at a loss as to why so many whales have become beached here.

Volunteers were trying to keep the mammals wet in order to keep them alive, but many were dying where they lay.

The giant waves were washing the poor creatures ashore and at the same time stopping the rescue team from retuning them to the ocean.

Earth-moving equipment was being used to front load the whales and transport them to the sea but it was an arduous effort with the impossible state of the ocean.

Sadly, abound a dozen of the whales later died from stress and exhaustion, while the remaing 40 were shot by the authorities.

‘The carcasses are now being cleared and people on the beach have been warned to be on their guard because sharks may be looking for the whale carcasses.

The waters off Cape Town are teeming with Great White sharks, and shark activity usually increases when whales die’.

Whale-watching is very popular along the coast of South Africa, with tourists finding a good vantage point to spend many an hour watching these wonderful creatures in their habitat. -

May 30 2009

Russian Roulette Murder - Wall of Sound Phil Spector Sentenced to 19 years for the Murder of Hollywood Actress

Published by christianna under News Edit This

Russian Roulette Murder - Wall of Sound Phil Spector Sentenced to 19 years for the Murder of Hollywood Actress

Russian Roulette Murder - Wall of Sound music producer Phil Spector, 69, gets a 19 year Sentence for the second degree murder of Lana Clarkson, a 40 year old B movie, Hollywood actress.

At this re-trial, the jury heard how Clarkson died. The key witness, Spector’s chauffeur, gave his evidence of how Phil Spector stumbled out onto the steps of his home, gun in hand, saying “I think I killed somebody.”

The testimony from five women who said that Spector had threatened them with guns when they tried to leave his prescence, backed up just how dangerous and obsessed with guns and the power they held over people, that Spector was.

Lana Clarkson, who was unaware of Spector’s fame when she met him that night was later shot through the mouth, after being invited back to Spectors Alhambra castle in the hills in 2003.

At the culmination of this 6 year case, Spector was asked if he had anything to say. He quietly declined and was ushered out of the court, surrounded by court officers, as he shuffled out of a side door.

Phil Spector sat in silence, showing no emotion as the 19 year sentence was passed upon him. This means that Spector could very well see out the end of his days in jail.

Spector’s son, Louis said: “I’m torn about this,” - “I’m losing my father who is going to spend his life in jail. At the same time, justice is served.”

Weinberg said. “He will be a very high-profile inmate and there’s a question of how others will treat him.”

Phil Spector is now a frail and mentally unstable 69 year old that may not be able to handle the pressure of prison life.

If he makes it, he will be 88 years old when he may be eligible for parole. What a sad end to the story of this fallen and disgraced music genius. –

- Previously -

Phil Spector has been found guilty of the 2nd degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson. A shadow of his former self, Spector, 69, appeared frail and unstable, his hands shaking as he sat in the courtroom to await the verdict.

After the verdict was read out, one of the witnesses said: “It was a painful decision” - Phil Spector’s lawyer, Doron Weinberg, said: “Justice was not done today”.

This was the re-trial of the murder of Lana Clarkson. Legendary music producer Phil Spector (Harvey Philip) had been brought back to answer this charge once again.

The first trial concluded in a mis-trial, though the evidence looked pretty solid against Spector with many incriminating testimonies. His first jury deadlocked 10-2 for conviction.

‘Spector, 69, was accused of shooting dead Lana Clarkson, 40, in the early hours of February 3, 2003, after meeting her for the first time that night after visiting the Hollywood nightclub where she worked.

He then invited her back to his mansion for a drink’. Where later, the B movie actress was found with a single, fatal gunshot wound to the mouth.

Spector, famous for his ‘Wall of Sound’ recording technique, which was a “dense, layered effect that reproduced well on AM radio and jukeboxes.

To attain this signature sound, Spector gathered large groups of musicians (playing some instruments not generally used for ensemble playing, such as electric and acoustic guitars) playing orchestrated parts —often doubling and tripling many instruments playing in unison — for a fuller sound.

Spector himself called his technique “a Wagnerian approach to rock & roll: little symphonies for the kids”.

The original trial in 2007 saw Spector up on a charge of murder in the second degree for the killing of Lana Clarkson at his hilltop home in 2003.

Spector told the court that Ms Clarkson, best known for her role in Roger Corman’s 1985 cult hit Barbarian Queen, was depressed and shot herself, maybe by accident.

During the 5 month trial there was a mountain of evidence produced and over 70 witness statements to get through.

Spector’s driver after hearing a gunshot saw him emerge from his back door with blood on his hands and he said: “I think I killed somebody.” The driver said “He had a lady on the floor and a gun in his hand”.

Jurors also heard from five women who claimed Spector had threatened them with guns, usually after a heavy bout of drinking.

‘Phil Spector’s history of violence against women was like a game of Russian roulette that ended with the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his hilltop mansion’.

Now at the culmination of the March re-trial, at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles, the jury have now retired to consider their verdict.

Deputy District Attorney Truc Do has urged jurors to find Spector guilty of second-degree murder and not the lesser possibility of involuntary manslaughter.

