Look What's Left In London's Tube - 'I left my lawnmower on the Tube'

Look What's Left In London's Lost And Found!

• Transport for London's lost property office has revealed some of the strangest items ever handed in.
• A samurai sword, a prosthetic arm and a coffin are just some of the bizarre items left behind on the capital's public transport system.
• The vast treasure chest of weird and wonderful items was unveiled at Transport for London's Lost Property Office.
• The basement in Baker Street, central London, is celebrating 75 years of collecting items mislaid on overground and Tube trains, buses, cabs and coaches.
• And now they are showcasing the forgotten finds, including a stuffed fox, a puffer fish, a lawnmower, a park bench, WWII gas masks and even a home vasectomy kit.
• The staff's fears over the contents of the coffin lessened when its "owner" was tracked down, who revealed it was used for theatrical purposes only.
• In fact, the office enjoys a very successful hit rate at finding the lost items' forgetful friends.
  LPO's office manager Julie Haley told Sky News Online reuniting two urns of ashes with the relatives of the deceased was "particularly heart-warming".
• "It was an emotional moment for all of us. Having said that, all items are important to their owners and returning even the smallest of items can make a big difference," she said.
  A pair of breast implants was also successfully returned.
• However, the toothless man who came in one day asking for his dentures was less fortunate.
• He brought back what he had identified as his own set a few hours later, complaining of "rubbing".
• Despite that rare, unfortunate mis-match, staff have developed keen detective skills - yards from Sherlock Holmes' stomping ground - over the years to identify matches among the thousands of items.
• Julie said keeping up with changing styles and times over three quarters of a century has helped.
• "In the 1960s, the most popular thing we would get was umbrellas. We would get over 90,000 in a typical year," she said. The number handed in today is around 7,000.
  "We used to get loads and loads of fashionable gloves years ago," Julie added.
• "Obviously now they're not the height of fashion any more."
• Shelves full of clothing, bags and books remain dominant among the near-200,000 items recovered each year.
• They have helped to build quite a pricey collection.
• A quarter of a million pounds worth of luxury watches have been among the items which head to charity or auction if not claimed within three months.
• Julie insisted any personal data left on an item will see it kept permanently though, and she advised the public to always check with them.
• "I know some people think if they have lost something on public transport they will never get it back," she said.
• "But I would like to encourage them to give us a call. You never know - we might just have it here."
• So if you see a one-armed, sword-less samurai roaming around the capital, point him in the direction of Baker Street.

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

US Secret Service hunts Facebook user after presidential death poll

• The US Secret Service is hunting for a Facebook user who posted a poll on the social networking website asking if President Obama should be killed.
• The poll offered four possible answers – “yes”, “no”, “maybe” and “If he cuts my healthcare” – and received 730 responses before the authorities were notified and Facebook removed it from its site.
• Threatening the President is a crime under federal law and the Secret Service, which is responsible for Mr Obama’s safety, said last month it had seen a 400 per cent surge in death threats against him since the launch of his push for healthcare reform earlier this year.
• News of the poll prompted demands from Democratic Party activists that whoever was behind it be prosecuted and jailed, but the Secret Service left open the possibility today that it was a high school prank that could still go unpunished.
• Posting a poll was not necessarily against the law, a source close to the investigation told The Times, adding: “What we have to do is determine the person’s intent and the only way we can do that is to interview him.”
• A Facebook spokesman said the poll had been posted to the site by a “third-party developer”, whose content is not subject to screening for offensive material.
• Some of those who would like Mr Obama dead have said so with little obvious fear of repercussions. One demonstrator at an anti-healthcare reform rally in New Hampshire last month carried a gun and a placard with the message: “It’s time to water the tree of liberty” – a reference to a warning from Thomas Jefferson, often quoted on the extreme right, that “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots”.
• Earlier this month the Rev Wiley Drake, a Southern Baptists minister in Orange County, California, told an interviewer that he was praying for Mr Obama’s death. Far from being muzzled, he has won a first-round victory in an effort to show in court that the President was not born a US citizen. A preliminary date for a hearing has been set for January 2010.

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Backlash to Hollywood petition demanding release of Roman Polanski

• A backlash was growing last night against the actors and directors who leapt to the defence of Roman Polanski after his arrest on a child sex charge.
• Celebrated cinema luminaries including Woody Allen, David Lynch and Martin Scorsese called for Polanski to be freed immediately from arrest in Switzerland on a US extradition warrant.
• He is wanted for fleeing 30 years ago to avoid sentencing after admitting unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. Lawyers for the film director have appealed for his release on bail.
• Luc Besson, the director of Léon, however, refused to sign the Hollywood petition, saying that no one should be above the law, and Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, criticised his Foreign Minister for urging the director’s freedom.
• Polanski, 76, is said to have felt no qualms about visiting Zurich Film Festival to pick up a lifetime achievement award, partly because his lawyers believed that he was no longer actively being sought. He faces a wait of up to two weeks to hear about bail, which legal sources said was unlikely.
• “The case involves a great director but still it is also a case of ... sex with a child,” Mr Tusk said. “We should not bring politics into this or speak in patriotic tones.”
• Mr Tusk’s warning followed an appeal by his Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski, and Bernard Kouchner, the Foreign Minister of France, where Polanski lives with his wife and two children.
• The petition has been signed by more than 100 cinema industry figures. “We demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski,” it stated. “Film-makers in France, in Europe, in the United States and around the world are dismayed by this decision.”
• The Oscar-winning director of films including Rosemary’s Baby and The Pianist faces several months in prison because the US has 60 days to send its formal extradition request and the appeal process is likely to last “some weeks”, Swiss authorities said.
• In Hollywood, Polanski’s friends and admirers were as outraged that the Los Angeles District Attorney still wanted to prosecute the 32-year-old case, not least because his victim said that she did not believe that he should be pursued.
• The actress Whoopi Goldberg said: “I don’t believe it was rape-rape. He went to jail and when they let him out he was like, ‘You know what, this [judge] is going to give me a hundred years in jail. I’m not staying’.”

