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2011-12-21T04:16:00.001-08:00

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2011-12-20T21:51:00.000-08:00

Do I Have to Pay Child Support if I Don't Get to See My Children?

2011-03-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

By: LawInfo

Published: 11/2008

It hardly seems fair to pay your child support on time, week after week, month after month, only to have your ex-husband or ex-wife prevent you from seeing your children. In fact, problems with visitation are one of the most common reasons given by parents for not paying their child support. However, child support and visitation are two totally separate issues, and you cannot stop paying child support simply because your ex-spouse is not allowing you to see your children.

While it is tempting to stop your child support payments in order to get back at your ex-spouse for not letting you see the kids, it won’t help you out in the long run. Just as your ex-spouse is ordered to allow you visitation with your children, you are ordered to pay child support. Therefore, if you don’t pay child support, for whatever the reason, you are violating the terms of a court order, and you can be punished by the court for doing so. It will also not reflect well on you if you complain to the court about your ex-spouse violating a court order by not allowing you to visit, when you are also violating a court order.

The only exception to this rule, which is rare, is when your ex-spouse disappears with your children for an extended period of time, which effectively prevents you from having any contact with your children at all. In this case, some courts have held that a parent’s child support obligation should stop, at least on a temporary basis, until the ex-spouse and children are located.

Barring this exception, you should continue to pay child support as ordered, even if your ex-spouse does not allow you to see the children as ordered. The proper remedy for problems with visitation is to turn to the court for assistance, not to stop paying child support. Just as you can be held accountable and/or punished by the court for failing to pay child support, your ex-spouse can be similarly held accountable and/or punished.

If you are having trouble with your ex-spouse over visitation, your best bet is to seek advice from an attorney who can advise you what steps to take next. While you might be able to work out visitation problems informally with your ex-spouse in some circumstances, you may need more formal assistance with this issue. A lawyer can contact your ex-spouse, or his or her lawyer, and try to come to some sort of resolution as to visitation with your children. If reaching an agreement is not possible, then the lawyer can help you use the court system to enforce your rights to see your children as ordered. For instance, if two parents cannot agree whether the father should have overnight visitation with two young children, then the court will make a determination of whether overnight visitation is appropriate, and how often it should occur. In any case, the court can help you enforce your visitation rights, and it is a much smarter solution than simply stopping your child support payments in order to get back at your ex-spouse.

How to Modify a Child Support Order

2011-03-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

By: LawInfo

Published: 07/2010

An initial child support order is usually made on the basis of the income of both parents, the needs of the child and other relevant matters. If you feel that an existing order has now become burdensome or inadequate you should consult an attorney because you may be able to have the existing order modified.

STEP 1 – Evaluate Whether Your Circumstances Support a Modification
In most states modifying a child support order requires proof of a change of circumstances in either of the parents’ employment or a change in the status of the children since the original order; such as the child may now need expensive medical care or may be enrolled in a special school. The idea here is that the changed circumstances render the original order either inadequate or burdensome.

STEP 2 - Document Your Supporting Evidence
If you were required to file an income statement when the original child support order was entered you will probably be required to do so again. Gather documentation that supports the change in circumstances underlying your request for a modification. For instance, document your decrease in wages or loss of a job, or the other parent’s increased wages, or the increased medical expenses you must pay for a child, etc.

STEP 3 – Determine What Form Must be Filed
Some courts utilize standardized forms for modification of a child support order requests. Contact your local court for more information. For instance, sometimes the request is called a "petition" for modification or a "motion" for modification, etc. Also, there may be supporting forms that must be used, such as an affidavit regarding your financial matters or a financial worksheet. Finally, you may have to file several copies of your documents with the court - the clerk of the court will "stamp" the copies and give them back to you to serve to other parent.

STEP 4 – File the Documents with the Appropriate Court
Some states have a general trial court for all civil actions while other states have a separate family court.

STEP 5 – Serve a Copy of the Modification Petition on the Other Parent
It is the plaintiff’s responsibility to serve copies of the petition, supporting documents, summons and other required paperwork to the other parent. You may be able to serve the other party through the mail or by having another person deliver a copy to the other parent in person. Most states do not allow the plaintiff to personally serve the other party. (Note: In some states you may also be required to serve your state’s child support enforcement agency.)

STEP 6 – Complete and Return a Proof of Service to the Court
After the other party has been served most states require that a “proof of service” be returned to the court. A proof of service is a standardized form used in the courts wherein the person who completed the service attest that copies of the court documents were in fact sent to the other parent.

Throughout the above steps you will undoubtedly consult with your attorney regarding the process, the chances the court will grant your request, and other matters related to your particular situation. Child support orders are not indefinite. A judge will modify an existing child support order based on the parents’ and the child’s then current circumstances. The overriding interest that the judge looks at is the child’s best interests. If you feel that your child’s best interests are not being met by the current support order you should contact an attorney to see about modifying the order.

Calculating Child Support

2011-03-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

By: LawInfo

Published: 06/2008

The factors used to calculate child support payments are set by law. To calculate each parent’s child support obligation the law generally applies each parent’s income, including wages, assets such as stocks and bonds, welfare benefits, etc., and the standard of living of the child before the divorce. In certain cases, however, extraordinary needs of the child may be considered and deviations from the guidelines may be allowed. In most states where the court deviates from the guidelines, the judge is supposed to explain the reasons for the deviation in the order.

The amount of a child support award is more than a question of the child’s bare necessities. If the child has a wealthy parent, that child is entitled to, and therefore needs something more than the bare necessities of life. Where the supporting parent enjoys a lifestyle that far exceeds the custodial parent’s living standard, child support must to some degree reflect that more opulent lifestyle. This is so even though, as a practical matter, the child support payments will incidentally benefit others in the custodial household whom the other parent has no obligation to support

Child Support Formulas

Child support is a matter of state law and each state has their own system for calculating the payment amount. There are three basic models though that each state falls under:

a) Flat Percentage –
The child support amount is based on a percentage of the non-custodial parent’s income and the number of children they are supporting. The following states follow this rule: Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

b) Income Shares – The majority of states follow this model.
The Income Shares model is based on the concept that the child should receive the same proportion of parental income that he or she would have received if the parents lived together. Prior to the divorce or separation of the parents, the combined parental income is spent for the benefit of all household members, including any children. Thus, the income shares model calculates support as the share of each parent's income estimated to have been allocated to the child if the parents and child were living in an intact household. Using the Income Shares model, the amount of child support is basically determined by calculating the total amount needed for the support of the children and then pro-rating that amount between each parent based on his/her proportionate share of the total income. The obligor parent’s obligation is payable as child support, while the other parent's portion retained and presumed to be spent directly on the child.

For example: if the court has determined that the children need $1000 a month and the parents make a combined $100,000 annually, in which the father makes $60,000 annually and the mother makes $40,000 annually, the father will be required to pay $600 a month and the mother $400 a month.

Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming follow this model.

c) Melson Formula – Only Delaware, Hawaii and Montana follow this model.
The child support payment is calculated based on a variety of factors (the “Melson Factors”), including both parents’ incomes and the needs of the child.

Support Past 18

Child support orders generally expire upon becoming a legal adult, which usually consists of turning 18 years of age or graduation from high school whichever comes later, or if the child has married, acquired an emancipation order or enlisted in the military.

Though every state does not require child support after graduation from high school some states do require support payments to continue if the child attends college. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington.

Inability to Pay

The inability of a parent to pay their child support order because they cannot work will not excuse them from the order. Missed payments will accrue as arrears even if a parent is in jail, in the hospital or any other situation which does not allow them to work. When the parent is able to work they will be required to pay back the arrears.

Custody vs Support

Every state treats child visitation and custody separately from the obligation to pay child support. If a parent is not granted visitation by the court or if the other parent interferes with a visitation or custody order the parent may not protest by refusing to pay their child support payments.

Changing an Order

A child support order is entered based on the parents’ current income levels. A parent may not unilaterally reduce or stop their child support payments because of a loss of income or additional expenses. If a parent feels that their current child support payment is too high they may ask the court to modify the order. Until a modification order is entered the original child support amount is still in effect. Likewise, a parent may ask the court to increase a parent’s child support payment because of added income or decreased expenses.

Cost of Child Care

A non-custodial parent may be required to pay part of the cost of their child’s day care if the custodial parent uses day care to go to work. Because the employment of the custodial parent increases the amount of income used to support the child both parents benefit from the cost of child care. Thus, this cost may be divided between the parents (usually 50% each). The parent who actually pays for the child care receives payment from the other parent.

Legal Issue : Can Child Support Payments be Automatically deducted from a Parent's Paycheck?