Spector had a fascination with guns. During recording sessions which weren’t going the way he wanted, he drew guns on both The Ramones and John Lennon it is reputed. Canadian Poet and singer Leonard Cohen also said the producer held a gun to his chest.

In incidents which happened between 1975 and 1995 several women have stated that Spector confronted them with guns when they tried to leave his presence.

Over the years Spector has become more and more eccentric, with a reclusive temperament and obsessive behavioural tendencies.

Deputy District Attorney Truc Do referred in her closing argument to Spector as becoming “a demonic maniac” when he drank and “a very dangerous man” around women.

‘His increasingly erratic behaviour made it difficult for the producer to settle into projects, notably steering disastrous albums featuring John Lennon and later, punk legends The Ramones’.

“This case is about a man who has had a history of playing Russian roulette with the lives of women,” she said. “Five women got the empty chamber. Lana got the sixth bullet.”

Prosecutor Truc Do said that Spector has a tendency to “grab a gun” when angered, and that he has a “conscious disregard for human life”

“When he’s ignited, he always does the same thing — he grabs a gun” - “In every single one of these incidents, Mr. Spector demonstrates conscious disregard for human life…Her death was a death waiting to happen in his world.”

If convicted of second-degree murder Spector could incur a 15 years to life prison sentence for the murder of Lana Clarkson. If convicted of involuntary manslaughter he will get two to four years behind bars.

Spector has been released on $1 million bail ever since his original arrest back in 2003. He will be now looking at a long stretch in jail. -

‘Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s’ girl group sound and clocked in over twenty-five Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1965. In later years he worked with such artists as Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ramones with similar success, including production work on the Academy Award winning Let It Be and Grammy Award winning Concert for Bangladesh soundtracks.

In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”, produced and co-written by Spector for the The Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. air play in the 20th century’. Wikepedia

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One response so far

May 27 2009

Mike Tyson’s Daughter Exodus Dies in Horrific Accident with Treadmill

Published by christianna under News Edit This

Mike Tyson’s Daughter Dies in Horrific Accident with Treadmill

A tragic, freak accident lead to Mike Tyson’s daughter Exodus, 4, losing her life early yesterday.

The tragedy occurred when Exodus got her neck caught in a loop hanging from the family treadmill. Reportedly, she was on her own in the room at the time of the accident.

Exodus was found by her brother, aged 7, at 10.30 am local time, when he entered the room at their Phoenix home.

She was tangled up by the neck from a looped cord which was dangling from the treadmill.

“Somehow she was playing on this treadmill, and there’s a cord that hangs under the console — it’s kind of a loop,” police Sgt. Andy Hill said.

“Either she slipped or put her head in the loop, but it acted like a noose and she was obviously unable to get herself off of it.”

Mike Tyson was in Las Vegas at the time of the accident but boarded a plane home as soon as he learned of the news.

Her mother removed Exodus from out of the cable. She immediately called 911 and then franticly tried to revive her.

CPR was carried out by officers and firefighters on arrival at the scene and she was then rushed to nearby St. Joe’s Hospital.

Exodus Tyson was taken off life support on Tuesday at 11.45 a.m, and pronounced dead, one day after the freak accident.

This latest tragedy in the Tyson household has been a major and heartbreaking blow to the whole family.

“There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Exodus,” the family said in a statement. “We ask you now to please respect our need at this very difficult time for privacy to grieve and try to help each other heal.” -

“Approximately 8700 injuries from home exercise equipment occur annually in children in the United States alone.

Home treadmills, which have been growing steadily in popularity during the past decade, pose a specific hazard to infants and children aged 5 years or younger”.

http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/104/9/372

ALWAYS Keep your child away from treadmills and other exercise equipment when in use and when not.

• When your treadmill or other equipment is not being used, be sure to unplug it and lock it up. Consumer Reports advises that, if you cannot lock it up, surround the machine with a child safety gate.

• Do not allow a child to be around equipment unsupervised at any time.

• Remove the safety clip, the emergency pull that clips to the user’s clothing and automatically shuts off the machine in case of a fall, when the machine is not in use.

• Consider purchasing or adding safety locks to your home exercise equipment.

Consumer Reports notes that many treadmills and other machines will not start without the safety clip in place, so removing it also prevents a child from starting equipment without adult supervision.

http://homesafetycouncil.org/SafetyGuide/sg_window_w001.asp

“Mike Tyson first began boxing in a facility for juvenile delinquents in upstate New York at the age of 12. Eight years later, he became the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in 1986.

As his career continued, so did his bizarre behaviour. He bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a boxing match and once threatened to eat the children of heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

But in 1990, he was defeated by James “Buster” Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, and soon after was convicted of raping a beauty pageant contestant in Indianapolis. He was found guilty and served three years in prison”. -

One response so far

May 20 2009

The Reborn Living Doll – Fake Babies Cute or Creepy?

Published by christianna under News Edit This

The Reborn Living Doll – Cute or Creepy?

