Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home

Questions about Michael Jackson's use of prescription drugs are intensifying after a powerful sedative was found inside his home.
The drug Diprivan, an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness, was found in Jackson's residence, a law enforcement official said Friday. Also known as Propofol, it's given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to comment about the matter.

A Los Angeles Police spokesman, Lt. John Romero, declined to discuss the case. "It's an ongoing investigation," he said.

The cause of Jackson's death has not been determined. Autopsy results are not expected for several weeks.

The city was planning for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service. At the downtown Staples Center, where Jackson's memorial will be held Tuesday morning, Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger said anywhere from 250,000 to 700,000 people could try to reach the arena, even though only 17,500 tickets will be available.

City Councilwoman Jan Perry urged people to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. There will not be a funeral procession through the city.

Tickets to Jackson's memorial service will be free. They can be obtained by registering at Staplescenter.com. There will be 11,000 tickets for seats inside Staples Center and 6,500 for seats in the adjacent Nokia Theatre, where fans can watch a simulcast. On Saturday night, 8,750 names will be randomly selected to receive two tickets each.

No details about the memorial service itself were released.

Jackson was known to have suffered from severe insomnia. In the weeks before his death, Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who was working with the singer, said Jackson pleaded for Diprivan amid the stress of preparing for a massive series of comeback concerts.

Lee said she repeatedly rejected his demands because the drug was unsafe.

Told Friday that Diprivan had been found at Jackson's house, she said, "I did everything I could to warn him against it."

Jackson had trouble sleeping as far back as 1989, said one of his former publicists, Rob Goldstone, who spent a month on the road with Jackson during the "Bad" tour.

"He had very bad nightmares, he found it very difficult to sleep," Goldstone said.

Diprivan, which has a milky appearance, is sometimes nicknamed "milk of amnesia." Last fall, doctors from the Mayo Clinic warned at a conference that in rare cases, Diprivan can trigger an irreversible chain of events leading to heart dysfunction and death.

They said three patients receiving Diprivan to treat severe seizures had suffered cardiac arrest, and two died. The doctors said the clinic stopped using Diprivan to treat such patients because of the danger.

The drug's manufacturer, AstraZeneca PLC, warns that patients using Diprivan should be continuously monitored, and in a tiny number of cases patients using it have suffered cardiac arrest, although it was not clear the drug was to blame.

Authorities are investigating allegations that the 50-year-old Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants. Any criminal charges would depend on whether Jackson had been overly prescribed medications, given drugs inappropriate for his needs, or if doctors knowingly prescribed Jackson medications under an assumed name.

Edward Chernoff, an attorney for Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, said Friday through a spokeswoman that he had agreed with investigators not to comment until information is released through official channels. Murray was in Jackson's rented mansion when the singer went into cardiac arrest in his bedroom on June 25.

Murray has spoken to police and authorities say he is not a suspect. In an earlier interview, Chernoff said Murray never gave or prescribed Jackson the painkillers Demerol or OxyContin, and denied reports suggesting that the doctor gave the pop star drugs that contributed to his death.

Chernoff would not discuss what drugs the doctor administered to Jackson, but said they would have been prescribed in response to a specific complaint.
Read More...

Death of Michael Jackson causes last minute changes to films and dramas

The death of Michael Jackson on Thursday has caused several last-minute changes to films and television dramas.
In Hollywood, Brüno, the film whose premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre last night prevented fans from reaching Jackson's own star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was edited at the last minute to remove a scene involving La Toya Jackson. The scene involved the lead character, the eponymous Bruno played by Sacha Baron Cohen, interviewing La Toya Jackson, making jokes about the pitch of Michael's voice and his famous white glove, and pestering her for Michael's home telephone number.
The scene may or may not remain cut for the theatrical release of the film, to occur in a few weeks' time. Speaking at a party after the premiere, the film's director, Larry Charles, said "We decided to take it out for tonight and we'll reassess before the release whether to keep it out."

In the United Kingdom, the June 26 episode of the BBC's flagship soap opera, EastEnders, which is normally recorded several months ahead of transmission, was altered at the last minute to insert an extra scene where character Denise Wicks mentions Jackson's death to Patrick Trueman.
Read More...

The Facts Behind the Iran Protests

Whatever the ultimate outcome of the unfolding protests in Iran, it is already clear that the Iranian government badly miscalculated. First, the leaders erred in assuming that they could, with complete immunity, rig the election. Second, they completely failed to grasp the depth of resentment against the regime.