2011-03-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

By: LawInfo

Published: 11/2008

Are you tired of getting your child support payments whenever your ex feels like paying them? Does your ex not always pay the amount of child support that he or she is supposed to pay? One easy solution to these problems is to have your child support payments automatically deducted from the other parent’s paycheck by his or her employer. Taking this step can ensure that you and your child receive the consistent, timely full payments to which you are entitled.

Federal and state law requires, in most circumstances, that a parent’s child support obligation be automatically deducted from his or her paycheck through a garnishment or income withholding order. In some cases, however, there may be a good reason as to why the parent’s child support obligation should not be deducted from his or her paycheck, such as if he or she is self-employed. In this case, he or she can get an order from the court that the payments do not have to be deducted. Nonetheless, in most cases, you can easily have your child support payments automatically deducted from the other parent’s paycheck.

A court can issue a garnishment or income withholding order for the payment of child support. In most states, your local child support agency can also administratively issue an order to have payments deducted from the parent’s paycheck. Therefore, if you know where your ex works, you can ask your court or child support agency to send a garnishment order to that employer in order to have your child support payments withheld from your ex’s paycheck.

An employer has no choice but to follow the garnishment order for child support. Even if an employer receives a garnishment order from another state, the employer is required to follow the order under federal law. In most states, the employer is liable for the child support payments, damages and/or fines if the employer does not properly deduct and send in the child support payments according to the garnishment order.

There are some limitations on the amount of money that can be garnished from the parent’s paycheck. Under federal law, only 55% - 65% of the parent’s disposable income (income after taxes) can be deducted from the paycheck for child support payments, depending on the parent’s current family situation. Therefore, if a parent is only working 20 hours per week at minimum wage, and is ordered to pay you $150.00 per week in child support, the employer cannot legally deduct your entire child support payment. In this situation, then, a garnishment order would not be completely effective.

Finally, it is important to know that a child support order takes precedence over other garnishment orders. This means that if a parent has been sued for an unpaid credit card bill, and the credit card company wants to garnish the parent’s wages for the money owed, their garnishment order will come second in line to your child support order. In other words, your child support will be paid first, before any other garnishment orders.

Internet Marketing Customers: Why It Is Wise To Avoid Them

2010-11-16T21:05:00.001-08:00

By: Jo Han Mok

Practically all the money spent online is spent by regular people. Internet Marketers, as customers, are a tiny fraction of all the buyers that are out there. If you're looking for wide-open spaces and little competition, go to the "Average Joe" as your target audience. Selling IM products and services can be competitive, cutthroat and flighty. Nailing down a niche in this area (and keeping it) is very hard.

The worst place to focus on has to be "How to make money online", especially if you're new and losing money every month. Sharks can "smell" blood in the water from a mile away. IM sharks are no different. If you're hemorrhaging red ink, you'll leave little, telltale signs of it in your marketing efforts. Other marketers will avoid your products like the plague, and figure out ways of marketing to you. Your desperation will draw them to you.

Unless your core competence will serve the IM sphere (programming, design, graphics, content creation and the like), leave the get-rich offers alone and strike out on your own. There's nothing more satisfying than identifying and exploiting a niche of rabid customers that the "big dogs" and the bulk of your competition ignore. If you can make your target income easily and effortlessly by serving people in a niche you have mastered, why butt heads with folks who have harder heads?

Locating profitable niches takes more than just a bit of keyword research and checking Google for your competition. The very first step in your quest for open wallets and purses is exploring your own interests and passions. Think of all the things you know about different subjects and pursuits. Then go online and find as many examples of marketers who are selling to that group of like-minded people. See if there's money being spent already.

Now, take a look at a newsstand or bookstore that has a big magazine section. Look carefully at "niche" magazines, with a relatively small circulation (15,000 is a good number). If you can browse a few back issues, see who is advertising on a regular basis. Those will, most likely, be the ones who are making a profit. Now you can start to figure out a way to reach those same customers with your own "spin" on the same product or service.

You can also look at consumer Web sites that either review or feature consumer products and services. Those marketers are making a killing by becoming "Authority" sites for their niche. You might have a tough time competing with Wal-Mart if you're considering selling products that compete with their sales machine. Instead, consider using their affiliate program, which gives you a piece of the total sale as a commission!

Discount coupons and merchandise offers have been springing up all over the Internet. Everything from day spas to infant formula have coupon programs that you can cash in on. There are actually people that clip coupons out of the paper and resell them online. The infant formula market alone can make you a tidy profit every month. New mothers need to save every cent they can, and will gladly pay for infant formula coupons that still save them money.

The point here is to start thinking outside the box of Internet Marketing as a market itself. If you're having trouble imagining how to make money online, selling info on that subject will be a very tough sell for you. Despite the "anonymity" of the Internet, people can still tell that you don't "walk the walk", despite your big talk about earning a red-hot flood of cold cash!

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

India TV Live

2010-11-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

Watch INDIA TV Live

A Smart Internet Marketer's Secret Weapon: eBay

2010-11-16T20:53:00.000-08:00

By: Jo Han Mok

The largest auction site in the world usually doesn't need an introduction. If you don't know about eBay, you not only don't go online, you don't watch television or read newspapers, either! This gigantic marketplace has a presence in practically every country in the world. It was originally going to be called "Echo Bay", but that domain was already taken. It was shortened to ebay - and the rest is history.

While it was originally just a way for folks to auction off personal property and unusual items, it has grown far beyond the "yard sale" image it began with. For you, the aspiring entrepreneur who wants to break into Internet Marketing, it can be the easiest and cheapest way to do so.

Rather than detailing how it works (which you can find out by going there and poking around) here are some tips for making the best use of this resource:

- Think of eBay as a starting place for your marketing efforts. Be ready to move beyond it. The real value of eBay is in the customers and contacts you will develop.
- Always play by the rules. Trying to bend or break them will just get you banned or ruin your reputation.
- Be very careful when it comes to costs, fees and extras for your auctions, fixed price sales and classified ads. Don't end up spending more to sell than you make in profit.
- Learn to make use of the social networking opportunities there. Blogs, groups and discussion forums are a great way to expand your knowledge and make valuable connections with other marketers.
- Test, test, test! Always be examining and tweaking your ads and sales copy. A minor change can sometimes result in major profits.
- Get a Premier or Business PayPal account. You'll increase your credibility and make it very easy to accept payments from people all over the world.
- Explore the international markets on eBay. Each country has its own version and you may discover untapped markets outside your own country. Some new member countries offer an eBay store or shop with no fees for a whole year!
- Make good use of the Help and tutorials for learning about how to make the best use of eBay.
- Discover ebay's PULSE, a source of current hot search terms and best selling items.
- Take advantage of the tools and statistical analysis products. They can provide you with information that will increase your profits and reduce your workload.

Remember that your business will only be limited by your imagination and vision. The bigger you see the possibilities of using eBay for starting and growing your business, the bigger you can become in a relatively short time.

If you are unfamiliar with doing business online, you may feel overwhelmed by all the things you have to learn. "Information overload" is a natural part of starting up. Just know that the system is set up to make it easy for just about anyone to get started and learn quickly how to make it work.

Once you are established in your particular niche within the marketplace, start learning how to expand beyond eBay itself. Find out about hosting your own Web site, getting your own domain name, building a list of contacts and customers that you keep in touch with, expanding your business to reach the World Wide Web and more. Yes, you can make a nice profit just on eBay. You can also create a business that uses eBay as a starting point, and ends up making you more successful than you dreamed possible, when you first started out.

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

Online Home Business - Who Welcomes Visitors To Your Website?

2010-11-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

By: Kristin Thormar

You spend countless hours building and improving your website, making it appealing to your visitors, and do everything you can to drive traffic to it, and then what? You just sit back, relax, and watch the sales pouring in. Only if life was as easy as that!

Sure, you can use all kinds of website stats programs to see where your traffic comes from, and use various ways to analyze your traffic. What will you do with that information? Oh yes, you can maybe see which ad or PPC campaign got most click throughs, or which article or blog gave you most of the traffic, but is that enough?

In the fast world we are living in, it has been proved that if people don't quickly, just within a few seconds, find the information they are looking for on your website, they just go back to the search engine and start a new search.

Let's imagine you have found a home based business that you really like. Your goal is to help other people make money online too, and you advertise your new business every way you can. When somebody finds your site, what will he or she see?

A website with real people of flesh and blood, a Talking Website! How is that possible? We are getting so used to seeing those annoying animated websites that start screaming at us before we know what hit us! But this time, he or she will see a live person, sometimes two, that will welcome him, answer his questions, on YOUR behalf, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! They will do that even when you are nowhere around!

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

Designing Your Home Based Business Plan

2010-04-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

With great care you can write down a home based business plan it's not that hard, you don't have to be a scientist. Actually, any person contemplating getting into a home based business can design a very plain home based business plan. As long as you possess a mental image of what you want to manifest and have a mental map of the way that you want to reach your goal, you can very plainly create a simple business design.