The Reborn Doll is a very strange concept and extremely hard to categorise. They are not considered dolls but instead are referred to as ‘living dolls’, or ‘fake babies’, and these ‘babies’ are now taking up residence in the homes of fully grown women who feel the need to fill a void in their lives. So the Reborn becomes a replacement, or a ‘living memory’ for the bereaved and the bereft mother.

Woman who are not child bearing, grandmothers who miss their grandchildren, or mothers who have sadly lost a child, are purchasing these strange and very life like babies to mimic the real thing. They look upon the Reborn doll a as real baby, and they take these ‘Living Dolls’ out in buggies and prams for the world to see.-

The frighteningly lifelike Reborn rears its ugly head, or should I say perfect one…Popular in the USA since the 1990’s, and now unfortunately surfacing on a big scale here in the UK and in Australia.

Reborn babies bear a striking resemblance to a real baby, and this is where the problem lies. British Department store, Harrods have refused to stock them because of this very reason. A Reborn is not a doll as such; instead they are very realistic looking and lifelike ‘Living Dolls’. Their owners and the makers insist we refer to them as babies, and get quite offended if we were to call them dolls. So babies it is! - and very scary they are too!

The reborns are made with a huge amount of loving care. Their human hair is attached strand by strand, much like a hair transplant, and the Reborns are quite often made to order to look like a particular given child. People will bring in photos of a baby, and the creator will make an exact replica. These babies are not aimed at children but more at the adult market.

One particular customer who cannot have children, orders these babies on a regular basis to add to her already overflowing nursery, and to satisfy her mothering instinct. The parents of these babies spend a fortune on their outfits, probably far more than they would on a baby of their own, and they parade them around town in their prams as if it were a perfectly natural thing to do.

These woman are not mad, or delusional, they are just completely accepting that this just might be the closest that they can ever get to owning a baby of their own. So it seems perfectly right that they should display their Reborn doll for all to admire. They are not at all embarrassed at the fact that these baby dolls are not actually flesh and blood, and the mothers become very attached to them when first getting them.

The mothers spend a lot of time on the bonding process, till they come to love them. They invent in their own minds, qualities that they think the babies would possess and character traits they think that they can see in the Reborns, until they have the full picture, and then their love is duly cemented, and the mother and baby bond is well and truly created.

One woman had flown to New York to take delivery of her Reborn, and after three days of bonding in a hotel room, she noticed a mark on the back of the Reborn’s neck, and said, “She will have to go back to be repaired”. This woman had flown all the way out to America, and now she was absolutely desolate that she had to return home without her new ‘ baby’.

What really worries me is that if the Reborn has gone to a mother who has lost a child, how will this affect the natural grieving process? Surely the Reborn made in the image of a lost child, has got to have a very serious and lasting impact upon the mother, and quite possibly some very harmful and insidious repercussions somewhere along the line.

I question whether the supply of these reborn is fully thought through though. I know all too well that ultimately this is of course, a business venture. But what they are appealing to here, in the main, is the loneliness and hopelessness of a barren woman. In one instance a grandmother had purchased one after searching online for sites to gain information on the Reborn. She missed her granddaughter terribly after her daughter had emigrated abroad taking the child with them.

The grandmother had looked after the child for a number of years whilst her daughter was ill and she was obviously traumatised when the child was taken back. So now the grandmother pushes in her coach built pram, the exact Reborn replica of her granddaughter as a baby which was copied from the photograph she supplied. As she coos and smiles at her Reborn, whilst pushing the pram through the town, the reaction from her friends and neighbours is a head shaking response, as they don’t quite know what to make of it all.

The thing about these Reborn is that they look exactly like a real baby, right down to the very last detail. They even make them as ‘breathers’, as they are known in this trade. A fully breathing baby, whose chest rises and falls, with a tiny detectable heartbeat.

To watch these woman crying when they first take charge of their reborn is heartbreaking really, and no matter how much it might look like the photograph of their stillborn, dead, alive baby or grandchild, what effect emotionally must this experience be, of caring and loving for what is ultimately a doll, leaving these poor bereft mothers questioning their own motives in the end.

Reactions vary from people when coming across a mother pushing a reborn in its pram. Some people snigger and point, others are totally accepting; and can see the appeal in owning a baby that does not cry, need a bottle, or have to have it’s nappy changed. One mother goes as far as keeping a bottle in the pram for feeding time and the formula is made up from clothes conditioner as it is the right colour and does not go stale.

There are cheap and tacky inexpensive Reborns out there and I don’t worry about them. It is the quality Reborns which look exactly like a real baby that concern me. Now whether the makers of the Reborns were aware of this niche gap in the market, or whether they have actually produced these for children is debatable.

What I do know is that these Reborns are being targeted at and marketed to a very real and vulnerable audience. With an asking price of £250, and up to as much as £1,700, it’s not exactly going to end up in a child’s Christmas stocking.

I wonder what the reborn is appealing to on a very base level, and also is it morally right. Also I wonder what effect this new arrival has on the rest of the family. The time involvement seems considerable, as these babies are treated as the real thing. With wash times, clothes changing, holding and loving. - Harmless? - I’m not so sure. Because one day it is going to hit these traumatised mothers that ‘nothing’ can replace the real thing. And in these moments of realisation it has the capacity to possibly break their hearts.-

Yes, there will always be collectors of dolls, but the majority of these babies are not going to this sort of home. They are going to grown up women who will treat them as a real baby where these dolls will become a huge part of their lives.

