4TH OF JULY SAFTY

BE SAFE THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND

The Consumer Product Safety Commission blew up a bunch of mannequins to demonstrate the dangers of fireworks. Here's a compilation of the best parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OcIwPx-SCs
(Search Terms: fun with the CPSC fireworks safety video)

GET OUT FOR THE 4TH

FOUR DATE IDEAS FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY:

#1.) HAVE A PICNIC. Pack a picnic lunch and head to the beach or a park. You'll have the benefit of being out with other people while still having time together to talk and relax.

#2.) GO TO A PARADE. Check your local newspaper or the Internet for any parades happening in your area. Remember to pack some blankets or lawn chairs, drinks and snacks . . . and get there early to get a good seat.

#3.) SEE A MOVIE. The big blockbusters always come out over the summer, and this Fourth of July weekend is a great time to head to the movies.

-"Transformers 2" has been out since last Wednesday, and today is the opening of "Ice Age 3", and "Public Enemies", that gangster movie with JOHNNY DEPP and CHRISTIAN BALE.

#4.) WATCH FIREWORKS. The BEST Fourth of July date is watching fireworks. Check online or in the paper for fireworks displays near you.

- There's something about being outside and enjoying the night with everyone else that'll automatically make this date a winner. Just bring a blanket and something to drink . . . although booze is NOT a good idea for a family-oriented night in a public place. (She Knows)

SALUTE 2 MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A ROBBER ATTACKED A 72-YEAR-OLD RETIRED BOXER WITH A KNIFE . . . AND GOT A BEAT-DOWN:

If you ask me, there's nothing sweeter than when some young punk attacks an old person who they THINK will be an easy mark . . . only to get beaten up. Here's a case in point . . .

Gregory McCalium is a 24-year-old from Botley, England. Last August, he got completely hammered and decided it would be a good idea to go pick a fight with his neighbor . . . 72-year-old Frank Corti.

So Gregory grabbed a KNIFE and broke into Frank's house. But get this . . . --Frank's a former BOXER and SOLDIER, and when Gregory attacked him, his old instincts kicked in . . . and he basically beat the snot out of Gregory.

Frank says, "[Gregory] was holding a knife . . . He made a slashing movement at me but I dodged it by stepping back and he missed. As I saw it, it was a matter of do or die. Fortunately the element of surprise was with me, so I adjusted my position and hit him with my right hand. --"It was just below the eye. I did not knock him out, but he was stunned. We grappled. I was trying to drag him out of the back door. We both fell to the floor. I had to subdue him by punching him, which I did not take a great deal of pleasure in."

On Monday, Gregory was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. (London Times)

(--Check out a photo of Frank and the damage he inflicted on Gregory. . .)

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A COUPLE BONEHEADS WERE BUSTED FOR ROBBING A GAS STATION . . . AFTER THEY RAN OUT OF GAS A MILE DOWN THE ROAD:

Now it's time to recognize our next Meatball Criminals of the Day . . . 51-year-old Phillip Weeks and 29-year-old Lonnie Meckwood of eastern Pennsylvania. On Monday, Phillip and Lonnie robbed a Quickway convenience store and gas station in Kirkwood, New York.

But as the guys were making their getaway, their car RAN OUT OF GAS . . . and they were left stranded just a mile down the road. A little later, police caught up with these boneheads and arrested them. (--And that's why you, Phillip Weeks and Lonnie Meckwood of eastern Pennsylvania, are our Meatball Criminals of the Day!) (WMAR News 2 - Baltimore)

WHITE HOUSE NONSENSE

122 WHITE HOUSE STAFFERS EARN MORE THAN $100,000 A YEAR:

If you've ever wondered just how much money White House staff members make, then you're in luck. Why? -Because yesterday, the White House submitted a report to Congress outlining exactly how much each staffer earns. So just how much are these jokers pulling in?

Well, 122 staff members earn more than $100,000 a year . . . which is THREE FEWER than in GEORGE W. BUSH'S final year in office.

