Interior designer Kenneth Bordewick, who was a regular visitor to the Jackson home before Michael died of a drug overdose in 2009, tells me: ‘Paris has always ruled the roost. She was in charge of the whole house before Michael died. The kids were completely spoiled by the staff, and Paris told everyone what to do, including her father. They would have big arguments; there was always a lot of drama with Paris.’
She was only 11 when Jackson died, and to this day, it’s said she assumes a maternal role, particularly where her younger brother Prince Michael, 11, is concerned.
Although his children emerged into a kind of normality after his death, they had to deal with the burden of sudden fame alongside their grief.
Paris seems concerned by her father’s legacy — and wants him to be remembered as a consummate entertainer, not a drug-addicted oddball.
In a newspaper interview last month she talked about wanting to get his old Neverland estate going as a kind of theme park — to help underprivileged children. She doesn’t see — as he didn’t — that the idea of an accused paedophile helping children could be viewed as grotesque. As a teenage user of social media, she has been bombarded with distasteful messages about his proclivities.
She is also said to be terrified by the prospect of testifying at the ongoing ‘wrongful death’ lawsuit the Jacksons are bringing against concert promoters AEG. Michael was signed to perform a series of gigs which the family argues he was in no fit state to perform. She can expect to be asked about her father’s health and state of mind before he died, and the events of the day he died.
Now AEG has a further bombshell — it claims to have ‘irrefutable’ proof that Michael is not the biological father of Prince or Paris, which they wish to bring to court.
Jackson family lawyers argue that the issue is irrelevant, and AEG is just seeking to embarrass the family.
Orlando Shaw, who has 22 children by 14 women, is being sued for unpaid child support.
A Tennessee man who has 22 children by 14 women is being sued in what might be one of Nashville’s most expensive child support cases, according to NBC affiliate WTVF.
In an interview outside court, Orlando Shaw said he loves all of his kids and considers himself a good father — it’s just that he can’t afford to pay child support.
Yes, that would be the number one hit on Radio Beijing this week as Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the United States on Friday to meet with President Obama. Their agenda will not be full of arms control or contentious issues like North Korea, Iran or who owns which teensy islands in the South China Sea, but rather, personal diplomacy. That’s right; President Xi (or is it her…I can never remember) is traveling thousands of miles to meet the chilliest, most standoffish, least huggable American leader since Richard Nixon in order to establish a personal connection on the superpower stage.
Further, Mrs. Xi (is that redundant? OK, I’ll stop) won’t be accompanying the Mr. to the Republican Dude Ranch, which is a shame because I’m sure there are many Americans who would like to meet her. Mrs. Obama also won’t be in attendance because it’s getting near the end of the school year and the Obama girls surely have some last minute exams to take. So, it will just be the guys at the Sunnylands retreat, where Ronald Reagan and other GOPers used to sun themselves and cavort with wealthy people who loved them.
As with all meetings between key world leaders, both sides will need to measure the success of the summit. It will be difficult to tell if Xi achieves his goal of making friends with Obama, but I give him credit for making the personal, instead of the political, his particular goal. China isn’t ready to take the lead on the world stage. Their economy is large and growing, but subject to volatility brought on by too much state meddling and the ever-present threat of shoddy, or even deadly products. Militarily, they could rival the US in sheer numbers, but their eyes are too big for their stomachs when it comes to how much they can push or bully other countries to do their bidding. At this point, they can’t even dissuade North Korea to make significant changes to their behavior. How are they going to challenge more savvy, well-connected and wealthier countries to take them seriously? Xi is most likely aware of this and is taking a slow growth approach to the United States.
Xi is also a member of the generation that came of political age at the time of the June 4th democracy movement in Tienanmen Square. The military crackdown on democracy protesters was a critical turning point, and presumably today’s Chinese leadership has learned the dangers of allowing too much freedom along with the warning that too much repression brings. Letting people to get rich in return for agreeing to a one-party state is a risky proposition because the truth is this: Not everyone can get rich, but everyone will be subject to the censors, the police and the Internet trackers. Xi must be looking at Turkey, Syria and Egypt and wondering how he can keep the lid on his country. In the end, it’s only a matter of time.
Let’s hope that President Obama can establish a connection with our main rivals in the world, and engage Mr. Xi in a productive dialogue that the two men can use when relations get difficult, because they ultimately will. Then both of them can say that they found success.
Facebook can get you fired. April Sims, a 911 operator in Dallas, was apparently unaware of the ramifications of social media when she ranted about Black people being “crazy,” and “animals.”
Based on her posts, Sims talking about her experience at work. “Black people are outrageous! They are more like animals,” she wrote. “They never know how to act, just loud. Always causing problems. I can count on 1 hand the black people I know who don’t have s— for brains!!!”
