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Planning a Successful Post-prom or Grad Night/project Graduation Event

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:41:06 +0000

For many generations Homecoming, Prom and Graduation were highlights of our school years. They are events that were dreamed of, anticipated and have created memories and highlights from our school years. Friends, relationships and milestones in our lives are often related to these very special events. While these have been popular for decades, recently a newer type of events have emerged to become the popular student favorites, Post Prom and Graduation celebrations, most commonly known as Grad Nights or Project Graduations. Also closely related are Spirit Week/Homecoming events.For many students, these events have surpassed the longtime standards as the main events of their school years. One of the key reasons for this is that it’s not required to have a date to attend these events (such as with Prom or Homecoming) or to be part of the “in” crowd. These events are celebrations for everyone.These events were created to offer an alternative to students leaving Prom or Graduation to go off to their own gatherings or all-night parties that often included alcohol, drugs, sex and other inappropriate and even illegal forms of celebrating. Many times these private forms of celebration had dire consequences including promiscuity, intoxication, arrests, pregnancy, and even death. Tragically it was becoming more and more common to hear of teen tragedies following Prom or Graduation usually involving teen drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Mother’s Against Drunk Drivers (M.A.D.D.) was one of the first to promote the concept of coordinating “safe and sober” celebrations following Prom and Graduation, with events that were supervised and school-approved and endorsed to keep the students from their own private, unfavorable forms of celebrating. Today’s Post Proms and Grad Nights/Project Graduation events are two of the highlights to our high school years. Memories are created, and events are celebrated but are done so in a much more student-appropriate, safe environment. For some students these events are a right of passage, for others they are the memorable highlights of their school years. These are the events that can and will create memories that last a lifetime. The popularity of these events has even begun to appear on the Middle School/Junior High level. While the idea of these types of “safe and sober” celebrations was welcomed by many schools across America, these events were not quite embraced initially by the students. These events were usually hosted by a planning committee of parent volunteers. It was thought originally that simply having this type of event with a DJ playing some music in the school gym would be an inviting event. It was soon discovered that simply having this type of event was not enough, it had to incorporate several key elements to interest and attract the students, making them want to attend. In order to accomplish it’s purpose just hosting such an event was not enough, it had to be a great event, an attraction. It had to be more appealing that the long-standing alternative of private celebrations.Working with school’s Post Prom Committees (usually a separate committee from the Prom Committee) and Grad Night/Project Graduation Committees nationwide since the inception of these types of events, School Programs USA has been a part of these special events from the beginning. Based on this knowledge and experience we offer the following tips, pointers, advice and information to allow your school’s committee to plan a safe, well-attended, successful Post Prom, Graduation or Spirit Week event. Start Early – One of the greatest bits of advice we can offer is to begin your planning early. It may seem like the beginning of the school year is a long time away from Spring events, but to properly plan a successful event requires months of planning and preparation. Another reason to begin early is directly related to the businesses you will need to incorporate and work with that will make your event a true success. You must remember that all of the schools in your area are more than likely all planning similar events and are vying for many of the same vendors, entertainment, attractions, rentals, venues, and sponsorships that will be crucial to your success. Simply put, to have the best options, selections and to receive the most for your efforts you want to be the first to approach and secure these relationships, services, locations and products. For example, when contacting a local business for a sponsorship or donation, you stand a much better chance to receive what you desire if your reach them first, rather than waiting until several other area schools have approached them. By this time they may decline or only minimally participate with you and your event. To get what you want and not have to settle for secondary or backup options, be aggressive and reach them first.Assemble your planning committee as soon as possible. Many schools even have their planning committee in place just before the previous year’s event, so they new committee members can attend, witness the event , take notes and enjoy the experience first hand to better familiarize and educate them with all facets of the overall event. Other schools form their planning committee in late August or early September right after the beginning of the new school year. The single most common area we find is with schools that assemble their planning committee in October or November, have an initial meeting and then do not really get started on their planning efforts until after school returns from the winter break in January. These committees are regularly faced with setbacks and disappointments as the vendors they wish to work with are already booked or unavailable, it becomes much harder to secure donations and sponsorships, and they are under the pressure of having to work harder and at a much faster pace, as in reality these events are only 12-18 weeks away.Start early, stay on track with your planning committee and your goals. Have regular meetings, at least monthly initially then every other week or weekly as the event gets closer. Allow for problem areas and setbacks. It’s inevitable that someone will drop the ball somewhere in the process, committee members will quit or need to be replaced and problems will occur. By starting early you are not only getting a jump on creating a great event, but you are allowing yourself room for Murphy’s Law to present itself. Your Planning Committee – The most importantly component to the success of any Post Prom, Graduation or Spirit Week event is the planning committee. Committees can range from only several people doing all of the work, to a more complete committee of many members each with individual duties and responsibilities. Your event will only be as good as your committee. Choose a good committee leader, someone who can work well with others, coordinate many people and tasks simultaneously, and can have good lines of communications with each member. Organization and attention to detail are good qualities, as are leadership and people skills. This is the single most important position on your planning committee.While many schools have difficulty getting parents or volunteers to participate, you should still be selective in choosing your committee members. Find the best candidates for the positions required. Use the best person for each position. Teamwork and communication is the backbone of any successful planning committee. Make your choices and designations wisely.Once the committee is in place, it’s time to meet and determine your initials goals and plan of action. Each committee member should completely understand the goals and visions of the committee, while completely understand their specific duties and responsibilities. Timetables should be shared and adhered to by all members.The proper planning and prevention can head off