And 22 staff members make the maximum salary of $172,200 . . . which is FOUR MORE than in the Bush White House. (--In case you're wondering, PRESIDENT OBAMA earns $400,000 a year . . . plus a $50,000 expense allowance . . . and JOE BIDEN earns $227,300.)

(--Check out a partial list of White House staffer salaries here . . .)http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/01/white-house-releases-staff-salary-list/(CNN)

CHUG - CHUG - CHUG

AN AVERAGE RESIDENT OF MONTANA DRINKS 43.9 GALLONS OF BEER EVERY YEAR (WHICH IS THE MOST IN THE U.S.):

I don't know about you, but on the Fourth of July, people like to celebrate independence . . . by consuming mass quantities of ALCOHOL! With that in mind, we tracked down a color-coded map which shows just how much BEER residents of each U.S. state drink every year. --- PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!!

--QUICK FACTS:

--Residents of New Hampshire, North Dakota, Nevada and Montana drink the most beer per capita. And, overall, Montana residents are the biggest beer drinkers . . . downing an average of 43.9 GALLONS a year per person.

--Utah's prudish residents drink the least amount of beer . . . managing only 20.8 GALLONS a year per person.

--Overall, Americans drink more beer on July 4th . . . than any other day of the year. (Slosh Spot)

(--Take a look at the full state-by-state map here . . .)
http://www.sloshspot.com/photos/blog/full/photo_1246056700.png

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (7-02-09)

KEVIN JONAS IS ENGAGED:

Break this to your daughters gently and prepare for them to be heartbroken: KEVIN JONAS is ENGAGED. (--NOOOOOOO!!!)

Yesterday morning, Kevin showed up at the doorstep of his girlfriend, Danielle Deleasa, in New Jersey . . . and popped the question. And yes, he did indeed get down on one knee.

Kevin says, "She said 'Yes, yes, yes,' like 500 times super fast in a row."

Kevin actually flew to New Jersey from Vancouver, where the JONAS BROTHERS had just performed the previous night. Kevin says, "It was tough performing . . . knowing that I was going to ask the biggest question in my life to the most amazing girl in the world."

Kevin and Danielle met in May of 2007, while vacationing with their respective families in the Bahamas. At the time, Danielle claims she didn't even know who the Jonas Brothers were. --Kevin is 21 . . . Danielle is 22. There's no word yet on a wedding date.

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NEW SHOW RAISING SOME EYEBROWS

NBC News has announced a July 20th premiere date for a controversial new series called "The Wanted", which will profile suspected international terrorists. On the show, an "elite team" of counter-terrorism and intelligence experts . . . along with investigative journalists . . . will hunt down terrorists in an attempt to bring them to justice.

It's being compared to that "Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator" series. --Some government officials are worried that "The Wanted" could interfere with their own ongoing criminal investigations . . . while human rights advocates are concerned that the show could be quick to make accusations against potentially innocent people.

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DON'T CRY FOR ME LITTLE GIRL

Remember the "crying girl" from the sixth season of "American Idol"??? She's the little girl who went HYSTERICAL over SANJAYA MALAKAR'S performances . . . and briefly became a SENSATION in the entertainment media.

Well, she's back . . . sort of. The girl, whose name is Ashley Ferl, showed up at "Idol's" Season Nine auditions in Pasadena, California. (--She just turned 16 earlier this year . . . so this the first season she was eligible to audition.) But apparently she wasn't any good. "Access Hollywood" says she did NOT get a ticket to Hollywood.

(--Still, you just KNOW "Idol" is going to give her a TON of face time during that audition episode. So we have that to look forward to.)

MICHAEL JACKSON UPDATE

AS EXPECTED, MICHAEL JACKSON DOMINATED THIS WEEK'S BILLBOARD TOP POP CATALOG CHART:

MICHAEL JACKSON'S old albums have been selling like crazy since his death last Thursday . . . and it's happening at an unprecedented clip.

