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Star-studded roster mark Michael Jackson memorial

2009-07-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

BY RAFER GUZMAN |rafer.guzman@newsday.com

Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson are among the celebrity guests scheduled to attend Michael Jackson's memorial service, scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The list was released Monday afternoon by the Jackson family's publicists, who called it "preliminary and subject to change."

One person not mentioned, however, was Jackson's former wife, Debbie Rowe, who announced she would not attend just hours after she was reportedly confirmed for two VIP seats.

Rowe, who shared two children with Jackson, may be planning to fight the singer's mother, Katherine Jackson, for custody.

"The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction to an event that should focus exclusively on Michael's legacy," Rowe's attorney, Marta Almli, said in a statement. "Debbie will continue to celebrate Michael's memory privately."

Whether Jackson's family offered the tickets to Rowe or approved an initial request from her is unclear. A spokesman for the family did not comment.

Another notable absence: Jackson's friend Elizabeth Taylor, who said in her Twitter feed Monday afternoon that she will be mourning in private.

"I've been asked to speak at the Staples Center. I cannot be part of the public hoopla," Taylor wrote in a string of posts. "And I cannot guarantee that I would be coherent to say a word."

The invitations and turndowns underscored the hectic, whirlwind nature of the memorial, which will be attended by 17,500 people who obtained tickets through a random lottery. Even as those selected fans geared up for the historic event, tickets went on sale for thousands of dollars on eBay and Craigslist, though many of the postings were later removed. Local law enforcement officials, expecting a massive turnout, have been urging people to watch the memorial on television at home.

(In New York, the event will be simulcast at two movie theaters, the Clearview Chelsea Theatre in Manhattan and The Pavilion in Brooklyn, according to Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis.)

According to several reports, Jackson will be buried at Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills Tuesday, possibly before the public event. No public funeral procession through city streets was scheduled, and it was not known if Jackson's body would appear at the Staples Center.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said she'd "love it" if the Jacksons helped defray some of the city's expected costs for the memorial. But she noted that officials hadn't heard from the family.

Michael Jackson's Memorial Lures A-List Attendees, Participants

2009-07-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Beyonce, Brooke Shields, Mariah Carey Expected to Pay Tribute to Jackson

From : http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/MichaelJackson/story?id=8015494&page=1

At his public memorial service today in Los Angeles, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson may finally get his wish: to be treated like royalty. From all accounts, the services will likely be of the same caliber as those held 12 years ago for a real member of royalty: Princess Diana. It's only fitting, since Jackson was obsessed with the Princess of Wales and all things royal.

"He famously wanted to be in Princess Di's good graces and the good graces of the queen (Elizabeth II)," Jackson biographer Stacy Brown told ABCNews.com. "He was obsessed with royalty and wanted to be knighted."

ABCNews.com will live stream the Jackson memorial service starting live at 12 p.m. ET. ABC News Television live coverage anchored by Charlie Gibson begins at 1 p.m. ET.

Jackson never got the opportunity to be called Sir Michael Jackson, but after today's memorial, there will be no doubt that he was the King of Pop.

"You're talking about the A-list of all A-lists," said Brown, who co-wrote "Michael Jackson: The Man behind the Mask."

"Nobody is going to miss it," he said. "It's going to be the grandest of all red carpet events. It's going to be something you can only imagine was a Michael Jackson production -- his final production."

Media gear up to cover Michael Jackson's memorial service at Staples Center

2009-07-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

TV, websites and social media gear up for a big day of coverage.

From : http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tvnews7-2009jul07,0,182782.story
By Maria Elena Fernandez
8:31 PM PDT, July 6, 2009

Just as in life, the King of Pop in death is poised to command nearly unprecedented media coverage.

Six days before he was to begin a 50-date comeback tour in London, Michael Jackson will instead be eulogized at a massive memorial service today at Staples Center. All the major networks and a host of cable news and entertainment channels, including CNN, MSNBC, E! Entertainment, TV Guide Network and TV One, plan to carry the event live at 10 a.m.

Here's a brief rundown of the coverage:

* MSNBC will begin its coverage at 8 a.m., with Chris Jansing anchoring. Fox News' Shepard Smith will anchor the day, beginning at 9 a.m. Meanwhile, CNN will start at 9 a.m. with Anderson Cooper, Larry King and Don Lemon as anchors. (CNN will carry the service on sister networks HLN, CNN International and CNN en Espanol as well.)

* On ABC, "Good Morning America" will air a special edition from Los Angeles and Charlie Gibson will anchor "Remembering Michael Jackson" with "Nightline" anchor Martin Bashir when the service begins. At 9 p.m., Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters will co-anchor a special edition of " 20/20," reporting on the highlights of the service. " Primetime: Family Secrets" at 10 p.m. will focus on Jackson's children.

* CBS' "The Early Show" will broadcast live from Staples, with Maggie Rodriguez and Harry Smith anchoring. Katie Couric will anchor the "CBS Evening News" at 6:30 p.m. and "48 Hours" at 10 p.m., both from Staples.

* NBC's "Today" will air a "split edition," with host Meredith Vieira in Los Angeles. Live coverage of the services, anchored by Brian Williams, will begin at 10 a.m. Williams also will anchor "Nightly News" from Staples Center. At 10 p.m., Lester Holt will anchor a special edition of "Dateline."

The event's ratings are expected to be record-breaking, according to television analysts. More than 1.6 million people registered over the weekend for a chance at one of 17,500 free tickets to the service and Jackson's death has dominated social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

For those without access to television, there are still options. KCRW-FM (89.9) will broadcast the event live and it will also be streamed online on several news sites, including latimes.com and www.hulu.com.

The service will also be seen in 88 movie theaters across 31 states, including Grauman's Chinese in Hollywood.

maria.elena.fernandez @latimes.com

3 killed, 7 injured in drive-by shooting at pizza restaurant outside Los Angeles

2009-06-28T06:27:00.001-07:00

By Associated Press

PICO RIVERA, Calif. (AP) — Authorities in the Los Angeles area say three people have been killed and seven others injured in a drive-by shooting outside a pizza restaurant where a motorcycle group was hosting an event.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Keith Ho says 10 people gathered in the parking lot of the restaurant in Pico Rivera were shot at from a moving vehicle Saturday evening.

Ho says three people died at the scene. Seven others were hospitalized in stable condition.

Nobody inside the restaurant was injured.

A biker group known as the Old School Riders was hosting an event at the time.

Ho says investigators are trying to determine if the shooting was gang related. No arrests have been made.

Pico Rivera is about 15 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

Armstrong, old-school racing on tap at 2009 Tour

2009-06-28T06:26:00.001-07:00

By JAMEY KEATEN

PARIS (AP) — France's anti-doping crusaders are stockpiling needles for testing blood and cups for sampling urine, and two new books on Lance Armstrong have just been released in France.

Must be about time for the Tour de France.

The seven-time champion is back from retirement, four years after his last victory. Teammate Alberto Contador, the 2007 winner and a top pre-race favorite, returns after Astana wasn't allowed to compete last year.

They are allies, but could become rivals too.

The race starts on July 4 with a challenging 15.5-kilometer (10-mile) prologue in Monaco, the tiny principality in southeast France. The pack will then head out along the Mediterranean, through the Pyrenees, across central France, into the Alps and then up the fabled Mont Ventoux a day before the July 26 finish in Paris.

Riders will dip into Spain, Switzerland and Italy during the 3,500-kilometer (2,140-mile) trek and face 20 major mountain climbs during the three weeks.

Tour designers have spiced up the route and revived some rules from the good old days in hopes that fans will have something — anything — to get their minds off the drug use that has marred cycling's premier event in recent years.

Judges from UCI, the sport's governing body, will be back, a year after they were kept out because of a bitter spat with Tour organizers over doping that has now been patched up.

The UCI has rolled out its "biological passport" anti-doping program, in which samples were taken from 840 professional riders to determine their body chemistry profiles. Any suspicious fluctuation from those levels could lead to penalties, even if no specific substance turns up in tests.

France's anti-doping agency, the AFLD, says it's going to target suspicious riders, rather than focus on random tests used in previous years, and will test for an unspecified new drug. The agency has also been authorized to freeze samples taken during the Tour. This allows them to be tested in the future for drugs that haven't yet been identified as performance enhancers.

"We know there are some particular substances and methods, and we are going to try to detect them, sooner or later," said Pierre Bordry, head of the AFLD, which helped nab six cheats at last year's Tour.

"There are things that aren't found in blood, but I'm not going to give an example, because I've learned over the years the people who advise athletes on doping adopt their programs based on drug-testers' mindsets," Bordry told The Associated Press in an interview on Thursday.

For Armstrong, who famously insisted he was the world's most-tested athlete during his glory years and has never tested positive, the welcome back to a still largely suspicious France may not be warm.

Just weeks before the Tour's start, two books — "La Grande Imposture" (the Great Impostor) by anti-doping doctor Jean-Pierre Mondenard and "Le Sale Tour" (The Dirty Tour) by Pierre Ballester and David Walsh — have come out in France to capitalize on the media frenzy over the American's comeback.

Both books lay out repeated suspicions about Armstrong over the years, though neither breaks significant new ground.

Doping allegations have already depleted the field this year: Spain's Alejandro Valverde, the winner of the Dauphine Libere stage race and the top cyclist this year in the UCI rankings, has been forced to sit out because he is banned in Italy — which the Tour visits on July 21 — over doping allegations.

This Tour also offers some blasts from the past, including a team time trial in Stage 4 — the first since 2005. Injecting a taste of yesteryear from when riders didn't enjoy high-tech communication, Tour organizers have banned the use of earpiece radios in the 10th and 13th stages — a controversial move that will alter strategies by stripping riders of their coaches' advice during the stage.

Armstrong's longtime mentor and coach, Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel, hates the idea.

"On the radio ban in 2 stages of the TdF?" Bruyneel wrote on Thursday on his Twitter page. "I absolutely disagree. What's the benefit of returning to the prehistory?"

But Bruyneel should be comforted by the team time trial, because his Astana squad has four of the world's best riders: Armstrong, Contador, American Levi Leipheimer, and Germany's Andreas Kloeden.

Other innovations include an uphill finish at the moonscape-like Mont Ventoux in the next-to-last stage — an effort to dangle sporting suspense all the way up to the traditional cruise on Paris' Champs-Elysees for the finish.

Mont Ventoux's inclusion almost seems tailor-made for Armstrong, who has called it the toughest Tour climb "bar none" — and one he has never won at cycling's showpiece event.

With Valverde out, the smart money will be on Contador. He sat out last year because Astana was barred from racing because of a doping scandal in 2007. Other pre-race favorites include fellow Spaniard and 2008 Tour winner Carlos Sastre; Cadel Evans of Australia, runner-up last year and in 2007; and Denis Menchov, a Russian who won the Giro d'Italia in May.

Other riders with outside shots include Leipheimer; Kloeden; Sastre, the leader of new team Cervelo; brothers Frank and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, with Saxo Bank; and American Christian Vande Velde, leader of Garmin-Slipstream.

And even though he's 37, and consigned by Bruyneel to be a support rider for Contador at least from the start, Armstrong can never be counted out. He finished a strong 12th in the Giro, and his rivals know that the man once known simply as "The Boss" has an unparalleled ability to dominate minds in the pack.

___

Associated Press Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.

(This version CORRECTS SUBS graf 24 to include teams and corrects that Sastre with Cervelo 'sted Saxo Bank.)

Is network marketing a good business opportunity?

2009-06-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

by With Cherryl Hanson-Simpson

Earning additional money has become a necessity for most people in these tough financial times. Gone are the days when persons could feel comfortable with a single source of income - for some people, a nine-to-five job has almost become an endangered species.

As people look for ways to supplement or replace their salaries, one business opportunity has risen to the forefront as a viable option. Network marketing, also called multi-level marketing (MLM), is now being seriously considered by many people as a route to starting their own business.

According to Wikipedia.com, network marketing is a selling strategy that compensates promoters of direct selling companies for product sales they personally generate, and for the sales of others they introduced to the company. By using referrals and word-of-mouth promotion, independent business owners receive compensation for the volume of sales they and their down-line team can generate.

Marketing concept or money scam?
This alternative method of marketing products has been underutilised by many people due to their ignorance of how it operates. Direct selling simply allows consumers to benefit from buying or selling products straight from the manufacturers or large distributors. The money that would normally be paid to wholesalers, retail outlets and advertisers can now be passed on as commissions to the end users.

Over the years, the network marketing model has received a bad reputation due to the actions of pyramid scheme operators claiming to offer legitimate MLM opportunities. Pyramid schemes entice people to join them by offering a monetary reward for enrolling others into the programme, without any product or service being consumed.

To distinguish a viable network business opportunity from a pyramid scam, you have to ensure that the main source of the commissions is coming from the sales of the company's offerings. If the plan offers impossibly high compensation payouts that are tied to pricey entry fees from new recruits, it may be a sign that the business is likely to be a non-sustainable operation.

The reality is that the multi-level rewards concept already exists in many organisations. Sales people earn commissions on their individual efforts, while their sales managers and their bosses also earn bonuses from the combined efforts of their teams.

For people who like helping people
Network marketing operations are, however, fundamentally unlike other businesses. Regular business owners may be accustomed to competing with others to ensure that they come out on top. On the contrary, being successful in network marketing requires that you work with others in your team to help them to build their own businesses.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad's Business School for People Who Like Helping People, confirms that "If you are a person who truly wants to help as many people as possible achieve their financial goals and dreams, then the network marketing business is worthy of your time". Kiyosaki reveals that network marketing offers several positive values that can make it fulfilling for the right people.

Good MLM opportunities will help you to develop your sales abilities, which Kiyosaki insists is the number one skill that all business people must have. He notes that most people aren't afraid of selling, they are afraid of rejection; and points out that the leaders in the business should help to guide you in facing and overcoming your fears about being rejected.

A creditable networking business should also offer education in areas such as leadership skills, communication skills, people skills, time management, money management and investing skills, goal setting and accountability.

Is this the business for you?
When evaluating a network marketing opportunity, here are a few questions to consider:

- What is the product or service being offered? You need to decide if the company's offering is something that you will personally use and feel comfortable recommending to others.

- Who are the principals in the organisation? Investigate who is in charge and their track record of success in business, just as if you are checking out any other business option.

- Are you comfortable being trained by the person who introduced you to the opportunity? If your potential sponsor is new to the business, can you get access to others in the line of sponsorship who can guide you?

- How is the money made? Make sure you have a clear understanding of how the compensation plan is designed. Is it possible to make a living doing this business full-time, or will it only bring in part-time income?

- Are you willing to do what it takes to become successful? Many people fail at network marketing, not because the business model or product line was not viable, but because they did realise that it required education and proper work ethics to succeed.

As you look for ways to increase your income, remember that network marketing is not a get-rich-quick scheme that will effortlessly make you money overnight. However, if you're willing to be trained, and to then teach others to become successful in business, it just might be the opportunity you've been waiting for!

Cherryl is a financial consultant and money coach, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. Get free financial tools and more practical advice at www.financiallysmartonline.com. Email comments to advice@financiallysmartonline.com. Please add this address to your email address book in order to ensure you receive a response.

Miss Hawaii : Scholarship

2009-06-28T06:19:00.001-07:00

Please note that the following scholarship figures reflect the cash scholarship awards and tuition grant waivers made available to contestants in the year 2008. Please visit us soon as we will update this page with information that reflects the 2009 scholarship awards very soon!

check misshawaii dot org

Miss Hawaii : Preliminary Competitions

2009-06-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

Miss Downtown Honolulu Shaina V. Caporoz Executive Director P.O. Box 37006 Honolulu, Hawaii 96837 p: 808-358-6792 Email: mdhsp@hotmail.com	Miss East Oahu Ann Mata Executive Director 852 Maniniholo Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96825 c: 808-342-1516 e: pageantprod1@aol.com
Miss Garden Isle Rose Dahle Executive Director P.O. Box 40 Anahola, Kauai 96703 c: 808-482-0142 e: lokedahle@aol.com Date: February 13, 2010	Miss Honolulu Jon Eala Executive Director 1639 Liliha Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 p: 808-536-5522 e: jonaea8@aol.com
Miss Leeward Thomas Kaeka Executive Director 1639 Liliha Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 c: 808-375-5628 e: tomtktom@aol.com	Miss Maui /Miss Valley Isle/Miss Lokelani Iolani Chun Executive Director P.O. Box 1315 Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii 96793 c: 808-463-2560 e: missmauihawaii@yahoo.com Date: November 2009
Miss Island Oahu Bonnie Parsons Executive Director 240 McKee Road #10-C Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 c: 808-271-7437 e: bcloset@hawaiiantel.net	Miss Waikiki Bonnie Parsons Executive Director 240 McKee Road #10-C Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 c: 808-271-7437 e: bcloset@hawaiiantel.net
Miss Ko Olina Todd Oshiro Executive Director 1639 Liliha Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 p: 808-536-5522 e: toddyoshio@aol.com	Miss Kauai Rose Dahle Executive Director P.O. Box 40 Anahola, Kauai 96703 c: 808-482-0142 e: lokedahle@aol.com Date: February 13, 2010
Miss Kona Grace Basque Executive Director P.O. Box 135 Kealakekua-Kona, Hawaii 96750 c: 808-218-2984 e: dbasque@hawai.rr.com	Miss Leahi Shaina V. Corporuz Executive Director P.O. Box 37006 Honolulu, Hawaii 96837 p: 808-358-6792 e: mdhsp@hotmail.com
Miss Molokai Le'a Kaulana Tupola Executive Director P.O. Box 1486 Kaunakakai, Hawaii 96748 c: 808-336-0245	Miss North Shore Jon Eala Executive Director 1639 Liliha Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 p: 808-536-5522
Miss Kahala Ann Mata Executive Director 852 Maniniholo Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96825 c: 808-342-1516 e: pageantprod1@aol.com	Miss Windward Allison Ikeno Executive Director 1639 Liliha Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 p: 808-536-5522 e: pbdisny75@yahoo.com
Miss Lanai Jennifer Pimentel Executive Director c: 808-368-1406 e: misslanai2009@hotmail.com w: www.misslanai.com	Miss Koolau Kalani Poomaihealani Executive Director c: 808-259-0381 e: misskoolau@gmail.com
Miss Ulalena, Miss Haleakala & Miss Silversword Iolani Chun Executive Director P.O. Box 1315 Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii 96793 c: 808-463-2560 e: missulalenamaui@yahoo.com Date: January 2010	Miss Hokua Susanna Hunt & Rhonee Rojas Co-Execuive Directors p: 808-235-8988 e: misshokua@gmail.com
Miss Chinatown Hawaii c/o Stephanie Ching 440 Kilani Avenue Wahiawa, HI 96786. c: 808-754-8717 e: info@misschinatown.org	Miss Waikiki Bonnie Parsons Executive Director 1026 Nuuanu Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 p: 808-585-8116 e: bcloset@hawaiiantel.net
Miss Aloha Tower Alicia Jones Executve Director 1339 Miloiki Street Honlulu, Hawaii 96825 c: 808-384-7659 e: hapagirlalicia@yahoo.com

How did Michael Jackson die, and the medicine behind sudden cardiac death

2009-06-26T02:07:00.002-07:00

Michael Jackson Died !!

2009-06-26T02:07:00.001-07:00

from http://news.puggal.com/michael-jackson-died/

Michael Jackson who was a very famous icon in the world of music died on Thursday, 25 June, 2009. The great dancer, great singer and a songwriter lost his breadth at the age of 50. This news is confirmed. His brother Jermaine Jackson confirmed his death in a short time news conference at Thursday evening.

Jermaine Jackson told the press that Michael Jackson was in coma when he was taken to the medical hospital near by. The U.C.L.A. medical hospital was only six minutes away from the rented place where he was living. He further told the press that he was taken there soon after noon and he was marked dead at 2:26 p.m. according to Pacific Time.

His brother further shared with the press that the autopsy of Michael Jackson might be done at Friday, June 26, 2009.

Michael Jackson’s death is no doubt a great loss to the world. The whole world would be gloomy right now as he had a lot of his die heart fans.

He was a biggest and a very famous star in the world. He has sold over 750 million albums.

His moonwalk dance became very famous in the world.

His friends, fans and fellow musicians are mourning on his death news.

Quincy Jones said:

“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the 80’s. To this day, the music we created together on Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all…talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. 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.”

President & CEO, Broadcast Music, Del Bryant said:

“Michael Jackson was clearly one of the greatest entertainers of our era. His influence dominated and defined our culture not only in music, but in fashion, dance, film and so much more. Often overlooked are his spectacular skills as a songwriter, composing both music and lyrics for his immense body of work. In an era in which most songs are composed by teams, Michael was the sole composer of dozens of songs that endeared him to audiences around the world. A BMI songwriter since 1976, his BMI catalog contains more than 150 songs, more than 20 reaching multi-million performance status on American radio and television.”

Brittney Spears:

“I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!”

Former wife of Michael Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley said:

“I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children who I know were everything to him and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me.”

And many more shared there feelings about this tragic death of Michael Jackson. Every one is confused and totally shocked.

His death is no doubt a great loss to his beloved ones and to the world. May he be blessed!

The Thriller years

2009-06-26T01:58:00.000-07:00

The Thriller years, 1982- 1984, would see Michael Jackson reach worldwide super stardom. Michael dominated the world of music, setting new standards and producing the biggest selling album of all time."

In June 1982, Michael Jackson started recording the ET Storybook. Quincy Jones would produce it; based on Steven Spielberg’s movie ET: The Extra Terrestrial. In addition to narrating, Michael would also record a single called “Someone in the Dark” to accompany the story. The book would be an instant hit when released in November 1982, and would also win Michael a Grammy Award in 1984 for “Best Album for Children”.

Someone In The Dark

Around the same time, Michael wrote and produced a song for Diana Ross called “Muscles”. It became a top ten hit for Diana and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Prior to beginning work on the Thriller album, Michael Jackson teamed up with Paul McCartney to collaborate on 3 songs- “The Man”, “Say, Say, Say” and “The Girl Is Mine”. “Say, Say, Say” was included on Paul’s 1983 album Pipes of Peace and became a number one single in the U.S. “The Girl is Mine” was released as a single in August 1982 and was included on Michael’s Thriller album.

Michael started recording the Thriller album in April 1982. Originally to be called Starlight, the album included 4 original songs by Michael, (“Billie Jean”, “Beat It” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, “The Girl Is Mine”), 3 songs by Rod Temperton (“Thriller”, “Baby Be Mine” and “The Lady In My Life”), a ballad by Toto (‘Human Nature”), and an infectious pop tune by James Ingram and Quincy Jones (“P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)”). Amongst the brilliant songwriters Michael collaborated with, he also teamed up with Eddie Van Halen for a guitar solo on “Beat it”, Vincent Price for a rap on “Thriller” and his sisters, LaToya and Janet Jackson for additional vocals on “P.Y.T”.

Pressure mounted as the deadline for the finish of the Thriller album approached and initially the mixes of the songs were rushed and not good enough to be released. The deadline was extended and the mixes perfected. The highly anticipated Thriller was finally released on November 30th 1982.

Thriller Album

Michael’s original plan for the album was to include 3 music videos or “short films” for “Billie Jean”, “Beat It” and “Thriller”. “Billie Jean” was released as the album’s second single on January 22 1893. The music video was given a budget of $250,000 and was directed by Steve Baron. The concept came from both director and artist and proved to be very successful. After 3 weeks, “Billie Jean” hit the number one spot in the U.S.
At this time, MTV (or Music Television) rarely played black artists on their daily rotation. Michael Jackson was one of the first to get played on the station and the first to get played in “heavy rotation” (i.e. several times a day) with the video for ‘Billie Jean”. MTV started “heavy rotation” for the “Billie Jean” music video in March 1983. The video for ‘Beat It” would follow this trend. Many in the music industry have commented that it was Michael’s breakthrough with the channel that started other black artists’ music videos being played on MTV and also bolstered the station’s popularity.
Thriller’s sales soared and it was the first time an album would be at number one in the USA and the UK at the same time.
While “Billie Jean” was still at the top of the charts, the album’s third single was released; “Beat It”, on March 5, 1983. The short film for “Beat It” was paid for and conceptualised by Michael Jackson himself. It was directed by Bob Giraldi and co-choreographed by Michael Jackson and Michael Peters. The cast included 100 members of real street gangs and cost an estimated $150,000. “Beat It” became number one the week after its release and Michael Jackson became the first black artist to have the number one album and single simultaneously in the US and the UK.

On March 25th 1983, Michael performed on the television show: Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever. The show would not air until May 16th 1983. Approximately 47 million viewers tuned into the show to watch the many Motown acts perform as well as a special performance by Michael Jackson and his brothers; the original cast of the Jackson Five plus Randy. After an emotional performance of a medley of Motown hits with his brothers, Michael stole the spotlight with his incredible solo performance of ‘Billie Jean”. During the electrifying performance, Michael debuted his now signature dance move: the moonwalk. The performance received an overwhelming response from the live audience and viewers all over the world. Some say that this was the performance of Michael Jackson’s career and it would launch him into super-stardom over night. Through the medium of television, Michael had confirmed his position as an incredible entertainer among his fans and also reached millions of people who had never experienced Michael Jackson’s talent as a singer and dancer. The performance sparked a new interest in the album Thriller and millions rushed to the store to purchase it. Michael’s Motown 25 performance was nominated for an Emmy award for “Best Individual Performance on a Variety or Music Program”.