problems and setbacks that may arise. Remember your event will only be as good as the cumulative efforts of your committee. The entire success of your event depends on the decisions your committee makes in each step of the process.Make It Worth Attending – Once your committee is solid and in place it’s time to direct your focus onto the event itself. Make sure to review last year’s event if it existed, perhaps even have a member of last years committee attend your first planning meeting to discuss the key points, setbacks, problems, and any other related issues from the previous event. Initial areas to be addressed should be the date, times and location of your event. Once these are in place then address the individual elements that will comprise your event. In planning your event be sure to pay close attention to the issues of price and value. What are students expected to pay to attend your event. It shouldn’t be too high to discourage attendance, but yet still enough to cover the costs of having the features and attractions desired to be an event the students will want to attend. What is the value of what the students will receive for their admission ticket? What is included – food, giveaways, activities, entertainment? Be sure to think of your event from the attending student’s perspective as they’re your target audience. It is their choice, their one time memories and most importantly their special event.Making It A “Must-Attend” Event – To host a successful Post Prom, Graduation or Homecoming/Spirit Week Event you must make it a “must-attend” event. It must be able to appeal to all types of students on a variety of levels. Your event should be viewed as both a celebration and a main attraction event. You must make your students want to come. This will be the place be. Single or with a date, everyone is welcome and will have a great time.This is often easier said than done, but with the proper knowledge and planning it is easily obtainable. Do your research. Learn what works well for other schools both in your area and in other parts of the country. Understand what are the main highlights from previously attending students. What did they enjoy or remember the most? Again, do your research.Offer a variety of activities, events, entertainment, food and areas that can appeal to all types of students. Make sure all areas are chaperoned and controlled or operated by assigned committee members who understand their duties and responsibilities and the proper expectations and execution of each area or activity. Designate specific areas for certain events or activities. Learn about the hot attractions and features that create involvement and participation. Try to offer a good balance of physical and mental offerings. Most of all have a schedule and flow of your event that is easily understandable to the students, yet is efficient and practical to your committee and venue. Making it a major attraction is a combination of events and activities, the proper promotion and visibility of your event, and creating an exciting buzz to not only generate interest but to sustain the excitement leading up to your special event.The Key to Success – Entertainment And Attractions – Simply put, from the students perspective, the entertainment, attractions and activities that your event will feature will be a major factor in determining how your event is perceived and how well it will be attended.The key here is variety and mass appeal. Be sure your event offers something for everyone. Offer both individual attractions and activities as well as group attractions. Understand what is popular with students. Some things are consistent while others change from year to year. For example the number one form of entertainment at Post Prom, Graduation and Spirit Week/Homecoming events nationwide is a Comedy Hypnosis Show. This has been a longtime favorite for years at college events and over the last decade as become the runway favorite at these types of high school celebrations. The reasons for this are many but one of the key reasons is due to the fact that to most students this is something new and amazing that they have not been over exposed to such as a Disc Jockey or Karaoke. It is a major attraction with all of the elements of a professional performance including audience participation, intrigue, suspense, comedy and laughter and the safe and natural ability of the human mind. Another key reason for the popularity of this type of performance is that it runs continuously from sixty to ninety minutes or more attracting the attention of nearly all of the students in attendance. Compared to other forms of entertainment where students may wander in and out or just sit on the sidelines, this type of interactive performance appeals to both the students and planning committee on many levels. Other entertainment, attractions and activities that are regularly popular include a Mentalist, inflatables, climbing walls, casino tables, game shows, standup comedy shows, celebrity appearances (popular television and reality stars), competitions, handwriting and compatibility analysis, special viewings and swimming (at aquatic venues).Trendy activities include Guitar Hero or Rock Band attractions/competition or a video game room. These are activities that, while popular at the moment, may quickly become old news rather quickly. Have designated areas for different events and activities while having a main stage or area for your major entertainment or attractions. Let some of your activities run continuously while others should be as part of a schedule creating a flow of actions, activities and attractions throughout your event. A word of caution – be sure to understand the logistics and technical requirements of each entertainer, activity or attraction you are planning to make sure the pre and post requirements will not interfere with with other entertainment or activities in your lineup. Remember to allow for setup time and breakdown. Make sure all of your elements can logistically co-exit with each other without problems, interruptions or creating a lag in your festivities. Use your financial resources wisely when dealing with this area as these are the main highlights of your event and your students memories. Try not to cut corners in this area. This is an area crucial to your event’s overall success so be sure it receives the budgetary support, promotional support and the featured position in your actual event. Once in place it usually becomes quite easy to fit in secondary or support activities around these features. Involve The Local Business Community – Funding for your special event usually happens through a combination of fundraising and support from the local business community. Typically the two main components that are highlights and main attractions of your Post Prom, Graduation or Spirit Week/Homecoming events are the entertainment/attractions and the prizes and giveaways. These two very important elements are often the areas where planning committees turn to support from the local business communities.Through sponsorships, donations and in-kind promotional arrangements, do not underestimate this area of your event. This can often be the difference in hosting a less successful or mediocre event to having an event that is a smashing success. Target businesses that are the staples of your local and regional community, as well as those that share a professional interest in the demographics of your student and their families. Banks, car dealerships, restaurants, recreational businesses are always good possibilities, as are sports centers, movie theaters, and department or electronics stores. Offer several plans or packages for these business to show support to your event and your attending students in the form of financial donations and support, donation of products or services, or the actual underwriting of an activity or entertainment offering. Remember they usually expect a return of their efforts or investments so strategize how becoming involved with your event can benefit their