Well today is Janet Jackson's birthday I did not even
know that her birthday was the day before mines till
today Shows ya how much I know, huh

Well this evening I went over to my oldest daughter's house for
a spa relaxation party Ohhhh My God it was so wonderful and I
am so relax and yup I am having one next month, that's right on
Saturday, December 19, 2009 at seven p.m. I will be having one!

I love them things and I so love to be pampered I love it!!

Also my oldest daughter's two boys are spending the whole weekend
with me which is on reason I am pretty late putting in this post I sure
hope I can do it with in the five minutes that I have left!

Well tomorrow will be my birthday, 48 hey that is not old, now is it
I am just thankful that I am having a birthday!

Well the weather is England sure is crazy did you see on the news or hear
about the flood that they have had and they are calling for more rain there,
not a good thing. Well at least I don't think so...

I wish I had more to write about but I don't think I am gonna make it it is
11:58 pm and this is all I have so I lost this day...


 

Today is Hunter's 8th birthday...

Tomorrow I evening I will be going over to my oldest daughter's
for a spa party it is a relaxation party I love them I really do!!

Then my oldest grandson will be coming back with me to spend
the whole weekend with me...

Well it certainly has been a long day today...

I still don't understand why my place is here is all mess up I don't
like it at all but I don't know how to fix it because I don't understand
why it is messed up in the first place...

Well last night I watched Janet Jackson on ABC in the spot light with
Robin Roberts. She has heart and I do agree with her I believe that
Conrad Murray is responsible, he is the one who was doing the
adminiserting in other words giving the drugs to Michael and I do not
think he should be allowed to practice and do it to someone else and
their family, do you?

I wish I had some magical words for her but nothing really comes to mind.
My heart does go out to Michael Jackson's family... I have become friends
with some of them on different places in the internet world. Like Face book
and Micheal Jackson's World and My space

Well I do love Autumn {The Fall} it is my favorite season I have
always loved it the crisp cool air, all the wonderful colors ahhhhh love it!

Well I have a few new ideals going on up in my head for a couple of
books I will be working on them soon and sharing them in here for long
God I love to write I really do...

Well let me share a poem, just off the top of my head:

In the crisp cool of the day where only those
who believe hear the sound and listen still to what they
are to do.

Treating others the way they want to be done, can they
do it? Can they do it? Listening to others really listening
do you hear? Do you hear?

Forgiving is something some do but some do what and
to what will that price cost? What will that price cost?

For I heard it said love those who don't love you but who
really does such a thing? Who does such a thing?
And to what have you gain by only loving those who love you?
To what have you gain?

In the heart lie the secrets to each and every one of us, do we
dare open our hearts? Do we dare? Or are we to afraid of getting
hurt like so many times before?

Okay well that is all I have so far! Again that is just off the
top of my head so of course there can always be more

Well I am still hoping to be landing another job soon.. Shoot as of
yesterday I have now been laid off work for two weeks but I am still
hopeful that something will come along quickly... Ya know it has only
been two weeks but it feels like a month already I am sooooo ready
to be back working!!



 

Well both my daughters and I went to the "Olive Garden"
Ohhhh I love that place and they have the best food too!!
My youngest daughter had two of her kids with her and
guess what they did to me at the Olive Garden...

They had them sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me and got a
cake and all Them brats

It was all really a good time and after that we went shopping
and all I bought was one CD which I put on my mp3 player
as well as 5 or 6 other CD's I really like my mp3 player and
I have been learning how to put music on it which makes me
like it even more

Oh by the way I woke up at five am this morning and got up
out of my bed at five thirty am this morning! Shoot I don't know
why I certainly did not need to be awake at that time...

Well after the shopping with both my daughters and two kids
my youngest daughter took me and my older daughter back to
my car which sat at the Olive Garden while we went to Walmart
there in Grove City which is across the street from each other,
any who I took my older daughter to Dollar General and then
I took her home which I ended up staying for a little while I was
home by six or six thirty pm and I have had two cups of hot tea

My body is tired and I hope I sleep well tonight and do not wake
up at five in the morning again...

But before leaving my older daughter's house we had a talk she is
worried about me.. How sweet

Isabel and I well be doing things tomorrow on the computer sending
our resumes and hopefully going to a few places putting in some
applications and may be even going to a few temp places... I seriously
need to find something before next month is here and gone!! Seriously
I mean it!!

Well I missed Janet Jackson on Good Morning America
her interview aired today but maybe I will be able to find
it on line. I really wanted to hear that interview.
This is the first time Janet has spoken in public since
Michael Jackson's death and I am sure it is still hard
on her and all of them..
Sometimes I wish I had those magical words that I could
say to all of them but I am not sure were all those magical
words go at a time like this or should I say at a time of
someone's passing....

I really do feel bad for Michael Jackson's children I really do...
I am sure they are in the best of hands too and
I am sure they will be alright and that it will take time but I
am sure they are gonna be alright, I just am sad and my
heart really really really does go out to them...

I do agree of what I heard Janet say Conrad Murray should be
held responsible he is the one who did the administring the
dangerous drug and he knew what he was doing and he knew
he should not have left Michael unattended and I like Janet
hopes that he never is allow to practice so he can never do this
to someone else and their family!!










 

Well Thanksgiving will soon be here
and gone and then next thing you know it will be Christmas and
then bam New Years is here for you know!!! But I love them all
I really do

Today my oldest daughter and her three kids came over today.
The kids wanted to show me what they got from a Charity Newies
a really wonderful place by the way and the kids got some really
good clothes and coats and even some school things... And also
a thing for shoes at pay less shoes...

We all went to pay less shoes and my daughter really got a good
deal she got six pairs of shoes used the things well it's like a
coupon but called something else any who she spent under
15 dollars of her own money and that is awesome

Then they took me out to dinner oh most people call it lunch but I
always say dinner... We went to Bob Evans and it was all good and
we all really had a great time... They treated me out for my birthday
which is this Saturday OMG My birthday is this Saturday

Well I hear that the boy's Dad who accused Michael Jackson of the first
molestation which Michael paid off committed suicide. He was found in
bed still holding the shot gun. What a shame and he did not leave a
suicide note either like they sometimes do but sometimes they don't...

You know I wish Michael Jackson never paid them off I wish he would of
went to trial because I believe he would of been cleared of the charge and
second if it would of been my son or my daughter who claimed Michael
Jackson or anybody else touch them in a way that was not right not only
would have I beat the crap out of him but I would have went to the full
length of the law but that is just me I mean seriously no
amount of money would of made it right to me how about you

It sometimes really amazes me just how people really are and just think
The love of money is what is evil and believe people do love money more
than there children, spouse, and anything else and I think that is a shame.

And sometimes those kinds of choices are hard to live with and so they
begin to do other things till one day they can take it no longer and think
that by killing their own selves it will end but really that is when it really only
begins. And yes I really do believe that.

Just because I no longer go to church does not mean I no longer believe or
even have stop loving God! And believe many have me down and out for
the count and who knows what else!!! That is just how people are... So I
have learned mostly the hard way!! But never the less, lesson learned!