What else irritated her about Black people? The fact that they call 911 for stupid reasons.
“You want to call 911 cause you boyfriend put his hands on you and you want to press charges when you don’t even know his real name?! Sure lets make a police report for Dino, that is his street name.”
The 2012 election has long been in the history books, but Mitt Romney still laments some of the things he said in the campaign — like those secretly taped “47%” remarks.
In an interview with CNN airing Thursday, the Republican presidential nominee said he was “very upset” after his comments at a fundraising event about 47% of Americans who are “dependent on the government” and “believe that they are victims” came to light.
“There were a number of times that I said things like that — that didn’t come out right,” Romney told CNN’s Gloria Borger. “Now and then, things don’t come out exactly the way you want them to come out. They don’t sound the way you thought they sounded.”
Romney spent days last fall trying to explain that he wanted to help all Americans, but the damage was done by the taped remarks, which were published by Mother Jones magazine
One very long and drawn-out election season’s already been fitfully left behind, but that hasn’t stopped pundits from casting their gaze on another upcoming ballot battle: next year’s midterm elections.
Though not as popular nationally as presidential elections, midterm votes are seen as powerful referendums on the sitting president’s agenda, as well as a means to decide how power is brokered in the often divided and ideologically warring houses of Congress.
Every retirement, every scandal, and yes, even every death, is seen as a potential Congressional opening by two parties interested in taking full control of the government. And as the tea leaves seem to show, neither party can claim to have an advantageous lead… so far.
Toss-Ups
When citizens cast their midterm votes on November 4, 2014, most eyes will be on the very contentious Senate races. That branch of Congress is currently made up of 53 Democrats, 45 Republicans, and two independents. And though Democrats control the senate by a clear majority, several announced retirements have made the prospects of them maintaining their hold after the elections a little more unclear. So far, six Democratic senators have announced they will not be seeking reelection, compared to just two retiring senators on the Republican side (though one of the expected-to-retire Democrats, New Jersey’s Frank Lautenberg, passed away June 3. New Jersey’s Republican governor, Chris Christie, has scheduled a special election in October to fill the seat).
The early departure of heavily funded incumbents has created unexpected toss-ups in states that were once considered safe. Should Republicans pick up all the seats being vacated by the Democrats while losing as few of theirs as possible, the chances of them taking over the Senate are very high. This would lead to a completely Republican-dominated Congress, as the GOP already has a strong majority in the House: 233 against the Democrats’ 200 seats. Of course, control of the House could shift should Democrats make some unexpected gains. One of the more surprising retirement announcements from that chamber came in May, when Tea Party darling Congresswoman Michele Bachmann stated she would not be seeking reelection. Strategists thought the Minnesota representative’s exit would clear the way for businessman Jim Graves, her former opponent. However, Graves himself said he would not be running for Bachmann’s post shortly after her announcement. This air of uncertainty has created one of the most visible toss-ups in what was once considered a safe Republican stronghold.
Presidential Stakes
Though the president’s name won’t be on the ballot next year, it’s safe to say many of the issues he has fought for most certainly will. That’s because midterm votes are usually seen as critiques of the job the commander-in-chief has been doing since his election. The midterms of 2006 saw Democrats taking over Congress, which pundits analyzed as voter disapproval of George W. Bush’s war policies. A similar lesson was gleaned from the GOP’s takeover of the House in the 2010 midterms, when young, ultra-conservative congressmen swept that chamber through voter insecurity over Obama’s health-care legislation. As the president wades more deeply into controversial policies, the public’s votes will be seen as a gauge of their approval on issues such as same-sex marriage, immigration reform, overhauls of the education system, foreign policy, and even the specter of “Obamacare,” which remains as polarizing as it was back in 2010.
The chief executive’s daunting task will be to hold on to the Senate while trying to win back the House, all while preserving his legacy and defending his legislative record from Republican attack. To do this, political analysts have suggested Obama and Democrats seek a way to revive the strong coalition of young and minority voters that helped sweep him into power in both past presidential elections. This can prove a major challenge, as midterm elections have always been beset by historically low turnout, especially in those two demographics, according to the Center for Voting and Democracy. The only way to rouse these groups would be through strategies already employed in previous bigger elections, mainly the use of internet tech and social media to build grassroots activist movements. The administration could also tout some of the positive aspects of Obamacare, such as the expanded role it will have for mental health and substance use disorder benefits, a cornerstone of the president’s new policy on the fight against drug and alcohol abuse. By stressing his legislation’s role in tackling the root of alcohol abuse in Minnesota or other states known for their high numbers of alcohol dependence, the president will be able to showcase the practical aspects of his more controversial laws.