First Moonwalk

As a result of the surge in sales of the album Thriller, millions also purchased albums by other artists. Cash box magazine dubbed Michael Jackson ‘the saviour of the record business” and Michael was credited for increasing interest in music, particularly black music. Revenues for record sales were at their highest since 1978 and Michael was also mentioned for increasing CBS record sales profits by a whopping 101% in 1983 alone.

In May 1983, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” was released and became Thriller’s forth number one single.

In June 1983 Michael fired his management. “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” still remained at the top of the charts and Michael took more care and more control in his business affairs. “Human Nature” and “P.Y.T” were released while Michael was planning the short film for “Thriller” and both became top 10 hits.
The short film and single “Thriller” was released on 2nd December 1983. For the 14 minute short film, John Landis was hired to direct and Rick Baker for special effects make up. The film cost an estimated $1 million of Michael’s own money. To re-coup some of the budget costs, John Landis negotiated a deal with Showtime, MTV and Vestron to fund a 60 minute documentary on the making of the short film. Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller was aired in 1984 and sold on video tape. It became the biggest selling music video of all time, with estimated sales of 9 million as of 2006.
Prior to the “Thriller” single release, the Thriller album sales had “slowed” to approx 200,000 copies a week The week after the single and short film was released, sales of the album soared and once again, Thriller was number one on the album charts. Estimated sales showed that the “Thriller” single and video resulted in an additional 14 million copies of the Thriller album being sold within a six month period.
At this time, Michael hired a new manager; Frank Dileo, who would remain with Michael for five years.

Thriller Video

On January 16th, 1984, Michael Jackson attended the 11th Annual American Music Awards. He won 8 awards, including “Favourite Male Pop/Rock Artist”, “Favourite Pop/Rock Album” for Thriller, “Favourite Soul/R&B Album” for Thriller as well as the Award of Merit.

On January 27, 1984, Michael was burned on the back of his head while filming a commercial with his brothers for the Pepsi Corporation. The magnesium smoke bombs used for the commercial were to blame; being only two feet away from either side of Michael’s head. A spark from one of the bombs set Michael’s hair alight and resulted in second and third degree burns his scalp. As a result of the incident and news coverage, both Pepsi and Michael’s sales soared. Pepsi paid Michael Jackson $1.5 million, which he immediately donated to a burn centre created in his name and honour. Two subsequent Pepsi commercials were debuted at the Grammy awards ceremony in 1984.

Michael rushed to hospital with burns

On February 7th, 1984, Michael attended and collected a massive eight Grammy Awards from a staggering twelve nominations. Michael Jackson still holds the record for receiving the most Grammy Awards in a single year by an individual. He received seven awards for Thriller alone and one for The E.T. Storybook. Among the eight awards he received, he picked up “Record of the Year” for “Beat It”, “Album of the Year” for Thriller, “Best Pop Performance” for Thriller, and “Producer of the Year” for Thriller.

Grammy's 1984

In May 1984, Michael was asked to donate the song “Beat It” for anti drink driving advertisements. For donating the song and for his many achievements in recoding and charity, Michael was given a special award at a presentation at the White House by President Ronald Reagan.

In July 1984, Michael embarked on the Victory Tour with The Jacksons. The Tour started on July 16th in Kansas City and the Victory album was released on the same day. The tour consisted of 55 shows over 5 months in the United States and Canada. The tour was the biggest and most successful of its time and Michael announced at the start of the tour that he would be donating all of his profits to charity. It would be Michael’s last tour with the brothers.

Victory Tour

The Thriller campaign was officially shut down in 1984 and continued to sell a staggering amount of copies. By the end of 1984, Thriller had sold 33 million copies. Michael Jackson was inducted into the Guinness Book of World records as having the biggest-selling album of all time.
Today, Thriller is by far the biggest selling album of all time. It was re-certified in 2007 as having sold in excess of 104 million albums. It is estimated that Thriller sells approx 60,000 copies a year worldwide! Album sales aside, it still remains one of the most important and greatest albums of all time. It set many industry standards in recording and for the visual presentation of music.

In January 1985, Michael was asked to participate in an all-star recording to raise funds for charity United Support of Artists for Africa. U.S.A for Africa would raise funds to administer essential supplies and famine relief in Africa. Michael, who has always been sensitive to the plight of Africa, was so excited about the song that he offered to write it with Lionel Ritchie./p>

Michael and Lionel worked for a week at Michael’s Encino home and finally finished the music and lyrics for “We Are The World” the day prior to the scheduled recording of the song. The all-star cast to record the song included forty five chart topping artists. Quincy Jones was enlisted as producer and co-arranger with Tom Bahler.

The recording took place on 28th of January 1985. Michael told his fellow recording artists that night that “We Are The World” was a “love song to inspire concern about a faraway place close to home”. After the recording was finished, none of the artists were prepared for the impact the song would have. It was released on March 7th 1985 and sold approximately 800,000 copies in its first three days of release. The song stayed at number one in America for a month and enjoyed similar success in many other countries.

By 1986, the song had sold in excess of 7.5 million copies and raised $8 million dollars for famine relief. The song went on to win three Grammy Awards: “Song of the Year”, “Record of the Year” and “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group”. It also won two American Music Awards: “Award of Appreciation” for Michael Jackson and “Song of the Year”.

In March 1985, Michael Jackson topped off an incredible era when he purchased ATV Music Publishing Company for $47.5 million. ATV’s music catalogue included the rights to more than 4000 songs, including 251 of The Beatles’ compositions. This purchase made Michael Jackson one of the top music publishers in the world and proved Michael to be a successful and savvy businessman at the age of 26.

The Jacksons years

2009-06-26T01:57:00.000-07:00

The Jacksons years, 1975-1978, would see Michael and his brothers leave Motown and start writing and producing their own music. Before the decade was over, they recorded 3 albums for Epic records and embarked on a worldwide tour.

In July 1975, the Jackson family held a press conference in New York to announce they had signed with CBS/Epic Records and would be leaving Motown records at the expiration of their contract in 1976. The Jackson Five had begun to ask to produce, write and record their own material as far back as 1974, but all their requests for creative control had been denied. They also felt that the promotion of their records was poor. Michael Jackson had a private meeting with Berry Gordy in May 1975 to discuss the Jackson Five’s future and after being denied creative freedom once again, the brothers started shopping for a new record deal.

CBS/Epic Records were interested in the brothers and offered them a major deal. The Jacksons received a signing bonus, and a massive royalty rate that was ten times more than what they received at Motown. They would also have some creative freedom including a choice of songs and being able to write two songs per album. Jermaine did not sign with CBS; instead he stayed with Motown. Randy was signed on to replace Jermaine. They were also not permitted to take the name “The Jackson Five” with them, as Motown had trademarked the name when they signed back in 1968.

As the Jackson Five, the brothers were still signed to Motown for eight more months. They would not record for Motown again, so to fill in the time the Jacksons signed on to host a summer variety program with CBS-TV, which would star many other members of the Jackson family. “The Jacksons TV Show” first aired on 16th of June 1976. Each show was 30 minutes long and featured different celebrity guests, singing, dancing and comedy sketches. It was the first time an African American family had starred in a television series. The first season ran for four weeks and the ratings were so good that they were signed on for a second and third season. The last show was broadcast on March 9, 1977.

The Jacksons released their first record for CBS/Epic Records in late 1976, simply called The Jacksons. It was produced by the Philadelphia International team Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who, along with their other writers, Gene McFadden and Dexter Wansel, wrote eight of the album’s 10 tracks. The Jacksons wrote one song together for the album; “Style Of Life”. Michael’s first published song; “Blues Away” was featured on the album. Michael’s vocals on the album showed a new style and maturity, far different from the brothers’ Motown albums. The album went to number 6 on the US R&B chart.
Three singles were released from The Jacksons. “Enjoy Yourself” went to number 2 on the US R&B chart, and it was the brothers’ first top 10 single after leaving Motown. “Show You the Way to Go” was the Jacksons first ever number 1 in the UK. “Dreamer” was the last single released and it reached number 22 in the UK.
The Jacksons also had great success on the road with a two and a half week tour of Europe in May and June 1977. In the UK, they played to Queen Elizabeth for her Silver Jubilee along with other stars.

In October 1977, The Jacksons released their second album for CBS, called “Goin’ Places”. The Jackson brothers again contributed two songs to the nine track album; “Different Kind of Lady” and “Do What You Wanna”. Although the album was not a major success, it spawned two top 40 hits in the UK; “Goin’ Places” and “Even Though You’re Gone”. “Different Kind of Lady” was also a major club hit, despite not being released as a single.

Michael then went to New York at the end of 1977 to begin filming “The Wiz”, after gaining the role of Scarecrow. Before the movie was released, he went back into the studio with his brothers to record their third album for CBS.

Prior to recording the new album, Michael and the brothers fought for even more creative control. They ended their partnership with Gamble and Huff and took full control of writing, choosing, producing and performing their own material. They formed their own production company, called “Peacock Productions” and each brother formed his own publishing company. It was the birth of Michael’s own publishing company: MiJac Music.

The album Destiny was released in December 1978 to an overwhelming public response. The album contained eight tracks; seven of which the brothers wrote themselves. The only track not written by the Jacksons was “Blame it on the Boogie”, which was coincidentally written by a man called Michael Jackson from the UK. It was the first single from the album and was released with The Jacksons first music video. “Blame it on the Boogie” peaked at number 3 on the US R&B chart and number 8 on the UK chart.

“Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” was the second single released from Destiny. It was written by Michael and Randy Jackson and was an 8 minute long dance track. It peaked at number 7 on the US chart, number 3 on the US R&B chart and number 4 on the UK chart. The single was a major success and sold over 2 million copies. Destiny’s sales soared and the album went platinum, hitting number 11 on the US chart. The album’s title track, “Destiny”, was released only in the UK, and became a top 40 hit there.

The Jacksons then embarked on the Destiny World Tour in January 1979, starting in Europe and travelling to the UK, Africa and the US. The tour included 80 shows and wrapped in September of 1979. Along the way, The Jacksons made many TV appearances, including in Switzerland and also on the 10th Anniversary Special for American Bandstand.

The Jacksons finally had the creative control and success they had dreamed of. By the end of the era, The Jacksons had recorded three albums, toured the world and starred in their own TV series. Young Michael Jackson was preparing himself for his first solo record for Epic Records, one that would break the first of many records for him.

The Jackson 5 Era

2009-06-26T01:52:00.000-07:00

The Jackson 5 Era, 1963-1975, would see young Michael burst onto the music scene with his brothers, The Jackson 5. Michael would also cut his first solo record at the tender age of 13 and establish himself as an accomplished and polished performer. These years were a whirlwind of performances, recording, television appearances, interviews and constant touring.

Michael Jackson’s biggest dream as a child was to become a singer. His brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon had already formed a small musical group and had been practising around the house. Young Michael wanted to join the group, but was thought to be too young. In 1963, Michael, at the age of only five, performed an amazing rendition of “Climb Every Mountain” for his class at Garnett Elementary School in Gary, Indiana. His performance moved many teachers to tears and he received a standing ovation. Immediately after his stunning performance, little Michael was invited into the Jackson brother’s group as their lead singer. A lady from their neighbourhood would suggest calling the group “The Jackson 5”.

Joseph Jackson, the boys’ father, took on the role of manager for The Jackson 5 and began to rehearse them before and after they went to school. He helped polish and mould the group by adding the latest songs to their repertoire and checking out what the top musicians were doing. Michael would also study the greats on television- such as James Brown and Jackie Wilson to learn the newest dance steps in order to add them to The Jackson 5’s routines.

The Jackson 5 won their first talent contest at Gary’s Roosevelt High School with a rendition of “My Girl”. Michael says that after that, they won every talent contest they entered in Gary. Joseph started to invest more money in the group by buying new musical equipment for the boys- microphones, amplifiers and guitars.

The Jackson Five started gaining a reputation for being great performers in their hometown and they got their first paid gig at a nightclub called Mr Lucky’s. They also performed at other nightclubs in Gary, earning their payment when coins and notes were thrown onto the stage after each performance. The boys were joined by two neighbourhood friends- Johnny Jackson on drums and Ronny Rancifer on keyboards.

Soon, The Jackson 5 were on the Chitlin’ circuit, which took them to Chicago, where they won amateur night at the Regal Theatre three weeks in a row. Here, they opened for acts such as The Temptations, The Emotions, Jackie Wilson and the O’Jays.

In August 1967, The Jackson 5 performed at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem for their amateur night. The Apollo’s amateur night audience was known to performers as the toughest audience around. Many performers had been discovered here and it was an important night for the young group. After their set, The Jackson 5 won first prize and brought the house down.
After winning a talent contest at Beckman Junior High in Gary, Gordon Keith of Steeltown Records asked The Jackson 5 to sign a contract with his label. It was their first official recording contract and The Jackson 5 immediately began recording. Their first single was released in late 1967, called “Big Boy”. Although it never charted, it became a big regional hit.
In May 1968, The Jackson 5 were invited back to the Apollo, this time for a paid performance. They were also invited back to the Regal in July. While in Chicago, they opened for bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers at the High Chaparral Club. Taylor was so impressed by the group that he phoned Motown’s creative department to suggest that The Jackson 5 be allowed to audition for Motown. Artists and executives at Motown had heard through word of mouth that The Jackson 5 were an up and coming group, and while concerns were raised about their ages, the excitement the group generated could not be denied. Ralph Seltzer of Motown’s creative department asked Bobby Taylor to bring them in for an audition in Detroit.

On the 23rd of July, 1968, The Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown. Although the record company’s president, Berry Gordy, was not present, several members of Motown’s creative department were there to witness and video tape the audition for Gordy. After performing an impressive set with “I Got the Feeling” and “Who’s Lovin’ You”, the audition tape was sent to Gordy, who decided to sign the group immediately.

On the 26h of July, 1968, The Jackson 5 were officially signed to Motown Records. Michael Jackson was just 9 years old.

Their first engagement for Motown was a benefit concert for the mayor of Gary, Indiana. The Jackson 5 would be performing with a host of other Motown artists including Gladys Knight and the Pips and Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers. The legend would be born that Diana Ross had discovered The Jackson 5 at this performance. Berry Gordy then held a formal party at his home at Christmas of 1968 to officially introduce The Jackson 5 to Motown. Diana Ross would be presenting them on their first album and at future performances.

The Jackson 5 started recording immediately for Motown under producer Bobby Taylor. During this period, the boys would go to school during the week in Gary and then go to Detroit for the weekend to record. It would not be until August 1969 that the Jackson family would be invited to move to Los Angeles to be closer to Motown’s new studios.

In early August, Diana Ross formally introduced The Jackson 5 at a private club, the Daisy in Hollywood. Five days later, they performed with Diana at a concert at the Los Angeles Forum.

The Jackson 5’s first ever national TV appearance was on the Miss Black America Pagent in August where they played “It’s Your Thing”. They then appeared on a show presented by Diana Ross, called The Hollywood Palace in October 1969. They performed their single, “I Want You Back” to an incredible reception. The group’s natural musical and vocal ability amazed the world. Michael Jackson, the front man, had all the vocal and soul qualities of a veteran performer over three times his age. No one had ever seen a child of only 11 years old with such stage presence, vocal and dancing ability and soul. This pint-sized performer knew how to create onstage drama and capture an audience. Michael Jackson had technique and style that was all his own, even at such a young age.

On October 7, 1969, The Jackson 5’s first single for Motown was officially released. “I Want You Back” was produced and written by Berry Gordy’s new writing team, The Corporation™ (made up of Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell and Deke Richards). It was The Jackson 5’s first song recorded at Motown’s L.A. studios and originally intended for Gladys Knight. The song was an amazing hit, going to number 1 on the US chart (knocking the Beatles’ hit “Let It Be” out of the top spot), number 2 in the UK and selling over 4 million copies globally.

The Jackson 5’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was on 4th of December, 1969. Ed Sullivan was known for having an eye for talent and was very particular about the acts he presented. The Ed Sullivan show was a major breakthrough for The Jackson 5, who performed “Stand!”, “Who’s Lovin’ You” and “I Want You Back”, with Michael in front wearing a striking magenta hat. They would be invited back to perform another set in May 1970.

Motown released The Jackson 5’s first album on the 18th of December 1969. Titled “Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5”, it was produced by Bobby Taylor and the Corporation™ and featured 12 songs. The album’s only single was “I Want You Back”. The album was a successful debut worldwide, charting at number 5 in the US, number 16 in the UK and staying in the charts for four weeks. The Corporation™ would work on The Jackson 5’s next seven albums for Motown.

The Jackson 5 started 1970 with more TV appearances, including their first performance on American Bandstand. The group’s second single, “ABC”, was released in February 1970. Again produced and written by The Corporation™, it went to number 1 in the US, number 8 in the UK and sold a massive 4.1 million copies world wide.
The Jackson 5’s second album, “ABC” was released in May 1970. It was another major success for the group, charting at number 5 again in the US. The album generated another hit, “The Love You Save”, which was released on May 16. It replaced the Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road” at number 1 in the US and hit number 7 in the UK.

The Jackson 5’s first concert appearance was at the Los Angeles Forum on the 20th of May. The concert broke attendance records, selling over 18,500 tickets and grossing over $100,000. Fans rushed the stage during “The Love You Save” and the boys first experienced the “Jacksonmania” that had swept the globe, Similar mob scenes would follow them wherever they played.

The group’s forth single, “I’ll Be There”, was released in July. It was a mature themed ballad; a change of pace for the young group. It went to number 1 in the US, number 4 in the UK and sold a massive 6.1 million copies world wide, becoming one of Motown’s most successful singles. The Jackson 5 became the first music act in history whose first four singles went to number 1 on the US chart.

September 1970 marked the release of The Jackson 5’s third album, called simply, “Third Album”. It went to number 4 on the US chart and number 1 on the US R&B chart. It became the Jackson 5’s most successful album at Motown. It generated a second hit, “Mama’s Pearl”, which was issued in late 1970. It reached number 2 on the US chart, selling over 2 million copies globally. The following month, Motown issued The Jackson 5’s first and only Christmas album.

The Jackson 5 started their first national tour on the 9th of October, 1970, starting in Boston. They would play at 16 cities, finishing with a special “homecoming” performance in Gary, Indiana. They performed 2 sell out concerts at Westside High School and each member of The Jackson 5 was presented with a key to the City of Gary.

In January 1971, The Jackson 5 received the NAACP Image Award for Best Singing Group of the Year. They also attended the Grammy Awards in April where they were nominated for Best Contemporary Vocal Group. March and April were full of television and concert appearances for the boys, who would move into their new home at 4641 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Encino California in May, with the rest of their family.

The Jackson 5’s fifth album, “Maybe Tomorrow”, was released on the 12th of April, 1970. It reached number 11 on the US chart and generated 2 hits. “Never Can Say Goodbye” reached number 2 in the US and “Maybe Tomorrow”, the album’s title track went to number 2 on the US R&B chart.

The brothers then embarked on a second six month national tour, starting in July in New York and supported by the Commodores (whose front man was Lionel Ritchie). At their first concert, the Jackson 5 had to be rushed offstage less than two minutes into their first song when fans attempted to storm the stage. The concert resumed but the last song was cut short when fans again rushed the stage hoping for a closer glimpse of their idols.

In September, ABC TV aired The Jackson 5’s “Goin’ Back to Indiana” TV special. It featured guest appearances by Bill Cosby, Diana Ross and Bobby Darin. The show was supported by a live soundtrack album of the same name, recorded at The Jackson 5’s homecoming concert in Gary in 1970. The album went to number 5 on the US R&B chart.
Also in September, The Jackson 5 cartoon premiered on television. The cartoon used original Jackson 5 music, but due to their heavy schedule, the voices of the brothers would be provided by young actors.

At the end of 1971, “Sugar Daddy” was released from The Jackson 5’s first Greatest Hits LP. The song went to number 10 in the US.

On October 7th, 1971, Michael Jackson’s first ever solo single, “Got To Be There”, was released. It was a soulful love song that showed off thirteen year old Michael’s amazing vocal ability. The song went to number 4 in the US and number 5 in the UK and sold almost 2 million copies. By this time, Michael had eight chart topping singles and six albums with his brothers.
In January 1971, Michael’s first ever solo album “Got To Be There” was released. It had a beautiful mix of ballads and up tempo numbers perfectly suited to Michael’s range and style. Young Michael had shown that he could carry a full album all on his own. The album charted at number 14 in the US and number 37 in the UK. “Got To Be There” generated 3 more singles. “Rockin’ Robin” hit number 2 in the US and number 3 in the UK. “I Wanna Be Where You Are” hit number 16 in the US and “Ain’t No Sunshine” was a European only release that reached number 8 in the UK.

The Jackson 5’s sixth album, “Lookin’ Through The Windows” was released in May of 1972. It charted at number 7 in the US and spawned 2 singles; “Little Bitty Pretty One” and the album’s title track which both charted in the top 20 and sold over a million copies each.

Michael Jackson’s fourth single, “Ben”, was released in August 1972. The song was written for a film of the same name and was about a young man and his pet rat. The response to the single was massive; going to number 1 in the US and Australia and number 7 in the UK and selling over 2 million copies. It became Michael Jackson’s first ever solo number 1 single. Michael became the third youngest artist to have a number 1 hit at just fourteen years old. The song was nominated for an Academy Award in 1973, where Michael performed the song. “Ben” won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 1973.
Michael’s second solo album, “Ben”, was also released in August. An album rich in ballads, it showed Michael’s vocal growth and ability. It reached number 5 in the US and number 17 in the UK.

In November of 1972, the brothers appeared on Soul Train to perform a medley of hits. They also hosted their own “Jackson 5 Show” where they performed several hits and sketches. They then embarked on their first ever European tour. In England, they gave a Royal Command Performance for the Queen and performed on Top Of The Pops.

In March 1973, the “Skywriter” album was released. It was a turning point for the Jackson 5, and it would be their last album with The Corporation™. The album would not sell as well as their previous efforts, mainly due to lack of promotion because The Jackson 5 had began a world tour. The album generated three singles: “Corner of the Sky”, which was a top 20 US hit; “Doctor My Eyes”, which reached number 9 in the UK; and “Hallelujah Day” which hit number 20 in the UK.
Motown issued Michael Jackson’s third solo effort, “Music and Me” on April 13th 1973. Again due to low promotion, the album did not sell as well as Michael’s previous albums. One single was released from it: “With A Child’s Heart”, which reached number 14 on the US R&B chart.

The Jackson 5’s first major world tour started in Japan in late March 1973. The tour would last until September, travelling to Australia and New Zealand and back to the United States.
In September 1973, The Jackson 5 released another album, “G.I.T: Get It Together”. Michael’s voice was now noticeably more mature and the Jackson 5’s overall sound changed as they experimented with a new disco / funk sound. The album’s title track was released as a single and became a major hit, selling over a million copies and going to number 28 in the US.

In February 1974, the single “Dancing Machine” was released from the “G.I.T” album. The disco infused number was hugely popular, reaching number 2 in the US and selling approximately 3 million copies. The Jackson 5 performed the number on Soul Train with an amazing robot dance routine by Michael. Michael Jackson was considered to be the pioneer of the robot dance and his performance during “Dancing Machine” certainly popularized this disco dance style.
In April 1974, The Jackson family starred in their own show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The show boasted a variety of song and dance numbers from the Jackson 5 and other family members Janet, La Toya and Randy. The show had a different format and presentation to The Jackson 5’s usual performances for Motown and the family had total control of the show’s content. The show was extremely well received with stunning reviews and after their first series of shows in April, the family went back to Las Vegas to perform in August and then again in November.
Motown issued the Jackson 5 album “Dancing Machine” in September 1974. The album also featured the track “Dancing Machine”, due to the song’s popularity. The album went onto sell over 2 million copies. It generated three singles. “I Am Love” was the major hit from the album; reaching number 15 in the US and selling over a million copies.

In January 1975, Michael Jackson’s fourth album was released, called “Forever Michael”. Two singles were released from it: “We’re Almost There” and “Just a Little Bit of You”, which were both top 40 hits. “Forever Michael” reached number 10 on the US R&B chart. It would be Michael Jackson’s last studio album for Motown.

The Jackson 5’s last studio album for Motown, “Moving Violation”, was released in May 1975. “Forever Came Today” was the only single released from the album. The album and single were not major successes, and the Jackson 5 had become unhappy with Motown’s promotion. The Jackson 5’s time at Motown had come to a close. The brothers had already begun writing their own songs and they were looking for creative freedom; something that Motown was not willing to give them. Motown had taken Michael Jackson and his brothers as far as they could and The Jackson 5 would leave Motown, minus brother Jermaine, in 1975 to sign with Epic records.