Now I know that Michael Jackson settled with them people because that
is what they told him to do you know his people yeah the ones that were
looking out for Michael Jackson's better interest and you know Michael
him self also wanted to move on and he did not want it to linger and he
thought he was doing good and he never ever thought he would be set
up for more but we all know about his last trial and some people seem to
forget that Michael Jackson was found "NOT GUILTY"

That's right "not guilty" on all counts!!


 

Well yesterday was two of my niece's birthdays
yup same day but different years!

Well Mike D's family has put a guest book
on line that everyone can sign and I wanted to
share what I chose to write and keep it for me as
well:

I sure will miss you Mike... I have a lot of good
memories of you. AHhh all the wisdom you have and
you sure just knew what to say, I will miss that too.
I bet you are really having a good time in Heaven right
about now and you are in no pain and you have that new
body that you were so excited about! Thank you for letting
me be a part of your life, I am very honored to have known
someone as wonderful as you!
Love you more than you love me!
And then I signed mine name....

It is really so sad and um well as ya know when
someone dies or shall we say passes away we begin to
think about the here and after life. Well at least I sure do it
is just something I do.

Okay here is a poem, off the top of my head...

After it is all said and done to will and do what we do
to what does it matter at the end rather silver or gold
or nothing at all. Will we make it in? For they say it
has never really been told what is in store for it has
not entered the heart of man exactly how precious
Heaven really is. Nothing desire more than this is
what I am told for nothing can compare not even
precious silver and gold.

To enter into that city made with out hands how
precious that must really be and to hear and see
the music, songs , and dances that must be going
on. Sure Psalms 100 must be favorite up above
where nothing can or is held back. And I am sure
they are dancing like King David whom dance with
all his might.

Okay well that is all I have for now, I hope you
like it..

Well I am still pounding away at looking
for another job. I got laid off :
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
But I am hopeful and sure I will land something else
soon.

Last night I got sick and was throwing up, I feel
much better today! I don't know why I was vomiting could
just be nerves or stress but I am fine which I am happy
that I am not sick I hope nothing is trying to get on me and
make me sick cause I have already had either the flu or a
really really really bad cold already and I do not need that
again that is for sure!

Oh I got two bills today and I was surprised they
are both much lower than what I had thought they would be!
YAY!!!

Which I paid one already which was my electric
bill and the water will be paid with my rent come the first
of December I also will be paying my cell phone
bill in four more days and now I am waiting on Time Warner
which is for the cable and internet... Whew....

Well I will be going to a relaxation party Friday
November 20, 2009 and it starts at 8 pm I have to say I
am certainly looking forward to that







 

The showin was hard so I can only imagine what the Funeral will bring.. The one that past will really be missed and his wife made me cry and I mean she made me cry. She and I walked up to each other and she hug me soooo tight and she said I thought he was suppose to be with me forever and I have to say I tried so hard not to but the tears just flew and then she said I feel like I am in a dream and when I wake up it will all be fine and the tears just kept comin and I almost could not say Oh Cathy I am so sorry but some how I did manage to get that out I let her do all the talkin and I just stood there huggin her back and cryin with her.

And ya know being a writing I think I should always have something brilliant to say but some how those words are no where to be found and ummm I just know I have some magical words to share but exactly where do those magical words go at a time like this? Heck I practiced what I think I should say but when I saw Cathy and she and I was walking toward each other I couldn't remember one word and then that lump forms right in the center of your throat and you here your self say okay keep it together girl!

I did get to see some people I have not seen in a long time and did some catchin up and I made people laugh its a gift what can I say! Truth is I know laughter is like medicine and it does help you heal.

The Funeral was yesterday and it was hard but we made it through. Very sad my heart is not only broken but it is also broken for Cathy... I know she will be alright it is just gonna take some time.

I found out that Pop is now 81 years old man I could not believe it and I have to say he does not look 81 years old at all and he sure don't act like it either! It is amazing seriously.

Well where Mike D. was buried is where I have said I would like to be it is so beautiful and peaceful there but I jokingly told a few people that where I wanna be buried I may very well have to change cause everyone I know will be there! LOL of course I plan on out living everyone of them and they all know I have said that too

But ya know when I die I don't want others to be sad I really don't I know we all are sad at a death and our hearts break I mean they break and emotions run so high..
Well all think about death and the life after when someone passes that is for sure. And we wonder a whole lot of things too don't we?

I hate this part of live and it is a part of life and people do die but it doesn't make it hurt any less or make it any less painful now does it?

Mike D. will be dearly missed and we all have a lot of memories wonderful memories and he will always be in our hearts.

Wonder if he saw it all the showin and funeral and all. Something I have always wondered I am curious about death no not that I wanna die I mean well I am just curious is all to what happens are you even just a tiny little bit?





 

Well today is the funeral... It starts at ten am...

Yesterday was the showing I was there for like
seven hours and I even saw some people I have
not seen in a couple of years...

Bobbie and Bryan and Angie and Peggy is whom
I visited with the most. Then there was Homer and
Joan and Vicky and Gilbert and Pop who is now
81 years old man I can not believe he is 81 years
old and I have to tell you he does not look it nor
does he act like it! And there were
many, many others too. If I name them all I will
run out of room!!

Cathy the wife of the man who pass made me cry
I mean she made me cry we walk up to each other
and she hug me I mean man she hug me and she
began to lose it on me which of course at first I was
doing all I could not to but then boom there we were
standing like we were all alone crying in each others
arms and then she said I thought he was gonna be
with me forever and more tears began to fall and then
she said I feel like I am in a dream and I am gonna wake
up and everything is gonna be fine and even more tears
began to fall and I could barely get out the words

Oh Cathy I am, am so sorry and more tears began to fall...
It is just heart breaking just heart breaking and
I have to go back today for the funeral.

Mike Daugherty will be dearly missed. I really had no
magical words but you could feel the warmth of love
from everyone in the place I did make a lot of people
laugh for that is what I do. They even tell me I can
make money doing it but fame and fortune is not what
am looking for although the money sure would be nice
and very helpful I am sure. And hey laughter is like a good
medicine and it does also help to heal. And of course it
hasn't really hit all of us yet either I am sure tomorrow is the
day it will hit most of us but it will only really begin for Cathy
and I am concerned about her and my heart really goes out
to her...

It is just sad all away around totally and completely...

oh by the way my oldest daughter was there too.. She and I
will be there for the funeral too and then when we do the funeral
and go to the Cemetary and one more place we will be going to
my one grandson's birthday party in Grove City and when I leave
I will be bringing my youngest grandson back with me to spend
the night he called me crying wanting to spend the night but
today will be better after the Funeral and all that.
I love being the favorite

Well I better get to bed now and get some sleep for the big
funeral


 

Well yesterday I went to a temporary service the one
that always keeps me working because they called
me and want me to come preregister for this one job
that is top secret and hopefully by next week I will be
back to work

Today is the Showing for my friend Mike Daughterty,
I really do not wanna go but I am going any who
and then tomorrow is the funeral and I really do not
wanna go but I am any who...

You know being a writer I always think I should have
this brilliant thing to say but it never seems to come
out right and I sometimes even practice the things to
say or that I think I should say but that never seems
to work either...

As a writer I always think I should have magical words
to say but were oh were do all those magical words go
at a time like this

Well okay enough of that here's a poem.