"Billboard" has released the sales numbers from last week, and Michael has set all kinds of new records. (--Keep in mind, all this happened in just FOUR days. Last week's numbers include sales from Monday, June 22nd, through this past Sunday. But naturally, most of Michael's sales occured AFTER his death on Thursday.)

First off, three of his albums . . . the 1982 classic, "Thriller", and the greatest hits discs "Number Ones" and "The Essential Michael Jackson" . . . all sold more than the highest-selling recent release, the BLACK EYED PEAS' disc, "The E.N.D.".

Those three albums all sold over 100,000 copies . . . and "The E.N.D. only sold 88,000. However, the Peas still scored last week's #1 album, because Michael's albums were TOO OLD to be eligible to top the Billboard 200.

Instead, Michael's sales numbers are reflected on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog chart, which is for sales of releases that have been out for over 18 months. And as expected, Michael DOMINATED that chart.

(--Here's the Top 10 . . .)

#1.) "Number Ones", MICHAEL JACKSON (108,000 copies)
#2.) "The Essential Michael Jackson", MICHAEL JACKSON (102,000 copies)
#3.) "Thriller", MICHAEL JACKSON (101,000 copies)
#4.) "Off the Wall", MICHAEL JACKSON (33,000 copies)
#5.) "The Ultimate Collection", THE JACKSON 5 (18,000 copies)
#6.) "Bad", MICHAEL JACKSON (17,000 copies)
#7.) "Dangerous", MICHAEL JACKSON (14,000 copies)
#8.) "Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume One", MICHAEL JACKSON (12,000 copies)
#9.) "The Ultimate Collection", MICHAEL JACKSON (11,000 copies)
#10.) The "Woodstock" movie soundtrack, VARIOUS ARTISTS (8,000 copies)

Here are a few interesting facts about Michael Jackson's numbers: --This is the FIRST TIME that a catalog album . . . (--that has been out for over 18 months) . . . has outsold the top-selling recent release (on the Billboard 200). (--And again, THREE of Michael's albums accomplished that this week.)

Michael holds EIGHT of the Top 10 spots on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog chart . . . NINE if you include THE JACKSON 5 disc. The previous record for the most simultaneous Top 10 albums by one artist on that chart is FIVE. --That record was held by both THE BEATLES and AC/DC. (--The lone non-Michael-related album on the Top 10, the "Woodstock" movie soundtrack, sold 8,000 copies because it was recently reissued for Woodstock's 40th anniversary.)

In all, Michael sold 415,000 albums last week. That's incredible . . . considering that his albums only sold 10,000 copies in the week before his death. In fact, his catalog had only sold 297,000 albums this YEAR, up through June 21st. --Of those 415,000 albums, 58% . . . or, roughly, 240,000 . . . were digital downloads. But remember, that's digital ALBUMS . . . not individual tracks.

Michael also became the first artist to sell more than one million individual digital tracks in one week. If you include the Jackson 5, he had 2.6 million song downloads.

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MICHAEL JACKSON'S WILL HAS BEEN RELEASED . . . HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

MICHAEL JACKSON'S will was released yesterday. As we'd heard, this is the will Michael drafted in 2002, following the birth of "his" third child. (--There are rumors going around that there's a second will. But we're hearing that's NOT true. Michael had made previous wills . . . but legally, his most recent will would supercede them.)

As we also heard, Michael's mother, KATHERINE JACKSON, was named the primary guardian of the kids. --But if Katherine were to die . . . or was unwilling or unable to act as guardian . . . Michael stipulated that the kids be handed over to DIANA ROSS.

--As for Michael's estate . . . the will lists its value at $500 million. But all of that is in, quote, "non-cash, non-liquid" assets . . . including the Sony / ATV music catalog and other, quote, "interests in various entities." --Michael willed that his estate be placed in the Michael Jackson Family Trust . . . which is administered by attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain. The beneficiaries of that trust are Michael's three children and his mother.