It is easy to interpret this resentment according to the favorite mantra of the Western governments and media: a reaction against the extremist policies of the Ahmedinejad government, coupled with the desire of the majority of Iranians for a Western-style democracy and lifestyle. While such aspirations certainly play a role, there likely is something more fundamental at work.

The stridency of the speeches and policies of the Iranian President have generally been attributed to religious fanaticism. The real cause might be far simpler: the aggressive posture and lashing out against enemies could as well be a cover-up, an attempt at diverting attention from an internal situation deteriorating beyond governmental control. If one strips away the ideological smoke screen, what becomes glaringly obvious is the monstrous incompetence of the Iranian leaders.

The Islamic Republic of Iran started out with tremendous political potential: it was born out of a popular uprising, and consolidated through the costly, but eventually victorious, war against Iraq. Iran disposes of major oil reserves and has a youthful, educated population. These assets could have become the foundation of a thriving economy and a politically dynamic state.

Instead we see massive unemployment, a high rate of inflation, foreign sanctions and a shortage of gasoline. Couples are postponing their wedding because even the smallest apartment is unaffordable. Iran, a major oil and gas producer, is unable to develop its own energy industry.

The new elite born out of the Islamic revolution has become a self-perpetuating ruling class, primarily interested in maintaining its wealth, power and privileges, while the mass of the people are struggling. The leadership is attempting to hide its shortcomings behind extreme policies and the fostering of a crisis atmosphere.

It is quite possible that the people have had enough. They want a fair shake and a reasonable share of the national wealth as well as a say in their own destiny. The electoral cheating has ignited a long-simmering reservoir of resentment, and the genie will not be put back in the bottle.

While we in the West might enjoy seeing Iranian elites facing well-deserved retribution, the situation there holds a warning to us as well. The gap between the elites and the mass of the people is not unique to Iran, but is a widespread issue. The growth in size of government and of economic entities such as banks has bred political and economic elites whose primary interest is the preservation of their own power, wealth and privilege.

The fact that these elites are now self-perpetuating has had a negative effect on competence, talent, imagination and initiative. The current global economic crisis, which took world leaders completely by surprise, testifies to this reduced ability to lead, think and direct. There is no guarantee that the crisis will be resolved anytime soon. Indeed the most obvious common thread between speeches and policies emanating from governments is that very few have any idea why the crisis occurred and how to resolve it.

While contemplating developments in Tehran it will be prudent to keep in mind that the Iranian leaders are struggling with a problem that is increasingly widespread. We should keep in mind the possibility that something similar could also happen here, however outlandish such a thought may appear at first.

Jacek Popiel's new book, Viable Energy Now, offers an original analysis of the urgent energy issues facing the U.S., together with realistic policies and solutions. His background includes military service and extensive business experience.
Read More...

Plane with 153 crashes off Comoros

DZAEUDZI, Comoros – A passenger jet carrying 153 people from Yemen crashed into the Indian Ocean in bad weather early Tuesday while trying to land at the island nation of Comoros. Search teams rescued a child from the sea, officials said, but there was no word on other survivors.
The Yemeni Airbus 310 was flying the last leg of a journey taking passengers from Paris and Marseille to Comoros via Yemen. Most of the passengers were from Comoros, returning from Paris. Sixty-six on board were French nationals.
The rescued child was 5 years old and the flight also had at least three babies, Yemeni civil aviation deputy chief Mohammed Abdul Qader said.
Three bodies from the flight were retrieved along with debris from the plane, according to Comoros immigrations officer Rachida Abdullah.
Qader said it was too early to speculate on the cause and the flight data recorder had not been found.