There was a man with riches bestow
who shared and shared more than them all yet
he himself was never satisfied so at the end was
there a crown for him?

There was a man not rich but some how poor
who shared what he had with whom he could
full of life friendly and caring yet he was never
satisfied so at the end was there a crown for him?

Well that was just off the top of my head and that
is all I have for now. I hope my writing really starts back up
I have really missed writing and I have all kinds of ideals in
my head but the minute I go to write it is like who turned off
the lights, do ya know what I mean? But I love coming in here
and writing and sharing I feel like I can write anything down
in here and that is a great feeling to.

Well any who when a death occurs we all seem to
start thinking about it and the person that passes and then
others that have passed and we also think about the here
and after...

Like have you ever wondered if the one who has
passed get to see anything going on down here and do they
hear everything too?

Like Mike I can almost picture here looking down at
us shaking his head saying don't be sad, don't be sad but ya
know I am, I really really am. I hate good byes like this

Life is like the seasons and we all go through changes
and not all the changes feel good do they yet the
changes just keep right on coming.

I know that today and tomorrow are gonna be two hard
days indeed the hardest part will come for Cathy, who was Mike D's
wife for she is the one left with out him... I will be there for her but
most of what she does will be her and God and I know God will be
helping Cathy and I hope she lets me help as well not that I can do
anything but be there and sometimes that is all ya need to do...






 

Ahhhh my heart is broken once again... I was told by
my older daughter yesterday about threeish that a friend
of mine past the night before and I am just sad I tell ya.

The showing will be Friday and then the Funeral will be
Saturday... Mike D. I will really miss. He was a good guy.

He died from Lung Cancer... God I hate that word... CANCER
don't matter to me what kind Cancer is Cancer to me and way
to many have lost their lives to that terrible word...

I have even lost several family members to Cancer and it just
is trying to take over isn't it?? Farrah lost her battle with Cancer
when she past on June 25, 2009...

I know that death seems so final y'all and I hate good byes...
And this is why I really do not get really to close to people
I mean don't get me wrong I care about others and I hurt
but I don't want my heart rip out do you know what I mean?

Another life of some one I personally knew is gone I will never
ever see them on this earth again... I hate that and yet I know
there is a time to die and we are all gonna go sometime... I say
I am gonna out live them all!!

You know there is something more for life is just not here on earth...
And I do believe that...

Speaking of which I do have a question to throw out...
How can someone believe in GOD and not believe in JESUS?

Okay enough of that....

I am working on another poem and thought I would share what I have thus far...

Despising the past that you can not change,
facts remain the same.

Though there is nothing you would change,
although deep inside you have this thing.

And you do not know how to let it go for you
were never really taught how to deal with the matters
of the heart.

Going with the flow, following someone else's lead and
so it seems winding you like a toy with many strings
attached.

Till one day the bough did break emerging yet another
piece of you and making you even stronger with each
passing blow.

Well that is all I have of that so far but I think I am
off to a good start... Though I need to buckle down and write,
write, write! But it sure does feel good to be writing again...

I like it when sometimes something comes to me
and I write it right off the top of my head! Those are what I
call little creative pieces in the making.

Well did you hear in the news that Michael Jackson's
dad Joe Jackson is asking for an allowance out of Michael
Jackson's estate? I hope the three children are doing alright!
I am sure they are taking it hard. Some people only care about
Money or may be just themselves. I hope I never look that selfish
to anyone or greedy either... I am not judging I am just saying that
about myself that's all.

I know to choose my words carefully for some times one must
eat the words they say. Just like from an early age I learn that
you do not ever put people on petal stools. People are just
people and we all hurt each other and we all do and say things
we should not. Hmmmm guess Michael was right we need a lot
of love put back into this world and we the people are the world...





 

Well today I will be getting my last pay check from where I was laid off.. Sort of leaves a sinking feeling right in the pit of my stomach.... But I am still looking and hoping that something will come through quickly.. It has only been one week today that I have been laid off And it is not the end of the world after all, don't they say when one door closes another door opens? My question is.... Where is that door?!?!?!?

Here is something I am working on it is not finished but I wanted to share it just the same:

Lined in gold sprinkled with black a cup of cheer.
To feel the way I do in spite of the things you do.
Capturing a tear or two, guarding like you have never knew.

Wondering to wit thou soul to keep as if a guiding light suddenly
shined in all it's strength. Guiding you like never before to open
meadows that whisper a sure.

Okay that is all I have for now... What do you think?

Off the top of my head, something like this...

Back in the meadows, deep in the woods, across the fields
nobody stood. Wresting with that inner man why oh why does
he always win?

Okay that is all I came up with so far but I am sure something else will spring to mind... I sure have missed writing that is for sure and I love being in here once again. This is like my second home and I hope I can always stay here... That is one of my goals...

I sure hope everyone has a wonderful day. I have a lot to do and am sure I will get it all done, well at least that is the plan

Well here is something else just off the top of my head...

They want to be just like him or at least they think they do. They don't know how mean spirit others can really be but they know that this one has touched them and their heart like no other has and do all they can to get to know this man.

A reflection of what they wish they were, but do know what this man's reflection really is? To capture a soul and know with in can one really know, can one really know?

Sharing the wealth, spreading good cheer not one media told but for the things that should not have sold is what the media be stow to make one ugly to get some to even hate. How far do you think they really had gone?

Yet in spite of the mess, compassion and love he showed helping in ways only others wish they could or shamed in knowing that they never did even the ones who could! But he did not do it to been seen but he did do it out of love and from his heart which really means more than anything else.

Well that is all I have so far but am working on it. I hope you enjoy it so far...









 

Here is something I am working on and I thought I would share:

Being the best came with a price
and to what was the price worth?
Seeking approval or should we
say love from many yet he really
only wanted one. Yet he did love
all the attention he received, good
bad or even in between.

His fame is like no other while the
loneliest one ever known and some
don't get that but true none the less
for you see you could be in a room
filled with people and yet still be
the loneliest person in the room.

And if you really don't have that
special someone to share your
life to what is the price worth?

Ah fortune and fame and even
loved by millions and millions
and millions yet in turmoil this
life and even hurts like no other
so it may seem and personal
things choosing not to share
but bit by bit it becomes
revealed for all to know and see.

Even some just would love to
be just like this famous one
or at least they think they do
but if he had known his fate that
day would he have changed one
single thing?

A tragic life full of pain and yet he
gave and gave and gave but then
there are those who only wanted
to hurt him and even made false
claims!

Fame and fortune sure have there
perks but truly with a price not most
understand or even realize.

To what was the price worth to
this man? To what was the price worth...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well the above is what I wanted to share it is not finished but I think I am off to a good start. I have really missed my writing port and writing in my group here I do love to write I really do.

I also am glad it is the Fall season it is my most favorite season of all. I have just always loved the fall

Tomorrow will be a week that I have been laid off. But I am hoping to land another job quickly I mean it is not the end of the world to be laid off and they say when one door shuts another one opens.... Sooooo my question is.... Where is that door!!???

I watched dancing with the stars last night and I even voted And I do hope my vote helped to keep the one I want to stay which is Donny Osmond and ya know Mr. Michael Jackson's kids are routing for him Least that is what I heard... Isn't that sweet?

