Remembering Michael Jackson

There is so much that can be said, and will, both good and bad about the all too sudden passing of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. This was a man who grew up in one of the poorest cities in the country, whose murder rates are always among the top in the nation as well. This was a man who had spent 80% of his life under immence scrutiny and under the public eye. This was an icon who had always said that he felt more comfortable on a stage than anywhere else and it showed in his personal life. This was a man who systematically was not only the greatest artist in his own right, but owned some of the greatest music ever recorded. But this was also a man who was accused of horrendous things, and even though he had been acquitted or had settled with some of the families, those accusations will forever tarnish his image in some people's eyes. But this was also a man who influenced generations and revolutionized his industry in ways no one had, has or ever will again. This was also a scarred little boy stuck in a mans body who never, ever truly got over the abuse he suffered at the hands of his manager and father. Last night, Thursday June 25th, 2009, the world lost it's last great icon.

Although I don't have a personal memory that actually involves meeting the man, I like so many others of my generation, have a personal attachment with his music. I've always loved his dancing and would hit the dance floor anytime it came on. Songs like "Man in the Mirror" were great songs that would make you think, but also came off so sincere that you knew this was someone who wasn't just singing about it like many of today's artist. "Thriller" revolutionized not only the music industry as being the greatest album of all times, but it revolutionized the music video industry. His great performance in "The Wiz" showed that he had proven himself as more than a music icon, but the icon of an entire generation.

I remember being a DJ in college and during a hip-hop show I co-hosted with a friend, we used to play "The Way You Make Me Feel" religiously. We would take it out of the records, one of the few actual songs from records we'd play, and put on the long dance version and just dance ourselves in the studio. I remember dancing to Michael Jackson at my wedding, the only one as everyone else just sat back and watched. That was what his music did to people, if you really felt it, you'd get lost in it.

Alot of awful things will and already have come out. Entertainment Tonight disgustingly paid for the exclusive rights to the last photo ever taken of Michael Jackson, stretched out on the gurney as the EMS take him out of his home. Keith Olberman tried, but failed to rationalize why so many would come out to the hospital and home of this man. And I'm sure that many more will drag the man's name through the mud in an effort to tarnish a legend in the way that the American public and news media is well-known for doing. They will try to make people forget the humanitarian that Michael Jackson was, by saying he was a recluse. They will diminish what he had done for so many children to give them the childhood he never had by saying that he had an unhealthy relationship with them. They will say he wasn't a good father, but by all accounts, minus the episode in Germany, he was a great dad. They'll diminish his career by saying his albums after "Thriller" all were flops, but that was the best selling album of all times, anything else would be lesser of an album based on pure numbers.

As loved as he was as an artist, I hope that Michael Jackson gets the respect in death that he failed to receive in life. Good night sweet prince, may you finally find peace.

June Potpourri

Lets dive into a few things that have been in the news lately...

Iranian Elections: I think that this may really be a huge deal for the Iranian people. However, I don't think that America should necessarily get swept up in it. Our problem is that we are a country of know-it-alls and with Iran banning Westerner and their news, it leaves the US news agencies, if you can still call some of them that, wondering what is going on.

According to several sources it doesn't seem to matter for several reasons; 1) The supreme ruler makes all domestic and foreign policies; and 2) They are still going to want weaponized plutonium. That is what both candidates agree on, so in the long run we are still going to be trying to talk them out of it.

Also, under NO circumstance should the United States get involved in what is going on in Iran. Let them protest and march, let them have their revolution. We didn't ask the international community for help in the still contested Minnesota senate election did we? We didn't seek Iran's advice when Gore beat out Bush, did we? This is an internal matter and should be handled as such. If we interfere now, we only prove to the Arab world that we feel that we have the right to, and are, the police of the world.

KOREA: History Channel ran this great program that has since repeated occasionally about the Mayan 2012 Doomsday. Well, North Korea is threatening a massive retaliation if the US interferes with their boats. That is what the US Navy is getting ready to do. They have their sailors armed and ready to hold North Korean boats, without boarding them. So, I would venture to say that a nuclear war is not too far off. Even Russia and China are trying to get North Korea to ease its stance against the world.

