The biggest story of the week, other than Michael Jackson's memorial service/funeral, (I'll comment on that later) is the sudden resignation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Palin announced she's stepping down as Governor near the end of the month, and obviously, her departure is causing quite a stir with many commentators and pundits wondering why. Bloggers and such are giving their $.02 worth about why they believe Governor Palin, the plain-talking boost to the Republican ticket in last year's presidential campaign, stepped away. In an 18-minute speech, Sarah tells those who'll listen that not only is she tired of all the ethics investigations that keep coming up against her that she keeps passing with flying colors, but also that she wants to be more involved in helping candidates that further the conservative agenda.
I'm saying what I've heard some commentators say, so I don't want to sound like a broken record. First off...kudos to Governor Palin for having an objective outlook on what's going on in the political world. I also add that Palin, once she's formally out of office, will be a viable threat to the current Obama Administration and to the Democratic Party in general. Nick Ayers, the head of the Republican Governors Association, told Fox News that Palin will spend a lot of her now free time campaigning for candidates. And also in her speech, she didn't say she was going away for good...she said that she is "advancing in another direction." Dare I say it...Caribou Barbie...Palin 2012!!!!!
You watch...I really feel Palin's stepping away from the Governor's chair to do the following...first, go on the lecture/book circuit to pay her $500,000-plus legal bills for all the ethics investigations. Secondly, get a pulse from the "lower 48" as far as what people are thinking about the country. Third, campaign for Republican candidates during the 2010 elections. And then fourth...announce her candidacy for President in 2012. Granted...leaving her office does leave her open to her critics, with some calling her a "quitter". There is legitimate concern that if she leaves Anchorage because of political pressure there...how will she handle the pressures of the White House. Well...only time and preparation will tell. But until then, I wish Governor Palin well, and if she does decide to run for office, she has my support.
With the death of pop-music icon Michael Jackson, people have been running and gathering in droves to various sites, including the hospital where he died, his hometown of Gary, Indiana, and sites all over the world...with the culmination taking place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. A "who's who" of entertainment, along with thousands of fans via an online lottery, will fill both the Center and the neighboring Nokia Theater to be a part of a special memorial ceremony honoring Jackson's life, music, and impact on the world. Not to mention, TV crews will cover the service, and even certain movie theaters will carry the event via closed-circuit television. Millions of people fought for thousands of "tickets" to the memorial service, and the media is eating all the Michael Jackson coverage it can muster. In fact, many are saying there's too much Jackson coverage on TV, and I tend to agree with them. Besides...many people who are swearing up and down their love and devotion to Michael weren't even thinking about him days before he died. Jackson was getting ready for his 50-show "This Is It" concert series in London days before his passed away. If Michael were alive, his shows would get some publicity...but after his last show, he would fade away into the post-stardom world, and concentrate on paying his hundreds of millions of dollars of legal and personal debts.
Now I would be lying if I told you I wasn't a fan of Jackson's music. I grew up in the 70's and 80's, when Jackson was a superstar in the making with the Jackson 5, and then by himself with the solo albums "Off the Wall" and "Thriller". People in my generation remember Michael as a music genius, whose songs and dancing moves captivated us to no end. Those of us who lived in the early days of MTV remember Jackson's "Billie Jean" video being one the first videos featured on that channel by a black artist. As far as Jackson's music was concerned, there were few musicians and entertainers who could captivate a large, international fan following like he did. Even in today's internet-based, iPod downloadable music world, no one can match the success and excellence as Michael Jackson did.
But unfortunately, Jackson's musical repertoire was tarnished by a series of bizarre events. As we all know, Jackson was accused of several sexual exploits, including the molestation of 13-year-old Jordan Chandler in 1993, and the accusation he molested several children in 2003. There is evidence coming out that Jackson was innocent of the accusations from Chandler. Evidently...Mr. Chandler admitted he tried to exploit Jackson according to the blog website, "The Might of the Pen". Jackson foolishly dangled a baby from outside a balcony window in 2002, and of course, his changing skin color...which Jackson attributed to a rare skin disorder called vitiligo. Vitiligo is a disorder that causes the loss of pigmentation in dark skin, and causes it to become white or pale. The American Academy of Dermatology says vitiligo affects about 1 or 2 out of every 100 people, so while Jackson was the butt of many jokes about his "blackness", if this information was widely distributed back when he was relevant in the pop culture, he may have been spared criticism in that regard. The plastic surgeries on his nose, however, was another matter. Jackson said in a TV interview with former ITV and current ABC News reporter Martin Bashir he had 2 surgeries on his nose to help him breathe better and hit high notes in his songs.
I bring up all that to say this...Jackson's legacy in the entertainment world is both legendary and loathesome. While there's no doubt his style was more than influential in music, fashion, and dance...one can question over and over again his views, philosophies, and ideals when it came to things like dealing with children. His interview with Martin Bashir in which he says it's okay for adults to sleep with children did not help Jackson's image. Even if Jackson was 100% innocent of all molestation charges (he was acquitted of charged in 2005) in the public's eyes, Jackson's ideas about "sharing your bed" with children, and people criticizing that were "judging him" was simply crazy. Granted, Michael didn't have a good childhood...he admitted to being abused by his father while growing up. Still...that's no excuse to his bizarre behavior on a repeated basis, and no matter how honest he was being with reporters about his life...the perception about him was the reality people would associate with him. No matter how many successes the "King of Pop" would have in the music/entertainment world, folks place Jackson in a less-than-favorable light. Even New York congressman Peter King let loose on the media coverage of Michael's death in a less-than-politically-correct way.