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Tsunami 'wipes out' villages - Pictures

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

Tsunami 'wipes out' villages

Villages 'wiped out' by tsunami after Samoa quake: report

• Villages have been 'wiped out' by a tsunami that hit the South Pacific after a quake off the coast of Samoa.
• A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 struck off the South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Tuesday, wiping out villages and killing 19 people in the region, reports said.
• At least 14 people were reported to have died in American Samoa, and five in Samoa as enormous waves battered the island states, with one witness saying the wall of water had been up to 30 feet (nine metres) high.
• The Samoan capital of Apia was evacuated as authorities scrambled to get thousands of people to higher ground.Witnesses said cars were swept out to sea in American Samoa where buildings were destroyed in what the US congressman for the territory said was a scene of "devastation."
• The US Geological Survey said an 8.0-magnitude quake struck at 6:48 am (1748 GMT) at a depth of 18 kilometres (11 miles), 195 kilometres south of the Samoan capital Apia.
  The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially issued a tsunami alert over a vast swathe of the Pacific, as far as Hawaii, but later withdrew the warning.
• The centre said waves of up to 1.57 metres (over five feet) above the average sea level had smashed into American Samoa.Eyewitnesses said the waves were much larger.
• Mike Reynolds, superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa, which has its headquarters in the territory's capital Pago Pago told colleagues in California there had been widescale destruction.National Park Service spokeswoman Holly Bundock said she had spoken to Reynolds, who was sheltering under a coconut tree.
• "Park staff when they are able to make cell phone calls are calling in to our offices," she said."They said five tsunami waves have hit the park visitor centre in Pago Pago. It would appear park offices and the visitor centre there have been destroyed. "One of the waves was about 30 feet high."Samoan journalist Jona Tuiletufuga told AFP there was widespread destruction with possibly thousands of people left homeless on the island.
• "Entire villages have been wiped out."
• Tuiletufuga said there were up to 70 villages in the worst-hit area and each housed from 300-800 people.
• A New Zealand tourist who called Radio New Zealand to appeal for help said he was looking over an area of destruction from high ground near Apia."We clambered up a hill and one of the party has a broken leg. We just need help. There will be people in a great lot of need around here, it's flattened."Information from both islands was patchy.
• A series of powerful aftershocks rattled the South Pacific in the hours after the initial quake.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially issued a tsunami warning for a large area of the South Pacific including Fiji, New Zealand and Tonga.The USGS said the 8.0-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 18 kilometres.
• Several of the Earth's tectonic plates meet in South Pacific and violent geological activity is common.Large quakes with an under-ocean epicentre can trigger tsunamis that can have devastating effects.
• In December 2004 an undersea earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra set off a tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people around the Indian Ocean and laid waste to huge areas of coastline.

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

Royal Navy has made its largest ever seizure of cocaine worth £240m

The Royal Navy has made its largest ever seizure of cocaine with a haul worth more than £240million.

• The Royal Navy has made its largest ever seizure of cocaine with a haul worth more than £240m.
• HMS Iron Duke seized more than five and a half tonnes of the drug in an operation off the coast of South America.
• In the UK it would have a street value of £240m, the Navy said.
  A 138ft fishing boat, the MV Cristal, was spotted by a Navy helicopter crew in an area known for trafficking, which led to a dramatic swoop with the US Coast Guard and another British ship, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort George.
• In total, 212 bales of cocaine were found, weighing about 26kg each. The crews then sank the smugglers' boat with gun fire.
• Commander Andrew Stacey said that an armed helicopter and rigid inflatable boats were sent to intercept the ship on September 15.
• In a painstaking search of the vessel, the drugs were eventually found hidden under the ship's regular stores, beneath a concrete floor and steel panels.
• Tonnes of stock had to be moved, the hard floor broken up with sledgehammers and metal panels unbolted before the stash was revealed.
• Cmdr Stacey said: "This was our third successful drug bust in as many months but this surpasses anything we've had and anything the Navy had previously. It is the largest drugs bust by value, and by volume in terms of cocaine."
• Several drug runners of different nationalities were arrested.
• The cocaine was stored on the Iron Duke for around 24 hours - because there was so much of it some had to be kept on deck under armed guard.
• Cmdr Stacey said: "We are very well prepared to defend ourselves. It was a big quantity and I was conscious of the fact that some people might want it back, but they would have a tough time getting it back from us."
• HMS Iron Duke is on a six-month deployment to visit UK overseas territories during hurricane season.
• Prince William served on the vessel last year when it seized cocaine worth £45m in the Caribbean.

By www.michaeljackson50.com

THIS IS IT Tickets On Sale!

• Tickets to Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT will go on sale today, Sunday, September 27. The movie, a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Michael Jackson as he developed, created, and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place this summer at London's O2 Arena, will be in theaters worldwide for a limited two-week engagement starting Wednesday, October 28. It will premiere the night before, Tuesday, October 27, with 25 global premieres, 15 of those simultaneously around the world. Go to MichaelJackson.com
• The Michael Jackson's This Is It movie pre-sale has begun!
• "MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT” 2 CD Music Collector's Edition With Souvenir Movie Poster
• The Limited Edition 2-CD Music set featuring the music that inspired MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT including a deluxe 36-page booklet and souvenir movie poster is now available for pre-order.

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Surfers shocked to find shark on beach - discovering a 12ft shark

Surfers got a "nasty shock" at discovering a 12ft shark that had been washed up on a beach in Cornwall.

• The thresher shark was found on Hayle beach by the surfers who thought it was a dolphin.
  It had a 6ft long body, with a tail of the same length, and is estimated to weigh around 440lb.
• Dave Jarvis, from Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network, has formally identified the shark that was found on Wednesday.
  "The surfers who found it thought it was a dolphin so they got a nasty shock when they got closer and saw it was a shark," he said.
• "It was in good condition, there were no marks on it so we don't know how it died."
  Thresher sharks are native to UK waters but it is unusual for them to be washed up in this way.
• Mr Jarvis said he could not think of another that had washed up in recent years in Cornwall.
• "They don't pose any threat to humans, if they did decide to go for you it would take a lump out of you but they only have a small mouth and two rows of teeth so its not like Jaws," he said.
• "I've never heard of anyone being attacked by one."Thresher sharks can grow up to 20ft in length.
• In 2007 a trawler fisherman caught a 16ft thresher shark off the coast off Land's End, Cornwall.

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Dr Brace's amazing fuel diet - increase your fuel economy