Emotionally, looking to the future, what consolation and sense of attachment can a man made doll bring to a mother who has lost her child or one who is desperate to have a baby of her own? Some owners have even experienced overwhelming feelings of disgust wash over them unexpectedly after owning these dolls for a while. I find this really worrying.

The Reborns are weighted to any level. You can have one with a floppy head, like a newborn. A light weight Reborn or a heavy one, It all depends on your preference. The hair can be straight or curly, or none at all. Basically, these Reborns are built to your specifications. They can have a baby rash or birthmark, and the grandmother who had one built in her granddaughters image, wanted a face rash, just like her granddaughter had. Some even contain voice boxes with the actual voice of a lost child.

These dolls are available as ’sleepers’ ‘eyes open’, ’smilers’ and the really scary ones, ‘breathers’, and they come with a very strange trademark; a nappy over their heads! “British department store Harrods - whose motto is “Everything for Everybody Everywhere” - describes them as “a bit too life-like” to stock”. Reborns have been going in USA since the 1990’s.

On the site that I visited were the words: “Becoming a new mommy is a very exciting experience, but that sweet bundle of joy grows up all too fast. Our babies let you hold onto that precious time forever”.

So what do you think? … Cute or Creepy?

Christianna Garrett-Martin

- YouTube of Reborn Dolls -

- Starlight Babies 2007 -

6 responses so far

May 19 2009

Rapper Shot Dead – Dolla Gunned Down in Los Angeles Mall

Published by christianna under News Edit This

- Rapper Shot Dead – Dolla Gunned Down in Los Angeles Mall -

- Up and coming, Iconic rapper Dolla, 21, has been shot dead -

Dolla, full name, Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down by a shot to the head in the valet area of the Westside Mall of the Bereverly Center, at around 3:10 pm (2200 GMT).

He and rapper, D.J. Shabbazz were both at the entrance of the Los Angeles shopping mall at the time of the shooting, which is a popular tourist attraction for visitors of the City.

The Atlanta-based musician was taken to the Cedars Sinai Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Apparently, rapper, Dolla, from Chicago, Illinois, was involved in a fight with another passenger on a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Monday.

It is not known at this point if the altercation on the plane was connected to the fatal shooting at the Beverly Center.

LAPD officer Karen Rayner said they have detained ‘a person of interest’ at Los Angeles International Airport who is being questioned by the LAPD

He was apprehended at the airport ticketing desk of Los Angeles Airport. At the time of the arrest, Police officers stated that he was found to be armed.

Dolla was first discovered when he was 12 years old whilst he was performing with friends in Atlanta. The multiplatinum Akon spotted his talent and took him under his wing.

“The two collaborated on Dolla’s first single, “Who the F— Is That?” which also featured another high-profile singer, T-Pain”.

“Another Dolla song, “Feelin’ Myself,” appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie “Step Up.”

“Chicago-born Dolla, whose father committed suicide when he was 5, had signed a deal with rap star Akon’s Konvict Muzik, recording singles including “I’m Tore Up” and “Feelin Myself”.

The funeral service for Dolla, Roderick Anthony Burton II, will be held in Atlanta, his publicist Sue Vannasing stated. -

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May 18 2009

Online Cheating - Cyber Cheating

Published by christianna under News Edit This

- ONLINE CHEATING - CYBER CHEATING-

With one of the reasons being cited by Katie Price/Jordan as the blame for her break-up with her husband, Peter Andre after his messaging other women online, it got me to thinking.

Can secret cyber romance on the computer lead to a breaking down of relationships in the sober light of ‘reality’?

And is online indiscretion something to be worried about? - Or is it just harmless fun?

- What is appropriate and what is not appropriate when you are in a relationship? -

Can contact by chatting with members of the opposite sex online be construed as cheating’? After all, a computer is only a machine, not flesh and blood. How can striking up an online relationship be seen as cheating?

Well, as far as I am concerned it can be; and very damaging it can be too, in many ways. Though a grey area, emailing and messaging a member of the opposite sex other than your partner, can be very destructive; a betrayal of trust, a deceit and an abuse of the sanctity of a relationship.

It is not so much the act of messaging that is the problem; it is the secretive nature in which it is carried out. Usually behind your back when you are not present. Rendering the chatting to much more than just harmless by the way it is performed and by the thought process behind the action.

The very fact that a partner feels the need to have regular contact with another member of the opposite sex, other than his partner is entirely inappropriate and can be seen as a form of cheating.

In online relationships I feel it is far worse a betrayal than the physical, because it involves the mind and the emotions. You are becoming emotionally involved with another. You are sharing private conversations and thoughts, moments and feelings; and as time progresses, so does the relationship.

Any regular form of contact is bonding as you get to know more and more about each other, and this can lead to an even greater betrayal.