--As expected, Michael gave nothing to his father or any of his eight siblings. --DEBBIE ROWE gets a mention in the will . . . but not a good one. The will states, quote, "I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife." --Michael provided for her quite handily in life. He most likely gave her MILLIONS to disappear from their kids' lives.

However, as the children's biological mother . . . (--we think) . . . Debbie would most certainly have rights, should she choose to exercise them. We STILL haven't heard whether she plans to do so.

--As for Michael's estate being valued at $500 million . . . well, this will was drawn up seven years ago. It's probably worth a lot less . . . but it could still be worth a fortune, if it were liquidated and Michael's debts were paid off. --Katherine Jackson remains a "special administrator" of the estate. But Branca and McClain are requesting that they be placed in control, as stipulated in the will. A hearing on that matter will be held on Monday.

It's not clear whether this will turn out to be a BATTLE. We don't know if Katherine Jackson will fight to remain in control of the estate. Some reports indicate that this is just a formality, and that everybody is pretty much on the same side here.)

Branca and McClain issued a statement saying, quote, "As we work to carry out Michael's instructions to safeguard both the future of his children as well as the remarkable legacy he left us as an artist we ask that all matters involving his estate be handled with the dignity and the respect that Michael and his family deserve. (--You can read the will for yourself here . . .) http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0701091mjwill1.html

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MICHAEL JACKSON'S FUNERAL MAY BE HELD AT THE STAPLES CENTER ON TUESDAY:

Roger Friedman . . . a gossip columnist who's spent an inordinate amount of time covering MICHAEL JACKSON over the years . . . claims to have the inside track on Michael's funeral.

He says it's going down on Tuesday . . . beginning at 10:00 A.M. . . . at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. --That supposedly comes from insiders at AEG Live . . . which owns the Staples Center, as well as the Nokia Theatre next door. (--They were also promoting Michael's upcoming run of shows in London.)

Supposedly, they'll be using BOTH venues, plus the surrounding plaza. They'll also put giant screens outside for those who can't get inside. There's no word how ticketing will be handled. (--It would be INSANE if they tried to do admission on a first-come, first-serve basis. There would be riots.)

Here's something that might amuse you: The day after Michael's funeral . . . the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus hits the Staples Center. -In fact, Michael's funeral will reportedly force them to start setting up several hours later than they had planned.

There's still no word where Michael will be buried. As of last night, Michael's body was being held at the Hollywood Hills location of Forest Lawn Cemetery. But nobody's saying if that will be his final resting place.

Yesterday, the Jackson Family once again denied that any kind of funeral or memorial service would be held at the Neverland Ranch. They said, quote, "Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating that there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland. --"Plans are underway regarding a public memorial for Michael Jackson, and we will announce those plans shortly." -But it does appear that SOMETHING is happening at Neverland. On Tuesday night, port-a-potties were delivered to the ranch. And yesterday, TMZ got footage of a fancy white horse-drawn hearse being transported on the 405 Freeway toward Santa Barbara . . . in other words, in the general direction of the Neverland Ranch.(--We don't even know this thing is for Michael. But here's the video anyway, in case you're interested . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=3499f577-d6f2-4645-99df-7e74d9b46625

There's a rumor going around that the Jackson Family DID try to obtain the necessary permits and exemptions to have Michael buried at Neverland . . . but they weren't going to be able to get them in time. Whether something's happening at Neverland or not, people seem to THINK it is. Hotels in the vicinity of the ranch are said to be booked solid through the weekend. --Wherever and whenever Michael's funeral is held, ELIZABETH TAYLOR will be there. And she's bringing BARRY MANILOW.

Barry has a 4th of July gig in Washington, D.C., after which he's flying to L.A. to be Liz's escort. --He says, quote, "[Michael] will go down as one of history's greatest entertainers. I was very happy to be in the world when Michael Jackson was in the world."

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THE DEA IS NOW INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION INTO MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH:

TMZ is reporting that the DEA . . . the Drug Enforcement Agency . . . is now assisting in the investigation into MICHAEL JACKSON'S death. --Specifically, they're helping to investigate the various doctors who treated Michael . . . and prescribed various medications for him.