I will be watching this evening to see if he gets to stay! Tomorrow I will be going to pick up my last pay check from where I was laid off from I hope I have enough to cover everything I am confident that I do.

I hope everyone has a great day and a great rest of the week






 

Michael Jackson's Father Asks For Allowance

Michael Jackson's kids and his mother get an allowance from his estate. Now his father wants an allowance, too.

Joe Jackson has filed court documents asking for an unspecified amount from his son's estate to help cover expenses that exceed $15,000 a month.

Michael Jackson's will makes no mention of his father, and he had said he'd often get physically ill at the site of his father. Court documents say Joe Jackson gets $1,700 a month in Social Security and has relied on his son for support through his wife, Katherine, for many years because he has no steady income.

An attorney for the Jackson estate calls the request "quite surprising" and it will be considered.

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It sure is a shame about Michael Jackson and I have to say I have learn more about him since his death then the whole 50 years of him being alive... He like most of us was a really good guy though he did do somethings that were questionable he was human just like the rest of us!

Well I had a really nice weekend... Friday both my grand daughters spent the night and we had pizza and made chocolate chip cookies and we watched movies it was really a great time. Saturday morning we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and after giving the younger one a bubble bath we had to take her home but the older one wanted to stay all night again so we watch movies and piece on food just really having a nice time. It was nice just chillin and enjoyin the grand daughters. The Saturday before I had four of my grandsons and that was really nice too and we had pizza and watched movies as well... I have one grandson left to will be spending the night he is the youngest one and he is lookin forward to coming over and it just being him and me Ahhhh I love being the favorite




 

Joe Jackson & Stipend: Dad Wants an Allowance!

Michael Jackson's dad is seeking a stipend and wants an allowance from his late son’s estate. Joe Jackson says in court papers that Michael, who died in June at the age of 50, supported him for years. Joe’s lawyers claim his monthly expenses are $20,000, but he receives only $1,700 from the state.


Legal documents, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court details a list of expenditures. According to the court docs, they say the 80-year-old spends $1,200 on rent for his Las Vegas home each month.

***

He also spends $1,000 on entertainment, gifts and vacations; $2,000 on air travel, and $3,000 on hotels, as well as $2,500 on meals out, the papers claim.

Lawyers also said that Michael's estate has earned an estimated $100 million since his sudden death on June 25. A hearing to assess the request is expected to take place early next year.

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Joe Jackson Going after Son, Michael Jackson’s Estate Money


The King of Pop and “This Is It” star, Michael Jackson, who died unexpectedly earlier this year, left behind an enormous estate worth millions of dollars. Michael’s father, Jackson family patriarch, Joe Jackson, is now seeking to get his hands on some of that money.
Michael Jackson spoke candidly about his abusive relationship with his father, told how his father beat and threatened him and his brothers, and in 2002 MJ’s will made no mention of Joe Jackson. The singer’s private trust provided for money to take care of his mother, Katherine Jackson, his three children, and various charities Michael supported.
Now, Joe Jackson is seeking an undisclosed amount from Michael’s estate to help cover monthly expenses his lawyer, who filed the request, Brian Oxman, says is in excess of $15,000 per month. Joe and Katherine are still married, but live in separate residences. The request claims Joe Jackson was dependent on his son for income, provided through Michael’s mother, Katherine. According to the filing, Joe suffers from diabetes and had a stroke in 1998.
Joe Jackson will likely not get word on his sought after money until after the turn of the year; a hearing is set for early 2010 at which time payments to Katherine Jackson from Michael’s estate may be re-evaluated.




 

Michael Jackson father seeks monthly allowance

Michael Jackson's father is seeking money from his late son's estate to help him meet monthly living expenses estimated at more than 15,000 dollars, court papers filed in Los Angeles have revealed.

A motion filed on behalf of Joe Jackson on Friday argued that the administrators of the pop star's estate should have set up an allowance similar to the one established for the singer's mother Katherine.

The papers argued that the administrators, John Branca and John McClain, knew that Michael Jackson had financially supported his father for decades.

Joe Jackson, 81, receives 1,700 dollars a month in Social Security payments, according to the documents. He has diabetes and had a stroke in 1998.

A proposed monthly budget in the court papers lists more than 15,000 dollars in expenses, including 1,500 dollars for rent, 2,500 dollars for restaurants and 5,000 dollars for hotels and air travel.

"This court should exercise its sound discretion to award Mr. Jackson a family allowance because Michael Jackson actually supported him during his lifetime and he does not have other sources for support," the papers state.

A lawyer for Branca and McClain told the Los Angeles Times they were aware of Joe Jackson's bid for money.

"It was quite surprising to learn of the request. Mr. Jackson's petition will be considered as are all requests for money from Michael's estate," lawyer Howard Weitzman told the paper.

Judge Mitchell Beckloff previously approved nearly 30,000 dollars in payments to Katherine Jackson each month and another 60,000-dollar monthly payment for the care of the singer's three children.

Katherine Jackson lives in Los Angeles and Joe Jackson resides in Las Vegas. Michael Jackson had a difficult relationship with his father, who he accused of physically abusing him and his brothers during the early years of their career.

Joe Jackson was left out of Jackson's 2002 will which divided his multi-million-dollar estate.

Michael Jackson, 50, died from a prescription drug overdose on June 25. A criminal investigation into his death is continuing.

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Jackson film takes in more than €97m

The people behind the Michael Jackson concert film ' This Is It' are counting the cash.

The film has taken almost €97m across the world.

That is more than double the tally for last year's Hannah Montana-Miley Cyrus film which is being used as a benchmark.

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United States jobless numbers rise again

Washington — The Great Recession hit another grim milestone.

More than one out of every 10 Americans in the work force is now unemployed, as the jobless rate jumped to 10.2 per cent in October from 9.8 per cent in September.

It's the first breach of the 10-per-cent mark in more than 26 years.

The last time unemployment was this bad was early 1983, when Michael Jackson was just a rising star, McDonald's was deep frying its first McNugget and Microsoft was rolling out its Word software.

U.S. President Barack Obama, echoing many economists, said the latest job figures confirm the climb out of recession will be hard and unusually slow.

The unemployment rate is a “sobering number that underscores the economic challenges that lie ahead,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House.

And the rate is likely to climb higher still before it crests, later this year or in early 2010, economists said.

Americans are continuing to lose jobs at an alarming rate – another 190,000 jobs vanished last month. Some 7.3 million U.S. jobs have been lost since the recession began in late 2007.

Consumers make up roughly 70 per cent of the economy, but as Americans clamp down on spending and reduce debt, they're in no shape to drive an economic rebound.

“This recovery is unlike any other we have seen in U.S. history because it is the first recovery that is not consumer-driven,” pointed out economic analyst Francis Fong of Toronto-Dominion Bank in Toronto.

Mr. Fong explained in a report yesterday that the financial crisis sets this recession apart from the five before it dating back to 1960. The crisis wiped $1.6-trillion (U.S.) from the balance sheet of financial institutions, impaired credit flows and ravaged household wealth. That means consumers either can't borrow to make purchases, or they won't borrow until they feel more financially secure.

And that could mean the recovery could be jobless for a while yet.