business. Understand the interests of these businesses as their concerns are showing community support while expecting to generate business in the form of traffic, exposure and sales as a result of their participation.By combining your fundraising efforts along with the support of the local business community you can often take control of your committee’s funding potential in order to be able to host the level and quality of event you desire. The greater the support from the business community, the more likely you are to position yourself for success.Prizes & Giveaways – This is another area that can be crucial to your event’s appeal and success. It’s a fact – everybody likes to win and everybody likes to receive something free. The most successful events we have noticed all have one thing in common – every student attending receives a prize or giveaway. Not a pen or balloon, but rather something of a perceived value. Prizes and giveaways usually consist of several levels of value ranging from smaller items with a value of $10.00 – $15.00 to larger items such as lap top or desk top computers, personal electronic devices, cash, and yes even automobiles. Each student should be guaranteed a gift or prize worth the value of their admission price. Then additional prizes or giveaways with larger valued items should also be available as well. Items to prepare students for college are regularly offered at Graduation events such as dorm refrigerators, televisions, electronics, gift cards, etc. The possibilities are nearly endless.Nearly all of the items are obtained through the support of your local and regional business community and other organizations. Creating a profitable and successful campaign to assemble a great variety of prizes and giveaways requires careful planning, direct marketing and promotion, follow-up, and most of all time. It is really an ongoing effort beginning early on in your planning stages and often continuing right up until near the time of your event.Most business will be more accommodating when approached to provide a product or gift certificate rather than cash, so utilize this mentality to your advantage. There are some great strategies available to not only generate some fantastic prize giveaways but to use this as a means to raise a great amount of cash that can also be given away or used in other areas of your event.Be creative, consistently work hard, and allow plenty of time to contact as many potential business as possible. It is a numbers game. You will face rejection, but that too is part of the process. Stay on top of the process, maintain excellent communications and rapport and you will find this to be a very lucrative and beneficial area for your efforts with great rewards. Planning The Flow Of The Event – As with many produced events the flow or structure of your actual event can play a role in becoming a contributing element to your success. All events should have a beginning a middle and and end. You must decide the balance. Many committees choose to have a major attraction early in the event to assure students arrive on time and are offered impact right from the very beginning. Others prefer to have a highlight attraction later in the event to maintain the energy level and interest though out the event. Both mentalities work well. You must decide what serves you best.Keeping the interest and energy levels up is important. This is where having both group and individual activities and attractions can alter the flow of your event smoothly from one event to the next. If your event utilizes multiple areas or rooms, the flow offers you control. While the students are in one area, another may be setup for an upcoming performance or attraction. When that begins the previous room or area may be converted or prepared for another attraction or activity, or perhaps even cleaned up it not being further utilized. Mentalities vary from committee to committee. Some chose to start strong, maintain the mid-portion of the event, and end strong. Others start easier and continually build though the entire event ending with the biggest feature at the end. Only you and your committee can determine what is best for you and your event. Factors such as time,venue restrictions, entertainers schedules, vendors and others variables may have an impact on the decision you make. Maintain control and create a solid method and reasoning that makes your event as strong as possible while maintaining the interest level and appeal of your students. The flow can make your event lag or appear to be paced where times seems to fly by, so utilize the flow to your advantage.Properly Promoting The Event – Regardless of how much planning, the quality and types of entertainment, attractions and activities you’ve selected, the sponsorships generated, and the prizes and giveaways assembled, once all of these elements have taken shape it all comes down to getting the word out to the students, creating a buzz and the proper promotion of your event.Including it in daily announcements or a blurb on a flyer or in the school newspaper is not enough. Recent research states that students must hear or see a message seven times before it registers enough to consider taking action. This means you must have a multifaceted advertising and promotional campaign that bombards them with your message, while creating interest and generating excitement.Our advice is to utilize a variety of promotional methods ranging from ticket booths in high traffic student areas such as the cafeteria, at sporting events and school stores, to using in-school medias such as the school newspaper, television monitors, school television or radio stations, and through special group affiliations or events. You want to direct market to your students. Make sure they hear about this event everywhere they go at every turn, and make it easy and convenient for them to buy tickets. Start your buzz by dropping hints or releasing information early, then releasing additional information throughout your promotional campaign. Promote using contests and publicity stunts. Again be creative and have fun with this process. Grab their attention so they will want to be part of the fun and festivities. Creating Memories That Will Last A Lifetime – Since these Post Prom, Graduation and Spirit Week/Homecoming events are so closely related to creating memories, make sure your event offers a variety of offerings designed exclusively for this purpose. A photo booth or display for digital pictures offers a fantastic opportunity to create memories. Handwriting and compatibility analysis offer keepsakes that will remembered long after your event. Have a photographer on hand for the entire event to take pictures that will be put up and available for download on your school or event web site. These are just some of the many possible ideas that can help to make your event memorable for years to come. These entire events are to create a safe and sober celebration that will be remembered while creating long-lasting memories. Keep this in mind at all times as you plan your special event and always step back to insure your event includes these very important components.You Only Have One Chance To Get It Right – Through careful planning, consideration, and execution you have the ability to combine all of these elements to create a fantastic, safe and memorable event. You only have one chance to get it right, so take the time, preparation and teamwork to create, strategize and plan a winning event. The success of your event can also have a direct influence and create anticipation for next year’s event, as your impact continues on after your event.You may not have the opportunity to rest until the final student has left and the cleanup and breakdown is complete, but when you finally are able to sit back, put your feet up with a collective sigh of relief, you and your committee will be proud to know that all of your planning and efforts made a difference and helped to create an event that will stay with your students for the rest of their lives.