There's a lot of talk that a sedative called Propofol . . . also known as Diprivan . . . led to Michael's death. It's a very powerful drug that's normally used as an anesthesia, to knock people out for surgery.

Cherilyn Lee . . . a nutritionist and registered nurse who had been working with Michael . . . claims he would BEG her for it to treat his insomnia. --And while she refused to supply it for him, and begged him not to take it. But she believes he eventually got it through someone else.(--Here's video of Lee describing how she tried to talk Michael out of taking Propofol (slash) Diprivan . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=248346d9-3518-4e7b-80d1-dc0fa0873ea5

We've heard that one of the drugs investigators found at Michael's home earlier this week WAS Propofol. He was supposedly having it administered via IV. But that hasn't been confirmed. --Obviously, the leading candidate to have given Michael an IV would be CONRAD MURRAY . . . the doctor who was with him when he stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest.

As you may recall, earlier this week, Murray's attorney said that his client did NOT give Michael Demerol or OxyContin. But he didn't mention any other drugs. --Meanwhile, we're hearing that AEG Live . . . the company that was promoting Michael's upcoming shows in London . . . is going to release video from Michael's rehearsals. (--They may have already done so. If not, you can supposedly expect it by the end of the day.)

They're doing this in order to prove that Michael was at the top of his game . . . and dispel rumors that he was frail and in poor health. --The footage will show Michael, quote, "dancing, singing, and directing his show, [and] interacting with cast members."

TIME FOR THE TRUTH ABOUT THE 4TH

***FOUR FOURTH OF JULY MYTHS***

Saturday is the Fourth of July, when people everywhere drink, eat hot dogs, and try to make it to July 5th with all ten fingers intact.

But Independence Day is really about history. Do you know yours?

Here are four myths about the Fourth of July . . .

#1.) IT'S THE DAY WE DECLARED INDEPENDENCE. Actually, Congress declared independence on July SECOND . . . today . . . not July fourth. On the FOURTH of July, they formally adopted the Declaration of Independence.

--In fact, Benjamin Franklin wrote his wife on July THIRD and predicted that Americans would celebrate the SECOND of July for years to come.

#2.) THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS SIGNED ON JULY 4TH. No. Most of the delegates signed it on August 2nd. And regardless of what you learned in school, there was never ONE SINGLE DAY when everyone lined up to sign.

#3.) BETSY ROSS SEWED THE FIRST FLAG. Everyone knows this one is true . . . except . . . IT'S NOT. A guy named Frances Hopkinson DESIGNED the first flag, but no one knows who SEWED it.

--Betsy Ross WAS a seamstress in the 1700's, and she may have made flags for the government . . . but her family descendents pretty much made up the rest of the story.

#4.) THE LIBERTY BELL RANG-IN OUR INDEPENDENCE. Actually, that's true. But it wasn't on July 4th, 1776. It was on July EIGHTH . . . the day the Declaration was read in Philadelphia . . . and the day Americans first celebrated their independence.

--There weren't any fireworks though. That tradition didn't catch on until 1777. (The Complete Sheet)

NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

FISHING FROM ABOVE...

We think this is fake, but it's still cool. The host of a fishing show jumps out of a helicopter and catches a marlin with his bare hands.

(--He jumps at 1:11.)(Search Terms: catch marlin from helicopter video)

GO BACK TO SCOHOL

ROAD WORKERS MISSPELLED THE WORD "SCHOOL" . . . IN A SCHOOL CROSSING SIGN:

I can't think of a better reason to stay in school than THIS . . . Recently, road workers in Miami, Florida, painted a "school crossing" sign on the street outside a school called Goulds Elementary.

But the boneheads screwed up . . . and misspelled the word school as "S-C-O-H-O-L". (My Fox - National)

(Take a look at this moronic misspelling here . . .)