During their six years at Motown, The Jackson 5 had worked hard; recording over 450 songs of which only 174 were released. They made a total of ten studio albums and generated ten top 10 US and UK hits. They had made numerous television appearances and toured America several times. Young Michael Jackson had released four albums of his own and generated a major number 1 hit. Under Motown’s direction The Jackson 5 had made a massive impact in the music world and Michael Jackson had become the youngest vocalist ever to top the US charts.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T01:47:00.000-07:00

From allmichaeljackson dot com

The Bio History of Michael Joseph Jackson began when he was born on the 29th of August 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He was the 7th of nine children. (brothers: Sigmund "Jackie", Toriano "Tito", Jermaine, Marlon, Steven "Randy", and sisters Rebbie, Janet and La-Toya Jackson

Michael began his musical career at the age of 5 as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 who formed in 1964. In these early years the Jackson 5, Jackie, Jermaine,Tito,Marlon and lead singer Michael played local clubs and bars in Gary Indiana and moving further afield as there talents grew and they could compete in bigger competitions. From these early days Michael would be at the same clubs as big talented stars of there days, such as Jackie Wilson and would be learning from them even back then. In 1968 the Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers discovered the Jackson five and from there they got an audition for Berry Gordy of Motown Records. The Jackson 5 signed for Motown and moved to California. Their first 4 singles, "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" all made US No1 hits. The Jackson 5 recorded 14 albums and Michael recorded 4 solo albums with Motown.

The Jackson 5 stayed with Motown until 1976, wanting more artistic freedom they felt they had to move on and signed up with Epic. The group name Jackson 5 had to be changed as it was owned by Motown, so they reverted to The Jacksons as they had be known in the early days. Brother Jermaine married Berry Gordy's daughter and stayed with Motown. Youngest brother Randy joined in his place. The Jacksons had a number of hit recordsand in total made 6 albums between the years of 1976 and 1984.

In 1977 Michael made his first film debut when he starred in the musical 'The Wiz' playing Scarecrow with Diana Ross in the lead role of Dorothy. It was at this time Michael met Quincy Jones who was doing the score for the film.

Michael teamed up with Quincey Jones as his producer for his first solo album with Epic Records. The album titled "Off The Wall" was a big success around the world and the first ever album to release a record breaking 4 No1 singles in the US.

In 1982 Michael Jackson released the world's largest selling album of all time, 'Thriller'. This album produced 7 hit singles, breaking yet again more records, and went on to sell over 50 million copies worldwide. Michael was keen to use music video or short films as he called them to promote his singles from the album. He worked with the best directors and producers, using the latest technology and special effects.for the hit song 'Billie Jean' The short film 'Thriller' used the latest make-up artists technolgy combined with fantastic dancing and cherography, to produce a 14 minute video, with a start, a middle and an ending. So successful was this video that 'The Making Of Michael Jackson's Thriller' became the world's largest selling home video combined with soaring album sales. In 1983 Michael performed the now legendary moonwalk for the first time on the 'Motown 25 years' anniversary show. This performance alone set Michael undoubtable into the realm of a superstar.

In 1984 Michael won a record breaking 8 Grammy awards in one night. The awards were for his work on the 'Thriller' album and his work on the narrative for the 'ET Storybook'.

On December 9th 1984 at the last concert of the Jackson's Victory Tour, Michael announced he was splitting from the group and going solo.

In 1987 Michael released his much awaited third solo album, titled 'Bad', and lauched his record breaking first solo world tour. 1988, Michael wrote his first autobiography talking for the first time on his childhood and his career. At the end of the 1980s Michael was named 'Artist Of The Decade' for his success off of his 'Thriller' and 'Bad' albums.

In 1991 Michael signed with Sony Music the largest ever recording contract and released his fourth solo album, 'Dangerous'. He toured world again in 1992, taking his concerts to countries that had never before been visited by a pop/rock artist. Also Michael founded the 'Heal the World Foundation' to help improve the lives of children across the world.

In 1994 Michael married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley. The marriage only lasted for 19 months, as they divorced in 1996.

1995 saw Michael release a fifth solo album, 'HIStory', which was a double album, first half new material and second half half greatest hits. Michael toured again over a legs covering a 2 year period. In between legs of the tour on November 14th 1996, Michael married for his second time to Debbie Rowe who was a nurse that Michael had met in the treatment of his skin pigment disorder. Together they had their first child Prince Michael Joseph Jackson jr born on February 13 1997 and a daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson born on April 3rd 1998. In 1997 Michael released the remix album 'Blood On The Dance Floor' which also contained 5 new song linked with a 38min film "Ghosts". This film Michael played 5 roles using the latest special effects and make-up artistry, combined with his dance and music.

In September, 2001 Michael celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist with two concerts to be held in New York, USA. Many artists such as Whitney Houston, Usher, Destinys Child, Shaggy and many more performed there own and Michael Jacksons past songs. Michael then reunited with all of his brothers performed there biggest hits. Michael then went onto perform solo some of his biggest hits. In October 2001 Michael released the album 'Invincible' so far releasing only 2 singles including the big hit "You Rock My World". Since the release of this first single the album has been surrounded by rumours of a rift with Sony Music and a clear lack of promotion of the album.

Spain 0 - 2 United States

2009-06-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

From soccernet.espn.go.com,

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) -- The United States stunned top-ranked Spain 2-0 Wednesday night on goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, advancing to the Confederations Cup final with one of the Americans' biggest soccer victories.

Altidore scored in the 27th minute and Dempsey added a goal in the 74th as the Americans became the first team to defeat Spain since Romania in November 2006.

The chances of such a U.S. victory seemed slim just a few days ago. The 14th-ranked Americans lost their first two games in the Confederations Cup, an eight-nation World Cup warmup, and were on the verge of elimination.

"I can't explain it any more than you can," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Sports is funny sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it."

Now they will play defending champion Brazil or host South Africa on Sunday in their first-ever men's final at a FIFA competition.

"It's exciting, a great team effort. To beat an amazing team like Spain and make the final, it's big," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "We played as hard as we could and that's what it took. Every guy contributed, so it's a very good feeling."

The U.S. has three full days to prepare for the final. It was thoroughly outplayed by Brazil in a 3-0 first-round meeting.

"We take a few hours to regroup, but we'll be ready," Bradley said. "We're so excited about this."

Spain, the European champion, had set an international record with 15 straight victories and had tied Brazil's record unbeaten streak of 35 games from December 1993 to January 1996.

"We're not used to losing," Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said. "We lacked a little of our usual touch. We played a very difficult rival who took us head on."

Spain outshot the U.S. 29-9 but Howard came up with several big saves.

"We knew we had to pick and choose our moments to go forward," Dempsey said. "We're happy with the result and we know we're going to have our work cut out to get anything out of the final."

Altidore got the first goal when he outmuscled Joan Capdevila, his teammate on Spain's Villarreal, to beat goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Dempsey scored when he pounced on Landon Donovan's cross, which had bounced off Gerard Pique and the foot of Sergio Ramos.

Midfielder Michael Bradley, son of the coach, will miss the final. He received a red card for a late sliding tackle in the 87th minute, the third U.S. ejection of the tournament.

The United States had been 1-7-1 against top-ranked teams, beating Brazil in the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup and tying Argentina last summer in an exhibition at Giants Stadium. When the U.S. upset Brazil, goalkeeper Kasey Keller had an outstanding game, just as Howard did.

For the Americans, a longtime soccer outsider, this ranked alongside the upset of Brazil as one of their top wins, below victories over England in the 1950 World Cup, Portugal and Mexico in the 2002 World Cup and Colombia in the 1994 World Cup.

The Americans were boosted by the return of captain Carlos Bocanegra, who had been sidelined since injuring a hamstring during a World Cup qualifier on June 6. He played left back instead of central defense.

The United States had lost its three previous matches against Spain, including a 1-0 in an exhibition on June 4 last year at Santander.

Altidore scored after Dempsey lifted the ball over Pique as Xabi Alonso tried to come in. The ball deflected to the 19-year-old forward, who shot from 18 yards as Carles Puyol attempted to close in vain. The shot went off Casillas' right arm and into the net.

Altidore was so excited he took off his jersey as he ran toward the stands in celebration, drawing a yellow card.

It was the first goal against Spain in 451 minutes, since Turkey's Semih Senturk scored on April 1, and just the third goal the Spaniards allowed in 17 games dating to last summer's European Championship.

Scoring against Spain had special meaning for Altidore, acquired by Villarreal of Spain's La Liga from Major League Soccer and the New York Red Bulls for $10 million last summer. He made only two starts and four substitute appearances during the first half of the season for Villarreal, scoring one goal. Loaned to second division leader Xerez on Jan. 30, he didn't get into a single match.

On Sunday, Altidore had sent a warning to Capdevila.

"He sent me a message and told me that we had to be careful," Capdevila said. "But his Spanish is not so great, so I think he made a mistake."

Can the USA beat Spain?

2009-06-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

From socceramerica.com,
[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] As a reward for stunning Egypt, 3-0, in its final group game and squeaking into the semifinals, the USA gets a date with European champion Spain, whose run of 15 straight wins includes a 1-0 victory over the Americans just over a year ago. And, apparently, Spain coach Vincente del Bosque has a higher opinion of the U.S. team than do many American fans.

"They had Italy against the ropes and heavily beat Egypt, who were until yesterday the revelation of the tournament," said Del Bosque to fifa.com in advance of Wednesday's Confederations Cup semifinal in Mangaung/Bloemfontein (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Univision). "They are fast, well-organized, and they will come into the match with plenty of desire."

Del Bosque is taking a politically correct slant in his comments, as would just about any coach in such circumstances, and particularly one in charge of a smoothly running unit that has won 15 straight games and not experienced defeat in 35 matches. Yet for Spain, which enthralled the world a year ago through its swift, skillful soccer while capturing its first European Championship in 44 years, there's the danger of overlooking the USA with a probable date with Brazil looming in the final on Sunday.

By beating South Africa, 2-0, in its final group game, Spain broke Brazil's record for consecutive wins. Yet del Bosque gives great credit to his predecessor, Luis Aragones, who melded a team long divided by factions - political, sporting and cultural -- to win the European title. Aragones, in his second stint in charge of Spain, stepped down and in his stead the team has won 13 in a row under del Bosque.

"When I arrived in the role about a year ago I said that my plan was to give continuity to this group of players and to their style of play," said del Bosque. "We've built on that, we are making the necessary changes and we will stay on this line."

Prior to the Euros, Spain tuned up for the competition by beating the USA, 1-0, in Santander. Not until the 81st minute did Xavi Hernandez, cited by U.S. coach Bob Bradley as among the best on Spain's talent-rich roster, score the goal that divided the teams. Xavi is one of many Spanish returnees from that game as well as the Euros. Among the most dangerous American attackers that day was Eddie Johnson, who ran down two long passes from Freddy Adu to score a goal disallowed for offside and fire a hard shot saved by keeper Iker Casillas.

Johnson is not on the U.S roster and Adu has yet to play a minute in this competition, yet an attack that scored three goals against Egypt and created numerous other opportunities has Bradley and players hopeful of causing Spain at least a few problems in its defensive third of the field.

"We have to have the ability to put their defenders under pressure," says Bradley. "We have to have the ability at the right moments to be aggressive and create chances. It takes a good game plan but more than that, it takes complete efforts from our players, and commitment. We know these games take all the qualities and that's what happens when you play against the best."

Working against the USA is fatigue. It beat Egypt on Sunday, Spain took care of South Africa Saturday. In a compressed format, an extra day of rest can be significant.

"Clearly having a day more in this tournament would have helped, and we were also playing for our lives in the third game, whereas Spain probably had it a little bit easier, but regardless at this point, you don't worry about that part," says Donovan, who didn't play last year in Santander. "If we're prepared we have a chance to win."

A mesmerizing array of constantly shifting, and shrinking and enlarging, triangles of players by which Spain moves the ball can be as aggravating as it is bewildering to those in pursuit. Spain can play out of tight pockets, spray balls over myriad distances, connect with combinations of nearly limitless variation, and strike suddenly at the proper moment.

"A big part of fighting against them is not being frustrated that they have the ball," says Landon Donovan. "A lot of times they wear teams down that way and you start feeling you're never going to get the ball or have a chance, but also like Bob said, the other side to that is try to put them under pressure a little bit and see how they react to that."

U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra - who captained the team last year in Santander - has resumed full training after missing the first three games with a strained hamstring. A fitness test the morning of the game will determine his availability. As to the lineup, Bradley said only that Tim Howard - who conceded six goals against Brazil and Italy - will replace Brad Guzan, the starter in the shutout against Egypt.

So adept on and off the ball are its players that Spain can maintain possession for interminable periods. Its defense has yet to concede a goal at this tournament, having defeated New Zealand, Iraq and the host by combined scores of 8-0. Forwards David Villa and Fernando Torres, midfielder Xavi, defender Carlos Puyol, and Casillas are all among the world's elite at their positions.

The Americans will be overmatched, but after advancing in the most improbable circumstances, they shouldn't be overwhelmed, as they were by Brazil. Their terrible start that day set in motion a debacle.

"That Spain hasn't lost a game in a very long time and has played a lot of quality opponents, the challenge is very difficult," says Donovan. "However, we believe in ourselves, and we believe that if we play well we have a chance to win this game. That's our intention and we'll go out with a good game plan and try to get it done."

Reincarnation

2009-06-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Mind Stream

The human mind is not homogeneous almost all the doctors believe this fact. Different parts of the brain has different task to complete. However I am not here going to describe the brain. I am here to describe the religious belief of the mind. I a will describe various religious leaders have to say about the mind.

This is really believed by everybody that the mind is more powerful than anybody. The world has seen many leaders. But you will hardly find any one out of them all who have ruled without putting the mind into use. Either it was the great Alexander or napoleon the great or Abraham Lincoln; they all won because they were blessed with powerful brain.

I would definitely like to ask that what you really think about this. I really feel that you will definitely agree with this concept. However you will also have to agree that in order to develop the strong mind you will have to do a lot of hard work. In Hinduism it is being said that if you want to make your mind stronger then you will have to do a lot of Sadhana. I do feel that you will definitely love to know more about it. And I would also like to give you detailed meaning of Sadhana. However I would like to put forward two things and that are empowerment and the sadhana. Both of them are really the key to success.

Empowerment
This is really the dream of most of the people. He wants to become stronger than anybody and I must say that they can do about in order to win the race and gain the empowerment. But what is the way in order to achieve the empowerment. I must say that there is only one way of attaining it and that is by sadhana.

Sadhana
This is really the method to achieve the enlightenment. In this meditative practice, we learn to recognize and observe the individual components that make up the full range of human experience. The exercise is to attend to the different processes and phenomena that occur in the here-and-now as we are sitting in meditative posture or engaged in the various activities of our lives. This involves systematically observing our experience to find out what is there.

Most of the giants who have ruled over various parts of the world really feel in the same way. I must say that this is the best way to satisfy you. You will definitely be able to attain the enlightenment if you will follow this path. This path really leads us towards god. In this way you will find that not you, in fact the world will follow you.

Patience Worth - Proof of Reincarnation

Patience worth is the pen name of the St. Louis’s wife pearl Curran who lived in the early 20th century. She wrote many novels, poems, stories under the name Patience worth. She really thought that she was the spirit of the patience worth who lived in the early 17th century in England.

This is really a very long story. I must say that the Mrs. Curran really wrote some great novels. Let ne tell you what actually happened with her which really changed her life. Mrs. Curran was born in mound city Illinois in the year 1883. Everything was passing well before she was married. One of her neighbor showed her the showed her an Ouija board. This is regarded as the turning point in her life. The board really gave her many messages. It also told her that she was patience worth in the previous life. And in fact she was the spirit of the Patience worth.

This really changed her life. She started thinking herself as patience worth and wrote many novels on her. However I must tell you that this really proved out to be really a great in her life. I must tell you that whatever novels which she wrote were really inspired by the patience worth. It really proved out to be some great presentation of all times. I must tell you that this was really a very big achievement and I must tell you that she really proved to be the great novelist.

However I must tell you that she was really a patient. What she thought really looked like reincarnation. What the board told her she used to write that only. However I must tell you that the board was really a puppet and we cannot say that this was the correct thing. I must really say that this was really one of the points which really were a question mark on her. Not all believed that she was right. But they all do used to admire what she wrote.

Therefore up till the time which she lived she really found herself to be over the moon. But she once she died all stood on front row criticizing the spirit sense. This was really because no body found the patience worth to be lived in the 17th century. I must really say that they were really in dilemma. But all of them really believed that what she did was really spectacular. But they also believed that you cannot really take it as the reincarnation. I must say that the concept of reincarnation cannot be accepted on this behalf because no such patience worth was really found in any part of the England.

Immortality

Immortality is the condition where a person never dies or he goes on living endlessly. According to almost all the religions immortality is really impossible to achieve. In the past many had tried to win over the death but no one has really succeeded. I must say that the immortality has never been achieved by any body. However there are some evidences in Hinduism that the son of Dronacharya was blessed with immortality he has still not died. Even the great Hanuman is supposed to be immortal and must be living somewhere on earth.

If you really want to become immortal then you will definitely have to win over death and I must say that there are the three things which you will have to win over if you want to become immortal they are as follows:

1. Aging
Aubrey de Grey, a leading researcher in the field, defines ageing as follows: “a collection of collective changes to the molecular and cellular structure of an adult organism, which result in necessary metabolic processes, but which also, once they progress far enough, increasingly interrupt metabolism, resulting in pathology and death. Eliminating ageing would require finding a solution to each of these causes.

2. Disease
Disease is hypothetically surmountable via technology. Human understanding of genetics is leading to cures and treatments of myriad previously incurable diseases. The mechanisms by which other diseases do their damage are becoming better understood. Sophisticated methods of detecting diseases early are being developed. Preventative medicine is becoming better understood. Genes associated with type 1 diabetes and certain types of cancer have been discovered allowing for new therapies to be developed. Artificial devices attached directly to the nervous system may restore sight to the blind. Drugs are being developed to treat myriad other diseases and ailments. Hence we are really on the verge to win over the disease.

3.Trauma
Physical trauma would remain as a threat to continuous physical life, even if the problems of aging and disease were overcome, as an otherwise immortal person would still be subject to surprising accidents or catastrophes. Ideally, any methods to achieve physical immortality would alleviate the risk of encountering trauma. Taking defensive measures by engineering inherent resistance to injury is thus relevant in addition to entirely reactive measures more closely associated with the paradigm of medical treatment.

These are the three things which you will have to win over if you really want to become immortal. But I would really recommend you to look at the clearly and then give the answer to the question that is it really possible. I really do not think so. There is some way or the other we will be affected and I must add that the concept of immortality is really impossible to achieve.

Life After Death

Life after death is the Grammy nominated second album by the Biggie small and was released posthumously. I really feel that this was really one of the finest music collection made by the notorious B.I.G. but sadly it released after his death. I must say that the book was really a master peace. This was really the sequel for the ready to die which was released in 1994. I must really say that with the number of copies being sold this really turn out to be a master piece.

The actual name of the Notorious big was Christopher Wallace. However I am not here to talk about the novel. I really want to talk about the actual meaning which this music album put forward in from of us. I must really say that the life after death was really a masterpiece since it really tried to reveal the reincarnation to some extent. We all know that the reincarnation is neither believed in the Christianity and neither in Islam. If you will listen to this music then you will definitely come up with one point and Christopher was really a master rapper.

If you will listen to the album then you will definitely be blown over by the music. The music is really one of the best you will ever hear. The MTV ranked him the third in the all time great list. It was really an honor which Christopher Wallace got after the he died.

His music really reveals the concept of reincarnation. It is really a big question mark that how the life after death must be. I would definitely say that you will have to study the concept of reincarnation if you want to know about the life after the death. It is really a big question mark and still debatable. You really need to believe in reincarnation if you want to know about the life after death.

Starting with the life after death introduction which is 1 minutes and 40 seconds long you will then pass with a series of the songs. I really love the track mo money mo problem. This was really one of the finest songs I have ever heard. Among the others the last beef is another song which I like the most. And yes you should not forget the tracks like the last day; I love the dough and so on. These are really some of the finest creation which you will ever find in your entire life.

I really feel sad that the great Christopher Wallace is not with us any more. And I do feel that he has left such a big hole in the music industry that cannot be filled.

Religious Belief in Soul

It is not only my belief, in fact it is the belief of most of the people around the world that there is soul. Various religions really clarifies that they too believe in the soul. However you should not be surprised to note that most of them have the same ideology behind the concept. I must say that you are talking about the Christianity or you are talking about the Hinduism, all of them have similar theories about the soul.

Christianity says that the soul is present in all the living things. Even the plants have the soul. Either you are watching a lion or a crocodile; they all have soul inside them. The Hinduism but has one more thing to say and that is the life of the human being is the best among all the living things and you take rebirth in different form of the species because you have done some sin.

In almost all the religions and parts of philosophy, the soul is the immaterial part of a person. It is usually thought to consist of one’s thoughts and character, and can be identical with the spirit, mind or self. In religious studies, the soul is often believed to live on after the person’s death, and some religions hypothesize that God creates souls. In some cultures, non-human living things, and sometimes lifeless objects are said to have souls, a belief known as animism.

This really proves that the concept of soul is really believed by everybody. However when we talk about the reincarnation then we find out that the Christianity does not follows it. However there are proofs that the Jesus believed in the reincarnation. He even preached about reincarnation. I must really say that there are evidences the church council because of jealousy and the fear of loosing the supremacy deleted this content from the bible.

How ever as far as the soul is concerned even Christianity believes that there is soul. They really believe that whatever we do is being registered by the god and the reward as well as the punishment is given to the soul.

In his book Consilience, E. O. Wilson took note that sociology has acknowledged confidence in a soul as one of the widespread human enlightening elements. Wilson suggested that biologists need to examine how human genes prejudice people to believe in a soul.

Daniel Dennett has championed the idea that the human survival strategy depends heavily on adoption of the intentional stance, a behavioral strategy that predicts the actions of others based on the expectation that they have a mind like one’s own (see theory of mind). Mirror neurons in brain regions such as Broca’s area may facilitate this behavioral strategy. The intentional stance, Dennett suggests, has proven so successful that people tend to apply it to all aspects of human experience, thus leading to animism and to other conceptualizations of soul.

Rebirth

What is rebirth? This is one of the questions which have always crept in mind among most of our people. I really feel that this question needs a serious discussion. And you must know that nobody has been yet been able to give the details of any such incident. It is not a new thing that you would be hearing about a person promising to remember what happened in his previous birth. I still remember that there have been many such cases.

However there can be one possibility. The autobiography of almost all the famous personality is present. And you can always get an idea about what he was and how he lived? And if the person is too found of reading then he can even start acting like that personality. We call it mimicry. But what I am talking about is different from mimicry. I really feel that there is incidence when some fellow pretends to remember every thing what was related to the personality. This really confuses us. Is it due to excess reading or he is really remembering his past. This is really a question mark.

However rebirth has been accepted in various religions especially in Buddhism and Hinduism. It is really believed that the rebirth was also accepted by Jesus. He preached about it in all corners wherever he went. This was also included in the bible. But one of the church council spoilt the whole thing. They were really worried about their supremacy and thought these ideas will be a danger for their supremacy. I really feel that the belief of reincarnation by Jesus was lost due to this editing.

Within Buddhism, the term rebirth or re-becoming (Sanskrit: punarbhava; Pali: punabbhava) is preferred to “reincarnation”, as the latter is taken to imply there is a fixed entity that is reborn. However, this still leaves the question as to what exactly the process of rebirth entails.

The lack of a fixed self does not mean lack of continuity. One of the metaphors used to illustrate this is that of fire. For example, a flame is transferred from one candle to another, or a fire spreads from one field to another. In the same way that it depends on the original fire, there is a conditioned relationship between one life and the next; they are not identical but neither are they completely distinct. The early Buddhist texts make it clear that there is no permanent consciousness that moves from life to life.

The nikayas refer to a level of mind called “luminous mind” which may be seen as a basic mode of mind in terms of which the “evolution” of beings through the round of rebirths may be understood.

I too do feel that rebirth can be a truth but what is the reality is still to be known.

Proof of Hell

This has always been a topic of major concern. We all know that there is one heaven and one hell. We all also know that we will have to go to either of them after the death. But do you know that where it really is. I must say that it is really not known to any one. Many novels and news channel shows lot about the hell. They all promise to put forward the concept of hell in a very surprising manner.

However you must know that the hell is a place where the people suffer for the sin they have done. There have been so many proofs about the hell. Even Jesus explained the concept of hell. You must know that he visited the heaven and was seen on earth once again. How, this all happened is really not known to any one.

I must say that the proof of hell has been given by many religions. The message of Romans is plain and simple. Open your eyes and see. What you see will reveal the visible and the invisible hand of God. As someone once said, “There are none as blind as those who will not see.

The concept of god is really still a mystery but I can say one more thing and that is no body is still saying no to it as well. I must really say that the hell is really the concept which really makes all of us think that what we are doing is right or wrong. I must say that if we do something wrong then we will have to suffer when we our life end. We are therefore very cautious about we are doing and are it right or we are doing something wrong.

In words of a famous personality, “The size and power of volcano is like nothing on the earth”. Some geologists say, without envy, that we know less about the Earth’s interior than we know about outer space. . . However, we have a great deal of indirect knowledge about the Earth’s interior, and volcanoes provide some of the best free samples.