Decisions
Despite the lower appeal midterm elections have for most voters, these are the campaign wars that decide which course the government will take for the next few years: whether it be a united Washington under the control of one specific party, or a fractured government beset by constant infighting. Political careers can be made or destroyed at this time, and coalitions formed or disbanded. But no matter the outcome of these bitterly fought seats, at least there will be one clear winner: pundits with more tea leaves to pore over.
Her name us not Barack, it’s Michelle. She wasn’t elected to public office, she is married to an office holder. And she does not write policies, implement policies or sign bills into law. That job belongs to Congress and the guy she married. His name is Barack.
Yet, for some strange reason, some people think that going to, and interrupting a speech by Michelle is a way to get their point heard. That was apparently the thinking of a gay rights activist, when she began shouting at Michelle at a fundraising speech on Tuesday.
Her name is Ellen Sturtz, and she apparently wanted Michelle – the unelected woman married to a public official – to do something about the government doing business with companies that may or may not be friendly to gays.
Again, Michelle is not a public official and she responded appropriately, telling the heckler, “… wait, wait, wait. One of the things I don’t do well is this.”
Sturtz continued her plea for action, leaving Michelle no other choice but to leave the stage.
The video below shows the First Lady in a direct confrontation with the heckler, telling the heckler, that she is prepared to leave the event if the behavior continued. “Listen to me, or you can take the mic,” the First Lady said.
The heckler was eventually escorted from the premises.
This is the type of action that looks bad on a whole group of people. Yes, her daughter was shot and it is understandable that she is upset about the shooting, but why turn violent against an innocent reporter who was just informing you that the person who shot your daughter was arrested?
For this woman, the only reaction to hearing such news was to throw a rock at the camera crew, chase them down a public street with a baseball bat, then sic her pit bulls after the reporter.
The woman was eventually arrested and released on $50,000.00 bond. So now in addition to dealing with her daughter being shot, the woman is now charged with a felony assault with a dangerous weapon. Her daughter is now back home.
These people are the reason why this site has a WTF category.
Paris Jackson, the daughter of deceased singer Michael Jackson, was hospitalized Wednesday morning after a possible suicide attempt, TMZ reports.
According to TMZ, the 15-year-old was transported to the hospital from the family’s Calabasas, Calif. home at approximately 2 a.m., after a 911 call was placed.
TMZ reports that the 911 caller reported a possible overdose, but also cites a source stating that there were cuts on one of Jackson’s wrists.
TMZ says that Jackson is currently “doing OK.”
Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s mother, confirmed the hospitalization report to Entertainment Tonight, and said Jackson has had “a lot going on [lately].”
LA County Fire confirms that they received a 911 call for an overdose at 1:15 a.m. and one person was transported to hospital.
Back in 2012, during a routine screening, the adult film industry discovered that veteran actor Mr. Marcus, real name Jesse Spencer, had syphilis. He received a penicillin shot immediately. But when he was screened 11 days later he still showed signs of the disease. But instead of sitting out of the next shoot, Mr. Marcus altered the results of the second test and returned to work.
Well, earlier today Spencer, who plead no contest to the charges, was sentenced to 30 days in jail. He was also ordered to perform 15 days of community service and serve three years probation.
Spencer is also jailed with a $200,000 bail for an unrelated drunk driving case.
Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees looks on against the Boston Red Sox during Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on April 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
Major League Baseball will seek to suspend Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and several other players for their connections to a performance-enhancing drug scandal involving Biogenesis, according to ESPN.
A report by T.J. Quinn, Pedro Gomez and Mike Fish for ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” published on Tuesday indicates that MLB will seek to suspend approximately 20 players, including Rodriguez and Braun, for their part in the sport’s latest performance-enhancing drugs scandal.
A Long Beach doctor said he’s created a weight-loss procedure where a patch of mesh is sewn into the tongue.
Dr. Nicholas Chugay told Medstar Television — a news subscription service that NBC LA subscribes to — that there are only a few physicians who offer this procedure. He charges $1,500, plus $200 a month for a supply of liquid nutrition formula.
First, the tongue is injected with a local anesthetic, then the mesh is sewn into the top front of the tongue.
The patch makes “chewing of solid foods very difficult and painful, limiting the patient to a liquid diet,” according to the doctor’s website.
As of yet, there are no comparative or long-term studies on the procedure, but Chugay claims his patients may lose up to 25 pounds with the patch, which can be removed and then replaced at a later date.
“Your tongue does feel like if you want to chew, it’ll get stuck, so you won’t be able to eat it,” said Erica Renteria.
Renteria, who had the patch in for three weeks, said it helped her shed pounds. She had it removed but plans to have another patch sewn into her tongue in the near future
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