What sort of business blueprint?

A business design will include a brisk content of the business plan, a very quick detail of the typical business you are operating, an breakdown of your market, the order you will apply to manage your business and a fiscal plan.

A descriptive business blueprint does not have to be dozens of pages. As a matter of fact, some home business owners create a one page business blueprint; of course this does hinge upon how complex your business is and the finances involved.

Home business pros acknowlege the importance of a financial plan as being the most worthy part of the business design. Certain areas that have to be implemented into your financial blueprint are: business expenses, financial gains, sales and other areas relating your home based business. Your financial presentation must be done based on solid research. Possessing a solid financial presentation will give you an upper hand when considering a loan.

Lending institutions will most of the time scan through your financial business design when going over the business plan and the strategy. These particular pieces of your documents must provide them a concept of how your business profits might be and what other general developments you can input to create to improve business earnings. From the financial design, the bank will perhaps determine if your business is worth their risk. In the majority of cases, if the financial objective of the financial figures are way above the budget, the lending institution will most likely not be interested in providing you with the funds for your business.

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

Designing Your Home Based Business Plan

2010-04-11T05:54:00.001-07:00

Your home based business design should become your roadmap for your home business. Authorities concur that the business design is one of the most critical essentials when designing a business or when extending an existing business. An individual who designs a business strategy before embarking on their business will potentially have a greater prospect for success when compared to someone who prefers to go without designing a business plan.

With great care you can write down a home based business plan it's not that hard, you don't have to be a scientist. Actually, any person contemplating getting into a home based business can design a very plain home based business plan. As long as you possess a mental image of what you want to manifest and have a mental map of the way that you want to reach your goal, you can very plainly create a simple business design.

What sort of business blueprint?

A business design will include a brisk content of the business plan, a very quick detail of the typical business you are operating, an breakdown of your market, the order you will apply to manage your business and a fiscal plan.

A descriptive business blueprint does not have to be dozens of pages. As a matter of fact, some home business owners create a one page business blueprint; of course this does hinge upon how complex your business is and the finances involved.

Home business pros acknowlege the importance of a financial plan as being the most worthy part of the business design. Certain areas that have to be implemented into your financial blueprint are: business expenses, financial gains, sales and other areas relating your home based business. Your financial presentation must be done based on solid research. Possessing a solid financial presentation will give you an upper hand when considering a loan.

Lending institutions will most of the time scan through your financial business design when going over the business plan and the strategy. These particular pieces of your documents must provide them a concept of how your business profits might be and what other general developments you can input to create to improve business earnings. From the financial design, the bank will perhaps determine if your business is worth their risk. In the majority of cases, if the financial objective of the financial figures are way above the budget, the lending institution will most likely not be interested in providing you with the funds for your business.

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

The Benefits of a Work At Home Internet Business

2010-04-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

Your standard of life is directly related to your choice of job or career because the standard of life you enjoy is dependent on the income you receive. In traditional jobs in which you are answerable to your employer, your income potential will be capped and you'll never exceed it by any significant amount. Sure, you might earn a little extra if you're willing to work overtime hours, but you'll never make those changes to your lifestyle and security which you probably dream of making. Working for an employer definitely limits you. If you want to make lots of money, you really need to work for yourself. Enter: the growing trend of home based internet business. Here is your answer! Not for everyone, but amazingly lucrative for a growing number of people who research carefully and make an informed decision to just `go for it'. Do make sure you find the business which will give you optimum chance of being successful, the right business for your needs.

Imagine the joy of unleashing your earning potential and seeing how far you can go, in your own work from home business. Nothing could be more exciting than challenging yourself to creating wealth and an improved lifestyle for you and your children. Never again will you feel trapped by the expectations of the boss or your formerly inflexible hours. There will suddenly be no limit to what you can earn, and no income ceiling to restrict you.

There is no comparison between the cost of buying a traditional business such as a store or newsagency and the cost of buying into a work at home internet business. The former will usually set you back $100,000 minimum and the latter as little as $1,300. The former requires a huge mortgage, the latter requires no borrowing whatsoever. No wonder work at home businesses are growing exponentially in our modern society.

The maintenance fee on a physical building outlet type business, can be a huge burden to an owner. Leases need to be paid, electricity, phone and water expenses can run high. Then the continual renovating and updating costs can mount as well as those horrid unexpected repair bills. Proprieters are often tearing their hair out at the unstoppable flow out of their account just to keep the doors open. A home based business however, skips nearly all of those crippling costs. In fact, a good proportion of usual home maintenance and running costs can be claimed back on your tax. All of which is money in your pocket.

It seems like it's harder than ever before to find good staff. Even when you do find a suitable, honest, conscientious employee, these days they'll be moving on to the next thing as soon as you've trained them up! No wonder so many feel frustrated and thwarted in their attempts to grow their business. No such worries with home based internet businesses. The only thing working for you need be your computer and telephone, and spouse (if you get on really well!)

What a wonderful lifestyle booster it can be to have flexible work hours where you set the timetable and not a demanding boss. The internet is always open and the best online business programs are the ones that have an automated system that makes money for you when you are sleeping, golfing, shopping meeting with friends over dinner, and dare I say it, holidaying. A work from home business can mean never having to disappoint the kids again by missing a concert, play, school presentation or carnival or sporting event. Memories like those cannot be recaptured or relived. They are one off opportunities that a home online business can present for you.

Most would agree that there's nothing more important than family. Wouldn't it be great to spend more time with your children and to be home when they get home after school. Wouldn't it be an amazing feeling to have your work day completed by the time their school day is completed. It's completely possible. The right internet business can make you an astounding amount of money, even on a part time basis, and can free you up to enjoy your partner and kids.

A work from home business gives you the freedom to be part of the solution in society. Every person I believe should be involved in giving their services in some way to their community in a voluntary capacity in helping the elderly, local youth or school, your church or emergency services. Not only does this create obvious benefits for others, but also has great benefits for our self worth and esteem and is an excellent model for our children who can often think the world revolves around them. Don't ever forget to invest in your community. A huge income from a home online business can also give you a lot more money to donate to worth charities. Be a blessing to those around you.

There are countless benefits to you and your family in managing your own work from home internet business. Too many employees head off to work day after day wishing it was different and battling on under the circumstances. The answer is to get out from under the circumstances and be proactive and do something about it. If you don't take control of your future and finances, someone else will. It's just that they may choose to steer it in a direction that is a dead end and not toward the destination you had in mind. Investing in a well researched home based business puts you in the drivers seat.

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

Several Simple Proven Steps To Obtain A Home Equity Loan

2010-04-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Home Equity Loan offers you a chance to use the equity in your home as a guarantee to borrow money.The term equity refers to the real estate value of your home; of course taking into regard whatever you may owe to mortgage or a loan.

When you are challenged by the urgent payments such as- paying for your education, paying some medical bill, or even renovating your home, you might want to think of getting a Home Equity Loan.This loan is particular about the use of home equity as security for borrowed funds.

Categories of Home Equity Loans are two:The closed-end Home Equity Loan is one, the open-end Home Equity Loan is the other.

Loaning money from a closed end home equity loan is similar to any conventional loan.This practice is similar to a 'second mortgage'.

While closing a closed end Home Equity Loan, the borrower gets the entire loan amount.Over a specified number of months, the borrower pays a specified amount of money back to the lender.

After about 10 years or 15, as may have been specified by the agreement, the borrower should have paid back in full.Suppleness and elasticity are the qualities that accompany the open end type of the Home Equity Loan.

A line of credit, in place of the whole amount, is forwarded to the borrower in this scheme.The amount of money to be borrowed over the equity if his home is decided by the borrower.

As you reflect on Home Equity Loans, you cannot afford to neglect a sufficient amount of research.Be on the look out for lenders who are trying to sell you a loan you can't pay back.You'd be much better off with a lender who is well known or recommended by someone trusted.

A simple search on Wikipedia provides us with this information The borrower initially receives an amount of money from the lender, which they pay back, usually but not always in regular installments, to the lender.

Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org

Home Equity Loans are available to anyone who owns there own home. Certian Home Equity Loans are easier to qualify for than others. Do your homework online to locate the best available loans for you

Michael Joseph Jackson - Life and career

2009-07-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

Life and career

1958–75: Early life and The Jackson 5

Jackson was born the seventh of nine children on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago, to an African American family. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters, Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy.[2]

Jackson had a difficult relationship with his father. He stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, whippings, and name-calling, though he credited his father's discipline for his success.[3] In one altercation recalled by Marlon, Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks".[4] Joseph would also trip or push the boys into walls. One night while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window, wearing a fright mask and screaming. He said he wanted to teach the children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterward, Jackson said he suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his room.[4] Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he had whipped Jackson as a child.[5]

Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey broadcast on February 10, 1993. He said that he had often cried from loneliness and would sometimes throw up when he saw his father. In an interview with Martin Bashir, aired on February 3, 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, he covered his face with his hands and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you".[6][7]

He showed talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates during a Christmas recital at the age of five. In 1964, he and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers — a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine — as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.[2] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.[8]

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, and signed with Motown Records in 1968.[2] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."[9] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] During The Jackson 5's early years, Motown's public relations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old, two years younger than he was, to make him appear cuter and more accessible.[10]

Starting in 1972, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben," and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[11]

1975–81: Move to Epic and Off the Wall

The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records,[11] and renaming themselves The Jacksons.[12] They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Jackson was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel," and "Can You Feel It".[8]

In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz,[13] and it was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall.[14] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.[15]

Jones and Jackson produced the "Off The Wall" album together. At the album's pre-release party, Michael, himself, stated that Little Richard had a "huge influence" on him.[16] Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[17] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[18] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[17] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[19] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[20]

1982–83: Thriller and Motown 25

In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children.[21] That same year Jackson issued his second Epic album, Thriller, which became the most commercially successful album of all time. The album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks and 37 of those weeks at the peak position. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."[22] Thriller was certified for 28 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States.[23] It is the best-selling album of all time, with 110 million copies worldwide.[24] Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of CDs and The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the documentary sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.[25] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item — like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie — and started selling like a household staple."[26]
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Jackson debuts the moonwalk during his performance on Motown 25

Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too".[25] The New York Times wrote that, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[27] On March 25, 1983, he performed live on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special, both with The Jackson 5 and on his own singing "Billie Jean". Debuting his signature dance move, the moonwalk, his performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[28] The New York Times said, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing."[29]

1984–85: Pepsi, We Are the World and business career

Jackson suffered a setback to his health on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial, overseen by executive Philip Dusenberry,[30] at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, he suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. Happening in front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, the incident elicited an outpouring of sympathy. Jackson had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter,[15] and began treatment to hide the scars on his scalp. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, which now has a "Michael Jackson Burn Center".[31]
Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1984

On May 14, 1984, he was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.[32] Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity.[33] He also co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" in 1985 with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief.[34]

While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles "The Girl Is Mine" (1982) and "Say Say Say" (1983), the pair became friendly. McCartney told Jackson about the large amount of money he earned from owning music catalogs; he was earning approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. Jackson subsequently began buying, selling, and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists. In 1985, ATV Music, a music publishing company owning thousands of music copyrights, including the Northern Songs catalogue that contained the majority of the Lennon-McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles, was put up for sale.[35][36] Jackson took an immediate interest in the catalog, but was warned he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, "I don't care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]". Branca contacted McCartney's attorney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding: "It's too pricey". After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, but she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million.[35][37]

1986–87: Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography, and films
See also: Michael Jackson's health and appearance

Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the early 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he was bleaching his skin.[38] According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale.[39] The structure of his face changed too: several surgeons speculated that he had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery.[40]

He lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body."[41] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life.[42] Some medical professionals have said he was suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer dislikes his appearance and has no concept of how he is viewed by others.[39] He had a fourth rhinoplasty in 1986, and had a cleft put in his chin.[15][43]
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, here in the early stages of the disease

He became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, The National Enquirer published a series of photographs of him lying in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, claiming that he slept in the chamber to slow the aging process.[44] When Jackson bought a chimpanzee called Bubbles from a laboratory, it was reported as an example of increasing detachment from reality.[45] In 2003, the singer claimed that Bubbles had been trained to use the toilet and to clean his own bedroom.[44] Later, it was reported that he had offered $1 million for the bones of Joseph Merrick, the "Elephant Man."[46] The reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname "Wacko Jacko," which was commonly shortened to "Jacko" in tabloid headlines. Despite Jackson's insistence that the reports were completely invented, a biographer said in 2004 that Jackson's publicists had leaked the rumors to the press for promotional reasons.[47] Jackson remarked to a reporter:

Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth."[48]

Jackson wore a gold-plated military style jacket with belt in the Bad era.

Jackson starred in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted in Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994.[49] With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.[50] It had lower sales than Thriller, but was still a substantial commercial success, spawning seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, more than any other album.[51] As of 2008, the album had sold 30 million copies worldwide.[52]

In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video.[53] The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989.[54] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.[55] He broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further Guinness World Record when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free, and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages, and other charities.[54]

1988–90: Autobiography, changing appearance, and Neverland

In 1988, Jackson released his first autobiography, Moon Walk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies.[56] Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered.[57] He also spoke of his plastic surgery, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin.[41] He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting.[41] Moon Walk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list.[58] The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage and music videos that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. Moonwalker debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.[59]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater on the 2,700-acre (11 km2) property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million.[9][60] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone.[61] Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union.[59]

His success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop". The honorific was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with an "Artist of the Decade" award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[62] President George H. W. Bush presented him with The White House's special "Artist of the Decade."[63] From 1985 to 1990, he donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[64][65] Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination.[59]

1991–93: Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII

In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[60] He released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous had shipped seven million copies in the U.S. and had sold 32 million copies worldwide; it is the most successful new jack swing album of all time.[66][67][68] In the United States, the album's first single "Black or White" was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide.[69] The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[70] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals.[71] In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.[70]

Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. The Dangerous World Tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. All profits from the concerts went to the "Heal the World Foundation", raising millions of dollars in relief.[70][72] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[73] Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.[74][75]

In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.[76] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable reception of more than 100,000 people in "spiritual bedlam", some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael".[76] In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief.[76] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[76]

One of Jackson's most acclaimed performances came during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. As the performances began, Jackson was catapulted onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for several minutes while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and began to sing and dance. His routine included four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.[38]

Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.[70]

1993: First child sexual abuse allegations
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million, becoming the fourth most-viewed non-sport program in U.S. history. It also increased awareness of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release.[38][7][70]

In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Evan Chandler, a dentist.[77] A year after Jackson met the boy, under the influence of sodium amytal, a controversial sedative, Jordan told his father that Jackson had touched his penis.[78] The father was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, where he said, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over".[79] He and Jackson engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to reach a financial settlement; the negotiations were initiated by Chandler but Jackson did make several counter offers. Jordan told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer's genitals.[80]

An official investigation began, with Jordan's mother adamant that there was no wrongdoing on Jackson's part. Neverland Ranch was searched; and multiple children and family members denied that Jackson was a pedophile,[80] though his image took a further hit when his older sister, La Toya, accused him of being a pedophile, a statement she later retracted.[81] Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted by police and doctors at his ranch, required to see if a description provided by Jordan of Jackson's genitals was accurate. Doctors concluded there were strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match.[81] His friends said he never recovered from the humiliation. He described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence.[77]

The tabloids painted him in an extremely unfavorable light.[82] Complaints about them included bias against Jackson, paying for stories about alleged criminal activity, and buying leaked confidential material from the police investigation.[83] On January 1, 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million, after which Jordan stopped co-operating regarding criminal proceedings. Jackson was never charged, and the state closed its criminal investigation, citing lack of evidence.[84]

1994: First marriage
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley on May 26, 1994.

In May 1994, Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They had first met in 1975 during one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993.[82] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As the child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Presley for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs.[85] Presley explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it."[86] In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional.[85] Shortly afterwards, she persuaded him to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover.[85] Jackson proposed to Presley over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?"[85] They married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy, denying it for nearly two months afterwards.[87] The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active".[88] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image.[87] Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later, remaining friendly.[89]

1995–97: HIStory
One of many identical statues, positioned throughout Europe to promote HIStory. The statue illustrates the singer's flamboyant clothing and hair style, influenced by military imagery.