That's bad news for Jason McKinnon, a 34-year-old from San Francisco who lost his $18-an-hour job in April as a video-game software analyst. He said he has sent out hundreds of résumés to companies such as Facebook Inc. and Sony Corp., and received about 50 responses but no offers.

“I'm feeling like there's less jobs out there, and more qualified people,” said Mr. McKinnon, who's now returning to college to improve his job prospects.

The U.S. last week reported third-quarter economic expansion of 3.5 per cent, ending a string of four quarters of contraction. But few are counting on strong growth ahead.

“The most recently available [gross domestic product] figures may be pointing to a U.S. economy that is on the mend, but according to the latest employment numbers, the recession lives on,” CIBC economist Meny Grauman said. “The labour market currently stands as the single most significant risk to the nascent economic recovery.”

Within the first year of recovery, the U.S. economy typically expands two to three times the rate of what it lost while in recession, TD's Mr. Fong said. If that pattern was repeated this time, the economy would grow at a rate of 7 to 10 per cent in the second half of this year and into 2010.

TD's economists, like most other forecasters, are not expecting anywhere near that amount of growth. They expect the economy will expand at a rate of less than 3 per cent for the next few quarters.

For now, what's driving the recovery is the U.S. Federal Reserve, which is flooding the financial system with easy money and massive spending by governments. “The economy may be out of the intensive care unit, but it is hardly healthy,” said Bill Cheney at MFC Global Investment Management in Boston. It's “still loaded up on $1-trillion in Fed meds.” Without sustained jobs growth, the economy remains susceptible to “substantial relapse,” Mr. Cheney said.

In spite of all that, there were a few hopeful signs in October. Job losses have now declined for three straight months. And at 190,000 in October, the losses are a far cry from depth of the recession in January, when the economy shed 750,000 jobs.

And several economists highlighted the fact that one leading indicator of the job market is growing – temporary help services. They were up 34,000 in October.

Coming out of a recession, gun-shy employers are typically reluctant to hire new workers until they are convinced that business is coming back strongly. So before hiring people full-time, they use temp workers and more overtime to handle any increase in business. “If history is any guide, this could flag a very modest increase in employment at the turn of the year,” said BMO Nesbitt Burns economist Sal Guatieri.

One of the most sobering facts to emerge from the employment data is that the average length of unemployment is now at a record of nearly 30 weeks.






 

Michael Jackson: The Live Seance' To Air Friday On British TV
Psychic Derek Acorah will attempt to contact Jackson's spirit.

In one of the more bizarre media events surrounding Michael Jackson's death, on Friday British television network Sky 1 will broadcast a live séance with the singer's spirit.

In a special "intimate and unique" hour-long event — dubbed "Michael Jackson: The Live Séance" — British psychic Derek Acorah will attempt to contact Jackson's spirit, with the hope of giving the King of Pop's fans the opportunity "to connect with their hero one last time."

"There is an insatiable appetite to find out more about Michael Jackson," Stuart Murphy, Sky 1's director of programs, told Yahoo UK earlier this month. "He was an extraordinary figure and the curiosity surrounding his life — and his death — stretches well beyond fans of his music."

Just how Acorah —best known to British audiences for his long-running paranormal TV series "Ghost Towns" — plans on contacting Jackson's spirit is a closely guarded secret, but according to Kirsty Howell, a publicist for Sky 1, the séance will be held "on an island ... in a secret location familiar to Jackson" before an audience of fans and friends, and will feature mementos from his life.

"We have chosen genuine Michael Jackson fans and people who knew him throughout his life to take part in this event," Howell added. "Derek will also have a personal item from Michael Jackson, and will invite everyone to sit quietly and channel positive thoughts ... he can't force Michael to appear, but he will try inviting his spirit by creating welcoming environment."

Howell added that Sky 1 was aware that some Jackson fans might object to the program, but that it's not meant to be exploitive. Rather, she views it as a tribute to the man and his legacy.

"There are so many Michael Jackson fans out there, people who celebrate his life and his music, and this show is another way for them to connect with him," she said. "We're huge fans of Michael Jackson, and this is a celebration of his life."

"Michael Jackson: The Live Séance" will air at 10 p.m. GMT on Sky 1, and is the second half of a progam examining the singer's life and death. From 9-10 p.m., the network will air "Michael Jackson: The Search for His Spirit," which, according to Sky's program guide, "takes fans on a journey celebrating the life of the troubled, but talented star." American psychic Bobby Marchesso and Jackson's "Thriller" video co-star, Ola Ray, are also featured on the show.

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This is It. This is Michael Jackson:

When the credits began to roll for 'This is It", the cinema audience around me broke into warm applause. I was surprised but not shocked.

If you hope 'This Is It' will be a full-length music video - it is not. If you expect a documentary - this is not it, as well.

‘This is It’ is simply, a tasteful look at the person who was Michael Jackson.

While this movie will no doubt cement Jackson’s appeal to die-hard fans, it also sets in motion some re-thinking on the part of those who only saw the late 50-year-old in the light of 'Wacko Jacko' with songs that were as memorable as his wardrobe and off-stage anctics.

The movie by Kenny Ortega, the man who was also behind Jackson’s ‘This is It’ concert series that was to open weeks before the musician’s sudden death, opened to much hype in the US on 28 October.

Surprisingly, in Singapore the movie opened at various cinemas without even a whimper.

Heading to Lido’s Digital theatre, I was surprised to find no snaking queues and a good number of seats vacant in the large cinema hall.

A quick check on cinema bookings later didn’t return many sold-out sessions either, which may be a good thing as you’ll be able to take your pick of days, times and seats.

‘This is It’ runs just over an hour and a half, and is just right in pace so you won’t be left agonising for the credits to come on, neither will you be saying “This is it?!?”

It comes with a PG rating, but for a star who was dragged through charges of child molest and other sordid claims, this is a rather kid-friendly movie except for the crotch-grabbing dance moves.

The only problem with bringing kids to this movie is they might start singing along, which was what happened to me.

With so much attention centred on Jackson in life as well as death, I was surprised that Kenny Ortega decided not to start strong with the King of Pop bursting on the screen.

Instead, he chose to move almost chronologically, starting with different people either excitedly talking or blubbering tearfully, on how much they wanted to be one of the dancers chosen to share the stage with Jackson during his concert, and Ortega himself describing a space suit that opens on stage to reveal Jackson.

It’s only after that, that we see Jackson performing on stage with ‘Wanna Be Starting Something’ presumably the opening song for his concert.

Fortunately, that silly, confusing start is quickly left behind as the movie picks up pace and stays mainly with Jackson and his concert.

This visuals you see in ‘This is It’ are the same footage of Jackson just before his death that news stations played repeatedly when it was released along with questions on the condition of his health as he prepared for the sell-out concert.

There were claims that the footage showed a tired Jackson.

On the big-screen, and in digital, which by the way is the best way to catch this film, it is easy to scrutinize every detail.

Yes, Michael Jackson did seem tired at some points.

But then again, it’s important to remember the context.

During one point of the movie, Jackson remarked to his producers that he was saving his voice and didn’t want to be pushing at 100 percent during the rehearsal.