The Top Ten Stories about Michael Jackson

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:48:42 +0000

Michael Jackson was in the public eye from a young age as a part of the Jackson 5, and like him the stories also started very early on.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958 He had started performing at the age of 5 and by the age of 8 he was touring the Midwest extensively with the Jackson 5. He finally made his debut on the major music scene in 1968 as a member of the Jackson 5 at the age of 10. Story Number 1: Childhood
It was in the first television interview that Michael Jackson had given since 1979 that he first spoke of the stories of his alleged childhood abuse. Michael Jackson admitted that he had often felt lonely as a child and cried as a result of this and of his fathers abuse. He revealed that he was physically and emotionally abused by his father in several different ways; enduring incessant rehearsals, beatings and verbal abuse. Marlon Jackson, Michael’s brother supposedly once stated that their father had “pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks”.
Not only this but on one occasion, Joseph Jackson, the children’s father had apparently climbed into Michael’s room wearing a scary mask and had proceeded to scream and shout. Their father’s reasoning for this behavior is that he wanted to teach his children not to leave their windows open whilst they were sleeping. This kind of behavior quite obviously did more to damage Michael than teach him a simple lesson as Michael revealed in an interview that this incident have resulted in nightmares centered around kidnapping for years after.
In an interview with Martin Bashir, which was released in 2003, Michael said: “i didn’t have it that hard, he used me as the example, “do it like michael” … he practiced us with a belt in his hand and if you missed a step then expect to be hit…he would tear you up if you missed… really get you”. Although Michael did admit he had been abused by his father, in extra footage he suggested that ‘he hurt me with his love, be he is a genius, the man is a genius”.Story Number 2: Thriller
On November 30, 1982 Jackson released his sixth studio album produced by Epic Records; Thriller. Thriller was the follow up album to ‘Off the Wall’, 9 of the tracks were written by MJ himself and it explored several different genres including funk, disco, soul, soft rock, R&B and pop.
At its best the album was selling a million copies a weed, worldwide and in just over a year it became, and still remains, the best selling album of all time and has risen to number one again after the singers death. It is estimated that the album sold an excess of 60 million copies around the globe. Seven of the songs were released as singles and all reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album broke records winning eight Grammy Awards in 1984 in three different genres – pop, R&B and rock. It was Thriller that sent Jackson soaring into superstardom and cemented him as one of the predominant pop stars of the late 20th Century.
Thriller was one of the first albums and Michael one of the first artists to use videos as such a massive and successful promotional tool – the three main videos to be played on MTW were Thriller, Billie Jeans and Beat It.
The album ranked number 20 in the Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003 and was also listen by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers at number three in their ‘Definitive 200 Albums of All Time’. Story Number 3: The Moonwalk
The Moonwalk or backslide is a dance technique that presents the illusion that the dancer is stepping forward while actually moving backward. It gives the appearance of a person moving along a conveyor belt. Michael Jackson’s first ever public moonwalk was supposedly in 1983 at the Motown 25th Anniversary whilst performing “Billie Jean”. Jackson was not the first person to perform the moonwalk and older stars have claimed that they taught him the move, but there is no doubt that he popularized the moonwalk and the robot dance moves and made them his own; the dance gained worldwide popularity after Michael Jackson performed it and soon to become considered his signature move. The moonwalk has since become one of the best known dance moves in the world. Story Number 4: Bad
In his autobiography Jackson said that the song was about the street. A kid from a bad neighborhood who gets to go away to a private school. He comes back to the old neighborhood when he’s on a break from school and the kids from the neighborhood start giving him trouble. He sings “Im bad, you’re bad, who’s bad… etc” He’s saying when you’re strong and good then you are bad. Bad remained in the top spot for two consecutive weeks from October 24th 1987.
Michael Jackson’s album ‘Bad’ was released on 31st August 1987 followed closely by the single ‘Bad’ which was released on September 7 1987, which was MJ’s seventh number one hit single over all. Twenty years after the album was released it had sold over 30 million copies worldwide and shipped 8 million units in the United States. It was the first and currently only album ever to feature five songs in the Billboard Hot 100 number 1 singles. In the late 80’s the album one two Grammy’s, one for Best Music Video for Leave Me Alone and one for Best Engineered Album. Bad was also ranked number 43 in the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time of the MTV Generation in 2009 listed by VH1. It was ranked number 202 on the Rolling Stone magazine 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Bad became the first of Jackson’s albums to debut at number-one on the Billboard 200 where it remained for the next six consecutive weeks. It sold 8 million copies in the US alone. In the UK the album sold 500,000 copies in just five days and is currently certified 13x platinum, for sales of 3.9 million making it Jackson’s biggest-selling album in the UK. Globally, it is Jackson’s overall third best-selling recording, behind Thriller and Dangerous, with 30 million copies sold. From this album 5 of the songs hit number one – record. Bad was the 9th best selling album in British History this was announced in 2006.