I must say that the volcano has really been found to be one of the most deadly scenes on earth. I must really say that many of us really think that we really do not know about the inside of the earth as much as we know about the space. I must say that many religious leaders have been of the view that the hell is inside the volcano. But what is the truth is not really known to any one. I must say that whatever might be the truth you should not really indulge yourself in any kind of sin.

Buddha Proof of Reincarnation

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the concepts of Reincarnation and Rebirth. At first glance it seems like they are synonyms, but there is a big difference between these two concepts.

The doctrine of reincarnation, also referred to as transmigration, is taught by Hinduism, Jainism and Gnostic Christianity. Its main postulate is that there is an indestructible, eternal, personal element that travels from one life to the next. This element is called atman in the Hindu religion, jiva in the Jain faith and soul by Gnostic Christianity. Reincarnation assumes identity between the occupant of this body and, when this body dies, the occupant of the following body.

In contrast the Buddhism really teaches us about the rebirth. If I would say that the Buddha did not teach us about the reincarnation then you should really not be surprised. I must really say that it is really a truth and I must say that he was not wrong at all. I would like to explain what he taught by the example of dominos. Suppose there are seven dominos and you hit the first one. Can you see what really happens? Yes all the dominos starts falling one by one. But have you ever realized that the first dominos becomes the cause of the fall of the next dominos and so on. This is what the lord Buddha taught to us.

Buddha too taught the concept of the karma. He really question and answered as well that it is the karma which manages the rebirth. What you do in this birth will be written down in the record of the god and this will affect your next birth. You can take the rebirth in any form but the birth as a human being is considered to be the most powerful and you do not attain it if you are found thin on behalf of karma in god’s diary.

I must really say that the lord Buddha teachings can never be forgotten and I must say that he will always remain in the heart of every Buddhist.

However as far as the teachings of the Buddha is concerned it does not contain the reincarnation and you will have to remember that the lord Buddha taught the rebirth and not the reincarnation.

However there is no doubt that in the east or west many Buddhist do tend to believe in reincarnation. However the lord Buddha never taught about the reincarnation. I must really say that the reincarnation is really one of the things which have been included in the Buddhism recently and not all the Buddhist believe in it. I must really say that now there should not be any confusion between the reincarnation and the rebirth.

Buddha and the Theory of Rebirth

Reincarnation was really proved by the Jesus as well as the Hindu saints. Islam however does not teach the reincarnation. I must say that reincarnation is one topic which has always remained to be a question mark. I must say that the reincarnation is really one thing which the entire great saints have really taught. But I must tell you that as far as the Buddhism is concerned I must tell you that it is really not believed. It is really out of the teachings of the lord Buddha. You must know that lord Buddha is also supposed to be one of the forms of lord Vishnu in Hinduism.

You will be surprised to know that despite of this fact lord Buddha never taught about the reincarnation. Hence if you will ask that what was the teaching of Lord Buddha on behalf of the reincarnation then you will get only one answer and that is the reincarnation is no being taught by Lord Buddha. He taught rebirth.

The question really arises now that what the rebirth really is. I must say that the rebirth is really the cycle which is really followed by the soul. I would like to explain how it works with the example of the dominos. Suppose you keep seven dominos in a queue then I must say that you will soon find that if you hit one then all of the start falling simultaneously. However I must tell you that not all the dominos will fall if you hit very hard. But I must say that they all will not fall if you will not hit very hard. I must say that the affect will go on decreasing as you will proceed further.

May I ask what does this reveals? However let me tell you before that this is really one thing which reveals many principles. Can you guess what does it revels? I must tell you that suppose you do lots of sins in this birth. Then it is said that you will have to take many rebirth on earth to wash those sin off.

This is really one thing which I must say that is very sound in explaining the rebirth reasons. Whatever might be the case I must say that the rebirth can be blessings for some one but in words of Lord Buddha it was a punishment. All those who really do some kind of sin have to suffer. The suffering period continues unless and until your all sins have been washed out. If you still continue to do some sin then I must tell you that you will again be lost in the continuous cycle of rebirth.

Biological and Religious Death

Can you answer the question and that is what death is? I must tell you that this is not such an easy question and there is really a lot of thinking required to answer this question. In one sense you can say that the death is marked by the termination of all the biological function taking place in our body. There is one more twist in the tale. You can also define the death as the time when the soul leaves the flesh. The first one is the biological definition whereas the second one is the religious definition. I must tell you that as far as the death is concerned its religious definition is really a question mark. Different religious leaders have different words to explain the death.

As far as the biological death is concerned three points are important and they are competition, natural selection and extinction. As far as the competition is concerned the species which leaves behind more offspring are really more powerful than those who lives long and leaves fewer offspring.

There is one another term which I have stated and that is extinction. I must really say that the extinction is really one thing which is a part of the ecosystem. As the climatic condition changes some of the creatures find it really tough to survive and in a very short span of time they are extinct. Some of the names of the creatures which have become extinct are dodo, dinosaur etc. I must tell you that they had different reasons to get extinct.

I would like to put forward the reasons why one of such creatures and that is dodo became extinct. You must know that the bird dodo could not fly. This really made it unsafe from its enemy who became the dominant in the battle. I must say that this was the real reasons why they became extinct.

However if you will talk about the dinosaur then I must say that you will definitely find the reasons to be different. I must say that they had different reasons to get extinct. I must say that they became extinct due to the fact that they could not survive in the changing climatic conditions.

Leaving all these things behind let us examine how a human dies. I really feel that since we are talking about the biological death. Therefore I must say that you should really talk about the biological death.

This really happens due to age, accident or disease. I must say that you will always find any one reason out of these three to ensure that what were the reasons behind the death and you will find all these three to be the main reasons.

from proofofreincarnation dot net

CWS Players Now in MLB

2009-06-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

From cwsomaha dot com,

Do you ever wonder what College World Series players went on to professional baseball careers?

Below is a list of some of the players that went on to MLB rosters.

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES PARTICIPANTS ON CURRENT MLB ROSTERS (78)
NATIONAL LEAGUE (35)
Arizona (2)
Billy Buckner (South Carolina, 2004), Eric Byrnes (UCLA, 1997)

Atlanta (5)
Matt Diaz (Florida St., 1998, 99), Tim Hudson/dl (Auburn, 1997), Greg Norton (Oklahoma, 1992), David Ross (Auburn, 1997, Florida, 1998), Clint Sammons (Georgia, 2004)

Chicago (3)
Mike Fontenot (LSU, 2000), Reed Johnson (Call St. Fullerton, 1999) , Ryan Theroit (LSU, 2000)

Cincinnati (2)
Paul Janish (Rice, 2002, 03), Micah Owings (Tulane, 2005)

Colorado (5)
Jeff Baker (Clemson, 2002), Brad Hawpe (LSU, 2000), Todd Helton (Tennessee, 1995), Omar Quintanilla (Texas, 2002, 03), Huston Street (Texas, 2002, 03, 04)

Florida (2)
Andrew Miller (North Carolina, 2006), Scott Proctor (Florida St., 1998)

Houston (4)
Lance Berkman (Rice, 1997), Geoff Blum (California, 1992), Jeff Keppinger (Georgia, 2001), Jason Michaels (Miami, FL, 1997, 98)

Los Angeles (2)
Casey Blake (Wichita St., 1993, 96), Doug Mientkiewicz/dl (Florida St., 1994, 95)

Milwaukee (2)
Ryan Braun (Miami, FL, 2003, 04), Braden Looper (Wichita St., 1996)

New York (1)
Alex Cora (Miami, FL, 1994, 95, 96)

Philadelphia (1)
Eric Bruntlett (Stanford, 2000, 01)

Pittsburgh (0)
None

San Diego (4)
David Eckstein (Florida, 1996), Jody Gerut (Stanford, 1997), Chase Headley (Tennessee, 2005), Nick Hundley (Arizona, 2004)

San Francisco (0)
None

St. Louis (2)
Troy Glaus (UCLA, 1997), Khalil Greene (Clemson, 2000, 02)

Washington (0)
None
AMERICAN LEAGUE (43)
Baltimore (3)
Jeremy Guthrie (Stanford, 2001, 02), Aubrey Huff (Miami, Fla., 1997, 98), Chad Moeller (Southern California, 1995)

Boston (6)
Chris Carter (Stanford, 2003), J.D. Drew (Florida St., 1995, 96), Jacoby Ellsbury (Oregon St., 2005), Mark Kotsay (Cal St. Fullerton, 1994, 95), Jed Lowrie (Stanford, 2003), Jason Varitek (Georgia Tech, 1994)

Chicago (1)
Carlos Quentin (Stanford, 2001, 02, 03)

Cleveland (3)
Trevor Crowe (Arizona, 2004), Ryan Garko (2001, 02, 03), Anthony Reyes (Southern California, 2000, 01)

Detroit (1)
Jeff Larish (Arizona St., 2005)

Kansas City (4)
Brian Bannister (Southern California, 2000, 01), Willie Bloomquist (Arizona St., 1998), Alex Gordon (Nebraska, 2005) , Luke Hochevar (Tennessee, 2005)

Los Angeles (0)
None

Minnesota (4)
Brian Bushcer (South Carolina, 2002, 03), R.A. Dickey (Tennessee, 1995), Brian Duensing (Nebraska, 2002, 05), Philip Humber (Rice, 2002, 03)

New York (2)
Joba Chamberlain (Nebraska, 2005), Kevin Cash (Florida St., 1998, 99)

Oakland (8)
Travis Buck/dl (Arizona St., 2005), Mark Ellis (Florida, 1998), Nomar Garciaparra (Georgia Tech, 1994), Jason Giambi (Long Beach St., 1991), Landon Powell (South Carolina, 2002, 03, 04), Russ Springer (LSU, 1989), Kurt Suzuki (Cal St. Fullerton, 2003, 04), Brad Ziegler (Missouri St., 2003)

Seattle (1)
David Aardsma (Rice, 2002, 03)

Tampa Bay (3)
Pat Burrell (Miami, FL, 1996, 97, 98), J.P. Howell (Texas, 2003, 04), Jeff Niemann (Rice, 2003)

Texas (3)
Brandon Boggs (Georgia Tech, 2002), Darren O’Day (Florida, 2005), Taylor Teagarden (Texas, 2003, 04, 05)

Toronto (4)
Aaron Hill (LSU, 2003), Shaun Marcum/dl (Missouri St., 2003), Ricky Romero (Cal St. Fullerton, 2003, 04), Brian Tallet (LSU, 2000)

College World Series Of Omaha, Inc.

2009-06-24T08:17:00.001-07:00

College World Series of Omaha, Inc., the local organizing committee, is a non-profit organization formed in 1967. The mission of its all-volunteer board of directors is enlisting community support for the College World Series from business, government, civic organizations and individuals. This year, CWS of Omaha, Inc. celebrates 58 years of College World Series games in Omaha—an honor unparalleled among NCAA championship sites.

Guiding the activities of the local contributors and the many volunteers involved in the series is the executive committee of the College World Series of Omaha board. This group of dedicated individuals meets each month to develop policies and plans that assure the success and growth of each year's Series.

Officers

John D. Diesing, Jr. President and Treasurer
Paul C. Jessen Vice President and Secretary

Executive Committee

David G. Brown
John Hildenbiddle
Bruce Rasmussen
Harley Schrager
Donald W. Thorson

Members

Len Adams
Tom Barker
Mary Ann Borgeson
Craig T. Callahan
Harlan O. Falk
Gary Gates
Herb E. Hames
Kim Hawkins
Mark A. Hewett
Gerald Johnson
David Miller
Scott A. Moore
Christopher J. Murphy
Chris Reichert
W. David Scott
Tarci Slaybaugh
Laura Tatten
George Wachtler
Larry Wzorek

Emeritus Members

John D. Diesing, Sr.
Bob Gibson
Jerry Hassett
Rod Heng
Howard Kennedy
Donald Leahy
John J "Red" McManus
Robert McNutt
Jack W. Payne

Audit Committee

Paul Jessen
George Wachtler

Representatives to Omaha Sports Commission Board of Directors

Jack Diesing, Jr.
Harley Schrager

Ex Officio

Rita Bower
Susan Busskohl
Darcy Estes
Steve Scarpello

Event Management

Dan Morrissey
Kathryn Morrissey
Carol Foreman
Katie Karmazin

NCAA

2009-06-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

The NCAA strives to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary organization of colleges and universities devoted to the development of young men and women as students and athletes. The NCAA offers 88 championships in 23 different sports; approximately 380,000 student-athletes participate annually in NCAA-sponsored sports. The NCAA provides an administrative structure for its 1,281 members in Divisions I, II, and III who are joined in their belief that athletics programs are an integral part of their educational mission.

Founded in 1906, the NCAA has grown dramatically in the past 50 years, with more than 600 new members since 1950. Today, the NCAA is a multifaceted organization. In addition to administering championships, the Association is involved in a wide range of programs and services. NCAA Corporate Champions and Corporate Partners

The NCAA:

Promotes intercollegiate athletics through publications and special television programs.
Conducts research as a way to find solutions to athletics problems.
Compiles championship records and regular-season records and statistics in football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, women's volleyball and softball.
Administers insurance programs to cover student-athletes during competitions and travel.
Promotes and participates in international sports planning and competition.

To find out more about the NCAA visit their Web site at http://www.ncaa.org or http://www.ncaa.com .

National Dance Institute to Honor Bernadette Peters and Yoko Ono

2009-06-24T08:11:00.001-07:00

from playbill dot com,

National Dance Institute, the not-for-profit arts education organization, will honor two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters and Yoko Ono during its upcoming gala at the NOKIA Theatre in Times Square.

The April 30 gala will honor Peters as the company's 2009 Artistic Honoree; Ono will be presented with the 2009 Global Health & Hope Award.

National Dance Institute's Gala, which celebrates the life and legacy of John Lennon, will benefit arts education programs in 30 NDI partner schools throughout the city.

Bernadette Peters was last on Broadway in the acclaimed revival of Gypsy, for which she received a 2003 Tony Award nomination for her performance as Rose in the Sam Mendes-directed production. She won her two Tonys for her performances in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song & Dance and Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, and she has also starred on Broadway in Mack & Mabel, On the Town, Sunday in the Park with George, The Goodbye Girl and the original production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. Peters' newest live recording, "Sondheim, Etc., Etc.—Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall (The Rest of It)," is available on the Angel Records label. Masterworks Broadway has also released a "Legends of Broadway" CD celebrating her theatrical career. Peters' screen credits are numerous.

For ticket information call (800) 807-1787 or visit www.nationaldance.org

Bernadette Peters Profile

2009-06-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

Place of Birth: Ozone Park, New York
Sign: Pisces
Occupation: Actor, Singer
Education: Attended Quintano School for Young Professionals
B'way Debut: 1967 (The Girl in the Freudian Slip)

Throughout her illustrious career, Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage, on television, in concert, and in the recording industry. In 2003, she received her seventh Tony Award nomination for her electrifying portrayal of Momma Rose in Sam Mendes' record-breaking Broadway revival of Gypsy. Her brilliant performance was captured on the Grammy award-winning Gypsy cast recording, released by Angel Records in August 2003. Peters' latest CD, Sondheim, Etc., Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall (The Rest of It),also on Angel Records (August 2005), features never-before-released highlights from her historic 1996 solo debut at Carnegie Hall.

In June 1999, Peters earned her second Tony Award, her third Drama Desk Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her showstopping portrayal of Annie Oakley in one of Broadway's most popular musicals, the smash Tony Award-winning hit Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun. In 1996, she made her highly-anticipated solo debut at Carnegie Hall in an exclusive concert benefiting Gay Men's Health Crisis - a performance she repeated in Bernadette Peters in Concert, her London solo debut at Royal Festival Hall, which later was telecast on PBS and is now available on DVD.

A native of Ozone Park, New York, Peters began her performing career at the age of 3 with appearances on Juvenile Jury, the classic TV game show Name That Tune, and The Horn & Hardart Children's Hour. She made her theatrical debut in This is Goggle, starring James Daly and Kim Hunter, directed by the legendary Otto Preminger. Still in her teens, she appeared in The Most Happy Fella and The Penny Friend and performed in the national touring company of Gypsy.

Peters made her Broadway debut in 1967 in Johnny No-Trump, and in 1968 starred with Joel Grey in the musical George M!, earning a Theatre World Award for her memorable portrayal of Josie Cohan. That same year, she received a Drama Desk Award for her showstopping performance in the smash hit off-Broadway musical Dames at Sea, and quickly became one of the most sought-after stars in musical theatre.

One of Broadway's brightest stars, Peters received both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her critically-acclaimed performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical Song and Dance. She garnered Tony nominations for her memorable performance as Momma Rose in Sam Mendes' critically-acclaimed revival of Gypsy. "Bernadette Peters is a revelation!" Ben Brantley of The New York Times declared of her star turn in the show. Peters also received Tony nominations for her work in the 1992 musical The Goodbye Girl; Stephen Sondheim's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park With George; the Jerry Herman/Gower Champion ode to the movies, Mack and Mabel; and the Leonard Bernstein/Comden and Green musical On The Town. In addition to these honors, Peters earned a Drama Desk nomination for her memorable portrayal of the Witch in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods.

While Peters is best known for her work in the theatre, her career doesn't end at the footlights. She boasts an impressive list of television credits ranging from performing arts specials such as PBS' Evening at Pops and The Kennedy Center Honors to appearances in variety shows such as The Carol Burnett Show and an Emmy-nominated performance on The Muppet Show. She appeared in the star-studded Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall and also played an opera diva-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown in Terrence McNally's The Last Mile, both for PBS' highly acclaimed Great Performances series. Other television credits include PBS's Hey Mr. Producer!: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh and the ABC-TV special Quincy Jones: The First 50 Years.

Peters received an Emmy nomination for her performance in FOX's hit TV series Ally McBeal. She portrayed the wicked stepmother in Cinderella with Brandy and Whitney Houston, and also starred in What The Deaf Man Heard; The Odyssey starring Armand Assante, David, Fall From Grace with Kevin Spacey, and The Last Best Year with Mary Tyler Moore. She also appeared in the Showtime movie Bobbie's Girl (Daytime Emmy nomination) and Prince Charming, a TNT movie co-starring Martin Short and Christina Applegate.

Peters recorded the original title song for the 1998 feature film Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie, written by famed Tony Award-winning Broadway composer Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, Mame). She can also be heard as the voice of "Sophie" in the feature film Anastasia, as "Angelique" in the special home video Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Christmas, as Sue in The Land Before Time: The Great Longneck Migration, and the voice of Rita the Cat in the popular Steven Spielberg animated program Animaniacs.

A performer of amazing versatility, Peters has lit up the silver screen in 17 films throughout her distinguished career. She received a Golden Globe Award for her memorable performance in Pennies From Heaven. Film credits include The Jerk with Steve Martin, The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds, Silent Movie with Mel Brooks, Annie with Carol Burnett, Pink Cadillac with Clint Eastwood, Slaves of New York with Mercedes Ruehl, Woody Allen's Alice with Mia Farrow, Impromptu with Hugh Grant and Mandy Patinkin, and most recently, It Runs in the Family, starring opposite Kirk and Michael Douglas.

In addition to numerous Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast albums including Gypsy and Annie Get Your Gun, Peters has recorded six solo albums: Sondheim, Etc., Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall (The Rest of It); Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein (Grammy Nomination); the live recording Sondheim Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live At Carnegie Hall (Grammy Nomination); I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (Grammy Nomination); Bernadette Peters; and Now Playing.

Peters has received numerous accolades throughout her distinctive career, ranging from the Tony Award to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Police Athletic League (PAL), an organization which runs 84 youth centers and 150 summer camps for New York City's neediest children, named her as Woman of the Year for 1999. A few weeks earlier, the Actors Fund of America bestowed Peters with their Artistic Achievement Award. She has received the Special Advocate Award from the City of New York for her contributions to the gay and lesbian community, and is the youngest person to be inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. Peters also received the 2000 New York Heroes Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. In 2004, she was the Arts and Entertainment recipient of the Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications, Inc. Other honors include the Sarah Siddons Actress of the Year Award and Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year for her "lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment."

Bernadette Peters devotes her time and talents to numerous events that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Gay Men's Health Crisis, for whom she also performed in a benefit concert version of Anyone Can Whistle. Peters' "pet project" is Broadway Barks, an annual, star-studded dog adoption event, she founded with friend Mary Tyler Moore, benefiting animal shelters throughout New York. She resides in New York City and Los Angeles.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:

1968: Theatre World Award
1969: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance for Dames at Sea
1972: Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for On the Town
1975: Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for Mack and Mabel
1981: Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) for Pennies from Heaven
1984: Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for Sunday in the Park with George
1985: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Song and Dance
1985: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Song and Dance
1985: Drama League Award Outstanding Performance of the Season for Song and Dance
1993: Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for The Goodbye Girl
1999: Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Annie Get Your Gun
1999: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Annie Get Your Gun
1999: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Annie Get Your Gun
2003: Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, Gypsy
2003: Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, Gypsy

STAGE CREDITS:

The Most Happy Fella - Performer - NY Center Opera - 1959
Gypsy - Dainty June (understudy) - U.S. Tour - 1961
The Penny Friend - Performer - Stage 73 (off-Broadway) - 1966
Curly McDimple - Performer - Bert Wheeler Theater (off-Broadway) - 1967
The Girl in the Freudian Slip - Leslie Maugham (Standby) - Booth Theatre (Broadway) - 1967
Johnny No-Trump - Bettina - Cort Theatre (Broadway) - 1967
A Mother's Kisses - Performer - Shubert Theatre (New Haven, CT) - 1968
Dames at Sea - Ruby - Bouwerie Lane Theatre (off-Broadway) 1968
George M! - Josie Cohan - Palace Theatre (Broadway) - 1968
La Strada - Gelsomina - Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (Broadway) - 1969
W.C. - Performer - U.S. Tour - 1970
Nevertheless They Laugh - Consuelo - Lamb's Club (off-Broadway) - 1970
On the Town - Hildy Esterhazy - Imperial Theatre (Broadway) - 1971
Mack and Mabel - Mabel Normand - Majestic Theatre (Broadway) - 1974
Sally and Marsha - Sally - Manhattan Theatre Club (off-Broadway) - 1982
Sunday in the Park with George - Dot/Marie - Booth Theatre (Broadway) - 1984
Song and Dance - Emma - Royale Theatre (Broadway) - 1985
Into the Woods - Witch - Martin Beck Theatre (Broadway) - 1987
The Goodbye Girl - Paula - Marquis Theatre (Broadway) - 1993
Sunday in the Park with George (10th Reunion Concert) - Dot/Marie - St. James Theatre (Broadway) - 1994
Into the Woods (10th Reunion Concert) - Witch - Broadway Theatre (Broadway) - 1997
Annie Get Your Gun - Annie Oakley - Marquis Theatre (Broadway) - 1999
Gypsy - Rose - Shubert Theatre (Broadway) - 2003

bernadettepeters dot com

How to Make Google Home Income

2009-06-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

Tips from ehowdotcom,

#Step1

Create a blog at Blogger.com. Write about something that gets at least 25 hits a day from FreeWordTracker.com. The links for Blogger.com and FreeWordTracker.com are located in the resource section below.

#Step 2

Go to google.com/adsense to create a Google Adsense account. Google will pay you through direct deposit or by a check in the mail after your account earns $100. After your Google Adsense account is approved, click the "monetize" link on your Blogger.com blog. In a few easy steps your blog will be monetized. Create other blogs with high traffic keywords. Keep in mind that you have to monetize each blog.

#Step 3

Earn Google home income through writing Knols. A "Knol" is a knowledgeable article about a specific topic. What's nice about writing Google Knols is that Google doesn't take a cut from your Adsense earnings. Directions for placing Adsense in Google Knols are listed the resource section below. Make sure to publish one Knol before trying to add Adsense.

#Step 4

Check out the price advertisers are paying for your keywords at Google Adwords Tool. The link is listed below. Type in the keyword from FreeWordTrakder.com. Then type the funny looking letters in the box. Click the "Get keywords idea" button. From the "Choose columns display" drop-drop box, select "Show Estimated Avg. CPC." The price advertisers are paying for clicks on your keyword or keyword phrase will be listed.

#Step 5

After you start making regular income for a while and after you are comfortable writing and making money from Google Adsense, start thinking about starting your own websites. Many people make a comfortable income just from their websites. Keep in mind that websites cost money for domains and construction, so you'll want to be familiar with earning Google home income from other sources first.

Google Adsense Tips

2009-06-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Heres the tips from extradollar,

It is hard to believe but you can earn some extra dollar from home. Of course, a search for "extra income from home" or "earn extra income from home" on google will bring you millions of result pages full of false promises.

As suspected, most (read none) of these sites will not make you rich. The only one who will make money out of it is the self proclaimed marketing guru who found the goose who lays golden eggs and willing to share his secret with you if you will just send him 30 dollars.

However, there are ways to earn a few extra dollars from home. This page is a guide to the easiest way, Google Adsense. You will not make big bucks using it, so probably it will not pay the rent for you, but dollar to dollar it can pay some bills. If you are looking for a real income it is usually not the way but, if you are home anyway, have a lot of extra time or just love it very much why not make some money out of it.