• An expert reveals ten essential tips to increase your fuel economy - and reduce your bills.
• Being a better driver doesn't just revolve around foot-to-the-floor performance, lightning reactions and death-defying cornering speeds. Smoothness, anticipation, and a little bit of plain old-fashioned courtesy can get you a long way - especially when it comes to improving your car's fuel economy.
• Journalists from motoring magazine V-ZINE spent a day with Dr Chris Brace, senior lecturer in Automotive Engineering at Bath University's Powertrain and Vehicle Research Centre to brush up on economy driving.
• By the end of it, they'd recorded a 50 percent improvement in the economy of their Alfa Romeo Brera 2.4 JTDM. Now it's your turn to share Dr Brace's ten-point driving plan...
• 1) Treat your car to some TLC'You should have your car regularly serviced and carry out maintenance checks of your own. Fresh oil will better lubricate the engine, while the correct tyre pressures ensure optimum rolling resistance for your rubber.'
  2) Lighten up'You may carry your life around with you in the boot of your car, but you'd be better off leaving it at home. The heavier the car, the harder the engine has to work, so a 15 percent weight increase will see economy fall by the same amount.'
  3) Starting and idling'People are tempted to leave their car to warm at idle before a journey, but it's better for the engine and economy if you warm it up on the move. And when you come to a halt again, switching the engine off at the traffic lights saves you wasting fuel. Around a litre an hour is burned at idle.'
  4) Smooth mover'When you're driving, smoothness with the controls is key to making your fuel go further. Acceleration should be measured and progressive and you should aim to stay within the engine's peak torque band - typically 1,500 to 2,500rpm in a diesel and 2,000 to 3,000rpm in a petrol-powered car. Another tip is to avoid coasting in neutral. It's a common misconception that this saves fuel, but actually modern engines don't consume fuel when coasting in gear.'
  5) Slippery customer'Think about how long designers and aerodynamicists spend trying to make a car's body cut smoothly through the air. By opening your window or sunroof, or piling bikes and boxes onto the roof, you're ruining all that hard work. And it can heavily impact on the car's economy.'
  6) No drain = no pain'As a rule, anything that puts a drain on the battery will put a drain on your economy - for example, air conditioning or lights ablaze. But worse still is a battery in poor condition with relatively little charge. If the alternator is busy working away trying to charge the battery, it places a drain on the engine which hits the economy.'
  7) Timing is everything'Driving in heavy stop-start traffic is going to hurt. So if you're a commuter and can possibly avoid the rush hours, you'll really notice the improvement in fuel consumption. Needless to say though, that's easier said than done!'
  8) Open your eyes'Looking ahead and anticipating obstacles is key to cutting your fuel bills. Find the path of least resistance and keep plenty of space around you. That way, you can dictate your own pace and always react calmly and in a measured fashion to changes ahead. Roundabouts and traffic light junctions are prime examples of where you should be aiming to maintain momentum. And when driving across country, try and maintain a steady, composed pace which eliminates the need for constant braking and acceleration.'
  9) No need for speed'The speed limits are there for everyone's safety, but those who flaunt them are not only endangering theirs and others' lives, they are consuming more fuel. Stick to the limits.'
  10) The fuel rule'Cheap, non-branded fuel may perform poorly, so try and search out a mainstream supermarket or fuel company before filling up. High performance ‘super-type' petrol and diesel fuels such as Shell V-Power can burn more efficiently and improve your engine's economy, but shop around for the lowest price first or you won't feel the benefit!'

By www.michaeljackson50.com

New Michael Jackson concert footage released

• A new video of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his This Is It concerts, which should have taken place in London this summer, has been released.
• The 45 second clip, released by Sony, shows the late King of Pop on stage practising Human Nature. In the film he is vocally strong and appears ready for his big comeback.
• The footage has been edited into a movie which is due to be released in cinemas around the world next month.
• There will be 15 premieres taking place simultaneously around the world, with the London event kicking off at 1am on Wednesday October 28.
• The film opens to the UK public from 4am.

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Michael Jackson Fans: This Is It - CD Release!

:UNRELEASED MICHAEL JACKSON SONG "THIS IS IT" TO BE UNVEILED OCTOBER 12TH

:SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE TWO DISC ALBUM WITH MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE SONY PICTURES FILM MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT ON OCTOBER 26TH/27TH

• On October 12th, the first new Michael Jackson song to emerge since the world mourned the loss of this musical icon will be released – a brand new single entitled "This Is It." Soon after, Sony Music Entertainment's Columbia/Epic Label Group will release the two-disc album This Is It featuring the music that inspired Sony Pictures’ forthcoming film MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT. This two-disc album will be available internationally on October 26th and North America on October 27th to coincide with the worldwide release of the motion picture which arrives in theaters on October 28th and runs for a limited two-week engagement.
• "This song only defines, once again, what the world already knows - that Michael is one of God's greatest gifts," comments John McClain, co-producer of the album.
• Disc one will feature the original album masters of some of Michael's biggest hits arranged in the same sequence as they appear in the film. The disc ends with two versions of the never-released "This Is It." This song is featured in the film's closing sequence and includes backing vocals by Michael's brothers, the Jacksons.
• Disc two offers previously unreleased versions of some of the artist's classic tracks. This disc also features a touching spoken word poem from Michael Jackson entitled "Planet Earth" that has never been heard before.
• The two-disc This is It is a stand-alone companion to the motion picture and includes a 36-page, commemorative booklet featuring exclusive photos of Michael from his last rehearsal.
• The motion picture MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London's O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a chance to discover the man they never knew through this privileged and private look at Jackson. In raw and candid detail, MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show.
• Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jackson's creative partner and the director of the stage show is also directing the film, which is being produced by Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega and Paul Gongaware. Executive producers are John Branca and John McClain. The film will be distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing.

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

Hero pilot on jobseeker's allowance

:A pilot who saved 136 lives aboard a stricken plane has been forced to apply for jobseeker's allowance.





:Jobseeker allowance for hero pilot

• An airline pilot hailed a hero after helping to crash-land a stricken passenger jet at Heathrow airport is set to receive jobseeker's allowance.
• Peter Burkill, who was praised with his co-pilot for saving the lives of 136 passengers aboard the Boeing 777, took voluntary redundancy from British Airways in the summer to spend time with his family.
• The pilot, who lives in Worcester, is said by his wife Maria to be confident of finding work soon despite being rejected by Korean Air, which requires that applicants do not have an "accident or incident" on their CV.
• Capt Burkill, 45, was widely commended for helping to bring the jet down safely after its engines failed on the approach to Heathrow in January last year.
  His wife, who works for East Midlands Ambulance Service, told the Press Association the couple were frustrated at Korean Air's rules.
• But Mrs Burkill added that her husband - who will receive jobseeker's allowance of £64-a-week - had been shortlisted by other airlines and was waiting for news of interviews.
  The 35-year-old mother-of-three said: "He has applied to other companies, but they are not interviewing at the moment. We are not moaning and we are not worrying about it."
• Mrs Burkill, who said her husband was considering making after-dinner speeches, went on: "I would like to think he will be flying, if he chooses to fly, in the next six months."
  The emergency medical technician, a former British Airways stewardess, stressed that the couple did not want to appear to be "whingeing" about Korean Air's decision or their own finances.
• She said: "At the time it was disappointing, but they have got a protocol and that is what they are following. It is frustrating because Pete is a pilot and loves flying, but we never expected him to be flying before the end of the year and we appreciate we are in a far more fortunate position than many other people."

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Final Sugababe 'forced to quit'

:Pop group Sugababes have confirmed that the last original band member, Keisha, has now also quit.

• Who Are The Sugababes?
• So it's true. The Sugababes have achieved something few acts in the 50 plus years of pop'n'roll can claim to. The Temptations, The Drifters, The Supremes and The Velvet Underground are amongst a handful of groups before them that have managed to lose every single original member but stagger on regardless. Confusion surrounded the future of the UK's most successful female group of the 21st century yesterday, amid reports that Amelle Berrabah had been ousted by Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range.
• However, a band statement has now cleared up this spectacular mess. It reads: "The current line-up of the Sugababes has disbanded. Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah will continue as the Sugababes and will be joined by new member Jade Ewen. They release their album ‘Sweet 7' on November 23 through Island Records. Keisha Buchanan will continue to record for Island Records as a solo artist." So that's that sorted then.
• Keisha has cited "a breakdown in communication" and "lack of trust" for the decision, and explained: "Although it was not my choice to leave, it's time to enter a new chapter in my life, I've had a great time and have achieved more then I ever thought I would." She also dismissed suggestions that the third line-up change in their ten-year history was as a result of yet more cat-fights. "I have nothing but positive things to say about the girls and I wish them the best of luck", she explained. Ewan represented the UK's in this year's Eurovision and a recent MOBOs nomination confirms her reputation as a singer with some potential and pedigree. Quite frankly, for the sake of the Sugababes, she would need to be...