Despite how successful the record was in a poll in Rolling Stone magazine US citizens voted Bad worst album and worst single. Story Number 5: Bubbles and Pets
Bubbles is the name of the chimpanzee that became associated with Michael Jackson. MJ rescued the chimp from a Cancer research clinic in Texas in 1985. Michael Jackson was reportedly quite close to the chimp but the media mocked this friendship, as they mocked many aspects of his life. The media portrayed the relationship as weird and Jackson as a ‘bizarre eccentric’, obsessed with recapturing his lost childhood and it was this incident that lead MJ to be named Wacko Jacko. Bubbles sat in with Jackson when he recorded one his most famous albums, Bad and was obviously a big part of his life for a while; Bubbles even made a cameo appearance in “Liberian Girl” a track from the album bad. The chimp was moved to the Neverland ranch with ‘Jacko’ in 1988, he slept in a crib in MJ’s bedroom. Sometimes the Chimp wore a diaper and on other occasions he was allowed to use Michael Jackson’s private toilet – something which the star was again scrutinized for.
Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture supposedly suggested that “this is when the weirdness reached epic proportions” – the media produced many false stories about the pair suggesting that Bubbles was one of a series of apes that Jackson had owned or owned. The two did a lot together, went for walks and spent a lot of time with one another. Jackson has been reported as once said “My chimp bubbles is a constant delight.” Kenny Rogers once said of Bubbles: “..[he] was so human it was almost frightening. He would take Christopher [Rogers' son] by the hand, walk over to the refrigerator, open it, take out a banana, and hand it to him. Christopher was amazed…we all were.”
Bubbles is reported to still be alive today after he was removed to an animal century because there were fears he may attack Jackson’s newborn son, Prince Michael II. Story Number 6: Neverland
Neverland Valley Ranch, is situated in Santa Barbara County, California and was the home of Michael Jackson from 1988-2005. Neverland was named so after the make-believe land in Peter Pan, the children’s story book about a boy who never grows up – a figure or idea that Michael was thought to have idolized. The property is over 2,800 acres in size and today is made up of vineyards.
When it was owned by Michael Jackson after he bought it in 1988 for a massive $30 million, he turned it into his home and a massive private amusement park. Within the amusement park there was a zoo, theme park, two railroads, a ferris wheel, carousel, zipper, spider, sea dragon, wave swinger, super slide, dragon wagon kiddie roller coaster and bumper cars. Having seen footage of the inside of Neverland it truly was a childhood land, a fantasy home constructed using Jackson’s ideas and visions.
Michael Jackson’s Neverland, it was initally reported, would be turned into “Foreverland” a permanent memorial to the King of Pop – a bit like Presley’s Graceland – so that fans and tourists from all over the world could travel to see the singers former home and a glimpse into his life. It was also thought that there were plans to bury Michael Jackson in Neverland and that there may be a public or private viewing – however, the family of Michael Jackson have confirmed that there will be no such viewing.
Story Number 7: The changes faces of Michael Jackson (plastic surgery)
The story of Michael Jackson’s plastic surgery is no secret, it has been incredibly well documented and the focus of the media on many occasions. However, any plastic surgery, other than on his nose, was fervently denied by Michael Jackson in his interview with Martin Bashir.
Initially, because Jackson had been in the public eye from such a young age, his changing appearance was put down to puberty and adolescence, but eventually the press cottoned onto the idea that it was more than natural growth that was changing the way that he looked.
By the mid-1980’s it was noticeable that Jackson’s skin was gradually getting lighter (some sources suggested that Michael was bleaching his skin) his nose and his chin were changing and his body had changed due to weight loss. Some professionals suggest that Michael suffered from ‘body dysmorphic disorder’ (a condition whereby the sufferer does not realize how they are perceived by others) as a result of the verbal ‘bullying’ and abuse that he had suffered at the hands of his father during childhood. Later changes to his nose are thought by some to be down to the fact that his father used to call him such names as “big nose” and “ugly”.
In 1986 Jackson was reportedly diagnosed with Vitiligo and Lupus; skin diseases which cause depigmentation of the skin. It has been suggested by Jackson’s make-up artist in a televised interview that initially Jackson tried to cover the lighter patches of his skin with make-up but eventually the condition became too extensive and therefor the make-up too difficult to apply. Eventually as a result of the treatment that Michael was using for his conditions his skin lightened even further until eventually he looked almost porcelain white.
However, it was not only Michael’s skin that appeared to be changing, it was also the shape of his face. Apparently, by 1990 sources close to the singer suggested that he had had 10 operations on his face in total. Michael had his first rhinoplasty (nose work) in 1979 after damaging his nose in a dance routine, when his hair caught fire. As has been suggested, this surgery, was not a success and so by his request was referred to another doctor as he was worried he would not be able to sing properly due to breathing difficulties caused by the previous operations. In his Biography MJ suggested that he had had two bits of plastic surgery on his nose and surgery on his chin to give him a small cleft. Any other changes to his face Michael has insisted are due to adolescence, change of diet, weight loss, a change of hair style and performance lighting that is used and not extensive surgery.