If you already have a site and traffic, Google adsense is the easiest way. All you have to do is be approved by google and add some code to your site. Google AdWords ads will be shown on your site automatically delivering targeted text and image ads, on a page-by-page basis, to your site's content. When your readers will click one of those ads, google will pay you. This way you can avoid the hassle of finding and billing of advertisers. Like everything in life, it is not that simple, first of all you site should be approved by google. This is not an automatic procedure and some people do get rejected. Another problem is the design of your site. Unless you have very heavy traffic site, the design of google adsense is very strict. So your site should be designed with consideration of the adsesnse design and not the other way around. In addition google can always kick you out of the program if they suspect a faul play or any other reason. One more way to use adsense is Google AdSense for search which is adding a google search box to you site. since your users can search from right on your site. And since AdSense serves targeted ads on search results pages, you can make more money from your Google search box as well.

since google adsense is the simplest way of earning extra income from home, your site will not be alone, many people already discovered the revenue power in it and created many sites for the sole reason of using google adsense. However there are some tips and tricks to make your site a little more noticeable and therefore lucrative.

The most important thing you will need in order to build a profitable site is quality content. Quality content means something your readers will find interesting and will make them want to comeback to, link to , or even tell their friend about. Therefore "something for everyone" sites usually will not work. A topic site will be the best approach. Find your niche and go with it. Narrow topic will generate targeted traffic, therefore, all thou probably less people will come to your specific topic site most of them will be interested in its topic and and will probably click more. The two best examples for such topic sites are gizmodo and pvrblog . As you can see, what make these two sites unique is the focus on a specific field and the passionate writing about it.

In order to provide the best content for your site you will need to write enthusiastically on a subject you are passionate about. Building a site just for being a place you can put the ads on or choosing a subject according to the last hot keywords on google will make a boring site with no traffic and of course, no revenues. So, even thou "ants feeding device" may be the hottest keyword on the net, if you don't have something contributing to say about it then don't.

Adsense do's:
Without traffic, even the best site will provide no profit, so get your site optimized, get links and do all the promotion you can.

Make your adsense visible on the viewable part of the page. Scrolling will reduce the clicks so design the site accordingly.

If you see to much PSA use alternative ad networks - google understand it and even help you to do so.

Check your site and charset for non english character. Non english character can make your ads appear in different language; if google use this language or prevent your site from being approved in case google don't support this language.

Adsense don'ts:
Don't click your own ads. It is illegal, against the adsense policy . Google is smart enough to notice any fraud.

Don't do anything conflicting the terms and conditions . Disclosing your earnings can be enough for google to disqualify you. So don't give them any reason to do so.

Don't ask your readers to click the adds or try to encourage anyone to click in any other way.

Don't change the code more then changing color or alternate ads. Use the Adsense approved formats only

Transformers 2 : global site and release date

2009-06-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

North America

	United States	24 Jun 09
	Canada	24 Jun 09

Latin America

	Argentina	23 Jun 09
	Brazil	23 Jun 09
	Chile	23 Jun 09
	Colombia	23 Jun 09
	Mexico	23 Jun 09
	Panama	23 Jun 09
	Peru	23 Jun 09
	Venezuela	23 Jun 09

Middle East / Africa

	Egypt	24 Jun 09
	Israel	24 Jun 09
	Lebanon	24 Jun 09
	South Africa	24 Jun 09
	United Arab Emirates	24 Jun 09

Asia Pacific

	Australia	24 Jun 09
	China	TBC
	Hong Kong	24 Jun 09
	India	24 Jun 09
	Indonesia	24 Jun 09
	Japan	20 Jun 09
	Korea	24 Jun 09
	Singapore	24 Jun 09
	Malaysia	24 Jun 09
	New Zealand	24 Jun 09
	Philippines	24 Jun 09
	Taiwan	23 Jun 09
	Thailand	24 Jun 09

Europe

	Austria	24 Jun 09
	Belgium	24 Jun 09
	Croatia	25 Jun 09
	Cyprus	26 Jun 09
	Czech Republic / Slovakia	25 Jun 09
	Denmark	24 Jun 09
	Finland	24 Jun 09
	France	24 Jun 09
	Germany	24 Jun 09
	Greece	24 Jun 09
	Hungary	24 Jun 09
	Iceland	26 Jun 09
	Ireland	24 Jun 09
	Italy	26 Jun 09
	Netherlands	24 Jun 09
	Norway	24 Jun 09
	Poland	24 Jun 09
	Portugal	24 Jun 09
	Romania	24 Jun 09
	Russia	24 Jun 09
	Serbia & Montenegro	24 Jun 09
	Slovenia	24 Jun 09
	Spain	24 Jun 09
	Sweden	24 Jun 09
	Switzerland-French	24 Jun 09
	Switzerland-German	24 Jun 09
	Switzerland-Italian	24 Jun 09
	Turkey	24 Jun 09
	Ukraine	23 Jun 09
	United Kingdom	19 Jun 09

What's New on iPhone OS 3.0

2009-06-21T07:05:00.001-07:00

f you didn't find much to gasp at during the iPhone OS 3.0 section of Monday's keynote presentation at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, that's understandable. Much of what was showed off were features that we saw trotted out back at March's iPhone special event where Apple initially introduced the software update.

That said, we did get a glimpse at a few brand new iPhone capabilities as well as a more detailed look at some of the features that were only hinted at three months ago. Let's take a look at what's coming to our iPhone when the update drops on June 17.

What's in store

As rumored, the iPhone's iTunes Store took a step in the direction of parity with its desktop sibling by adding the ability to purchase and rent movies, TV shows, music videos, and audiobooks from inside the phone's iTunes app.

As with podcasts, music, and apps, any content that's over 10MB will only be available to download via Wi-Fi, and not via the iPhone's cellular connection. Apple's also made content available from iTunes U, the store's educational section with classes and lectures from schools around the world.

In addition, the iTunes application will now support users logging into one or more different iTunes accounts, and even let you create accounts directly on the phone. Previously, the iTunes app on the phone pulled its account information from whatever account was logged in on the computer that you were syncing with.

Parental units

Apple also showed off a few additions to the iPhone's parental controls section, most notably the ability for parents to restrict what applications their children can use. This also requires that all developers submit an age-rating for their applications, as Apple senior vice president Scott Forstall later said. The App Store has received a lot of criticism for its issues with its approval process, including some apps that have been banned as a result of objectionable content, even in cases where the content was similar to that being sold elsewhere in the iTunes Store. Enabling restrictions on applications and forcing developers to rate their apps could be a way for Apple to absolve itself from some of the responsibility of policing for edgier content.

Fill 'er up

AutoFill was briefly mentioned in Apple's iPhone presentation back in March, but this was the first time we got a glimpse--albeit a brief one--at what it's capable of. As in Safari on the desktop, not only can AutoFill remember the usernames and passwords for your Web sites, but it can also populate contact information fields on forms based on the information you've entered in your phone.

Tether ball

Apple took a little more time to talk about tethering, the ability to share your iPhone's cellular data connection with your Mac or PC. While the company didn't show us anything about how the feature works, it did say that a number of their partners in different countries would be offering the feature, though AT&T was notably absent. (A spokesperson from AT&T later told Macworld that the feature would arrive, though they did not say when or how much it would cost). Apple did, however, say that the tethering capability would work with Macs and PCs and could be used over either USB or Bluetooth.

Little iPhone lost

Perhaps the most ahhh-inducing unseen feature of iPhone 3.0 was the newly-unveiled Find My iPhone service. Available only to MobileMe subscribers, Find My iPhone allows you to locate your handset should you misplace it. You access the service via MobileMe's Web interface, at which point you have several options. Firstly, the Web page can tell you the location of your iPhone, using the unit's built-in location services, letting you know if you left your phone in the movie theater last night, or in the back of that cab.

You can also send a message to your iPhone, along with an alert sound that plays even if the phone's ringer is off. This can help in situations where the GPS location doesn't: for example, if you've misplaced the iPhone somewhere in your house. The chime can be played repeatedly, enabling you to easily track down the phone.

Finally, if the phone is lost for good, or contains sensitive information, you can also opt to remotely wipe all data from your phone: contacts, mail, music, photos, etc. And of course, should you then locate your phone, all you need to do is plug your iPhone back into your computer, and you can restore from the latest backup.

Language, please

The iPhone OS already supported almost 20 languages in iPhone 2.0--iPhone 3.0 expands that number to about 30, including long-awaited support for right-to-left languages like Hebrew and Arabic. Apple also noted the inclusion of Thai, Greek, and Korean, and noted that every keyboard has both landscape and portrait orientations.

The "s" is for software?

Along with its speedy new hardware, the iPhone 3G S also brings with it a variety of new software features. While these features are included in the iPhone OS 3.0 update, they're only available to iPhone 3G S users.

The 3G S adds new camera features, including auto-focus, auto-exposure, and auto-white-balancing, all of which works in tandem the the 3G S's new camera. There's also a tap-to-focus feature that lets you select which part of a scene you want to focus on. In addition, the camera can also shoot video, which you're able to trim using a built in filmstrip view very similar to that of iMovie '09. Once you've trimmed the clip, you can easily share it over e-mail, MMS, or upload it to YouTube or your MobileMe gallery.

The iPhone 3G S also adds Voice Control, a speech-recognition feature that lets you control common actions such as calling contacts and playing music just by speaking into the iPhone's microphone or the unit's headphone mic. Hold down the Home button to summon the Voice Control interface, and you can tell it to dial your friend by name, by number, or play music by track, artist, or playlist--you can even tell it to start playing a Genius playlist.

In addition to the Voice Control feature, Apple also talked about adding new accessibility features to the iPhone 3G S, such as Voice Over, zooming in on text, displaying a high-contrast white-on-black display, outputting mono audio, and more. Voice Over, in particular, features a number of specialized gestures to control different functions of the phone. However, the accessibility features are available only on the 3G S.

Apple also added support for Nike + to the iPhone 3G S, allowing you to use the Nike + iPod Sensor in conjunction with a new application to track your progress while running, and sync that data to iTunes for future use, just as you can with the Nike + iPod Sports Kit.

Finally, the iPhone 3G S also includes a new digital compass. Not only does it allow you to orient yourself using a compass interface (which also provides longitute and latitude), but you can also use the compass in the Maps program to show you which way you're facing, and even orient the map corrently to help following directions easier.

from : macworlds

iPhone OS 3.0 : June 17 2009

2009-06-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

source : pcworld.com

Apple senior vice president of iPhone software Scott Forstall used Monday's WWDC keynote to deliver the news that iPhone users have waited months to hear: The new iPhone 3.0 OS will be released on June 17, 2009.

iPhone 3.0 will be a free release for all iPhone customers -- both original iPhone users and iPhone 3G users will be able to download it at no charge once it's released. iPod touch customers can download the new release for $10, and it will work on first- and second-generation iPod touch models.

And iPhone software developers will be able to download the new release on Monday -- it's gone "golden master" today.

Forstall used most of his time to talk about and show off some of the 100 new features in iPhone OS 3.0, many of which were first discussed at a press event in Cupertino last March. He was aided by a long parade of iPhone developers who showed off their latest wares.

Many of the new features in iPhone 3.0 have been talked about before: Cut, Copy, and Paste, for example; landscape mode in all key applications, including Mail, Notes and Messages; spotlight support across the entire device; and ubiquitous searching. Peer-to-peer Bluetooth-based multiplayer gaming, push notification, in-app store support and other capabilities factored into demonstrations showing off iPhone 3.0's new features, as well.

Forstall also delved deeper into some capabilities in the new operating system, and took a couple of digs at Apple's United States cellular partner, AT&T, in the process.

Multimedia Messaging Support (MMS) has been, since the iPhone's first release, a common request from iPhone users and people considering a switch to an iPhone -- it's a capability many cell phone users take for granted.

Unfortunately, it appears that iPhone users in the United States will be waiting a while longer for MMS. Forstall noted that while iPhone OS 3.0 is capable of MMS, it requires carrier support to implement.

Twenty-nine carriers in 76 countries will support MMS at the time of iPhone 3.0's launch, according to Forstall. AT&T, Apple's U.S. carrier partner, isn't among them, at least not initially. AT&T will be ready to support MMS "later this summer," according to Forstall. That news elicited boos from the crowd.

Tethering -- the ability for a Mac or PC to share the iPhone's Internet connection -- is another feature AT&T won't be supporting at launch. This feature is especially handy for mobile travelers who don't want to be tied to the limited range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, and who haven't purchased a 3G data card for their laptop. Especially given the absence of ExpressCard expansion slots on Apple's refreshed 15-inch MacBook Pro line, this will be a bone of contention for some users.

iPhone 3.0's tethering works over USB or Bluetooth, and works on Mac OS X and Windows. But in another slight to AT&T, Apple listed dozens of carriers that will support this feature, and AT&T was notably absent from the list.

"Find My Phone" is a new feature in iPhone 3.0 that helps you locate your iPhone if you've misplaced it. It's specifically for MobileMe customers -- you can log in to MobileMe and it will show you where you left your phone. You can send a message to the phone, and will play an alert, even if you left the phone in silent mode. What's more, remote wipe isn't a feature just for system administrators anymore -- "Find My Phone" will erase all your data if your iPhone falls into the wrong hands.

The new iPhone OS supports HTTP-based streaming audio and video that will pick the right bit-rate depending on your phone's data connection quality. Autofill has been added for the Mobile Safari software, to save you from having to fill out forms manually.

Another hotly anticipated capability for the iPhone is turn-by-turn GPS-based directions. To that end, TomTom demonstrated an iPhone 3.0 application that delivers real TomTom navigation on the iPhone. What's more, the software also works with a cradle device that suction-cups to your vehicle's window. It's more than just a holder -- it securely docks the iPhone, can enhance the iPhone's GPS capabilities, and give you hands-free calling capabilities, power and a loudspeaker. TomTom plans to release both this summer, with a range of maps.

iPhone 3.0 Update

2009-06-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

Pada tanggal 17 Maret 2009, Apple mengumumkan generasi ketiga (versi 3.0) dari platform sistem operasi (OS) yang diusung oleh iPhone dan juga iPod Touch. Pada OS versi 3.0 ini, Apple menambahkan 100 feature baru, diantaranya feature cut, copy-paste; MMS, Voice Memo, serta masih banyak feature lainnya.

Untuk saat ini, OS Apple versi 3.0 baru tersedia bagi para developer aplikasi untuk iPhone. Sedangkan bagi user selain developer harus bersabar sampai musim panas untuk mencoba kebolehan OS ini. Bagi pemilik iPhone, Apple akan memberikan update OS ini secara gratis. Sedangkan bagi pemilik iPod Touch harus membayar sebesar USD 9.95 untuk dapat melakukan update.

Beberapa feature unggulan pada OS versi 3.0 Beta ini :

Feature Cut, Copy, Paste
Fungsi cut, copy dan paste memang merupakan suatu fungsi dasar yang harus dimiliki oleh setiap smartphone. Setelah mendengar begitu banyak masukan tentang kebutuhan dasar ini, Apple akhirnya menambahkan feature ini ke OS generasi terbarunya.
Caranya, user hanya perlu double-tap pada layar, kemudian akan ada kotak opsi pilihan cut, copy dan paste. Setelah itu user dapat melakukan drag kata-kata yang ingin dipindahkan (cut atau copy). Hasil drag tersebut akan di-save dalam clipboard. Pada nantinya, user dapat melakukan proses pemindahan dari clipboard tersebut.
Apple tidak membatasi feature ini hanya pada teks saja. User juga dapat menjalankan feature ini pada foto maupun pesan sms.

Feature MMS
MMS merupakan feature yang mengijinkan user untuk mengirimkan file multimedia (gambar atau suara) tanpa menggunakan layanan e-mail. Feature ini sudah banyak digunakan pada handphone berwarna sekarang ini.
Feature Systemwide Search
Sekarang user sudah dapat melakukan pencarian di keseluruhan sistem. Dengan memasukan kata kunci, user dapat melakukan pencarian ke e-mail, aplikasi, contact, dan data-data lainnya pada satu tempat.
Aplikasi Voice Memo
User sekarang dapat membuat memo menggunakan suara melalui mic yang sudah terintegrasi di iPhone. Hasil rekaman suara user dapat dikirim menggunakan MMS atau email.

Update terbaru dari iPhone OS ini pasti juga akan dinikmati bagi pengguna di Indonesia. Seperti yang kita ketahui, iPhone baru akan masuk ke pasaran Indonesia secara resmi pada 20 Maret 2009 nanti. Smartphone buatan Apple ini akan di-support oleh Telkomsel. Iphone 3G Telkomsel ini akan dijual dengan kisaran harga antara Rp 9,6 juta (kapasitas 8GB) sampai Rp 11,205 juta (kapasitas 16GB).

source : chip.co.id

How to Win Lottery

2009-06-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

from e-tutorials.org, i try to test the keyword of lottery to increase traffic., Just see.

This method of playing the lottery relies heavily on prediction. But there is some (although somewhat shady) math involved. It asks which numbers have been drawn in the past. Then, based on this information, it predicts the numbers that are most likely to be picked in the next draw.

The major factor here is that the player must know which numbers have been picked in the past. Compiling that type of information could be a lofty goal, indeed. However, the numbers from many of the biggest lotteries are available through many software prediction packages.

The basic theory is that numbers will appear with an equal frequency over a substantial period in any game’s history. This system also stipulates that there are short-term patterns and cycles as well. Some numbers have “dry spells” (similar to those that might exist in a mathematician’s dating history) and some are picked in almost every draw.

Of course, the drawing of numbers in a lottery is supposed to be completely random. But patterns and repeating numbers may seem easily recognizable.

Hot versus Cold Numbers

Whatever calculation each prediction system uses, it will likely come up with a description of either “hot” or “cold” numbers.

A hot number is one that shows up more than X number of times. A number chosen less than X number of times will be labeled a "cold" number. With X being whatever the system has decided it should be.

Depending on which software you are using, it will suggest that either one is the way to go. While hot numbers might be more popular because they are constantly occurring, cold numbers are sometimes considered “overdue.”

Benefits

Over a short period of time, number patterns in a lottery might not often reveal themselves. It can be a bit of a trick to determine a valid pattern at a certain point. Still, this method claims to provide better odds than offering your winning chances up to the lottery kiosk computer-generated number gods.

Some software also combines this method with number wheeling. The two-fold effort seems to only improve winning chances.

Disadvantages

One of the biggest disadvantages of this system is compiling the numbers from previous draws for up to three years. It sounds time consuming and may not even be doable.

Plus, this lottery system’s reputation is not that great. Whereas wheeling has the math to back it up, using past numbers to predict future numbers isn’t really that solid. One site uses the “flip a coin” theory to back up its claims, stating that every time a coin lands on heads it increases the probability that the next flip will be tails. Any high school math students can tell you that this is just not true.

Number Analysis software

Although there are not as many of this type of software available as wheeling systems, there are still many to choose from. Make sure you follow the same guidelines in choosing software as outlined in the wheeling systems section.

The descriptions available for these systems are sometimes vague and often based on some special theory. Like wheeling systems, there’s no guarantee these will work. However, here’s a starter list for software available on the Internet.

· Lotto Logic
www.timersoft.com
This software maker calls for numbers from the 30 to 40 previous draws. It also claims to have won an award as one of the best programs available on the net.

· O.W.N. Bet
www.ownbet.com
Based in the “Chaos theory,” this system bills itself as a fun way to pick numbers for all those who hate number charts.

· Beat the Lotto
www.beatthelotto.com
You can try this system for 60 days, and if you’re not happy, you will get your money back. (Make sure you get that in writing).

· Lotto Sorcerer
www.satoripublishing.com/LS/index.html
Based on what it calls “the Lottery Theory,” this software analyzes hot and cold numbers to find those which will occur in the near future.

· Strike It – Lotto!
www.ourpastime.com/lotto/index.htm
This site offers a program that claims to increase your odds by weeding out numbers unlikely to be chosen.

· Lotto Pro 2004
www.windowslotto.com
Compatible with Windows 95, 98, ME, XP, 2000 and NT, this program lists a number of testimonials saying it really works.

· Dinero
www.lottodinero.com
This site offers software that finds the probable numbers for your state lottery using an Excel spreadsheet program. All it asks for is the date you want to enter.

· The Lotto Program
www.lottoprogram.com
This software includes a hit/skip chart to demonstrate which numbers it says will “hit” again.

· Lotto Fun Lotto Game
www.playlottofun.com
Perhaps more fun than substance, this software allows players to create their own number combinations.

A Brief History of the Lottery

2009-06-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Like any part of history, there is some debate about just when lotteries first entered the picture. However, the Bible does make a reference to a form of lottery and there is some evidence of lotto playing as early as 100-44 B. C.

In 1530, an Italian lottery was held in Florence that featured cash prizes. This is even where and when the word "lottery" itself was likely born. It was possibly sprung from the Italian word "lotto,” which means destiny or fate.

Soon after--in 1567--the first English state lottery was established. Queen Elizabeth I began the lottery and offered cash, dishware, and tapestry prizes. About 400,000 tickets were sold.

Even these early lotteries were used to support charitable causes. King James I created a London lottery in 1612 that aided the first American British colony--in Jamestown, Virginia.

From 1790 to the Civil War many colleges, schools and churches were erected with lottery proceeds. Universities as notable as Harvard and Yale even obtained early funding through lotteries.

But the authorities didn’t always see this positive aspect of lotto. In the 1800s laws prohibiting lotteries were enacted in the US and Canada because of corruption within the games and the “evil” nature of gambling.

Despite this abhorrence, things changed in the next century as regulatory boards were created. New Hampshire was the first state to form a legal lottery in that century. Changes to the Criminal Code of Canada in 1969 legalized gambling, allowing provinces to operate both lotteries and casinos. Charitable and religious organizations were now able to carry out specified lottery schemes to raise funds.

In 1976, lottery sales exceeded $1 billion for the first time. By 1999, The World Lottery Association boasted 63 member nations, putting a member on every continent except Antarctica.

A West Virginia man won the biggest jackpot ever in 2002. Jack Whittaker decided to take a lump sum payment of more than $170 million instead of an annuity that would have awarded him $314.9 million over three decades. He purchased his winning ticket in Hurricane, West Virginia.

The Internet has also altered the way lotteries are played. Winning numbers can now be found online around the world, 24 hours a day.

Some games can even be played on-line. Recently, the first African national online lottery game (Lotto Nigeria) was launched. With this latest news development, Nigeria joins more than 100 online global lottery operations the world. No more gathering around the TV or radio clutching that ticket, and waiting to hear your numbers called!

Lotteries have also become an important source of charity revenue. Today, lotteries fund everything from education to senior citizen clubs.

Lotto has sure come a long way since Moses first used it to award land in the Old Testament!

Now that you've learned a little about the background of lottery, let's look at some lottery myths...

Myth #1: “You are more likely to be struck by lightning then to win the lottery.”

Fact: The odds of winning the lottery are NOT worse than being struck by lightning!

In 1996, 1,136 people won over $1,000,000 in North American lotteries. Lightning killed only 91 people.

Myth #2: “Only poor people play the lottery.”

Fact: “Poor” people are NOT the major purchasers of lottery tickets.

A 1999 poll on gambling showed that people with yearly incomes of $45,000 to $75,000 was more frequent players than those with incomes under $25,000.

H1N1 - Swine Flu

2009-06-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

important note from http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm

Novel H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

Why is novel H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a "quadruple reassortant" virus.

Novel H1N1 Flu in Humans

Are there human infections with novel H1N1 virus in the U.S.?
Yes. Cases of human infection with novel H1N1 influenza virus were first confirmed in the U.S. in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas. The outbreak intensified rapidly from that time and more and more states have been reporting cases of illness from this virus. An updated case count of confirmed novel H1N1 flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/investigation.htm. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

Is novel H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that novel H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?
The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

How severe is illness associated with novel H1N1 flu virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe novel H1N1 flu virus will be in the general population. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. Early indications are that pregnancy and other previously recognized medical conditions that increase the risk of influenza-related complications, like asthma and diabetes, also appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from novel H1N1 virus infection as well.

One thing that appears to be different from seasonal influenza is that adults older than 64 years do not yet appear to be at increased risk of novel H1N1-related complications thus far in the outbreak. CDC is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age. Early reports indicate that no children and few adults younger than 60 years old have existing antibody to novel H1N1 flu virus; however, about one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies against this virus. It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against novel H1N1 flu by any existing antibody.

How does novel H1N1 flu compare to seasonal flu in terms of its severity and infection rates?
CDC is still learning about the severity of novel H1N1 flu virus. At this time, there is not enough information to predict how severe novel H1N1 flu outbreak will be in terms of illness and death or how it will compare with seasonal influenza.

With seasonal flu, we know that seasons vary in terms of timing, duration and severity. Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year, in the United States, on average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. Over 90% of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65.

So far, with novel H1N1 flu, the largest number of novel H1N1 flu confirmed and probable cases have occurred in people between the ages of 5 and 24-years-old. At this time, there are few cases and no deaths reported in people older than 64 years old, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu. However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this novel H1N1.

How does novel H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of novel H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available.

Exposures Not Thought to Spread Novel H1N1 Flu

Can I get infected with novel H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. Novel H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with novel HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.