By www.michaeljackson50.com

Woman Survives By Drinking Water From Hair - We have mountain lions, bears and other critters up here

:A US woman who crashed her car in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains has survived for five days by sucking rainwater from her hair.

• Cynthia Blair-Hoover suffered 11 broken ribs, a punctured lung and several broken vertebrae after her VW Passat went flying off a cliff and rolled 350ft down the side of a hill.
  The 52-year-old was left unconscious as the car ended up near a mine in Colorado.
  She had no food and faced rain, freezing temperatures and snow, as well as the threat of mountain lions and bears.
• The victim managed to stay alive by draining the water from her hair into her mouth.
  She said she had armed herself with a golf club to protect herself if wild animals approached.
• Ms Blair-Hoover eventually managed to crawl 450 yards to the mine, which was open for tours.At the mine, she heard voices and cried out for help.
  After several minutes, people heard her pleas and found her barely alive.
  Rescuers said her mouth was full of dirt from when she had dragged herself along the ground.
• Fire chief Gary Allen, who took part in her rescue, said: "She had a heck of a will to live. What amazed me was she survived the rain, fog, sleet and hail.
• "We have mountain lions, bears and other critters up here. It is a miracle she wasn't mauled to death."
• Ms Blair-Hoover, who had crashed her car after swerving to avoid hitting a deer, is now recovering in hospital in Colorado.

By www.michaeljackson50.com

TV Licence Evaders: Bizarre Excuses Revealed

:Lonely dogs, washing machine disasters, and a sick magpie have made the top 10 list of bizarre excuses given by people who have failed to pay their TV licence.

• More than 280,000 fee evaders were caught in the first eight months of the year.
• A TV Licensing spokesman said the range of reasons given by people when inquiry officers called ranged from the "sublime to the ridiculous".The organisation has published 10 of the most bizarre explanations given by people as reasons for not paying.
• Top of the list was "a pigeon fell down the chimney and broke the aerial so I have bad reception".
• Another excuse was: "I've not been making payments as a baby magpie flew into my house and I had to stay in and feed it until it was ok."
• And one telly addict suggested the pet dog was the only viewer and so should not have to pay.
• The spokesman said: "It's been a top year for tall tales.
  "Family members and the animal kingdom are among those that make an appearance in this year's list, as heard by TV Licensing's inquiry officers.
  "From the sublime to the ridiculous, licence dodgers from all across the UK have been particularly inventive in their attempts to avoid paying their TV Licence."
  He warned those watching television without a licence were breaking the law and faced a fine of up to £1,000.

TV Licensing's top 10 excuses:
1. "A pigeon fell down the chimney and broke the aerial so I have bad reception."
2. "My 11-year-old son must have bought the TV during the night. It wasn't there when I went to bed."
3. "My payment card's been stuck in the washing machine so I can't pay."
4. "I've not paid due to my shop only accepting £5 and £10 notes and I haven't got any of those."
5. "I've not been making payments as a baby magpie flew into my house and I had to stay in and feed it until it was ok."
6. "I only use the TV to keep the horses company and one of them is blind so I should only pay half if I have to pay at all."
7. "I can't get the TV out of the box - can you help me?"
8. "My dog watches it when I'm at work to keep him company - not me."
9. "My mum told me to tell you she's not in."
10. "I've not bought a licence as I dreamt I didn't have to and the saying is you've to follow your dreams."

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Woody Harrelson avoid a vicious death in Croatia

:Harrelson: 'Cheers saved my life'

• Playing a dim-witted barman on hit 1980s sitcom Cheers helped Woody Harrelson avoid a vicious death in Croatia.
• The actor recalls befriending the wrong red-hot girls during a day out at the beach in Dubrovnik and becoming a target for their angry boyfriends, who were part of a tough gang.
• He tells Playboy magazine, "These guys were coming down from the hillside. They were the toughest-looking mother***kers you ever saw - some kind of Croatian judo gang or something - and they were coming down basically to kill me for being with these red-hot girls.
• "They were ready to tear me apart, and it got mind-blowingly tense. But then one of these ***king guys recognises me from American TV, so we end up going out for drinks with them.
• "I swear if I had not been on Cheers, I'd have died right there on that beach in Croatia."

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

Secret Tapes Reveal Michael Jackson's Family Rant

:Secret tapes have emerged of Michael Jackson describing his brothers as "lazy moaners" and angrily criticising other members of his close family.

• The King of Pop hit out at his sisters and branded his mother "disappointing" in conversations with his ghost writer recorded almost 25 years ago and obtained by the News Of the World.
• Several times during the tapes, he realised he had gone too far and snapped: "You can't print that."
• Jackson started off with a rant about the siblings who made up the Jackson 5, saying his brothers did not give him any support.
• "We'd be working on a TV show or video and they'd be sitting around moaning and groaning but I'd be watching and learning," he said.
• "It takes a talent, but some people are lazy and don't want to develop anything."
• Each of his brothers - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy - came in for individual criticism from the star, whose sudden death at the age of 50 is still being investigated.
• Jackson described Tito as a whinger who enjoyed "boring" hobbies such as putting together model planes, while Marlon constantly irritated him when they performed on stage.
• He accused Jermaine of being a womaniser and not having the self-belief to launch a successful solo career, saying he was either "looking for girls or going along with the jokes".
• Eldest brother Jackie was dismissed as stubborn, argumentative and negative while the youngest, Randy, made the mistake of never listening to Jackson's advice.
• Turning to his father, Joe, the singer hit back at the man he accused of abusing him as a child.
• He said: "He is a very jealous father. He isn't gonna show you love, but anybody that gets closer to us than him he would tell them, 'Leave my boys alone!'."
• "To tell you the truth, I never have felt close to him. He has always been like a mystery man."
• In public, Jackson insisted his mother Katherine was "great" but on the tapes he said: "She disappointed me. She did an interview (about him). I don't like her to talk. It's none of those people's business."
• Sister La Toya was labelled as "Mrs Nice and Nasty" who would not let him sit on her couch or walk on her carpet.
• Jackson's favourite sister Janet escaped relatively lightly with a jealous attack focused mainly on her marriage to pop producer James DeBarge in 1984.
• "Janet is a tomboy. That is why it kills me to see her off and married. We did everything together and were just alike. We write a whole schedule for the day and follow it. It's a terrible loss," he said.
• But Jackson did have some positive things to say about one member of the family - himself.
• "I am the captain of my ship. I take suggestions and listen to what everyone has to say, but the final decision is mine," he declared.
• He did admit one mistake in his career - the famous Pepsi advert in which his hair was set on fire.
• "I hate Pepsi. I hated doing that dumb commercial," he said. "The only thing I liked about it was working with the children."