The main problem with North Korea's nuclear holocaust threat is that they so far haven't shown the technology to reach the Continental United States. Russia has already said that they would shoot down any rocket headed their way but could not say whether they have the technology to detect rockets headed in any other way. North Korea wouldn't be so ignorant to launch one at China, so that only leaves Japan, which would just be cruel irony, South Korea, which is a distinct possibility, and Alaska or Hawai'i. Now, Alaska may be out of the picture for a North Korean target, and may actually find protection from the Kremlin, but Hawai'i is a whole nother story. Again, as cruel irony, an attack by a foreign country on Hawai'i would surely ignite a World War.

Even if North Korea was able to get help from rouge nations, such as Iran, I don't see any other countries really backing them in support. China and Russia, for all their actual attempts would try to stay neutral since they don't want to be seen taking orders from the US, but can not condone nuclear holocaust. The Colombians not only don't have the weaponry, but they don't necessarily have the man power. They would need to unite a lot of the South and Central American countries to get an army capable of warranting an attack. The key would also be Cuba. Fidel Castro, as the last of the guerrilla's, I don't think would want to risk an attack from or on his country 90 miles from the United States.

The main problem would come from the Arab League. They have the tendency to stick together thick and thin and will cause an issue on a global scale. I think between the Arab League, and Columbia, the United States and it's allies find themselves in an issue when it comes to fuel. If Iran comes to the aid of North Korea, out of the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" mentality, the United States and it's allies will see national gas prices sky rocket to unbelievable heights that will cause chaos in their own streets. And with the time frame that this may happen, the world doesn't need that pressure right now.

Barack Obama vs. FOX News: This really has turned into a juvenile fight. Yes, we all know that NBC and their affiliates are Obama's personal television channel, we get it. But the back and forth between Obama and Fox News needs to stop. Obama mentioned on an interview with MSNBC how there is a whole channel that seems dedicated to only reporting negative news on him and his administration. Sorry, but it just sound's like you can't take the heat. There is no need to mention directly or indirectly any of this. Let it go, there are always going to be people or organizations trying to bring you down, it comes with the office.

We all knew it was So-Sa! Occasionally we like to chime in with Sports news. However, this really should not have been news to anyone. Look at not just his body, but his body of work. And he has no one to blame but himself. As a former sports writer, I already wrote an article on this a decade ago, this doesn't need to be this big of news.

A Fair Economic Warning

Well friends, all over the news there are mumblings and whispers that the economy is starting to show signs of life and that our current recession may actually begin to right itself by the end of the year. The experts use statistics like the fact that massive layoffs are down and companies aren't losing as much money as they thought. Basically, there are silver linings to all the grey clouds above our heads.

And to this, I'd like to warn you. Sure this past Memorial Day weekend retailers saw an upswing in consumer confidence. However, one thing that is mysteriously missing from these experts is any talk of the timing of this upswing. It is not that Americans are making more money than we were a few months ago, the national unemployment rate is still hovering around 10%. The biggest factor for the recent economic upswing has everything to do with federal taxes. The Memorial Day weekend came at the time that most Americans who filed Federal taxes, and even those in government who forgot to, are receiving their rebates, thus Americans have some spending cash that they have earmarked for their summer.

Take myself for example. My family income has not changed since February. However, upon receiving our tax check, after paying all necessary bills and the surprise car fix, we had bought season passes to our local Six Flags theme park while they were inexpensive. Our Memorial Day consisted of going to Six Flags and then going to our local minor league baseball game. Total cost for the day, maybe $40 dollars for a family of three, and that includes buying tickets for our guest at the baseball game.

The talk of massive layoffs being slowed is an obvious comment and shouldn't make anyone really feel comfortable for two reasons: 1) there aren't any massive hiring and 2) State and local governments are in the midst of laying off hundreds of employees for financial reasons. So before you buy into this whole "We are getting better" mantra that the government is selling, you need to think about the surrounding factors.