In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs.[36][90] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits – HIStory Vol. I in 2001, while the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US.[91] It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[69][92] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for best album.[93]

The first single released from the album was the double A-side "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[93] "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".[93] In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress related panic attack.[94] "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK.[93] The HIStory World Tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans. The show, which visited five continents and 35 countries, became Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures.[54]

1996–99: Second marriage and fatherhood

During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married dermatology nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe on November 14, 1996 in an impromptu ceremony close to his Sydney hotel room. She bore him two children: a son, Prince, and a daughter, Paris.[89][95] Rowe and Jackson first met in the mid-1980s, when Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo. She spent many years treating his illness as well as providing emotional support. They built a strong friendship, then became romantically involved.[96] Originally there were no plans to marry, but following Rowe's first pregnancy, Jackson's mother intervened and persuaded them to do so.[97] Jackson later claimed that he was in such a rush to leave the hospital with daughter Paris in 1998 because he was worried to hear any bad news like the time of Prince's birth when he was told that the baby wasn't breathing correctly.[98] The couple divorced in 1999, and remained friends, with Rowe giving full custody of the children to Jackson.[99]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies as of 2007, making it the best selling remix album ever released. It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track.[100][101] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24.[66][93] Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[60]

Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization War Child, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[102] Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana Chandrakumar, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross and UNESCO.[103]

2000–03: Label dispute, Invincible and third child

In 2000, Jackson was listed in the book of Guinness World Records for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality.[104] At the time, Jackson was waiting for the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him; this allowed him to promote his old material how he liked and prevented Sony from getting a cut of the profit. Jackson expected this to occur early in the new millennium; however, due to various clauses in the contract, this revert date is still many years away. Jackson began an investigation, and it emerged that the attorney who represented the singer in the deal was also representing Sony, creating a conflict of interest.[101] Jackson was also concerned about another conflict of interest. For a number of years, Sony had been pushing to buy all of Jackson's share in their music catalog venture. If Jackson's career or financial situation were to deteriorate, he would have to sell his catalog. Thus, Sony had something to gain from Jackson's career failing.[105] Jackson was able to use these conflicts as leverage to exit his contract early.[101] Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was leaving Sony.[101] As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were canceled. Jackson made allegations in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain.[101] He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[106] Sony disputed claims that they had failed to promote Invincible with sufficient energy, maintaining that Jackson refused to tour in the US.[107]

Six years after his last studio album and after spending much of the late 1990s out of the public eye, Jackson released Invincible in October 2001 to much anticipation. To help promote the album, a special 30th Anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden occurred in September 2001 to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984.[108] The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists.[109] In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert was aired on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[105] Invincible was a commercial success, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 10 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US.[66][69][105] However, the sales for Invincible were notably low compared to his previous releases, due in part to a diminishing pop music industry, the lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute.[105] The album spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video.

Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born in 2002.[110] The mother's identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm cells.[99] In November of that year, Jackson brought his newborn son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, as fans stood below. Holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face, Jackson briefly extended the baby over the railing of the balcony, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[111] Sony released a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.[66][112]

2003–05: Second child sexual abuse allegations
Further information: Living with Michael Jackson and People v. Jackson
Fans show their support for Jackson after he is accused of child molestation in 2003.

In a series of interviews with Martin Bashir, broadcast in 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, 13, who later accused him of sexual abuse.[113] Shortly after the documentary aired, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in relation to Arvizo.[113]

Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in nature. Elizabeth Taylor defended him, saying she had been there when they were in the bed. "There was nothing abnormal about it," she told Larry King. "There was no touchy-feely going on. We laughed like children and we watched a lot of Walt Disney. There was nothing odd about it."[114] During the investigation, Jackson was examined by mental health professional Dr. Stan Katz, who spent several hours with the accuser too. Katz said Jackson was a regressed 10-year-old, and did not fit the profile of a pedophile.[115]

During the two years between the charges and the trial, Jackson reportedly became dependent on pethidine (Demerol), and lost a lot of weight. The People v. Jackson began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted five months, until the end of May. Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[116][117][118] After the trial, he relocated to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[119]

2006–09: Final years
Michael Jackson with his children in Disneyland Paris, 2006

Reports of financial problems for Jackson became frequent in 2006 after the closure of the main house on the Neverland Ranch as a cost-cutting measure.[120] One prominent financial issue concerned a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings. After delayed repayments on the loan, a refinancing package shifted the loans from Bank of America to debt specialists Fortress Investments. A new package proposed by Sony would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake).[90] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal, although details were not made public.[121] Despite these loans, according to Forbes, Jackson was still making as much as $75 million a year from his publishing partnership with Sony alone.[122]

Jackson was awarded the Diamond Award on November 15, 2006, for selling over 100 million albums, at the World Music Awards.[69] Following the death of James Brown, Jackson returned to the U.S. to pay tribute during Brown's public funeral on December 30, 2006.[123] In late 2006, he agreed to share joint custody of his first two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe.[124] Jackson and Sony bought Famous Music LLC from Viacom in 2007. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.[125]

I've been in the entertainment industry since I was six-years-old... As Charles Dickens says, "It's been the best of times, the worst of times." But I would not change my career... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me.[126]
—Michael Jackson

The 25th anniversary of Thriller was marked by the release of Thriller 25, which added the previously unreleased song "For All Time" and re-mixes. Two remixes were released as singles to moderate success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008". Thriller 25 sold well as a re-issue, peaking at number one in eight countries and Europe.[127][128][129] In 12 weeks Thriller 25 sold over three million copies worldwide.[130] To celebrate Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of compilation albums called King of Pop.[131][132] King of Pop did reach the top 10 in most countries where it was issued, and also sold well as an import in other countries.[133][134]

Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra $35 million from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was.[135][136][137]

Prior to his death, Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 sell out concerts to over one million people, at London's O2 arena. The concerts would have commenced on July 13, 2009 and finished on March 6, 2010. According to Jackson's website, ticket sales for the concerts broke several records. During a prior press conference, Jackson made suggestions of possible retirement.[138] Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live stated that the first 10 dates alone would earn the singer approximately £50 million.[139]

Death and memorial
Main articles: Death of Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson memorial service

On June 25, 2009, Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by his personal physician were unsuccessful.[140] Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 p.m. (PDT), arriving three minutes later at Jackson's location.[141][142] He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed.[143] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for an hour after arriving there at 1:13 p.m. (20:13 UTC).[140] He was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. local time (21:26 UTC).[144][145]

The memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Jackson's casket was present during the memorial but no information was released about the final disposition of the body. While some unofficial reports claimed a worldwide audience as high as one billion people [146] the U.S. audience was estimated by Nielson to be 31.1 million, an amount comparable to the estimated 35.1 million that watched the 2004 burial of President Ronald Reagan, and the estimated 33.1 Americans who watched the 1997 funeral for Princess Diana [147].

Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi sang at the event. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read, "We had him," a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou.[148] The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation when he told Jackson's children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your Daddy. It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[149] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Katherine, cried as she told the crowd, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him ... so much."[150]

Posthumous career

Following the death of Michael Jackson there was an air among fans and colleagues that much of his pre-recorded music should and would be released.[151] This feeling turned into reality when on July 16, 2009, following confirmation by the president of Epic Records,[152] a snippet of music known as "A Place With No Name" was leaked by TMZ.com.[153][154]

Musical style and performance

Influences

Jackson's music genre takes roots in Motown's music: R&B, pop and soul. He has been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as James Brown its "master", Jackie Wilson as an great entertainer, Little Richard for its influence, Diana Ross for vocal techniques and the Bee Gees for their brilliant and great music[155].

While Little Richard had a huge influence on Jackson,[156], James Brown was for him and since early childhood, its greatest inspiration: "the master" or "a genius" especially when he was playing with its group, the Famous Flames, qualifying its performance of "phenomenal". He declared: "Ever since I was a small child, no more than like six years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work. And when I saw him move, I was mesmerized. I had never seen a performer perform like James Brown, and right then and there I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of James Brown"[157].

At first, the young Michael Jackson owes his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. In October 1969, it was decided that Michael lived with Diana Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, he often observed her in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later confessed: "I got to know her well. She taught me so much. I used to just sit in the corner and watch the way she moved. She was art in motion. I studied the way she moved, the way she sang - just the way she was." He told her: 'I want to be just like you, Diana'. She said: 'You just be yourself.'"[158]. But Michael especially owned his oooh's from Diana Ross. At first, Michael almost always punctuated his verses of oooh. Not a long oooh but rather a sudden exclamation. Diana Ross used this effect on many of the songs recorded with the The Supremes, and young Michael was delighted to take ownership[159].

Themes and genres

Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres.[160] As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno and house-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar.[9]

Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder; when recording he would sing from memory.[15][161] Several critics observed Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco-pop, soul, soft rock, jazz and pop ballads.[160][162][163] Prominent examples include the ballad "She's out of My Life", and the two disco tunes "Workin' Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor".[162]

According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[160] Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[160][164][165][166] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[166] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[165] In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers.[160] In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[166] The anti-gang violence rock song "Beat It" became a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[9][160] He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years.[160] In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[160]

"Thriller"
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One of Jackson's signature pieces, "Thriller", released as a single in 1984, utilizes cinematic sound effects, horror film motifs and vocal trickery to convey a sense of danger.[14]
"Smooth Criminal"
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A single from the album Bad, released 1988, "Smooth Criminal" features digital drum sounds, keyboard-created bass lines and other percussion elements designed to give the impression of a pulsing heart.[167]
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[168] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution.[50] "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[50] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a stark paradoxical individual.[169] He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World".[169] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time".[170] The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs.[170] Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts like "In the Closet", a love song about desire and denial, risk and repression, solitude and connection, privacy and revelation.[170] The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire.[170] The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson finally opening up about various personal struggles and worries.[170] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[171]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[172] Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media.[173] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces.[172][173] In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not — shall we say — done him the honor of listening to it, but I’ve been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot".[174] Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins.[160] It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip hop, pop and rap in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[175][176]

Vocal style

Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably, either through puberty or a personal preference to align his vocal interpretation to the themes and genres he chose to express. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to androgynous high tenor.[177] In early 1973, the singer adopted a "vocal hiccup", first heard in the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from the Jackson 5's G.I.T.: Get It Together album.[178] Although, Jackson did not employ the hiccup fully until the recording of Off the Wall; its usage can be seen in full force in the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video. The purpose of the hiccup—somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping—was to help promote a certain emotion, be it excitement, sadness or fear.[11] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Allmusic described him as a "blindingly gifted vocalist".[162] At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly".[163] 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone were of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[166]

Michael Jackson - "Black or White"
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The lead single from Dangerous, "Black or White" was one of Jackson's most successful songs. The single has been described as a hard rock or rock 'n' roll dance song.[179][180][181] It contains many features of Jackson's vocal style, including the vocal hiccup he is known for.