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

British Actor Hugh Grant On 27 June 1995, Grant was arrested for lewd conduct by La Vice officers

Hugh John Mungo Grant - is an English actor and film producer.

British actor Hugh Grant pleaded no contest today to lewd conduct.

1. Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His movies have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide.
2. He was fined $1,180 and was placed on 2 years probation. Grant was arrested last month when police found him in his car, engaging in oral sex with a Hollywood prostitute. In addition to the fine, Grant will attend an AIDS education program. He was not present in court today.
3. Hugh Grant took the talk show hot seat July 10, speaking publicly for the first time after his monumentally publicized arrest on lewd conduct charges last month. In answer to those charges, he told Jay Leno, "I think you know in life what's a good thing to do and what's a bad thing, and I did a bad thing..and there you have it."
4. Ironically, two days before his arrest, Grant joked in an interview with CNN that he and his on-screen nemesis in "Nine Months," Tom Arnold, often end up in tabloid trouble.
5. But if the public has been forgiving, will the tabloid press be so also? No way, says Daily News Gossip Columnist George Rush. "The American public may have forgiven him," said Rush. "But I don't think Elizabeth has, and until she takes him into her bed, we'll be on his case."
6. Hugh Grant was the toast of Tinseltown until he was hit by a scandal after his encounter with a Hollywood prostitute, but now he has been embraced by U.S. audiences because of the stylish way he handled this crisis.
7. Unlike Leona Helmsley, Grant did not refuse interviews, nor did he defiantly cancel appearances like Michael Jackson. Instead, he apologized on shows like "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and CNN's "Larry King Live." The gist? "I'm very sorry," Hugh simply said.
   
   
   

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

The most spectacular Lamborghini ever - see the photos

Lamborghini have dazzled the motoring world by unleashing the £1million Reventón in Frankfurt.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

The most spectacular Lamborghini ever

:Frankfurt supercar: Lamborghini Reventón Roadster

• You have to envy Lamborghini's President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann. With chiselled good looks - like his company's cars - and the opportunity to drive them whenever he wants, he's got a dream job.
• His role at the Volkswagen Group pre-show event included driving this spectacular 1.1-million Euro Reventón Roadster onto the stage before two stunning models took their places alongside like sentries over the angular 205mph machine. Like its coupé relative the open-air Reventón is based on the Murcielago, though with a built number of just 15 it makes its relative look positively common in comparison.
• What's all the fuss about?
• The Reventón Roadster not only makes its Murcielago relative look common, but dull too.
• And it takes a very special car to do that. With more angles than a protractor the Reventón Roadster is a riot of converging lines that wouldn't look out of place on a stealth fighter jet, the Lambo's performance and price not far off a fighter plane's either.
• To park this alongside your Reventón coupé you'll need a spare 1.1 million Euros (before local taxes), which gets you perhaps the world's most exclusive roadster.
• That alone is enough to ensure that a few billionaires step up and put down a deposit - all the coupés selling within a few hours of Lamborghini announcing it two years ago in Frankfurt.
• Any new technology?
• You really won't care about technology when you see it, the Reventón Roadster quite the most eye-catching machine we've ever set eyes on. Power comes from a 670bhp 6.5-litre V12 engine that drives through a four-wheel drive system. All that grip and grunt equate to a 0-62mph time of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 205mph.
• The structure is already so stiff that Lamborghini claims a weight increase of just 25kg over the coupé.
• When can I buy one?
• Right now, but you'll have to be quick, as even in these tough economic times it's likely wealthy Lamborghini fans will be on the phone to the factory.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Top mortgage deals for first-time buyers - UK

• There's a lot of positive news out there for first-time buyers, but mortgages for borrowers with small deposits are still thin on the ground.
• A raft of positive housing market statistics have been released in the last couple of weeks and have been very welcome indeed.
• Whether you think we are starting to see the first green shoots of recovery, or if you believe we are simply experiencing a temporary uplift before things turn bad again, it's an improvement nonetheless.
• And first-time buyers in particular seem to be shaking off the recessionary shackles and embarking on buying homes in significantly greater numbers, albeit still a fraction of the pre-crunch figures.
• But are the mortgage lenders doing their bit to help first-time buyers and launching more high loan-to-value products for those with small deposits? Or is it the case that they still favour low-risk remortgagors, and don't want, or need, to pander to the rest of us?
• Proof positive?
• First, the good news.
• Most housing market indices and statistics are looking pretty positive at the moment. Just this week The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said that more of its members reported house price rises than falls for the first time in two years, with members in the south of England feeling particularly bullish.
• Plus the Department of Communities and Local Government said that average prices in July were 1.4% higher than in June (though still down 8.3% year on year). The quarterly figures also showed a rise of 2.1%.
• Halifax's latest house price index adds fuel to the rising property price fire, showing prices have increased by 0.8% in August - the fourth rise in the first eight months of 2009. It also said that prices have been pretty much unchanged over 2009 as a whole.
• Finally it's not just prices on the up: the number of house purchases is also rising. Bank of England figures show that the number of mortgages approved to finance house purchase - a leading indicator of completed house sales - increased for the sixth month on the trot in July. Approvals were 53% higher than in July 2008, at 50,123.
• However gloomy you feel about the housing market and its prospects, these figures must offer some comfort. Of course, it's been argued that the lack of housing on the market has been keeping prices high (maybe artificially high), but even RICS' latest report showed an increase in housing stock.
• The return of the first-time buyer!
• The general feeling of cheer is even more pronounced in the first-time buyer (FTB) sector with latest figures looking more positive than they have done for some time.
• More mortgages being lent to FTBs: The Financial Services Authority released figures this week that noted a significant rise in new mortgages to first-time buyers from about £3bn in Q1 2009 to £5bn in Q2 2009.
• FTB numbers rising fast year-on-year: Plus recent Council of Mortgage Lenders figures showed that there were 20,400 first-time buyer loans in July, up 18% on June. And, compared with a year earlier, the rise in first-time buyer numbers was up 22%.
• Mortgages costing FTBs less: Nationally, typical mortgage payments for a new borrower have fallen from a peak of 48% of average disposable earnings in 2007 Quarter 3 to 29% in August 2009. Notably, mortgage payments relative to earnings are now below the long-term average of 35% recorded over the past 25 years.
• Estate agents seeing more FTBs: The National Association of Estate Agents has also noted an increase in first-time buyers in its August Housing Trends report. It says that the percentage of first-time buyers increased from 22% of all buyers in July to 36% in August.
• It also noted that comparison with 12 months ago shows the extent of the resurgence of first-time buyers - percentage wise four times as many sales were made to FTBs this August than in August 2008.
• Top deals for FTBs?
• Unfortunately the rise in demand and transactions from first-time buyers is not being matched by many more high loan-to-value mortgages being made available.
• The average first-time buyer loan-to-value ratio is now 75% according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, down from 86% a year ago. This shows that those who do step onto the ladder have needed to find a lot more money upfront to do so - 25% of the property's value. The average first-time buyer income multiple has also dropped from 3.27 to 3.02 times their income.
• And according to lovemoney.com partner Moneyfacts, although the number of residential mortgages available is slowly increasing, the market is still dominated by deals for customers with more than a 25% deposit.
• But the number of 90% LTV deals is increasing, slowly. Moneyfacts says that number bottomed out in May this year at 71 but there are now 106 90% mortgages on the market.
• That said this figures is well below the 492 which were available last September.
• It also makes the point that these high LTV deals are much more expensive than mortgages for those with a large amount of equity. The best deal on offer for a borrower with just a 10% deposit is currently 2% higher than that available to those with a 40% deposit, adding £170 per month to the cost of a £150,000 mortgage.
• But if you look hard enough, there are a few decent 90% mortgages around - and here are some of my favourites. The first table lists mortgages up to 90% LTV and the second has products for those who have more than 10% upfront but less than the 25% needed to get a really competitive mortgage deal.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Pop star inherits Michael Jackson's shoes