GOT CANKLES?? WE WANNA HELP

GOLD'S GYM STARTED A NEW "SAY NO TO CANKLES" AD CAMPAIGN:

You know what "cankles" are . . . right? That's what it's called when you've put on so much weight, that there's no real difference between the size of your calves . . . and the size of your chubby ankles. (--Get it?)

Anyway, the marketing "geniuses" over at Gold's Gym have decided that cankles are a, "aesthetic affliction" . . . so they started a ridiculous new ad campaign called "Say No To Cankles". (Jezebel)

Take a look at Gold's Gym's new, nonsense website here.. http://saynotocankles.com/

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (7-01-09)

MARIAH CAREY DRESSED UP LIKE A MAN FOR A MUSIC VIDEO . . . AND SOME PEOPLE THINK SHE'S TAKING A SHOT AT EMINEM:

MARIAH CAREY has been shooting a music video for her new single, "Obsessed", this week . . . and in some of the scenes, Mariah is made up like a MAN. Some pictures from the shoot have been released . . . and Mariah looks pretty convincing as a guy. (--See the pictures for yourself, below. . .)

Now, because Mariah is wearing a gray hoodie and a baseball hat in some of the pics, people think she's trying to take a dig at EMINEM. Never mind the fact that she also has dark hair and a thick goatee.

When "Obsessed" was released, some people thought it was her answer to Em's track, "Bagpipes from Baghdad" . . . where he raps about wanting to take Mariah "back" from her husband, NICK CANNON.

But Mariah is NOT copping to taking a shot at anyone. She says, quote, "It was weird, but I wasn't playing anyone in particular . . . we were actually inspired by 'The King of Comedy' starring JERRY LEWIS and ROBERT DENIRO." - She adds that she was trying to look like, quote, "your regular everyday stalker."

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DID JAY-Z AND AL SHARPTON BLOCK CHRIS BROWN FROM PERFORMING AT (AND ATTENDING) THE "BET AWARDS"???

At one point, there was some talk that both CHRIS BROWN and RIHANNA would be attending last Sunday's BET Awards . . . (--less than a week after Chris pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna back in February) . . . but both of them were no-shows.

The "New York Daily News" claims that Chris WAS booked to attend AND perform at the ceremony . . . but at the last minute, his invite was revoked. Supposedly because both JAY-Z and REVEREND AL SHARPTON said they didn't want him there. A "source" says, quote, "Al made such a fuss to the BET executives that they pulled Chris. [And] Jay is a big name in the BET community, and he was very vocal about his displeasure with Chris attending the ceremony. --"He didn't want Chris anywhere near the awards so close to the court's ruling."

Sharpton's beef with Chris was that his attendance would take away from the Michael Jackson tribute aspect of the show. Jay-Z has his own issues with Chris . . . being Rihanna's mentor and all. And word has it, Chris isn't happy about all this. A so-called "pal" of Chris' says, "He's furious. BET asked him to perform and waited until the last minute to tell him it was off. He's pretty shocked and outraged right now."

But all of this could very well be BOGUS. Reps for both BET and Chris say that Chris was never confirmed for the show. Someone from BET told MTV, quote, "The rumors are false." And Al Sharpton has also denied his part in it. -As for Rihanna, her rep says, quote, "Rihanna was never meant to attend [the BET Awards]."

For what it's worth, the "Daily News" claims that Rihanna was hanging out with RASHARD LEWIS . . . (--of the Orlando Magic) . . . on Sunday night. They're insinuating that she's got a thing for Rashard, but who knows.

(--The Michael Jackson tribute turned out to be a ratings bonanza. According to Nielsen, the BET Awards broadcast averaged 10.7 million viewers. Hey, that's even bigger than the season premiere of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight"!!!)

MORE JACKSON NEWS

THE PARENTAGE OF MICHAEL JACKSON'S KIDS GETS EVEN MORE CLOUDY . . . NOW DEBBIE ROWE MIGHT NOT BE THEIR REAL MOTHER:

We've all heard the rumors that MICHAEL JACKSON is not the biological father of his three kids. Now, here's a new wrinkle: There's talk that DEBBIE ROWE isn't the biological mother of the two eldest children.