This, as a theatre expert who accompanied me to the movie pointed out, is absolutely right for any performer, and could also be the reason why some misconstrued that Jackson was ‘tired’ while preparing for his concert.

In addition, having seen the entire movie which is based on raw footage from about three different rehearsals, it is hard to say whether the occasional shots of a puffed-out Jackson is really the result of his age and health, or the repeated takes on stage.

It's hard not to feel tired for Jackson judging from the energy put in for the stage run-throughs.

Watching him move it's hard to imagine that he was 50-years-old as Jackson was as lithe as an 18-year-old when dancing, which he often did in ‘This is It’.

Jackson also jumps up and down repeatedly as part of the performance for one of his songs and in another, lies on stage to kick his legs furiously in the air.

Amazingly, he did a re-take for one of these without appearing near-exhaustion after overruling the production crew who told Jackson he needn’t re-do the routine which didn’t go right in terms of timing.

That was one side of Jackson which came through clearly in this movie – a creative entertainer who was meticulous of his work.

As one of his crew pointed out in one of the few short interviews scattered throughout the movie, Jackson knew each note and beat of his music, so everyone working with him had to be on their toes and giving the best of their best.

It was clear through the footage that the hand-picked crew were among the best and like Jackson, director Ortega made sure that their effort didn't go ignored in the film, giving brief glimpses into their preparations and work away from Jackson.

We also get to see how Jackson worked with the singers,musicians and dancers around him, sharing his stage in spite of his mega-star status.

“It’s your time to shine” he said at one point of the rehearsal to Australian-born Orianthi Panagaris, the stunningly attractive and talented lead guitarist whom Jackson worked for a screaming guitar solo in "Black or White".

We also see a very personable Jackson giving directions to back-up singer Judith Hill in their duet "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

It’s easy to appreciate ‘This Is It’ for the rare, behind-the-scenes glimpses that flow seamlessly between songs and Jackson’s directions to his team, complete with an amazingly gentle chide, “with L.O.V.E” as the entertainer puts it, when things don’t work.

At the same time, you sense the love and respect of the crew, whether it's the dancers who play audience to Jackson at some parts of the rehearsal or Ortega discussing props and sets, and nagging Jackson when he gleefully ‘flies' in a cherry-picker.

Through the movie you also get a glimpse of what would have been a phenomenal concert, from the costumes being sewn, to the stage ‘extras’ like aerial dancers who seem to have muscles in the most amazing places and the 3D effects.

Lest you think this is a boring chronology, let me assure you that there are songs aplenty as the concert was to feature, as Jackson had said, all the songs fans loved.

For starters, you get to hear Jackson’s latest song “This Is It”.

You also get a run of his Motown hits and monster chart-busters such as “Thriller”, “Billie Jean”, "They Don't Really Care About Us", "The Way You Make Me Feel" … you name and it’ll most likely be there.

There's also Jackson singing acapella and what was to my ears, the best rendition yet of “I’ll Be There”, which Jackson ended quite poignantly with a dedication to his brothers and mother.

Kenny Ortega who transformed the concert he was putting together with Jackson into this Sony movie, also made it a point to place the number one hit “Earth Song” together with what turned out to be the longest Jackson speech in the archives.

Oddly, a good portion of the speech was laid over other visuals and you don’t see Jackson speaking about his passion for conservation.

Still, you get the message that saving the planet is important, along with the need for people to change their ways, as Jackson had tried to convey in his song “Man in the Mirror”.

There are some who say this film, taken from over 100 hours of rehearsal footage shot between March and June 2009, is nothing more than a cheap exploitation of Jackson and the frenzy over his death.

I thought so too, until I saw the movie.

In spite having the music of Michael Jackson woven into the timeline of my own life, I was never a Jackson fan.

After “This Is It”, I am still not a fan. But there is a new and genuine appreciation for the work and entertainer who was, Michael Jackson.

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I personally have always liked Michael Jackson. I remember the first time I saw the Jackson 5 on TV and I use to do all of Michael's moves and who could ever forget his first solo on TV with Billie Jean and that awesome moonwalk... I love to dance!!










 

Michael Jackson on stage, in control
'This Is It' celebrates his life, talent


It's hard to approach "Michael Jackson's This Is It," the behind-the-scenes documentary in which Jackson prepared for a series of sold-out concerts, without some cynicism.

It's hard to leave it without excitement and respect, tinged with regret for what might have been.

Jackson died in June before embarking on the 50-show stand in England. When it was announced that a full-length movie consisting of footage from Jackson's rehearsals for the concerts would be released, it was easy to dismiss it as one last trip to the Michael Jackson Money Machine before it ran dry.

Too easy, it turns out. Yes, "This Is It" is a vanity project, existing in part to offer a view of Jackson as a vital entertainer in full control of his career.

And in that, the movie succeeds without reservation. Though noticeably thin, Jackson is in full vocal command, particularly on hits such as "Human Nature" and "Beat It," and his dance moves are everything you would expect.

Some will note that Jackson doesn't always sing songs the whole way through, as in the opening "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," but remember, this is a rehearsal. At times he seems to be more concerned with getting the feel of a song, with making sure his dancers and musicians are executing what he's seeing and hearing in his head, than with performing himself.

Kenny Ortega, a friend of Jackson's and the director of Disney's "High School Musical" films, directs the stage show and the film from more than 100 hours of footage. But the movie is constructed in such a way as to make it clear that Jackson directed everything else. Jackson gives detailed instructions to the musical director, going more on feel than technique, till he gets what he wants. Indeed, most of what he does seems intuitive, leaving the musicians and dancers with the staggering task of keeping up.

Any evidence of eccentricity or scandal is missing. In its place is a performer in full command of his gifts. Even those who aren't fans of Jackson's will find value in the sheer amount of effort that goes into producing such a spectacle.


That high-pitched, soft voice Jackson spoke with the last few years? Gone. Instead, Jackson uses a much more confident tone. And why not? When he was on stage, he was away from everything else. He was in his element.

He was home.

Of course, it's now clear that not all was well. One might suppose that at least some hint of the lurid details surrounding Jackson's death would pop up, some sign of failing health. But Jackson seems just fine as he sings and dances. His energy and enthusiasm prevent you from looking too closely for any signs of trouble.

Is it the same experience as a concert film? No. In some respects, it's better. It's more fascinating to watch Jackson and his creative team work out the details of what would have been a monstrously elaborate show, to sweat every little thing, than it would be to see the polished final product.

"This Is It" is not, ultimately, the story of Jackson's last few weeks alive, but instead stands as a celebration of a life and career that still held the promise of more to come.

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Bad news I got laid off yesterday But I did file for unemployment and I got reactivated at a temporary service and this morning I am gonna fill out an application and later I will be online sending out my resume and all that soooo hopefully I will land something quickly!


 

Michael Jackson this is it number one

The Michael Jackson film, This Is It, was number one at the box office this week, and not because it was a well made movie. It is apparent that had Michael Jackson not passed away so suddenly, this film would never had been. The picture quality, though great in some parts, was lacking in others. The King of Pop's singing voice was often weak, though he commented that he was saving his voice, and the times he did allow himself to sing out, he sounded as amazing as ever. In fact, the man himself appeared fit, ready to perform at any time. His dancing was impecable, and he showed no hint of fatigue or weakness. Clearly, he was healthy before his death. In fact, during a couple of the Jackson 5 song numbers he looked giddy, truly happy. It was touching.