"The weather was very bad ... the wind was very strong," he said, adding the windy conditions were hampering rescue efforts. He said the wind was 40 miles per hour (61 kph) as the plane was landing.
The Yemenia (Yemen Airways) plane was the second Airbus to crash into the sea recently. An Air France Airbus A330-200 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean May 31, killing all 228 people on board, as it flew from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
The Comoros is an archipelago of three main islands situated about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) south of Yemen, between Africa's southeastern coast and the island of Madagascar.
Gen. Bruno de Bourdoncle de Saint-Salvy, the senior commander for French forces in the southern Indian Ocean, said the Airbus 310 crashed in deep waters about 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) north of the Comoran coast and 21 miles (34 kilometers) from the Moroni airport.
French aviation inspectors found a "number of faults" during a 2007 inspection of the plane that went down, French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said on i-Tele television Tuesday.
In Brussels, EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said the airline had previously met EU safety checks and was not on the bloc's blacklist. But he said a full investigation was now being started amid questions why passengers were put on another jet in the Yemeni capital of San'a.
An Airbus statement said the plane that crashed went into service 19 years ago, in 1990, and had accumulated 51,900 flight hours. It has been operated by Yemenia (Yemen Airways) since 1999. Airbus said it was sending a team of specialists to the Comoros.
The A310-300 is a twin-engine widebody jet that can seat up to 220 passengers. There are 214 A310s in service worldwide with 41 operators.
Christophe Prazuck, French military spokesman, said a patrol boat and reconnaissance ship were being sent to the crash site as well a military transport plane. The French were sending divers as well as medical personnel, he said.
In Paris, a crisis cell was set up at Charles de Gaulle airport. Most of the passengers on board were from the French city of Marseille, which has a large Comoros community.
"There is considerable dismay," said Stephane Salord, the consul general of the Comoros in the Provence-Alps-Cote d'Azur region of France. "These are families that, each year on the eve of summer, leave Marseille and the region to rejoin their families in the Comoros and spend their holidays."
In France, this week is the start of annual summer school vacations.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy "expressed his deep emotion" about the crash and asked the French military to help in the rescue operation, particularly from the French islands of Mayotte and Reunion.
Yemenia airline officials say the 11-member crew was made up of six Yemenis, including the pilot, two Moroccans, one Indonesian, one Ethiopian and 1 Filipino. The officials asked that their named not be used because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Read More...

Michael Jackson Remembering a Legend

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009)

The whole world was shock when news all over media announces that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson is now dead. Not only the entertainment industries were grieving, but the whole world literally. He is a legend and an icon in music industry.

As a kid I was always telling everybody that Michael Jackson was my cousin. I would even make my Mom back me up . I remember going to the Barber and saying I want my hair to look like Michael Jackson. My favorite all time songs were Ben, ABC and the Legendary Thriller. I didn't know it at the time but not only was Thriller an Awesome record and crazy video . It was also a history making event . Thriller forced the music industry to start playing Black Videos on Television changing the face of music forever. I also remember getting off the subway at Young Street & Bloor in Toronto, Canada and in every direction as far as you could see, there were mini Michael Jackson's everywhere sporting the tight pants, Red leather Jacket and solo white Glove . To say Michael Jackson is a Legend is an under statement.

Michael Jackson: The Beginning

Michael is the seventh child of the Jackson family and made his debut as professional singer at the age of 11 in 1969 as the new member of Jackson 5 then. He began a solo career in 1971 while he was still a member of the group. He was later referred to as "The King of Pop".

The World Got Thrilled with his "Thriller"

"Thriller" album that was launched in 1982 is the world's best-selling record of all time. Four other solo studio albums are also among the world's best-selling records:

• Off the wall (1979)

• Bad (1987)

• Dangerous (1991) and

• History (1995)

Michael became a leading figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to build up the strong followers on the "White" dominant MTV in 1980s. The phenomenal popularity of his music videos aiming on MTV such as "Beat It", "Billy Jean" and "Thriller" transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form and bring him new level of fame. He was also known for his famous dance move "Moon walk", "Crotch grabbing" and "Robotic moves".

His Controversies

Michael's life was full of controversies; among these controversies are his changing appearance and behavior which earned him the nickname "Wacko Jacko". To add more, his child sexual abuse case in 1983 although acquitted was generated significant controversy, damaging his public image.

He was married twice, first to Lisa Presley in 1994 and they were divorced on January 18, 1996 and later to Debbie Rowe in November 1996. He fathered two kids with her but they also got divorced in October 1999.

This Is It - The Final Curtain Call

After how many years of career hibernation, Michael announced his comeback world tour in London, England on July 13, 2009. This is entitled "This Is It" and added on a press release that this is "The Final Curtain Call".

Sad to say, 18 days before this concert, Michael had a cardiac arrest and the King of Pop is now dead at the age of 50.

This is The Final Curtain call for the talented and incomparable artist, who not only gives "Thrill" to us but touch many lives by his influential contribution in the Music Industry.

Read More...