From the talking, the next step in unfaithfulness is the texting of the person you are becoming closer to. This normally follows prolonged periods of conversation online. It is the next natural step in the online cheating cycle. So you could look upon this courting ritual pretty much the same as cheating offline.

Relationships don’t stay on one level, they progress, and this is the very danger of striking up relationships online. Not a problem if you are single, but a very real and definite problem if you are not. Chatting online can lead to flirting, and that is definitely not acceptable when you are in a close relationship, and flirting can lead to so much more.

Online cheating is insidious. It is not visible yet it can cause irreparable damage in some instances. The betrayal felt is just the same as if there was a physical presence involved, sometimes even greater, as your opponent is not visible, more an object of fantasy, which would be impossible to compete with in the real world.

It can be totally crushing to experience the fact that your partner would rather spend time secretly talking to a faceless person on the Internet rather than spending this precious time with you. It can be demoralising, extremely hurtful, and very damaging to your relationship, to think that they could so easily crush your trust for the sake of an online fling.

You cannot see the emotional attachment, but you can definitely see the evidence of it -

Does your partner become agitated, fidgety and distracted after checking their emails and messages? - Do they go into another room to compose and send a text? - Do they get up in the morning before you, to send an email? - Do they hurriedly send messages or emails when you leave the room, or are having a bath? - Do they quickly close windows or change tabs as you enter the room? - Do they take the computer to another room, closing the door? Is their computer password protected? - Are they guarded and secretive all of a sudden?

All these things could’ be evidence that they are deceiving you, and are in fact involved in an online relationship. Of course it may not, but these pointers do often seem to be common and recurring giveaways in Online cheating case studies.

Now you could always try talking to your partner about the matter; just ask them. But what’s the betting that you won’t get a straight or honest answer.

On the other hand, if you have it out with them, and they admit it, and they say they will never do it again, yet continue to do so. Even though they know how upset it has all made you. I think that then is the grounds for serious dismissal. Once a cheater always cheater so they say. If you are living with, married to, or a fiancée of; think to yourself, surely your partner would not be so stupid as to risk losing you, for the sake of a shallow online affair? - Or would they?

At the end of the day it’s a question of trust in a loving relationship, and if one partner feels the need to cross the boundaries of what is acceptable and decent, then they may just have to face the consequences, as you both become yet another sad statistic of casual Online cheating.

Many a relationship has been destroyed in this way. After all, if you can’t trust your partner…

What is there left to salvage? - And… would you really want to?

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May 16 2009

Michael Jackson Diagnosed With Skin Cancer

Published by christianna under News Edit This

- Michael Jackson Diagnosed With Skin Cancer -

photo: Daily Mail

With his UK ‘This Is It’ concerts coming up at the 02 Arena in July, Michael Jackson, 50, now has to cope with the news that he has skin cancer. –

Cancerous cells have been found on his chest and neck and pre-cancerous spots have been found on his face.

This can be caused by skin bleaching products, which is information that has been backed by the US Federal Drug Administration.

It may also have been caused by his pigmentation skin conditions vitiligo or lupus which means that the skin will not contain melanin which protects it from the sun’s rays.

Obviously this is a great worry to Beat it singer Jackson, but he has vowed to carry on with the plans for his upcoming concerts and all treatments will have to fit around his schedule.

He has been passed fit and well in the pre-concert medical and is in great condition to endure the gruelling round of 2 hour shows ahead.

He is however, underweight and this is raising the question, will he have the energy to endure the marathon of concerts.

These will include show stopping dance routines and some new Jacko moves set to impress his packed to capacity audience.

Jacko is in good hands and has been attending the Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, which specialises in the treatment of skin diseases.

His doctors are convinced he will make a full recovery from this very treatable form of skin cancer.

Jackson suffers regularly with his delicate health and earlier this year he was treated for an MRSA style skin disease which he had contracted.

Donned in surgical mask and cap, Jacko is looking stranger than ever as he makes his trips to and from hospital where he was told the shock news last month.

Dr Ralph Massey, an acclaimed cosmetic and skin cancer surgeon in Santa Monica will be taking care of him during his ongoing treatments for the skin cancer.

Jackson has shunned the limelight since his child molestation trial back in 2005, in which he was amazingly cleared of all charges.

Michael Jackson has 3 children; Prince Michael 1, 11, Paris Katherine, ten, and Prince Michael II, five, and he has been married to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, 1994 - 1996 and Debbie Rowe, 1996-1999 divorced. –

Jackson has not revealed the name of the mother of Prince Michael II, otherwise known as Blanket. He has given his own name to two of his children and with true Jackson style and super-ego has called them both Prince Michael.

- Paris Katherine and Prince Michael 1 Unveiled -

photo: Daily Mail

“The two children by Debbie Rowe, who struck a deal with Jackson in 1996 resulted after she was artificially inseminated, possibly through IVF, though she refuses to talk about the details. Whether it was with Jackson’s sperm or an anonymous donor’s - more likely given the light-coloured skin of the children she produced she will not confirm or deny”.

“Rowe later claimed that the reclusive superstar 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”.

If this is true, which I tend to believe it is, as this is from an interview in the Daily Mail, then I hear alarm bells ringing loudly in my ears.