While as a film, This Is It had plenty of flaws, it will not dampen fans' enjoyment, nor should it. The intention seems to be to give people one last chance to see MJ, and to imagine what his sold out concerts this past summer in London would have been like. At that, it succeeds wonderfully. Not as put together as a traditional behind the scenes movie, it does convey an emotion and mood of that specific time. Seeing MJ himself, and the wonderful musicians and dancers that backed him up, they were really cooking up something that would have made headlines anyway, though not in the same way they ultimately did.

A cynical person may think that this film was made merely to recupe some of the enormous expense that went into a production that never got off the ground, and I'm sure that was a consideration. However, it is obvious as you watch that Kenny Ortega (director of the stage production and this movie) truly cared about the man, and he himself put this together for reasons other than economical. It is a living piece of history, and one any viewer will remember for decades to come. It is Michael as he has never been seen, and never will be again.

Bottom line, if you go into this expecting a film, don't bother. If you go into this expecting Michael, fond memories, and touching moments, you won't be disappointed.

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Well Monday after work I went to Walmarts and what should of only taken me five minutes maybe even ten minutes took almost thirty minutes traffic was so bad and I have no ideal why any who I got me a CD player it also has a radio got some movies and a few goodies cause my one grand daughter will be spending the whole weekend with me and we are gonna have a good time. Any who when I was leaving Walmarts of course my car would not start that is really getting old and I am gonna have to save up some money and have it checked out and hopefully get that fixed. I did not get home till almost six pm and um I left work at four thirty pm. The time sure is moving fast and just think day light savings just started Sunday! Ahhhhh I love the fall


 

This is It: a film about the extinction of Michael Jackson

There's still time to see the extended run of This Is It , the Michael Jackson documentary that has risen, in popularity and acclaim, every day since it opened last Tuesday, at midnight.

I went to a critics' screening: In such screenings, the critics sit as still as stones in the back, laughing quietly, now and then, at obscure matters – “He looks pale, but Harry Muller's colour timing may be off!”

One lush scene involves the decimation of a rain forest, which many tsk tsk'd: Horrifying, however is the unspoken truth, that this is a film about Michael Jackson's extinction.

Outside, hard-core fans were lined up in full regalia. When we left, several of them, and rightfully so, sneered at our utter lack of glamour and style. In my defence, I wore a gold and black MJ T-shirt, and applauded and sobbed openly during the screening.

The movie made $101-million (U.S.) worldwide so far, roughly what the poor man would have made doing 50 gruelling shows for notoriously demanding English audiences.

Directed by Kenny Ortega, the film has received great accolades, but this posthumous acclaim is tempered by the fact that Jackson lived, for the last two years of his life, in Las Vegas; ignored and despised, he would not have been able to mount a show in the same Los Angeles arena he rehearsed in, and was eventually exhibited in: a corpse in a golden coffin.

The reactionary observations of willfully obtuse film critics aside – the kind who call films like Chocolat “Delicious!” – This Is It is both a great film and a good barometric reading of the changing public sentiment toward Jackson, so long the main attraction in the media's vile freak show.

As This Is It continues to garner excellent and emotionally charged reviews, reviews that recall Maya Angelou's commemorative poem that states, again and again, incredulously, “We had him.”

Everywhere one looks, it seems, an entire town (on Sunday it was the Aberdeenshire town of Huntly) is performing the Thriller dance en masse; conducting a séance; or starting a bidding war over the same Ed Hardy bulldog pants Jackson wears so well during one rehearsal.

And this sort of fame will last for years until many of us will not be able to believe, as Angelou predicted, that we had him and let him go.

Hopefully, the first fever of kitsch (the busts, costumes and decorative plates) and early days grief will break, and more measured, scholarly work will emerge about Jackson's artistry.

Seeing This Is It is a deeply affective experience: Seeing Jackson alive and powerful is made particularly potent by virtue of his tragic demise, of course, and the relentless rumours about his physical condition near the end. The tabloids would have us believe he had turned into one of the ghouls he created in the 1996 short film Ghosts ; his biographer, Ian Halperin, one of Jackson's best defenders, would attempt to persuade us that this elegant man was dressing, after midnight, in little frocks, and carrying on seamy liaisons with construction workers in filthy hotel rooms.

In other words, things were so bad for Jackson, less than six months ago, that to be described in Halperin's exposé as a thrift-store drag queen, carrying on in a rat-infested motel and squealing (the often-quoted) “The King of Pop wants to lick your lollipop!” was a valiant defence of the man's character.

This Is It not only disabuses us of the wretched image we shared, of the nose-less, Oxycodone-jacking mutant who was said to have wandered listlessly through his rehearsals, the film focuses, critically, on the artistry behind Jackson's music and dancing.

As boring as references to his chimpanzee Bubbles and hyperbaric chambers are, more boring is the popular notion that Jackson, who, in spite of naming his children after his great-grandfather, an Alabama plantation slave, was a self-hating black man who metamorphosed into a white woman.

White intellectuals love nothing more than to posture, in a Black Like Me way, about Jackson's white skin, as if altering one's skin colour cosmetically for complex aesthetic purposes (parallel only to hair-straightening) could change one's race.

Jackson's musical roots are in vivid display in This Is It : We see the sexualized, hyper-masculine moves he modified from his idols James Brown and Jackie Wilson; we see his coded rapport with his sound engineer, about adding “more booty” to the tempo; we see the process of his pop by way of the Chitlin Circuit and long stop in Motown, most vividly in a scene in which he honours the absent Jackson Five, a crossover band recently impersonated by five appalling Australian minstrels (the Jackson Jive) on television.

It must be so illuminating when white people tell black people they have no idea that they are black!

I didn't notice a white woman starring in This Is It , just the perfectionist, activist and faultless genius; the starkly male star (he is aggressively masculine in this film) whom we lost while we weren't looking.

Time now, to start constructing his legacy, a legacy that begins with This Is It , and somewhere in the awed screaming and applauding, not of the reserved film critics, but of Jackson's young, gifted backup dancers who seemed electrified by him, swooning from his scent alone, which one of them called “The Love Potion.”





 

Michael Jackson's This Is It to get extended run

The documentary about the singer's final days will stay in cinemas for an additional one to three weeks, after earning £101m worldwide in its first few days


Michael Jackson This Is It

After the hype, the queues, the reviews and – above all – the ticket sales, Sony Pictures has extended the run of This Is It, the documentary about Michael Jackson's final rehearsals. The film will stay in cinemas for an additional one to three weeks, beyond the initial two-week showing.

This Is It earned more than £61m worldwide in its first five days, topping the US box office. Not only did it defeat low-budget horror film Paranormal Activity, last week's US champion, but it did so even over a spooky Halloween weekend. The Jackson documentary drew $32.5m (£19.8m) in the US, $10.4m (£6.3m) in Japan, and £4.6m in the UK.