Can novel H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of novel H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.

Can novel H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Prevention & Treatment

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against novel H1N1 virus. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.

Other important actions that you can take are:

Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might could be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. If you are sick, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. CDC recommends that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where people have been identified with novel H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Are there medicines to treat novel H1N1 infection?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with novel H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current outbreak, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness.

What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"?
"Swine flu parties" are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has novel H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity to the novel H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease.

CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against novel H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current novel H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.

CDC recommends that people with novel H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. They should stay home from work or school for 7 days after the onset of illness or until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

Contamination & Cleaning

How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

What kills influenza virus?
Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.

What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled?
Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry.

Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

Response & Investigation

What is CDC doing in response to the outbreak?
The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. CDC is working with state and local health departments to enhance surveillance in the United States and to collect and analyze data to assess the impact of the virus and determine the groups at increased risk of complications. In addition, CDC continues to issue new and updated interim guidance for clinicians, public health professionals and the public for the prevention and treatment of this new virus.

To expand the national and international laboratory capacity for detecting novel H1N1 influenza, CDC has developed and distributed new influenza diagnostic kits and reagents to more than 350 laboratories, including laboratories in 131 countries. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak.

The U.S. Government also is aggressively taking early steps in the process to manufacture a novel H1N1 influenza vaccine, working closely with manufacturing. CDC has isolated the new H1N1 virus, made a candidate vaccine virus that can be used to create vaccine, and has provided this virus to industry so they can begin scaling up for production of a vaccine, if necessary.

What epidemiological investigations are taking place in response to the recent outbreak?
CDC works very closely with state and local officials in areas where human cases of new H1N1 flu infections have been identified. CDC has deployed staff to several states to assist with the investigation of the impact of the novel H1N1 influenza, including the assessment of the severity of illness, how easily the virus spreads, and the amount of time people may be infectious. In states where EpiAid teams have been deployed, many epidemiological activities are taking place or planned including:

Active surveillance in the counties where infections in humans have been identified;
Studies of health care workers who were exposed to patients infected with the virus to see if they became infected;
Studies of households and other contacts of people who were confirmed to have been infected to see if they became infected; and
Study to see how long a person with the virus infection sheds the virus.

Who is in charge of medicine in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) once it is deployed?
Local health officials have full control of SNS medicine once supplies are deployed to a city, state, or territory. Federal, state, and local community planners are working together to ensure that SNS medicines will be delivered to the affected area as soon as possible. Many cities, states, and territories have already received SNS supplies. After CDC sends medicine to a state or city, control and distribution of the supply is at the discretion of that state or local health department. Most states and cities also have their own medicines that they can access to treat infected persons.

*Note: Much of the information in this document is based on studies and past experience with seasonal (human) influenza. CDC believes the information applies to novel H1N1 (swine) viruses as well, but studies on this virus are ongoing to learn more about its characteristics. This document will be updated as new information becomes available.

Cici Paramida : Biografi

2009-06-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

from selebritykapanlagi, Cici Paramida, demikian perempuan kelahiran Jakarta, 7 September 1973 ini terkenal sebagai seorang penyanyi dangdut. Cici, yang memiliki nama lahir Hamidah Idham, merupakan putri dari pasangan HM Idris Makmun dan Hj. Rosnaeni.

Kakak kandung penyanyi dangdut dan sekaligus pemenang acara adu bakat, KDI (Kontes Dandut TPI) 2004, Siti Rahmawati (Siti KDI) ini, sebelumnya adalah penyanyi lagu-lagu qasidah dan gambus, yang memang sejak lama ditekuni keluarganya. Keluarga Cici, memiliki budaya seni yang terus dikembangkan, termasuk memiliki grup musik gambus yang kerap diundang di berbagai acara hajatan.

Pelantun lagu Wulan Merindu ini, hingga saat sekarang telah merilis lebih dari 10 album, empat di antaranya adalah album religius. Album-albumnya banyak melibatkan musisi besar tanah air, termasuk Guruh Soekarno Putra dan Erwin Gutawa.

Peraih Anugerah Musik Indonesia (1999) sebagai penyanyi dangdut terpopuler ini, dalam perjalanan karirnya kerap tertimpa gosip kurang sedap. Kegagalannya menjalin asmara dengan Ferry Irawan yang kandas di tengah jalan, semakin mendatangkan gosip adanya pria-pria seperti Guruh Soekarno Putra dan penyanyi dangdut Rhoma Irama, yang mewarnai kehidupannya. Meski akhirnya gosip itu pun tinggal gosip!

Saat ini Cici memang jarang tampil di acara on air, tapi ia lebih sering tampil di acara-acara off air di luar daerah.

Selain berkecimpung di musik dangdut, saat ini Cici sedang sibuk mempersiapkan album religi.

Akhirnya Cici melepas masa lajangnya dengan dipersunting oleh duda beranak empat, H. Raden Akhmad Suhaebi. Akad nikah ini dilaksanakan pada 12 Maret 2009 di Masjidil Haram, Arab Saudi dengan mas kawin seperangkat alat sholat dan uang sebesar 1200 real.

Baru tiga bulan menikah, Cici sudah mengalami tindakan kekerasan yang diduga dilakukan oleh suaminya. Pedangdut ini dipukul suaminya, Suhaeby saat membuntuti sang suami bersama wanita lain. Lantaran feeling-nya, Cici mengikuti suaminya dan malah menemukannya semobil bersama wanita lain. Saat meminta penjelasan, Cici malah terluka karena dirinya terserempet mobil yang dikendarai Eby.

Keluarga Cici Paramida Bantah Keterangan Suhaebi

2009-06-21T06:45:00.001-07:00

from liputan6, Keluarga penyanyi dangdut Cici Paramida akhirnya menggelar konferensi pers di Jalan Swasembada Barat 6 Nomor 25, Tanjungpriok, Jakarta Utara, Selasa (16/6). Konferensi tersebut tak dihadiri pelantun lagu Bulan Merindu, namun diwakili oleh adik ibu Cici beserta sepupunya yang juga saksi di tempat kejadian.

Dalam pernyataannya, keluarga Cici membantah keterangan Suhaebi. Sebelumnya, suami Cici Paramida itu mengatakan dirinya dihadang oleh mobil Cici Paramida. Suhaebi alias Ebi juga sudah ditetapkan sebagai tersangka oleh polisi.

Awalnya, Cici Paramida melaporkan suaminya yang juga pengusaha batubara ke pihak kepolisian atas dugaan penganiayaan yang dilakukannya di kawasan Puncak, Bogor, Jawa Barat, Ahad malam silam. Karena sudah ditetapkan sebagai tersangka, Suhaebi terancam pasal 44 Undang-undang Nomor 23 Tahun 2004 dengan hukuman lima tahun penjara

Cici Paramida Istirahat Total

2009-06-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

from CelebrityOkeZone, Cici Paramida menderita luka lebam dan luka terbuka di area wajah dan tangannya akibat diserempet mobil oleh suami, Ahmad Suhaebi (Ebi). Hingga kini, Cici masih istirahat total.

"Cici lagi istirahat total. Luka-lukanya seperti yang kalian lihat di tv," kata saudara Cici, tante Ita, di kediaman Cici, Jalan Swasembada Barat VI, Tanjung Priok, Jakarta Utara, Senin (15/6/2009).

Walau masih istirahat karena luka ditambah syok, menurut dia, kondisi Cici sudah jauh lebih baik dibandingkan saat baru diserempet.

Ebi hendak menabrak tubuh Cici saat Cici mengetok kaca pintu mobil Ebi yang sedang berhenti. Cici berhasil mengelak dan hanya terserempet mobil. Dia terjerembab ke aspal dan mengalami luka-luka.

Cici mengetok kaca mobil Ebi untuk meminta klarifikasi karena Ebi berduaan dengan seorang wanita di Puncak, Bogor, Jawa Barat.

Cici melaporkan kejadian tersebut ke Polres Kabupaten Bogor sekira pukul 21.00 WIB. Kemudian dia divisum pukul 22.00 WIB di Rumah Sakit PMI Bogor dan selanjutnya menjalani pemeriksaan di kantor polisi hingga Senin, 15 Juni 2009, dini hari.

Akibat peristiwa yang terjadi pada Minggu, 14 Juni 2009 itu, Cici menderita luka robek pada pelipis kanan, pipi kanan bawah, serta luka lebam pada rahang. Tangan kanan Cici juga luka robek.

Sebelum Babak Belur, Cici Paramida 1,5 Bulan Pisah Ranjang

2009-06-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

from detikhot, Belum genap 4 bulan menikah, ada fakta mengejutkan dari rumah tangga Cici Paramida. Sang suami, Suhaebi, mengaku kalau ia dan Cici sudah 1,5 bulan pisah rumah.

"Benar saya dan Cici sudah pisah rumah selama 1,5 bulan terakhir," ujar Suhaebi yang ditemui di Polres Bogor, Jawa Barat, Senin (15/6/2009).

Namun Suhaebi enggan menjelaskan penyebab dirinya pisah rumah dari Cici. "Alasannya sangat pribadi yah," imbuhnya.

Cici dinikahi Suhaebi di Masjidil Haram, Mekkah, 12 Maret 2009 lalu. Awal perjalanan pernikahan Cici dan Suhaebi sempat diterpa kabar tak sedap. Perempuan yang mengaku sebagai istri Suhaebi, Neni, mengungkapkan kalau dirinya belum dicerai.

Tentu pernyataan Neni itu dibantah Cici dan Suhaebi. Mereka kompak mengatakan kalau Neni sudah dicerai.

Neni pun akhirnya mengakui kalau rumah tangganya dengan Suhaebi memang sudah berakhir.

Garuda di Dadaku

2009-06-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

Bayu, yang masih duduk di kelas 6 Sekolah Dasar, memiliki satu mimpi dalam hidupnya: menjadi pemain sepak bola hebat. Setiap hari dengan penuh semangat, ia menggiring bola menyusuri gang-gang di sekitar rumahnya sambil mendribble bola untuk sampai ke lapangan bulu tangkis dan berlatih sendiri di sana. Heri, sahabat Bayu penggila bola, sangat yakin akan kemampuan dan bakat Bayu. Dialah motivator dan “pelatih” cerdas yang meyakinkan Bayu agar mau ikut seleksi untuk masuk Tim Nasional U-13 yang nantinya akan mewakili Indonesia berlaga di arena internasional. Namun Pak Usman, kakek Bayu, sangat menentang impian Bayu karena baginya menjadi pemain sepak bola identik dengan hidup miskin dan tidak punya masa depan.

Dibantu teman baru bernama Zahra yang misterius, Bayu dan Heri harus mencari-cari berbagai alasan agar Bayu dapat terus berlatih sepak bola. Tetapi hambatan demi hambatan terus menghadang mimpi Bayu, dan bahkan persahabatan tiga anak itu terancam putus. Terlalu mulukkah impian Bayu untuk menjadi pemain sepak bola yang hebat?

Pemain :
Emir Mahira
Aldo Tansani
Marsha Aruan
Ikranagara
Maudy Koesnaedi
Ary Sihasale
Ramzi

Sutradara :
Ifa Isfansyah
Penulis :
Salman Aristo

infospesialdotcom

Film Indonesia : Garuda di Dadaku

2009-06-21T06:38:00.000-07:00

'Garuda di Dadaku' merupakan film bertema sepakbola yang ditujukan untuk anak-anak. Film garapan Ifa Isfansyah ini pun tak hanya menghibur, namun mampu memberikan inspirasi kepada anak bangsa untuk bisa mewujudkan mimpinya.

'Garuda di Dadaku' menampilkan perjalanan Bayu (Emir Mahira), seorang bocah yang mengejar impian menjadi pemain sepakbola nasional yang terhalang oleh berbagai rintangan. Namun rintangan itu tak membuat Bayu patah semangat. Bocah itu tetap berjuang untuk bisa memakai seragam timnas Indonesia.

Untuk mewujudkan mimpinya itu, Bayu tidak sendirian. Ia pun mendapatkan dukungan Heri (Aldo Tansiani),temannya. Heri selalu memberi dukungan keuangan supaya Bayu bisa masuk ke Sekolah Sepak Bola Arsenal. Sayang, Bayu tidak pernah mendapat dukungan dari sang kakek, Usman (Ikranagara).

Bayu harus melewati seleksi untuk bisa masuk di sekolah itu. Secara sembunyi-sembunyi Bayu berlatih di kuburan. Nah, berhasilkah Bayu memakai kostum merah-putih? Jawabannya hanya ada di 'Garuda di Dadaku'.

'Garuda di Dadaku' bisa disebut sebagai film kedua setelah 'Laskar Pelangi' yang sanggup memberikan inspirasi belakangan ini. Semangat untuk bisa membela Indonesia di kancah sepakbola internasional yang ditampilkan Bayu mampu memberi contoh bagi anak untuk terus berusaha mewujudkan mimpinya.

Akting aktor cilik pendatang baru Emir yang memang memiliki kemampuan memainkan si kulit bundar membuat 'Garuda di Dadaku' menjadi lebih nyata. Ditambah dukungan dari aktor-aktris kelas wahid seperti Ikranagara dan Maudy Koesnadi yang membuat kualitas film ini patut mendapat acungan dua jempol.

'Garuda di Dadaku' merupakan pilihan yang tepat untuk mengisi liburan. Film garapan SBO Films dan Mizan Production tersebut mulai diputar di bioskop pada 18 Juni mendatang. So, don't miss it! (kilasberita.com/asd/dtc)

My Dad

2009-06-21T06:22:00.002-07:00

When I was just a tiny kid,
Do you remember when,
The time you kissed my bruises,
Or cleaned by soiled chin?

You scrambled for the balls I hit,
(Short-winded more than not,)
Yet, every time we'd play a game,
You praised the "outs" I caught.

It seems like only yesterday,
You wiped away my tears,
And late at night I called your name,
To chase away my fears.

Though time has changed your handsome grip,
Your hair is snowy white,
You gait's a little slower now,
Thick glasses help your sight.

Oh, do I thirst for years gone by,
To be that growing lad,
Re-living all of the memories,
Of growing with my dad.

Author Unknown

Fathers Need Not Fathers Be

2009-06-21T06:22:00.001-07:00

Fathers need not fathers be.
All one needs to do is choose
To love for life, and that embrace,
Held long and hard, bestows the grace
Each craves. For all in time must lose,
Restored alone by memory.
So now it is with you and me.

Author Unknown

Daddy, I Love You

2009-06-21T06:21:00.004-07:00

Daddy, I love you
For all that you do.
I'll kiss you and hug you
'Cause you love me, too.

You feed me and need me
To teach you to play,
So smile 'cause I love you
On this Father's Day.

Author Unknown

Father's Day

2009-06-21T06:21:00.003-07:00

Over the years
As we grow old,
We remember our father
So brave and bold.

In the garden,
Leaning on the plow,
He would listen to me;
I see him now.

He would give advice
And understand;
He was always there
To lend a hand.

God made fathers
Strong and firm,
For he knew our lives
Would have great concerns.

So he gave us fathers
To teach us to pray,
And guide our lives,
And show us the way.

So on his day
Let's take the time
To say "Thanks, dad.
I'm glad you're mine."

Mary Frances Bogle

F.A.T.H.E.R.S.

2009-06-21T06:21:00.001-07:00

"F" aithful.
"A" lways there.
"T" rustworthy.
"H" onoring.
"E" ver-loving.
"R" ighteous.
"S" upportive.
Author Unknown

Famous Quotes On Father (loveyoufatherdotcom)

2009-06-21T01:27:00.000-07:00

* I've had a hard life, but my hardships are nothing against the hardships that my father went through in order to get me to where I started. - Bartrand Hubbard
* By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong.- Charles Wadsworth
* I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.- Sigmund Freud
* When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.- Mark Twain
* The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get. - Tim Russert
* I watched a small man with thick calluses on both hands work fifteen and sixteen hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example.- Mario Cuomo
* Be kind to thy father, for when thou wert young,
Who loved thee so fondly as he?
He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue,
And joined in thy innocent glee." - Margaret Courtney
* Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.- Ruth E. Renkel
* To be a successful father . . . there's one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don't look at it for the first two years.- Ernest Hemingway
* A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.- Gabriel García Márquez
* It is a wise father that knows his own child.- William Shakespeare
* All fathers are invisible in daytime; daytime is ruled by mothers
and fathers come out at night. Darkness brings home fathers, with their real, unspeakable power. There is more to fathers than meets the eye.- Margaret Atwood

This is My Father

2009-06-21T01:26:00.002-07:00

Written and directed by Paul Quinn, 'This is My Father' narrates the poignant tale of an ill-fated romance and its impact on the succeeding generations of a family. Starring James Caan, John Cusack, Aidan Quinn, Moya Farrelly, Stephen Rea and Colm Meaney, the movie brilliantly narrates the journey of a middle-aged Chicago schoolteacher, who travels to Ireland in search of his real father. Read on further to know the complete story of 'This is my Father'.

A Chicago schoolteacher, named Kieran Johnson (James Caan), discovers a fifty-year-old photograph of his mother and a stranger. It provides evidence that his father was actually an Irish farmer and not an old seaman, as he has always been told. Perturbed by the thought, Johnson decides to track down his real father. His mother, being paralyzed, fails to tell him anything regarding the matter. So, he travels all the way to Ireland with his nephew (Jacob Tierney), to find out answers regarding his roots.

Once in Ireland, he arrives in the village where his mother was born. He accommodates at a lodge run by a fortuneteller, who remembers knowing his mother. She recounts details of his mother's life. The movie, after this prologue, regresses back to Kieran's family roots and shows the ill-starred love-affair between his mother Fiona Flynn (Moya Farrelly) and the farmer Kieran O'Day (Aidan Quinn). For the first time in his life, Kieran knows who he actually is and everything regarding his lineage.

Father the Hero

2009-06-21T01:26:00.001-07:00

Starring Gerard Depardieu, Katherine Heigl, Dalton James, Lauren Hutton and Faith Prince, My Father the Hero is a romantic comedy directed by Steve Miner. Released in 1993, the movie is the English remake of the French film called 'Mon père, ce héros' (1991) and depicts the tribulations of a father, when he accompanies his teenage daughter to a tropical island. Read the complete story of My Father the Hero here.

Nicole is a 14-year-old New York girl (Katherine Heigl), who goes for a vacation to the Bahamas with her French father Andre (Gerard Depardieu), a divorcee from an ex-American wife. What turns this vacationing trip of father-daughter into a topsy-turvy ride is Nicole's idea to appear as a woman and not a teenage girl. In order to impress a local boy called Ben (Dalton James), working at the hotel, she starts cooking up absurd stories, which begin with her father being her boyfriend.

The loving father, in order to make his daughter happy, agrees to feign as her boyfriend. This bizarre game leads to a string of ridiculous stories, one after another. The funny strategy eventually takes a bad shape, when all the guests snub the father and starts avoiding him. They assume Nichole to be an underage concubine, living with this aged pedophilic man, old enough to be her father. Now, it is up to her whether she tells Ben the truth or let things get from bad to worse.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T01:25:00.001-07:00

Directed by Ivan Reitman, the story of Father's Day is actually based on the French farce called 'Les Comperes', by Francis Veber. Released in 1997, it stars Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Nastassja Kinski and Charlie Hofheimer. The story revolves around locating a runaway teenager by two men, who seem to have nothing in common. To know about the complete summary of the movie, Father's Day, read on.

A teenage boy named Scott (Charlie Hofheimer) runs away from home, to follow a rock band called 'Sugar Ray'. The worried mother Collette (Nastassja Kinski) then formulates a plan. She goes and meets two of her ex-boyfriends - Jack Lawrence (Billy Crystal) and Dale Putley (Robin Willimas) and separately informs each one of them that he is the real father of her son (oblivious of the fact that they are going to run into each other one fine day).

When both these men meet, they join forces to locate their weird son. What ensues is a mad chase to find a runaway teenager by these two men, each believing himself to be the real father. The comedy is occasionally raunchy with a few subtle sexual innuendos, as the cynical lawyer (Billy Crystal) and the suicidal writer (Robin Williams) hit the road to Sacremento and locate their drunk, fanatical son. However, as a whole, the hilarity is quite clean-cut.

The comedy gallops with a laugh riot throughout. Soon after Jack and Dale find their son and bring him back to the hotel room, he escapes. So, both the helpless fathers are back at where they began. They must now collaborate to find him again, bring him back home and discover which one of them is the real dad. A fun-movie to watch along with dad on a lazy afternoon, it is recommended for children only above 15 years.

Father of the Bride

2009-06-21T01:24:00.000-07:00

Father of the Bride is a hilarious comedy that recounts the story of an over-possessive father who finds it difficult to let go his daughter when she plans to get married. Directed by Charles Shyer, the movie casts Steve Martin, Kimberley Payne Williams, Diane Keaton, Martin Short and Kieran Culkin. It is through-and-through a lighthearted entertainer and explores issues related to parenthood, marriage and family interaction. Go through the script of the movie here.

Father of the Bride, released in 1991, is a remake of the 1950 Spencer Tracy/ Elizabeth Taylor classic movie bearing the same name. However, as compared to the latter, the newer version makes the humorous aspects of planning a wedding more prominent. A rich upper-class businessman, George Banks (Steve Martin), is a happily married man, with a sweet-tempered wife Nina (Diane Keaton) and two children.

Everything goes on well, until his oldest daughter Annie (Kimberley Williams), who is studying in Europe, comes home with her fiancée and announces her plan of getting married. The father is so obsessed with his girl that he literally has a panic attack on hearing the news. The idea seems more unnerving when he calculates the cost of the wedding. He is astounded by the fact that it is only he who is going crazy thinking and re-thinking about the wedding bills.

Apart from the father, another hilarious character that keeps the laughter going is the wedding coordinator Franck (Martin Short), with a nasal accent and his ideas of extravagancies that include live swans and ice sculptures for the wedding. The father's thought of losing a daughter, along with a fortune, is downright comical. Moreover the small part played by Kieran Culkin, as Annie's brother, is a laugh-getter and is equally catching.

The movie brilliantly captures the thought of a worried father, who is flabbergasted at the idea of losing his daughter to another man. Packed with mirth, the movie attains heights of hilarity as we see things from the father's end. An additional comical sting pinches him when he realizes the fact that he is now old enough to be a granddad. A sequel follows in the form of 'Father of the Bride II' (1995), where finally Annie transits from a wife to a mother. The best part is that George's wife Nina gets pregnant too. So, family trouble continues for George Banks, now with a renewed force.

Father and Son

2009-06-21T01:23:00.000-07:00

Award-winning Russian filmmaker, Alexander Sokurov, directed 'Father and Son' (2003) as a complementary piece to his early movie named 'Mother and Son' released in 1996. Starring Andrej Shetinin, Alexei Nejmyshev and Alexander Rasbash, the movie deftly presents a story entwined with the ambiguous relationship shared by a father and his son. Though the movie doesn't provide any specific answers, it surely leaves viewers with a lot of questions. Read the complete summary of Father and Son here.

After the death of his wife, a good-looking father (Andrey Schetinin), who is also a retired soldier, and his son Alexei (Aleksey Neymyshev) start living together in an apartment, in an unidentified seaside city. Following the footsteps of his father, the son goes and joins a local military school as a young cadet. The father and son relation in the movie is depicted with delicate details here. However, what make the relation ambiguous are the overtly strong emotional and physical affinities that these two men are shown to share with each other.

Even Alexei's girlfriends are green-eyed about the strange and unexplained relationship that he seems to share with his father. The obsession from the father's side is shown when he doesn't allow Alexei to spend more time with his male companions in school. The deep anguish of the father, who starts feeling that his son is slowly breaking away from the hermetic bond of their relation, and the fierce desire of the young son, to carve his own identity, is brilliantly portrayed. Unexplained tales in the movie that seems to subtly transgress conventional parenthood and evoke many a questions, make it worth a watch.

Twitter.com Terms of Use (2009)

2009-06-21T01:13:00.001-07:00

incase you forgot :
By using the Twitter.com web site, a service of Twitter, Inc., you are agreeing to be bound by the following terms and conditions ("Terms of Use").

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1. You must be 13 years or older to use this site.

2. You are responsible for any activity that occurs under your screen name.

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4. You must not abuse, harass, threaten, impersonate or intimidate other Twitter users.

5. You may not use the Twitter.com service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose. International users agree to comply with all local laws regarding online conduct and acceptable content.

6. You are solely responsible for your conduct and any data, text, information, screen names, graphics, photos, profiles, audio and video clips, links ("Content") that you submit, post, and display on the Twitter.com service.

7. You must not modify, adapt or hack Twitter.com or modify another website so as to falsely imply that it is associated with Twitter.com .

8. You must not create or submit unwanted email to any Twitter members ("Spam").

9. You must not transmit any worms or viruses or any code of a destructive nature.

10. You must not, in the use of Twitter, violate any laws in your jurisdiction (including but not limited to copyright laws).

Violation of any of these agreements will result in the termination of your Twitter.com account. While Twitter.com prohibits such conduct and content on its site, you understand and agree that Twitter cannot be responsible for the Content posted on its web site and you nonetheless may be exposed to such materials and that you use the Twitter.com service at your own risk.