:Mika inherits Jackson's shoes

• Pop star Mika has been handed Michael Jackson's shoe collection by designer Christian Louboutin - as payback for saving the stylist from a fight with Robert De Niro.
• The Lebanese born singer has inherited designer footwear the late King of Pop was planning to sport onstage during his This Is It comeback shows at London's O2 Arena this year.
• Jackson hired Louboutin to fashion his shoes for the gigs, and after his sudden death in June, Mika's designer friend gave him the collection.
• The Grace Kelly hitmaker says, "Christian Louboutin designed all Michael Jackson's shoes that he was supposed to be wearing for the O2 concerts. So when he died, Christian asked if I wanted them for my tour.
• "They are amazing. One is a black soft leather lace-up which goes up the ankle to support Michael while he was dancing. Then there is the pair which must have been made for him to moonwalk in. They are gold with a metal toe and the soles are really smooth and slippy to make it easy to moonwalk in. I think they are the only pair I might not wear.
• "It's a little freaky to think he'd have worn those to do the moonwalk in. Then again, who knows, it might give me some magic power to help me dance rather than just jumping around the stage like an idiot."
• And the star insists his pal's generous offer may be payback for saving him from a boozy brawl with Hollywood star De Niro: "Christian is a great friend of mine, but I had to stop him from being sorted out by Robert De Niro once.
• "We went back to a house party after the Oscars and Christian was so drunk he stepped on Robert's girlfriend's dress and ripped it right the way up the back. Robert and these security guys were furious - I could see them glaring at Christian. So I grabbed Christian and said 'Yes, he's an a**hole', and threw him into a cab before they beat him up. It was insane."

:Mika inherits Jackson's shoes



















By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Thousands protest over Obama health reform

• Tens of thousands of people angry over government spending have marched from the White House to Capitol Hill in Washington to protest against Barack Obama's healthcare reforms.
• The demonstrations came as the US president sought to boost support for his plans during a Minneapolis rally.
• Addressing a crowd of 15,000, Mr Obama said he refused to accept no change on his top domestic priority.
• "I will not accept the status quo. Not this time. Not now," the president said.
• He is attempting to boost momentum for his chief domestic priority, to overhaul the $2.5 trillion medical care system.
• Days after urging Democrats and Republicans in Congress to come together, an invigorated Obama said his plan incorporated ideas from those on both sides and he promised to continue to seek common ground.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Carter: Barack Obama is victim of racism

• Ex-US President Jimmy Carter has said outbursts against Barack Obama may be motivated by racism.
• Mr Carter spoke out after Republican Congressman Joe Wilson was formally rebuked for shouting "You lie!" during the president's speech to Congress last Wednesday.
• He said the outburst was a part of a disturbing trend directed at the president that has included demonstrators equating Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler.
• Mr Carter told a town hall meeting in Atlanta: "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."
• He added: "You wouldn't hear one of those members of the British parliament saying that about the Queen of England, who's the head of state.
• "In our country it's different. The president is not only the head of a government he's also the head of state and no matter who he is or how much you disagree with his policies, he ought to be treated with respect in an official forum like a joint session of the US Congress."
• Mr Wilson's shout of disbelief came after the president said illegal aliens would be ineligible for federal subsidies to buy health insurance.
• Tuesday's rebuke in the House was a rare resolution of disapproval pushed through by Democrats who insisted that Wilson had violated basic rules of decorum and civility.
• It was the first time in the 220-year history of the House that a member was admonished for speaking out while the president was giving an address.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Elephant 'assaults' woman at zoo

:SKorean police to investigate zoo assault

• South Korean police, in one of their more heavyweight cases, are investigating whether a zoo elephant threw a stone at a woman visitor.
• The woman surnamed Kim told police she was visiting the zoo at the Children?s Grand Park in southeast Seoul on Monday when she noticed an elephant picking up a stone with its trunk.
• After she turned away from 35-year-old Taesani, she was hit on the back of her head by a large stone, several newspapers reported.
• She reported the incident to police in Gwangjin district who began an investigation. They found that the scene of the alleged assault was out of range of security cameras.
• "Though Ms Kim believes the elephant threw a stone at her, it?s hard to conclude that the elephant attacked her since there are neither witnesses nor evidence," Dong-A Ilbo newspaper quoted a police source as saying.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

The end of speeding?

:Speed cameras divide opinion, but what if you weren’t able to speed in the first place? Is speed curbing the future?