The recent revelation of skin cancer is the latest scare in a long history of health worries for the troubled and eccentric star.

The concerts at the 02 Arena will be his comeback and also his final curtain. As Jackson himself says; This is it!

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May 16 2009

Croupier - Clive Owen

Published by christianna under News Edit This

- CROUPIER – Clive Owen

Narrated in the third person by Jack (Clive Owen), this is an interesting film about a frustrated writer, Jack, who is suffering from a severe case of writers block.

Jack sees himself as a character in one of his unwritten books. ‘Jack the observer’ sees himself as ‘Jack the writer’, or ‘Jack the croupier’, never just ‘Jack the person’. He looks upon the world as an unfolding story, in which he is playing the main character as he speaks to us in third person narrative “Jack spins the wheel not knowing where the ball will fall”. This makes this thinly plotted film stylish and slick.

Released in 1998 and Directed by Mike Hodgen (Get Carter). Croupier stars Clive Owen, Gina McKee, and Alex Kingston. Set in London, Casino falls under the category Crime/Drama.

- SYNOPSIS -

Narrated in the third person by Jack (Clive Owen), this is an interesting film about a frustrated writer, Jack, who is suffering with writers block. Uninspired, and with no real direction in his life, his father (Nicholas Ball) suggests a job for him at a friends casino in London.

Jack is already a professional croupier having worked as a dealer in South Africa. He lives with his long suffering girlfriend Marion (Gina McKee) in a small flat in London. She would like so much more from him emotionally, and wants Jack to settle down, and focus, and pursue his career as a writer, but Jack decides to take the job in the casino to gain more life experience which might aid in his future writing, and also to bring in some much needed cash.

When you work in the world of casinos there is an unwritten rule that you don’t become friendly with the punters, it isn’t allowed, and can face instant dismissal if this does occur, for obvious reasons. So Jack takes the oath fully knowing the consequences if he breaks this rule. Jack is an observer, and he weighs up, and absorbs all that is going on around him, never missing a trick, and he tells us what he thinks in the narrative as it occurs. He adapts to the casino world well, and even changes his appearance to fit into the role, much like an actor would. He dyes his peroxide blonde hair to black, smartens up his casual appearance, and takes to wearing a black hat, and required black dealers suit.

I think he sees himself as a character in one of his unwritten books. ‘Jack the observer’ sees himself as ‘Jack the writer’, or ‘Jack the croupier’, never just ‘Jack the person’. He looks upon the world as an unfolding story, and he is playing the main character as he speaks to us in third person narrative “Jack spins the wheel not knowing where the ball will fall”.

This makes this thinly plotted film stylish and slick. I like this type of film, and find it much more interesting than the standard style of dialogue that is normally used in film making. Jacks character is well developed throughout the film, and he is portrayed as calculated, secretive, and cunning. His girlfriend has a hard time dealing with this, and their relationship becomes very strained. It seems on the surface a pretty one sided relationship because Jack keeps his emotions under wraps. South African Yani (Alex Kingston) starts to visit his table and eventually the inevitable happens and Jack breaks the golden rule, and the main story begins to unfold. -

I love this film. It is fine British film making. Great storyline, simple yet extremely effective. The cast is quite small and each player plays their part convincingly.

It is well cast and each character comes across very believable. That’s all I ask of a film really, if you can’t believe in the characters, then the film, no matter how much money has been ploughed into it, is of no avail to me. The acting has to be believable and hopefully all else will follow.

Clive Owen was great in this film, I loved the way in which he talked us through the unfolding story, and I was immediately empathising with this character who let himself be led astray, not through weakness but with a writers eye, and an eagerness to see where each situation would take him, and what he could learn and take from it. He was living his part, gathering valuable subject matter, and quickly becoming the main character in his new, and as yet, unwritten novel.

Croupier has the feel when watching it, that it may have been crafted from the old fashioned stable of crime story. I like this aspect and felt at times as if I was actually reading a crime novel, or listening to an audio version, rather than watching the film. This is a clever film, and many just didn’t ‘get it’. They found it hard to get the much needed Hollywood funding to begin the filming in the first place. But get the funding they did, in the end. It would have been a great shame to have missed out on such a original production as Croupier. When it was first screened in 1998 there was occasion to people walking out of the cinemas during the course of the film, they should have stayed with it. Croupier is a sharp and intelligent film in many ways.

This isn’t your typical Brit crime flick at all, it is a lot more. I would describe it as a thinking man’s crime thriller. There are no stereotypical cockney, cheeky chappy, style gangsters, it’s all pretty realistic stuff going on in this film. Cleverly screenwritten by Paul Mayersberg Croupier incorporates a quiet tension, as Jack is shown as becoming a bit of a loose cannon in the respect that he begins to make choices which are not the right ones and choices which seem well out of character for him. You are never quite sure what he will do next. But at the end of the day, his whole existence is just an adventure to gather information, which will be used in the writing of his novel, with him playing the main character, and I began to view Jack as ‘just that’ as the film progresses.