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1. We claim no intellectual property rights over the material you provide to the Twitter service. Your profile and materials uploaded remain yours. You can remove your profile at any time by deleting your account. This will also remove any text and images you have stored in the system.

2. We encourage users to contribute their creations to the public domain or consider progressive licensing terms.

3. Twitter undertakes to obey all relevant copyright laws. We will review all claims of copyright infringement received and remove content deemed to have been posted or distributed in violation of any such laws. To make a claim, please provide us with the following:

1. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or the person authorized to act on its behalf;

2. A description of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed;

3. A description of the infringing material and information reasonably sufficient to permit Twitter to locate the material;

4. Your contact information, including your address, telephone number, and email;

5. A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and

6. A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

Claims can be sent to copyright@twitter.com or Twitter Inc, 164 South Park Street, San Francisco CA 94107. Contact the agent designated to receive and act on copyright violations under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Facebook.com Terms (2009)

2009-06-21T01:11:00.000-07:00

incase you forgot :

This Statement of Rights and Responsibilities ("Statement") derives from the Facebook Principles, and governs our relationship with users and others who interact with Facebook. By using or accessing Facebook, you agree to this Statement.

Privacy
Your privacy is very important to us. We designed our Privacy Policy to make important disclosures to you about how we collect and use the information you post on Facebook. We encourage you to read the Privacy Policy, and to use the information it contains to help make informed decisions.
Sharing Your Content and Information
You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how we share your content through your privacy and application settings. In order for us to use certain types of content and provide you with Facebook, you agree to the following:
1. For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos ("IP content"), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook ("IP License"). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account (except to the extent your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it).
2. When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer. However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others).
3. We always appreciate your feedback or other suggestions about Facebook, but you understand that we may use them without any obligation to compensate you for them (just as you have no obligation to offer them).
Safety
We do our best to keep Facebook safe, but we cannot guarantee it. We need your help in order to do that, which includes the following commitments:
1. You will not send or otherwise post unauthorized commercial communications to users (such as spam).
2. You will not collect users' information, or otherwise access Facebook, using automated means (such as harvesting bots, robots, spiders, or scrapers) without our permission.
3. You will not upload viruses or other malicious code.
4. You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else.
5. You will not bully, intimidate, or harass any user.
6. You will not post content that is hateful, threatening, pornographic, or that contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.
7. You will not develop or operate a third party application containing, or advertise or otherwise market alcohol-related or other mature content without appropriate age-based restrictions.
8. You will not use Facebook to do anything unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.
9. You will not facilitate or encourage any violations of this Statement.
Registration and Account Security
Facebook users provide their real names and information, and we need your help to keep it that way. Here are some commitments you make to us relating to registering and maintaining the security of your account:
1. You will not provide any false personal information on Facebook, or create an account for anyone other than yourself without permission.
2. You will not use Facebook if you are under 13.
3. You will not use Facebook if you are located in a country embargoed by the U.S., or are on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals.
4. You will not use Facebook if you are a convicted sex offender.
5. You will keep your contact information accurate and up-to-date.
6. You will not share your password, let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.
7. You will not transfer your account to anyone without first getting our written permission.
Protecting Other People's Rights
We respect other people's rights, and expect you to do the same.
1. You will not post content or take any action on Facebook that infringes someone else's rights or otherwise violates the law.
2. We can remove any content you post on Facebook if we believe that it violates this Statement.
3. We will provide you with tools to help you protect your intellectual property rights. To learn more, visit our How to Report Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement page.
4. If we removed your content for infringing someone else's copyright, and you believe we removed it by mistake, we will provide you with an opportunity to appeal.
5. If you repeatedly infringe other people's intellectual property rights, we will disable your account when appropriate.
6. You will not use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facebook, the Facebook and F Logos, FB, Face, Poke, Wall and 32665) without our written permission.
7. If you collect information from users, you will: obtain their consent, make it clear you (and not Facebook) are the one collecting their information, and post a privacy policy explaining what information you collect and how you will use it.
8. You will not post anyone's identification documents or sensitive financial information on Facebook.
Mobile
1. We currently provide our mobile services for free, but please be aware that your carrier's normal rates and fees, such as text messaging fees, will still apply.
2. In the event you change or deactivate your mobile telephone number, you will update your account information on Facebook within 48 hours to ensure that your messages are not sent to the person who acquires your old number.
Payments
If you purchase or use Facebook Credits, or make direct payments, you agree to our Payments Terms.
Special Provisions Applicable to Share Links
If you include our Share Link button on your website, the following additional terms apply to you:
1. We give you permission to use Facebook's Share Link button so that users can post links or content from your website on Facebook.
2. You give us permission to use such links and content on Facebook.
3. You will not place a Share Link button on any page containing content that would violate this Statement if posted on Facebook.
Special Provisions Applicable to Developers/Operators of Applications and Websites
If you are a developer or operator of a Platform application or a website using Connect ("application") or otherwise use Platform, the following additional terms apply to you:
1. You are responsible for your application and its content and all uses you make of Platform. This includes ensuring your application or use of Platform meets our Platform Guidelines.
2. When users add your application or connect it to their Facebook account, they give permission for you to receive certain data relating to them. Your access to and use of that data will be limited as follows:
  1. You will only use the data you receive for your application, and will only use it in connection with Facebook.
  2. You will make it clear to users what user data you are going to use and how you will use, display, or share that data.
  3. You will not use, display, or share a user's data in a manner inconsistent with the user's privacy settings without the user's consent.
  4. You will delete all data you received from us relating to any user who removes or disconnects from your application unless otherwise permitted in our Platform Guidelines.
  5. You will delete all data you received from Facebook if we disable your application or ask you to do so.
  6. We can require you to update any data you have received from us.
  7. We can limit your access to data.
  8. You will not transfer the data you receive from us without our prior consent.
3. You will not give us data that you independently collect from a user or a user's content without that user's consent.
4. You will make it easy for users to remove or disconnect from your application.
5. You will make it easy for users to contact you. We can also share your email address with users.
6. You will provide customer support for your application.
7. You will not show ads or web search boxes on Facebook profiles.
8. We give you all rights necessary to use the code, APIs (along with all content and data received), or tools we provide to you, but only in connection with your application.
9. You will not sell, transfer, or sublicense our code, APIs, or tools to anyone.
10. You will not misrepresent your relationship with Facebook to others.
11. You may use the logos we make available to developers or issue a press release or other public statement so long as you follow our Platform Guidelines.
12. We can issue a press release describing our relationship with you.
13. You will comply with all applicable laws. In particular you will (if applicable):
  1. have a policy for removing infringing content and terminating repeat infringers that complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
  2. comply with the Video Privacy Protection Act ("VPPA"), and will obtain explicit, opt-in consent from users prior to sharing with Facebook user data subject to the VPPA. You acknowledge Facebook has no obligations under the VPPA.
14. We do not guarantee that Platform will always be free.
15. You give us all rights necessary to enable your application to work with Facebook, including the right to:
  1. incorporate your content into streams, profiles, and user action stories;
  2. link to or frame your application; and
  3. place content, including ads, around your application.
16. We can analyze your application, content, and data for any purpose, including commercial (such as for targeting the delivery of advertisements and indexing content for search).
17. To ensure your application is safe for users, we can audit it.
18. We can create applications that offer similar features and services to, or otherwise compete with, your application.
About Advertisements on Facebook
Our goal is to deliver ads that are not only valuable to advertisers, but also valuable to you. In order to do that, you agree to the following:
1. You can use your privacy settings to limit how your name and profile picture may be associated with commercial or sponsored content. You give us permission to use your name and profile picture in connection with that content, subject to the limits you place.
2. We do not give your content to advertisers.
3. You understand that we may not always identify paid services and communications as such.
Special Provisions Applicable to Advertisers
You can target your specific audience by buying ads on Facebook or our publisher network. The following additional terms apply to you if you place an order through our online advertising portal ("Order"):

If you are placing ads on someone else's behalf, we need to make sure you have permission to place those ads, including the following:
1. When you place an Order, you will tell us the type of advertising you want to buy, the amount you want to spend, and your bid. If we accept your Order, we will deliver your ads as inventory becomes available.
2. You will pay for your Orders in accordance with our Payments Terms. The amount you owe will be calculated based on our tracking mechanisms.
3. Your ads will comply with our Ad Guidelines
4. We will determine the size, placement, and positioning of your ads.
5. We do not guarantee the activity that your ads will receive, such as the number of clicks you will get.
6. We cannot control how people interact with your ads, and are not responsible for click fraud or other improper actions that affect the cost of running ads.
7. You will not offer any contest or sweepstakes ("promotion") without our prior written consent. If we consent, you take full responsibility for the promotion, and will follow our Promotions Guidelines and all applicable laws.
8. You can cancel your Order at any time through our online portal, but it may take us seven days before the ad stops running.
9. Our license to run your ad will end when we have completed your Order. You understand, however, that if users have interacted with your ads, your ads may remain until the users delete it.
10. We can use your ads and related information for marketing or promotional purposes.
11. You will not issue any press release or make public statements about your relationship with Facebook without written permission.
12. We may reject or remove any ad for any reason.
13. You warrant that you have the legal authority to bind the advertiser to this Statement.
14. You agree that if the advertiser you represent violates this Statement, we may hold you responsible for that violation.
Amendments
1. We can change this Statement so long as we provide you notice through Facebook (unless you opt-out of such notice) and an opportunity to comment.
2. For changes to sections 7, 8, 9, and 11 (sections relating to payments, application developers, website operators, and advertisers), we will give you a minimum of three days notice. For all other changes we will give you a minimum of seven days notice.
3. If more than 7,000 users comment on the proposed change, we will also give you the opportunity to participate in a vote in which you will be provided alternatives. The vote shall be binding on us if more than 30% of all active registered users as of the date of the notice vote.
4. We can make changes for legal or administrative reasons upon notice without opportunity to comment.
Termination
If you violate the letter or spirit of this Statement, or otherwise create possible legal exposure for us, we can stop providing all or part of Facebook to you. We will generally try to notify you, but have no obligation to do so. You may also delete your account or disable your application at any time. In all such cases, this Statement shall terminate, but the following provisions will still apply: 2.2, 2.3, 3-5, 8.2, 9.1-9.3, 9.9, 9.10, 9.13, 9.15.1, 9.18, 10.3, 11.2, 11.5, 11.6, 11.9, 11.10, 11.13, 11.14, and 13-16.
Disputes
1. You will resolve any claim, cause of action or dispute ("claim") you have with us arising out of or relating to this Statement or Facebook in a state or federal court located in Santa Clara County. The laws of the State of California will govern this Statement, as well as any claim that might arise between you and us, without regard to conflict of law provisions. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the courts located in Santa Clara County, California for the purpose of litigating all such claims.
2. If anyone brings a claim against us related to your actions or your content on Facebook, you will indemnify and hold us harmless from and against all damages, losses, and expenses of any kind (including reasonable legal fees and costs) related to such claim.
3. WE TRY TO KEEP FACEBOOK UP, BUG-FREE, AND SAFE, BUT YOU USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ARE PROVIDING FACEBOOK "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT FACEBOOK WILL BE SAFE OR SECURE. FACEBOOK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OR CONTENT OF THIRD PARTIES, AND YOU RELEASE US, OUR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS FROM ANY CLAIMS AND DAMAGES, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH ANY CLAIM YOU HAVE AGAINST ANY SUCH THIRD PARTIES. IF YOU ARE A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT, YOU WAIVE CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE §1542, WHICH SAYS: "A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR." WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS STATEMENT OR FACEBOOK, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF THIS STATEMENT OR FACEBOOK WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID US IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASES, FACEBOOK'S LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
Definitions
1. By "Facebook" we mean the features and services we make available, including through (a) our website at www.facebook.com and any other Facebook branded or co-branded websites (including sub-domains, international versions, and mobile versions); (b) our Platform; and (c) other media, devices or networks now existing or later developed.
2. By "us," "we" and "our" we mean Facebook, Inc. and/or its affiliates.
3. By "Platform" we mean a set of APIs and services that enable applications, developers, operators or services to retrieve data from Facebook and provide data to us relating to Facebook users.
4. By "content" we mean the content and information you post on Facebook, including information about you and the actions you take.
5. By "post" we mean post on Facebook or otherwise make available to us.
6. By "use" we mean use, copy, publicly perform or display, distribute, modify, translate, and create derivative works of.
Other
1. This Statement makes up the entire agreement between the parties regarding Facebook, and supersedes any prior agreements.
2. If any portion of this Statement is found to be unenforceable, the remaining portion will remain in full force and effect.
3. If we fail to enforce any of this Statement, it will not be considered a waiver.
4. Any amendment to or waiver of this Statement must be made in writing and signed by us.
5. You will not transfer any of your rights or obligations under this Statement to anyone else without our consent.
6. All of our rights and obligations under this Statement are freely assignable by us in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, or by operation of law or otherwise.
7. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent us from complying with the law.
8. This Statement does not confer any third party beneficiary rights.

Wordpress.com Terms of Service (2009)

2009-06-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

incase you forgot

The gist:

We (the folks at Automattic) run a service called WordPress.com and would love for you to use it. Our basic service is free, and we offer paid upgrades for advanced features such as domain hosting and extra storage. Our service is designed to give you as much control and ownership over what goes on your blog as possible and encourage you to express yourself freely. However, be responsible in what you blog. In particular, make sure that none of the prohibited items listed below appear on your blog or get linked to from your blog (things like spam, viruses, or hate content).

You can check our page on types of blogs to get a sense of the types of sites that are welcome on our service (or not!). If you find a WordPress.com blog that you believe violates our terms of service, please check our complaints page.

(Note, we’ve decided to make the below Terms of Service available under a Creative Commons Sharealike license, which means you’re more than welcome to steal it and repurpose it for your own use, just make sure to replace references to us with ones to you, and if you want we’d appreciate a link to WordPress.com somewhere on your site. We spent a lot of money and time on the below, and other people shouldn’t need to do the same.)

Terms of Service:

The following terms and conditions govern all use of the WordPress.com website and all content, services and products available at or through the website, including, but not limited to, the WordPress.com VIP hosting service (“VIP Service”), (taken together, the Website). The Website is owned and operated by Automattic, Inc. (“Automattic”). The Website is offered subject to your acceptance without modification of all of the terms and conditions contained herein and all other operating rules, policies (including, without limitation, Automattic’s Privacy Policy) and procedures that may be published from time to time on this Site by Automattic (collectively, the “Agreement”).

Please read this Agreement carefully before accessing or using the Website. By accessing or using any part of the web site, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the Website or use any services. If these terms and conditions are considered an offer by Automattic, acceptance is expressly limited to these terms. The Website is available only to individuals who are at least 13 years old.

Your WordPress.com Account and Site. If you create a blog on the Website, you are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and blog, and you are fully responsible for all activities that occur under the account and any other actions taken in connection with the blog. You must not describe or assign keywords to your blog in a misleading or unlawful manner, including in a manner intended to trade on the name or reputation of others, and Automattic may change or remove any description or keyword that it considers inappropriate or unlawful, or otherwise likely to cause Automattic liability. You must immediately notify Automattic of any unauthorized uses of your blog, your account or any other breaches of security. Automattic will not be liable for any acts or omissions by You, including any damages of any kind incurred as a result of such acts or omissions.
Responsibility of Contributors. If you operate a blog, comment on a blog, post material to the Website, post links on the Website, or otherwise make (or allow any third party to make) material available by means of the Website (any such material, “Content”), You are entirely responsible for the content of, and any harm resulting from, that Content. That is the case regardless of whether the Content in question constitutes text, graphics, an audio file, or computer software. By making Content available, you represent and warrant that:
- the downloading, copying and use of the Content will not infringe the proprietary rights, including but not limited to the copyright, patent, trademark or trade secret rights, of any third party;
- if your employer has rights to intellectual property you create, you have either (i) received permission from your employer to post or make available the Content, including but not limited to any software, or (ii) secured from your employer a waiver as to all rights in or to the Content;
- you have fully complied with any third-party licenses relating to the Content, and have done all things necessary to successfully pass through to end users any required terms;
- the Content does not contain or install any viruses, worms, malware, Trojan horses or other harmful or destructive content;
- the Content is not spam, is not machine- or randomly-generated, and does not contain unethical or unwanted commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or boost the search engine rankings of third party sites, or to further unlawful acts (such as phishing) or mislead recipients as to the source of the material (such as spoofing);
- the Content is not libelous or defamatory (more info on what that means), does not contain threats or incite violence towards individuals or entities, and does not violate the privacy or publicity rights of any third party;
- your blog is not getting advertised via unwanted electronic messages such as spam links on newsgroups, email lists, other blogs and web sites, and similar unsolicited promotional methods;
- your blog is not named in a manner that misleads your readers into thinking that you are another person or company. For example, your blog’s URL or name is not the name of a person other than yourself or company other than your own; and
- you have, in the case of Content that includes computer code, accurately categorized and/or described the type, nature, uses and effects of the materials, whether requested to do so by Automattic or otherwise.
By submitting Content to Automattic for inclusion on your Website, you grant Automattic a world-wide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, modify, adapt and publish the Content solely for the purpose of displaying, distributing and promoting your blog. If you delete Content, Automattic will use reasonable efforts to remove it from the Website, but you acknowledge that caching or references to the Content may not be made immediately unavailable.

Without limiting any of those representations or warranties, Automattic has the right (though not the obligation) to, in Automattic’s sole discretion (i) refuse or remove any content that, in Automattic’s reasonable opinion, violates any Automattic policy or is in any way harmful or objectionable, or (ii) terminate or deny access to and use of the Website to any individual or entity for any reason, in Automattic’s sole discretion. Automattic will have no obligation to provide a refund of any amounts previously paid.
Fees and Payment. Optional premium paid services such as extra storage, domain purchases or VIP hosting are available on the Website. By selecting a premium service you agree to pay Automattic the monthly or annual subscription fees indicated for that service (the payment terms for VIP hosting are described below). Payments will be charged on the day you sign up for a premium service and will cover the use of that service for a monthly or annual period as indicated. Premium service fees are not refundable.
VIP Services.
- Fees; Payment. By signing up for a VIP Services account you agree to pay Automattic the setup fees and monthly hosting fees indicated at http://wordpress.com/vip-hosting/ in exchange for the services listed at http://wordpress.com/vip-hosting/. Applicable fees will be invoiced starting from the day your VIP Services are established and in advance of using such services. Automattic reserves the right to change the payment terms and fees upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to you. VIP Services can be canceled by you at anytime on 30 days written notice to Automattic.
- Support. VIP Services include access to priority email support. “Email support” means the ability to make requests for technical support assistance by email at any time (with reasonable efforts by Automattic to respond within one business day) concerning the use of the VIP Services. “Priority” means that support for VIP Services customers takes priority over support for users of the standard, free WordPress.com blogging services. All VIP Services support will be provided in accordance with Automattic standard VIP Services practices, procedures and policies.
Responsibility of Website Visitors. Automattic has not reviewed, and cannot review, all of the material, including computer software, posted to the Website, and cannot therefore be responsible for that material’s content, use or effects. By operating the Website, Automattic does not represent or imply that it endorses the material there posted, or that it believes such material to be accurate, useful or non-harmful. You are responsible for taking precautions as necessary to protect yourself and your computer systems from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other harmful or destructive content. The Website may contain content that is offensive, indecent, or otherwise objectionable, as well as content containing technical inaccuracies, typographical mistakes, and other errors. The Website may also contain material that violates the privacy or publicity rights, or infringes the intellectual property and other proprietary rights, of third parties, or the downloading, copying or use of which is subject to additional terms and conditions, stated or unstated. Automattic disclaims any responsibility for any harm resulting from the use by visitors of the Website, or from any downloading by those visitors of content there posted.
Content Posted on Other Websites. We have not reviewed, and cannot review, all of the material, including computer software, made available through the websites and webpages to which WordPress.com links, and that link to WordPress.com. Automattic does not have any control over those non-WordPress websites and webpages, and is not responsible for their contents or their use. By linking to a non-WordPress website or webpage, Automattic does not represent or imply that it endorses such website or webpage. You are responsible for taking precautions as necessary to protect yourself and your computer systems from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other harmful or destructive content. Automattic disclaims any responsibility for any harm resulting from your use of non-WordPress websites and webpages.
Copyright Infringement and DMCA Policy. As Automattic asks others to respect its intellectual property rights, it respects the intellectual property rights of others. If you believe that material located on or linked to by WordPress.com violates your copyright, you are encouraged to notify Automattic in accordance with Automattic’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act (”DMCA”) Policy. Automattic will respond to all such notices, including as required or appropriate by removing the infringing material or disabling all links to the infringing material. In the case of a visitor who may infringe or repeatedly infringes the copyrights or other intellectual property rights of Automattic or others, Automattic may, in its discretion, terminate or deny access to and use of the Website. In the case of such termination, Automattic will have no obligation to provide a refund of any amounts previously paid to Automattic.
Intellectual Property. This Agreement does not transfer from Automattic to you any Automattic or third party intellectual property, and all right, title and interest in and to such property will remain (as between the parties) solely with Automattic. Automattic, WordPress, WordPress.com, the WordPress.com logo, and all other trademarks, service marks, graphics and logos used in connection with WordPress.com, or the Website are trademarks or registered trademarks of Automattic or Automattic’s licensors. Other trademarks, service marks, graphics and logos used in connection with the Website may be the trademarks of other third parties. Your use of the Website grants you no right or license to reproduce or otherwise use any Automattic or third-party trademarks.
Changes. Automattic reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace any part of this Agreement. It is your responsibility to check this Agreement periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to the Website following the posting of any changes to this Agreement constitutes acceptance of those changes. Automattic may also, in the future, offer new services and/or features through the Website (including, the release of new tools and resources). Such new features and/or services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Termination. Automattic may terminate your access to all or any part of the Website at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice, effective immediately. If you wish to terminate this Agreement or your WordPress.com account (if you have one), you may simply discontinue using the Website. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you have a VIP Services account, such account can only be terminated by Automattic if you materially breach this Agreement and fail to cure such breach within thirty (30) days from Automattic’s notice to you thereof; provided that, Automattic can terminate the Website immediately as part of a general shut down of our service. All provisions of this Agreement which by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination, including, without limitation, ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity and limitations of liability.
Disclaimer of Warranties. The Website is provided “as is”. Automattic and its suppliers and licensors hereby disclaim all warranties of any kind, express or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Neither Automattic nor its suppliers and licensors, makes any warranty that the Website will be error free or that access thereto will be continuous or uninterrupted. If you’re actually reading this, here’s a treat. You understand that you download from, or otherwise obtain content or services through, the Website at your own discretion and risk.
Limitation of Liability. In no event will Automattic, or its suppliers or licensors, be liable with respect to any subject matter of this agreement under any contract, negligence, strict liability or other legal or equitable theory for: (i) any special, incidental or consequential damages; (ii) the cost of procurement or substitute products or services; (iii) for interruption of use or loss or corruption of data; or (iv) for any amounts that exceed the fees paid by you to Automattic under this agreement during the twelve (12) month period prior to the cause of action. Automattic shall have no liability for any failure or delay due to matters beyond their reasonable control. The foregoing shall not apply to the extent prohibited by applicable law.
General Representation and Warranty. You represent and warrant that (i) your use of the Website will be in strict accordance with the Automattic Privacy Policy, with this Agreement and with all applicable laws and regulations (including without limitation any local laws or regulations in your country, state, city, or other governmental area, regarding online conduct and acceptable content, and including all applicable laws regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States or the country in which you reside) and (ii) your use of the Website will not infringe or misappropriate the intellectual property rights of any third party.
Indemnification. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Automattic, its contractors, and its licensors, and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any and all claims and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising out of your use of the Website, including but not limited to out of your violation this Agreement.
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Blogger Terms of Service (2009)

2009-06-21T01:08:00.001-07:00

incase you forgot :

Welcome to Blogger! Before you begin using Blogger, you must read and agree to these Blogger Terms of Service ("Terms of Service") and the following terms and conditions and policies, including any future amendments (collectively, the "Agreement"):

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Did Nostradamus predict 9/11?

2009-06-21T00:56:00.000-07:00

From nostradamusdotorg,

In the heightened days following September 11, 2001 there were a lot of reports that Nostradamus had predicted the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York!

You may have even read about the quatrain below:

In the City of God there will be a great thunder,
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos, while the fortress endures,
the great leader will succumb,
The third big war will begin when the big city is burning.

First off, let's say straight out that this was not written by Nostradamus at all. Yes it superficially resembles his style, but there is no such quatrain and he didn't write it. In fact, some sites that reference this verse state it was written in 1654 which would be an impressive feat for someone who died nearly 100 years before!

Before we look at who did write it, let us use it as an exercise in critical thinking. We will break down the key points it raises:

City of God. This could match anything you like - Mecca, or a city with a lot of churches (e.g. Rome), or a city with many religions (e.g. Jerusalem), or a city which is unusually impressive. You name it.
Two brothers torn apart by chaos. Again this could be anything. Allied countries, or political party coalitions, or two ajoining neighborhoods, or royalty where there have been numerous inter marriages. etc.
The third big war. Give me a break. How many big wars have there been since Nostradamus was alive? Even excluding WW I & II, you should immediately think of Vietnam, the Gulf War, the US Civil War, the Napoleonic wars, the Crimea, the Russian Civil War, the Russia-Japan war, the American War of Independence, the Spanish Civil War. And so on. Tens if not hundreds of thousands died in each these conflicts. Is that not big enough?
A big city burning.. Tends to happen in wars. Dozens alone in World War II - Dresden, London, Berlin, Stalingrad, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Tokyo.