• What's the big idea?Speed curbing - also known as intelligent speed assistance/adaptation (ISA) - is the concept of making the car, not the driver, responsible for sticking to the speed limit.
• Cars fitted with an ISA device would prevent the driver from accelerating beyond the maximum permitted speed limit in any given area.There are three technologies that can enable ISA.
• The first is GPS (global positioning system). Like in-car navigation systems, this uses signals from orbiting satellites to triangulate the car’s position.
• This position is then compared with an onboard map which contains speed limit data for all roads to determine the maximum permissible speed.
• Another idea is that roadside signs could contain small transmitters which broadcast data about the speed limit and other traffic conditions in the area.
• A receiver in the car would pick up this information and prevent the vehicle from travelling faster.Then there’s optical road sign recognition. A camera in the car reads signs at the side of the road. The onboard computer remembers the last sign read and prevents the car from travelling beyond the assigned speed.T
• hese technologies can also be complemented by dead reckoning – a technology that is already used as a failsafe device on some high-end in-car navigation systems. This estimates the car’s current position by comparing the last known position to the subsequent steering input and wheel rotation.
• Britain’s first experimental ISA scheme is being carried out by Transport for London (TfL) the authority responsible for the capital’s tubes, trains, buses and transport infrastructure. Currently three vehicles; a car, a bus and a black cab, have been fitted with GPS-based ISA systems. But the trial is to be extended to more than 20 vehicles.The TfL system, developed in conjunction with Dutch technology firm Technolution, operates in two modes: 'advisory ' and 'voluntary'.
• In the first of these modes an icon on the dashboard smiles when the car is travelling within the current speed limit, but it frowns if the car exceeds the speed limit.
• The driver is still able to break the speed limit. But in 'voluntary ' mode, computer control takes over, limiting the speed if the driver tries to exceed the limit, and progressively slowing down when a speed limit decreases.It's the 'voluntary ' mode that has caused concern among some motoring organisations.
• But even the 'advisory ' mode is believed to contribute to road safety. TfL hopes the scheme will stimulate commercial development of ISA devices. The trial units cost £400,000 to develop and it cost a further £220,000 to compile the database of all speed limits within London’s M25 orbital motorway.
• This data has been made available to manufacturers of GPS navigation devices for use in their systems.
• Arguments forIncreased safety. If all cars stayed within the speed limit, there would be fewer accidents. A Leeds University study estimates that even 'advisory ' ISA systems could cut collisions by 10 per cent. Without having to worry about speed limits, drivers can concentrate more clearly on the road ahead.Eliminates mistakes.
• Who hasn’t driven at 40 mph in a 30 mph zone because they missed the sign showing the lower speed limit? A 'voluntary ' ISA system would mean that you always know what the speed limit is.
• An 'advisory ' ISA system would ensure that you never break the speed limit. So you wouldn’t have to worry about points on your licence and speeding fines.Better fuel economy.
• The current system of speed limits and enforcement cameras has led to a speed-up-and-brake style of driving where cars are constantly braking and accelerating. By anticipating speed limit changes, and adjusting the speed accordingly, ISA systems save energy that is usually lost to braking.
• Arguments againstIncreased cost. It's estimated that ISA systems would add around £500 to the purchase price of a new vehicle. And what of all the existing cars on the road? Would it be made compulsory to fit after-market ISA systems to existing vehicles.Decreased safety. There are occasions when one needs to accelerate to get out of danger, when merging onto the motorway for instance, or when trying to get out of the blind spot of a vehicle merging from the left.
• If you are already driving at the speed limit, a 'voluntary ' ISA system would prevent you from accelerating out of danger.Erosion of liberty.
• If human beings are stripped of personal responsibility for their actions they feel that their liberty has been eroded. Rather than being drivers, might we become passengers, driven around by a big brother state? And what if the technology goes wrong? GPS signals cannot always be received under bridges and in tunnels.
• While optical sign recognition technology is very much in its infancy and may not pick up signs that have been vandalised or obscured by overhanging branches.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Taking showers 'can make you ill'

:Your shower may be blasting you with germs: study

• Your shower may not be getting you as clean as you think with a U.S. study finding many showerheads are dirty and may be covering you in a daily dose of bacteria that could make you sick.
• An analysis of 50 showerheads from nine U.S. cities found that about 30 percent harbored high levels of Mycobacterium avium -- a group of bacteria that can cause lung infections when inhaled or swallowed. Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder found the levels of Mycobacterium avium were 100 times higher than those found in typical household water.
• "If you are getting a face full of water when you first turn your shower on, that means you are probably getting a particularly high load of Mycobacterium avium, which may not be too healthy," said researcher Norman Pace in a statement.
• Mycobacterium avium is linked to pulmonary disease, causing symptoms such as a persistent drug cough, breathlessness and fatigue, and most often infects people with compromised immune system but can occasionally infect healthy people.
• Pace said research at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver found that increases in pulmonary infections in the United States in recent decades from so-called "non-tuberculosis" mycobacteria species like Mycobacterium avium may be linked to people taking more showers and fewer baths.
• He said water spurting from showerheads can distribute pathogen-filled droplets that suspend themselves in the air and can easily be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lungs.
• The problem with showerheads is that the insides provide a moist, warm, dark haven where bacteria can form sticky "biofilms" that allow them to gain a foothold and eventually set up residence in the device.
• The researchers, however, said it was still probably safe for most people to get into the shower and recommended people with compromised immune systems due to HIV or immune-suppressing drugs, use metal showerheads and change them regularly.
• "This really shouldn't concern average, healthy people. The main concern is for people who are immune-compromised," researcher Leah Feazel told Reuters Health. The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, are based on tests of about 50 showerheads taken from nine U.S. cities, including New York, Denver and Chicago.
• The researchers said showerheads are not the only potential bacterial dispersants in the home, however.
• Feazel said more research is needed to measure bacteria levels in household devices like humidifiers and evaporative coolers.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Cabin crew boob terrifies passengers

:Plane Crash Warning Boob Panics Passengers

• Panic broke out on a flight to Paris when the cabin crew played an emergency landing announcement by mistake.
• Passengers on the Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Paris began shouting out and crying as they thought their plane was about to ditch.
• The drama followed an initial announcement made in English, telling passengers to return to their seats because of turbulence.
• But then the crew accidentally played out a recorded emergency landing warning in French as the plane headed south over the Irish Sea.
• Around 70 French passengers were reported to be "freaked out" on hearing the warning.
• One English-speaking passenger said: "The French man sleeping next to me woke up and looked very startled.
• "He then translated what had been said, that the plane was about to make an emergency landing and to await instructions from the pilot.
• "I got quite alarmed. The woman behind me was crying. All the French totally freaked out."
• The plane was just 20 minutes into its flight to Paris when the bungled announcement was broadcast.
• The Irish airline's cabin crew quickly realised their mistake and swiftly apologised in French.
• An airline spokesman said: "There was a malfunction of the public address system and we apologise to our passengers.
• "This sort of thing happens very rarely."

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Two skydivers have plummeted 6,000ft to their deaths

:Death Plunge: Parachutes Tangle At 6,000ft

• Two skydivers have plummeted 6,000ft to their deaths after their parachutes got entangled during a stunt over California.
• Robbie Bigley and Barbara Cuddy landed in a vineyard following an attempted formation jump involving eight people, reports said.
• Bill Dause, owner of the Parachute Centre near Lodi, said the pair had been practising for the US Parachute Association national skydiving championships next month.
• "Three jumpers became entangled while building the formation," Mr Duase told Recordnet.com.
• "One was able to eject out, but the others remained entangled and for whatever reason could not deploy their reserve chutes."
• Reports said Mr Bigley died immediately after hitting the ground.
• But Ms Cuddy was taken to Lodi Memorial Hospital before she was pronounced dead, it was said.
• Mr Dause said the two victims had each skydived more than 4,000 times.
• Both Mr Bigley and Ms Cuddy are listed on the United States Parachute Association's website as existing national record holders for formation jumps.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Michael Jackson's death scene notes