The release of "Bad" in 1987 displayed gritty lead vocals on the verse and lighter tones employed on the chorus.[14] A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him.[182] The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous; here Jackson used his vocals to intensify the split themes and genres described earlier. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone".[170] When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[170] "In the Closet" contained heavy breathing and a loop of five scat-sung syllables, whereas in the album's title track, Jackson performs a spoken rap.[167][170] When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[183] Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".[167]

Music videos and choreography

Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers.[160] According to director Vincent Paterson, who collaborated with the singer on several music videos, Jackson conceptualized many of the darker, bleak themes in his filmography.[184]
US patent 5255452, filed by Jackson, described the anti-gravity lean used in the music video for "Smooth Criminal".

Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[185] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition.[186] MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race.[187] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.[186][188] Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated.[189] The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines.[190] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[61]

In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. While he has described this as "choreography," it garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles.[47][191] For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452.[192] Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[59]

The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor.[70] "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video.[69] It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized.[193] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.[194]
Jackson and sister Janet angrily retaliate against the media for misrepresenting them to the public. The acclaimed video for "Scream" was shot primarily in black and white, and at a cost of $7 million.

"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine.[195] The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.[70]

The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[196] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993.[197] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.[93][198]

"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, wars ends, and the forests re-grow.[93][199] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.[93][101][200][201]

Legacy and influence

Records and awards
See also: Records and achievements of Michael Jackson and List of awards received by Michael Jackson
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, set in 1984

Jackson had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world. He broke down racial barriers, transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country. Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced scores of hip hop, pop and R&B artists, including Mariah Carey,[202] Usher,[203] Britney Spears,[202] Justin Timberlake[105] and R. Kelly.[167] For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.[204]

Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[109][205] He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.[109] His awards include multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone), 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sale of over 750 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist.[21][61][69][206][207][208]
Queues for a Michael Jackson concert in West Berlin in June 1988

He was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[160] In the mid-1980s, Time described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley".[25] By 1990, Vanity Fair had already cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business.[59] Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley called him an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius".[209] In late 2007, Jackson said the following of his work and future influence, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever."[210]

His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars.[60][211] This speculation however is contradicted by financial documents obtained by the Associated Press, which showed that as of March 31, 2007, Jackson's 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog (his most prized asset) was worth $390.6 million and Michael Jackson’s net worth was $236 million.[212]. As one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for four decades[69][213].

Charities and world actions
See also: Heal the World Foundation

With the songs: We are the world, to collect funds to fight against the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia ; Heal the World, unrest child denunciation ; Man in the Mirror, love and peace call, which clip shows greatest Xx th century moments and world poverty denunciation, all of its profits donated to charity ; Gone Too Soon, homage song to Ryan White, young AIDS victim ; Earth Song, pop-gospel hymn against environment destruction ; Jackson resolutely publicly engaged in humanitarian and philanthropist activities. He donated millions of dollars to 39 known charities, and also raised money through his own Heal the World Foundation[214]. This Foundation, which Michael founded in 1992, will continue operation as a means of preserving Michael's legacy as a humanitarian.

After his hair burn accident, Jackson threatened to sue PepsiCo but backed off when the company settled out of court for $1.5 million[215], to donate to the Brotman Medical Center, where he received treatment for his burns. Later, after Brotman was able to get the best available technology for treating burn victims, the hospital burn ward was subsequently named the "Michael Jackson Burn Center" to honor his generous contribution. After he attended the Ryan White's funeral, Jackson pleaded with the Clinton Administration for more funding for HIV/AIDS charities and research.

Among some of the most notorious donations are: $500,000 were donated to the United Negro College Fund ; all Dangerous World Tour concerts profits were donated to various charities and to the Heal the World Foundation ; he donated his $5 million share from the Victory World Tour's profits to charity. For each of the seven sold out shows at Wembley Stadium, Jackson invited underprivileged children to the shows and donated to hospitals, orphanages and other charities ; in June 1999, proceeds from a series of benefit concerts in Germany and Korea were donated to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross and Unesco. On 2001, October 21, he showed his support after the September 11 attacks in helping organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert and sang What More Can I Give[216].

At his memorial service, Sheila Jackson-Lee politician showed a resolution 600 named "Honoring an American legend and musical icon" to recognize Jackson "as a global humanitarian and a noted leader in the fight against worldwide hunger and medical crises", but it was later dismissed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi[217]. During and after the memorial, a lot of closest relatives (like Jermaine, his brother and Liz Taylor) and some other superstars described him as a wonderful "human being".
“ As much as my brother achieved in the music industry, he was a wonderful human being and a wonderful humanitarian […] My brother, he was well-versed in just knowing what was most important and that's giving back ... to make the world a much better place. ”

—Jermaine Jackson [1]

Happenings
See also: Moonwalk (dance), Thrill the World, and Thriller (viral video)

Jackson influenced the world through his Thriller dance and the Moonwalk steps. The Moonwalk dance became his signature move, and is now one of the best-known dance techniques in the world. Thrill the World is an annual international dance event reproducing the Thriller clip zombie dance. A viral video featuring the dancing inmates of a high security penitentiary is known over the Internet. Even posthumously, these spontaneous fan events occurred to pay tribute to its music.

Mumbaikars tell Govt: Enough is enough, act now

2008-12-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

Mumbai: Young and old, couples and widows, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, the rich and the poor… Thousands of angry Indians gathered at strategic locations across Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and other cities here on Wednesday to mourn those slaughtered in the terror attacks and to vent their anger at the country's political establishment.
Waving Indian flags of all sizes, holding banners big and small lampooning politicians and screaming “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogans, men and women walking in the shadow of the Taj hotel - where commandos cut down terrorists to end three days and nights of mayhem - hit out at politicians for failing to provide security to ordinary people.
It was biggest gathering in India's financial hub since terrorists struck at 10 places on the night of Nov 26 and went on to massacre 161 Indians and 22 foreigners and injure more than 300 in the most audacious terror strike in the country.
By evening, the police were estimating the sea of people at several thousands - a spontaneous show of citizen power and mass homage to the innocents gunned down in cold blood by terrorists who India says came from Pakistan by boat. There were also a few foreigners - men as well as women.
The Mumbai demonstration coincided with similar angry protests across India - in Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Noida and Jaipur.

Placards speak
“Love All, Hate None” - read one cardboard banner carried by a young man. “The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing,” read another. Yet another with a woman showed mug shots of “most hated politicians,” Chief Ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh of Maharashtra and V.S. Achuthanandan of Kerala.
A young woman, seemingly from a rich family, stretched out both her hands to hold a black banner saying, “I would prefer a dog to visit our house, than a politician.”
The reference was to Achuthanandan's widely denounced remark that even a dog would not visit the Bangalore house of slain commando Sandeep Unnikrishnan had the man not died fighting terrorists at the Taj hotel, close to the Gateway of India monument.

One huge cloth banner in black had a giant Ashok Chakra logo besides the now famous “Yes We Can!” Another was defiant: “No Security, No Taxes!”

Simmering anger
Most protestors railed at politicians. Others silently placed flowers and bouquets on the ground close to the Gateway of India. And as it began to get dark, hundreds of candles were lit - in memory of the dead.
“There is something wrong with the system, with this khichri (coalition) government we have,” an elderly Muslim man told reporters. A young man added: “We must teach a lesson to politicians.”
A middle-aged man shouted into a mike held by a television reporter: “These politicians need to be shot dead. They should be flogged. They have taken us for granted. Why should we tolerate them?”
Among those in the crowds were sports stars and showbiz personalities. Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev said of terrorism: “We have to fight it out. We have to express solidarity with the victims.”
There was also anger against Pakistan, which has denied all connections with the Mumbai killers. “Time to make Pakistan history,” threatened one banner.
A Sikh trader was emphatic that terrorism can be defeated. "If it can be overcome in Punjab, it can be done in Mumbai also."