The camera work is cleverly done, with good use of fast cutting, particularly in the casino scenes. We are afforded glimpses of the table action, and general business of casino life, in snatches long enough to absorb the information you are seeing and hearing , but not quite long enough to fully understand what Jacks thoughts and spoken narration are referring to, this action being off camera.

You have to keep up, and Croupier will keep you on your toes. The film was of interest to me because I was a croupier myself for about four years, and I felt the dealing scenes were particularly well done, very realistic, especially when Jack dealt the Blackjack. I should think he probably did the dealers training before taking on this part; after all it’s not hard, and took me ten day in all to train for American roulette and blackjack. His scenes of blackjack dealing were very impressive; in fact all attention to detail was spot on in the casino scenes.

Croupier is a smooth, slick and stylish film which possesses a special quality about it. It has a film noir feel to it. This film has been used in ‘Film studies’ A level for text analysis.-

Croupier is a believable film which portrays the British crime scene as down to earth and realistic, and in my opinion a film that is well worth viewing and appreciating. “A fascinating journey into the underworld of gambling”. -

Running Time: 94 minutes.
BBFC Rating: 15

- Directed by -
Mike Hodges
Produced by
Jonathan Cavendish
Christine Ruppert
Written by
Paul Mayersberg
Starring
Clive Owen
Alex Kingston
Gina McKee
Kate Hardie
Nick Reding
Paul Reynolds
Music by
Simon Fisher-Turner
Cinematography Michael Garfath

One response so far

May 14 2009

The writing is on the Facebook Wall for Katie Price and Peter Andre – Twitter - British Soap Awards Interview - Graham Norton YouTube

Published by christianna under News Edit This

The writing is on the Facebook Wall for Katie and Peter – Twitter - British Soap Awards Interview - Graham Norton YouTube

With the very public break-up of the relationship between Katie Price, 30, and Peter Andre, 35, Kate is now begging Peter to reconsider.

She has been barraging him with texts and phone calls to come home, but Pete’s mind is well and truly made up.

Peter Andre has had more than enough of his wife’s antics and put downs and his only concern now is the welfare of the children.

At the soap awards screened last night, at the after party Interview, Kate’s stark and brutal honesty was once again on display.

She blurted out proudly that “Pete was her punch-bag”. Peter sat there quietly beside her with his face showing that he was at breaking point emotionally.

The constant put downs and snipes by his wife about his sexuality and her imposed sex ban has taken their toll on his self respect and this was a man who clearly looked broken.

Also recently on the Graham Norton show Katie and Peter were in interview, throwing Graham Norton off balance with their snide and personal remarks about each other.

Whilst this was a very funny, LOL interview in parts, a lot of very hurtful things were said which took the jibes between Katie and Peter a step too far.

Katie had a go at Peter for constantly being on the networking sites, Twitter and Facebook and blamed Peters constant secret messaging of other women as her reason to withhold sex from him.

She said she had deleted his many messages and emailed the other women involved and told them in no uncertain terms, to back off and stay away from her husband.

She went into intimate detail about Peter’s manhood and sexuality which Peter tried to cut short, but Kate was having none of it and the more the audience laughed and gasped in shock, the more it spurred her on to more greater embarrassing detail.

The other guest involved was the very funny, Jimmy Carr, who was clearly very uncomfortable though he did his best to lighten the situation with his quick wit.

It was just very sad to watch and totally cringe-worthy. You could see that all was not at all well in the Andre camp.

ITV2 will be screening the remaining episodes of their reality show, Stateside, which is set in LA and a spokesman stated these include further heated arguments from the fractious pair.

I would say that the writing is definitely on the wall and it would be very hard for them to find a path back from their current situation, to the way that they once were. –

- Katie and Peter – Graham Norton Show – Part 1

- Katie and Peter – Graham Norton Show – Part 2

- Katie and Peter – Graham Norton Show – Part 3

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May 13 2009

The End of the Reality Road for Peter Andre and Katie Price Aka Jordan

Published by christianna under News Edit This

- The End of the Road for Peter Andre and Katie Price Aka Jordan -

Through their PR Company, it was announced that Katie Price, 30, aka glamour model, Jordan, and her Husband, singer, Peter Andre, 35, are to split-up after 4 years of marriage.

The statement read: ‘Peter Andre and Katie Price are separating after four and a half years of marriage. ‘They have both requested that the media respect their families’ privacy at this difficult time.

With their reality TV show ‘Stateside’ doing so well for them from the other side of the pond I can’t help but ponder on, what went wrong?

After their totally over-the-top, pink, fairy tale style wedding back in 2005, complete with Cinderella horse drawn carriage, the future ahead looked extremely rosy for the attractive young couple.

Their very public falling in love in the Australian jungle on ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ where their budding romance was played out on our TV screens for the world to see.

Party girl, Jordan, entered the reality TV show to show her audience that there was a softer side to her and not just the seemingly hardened topless model with enormous assets who had spats with Victoria Beckham and anyone else who dared run her down and diss her in the world’s press.

