Photos in Memoriam : Michael Jackson

The Iconic Jackson: MJ, 50 - R.I.P

Michael Jackson was just 12 when this picture was taken in May 1971, but his career was already stratospheric. Berry Gordy had signed the Jackson 5 to Motown Records in 1968, and Michael and his brothers had already topped the charts with "ABC" and "I'll Be There." It was a bright start for the boy from Gary, Ind.

Legendary pop star had been preparing for London comeback tour

Michael Jackson had been planning to start a series of comeback concerts in London and had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months. Promoters of the shows said in March that he had passed a lengthy physical examination.

Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the “King of Pop” and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday. He was 50.

An autopsy was planned for Friday, though results were not likely to be final until toxicology tests could be completed, a process that takes several days and sometimes weeks. Police said they were investigating — standard procedure in high-profile cases.

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his rented home in the posh Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him at his home for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.

Ranked with Elvis, Beatles
He was perhaps the most exciting performer of his generation, known for his feverish, crotch-grabbing dance moves and his high-pitched voice punctuated with squeals and titters. His single sequined glove, tight military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses were trademarks second only to his ever-changing, surgically altered appearance.

“For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words,” said Quincy Jones, who produced “Thriller.” “He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.”

Jackson ranked alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles as the biggest pop sensations of all time. He united two of music’s biggest names when he was briefly married to Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie, and Jackson’s death immediately evoked that of Presley himself, who died at age 42 in 1977.

Comeback had been planned
Jackson was preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats.

Fans React during the last hour of Jackson at UCLA Medical Center:

Clash of the Giants: Its Volkswagen Eating Porche Now!

A worker checks a new Porsche Panamera at a plant in Leipzig, Germany.

When Wolfgang Porsche learned that his family’s sports car company would need an emergency cash infusion from its giant rival Volkswagen, he “went absolutely white.”

on March 23, fax machines around Germany spit out papers for Volkswagen’s board members to sign: an emergency loan of 700 million euros from Volkswagen, about $950 million at the time.

“This is becoming a reverse takeover on a financial level,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, head of automotive research at Credit Suisse in London. “Porsche has debt and VW has the luxury of cash.”

Even amid the tumult that is the car industry these days, the story of Porsche and its overreaching ruling family is a singular drama. Its denouement was most likely prompted by Porsche’s taking out billions of euros in loans to acquire the last portion of Volkswagen that it did not own, enlarging its debt load at precisely the moment capital markets froze up.

At heart, though, the role reversal — where Porsche turned from Volkswagen’s predator to its prey — is the latest scene in a family saga.

Ricardo Kaka: Modern Icon

One of the 21st century's finest footballers is without a doubt the Brazilian playmaker Ricardo Kaka, recently purchased by Spanish giants Real Madrid for a colossal sum of what is believed to be in the region of £56 million. Witnessed by many as a ridiculous amount to be paying for one single player, is this really a fair claim?

Since signing for AC Milan in 2003 from the Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo, Kaka has emerged as one of the best players in the world and he boasts a huge collection of individual honors such as the Ballon D'or and FIFA World Player of the Year, to name a few. After swooping to sign him for a measly €8.5 million, the club's owner Silvio Berlusconi described the fee as "peanuts," and this statement was indeed justified during his stay in Milan.

Breathtaking pace, unthinkable amounts of energy, eye for goal, impeccable technique...the list goes of his talents goes on and it wasn't long before he was adored by the Rossoneri faithful. While his impact for AC Milan has been overwhelming at times, his performances for Brazil have also seen him become somewhat of an idol for millions worldwide.

It is easy to suddenly admire a footballer for his talents and achievements within the game, but something that Kaka possesses in contrast to so many players is his contribution to society. The Brazilian maestro is a strong Christian and this has a significant influence on his lifestyle and more evidently his trademark goal celebration in which he points to the heavens.

A marvellous act of his unselfish nature is exemplified in his funding of a church in his hometown of Brasilia with his earnings. This incredible gesture of kindness will rarely be seen in the modern way of life but this incredibly gifted and honest individual continues to outshine many, whether it be on the football pitch or in the community. A man who is known to stay true to his word, and is never seen making the headlines for the wrong reasons, can we really question his value?

The heart and soul of AC Milan's team and spirit, despite having departed the Black and Red side of Milan, will never be forgotten and AC Milan are a club which will always stay in his heart. Fond memories of him are felt by the club and their supporters, with a club statement reading: "AC Milan thank the man and the great champion Kaka for his decisive contribution to the many victories achieved in the six years of his commitment." Whereas many clubs could have held grudges against their talismanic figure leaving for another side, Kaka received a warm and emotional farewell which he thoroughly deserved.

However, one question yet to be answered is whether this great man can become as iconic in Madrid as he did in Milan and Sao Paulo. After his explosive start to the Confederations Cup for Brazil with a brace against Egypt in the opening group game, it could well be suggested that he intends to carry on from where he left off in Italy. A great athlete, brilliant professional and an admirable person—Ricardo Kaka truly is a modern icon.

The next Brazillian Giant…Coming Soon after Kaka! is His Own Cute Son!!

Luca Celico Leite was born 11 June 2008 at 1.05 AM. Weighing 3.6kg, his length is 51cm.

Caroline and the baby are in good health.
Kaka and the grandparents are very excited and happy!!! Congratulation Kaka...

Tom Cruise Gears Up for the next 'Mission Impossible'

When there was a rumor last year that Mission Impossible could live on without Tom Cruise, most of you were primed to say adios, but it looks like you might not get your wish. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Cruise has agreed to produce a fourth installment of the franchise with JJ Abrams, and they're looking at a potential 2011 release date.

The idea of having Cruise step away to make room for a younger star, and the meetings to discuss the idea, have been denied by those (allegedly) involved. But as THR rightly points out -- this news is sparse on the details, or rather the most important: Is Cruise going to star as Ethan Hunt once again? Or, are those rumors right-on about a new spin on the franchise?

With all the effort Cruise has been putting into his career over the last few years, I can't imagine that he'd agree to step down, or to act as some sort of Mr. Miyagi or Ra's Al Ghul. However, why doesn't this news include Cruise's casting announcement if he was going to star? One would imagine that the producing and starring agreements would go hand in hand. Could Cruise actually be willing to step down, and what, do you think, is the motive if he is?

11 things students did not and will not learn in school

This should be posted in all schools and work places

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good,politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1:  Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time..

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

When Sex Leaves the Marriage

Why do some couples sizzle while others fizzle? Social scientists are studying no-sex marriages for clues about what can go wrong in relationships.

Married men and women, on average, have sex with their spouse 58 times a year, a little more than once a week, according to data collected from the General Social Survey, which has tracked the social behaviors of Americans since 1972. But there are wide variations in that number. Married people under 30 have sex about 111 times a year. And it’s estimated that about 15 percent of married couples have not had sex with their spouse in the last six months to one year