:Michael Jackson's wishes

• Michael Jackson wrote a series of 'wishes for the world' the day he died.
• The late pop star - who died of acute Propofol intoxication on June 25 - left several motivational, handwritten notes in his bathroom before he passed away to help mentally prepare him for his London 'This Is It' shows.
• A source told Britain's News of the World newspaper: "These notes show that Michael was positive until the last - but also what a mess his mind must have been as he fought to keep it all together towards the end."
• One of the notes read: "I am so grateful that I am a magnet for miracles."
• The phrase 'magnet for miracles' is one often used by self-help programmes in the US for recovering alcoholics and it is believed regular repetition could improve your success of beating addiction.
• Another note pinned to his mirror read: "Love, no violence ever! Remember a beautiful future promise of tomorrow."
• Friends of the late 'King of Pop's say these words show he was positive, happy and upbeat in his final days.
• One explained: "I think this reveals how positive Michael was until the last. He was such a sweet natured man who saw the good in everyone. The note about a beautiful future is especially sad as it shows he was looking forward to a successful, happy life."
• Michael also used the notes to remind himself to perform his 1985 charity single 'We Are the World' - which he recorded with Lionel Ritchie - during his record-breaking 50-date residency at London's O2 Arena.
• Meanwhile, a hand-written reminder to "Call Temperton" - believed to be British song writer and producer Rob Temperton, who Michael recorded 'Thriller' and 'Rock With You' with - was propped up in the room with his agent Dr Tohme Tohme's business card and a note to call him too.
• Pals of the troubled singer say his addiction to prescription drugs was affecting his memory.
• The source added: "It's worrying that he had to write reminders about things as obvious as these while he was rehearsing for his tour. And he would have had Dr Tohme's number in his phone - so why would he need the card?
• "But the drugs he was taking obviously had a huge impact on his mind."
• Meanwhile, it has been revealed Michael's three children - Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11 and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, aka 'Blanket' - will be protected "like royalty" by a team of six bodyguards.
• Jackson family lawyers have drafted in the team at a cost of £750,000 a year to look after the children, who are being looked after by Michael's mother Katherine.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Michael Jackson Flash Mob, Paris - July 26, 2009

Michael Jackson Flash Mob, Paris - July 26, 2009

• A look at the "Beat It" flash mob that took place in memory of Michael Jackson on July 26, 2009 in Paris, France.
• Approximately 200 non-professional volunteers spent two hours on a Sunday morning learning the dance steps, then visiting three consecutive locations across Paris, and at the designated time the unsuspecting public would hear Michael Jackson's "Beat It" begin from nowhere, and one man would start dancing, soon to be followed by a few hundred more members of the crowd.
• When the dance finishes, the dancers quickly meld back into the crowd.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Flash mob Michael jackson, part 5, Paris, au Forum des halles

Flash mob Michael jackson, part 5, Paris, au Forum des halles

Flash mob de la MJ Family au Forum des Halles, 22 aout 2009 [ 22/08/09 ]

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Tributo Official a Michael Jackson Mexico Baila Beat It!!!

Wait for this video to start, give it a few seconds and see the dance,

This is the official clip from Mexico Baila Beat It, mexican tribute to Michael Jackson at the angel of independence in Mexico CityThank you to all the people who made this possible Mexico Dance Beat It

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Jackson tribute show postponed to 2010

• Organisers of a planned Michael Jackson tribute gig in Vienna have pulled the plug on the show and say it will be staged in London next year instead.
• It is the latest twist in the plans after efforts to stage an event at London's O2 last month fell through.
• Within hours of the line-up being announced, key artists said they were unable to attend the show, which had been due to take place on September 26.
• It is now expected to take place in June 2010.
• Jackson died in June shortly before a string of 50 dates at the O2.
• The tribute show had been lined up at a 17th-century palace in Vienna. But acts such as Mary J Blige, Chris Brown and Natalie Cole subsequently found they were unable to attend.
• Promoter Georg Kindel said there had been difficulties with scheduling: "Maybe we underestimated these issues."

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Priest hijacks plane in mid-air

:Priest on divine mission hijacks Mexican plane

• A Protestant priest who said he was on a divine mission hijacked a Mexican plane mid-air with 104 people on board triggering a brief airport drama, officials said.
• Bible-carrying Jose Mar Flores Pereira was said by Mexican officials to have hijacked the Aeromexico Boeing 737 after it left from the popular tourist resort of Cancun on a flight to Mexico City.
• He told authorities he had wanted to protect the country after he "had a revelation that Mexico was facing a great danger, and was threatened by an earthquake," public security official, Genaro Garcia Luna, said.
• The alleged hijacker was said to be a former prisoner and drug addict from Bolivia, who has lived in Mexico for 17 years. But it was not immediately clear if he was helped by others as officials said five other people were arrested for security reasons.
• Flores Pereira hinted that he was acting with two accomplices, "referring to himself (the Father), the Son and the Holy Spirit," Garcia Luna said.
• All the people onboard the flight were safely evacuated at Mexico City, officials said, as security forces swarmed the capital's international airport within minutes of the plane landing.
• Initial reports that the hijackers were carrying explosives were denied by Transport Secretary Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas who told local television there was no bomb on board.
• The priest told reported that his act was linked to Wednesday's date, September 9, 2009 because the numbers 9/9/9 were the opposite of 6/6/6 the numbers associated with the AntiChrist.
• Flores Pereira demanded to fly over the airport "seven times" and to speak with President Felipe Calderon, Garcia Luna said, adding the priest had warned he was carrying a explosive device, but in fact he was not.
• Calderon canceled his afternoon meetings to head to the sprawling airport, after Aeromexico Flight 576 carrying 104 people was hijacked after leaving the eastern Mexican resort popular with American tourists.
• "We only learned about it when we landed and we informed by the crew over the radio that we had been hijacked," said passenger Rodrigo Padilla. "Everything was very quiet, there were no guns, no shots were fired."
• In less than an hour, the drama had been brought to an end.
• "We intervened in this crisis and all the passengers were taken to safety. The security forces are now carrying out the necessary investigations," Horcasitas said.
• None of the hijackers had been able to enter the plane's cockpit during the flight, neither "were they able to compromise the aircraft's safety," he added.
• The US State Department said it was checking to see if any Americans were on board the hijacked flight and was seeking to obtain the manifest.
• Television images showed chaotic scenes as the passengers, most dressed in shorts and T-shirts, descended from the plane, some carrying young children and clutching bags.
• They were briefly made to sit on the tarmac by security forces, before being led away. The last to leave the plane was the captain, who had negotiated the release of the passengers with a woman air controller.
• Bomb experts then moved in and were seen on the television carefully carrying out checks on the plane.
• It was the first time the airline had suffered a hijacking since 1972, when leftist guerrillas seized one of its planes demanding the release of some of their fellow rebels. The release of the passengers was negotiated.
• The last hijacking in the region was in April in Jamaica, when an armed man took over a CanJet Boeing 737 due to fly from Montego Bay to Cuba.
• All 182 people on board the Canadian airliner were rescued unharmed when Jamaican police stormed the airliner and captured the mentally troubled gunman without firing a shot.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com