Disenchanted Delhiites

In Delhi more than 500 people from all walks of life gathered at the Jantar Mantar to voice their anguish and demanded change in politicians' attitude.
“We have a reactive government, not a proactive one,” said a poster held by a demonstrator. “We will do away with the dogs,” said another.
A visibly furious Shruti Seth said: “The citizens of this country have simply had enough of the rhetoric. We need some action immediately." “This time we will not let this movement die down as is usually the case after such incidents. This is an attack on the nation and we have run out of patience,” said Seth, an artist.
Alvira Shah, another protester, said: “We should boycott voting altogether."
“The parliamentarians have to realise that the hundreds of us gathered here have the capability to shake them off their seats! We will not pipe down unless we see some concrete action being taken,” Shah added.

Popular patriotism

They sang inspirational and patriotic songs like “Hum Honge Kamiyab” (We Shall Overcome) and national song “Vande Mataram” and also discussed the need for police reforms and better security at the seas and international borders.
Most protesters had come together through social networking sites like Orkut or Facebook. They pledged to form a community through which they'll be constantly in touch and put together such demonstrations regularly.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

Cheap Car Insurance

2008-02-20T09:18:00.001-08:00

One of the vehicles that is liked by people around the world are cars. A position that they have been elevated to from decades. And why not, cars are one machine that relieves one from the hassles of commuting and also add tremendously to ones status symbol as well. However, there is one problem with cars. They come at extremely high price. It is because of this that for most people the dream of owning a car can materialise only if they opt for loans. Imagine, therefore, what happens if one's dream possession faces some damage. Needless to say that people would have to cough up huge amount to get the car repaired. It can be to the extent that a middle class household can actually get shaken by this sudden expense. It is here that cheap car insurance steps in and ensures that people are relieved from spending a single penny for the repair as insurance companies do that for their clients.

It is a wonderful thinking on part of insurance companies as in this era of rising prices it is not easy to tackle any expense which arises without notice. All that people need to do is to get their car insured to reap the benefits.

However, to gain from cheap car insurance people would do well to take care of a few things. First of all they must ensure that the policy comes to life as soon as it is signed, secondly it should also be seen whether the car is priced fairly. In addition to it people must also see that they do not provide any wrong information to the insurance company as well as the fact that there is no default from their side on monthly premiums.

A slight observance of these points on part of people would ensure that cheap car insurance goes a long way in helping people fight such a calamity as car damage as and when it takes place.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/cheap-car-insurance-top-security-at-minimum-price-337674.html

Life Insurance for Children

2008-02-20T09:13:00.001-08:00

As a parent, the last thing you want to think about is that one of your children might die. However, accidents and illnesses do happen, and many parents feel buying life insurance for children provides the family an extra level of protection. Here's how to get the best rate on children's life insurance.

Protecting Your Family

Most people buy life insurance to replace a breadwinner’s income. While few children earn an income, buying a policy for them offers several other benefits:

* It allows you to lock in an inexpensive rate for your children, making life insurance more affordable for them as adults.

* It guarantees that your children will have life insurance as adults if they develop an illness and become uninsurable.

* If you buy a whole life policy, you can begin building a financial nest egg for your children that they can draw on as adults to go to college, buy a home, or for other financial needs.

* It provides financial protection so the family will not be overwhelmed by medical bills and funeral expenses at an emotionally trying time.

Finding the Best Rate on Children’s Life Insurance

You may get the best rate on life insurance for a child by adding a rider to your own policy. If this isn’t an option, you can begin looking at other insurance companies.

The easiest way to compare rates from various companies is to log onto the Internet and go to an insurance comparison website. While there you'll complete a simple online questionnaire, after which you'll receive quotes from multiple A-rated companies.

The best comparison websites also have a chat feature with insurance professionals on hand to answer your questions and help you get the best rate (see link below.)

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/life-insurance.html or click on the following link to get children's life insurance rate quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/life-insurance-for-children-where-to-get-the-best-rate-337334.html

Home Insurance

2008-02-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

One of the dreams fostered by people around the world is to own a home for themselves. A place where they can raise their families away from the gaze of the world. House is special because lots of sentiments and memories are attached with it which makes it so very special. However, it is one dream that is indeed difficult to fulfill because of the cost involved. Such is the expense involved in owning a house that for a huge population it can be achieved only if they opt for loans. And they are the ones who are the worst sufferers in case the house faces some damage. It is to help all such people that home insurance was devised.

It is a wonderful thought by insurance companies and provides ultimate security to one's home. No wonder almost everyone in UK goes for it, for if tragedy strikes, then people, particularly those belonging to the middle class strata of society might find paying on two fronts - one on repayment of loans and other on repair of the house - very difficult. It is to help all such people that such a service prove instrumental.

However, to gain from home insurance people would do well to take care of a few points. First of all people must ensure that the policy comes to life as soon as it is signed. Then, people should also ensure that their house is priced fairly. It is also imperative that no wrong information is paid to the insurance company as well as the fact that there is no default on monthly premiums.

Efforts like these would ensure that home insurance provides that ultimate security cover to your dream possession and arm you with a potent weapon to fight such a time when your dream possession has faced some serious damage.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/home-insurance-safeguarding-your-home-337752.html

Directors and Officers Insurance

2008-02-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

This kind of insurance is taken to provide adequate security to directors and officers of a company in case they got sued by shareholders, creditors, competitors, and consumers for any omission, fraud, cheat, and other event in concern with that company. This particular type of insurance has been introduced to safeguard the interests of directors and officers of a company in case they are accused of errors and omissions in their normal course of working.

Also known as D&O insurance, this type of insurance protects directors and officers of any unforeseen financial liability. It will also include other insurance like Employment Practices Liability and at extent Fiduciary Liability.

Insurance for directors is often misinterpreted with Errors & Omissions Liability which is an incorrect concept. Directors officers insurance is major deals with negligence and omission in daily performance of a person whereas Error & Omission Liability concerned with lack in providing adequate service in terms of products and services. In normal situations, companies take such insurance protection while in some companies both directors and company share the responsibility of paying off the premium.

Where to Find Directors & Officers Insurance?
There are many insurance companies and institutions where you can find adequate protection policy to secure your company’s directors and officers. Companies having a full-fledged board of director usually sought for such insurance policy to protect their personnel.

Need for Directors and Officers Insurance
Such insurance is necessary for dealing with the claims of stockholders, employees, and clients. There will be cases, when directors are to be blamed for improper running of the company’s function and duties.

It is important because investors and board members will be unwilling to risk their personal wealth and assets to provide adequate compensation in the company. It safeguards the officers and directors from all such miss happenings and keeps them tranquil for life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/directors-and-officers-insurance-337807.html

Manufactured Homeowners Insurance

2007-12-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

How to Get Cheap Manufactured Homeowners Insurance

What Manufactured Homeowners Insurance Covers

Manufactured homeowners insurance includes the following coverages:
* It pays to repair or replace your manufactured home when it's been damaged by vandalism, fire, smoke, burst water pipes, or acts of nature. It also covers your garage, storage shed, and other unattached buildings.
* It pays to replace your personal belongings such as clothes, appliances, furniture, electronics, and tools, when they've been damaged by fire, vandalism, burst water pipes, smoke, or acts of nature.
* It pays for the additional living expenses you may incur, such as hotel, motel, and restaurant bills, when your home is being repaired and you need to live elsewhere.
* It pays your legal fees, court costs, and court-awarded damages when you're held liable for injuring someone.
* It pays for damages to your mobile home if those damages occur when it's being driven to a new location.

Types of Manufactured Homeowners Coverage ::
There are two types of mobile home coverage:
1. Cash value coverage which pays to repair or replace your home minus a deduction for depreciation.
2. Replacement cost coverage which pays to repair or replace your home without any deduction for depreciation.