That's my take on those stories. More on the way...keep enterprizing, everybody.
I'm saying what I've heard some commentators say, so I don't want to sound like a broken record. First off...kudos to Governor Palin for having an objective outlook on what's going on in the political world. I also add that Palin, once she's formally out of office, will be a viable threat to the current Obama Administration and to the Democratic Party in general. Nick Ayers, the head of the Republican Governors Association, told Fox News that Palin will spend a lot of her now free time campaigning for candidates. And also in her speech, she didn't say she was going away for good...she said that she is "advancing in another direction." Dare I say it...Caribou Barbie...Palin 2012!!!!!
You watch...I really feel Palin's stepping away from the Governor's chair to do the following...first, go on the lecture/book circuit to pay her $500,000-plus legal bills for all the ethics investigations. Secondly, get a pulse from the "lower 48" as far as what people are thinking about the country. Third, campaign for Republican candidates during the 2010 elections. And then fourth...announce her candidacy for President in 2012. Granted...leaving her office does leave her open to her critics, with some calling her a "quitter". There is legitimate concern that if she leaves Anchorage because of political pressure there...how will she handle the pressures of the White House. Well...only time and preparation will tell. But until then, I wish Governor Palin well, and if she does decide to run for office, she has my support.
With the death of pop-music icon Michael Jackson, people have been running and gathering in droves to various sites, including the hospital where he died, his hometown of Gary, Indiana, and sites all over the world...with the culmination taking place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. A "who's who" of entertainment, along with thousands of fans via an online lottery, will fill both the Center and the neighboring Nokia Theater to be a part of a special memorial ceremony honoring Jackson's life, music, and impact on the world. Not to mention, TV crews will cover the service, and even certain movie theaters will carry the event via closed-circuit television. Millions of people fought for thousands of "tickets" to the memorial service, and the media is eating all the Michael Jackson coverage it can muster. In fact, many are saying there's too much Jackson coverage on TV, and I tend to agree with them. Besides...many people who are swearing up and down their love and devotion to Michael weren't even thinking about him days before he died. Jackson was getting ready for his 50-show "This Is It" concert series in London days before his passed away. If Michael were alive, his shows would get some publicity...but after his last show, he would fade away into the post-stardom world, and concentrate on paying his hundreds of millions of dollars of legal and personal debts.
Now I would be lying if I told you I wasn't a fan of Jackson's music. I grew up in the 70's and 80's, when Jackson was a superstar in the making with the Jackson 5, and then by himself with the solo albums "Off the Wall" and "Thriller". People in my generation remember Michael as a music genius, whose songs and dancing moves captivated us to no end. Those of us who lived in the early days of MTV remember Jackson's "Billie Jean" video being one the first videos featured on that channel by a black artist. As far as Jackson's music was concerned, there were few musicians and entertainers who could captivate a large, international fan following like he did. Even in today's internet-based, iPod downloadable music world, no one can match the success and excellence as Michael Jackson did.
But unfortunately, Jackson's musical repertoire was tarnished by a series of bizarre events. As we all know, Jackson was accused of several sexual exploits, including the molestation of 13-year-old Jordan Chandler in 1993, and the accusation he molested several children in 2003. There is evidence coming out that Jackson was innocent of the accusations from Chandler. Evidently...Mr. Chandler admitted he tried to exploit Jackson according to the blog website, "The Might of the Pen". Jackson foolishly dangled a baby from outside a balcony window in 2002, and of course, his changing skin color...which Jackson attributed to a rare skin disorder called vitiligo. Vitiligo is a disorder that causes the loss of pigmentation in dark skin, and causes it to become white or pale. The American Academy of Dermatology says vitiligo affects about 1 or 2 out of every 100 people, so while Jackson was the butt of many jokes about his "blackness", if this information was widely distributed back when he was relevant in the pop culture, he may have been spared criticism in that regard. The plastic surgeries on his nose, however, was another matter. Jackson said in a TV interview with former ITV and current ABC News reporter Martin Bashir he had 2 surgeries on his nose to help him breathe better and hit high notes in his songs.
I bring up all that to say this...Jackson's legacy in the entertainment world is both legendary and loathesome. While there's no doubt his style was more than influential in music, fashion, and dance...one can question over and over again his views, philosophies, and ideals when it came to things like dealing with children. His interview with Martin Bashir in which he says it's okay for adults to sleep with children did not help Jackson's image. Even if Jackson was 100% innocent of all molestation charges (he was acquitted of charged in 2005) in the public's eyes, Jackson's ideas about "sharing your bed" with children, and people criticizing that were "judging him" was simply crazy. Granted, Michael didn't have a good childhood...he admitted to being abused by his father while growing up. Still...that's no excuse to his bizarre behavior on a repeated basis, and no matter how honest he was being with reporters about his life...the perception about him was the reality people would associate with him. No matter how many successes the "King of Pop" would have in the music/entertainment world, folks place Jackson in a less-than-favorable light. Even New York congressman Peter King let loose on the media coverage of Michael's death in a less-than-politically-correct way.
That's my take on those stories. More on the way...keep enterprizing, everybody.