Katie Price as she now prefers to be known has left Jordan behind her, but she still retains her feisty traits when tested. She says whatever pops out of her mouth not caring who it offends. That’s just her; honest and ruthless in nature.

Peter Andre is a simple, soppy kind a guy with a heart of gold. A virtual one hit wonder, with his six pack, floppy hair and sex appeal to young girls pulling in the cash.

His song Mysterious Girl released in 1996, saw him frolicking in the surf, exposing his honed chest, which was to be his instant fortune, with very little otherwise to date to mark his fame.

These days he has a weekly column where he voices his opinion on all matters celebrity, with very little else adding to the mutual pay packet.

Katie Price on the other hand is a money making machine who can do no wrong. Her empire at present is said to be worth a cool £30 million, she has published three autobiographies, has a lingerie and jewellery range, equestrian products and a stash of other merchandise to her name.

She has recently ventured into the writing of children’s books with an advance of £300, 000 from the publishers, Random House. Basically, Katie Price/Jordon the commodity can do no wrong.

Unfortunately Peter Andre was not on level footing at the start of the marriage and was totally outclassed on the earnings front, making it a sure fire recipe for nuptial disaster.

Whilst in the jungle and with his mind slightly out of touch with reality, Andre penned a strange little ditty called ‘Insania’ which he released and saw a small resurgence of his career off the back of the reality show, I’m a Celebrity.

A nice enough guy, but he has always been seen as a cheesy, mockable kind of singer with no real street credentials or a gaining of any real respect within the competitive music industry.

It was obvious to me from the start, that it was only a matter of time that the golden pair would fall from grace. It’s a great shame, but perfectly predictable.

Since marrying, the pair has produced two children; Junior Savva Andreas, 3, and Princess Tiaamii, 16 months, adding to Kate’s family already consisting of a disabled and hyperactive boy named Harvey fathered by footballer, Dwight Yorke.

Pete is fantastic with Harvey and the kids and the break-up will be a huge blow to all their relationships. I don’t think this is something that Pete will recover from that easily.

Their TV reality shows give us a picture of normal, hectic married life, though somewhat more glamorous, with the pair jetting off all over the globe for business and pleasure, giving the viewers a bird’s eye view of the couple’s antics and their highs and lows within a show Biz marriage.

Their TV shows include: ‘When Jordan Met Peter’ - Jordan and Peter: Laid Bare, Jordan and Peter: Marriage Mayhem - Katie and Peter: The Baby Diaries and Katie and Peter: The Next Chapter.

Like any marriage, what it boils down to in the end with them was a battle of egos and these two were seen to be having a clash of personalities during the showing of their present TV show Stateside, set in LA, California.

During a recent episode Kate blurted: “I’m the one making the money round here” and Pete took great pleasure in the fact that the skateboard sales assistant hadn’t a clue who Katie was and he kept pushing that point till Katie lost her temper.

The humorous banter by the couple has been replaced with nasty sniping remarks with Kate recently accusing Peter of having an affair.

After 4 years of marriage, the cracks were definitely beginning to show and this break up came as no surprise to me, sad as it was.

Peter has always said that he can cope with Katie Price quite easily but cannot begin to handle her wild and drunken alter ego Jordan, who seeks attention wherever she goes.

Katie was recently seen out on the town in Brighton, her home town and mine. She was in the Oceania nightclub on Brighton seafront, extremely drunk and shouting in the toilets.

She was ranting and pointing at her wedding ring, saying: “See this ring – It means NOTHING”. She went on to say that the Peter we see on TV is not the real Peter, he has a nastier side which she hates, and she told fellow clubbers that her marriage was on the rocks.

The writing was on the wall from day one when their tumultuous relationship began to unfold. Living out their lives in the public eye was to be a sure fire recipe for disaster.

Katie has recently said: ‘I wouldn’t leave him”. It would only be if he cheated on me. I think that’s the same for both of us - there’s nothing else that would make us break up - only if one of us was unfaithful.”

Peter has said: “I trust her when she’s sober, but I don’t trust her when she’s drinking”. It makes our relationship vulnerable”. – “From the moment she starts drinking I lose her and I won’t get her back until the next morning.”

The couple signed a pre-nuptial agreement on Peter’s insistence, where he waived all rights to half her fortune. He stated: “All I want from Kate is her love”, but the children they have together will pose another problem.

The final straw came for Peter when he witnessed photos in the newspaper of his wife drunk at a nightclub in Bristol, cuddling up to and whispering in the ear of an unnamed man.

Ironically, the man in question turned out to be gay Dressage rider Spencer Wilton, 36, whom Kate was all over, but nonetheless it was breaking point for Pete who is now demanding a divorce.

But I think in the end what it boiled down to, is lack of any real mutual respect for one another. Feelings which have simmered over their years together accumulating today in the very public break-up of their marriage.

Katie is said to be devastated at the split and insists that the pair are still very much in love.

Will they get back together again? – Almost certainly. – Will they break up again? – I should think so, and it will probably all be screened for us to see in their forthcoming, fly on the wall, reality shows.

For the time being, the couple are shunning all publicity and have both requested that “The media respect their families’ privacy at this difficult time.” -

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