It is possible that some of the changes to the shape of Michael Jackson’s face are due to weight loss as he did suffer from this due to stress. He first started to become slimmer in the early 1980’s following his desire to have a, as he put it ‘ dancers body’. Furthermore, after the accusations of child abuse in 1993 MJ stopped eating and started to lose even more weight. In ‘95 he was rushed to hospital during rehearsals and in 2005 the BBC reported, after further trials, he seemed to have undergone severe weight loss. Story 8: Earth Song
Earthsong was the third single from the album HIStory and it was released on November 27, 1995. Although Jackson had written other songs that dealt with different issues this was the first that overtly dealt with the environment and animal welfare- which is what made is such an interesting record. It supported Jackson’s work as a humanitarian which was first noticed with the release of “We are the World” with Lionel Richie in 1985 and with the initiation of the “Heal the World Foundation” in 1992. He received the Genesis award for the song in 1995 which was an award given each year for animal sensitivity.
The song received a Grammy nomination in 1997 and was a top five hit in most European countries, while in the UK it still remains Jackson’s best selling single, having sold over 1 million copies. It debuted at number one where it stayed for six weeks in December 1995. Story 9: Child Abuse Allegations
1993 was the first time that Michael Jackson was accused of child abuse by the rather of a 13-year-old Jordan Chandler. Evan Chandler, Jordan’s father had supposedly administered Jordan with a powerful sedative after his son and Michael had become friends, and under this influence his son reportedly admitted that the star and he had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex. Experts later said, that the drug used (sodium amytal) makes patients highly susceptible to suggestion. Jordan’s mother told the police that she did not believe Jackson had molested her son and further investigations into his home, Neverland ranch, found no evidence to support a criminal filing. Finally, Jordan refused to testify against Jackson after he had received an out of court settlement of £22 million, Michael had justified the pay out saying “I didn’t want to do a long drawn-out thing”.
Reportedly, Jackson was again accused of child abuse later in 2005 after the Martin Bashir documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” by Gavin Arvizo, a 13-year-old cancer survivor who himself and his family had become close friends of Jackson. In the documentary both Michael and Gavin had spoken about sharing a room and bed which Michael had described as a “beautiful, charming and sweet thing”.
MJ was branded a ’serial child molester’ during the 16 week trial in 2005 and some sources suggested that he used his Neverland ranch to prepare the children for a ‘completely different environment’ altogether. Jackson was accused of four counts of molestation including molesting a minor, intoxicating a minor, abduction and kidnapping. Gavin’s younger brother Star apparently admitted to having seen Jackson fondling his elder brother while he slept.
Further allegations were then brought up by Neverland employees who proposed that Jackson had been groping five other young boys in the early 1990’s including the Home Alone child star Macaulay Culkin. However, Culkin defended Jackson on the stand denying all charges that were held against him.
The verdict of the case found Michael Jackson to be not guilty on all charges; after assessment the jurors had thought the brothers stories to ‘not add up’. Story 10: Death
On June 25 2009 at 2:26pm Michael Joseph Jackson was pronounced dead, after he was found in a coma at his Bel-Air mansion.
Exactly how Michael Jackson died and the circumstances in which he did are still unclear. Reportedly homicide investigations are being made into his death, although it is thought that at present there is no evidence of criminal wrong doing.
Several media sources have reported that Propofol, a powerful anesthesia, was found in Jackson’s house after he died. Apparently the drug is a prescription drug, only used in hospitals and administered by IV to send people to sleep before surgery. It is thought that several medical experts have suggested there was no reason for Jackson to have had this drug in his home; although he reportedly begged for such drugs to help him sleep having suffered chronic insomnia before his death.
Supposedly, a coroners report suggested that MJ was actually in surprisingly good health and despite scarring on his face, several injection sites all over his body and bruises on his chest (where someone had obviously been trying to revive him) there seemed to be no signs of a heart attack but it looked more likely that drugs had caused the heart to stop beating or the lungs to stop breathing. However, reportedly, the coroners office has ordered more tests to determine the Jackson’s Cause of Death. The office won’t rule on his death until toxicology and other additional testing has been completed. Authorities have found no evidence of external trauma or foul play. Prescription medication was present but they don’t know whether these were the cause of Jackson’s death.
Sources suggest that a memorial service will be held for Michael Jackson on Tuesday at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles where he had been rehearsing for his O2 London concerts. End:
There is no doubt that Michael Jackson was the King of Pop despite his controversial lifestyle and person. He, his music and performances will undoubtedly be remembered forever.