Getting Cheap Manufactured Homeowners Insurance ::
The best way to get cheap manufactured homeowners insurance is to comparison shop. And the easiest way to do that is to visit an insurance comparison website where you can compare rates from a number of companies and pick the cheapest one (see link below).
To lower your insurance rate even further make sure you get the highest deductible you can afford, and get all the discounts you're eligible for. Some common discounts include:
* A discount for having a newer manufactured home
* A discount for having security devices - burglar alarms, dead-bolt locks
* A discount for having safety devices - smoke detectors, fire extinguisher
* A discount for having your auto and manufactured home insurance with the same company

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/homeowners-insurance.html or click on the following link to get manufactured homeowners insurance rate quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/how-to-get-cheap-manufactured-homeowners-insurance-273513.html

Perfect for Every Occasion

2007-08-24T04:45:00.001-07:00

Whether you are planning a special occasion for your true love or you just have a hobby of collecting silk flowers, then you have taste, and for that you must be applauded. Silk flowers make the most beautiful flower arrangements and you need not worry about the flowers dying on you. They can add character to any dull room, and with the variety of different colors they can brighten up a table. The fabric last and the only cleaning you will probably have to do it wiping the dust off the leaves. These flowers make beautiful bouquets, and with your creativity you can send a bouquet to a special person in your life…or even to say thank you to someone that has just highlighted your day with just a simple smile or a few words of inspiration. This is also a great way if you want to keep your home full of flowers. Think about it, you won't have to water flowers again, or if you have always had the habit of forgetting to water flowers – worrying about the poor things dying of thirst. Don't think that because they are artificial that they are going to look artificial. Like fresh flowers that need to be replaced after a few days or a few weeks, silk flowers keep their beauty and color time and time again, and the nice thing is that the artificial flowers can be made to look like fresh flowers. You will probably get questions like, "Where did you get these beautiful flowers?" and "They have been here so long. What are you feeding them that keep their color and freshness?" Obviously it will be up to you to give the secret away, or you could just leave them in suspense about how beauty finds its way into your home and stays there for as long as you want them there. If you see a certain silk flower that you just love, take notice of it so that you can look for it when you're planning a special event. There's many places online that also offer a good selection of silk flowers, so check online too.
This article is free for republishingSource:

http://www.a1articles.com/article_206024_21.html

The Fun, Free and Easy Way.

2007-08-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

The absolute easiest, fastest and free way to start making money on the internet is by becoming an affiliate and promoting someone else's product. With affiliate programs, you don't need to spend months on research, hard work and money just to create your own product.
You don't need to create your own website...
You don't need to write your own sales copy...
You don't need to do any customer service...
and you don't need any experience!
All you do is simply choose a product,
sign up as an affiliate and start promoting.

But... there can be some problems...
You must take action on what you have learnt and follow it through, right to the very end! and... You must not get diverted and sweep off your feet with the promise of instant over night riches and money making schemes because there simply is no such thing!
You will be wasting your money and your time which will eventually lead to total information overload, frustration, confusion and disappointment.
How do I know? Because it happened to me!!!
Sorry to be so blunt..... But It's the truth :-)

It is very important that once you have chosen your affiliate program
to promote, that you get it fully set up and focus daily on marketing, promotion and advertising. You can be promoting the best program and have the greatest systemsetup in the world but if you don't have any visitors... you won't make any sales!

You also need to believe in yourself and your product and don't give up. It may not happen over night but it will happen. Focus first, on one affiliate program only and work on promoting it every day until it makes a good profit. Then, go find another suitable affiliate program and give that your best effort also.

Try to choose quality products and services that you can promote
passionately! The best products and services to promote are of course, those that you are using or have used personally.
Your prospects will be able to sense your sincerity from your experience and confidence with the product.This will also greatly enhance your credibility as well as your product's marketability.

With the right mindset, the right actions and perseverance...
your dreams really will come true!

Luana Andrew is a Successful Online Affiliate Marketer with
over 3 years Experience. Visit her site today to learn how
you can Make Money Online The Fun, Free and Easy Way.
http://www.makemoneyjobs.com
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.a1articles.com/article_205443_80.html

Data Backup Media

2007-08-24T04:35:00.000-07:00

One of the most commonly used media for creating a back up is the CD.

CDs

CDs are inexpensive and transferring data unto them is easy. They are portable too. Portability of a media entails the advantage of placing it off site. Their storing capacity ranges from 650 to 700 MB and the data transfer rate is high. Above all, they are not susceptible to magnets.

But, if you are using an older version of the computer, you might have to install a CD burner and this is expensive. Though, they have life span of a decade, regular usage damages them. And, scratched CDs fail to work.

Another media that is easily comparable to a CD is the DVD.

DVDs

DVDs share almost all the advantages and disadvantages of CDs; however they have a comparatively longer life span ranging from 30 to 100 years. This feature along with their large storing capacity makes them good for archival purpose. They are also inexpensive and portable.

Though they are portable, they cannot be used in all computers. For, they can be run only if the computer has a DVD burner and its installation is expensive.

If you do not have a CD or DVD burner you can think about using the magnetic tape.

Magnetic Tapes

These look similar to the audio or video cassette. They are inexpensive and their storing capacity ranges from a few MB to 800GB. Their data retention capacity is for 30 years. But, the draw back encountered while retrieving data is that it takes time to roll the tape to reach a particular part of the data. For, it allows only sequential access of data unlike hard drives that allow random access.

External Hard Drives

Hard drives retain data for a decade and a half and their failure rate is comparatively lower than a few other storage media. They can store a large amount of data with capacities ranging from 40 to 250GB. Being easy to use they just have to be plugged in to the computer’s USB port using a cord. They are also portable.

But, they have a few inherent disadvantages. They have to be handled carefully. They get damaged when dropped or placed near magnets.

However, one storage media that remains undamaged by magnets is the USB flash drive also known as pen drive, memory stick, thumb drive, etc.

USB Flash
Magnets fail to affect their file retention capacity. They are inexpensive and portable. They can be easily used; they have to be just plugged in the computer. Their data transfer rate is quite high. A USB 1.0 transfers 1.5 to 12 MB/sec and a USB 2.0 has a data transfer rate of 480 MB/sec.

But a USB 2.0 is expensive and they are so small that they might get easily misplaced.

USB flash is a modern invention and is slowly turning popular. Another back up device that is not as modern is the floppy disk.

Floppy Disks

Floppy disks are in existence since the last 2 to 3 decades. But, they have now turned obsolete due to their low storing capacity of just 1.44 MB and short life span. They are at best used for transporting data as they are portable and inexpensive and every computer has hardware to use it.

Zip Disk
A popularly accepted modern version of the floppy is the zip disk. But, they can only be used in a zip drive and its installation is expensive. However, they are less expensive, easy to use and their longer life span of a decade makes them ideal for archival purpose. They are quite durable.

The durability of every back up media depends upon the manner it is handled and stored. Any back up media should be placed in a cool and dry location away from direct sunlight. Placing them near magnetic fields or dust prone areas damages them.

Whatever be the back up media that is used, all effort would be a total waste, if the created back up is not regularly updated. Moreover, the media should be placed offsite. This would protect data against natural disasters that are all encompassing in their magnitude. And, a final word of caution. Encryption of the created back up prevents data theft.

So Many Ideas, So Little Action.

2007-08-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Make Money Online--So Many Ideas, So Little Action.

I was in Starbucks this morning. As I was leaving with my coffee, I looked over and saw a friend sitting at a table. He had his lap top open. He saw me and invited me to sit down. I hadn't seen this friend in six months.

"How's it going?" I asked.

"Great. I'm working on my internet businesses."

I noticed he said 'businesses' plural. "You have more then one business going?" I asked.

"No, none of them are up and running yet, he said sheepishly, "but I have alot of ideas."

I knew where he was coming from. I was there myself at one time. "How many business ideas do you have right now?"

"About 15."

"Have you taken action and worked on any of them yet?"

"No, no. Not yet. It's all in the planning stage."

I nodded. I explained to my friend that I used to be the same way--I had 50 business ideas and I hadn't made any money yet. I had alot of ideas, but wasn't taking action on any of them. I told him that my life changed once I focused on one thing and took action on that one thing everyday.
My friend said he was in the 'planning' stage. I think planning is great. All of us need a good plan. The danger in 'planning' is it can trick you. When you're 'planning' you feel like you're taking action, but you're really not.

Same with coming up with ideas.

Just this morning, while I was in the shower, I thought of a great idea. I was pondering it and pondering it and getting more and more excited about it.

Then I stopped myself.

I realized that if I started working on this idea, it would take focus away from what I was working on right now. I wrote the idea down in my notebook. Maybe in a year I will start working on this other idea. But right now I know where to put my focus.

Folks, ideas are easy to come by. You and I could sit down right now and come up with 50 of them. That's not what's important. What's important is taking one idea and working on it. That's what counts.

I would rather have a mediocre idea that is worked on, then 50 excellent ideas where nothing happens.

Don't get me wrong. I have written about the importance of thoughts. I know that all great inventions and progress have come from ideas. However, John Wanamaker, a great merchant of yesteryear, often said, "Nothing comes merely by thinking about it."
I used to be like my friend at Starbucks. When I discovered the internet, I was filled with a bunch of ideas. After a year of coming up with all these great ideas, I looked back and realized I hadn't even made $10 online.

That's when I decided to focus on one business and work on it everyday.

I admit, even now the hard part is staying focused. There's always the temptation to get sidetracked by all these other ideas, all these new ebooks with the newest business opportunity, ect.

Then I realize that now I'm living the life I want to live. I'm making good money and working from home.

Folks, it's all about ACTION.

Focus on one idea and take action on it.

You'll be surprised with the results.