When all is considered we are left with is a verse which is so ambiguous on every line that you could with little effort match it to many different possibilities.

So who wrote this quatrain and what was their point?

This quatrain was actually created by a student called Neil Marshall in an article called "A Critical Analysis of Nostradamus" [1]. His point in writing the above was to highlight that some Nostradamus quatrains are so vague as to be open to any interpretation after the fact.

In fact this is not the only phony verse to have been concocted after 9/11. The urban legends site Snopes.com has plenty more.
So are there any genuine verses that have been attributed?

Yes, several have been cited which are listed below. The same form of critical analysis should be applied to each of them to find out how precise they actually are.

Here is Century X, Quatrain 72:

The year 1999, seventh month, From the sky will come a great King of Terror: To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols, Before and after Mars to reign by good luck.

One doesn't need a scholarship to realise that 1999, seventh month is not September 2001. Then is a "King of Terror" one airplane, the three (that struck), all four, the leader of the terrorists or even Osama bin Laden? How does the "King of the Mongols" relate to anything at all? Are we to believe that the Mongols, whether ancient or modern can even be tenuously compared with Islamic terrorists? Maybe it's Osama again, assuming you can jump enough hoops to turn a Saudi into a Mongol. This quatrain barely fits even with a liberal amount of massaging. In fact as you might expect, many quatrains including this one have been attributed to multiple events [3].

Here another oft quoted verse, Century VI, Quatrain 97:

At forty-five degrees the sky will burn, Fire to approach the great new city: In an instant a great scattered flame will leap up, When one will want to demand proof of the Normans.

Well, let's say immediately that New York is 40 43' degrees north of the equator so that wouldn't match. Beyond that, 45 degrees could be anything related to a temperature, an angle of something approaching, falling or some other measurement. No doubt someone would try to claim it meant a flight number if one of them had contained 45. After that what are we left with? A flame, a burning sky? Again this could apply to anything, a bombed city, an oil refinery explosion, a plane exploding, a forest fire. Is New York a new city? Well it has "New" in its title, but so do a lot of cities (Newark, New Orleans, Newcastle etc.) [4]. Besides, one could argue that many cities are new by virtue of being bombed flat or destroyed by fire some time in their existence. Are the Normans meant to be the French, in which case what have they to do with 9/11? Again this quatrain may superficially appeal to those looking for a 9/11 "angle" (no pun intended!) but if so it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Another one that appears from time to time is Century I, Quatrain 87:

Earthshaking fire from the centre of the earth will cause tremors around the New City. Two great rocks will war for a long time, then Arethusa will redden a new river.

This is a straight translation from the French original but it doesn't look relevant does it? But that's because a far more embellished translation is being offered up:

Sea of fire at the world centre, The tower of the new city will tremble: Two great blocks will be at war for a long time, Then Arethusa will redden a new river.

Now we get why some claim this has something to do with 9/11. "Centre of the world" has been deliberately fudged as "world centre", as in "World Trade Center", "Two rocks" as "Two blocks" and so on.

James Randi takes on this particular myth, and convincingly suggests that it is referring to Naples whose Italian name of Napoli literally means New City [5].

Further to that, Naples is located between Mount Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei (two great rocks). Any volcanic activity by either of these or both would validate the prediction, especially if accompanied by a red river of molten lava. It is even plausible that the 1538 eruption of Campi Flegrei was what spurred Nostradamus to write this quatrain to begin with. Predicting volcanic activity in a city surrounded by volcanoes is arguably shooting fish in the barrel but clearly this quatrain has nothing to do with 9/11.

Whos is Nostradamus

2009-06-21T00:52:00.001-07:00

Nostradamus, the author of the famous Centuries, was an unusual man for his time. He was a practicing physician, astronomer and astrologer who lived in the mid 16th century (1503 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 1566) who turned his hand to prophecy later in life. As a physician he treated those suffering from the Bubonic plague and then in a twisted irony lost the members of his family to the disease. He was a devout student of pagan methods of divination at night who wore the mask of a devout Catholic during the day to avoid persecution from the Spanish Inquisition. In the end he predicted his own death, and some say also cursed the marauders from the French Revolution that he foresaw would desecrate his own burial tomb.

Nostradamus wrote messages from the past to the future in the form of short poems consisting of four lines each called Quatrains. In his lifetime Nostradamus completed a total of 942 quatrains, which he organized into groups of 100 quatrains called Centuries. However one century only has 46 quatrains.

His followers say he predicted the French Revolution, the birth and rise to power of Hitler, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He also predicted other events, such as the Great Fire of London (1666) and the exile of Napoleon to Alba. You can find out more information about these predictions in the Fulfilled Prophecies section of this book.

His cryptic missives about the future seem almost exponential in their ability to reveal about current event. Recently the writings of Nostradamus have been shown to reveal the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger to the destruction, the death of Lady Diana and the destruction of the Twin Towers on 9/11/01. The fact that so many of his grimmest predictions in the past have indeed come true has given him the nickname Ã¢â‚¬Å“The Prophet of Doom.Ã¢â‚¬Â

After he resigned from treating the victims of the bubonic plague and settled down in a psychic studio in Salon, France, this self-styled soothsayer was in the habit of writing long letters to world leaders warning them of future events, that is until the Vatican decided that magicians were evil. The fact is that Nostradamus did indeed qualify as a magician according to the definitions of those days, which was anyone who produced visions and predictions through scrying. Scrying was considered to be a form of conjuring spirits and Nostradamus taught himself this skill by reading ancient texts about Egyptian and Alexandrian magic.

Unfortunately this great prophet also lived during the time of the Spanish inquisition. Conjuring spirits (or channeling as we call it today) was a crime punishable by death, which meant that he was force to scramble up the meaning and the order of his quatrains so that he could not be tried and executed for being a soothsayer. Even though his quatrains are divided up into books called Centuries they do not chronologically represent the timeline of any centuries. Scrambling the quatrains so that they did not follow a time line was one of the tricks that Nostradamus used to disguise his work as the ramblings of a mad poet. This explains why when you read the quatrains, he seems to be referring to incidents from all of the centuries at the same time.

The rhymed quatrains of Nostradamus were written mainly in French with a bit of Italian, Greek, and Latin thrown in to throw the Spanish Inquisition off if they should ever discover his manuscripts. This is because the Spanish Inquisition had been dealing with metaphysical literature by holding public burnings in the public squares.

To disguise his own metaphysical manuscripts also used words from the “Languedoc” or Provencal dialect of southern France and swaps words around so that the quatrains donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t make sense. That is why so many of his prophecies are left wide open to interpretation and also great debate, particularly among English speaking scholars who have a habit of interpreting the quatrains with the French phrases that suit them best. In this book we are using the public domain verses of Charles Ward, an English scholar who was one of the first to translate the quatrains from the original Latin, French and other dialects and leave them as naked as possible.

Maya Calendar : Count

2009-06-21T00:41:00.001-07:00

1).- The Kin

The Maya year has a basic unit called Kin, a word that means day, Sun, etc. The Tzolkin calendar has a cycle of 20 day names conbined with a cycle of 13 day numbers. Each of these 20 names has a glyph to represent it, these are:

2).- The Uinal

The Maya year is divided in 19 months, they are designated Uinal, each has a name and a corresponding glyph. Of these months, the first eighteen have twenty days and the last one, called Uayeb, has only five. The days within a month are numbered from 0 to 19 with the exception of Uayeb which is numbered from 0 to 4.

3. The Numbers
To write their dates the Maya used both the glyph corresponding to the different time periods and a number for each of them. The Maya developed a unique mathematical system that uses dots for units and bars for five units. The numbers can be written vertically or horizontally. They discovered and used the zero as well as a vigesimal positioning system, similar to the decimal positioning system used today. Its symbols and their Arabic equivalents are:

Since the Maya numerical system is based on 20 units, when a number higher than 19 has to be written, a vertical positioning system that grows upwards is commonly used. Thus in order to write 20 they would place a zero in the bottom position with a dot on top of it. The dot in this place means one unit of the second order which is worth 20. To write 21, the zero would change to a dot and for the subsequent numbers the original 19 number count will follow in the first position. As they in turn reach 19 again, another units is added to the second position. This unit, for normal mathematical calculations, is worth 400 (20 x 20) , so to write 401 a dot goes in the first position , a zero in the second and a dot in the third. Positions higher than the third also grow multiplied by twenties from the previous ones. Only in the Maya calendric calculations is the third place unit worth 360 instead of 400, but after that, the rest of the positions also grow multiplied by twenties. Examples follow:

As we mentioned previously the Maya set a fixed date to initiate their calendric calculations. This date is 4 Ahau 8 Kumku which in the Gregorian calendar used today corresponds to August 13, 3114 BC As we do today, to write any specific date they would consider the time elapsed since the beginning of their calendar. In order to do this the days were grouped into units like today's years and centuries. Each of these units had a specific symbol (glyph). Their system is:

Using these glyphs combined with numbers, any date can be written as the number of days that have passed since the beginning of the calendar. The Maya wrote their dates of importance in stone monuments called stelae some of which we can still see today. Thnks to mayacalendardotcom.

Mayan Calender : The Origin

2009-06-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

From mayakalenderdotcom, In his book "The Milpa and the Origin of the Maya Calendar", Paulino Romero Conde puts forth the theory of the Tzolkin being the initial Maya calendar and how it is linked to the milpa, a system used by the Maya to cultivate corn. The main reason for this is the importance corn cultivation had for this culture, since it is the only cereal they domesticated. He states:

"The current Maya system for corn cultivation is basically the same that has been used for 3000 years. Its main activities are to fell the big trees, burn them along with the weeds and their seeds, plant the corn, then weed the plants as they grow, when the ear is mature the stalks are bent and the corn is left to dry in the field, then it is harvested and after a few years the corn field is moved to a new location.

This practice of slash and burn agriculture has been called la milpa, which is an Aztec word for "corn field" that was used by the Spaniards to designate corn fields, even in other parts of Mexico and Central America. The Mayan word used in Yucatan is col, and similar names are used in other Mayan dialects. This activity is still very important to today's Maya population who continue to perform it in the same manner as their forefathers.

As the Maya population grew, the need for more food became indispensable and the attempts to obtain a more abundant crop started, this was done mainly by selecting different corn varieties and by carefully coordinating the dates of cultivation with the rain cycle.

The time count used for corn cultivation must have been based on the initial Maya numeration which consisted of the number of fingers on both hands and feet or the number 20, a kal. The observation that 13 kal (260 days) were needed from the choosing of the location for the milpa until the burning of the felled forest patch and equal number of kal elapsed from the planting, through the growth and harvest until the corn was stored, gave origin to the first Maya calendar.

The Tzolkin, Mayan name derived from the word tzol which means "to put in order", and kin that means "day", was a ceremony in which the priests assigned the order of the days to realize the milpa's activities and the ceremonies related to its different phases. One Tzolkin cycle was related to the preparation of the land and a second Tzolkin cycle was directly related to the growing and harvesting of the corn.

From a religious point of view this 13 kal time period gave place first to the deification of number 13 and second, to the creation of the thirteen day time period called Oxlahunkin which then became the base of the Tzolkin calendar and thus a 260 day milpa cycle ended up being made of 20 thirteen day periods.

Some time afterwards the Maya started to notice the time it took the Sun to complete it's yearly cycle and the length of it was established in 28 thirteen-day periods which added up to 364 days, a length that did not adjust exactly to the cycle. We suppose that the astronomers and the mathematicians had different opinions and while the former held up that the exact measure of the cycle should be used the latter insisted in having a time period as close as possible to the real one that would make calculations simple, that is, a multiple of 20. Finally they agreed to create a 360 day year for calendric calculations they called Tun, it was divided in 18 months of 20 days, called the Uinal, each with a distinct name and numbers from 0 to 19 were also given to their component days. Then a period of five days called uayeb was added to the Tun year and this gave birth to the Haab calendar. In this calendar the uayeb were placed just before the beginning of the astronomical year. The Tzolkin and the Haab were then coordinated and this gave place to the calendar round."

Mayan Calender : Description

2009-06-21T00:35:00.002-07:00

From mayacalendardotcom, The Maya Calendar we find in the codices that survived the Spanish conquest and the burning of documents by Bishop Diego de Landa, at Mani, Yucatán, México is used today to corroborate the calculations written in those codices and to calculate the dates of the Maya stelae and lintels. This calendar is called the initial series calendar or the long count calendar and it includes the following three individual calendars which are perfectly coordinated.

a).- An astronomical calendar which initiates on the date the Sun passes perpendicularly through the zenith, a day between the 24 - 26 of July each year. Its calculated to be 365.2420 days long and was used to fix the position of the solstices, the equinoxes, the synodic revolutions of the planets in our solar system, the eclipse nodes and other celestial phenomena. This calendar must have been the base of reference used by the Maya astronomer - priests for their astronomical calculations which were made with a minimum of 4 decimals. Examples of this can be found in the codices.

b).- The civil calendar or Haab of 365 days is often referred to as the Vague Year. It is composed of 18 months of 20 days and one month 5 days long called uayeb. The difference of one fourth of a day in regard to the astronomical calendar makes a periodical correction necessary through methods foreseen by the Maya. Within this calendar runs the Tun year 360 days long which was used for calendric calculations.

c).-The Tzolkin, Mayan name that means "the distribution of the days", was a ceremony performed on the astronomical new year. In this ceremony the astronomer - priests indicated the days in which the agricultural labor and religious ceremonies were to take place within a 260 day cycle. The Tzolkin is also the name used to designate the most important calendar of the Maya which has also been called the sacred almanac or the Sacred Round. It is a combination of a cycle of 13 day numbers with a cycle of 20 day names (the Kin). In every 365 day Haab year there always runs a 260 day Tzolkin calendar.

The Maya usually described a date by specifying its position in both the Tzolkin and the Haab calendars, this alignment of the Sacred Round and the Vague Year generates the joint cycle called the Calendar Round.

This diagram explains graphically how the Tzolkin and the Haab calendars coordinate.

In these two wheels, the smallest with 260 teeth (left) has on each one the name of the 260 days of the Tzolkin year and the largest with 365 teeth (right) has in their interstice the names of each of the positions of the Haab year. Since the Haab year always begins on a date 0 Pop and the Tzolkin year can only began in a day called Ik, Manik, Eb or Caban, when 2 Ik is placed in conjunction with 0 Pop and wheel A is rotated clockwise wheel B will rotate counterclockwise and the name of the Tzolkin day that corresponds to each Haab position falls into place.

Mayan Calender Intro

2009-06-21T00:35:00.001-07:00

1.- A catalog that registers all the days of a year, distributed in weeks and months, with astronomical data, such as time of sunrise and sunset, the moon phases, or with religious information such as patron saints and festivities.

2.- A time division system, all of the world's cultures have their calendars initially lunar and afterwards lunar-solar. The Chaldeans and Babylonians passed their calendric knowledge to the Egyptians, these in turn to the Greeks and these finally to the Romans who adopted it for their common use.

From the beginning of civilization there has been a very close link between astrology and the development of the calendar. The importance of this connection is evident considering the need to determine the times for the most basic functions of early societies such as agriculture and the celebration of religious events.

The most ancient calendars were probably based on lunar observation since the Moon's phases take place in an easily observed interval. It is most likely that the sighting of the crescent Moon marked a new time period. It was observed that recurrent Moon's phases were about 29 days apart. This gave birth to the first lunar calendars containing 29-30 days per time period (month), but since the sum of twelve or thirteen months differ from the length of a tropical year this calendar was not completely suitable for agricultural practices.

Due to this difference and in order to keep in step with the Sun, the lunar-solar calendars were born, adding a complementary time period to the total of days in the Moon's cycles so as to equal the solar year. Many of these calendars, with variations, existed through time in different areas of the world. In pre-Columbian America the Maya and Aztec calendars were very important. They are remarkably accurate and are made of 18 months of 20 days plus five supplemental days.

Later the solar calendars came to be, for example the Julian calendar which was instituted in Rome by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. This calendar set the year's length at 365 days and added one day to the year every four years. Pope Gregory XIII modified this calendar in 1582. And even though the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar in the sense that it does not take into consideration the Moon in its calculations, it does contain rules for determining Easter and other religious holidays which are based on both the Sun and the Moon. The Gregorian calendar is used today in most of the world, it is divided into the twelve months we all know.

Historically people have sensed the need to have a fixed point to start their time calculations. In order to do this generally the starting point has been determined either by a historical event (the birth of Jesus) or by a hypothetical event (the date of the world's creation). Of all known cultures the Maya seem to have been the first to discover the need for such a date, using probably an astronomically significant or a hypothetical event they placed at 3114 BC.

The Mayan

2009-06-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

One of the most amazing cultures of the New World inhabited a region encompassing today's Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, and parts of southern Mexico (the states of Yucatan, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Chiapas). Today this area is occupied by the descendants of the ancient Maya, the vast majority of whom have to some extent preserved their cultural heritage and still speak the Mayan language.

By 5000 BC, the Maya had settled along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, in fishing communities. By 2000 BC the Maya had also moved inland and adopted agriculture for their subsistence. Maize and beans formed the Maya diet then as today, although many other foodstuffs--manioc, squash, tomatoes, peppers, fruit, and game-were supplements.

To study the Maya their development has been divided into periods, the earlier Maya culture is called Formative or Pre Classic (2000 BC-AD 300), the Classic period goes from AD 300 to AD 900, and subsequent civilization is known as Post Classic (AD 900-conquest).

Now we know that the Maya began to develop intensive agriculture and sophisticated water management during the Middle Pre Classic (900-300 BC), surely to help support the population explosion of the Late Pre Classic (300 BC-AD 300). During this same period, writing was invented in Mesoamerica, and the Maya began to use it during the Late Pre Classic.

The Maya were the first people of the New World to keep historical records, and even if writing in the New World did not originate among the Maya, they developed and used it extensively. The Maya wrote a mixed script, with ideographic and phonetic elements.

Most of their writing survived on stelae, stone monuments very common in the Maya cities, they recount mostly civil events and record their calendric and astronomical knowledge.

Maya pottery gives testimony of their religion and elaborate mythology. Four Post Classic Maya screenfold manuscripts, called codices have survived, They reveal Maya calendric and astronomical calculations, as well as rituals, offerings, and auguries for the year.

The Maya used several calendars simultaneously. One of them called the "long count", is a continuous record of days from a zero date that correlates to Aug. 13, 3114 BC, and is more precise than the Julian calendar revised in Europe in 1582. The Maya were great astronomers and kept track of the solar and lunar years, eclipses and the cycles of visible planets. To carry out their calendric and astronomical calculations they developed a sophisticated mathematical system where units are written with dots and bars are used to represent five units. They discovered and used the zero as well as a vigesimal positioning system, similar to the decimal positioning system we use today.

During the Classic period monumental architecture and stelae with historical records were erected, on these monuments the Maya rulers reigned as divine kings. The Maya thrived during the Late Classic (AD 550-900), and art, architecture, writing, commerce and intensive agricultural practices flourished all through the Maya lands. More than 2 million people may have lived in the area, and it is estimated that Tikal, the largest center, had a population of 75,000-100,000.

However, the Classic Maya cities did not survive into the 10th century. It seems that the system of rule that had served them well for centuries failed. Probably faced with famine, foreign invasion, chronic warfare, adverse climatic conditions and perhaps disease, the Classic period ended in what is called the Classic Maya collapse. The Maya continued to live in both highlands and lowlands but the period of their greatest splendor was over. In the northern Yucatan peninsula, civilization continued at Uxmal and the surrounding area. The Post Classic saw the splendor of Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza was probably abandoned by the 12th century. Trading towns survived along the Caribbean coast. Tulum, a spectacular walled city and a major trading town, located above the coastline of what is now the state of Quintana Roo on Mexico's Caribbean seashore is a great example of these. This city when seen from a Spanish ship was compared to Seville.

The Maya of Yucatan finally broke up into small states and the Spanish took advantage of this division to take control in 1542. In that year, after having been fought back during 15 years, they were able to establish their own capital at Mérida, (in today's State of Yucatan, Mexico) on the site of a Maya city called Tiho. The last of the Maya kingdoms, Tayasal, in Lake Peten Itza (Guatemala), was conquered by the Spanish in 1697, 155 years after the conquest of Merida..

2012 Prediction

2009-06-21T00:25:00.000-07:00

Tukang ramal lain yang telah tinggal di Inggris pada awal tahun 1 500, yang disebut Ibu Shipton, yang dikatakan sudah setengah manusia dan setengah makhluk gaib, yang datang untuk mempertahankan ramalan oracle lain, bahkan menambah yang baru. Dengan benar prediksi kematian Henry VIII abad pemerintahan Queen Victoria, yang besar, wabah, atau horrors dua perang dunia dan wahyu, bila sesuai dengan visi, setengah dari penduduk planet ini akan binasa.

Salah satu sumber yang paling akurat pada hipotesis wahyu Maya kalender karena setelah beton menawarkan apa yang akan menjadi akhir dari seluruh dunia: tahun, bulan dan hari. Itu prediksi yang akurat yang berasal dari peradaban yang mengambil kalender serius, terobsesi dengan menjaga kekhawatiran tentang waktu, sehingga dalam khusus, yang dapat memprediksi di masa depan jauh melebihi. Kalender juga nubuatan: 5 Maret 1519 adalah tepat pada tanggal yang mereka Mayans pertanda kedatangan Conquistador dipimpin oleh Cortes. Hari itu, sejarah yang tercatat pada arahan Spanyol kapten pantai New World. 21 Desember 2012 dalam kalender maya dia selesai siklus besar, yang, paling tidak dalam rupa, tidak lagi mengikuti apa-apa.

Modern astronomers mengkonfirmasi Mayans perhitungan. Bumi akan di deretan tepat dengan matahari dan Milky kuda, sebuah galactic peristiwa yang terjadi sekali dalam 25 tahun 800. Tidak ada yang tahu persis apa yang akan menjadi alignment of the Earth, tetapi geoscientific orang memiliki teori yang datang dalam mendukung Maya predictions: tentang kutub inversi fenomena, di mana mereka dikembalikan posisi mereka, menyebabkan rantai bencana alam yang akan guncangkan seluruh dunia: gempa bumi, tsunami, kebakaran akan menghasilkan bahan kerusakan dan kerugian besar kehidupan. Ada juga yang terakhir malapetaka dan manusia yang akan menghadapi. Albert Einstein adalah salah satu ilmuwan pertama yang telah mendukung teori ini sejak tahun 1955. Baru Princeton University studi menunjukkan bahwa Bumi tidak dihadapi dengan perubahan dramatis ini untuk pertama kalinya. Setelah 800 juta tahun, di Kutub Utara berada di Pasifik, dan Alaska pada khatulistiwa. Gerakan tiba-tiba tidak terjadi, tetapi dalam jangka waktu panjang.

Beyond oracles, kalender dan ahli sihir, ilmu pengetahuan modern dengan datang sendiri pada tanggal ramalan di dunia yang akan berakhir. It's world wide web, yang dikelola untuk membuat sebuah komunikasi pribadi tanpa preseden dalam sejarah manusia. Internet mungkin lebih dari cukup referensi titik apocalyptic forecasts. Dia bahkan menjadi sarana pengiriman pesan yang seperti ini bukan merupakan witch yang hidup di dalam gua atau buku Cina. Menakutkan nabi mulai muncul di arah yang tidak bahkan manusia, sebuah "ramalan" yang disebut "web-bot". Program scan di World Wide Web untuk mengurutkan informasi tentang masa depan, sehingga dalam rangkaian nabi, yang akhirnya sebagai ambiguitas sebagai oracle oracles dunia kuno. Akan mencoba untuk membaca sadar moods kemanusiaan, pemindaian besar bahasa yang digunakan di ribuan website. Proses melibatkan beberapa program yang disebut "spider" atau "agen", yang membaca semua internet mencari kata kunci tertentu. Program ini pada awalnya dirancang untuk mencapai perkiraan keuangan dan saham yang berhubungan dengan investasi. Pada tahun 2001, beberapa pengembang telah menemukan bahwa hasil yang lebih sederhana informasi keuangan. Frasa mulai hukum, untuk menggabungkan tanggal tertentu dalam kalender, mulai menerima sambungan. Pakar dan ada yang dapat diwujudkan dihadapi dengan prediksi dari beberapa peristiwa di masa mendatang. Salah satu peristiwa besar yang frase link ini bahkan dia bisa memperkirakan dari serangan teroris 11 September 2001.
Ya benar, sistem ini berhasil, maka masa depan tidak terlalu optimis: Selain calamities alam, konflik bersenjata, dan tanggal 2012. Web bot memprediksi bahwa beberapa bencana yang akan menyerang Bumi pada waktu itu, berikut yang aneh alignment of planets.