Great Non-Gambling Fun in Las Vegas

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:05:02 +0000

There are many fun things to do in Las Vegas that have nothing to do with gambling. So, if you don’t care to throw dice or drop quarters into slot machines, you can still have a terrific time in “Sin City”. An increasing number of tourists are seeing Vegas as more than a casino town and the revenue from non-gambling venues has been growing steadily over the past few years. Many casinos are investing their resources in amenities such as beautiful hotel rooms, amusement parks, luxury pools and spas, live entertainment shows, animal exhibits, upscale dining establishments and specialty stores for shoppers. In some facilities, these added attractions have taken over as the main draw. There is something for everyone in Las Vegas!

Popular Shows in Las Vegas
Casinos are just as acclaimed for their shows as they are for gambling. There is a wide variety of entertainment from the famous dancing shows featuring feathered and fringed chorus girls to many other categories. For headliner shows, there is Celine Dion at Caesar’s Palace and for some doo-wop, The Platters, Drifters and Coasters at the Sahara. Comedy shows abound with The Riviera comedy Club and the Improv at Harrah’s. Tribute shows are always fun and often nostalgic. You can take in American Superstars at the Stratoshere, Barbra and Frank at the Riviera and Legends in concert at Imperial Palace. Magic shows entertain young and old alike. Check out The World’s Greatest magic Show at the Greek Isles Hotel and Casino, Lance Burton for family fun at the Monte Carlo and Dirk Arthur at Tropicana with his white Bengal tiger and leopards. If production shows are your favorite, you are in luck. Ongoing shows include Cirque du Soliel for astonishing acrobatics at MGM Grand, Mama Mia at Mandalay Bay and Phantom of the Opera at Venetian. If you enjoy adult shows, there are numerous ones to attend, such as the renowned Chippendales at Rio, and hypnosis with Dr. Scott Lewis at Le Bistro Theater. You can even watch the longest running TV game show in history with The Price Is Right at Jubilee! Theater. For every man, woman and child, there is a great show to enjoy in Las Vegas. Tickets and reservations are available for advance purchase on many websites.

Restaurants and Buffets
Las Vegas has quickly become one of the most sensational restaurant cities in the world. New restaurants are opening almost on a daily basis. Nowhere can tourists dine so lavishly for so little as at the abundant buffets, which began in the early 1940’s at the original El Rancho Vegas Hotel. Their Midnight Chuck Wagon Buffet was invented as a way to keep customers in the hotel for the second show. What followed were other hotels offering the same. Next came breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. Some hotels offer champagne brunches on weekends featuring all the bubbly a person can drink. Many of the top chefs in the world have opened restaurants in Vegas. While the casinos and hotels feature varied and exotic cuisines, don’t forget to check out the local restaurants as well.

Family Fun
There are plenty of family friendly venues in Las Vegas. The Lied Children’s Museum is a hands-on, interactive museum close to downtown. There are many lessons to be learned here about science, humanities and the arts. Another destination popular with children is Circus Circus with the Circus Acts and Adventuredome Theme Park. For hours of fun, ride the rollercoaster and other rides, play a game of miniature golf or challenge yourself with the many arcade games. The Gameworks Arcade at the Showcase Mall next to the MGM Grand has the tallest indoor rock-climbing wall in the country and a movie theater. Ride the rollercoaster, play laser tag or enjoy racing Daytona style at the Coney Island Emporium at New York/New York Resort and Casino. Two more places to thrill the kids are the old western town on Bonnie Springs Old Nevada 16 miles west of Las Vegas and the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay.

Outdoor Activities
If you enjoy hiking, golf, horseback riding, hot air balloon riding, or just lounging by a pool, Las Vegas has plenty to offer. Grand Canyon National Park and the Red Rock National Conservation Area are a short drive away. There are also the pirate battles at Treasure Island, the volcano at the Mirage and the fountains of the Bellagio.

Specialty Shopping
If outlets are your favorite, visit the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas for designer clothing. Caesar’s Palace has the Forum Shops or Appian Way Shops. The Venetian features the Grand Canal Shoppes and don’t miss the Bellagio’s Via Bellagio. For more specialty shops and restaurants, visit the Desert Passage. If you prefer a mall environment, check out the Boulevard Mall.