The makers of This Is It had originally scheduled a theatrical run of just two weeks, marketing it as a brief worldwide event. Due to the film's success, these plans have changed – Sony have extended the movie's run for three weeks in the US, and one to three weeks in other countries, making This Is It more like ... every other movie. "He's just loved everywhere on the planet," Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony, told the Associated Press.

Then again, Sony's decision might be motivated not by the film's success, but by their relative disappointment. In the weeks leading up to This Is It's release, a spokesperson for co-producers AEG told Deadline Hollywood that the film would earn $250m (£152m) in just five days. Even dismissing this astronomical prediction, producers clearly hoped This Is It would out-perform last year's Miley Cyrus vehicle, Best of Both Worlds. Although this has been the case worldwide, Best of Both Worlds is still the opening weekend record-holder in the US, despite screening in fewer theatres.

However, there is little doubt that This Is It was a sound investment for Sony Pictures. The company reportedly paid $60m (£36.6m) for distribution rights to the documentary, which follows Jackson's preparations for a 50-night residency at London's O2 Arena. Jackson died on 25 June, less than three weeks before the concerts were to begin.

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Michael Jackson film 'This Is It' performs well overseas
The Sony Pictures movie takes in an estimated $68.5 million over five days outside the U.S. and Canada, more than double its domestic total.
'This Is It'

Michael Jackson rehearses at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles for 50 sold-out concerts in London. (Kevin Mazur / Associated Press / June 23, 2009)


The last time one of Michael Jackson's tours played the continental United States was 1988. So perhaps it's no surprise that "This Is It," Sony Pictures' film made from rehearsal footage for Jackson's planned London concert series, did more than twice as much business internationally in its first five days as it did domestically.

"This Is It" opened to a studio-estimated $68.5 million in 108 foreign territories from Wednesday through Sunday and $32.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, where it started late Tuesday.

Its biggest international market was Japan, where "This Is It" sold $10.4 million worth of tickets, the third-biggest opening of the year in the country behind a Japanese film and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

Jackson became more popular in many foreign countries than the U.S. as he continued to tour there in the 1990s and controversy surrounding his personal life had less of an effect.

The lopsided opening for "This Is It" puts it in a small group of films this year to sell more than twice as many tickets overseas as at home.

All told, "This Is It" came in at the low end of expectations domestically but performed solidly overseas, bringing in $101 million worldwide. More important for Sony, however, the movie kept humming after its so-so $20.1-million start Wednesday.

It's typical for concert movies to fall rapidly after an initial burst of enthusiasm from fans when they open. But "This Is It" held on well over the weekend, declining less than 10% from Friday to Saturday despite the occurrence of Halloween. That gave Sony hope that the well-reviewed film would fade slowly in the coming weeks.

"I don't think it's going to be like a traditional concert movie that burns itself out very quickly," said Rory Bruer, Sony's president of distribution.

Partly because of the studio's failure to reach an agreement with theater owners to release a DVD version before Christmas, "This Is It" will have a chance to prove Bruer's conviction. Sony announced Sunday that it was extending the run of "This Is It" beyond the previously planned two weeks. In the U.S., it will now stay in theaters until Thanksgiving.

The audience for "This Is It" was somewhat older than expected, with 62% of moviegoers older than 25. That's good news for Sony, since adults are more likely to turn out after a movie's opening weekend than teenagers.

"This Is It" will almost certainly gross more than $200 million worldwide, which should make the film at least modestly profitable for the studio and generate substantial returns for Jackson's estate and AEG Live, which was producing the "This Is It" concert.

After theater owners take their approximately 50% cut of ticket sales, Sony will recoup the $60 million it spent on movie rights, as well as marketing costs believed to be in the low- to mid-tens of millions. It will also keep a distribution fee that one person close to the deal said is 13% to 20% of revenue, depending on the film's ultimate performance. All other proceeds go to the Jackson estate and AEG Live.

The same split applies to home entertainment. The movie will come out on DVD in late January or early February.

"This Is It" was the only new movie to open nationwide in the last week, as most studios wanted to avoid competing with trick-or-treating and Halloween parties.

Sony was forced to pick the date for "This Is It" because it wanted to rush the film out this fall and every other weekend was crowded with major new releases.

Two new movies opened in limited release Friday, however, to varying results.

Apparition's "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" started with a decent $461,614 at 68 locations. That's more than 15 times the ticket sales for the ultra-violent original, an infamous flop in 2000 that found renewed life on DVD.

Fox Searchlight's "Gentleman Broncos," from "Napoleon Dynamite" director Jared Hess, opened to a weak $10,000 at two theaters.

Weinstein Co. expanded its August release of "Halloween II" to take advantage of the holiday, but grossed just $475,000 at 1,083 theaters.

Overall, the weekend box office was a bit better than expected, as total weekend ticket sales rose 5% from a year earlier, Hollywood.com said.


 

Michael Jackson lookalikes join ghouls, ghosts, other oddities in Greenwich Village Halloween parade

There was holiday horror en masse on the avenue when masqueraders recreated Michael Jackson and his dancers from the Thriller music video for enthusiastic crowds.
Taggart for News
There was holiday horror en masse on the avenue when masqueraders recreated Michael Jackson and his dancers from the Thriller music video for enthusiastic crowds.
Earlier in the day, Mark Perez, 7, gave his own take on Jackson from the 'Bad' era during the Childrens' Parade around Washington Square Park.
Rosier/News
Earlier in the day, Mark Perez, 7, gave his own take on Jackson from the 'Bad' era during the Childrens' Parade around Washington Square Park.

It was fright night in Greenwich Village Saturday as thousands of Halloween revelers paraded up Sixth Avenue dressed to thrill.

Creepy ghouls, spooky ghosts and a multitude of Michael Jackson-lookalikes came out of the shadows under the cover of darkness, and even the pouring rain couldn't dampen their spirits.

"I think tonight is one of the best nights ever," said Angel Estrella, 38, from Bedford Park, in the Bronx, who was dressed as the Wizard of Oz's wicked witch of the West.

"I don't think it's been this packed, despite the weather.

"I'm soaked but I feel great."

Several groups of up to 50 people performed dance routines from Michael Jackson's Thriller and Beat It videos in tribute to the King of Pop.

Other Halloween enthusiasts walked the streets with fake blood dripping down their faces, or used the night to show off their assets by covering their naked bodies in paint. dressing as French maids or belly dancers.

"It's one of the best free things left in New York," said Tammi Williams, 30, from Bed-Sty, Brooklyn, who dressed as an extreme sports star with war paint across her face.

"I love the parade, I love the big skeletons, I love the whole zombie Thriller thing."

"It's just fun," she added.

"I'm glad I came out."

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Well yesterday evening my oldest daughter called me and ask me to come over for supper which of course I did and my other daughter was there as well and I took four out of the seven g kids! Four of the boys and we went to Walmarts after leaving my daughers house and got a few moview to watch and eggs and milk and of course we got some pizza for lunch today Ohhh and I also got the "This Is It" CD
For breakfast I will be making Pancakes which they all love and we have a few new movies to still watch that we did not watch last night! Oh yeah I got to pick out a movie for me too and I got: Not Easily Broken
and I have to say that is a really good movie
Now next weekend I have to take the two girls and the following weekend there is one left and I will take him after the girls. Whew.... wiping my forehead
It is so good to be the favorite