Relax at a Spa
Las Vegas, along with the surrounding areas, boasts over thirty spas. These spas are as varied as the casinos and hotels around them. Choose from Shiatsu or Swedish massage, herbal baths, aromatherapy, reflexology or creme brulee body wraps. Relax in the many whirlpools, saunas or steam rooms. Manicures, champagne facials, pedicures, customized scrubs and hair styling are offered at the numerous salons. Do you want advice on fitness, nutrition or health? Some hotels offer trained personal trainers. Some of the most popular spas include Mandalay Bay’s Spa Mandalay, The Spa at the Palms, the Venetian’s Canyon Ranch Spa, Rio Spa, Elemis Spa at the Aladdin and the Spa Bellagio.

Cruise Ship Entertainment – How to Get the Best and Forget the Rest

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:13:26 +0000

Pimp Up My Entertainment, Baby…

How to get the best seats in the showroom

How to avoid the sleepers

How to learn something (info-tainment)

Arranging private shows

How to get the best seats in the showroom –

Saving seats in the showroom is technically disallowed by the cruise lines – but people do it anyway. This is not a problem for experienced cruisers since we know that the saved seats are not likely to be the most desirable ones anyway. Intuitively, one would think that you would want to be right down front. Not so. The most desirable seats are in the balcony or near the back of the main floor. Why? First, you can sneak out without making a scene if the show is a real sleeper – something you’ll definitely want to do right after the third chorus of “My Way”. Secondly, the people down front are not only trapped for the duration – they are Comedian Fodder. No one looks forward to being the butt of the comic’s jokes – or to being the sucker who surrenders his wedding ring to the Magician – only to have it wrapped in a marked up dollar bill prior to being stuffed into a lemon. So, unless you are a ham to the point of masochism, best to avoid the first ten rows.

How to avoid the sleepers –

We wish we had a rock solid “works every time” formula for you here – but we don’t. Determining what constitutes good entertainment is such a subjective interpretation – so relevant to one’s taste, mood and cultural background – you’ll just have to follow the above advice on “best seats” to sample the various shows. You can always head off to the Dirty Dancing Contest in the disco if the first fifteen minutes of a show fails to wind your watch.

How to learn something (info-tainment) –

Higher Education, here we come! More and more lines are offering on board classes in venues that rival the most prestigious ivy league institutions. Cruise passengers can gobble up all the Brain Food they can eat – on such subjects as Culinary Arts, Wine Tasting, Investment Strategies, Ecology, Video Production, Computer Literacy (evidently there are computers out there that can’t read or write) and so on. Some of these courses are free. Some have a cover charge.

Arranging private shows –

Hey, guys, I’d love to tell you that show girls from the chorus line can be hired to come to your cabin for a private lap dances. But, alas, it just isn’t so.

First of all the cruise line wouldn’t allow it. Secondly, the audience would most likely be limited to single passengers only. Otherwise, you’d have to have a very, very understanding spouse.

But here’s a thought. Given the continuous roll out of new, outrageous and previously un-conceived-of activities like the zip line, climbing walls, specialty shops and themed night clubs – how long do you think it will be before some enterprising young cruise line entrepreneur will build a ship with a “Gentleman’s Club” on board?

All it takes is a Scotch or two to bring the possibilities clearly into focus. The club would be complete with strobe lights, techno music and a stripper’s pole – and located right next to the ship’s chapel. Close proximity of these two seemingly conflicting venues would be a boon for two reasons:

A. It would facilitate the instant rehabilitation of club customers suddenly overcome with guilt. Full and immediate absolution would be possible before the spouse arrives on the scene.

B. All night participants in bachelor or bachelorette parties the night before a shipboard wedding would literally be able to crawl over to the next day’s ceremony on hands and knees, should that prove necessary.

Sadly, it could be years before we see such a classy shipboard innovation. The interim solution – an on board Stripper Pole Rental service. Newlyweds would be offered a weekly rate…Senior Citizens a special discounted hourly rate. These easily portable units could be delivered to the cabin, setup then later retrieved by highly discreet room stewards.

Currently, the closest thing to “private shows” is what goes down at your dining room table every evening. These spectacles are courtesy of very talented wait staff – a waiter or bus-person with a bag full of close-up magic tricks, a comedian, etc. – as discussed in the Pimp My Dining Experience article.

Additionally, themed groups traveling together often arrange for private meetings, speeches and/or performances by their leader or Pied Piper during the cruise. (see “Simon Cowell School of Charm Cruise” on the Pimp My Cruise Fare article) Meeting facilities are usually provided to groups free of charge.

And, lastly – if you know someone who knows someone who has a brother-in-law who works for the cruise line – you may be able to arrange for private tours of the galley, engine room and/or navigation bridge.

If all else fails – see if you can get a staff member to invite you down to the crew bar. What’s that like, you ask? Well, do you remember the inter-galactic night club scene from the Star Wars movie?