Yes, Debbie carried both 12-year-old Prince Michael and 11-year-old Paris in her womb. But this new rumor claims they were created in vitro . . . which means OUTSIDE of Debbie's body. And supposedly, she didn't supply the egg. (--There's no word who did.)

Debbie's attorney is strongly denying this. She says, quote, "We refuse to be drawn into addressing the various rumors and speculation swirling in the media. The vast majority of what is out there is untrue. -"Particularly hurtful and insidious is the most recent rumor . . . which is entirely false . . . concerning the maternity of the children. Ms. Rowe is the biological mother of the two oldest children."

Meanwhile, "Us Weekly" claims that the real father of Prince and Paris is Debbie's former boss and Michael's former dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein. -A so-called "Jackson insider" says, quote, "He is the dad. He and Debbie signed an agreement saying they would never reveal the truth." -

As for the youngest child, Prince Michael the Second . . . he was also conceived in vitro, and born to a surrogate mother who was, presumably, the biological parent. But Michael . . . (--once again, ALLEGEDLY) . . . was NOT the sperm donor.

Klein's attorney issued the following statement in response to this chaos . . . quote, "Dr. Klein is aware of media reports connecting him to Michael Jackson. Because of patient confidentiality Dr. Klein will make no statement on any reports or allegations. --"Like millions of Michael's fans around the world, Dr. Klein is saddened by Michael's death and extends his condolences to Michael's family."

IF Michael isn't the biological father of any of these children, that brings up an interesting issue. According to TMZ, Michael never filed papers to adopt any of these kids. --Which means that the actual biological parents . . . whomever they may be . . . could conceivably have a stronger claim to them. (--It's not clear if the mother of Prince Michael the Second knew she was carrying a baby for Michael Jackson. Supposedly, the kid was scooped up from the hospital by an attorney just a few days after he was born.)

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DO POLICE WANT TO QUESTION MICHAEL JACKSON'S DERMATOLOGIST???

Another one of MICHAEL JACKSON'S doctors might be on the list of people the LAPD wants to interview. That would be Dr. Arnold Klein . . . Michael's longtime dermatologist, and now the alleged biological father of Michael's two eldest children. Supposedly, the cops want to talk to Klein about drugs he may have prescribed or given to Michael. But Klein's attorney says, quote, "Dr. Klein has not been contacted by any governmental agency with request for an interview."

On a related note, RadarOnline.com is reporting that Michael was visiting Klein's office three or four times a month for some kind of "treatment". The last time was about a week before Michael's death.

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THERE WILL BE A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT NEVERLAND THIS WEEKEND:

There will be some kind of memorial service for MICHAEL JACKSON at the Neverland Ranch this weekend. The Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department is already coordinating with the California Highway Patrol on issues like traffic and crowd control.

Michael's body is expected to be transported from L.A. to the ranch TOMORROW. --Details haven't been released yet, but so-called "sources" say a public service, with Michael's body "lying in state", may take place on Friday . . . followed by a private service on Sunday.

The Jackson Family has already denied that Michael will be buried at Neverland. But TMZ claims that a CEMENT TRUCK arrived there yesterday.

Here are two people who won't be attending Michael's funeral: Producer QUINCY JONES and Michael's now-infamous physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray's attorney says he's currently ISOLATING HIMSELF. -As for Quincy, he just can't deal. He says, quote, "I won't go to any more funerals as long as I live. I can't handle it."

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THREE OLD MICHAEL JACKSON ALBUMS SOLD OVER 100,000 COPIES *EACH* LAST WEEK:

Old MICHAEL JACKSON albums have been selling like crazy since his death last Thursday. That isn't all that surprising . . . but we're hearing that the sales numbers for a few of his albums are pretty insane.

According to "Billboard", three of his albums . . . the 1982 classic, "Thriller", and the greatest hits discs "Number Ones" and "The Essential Michael Jackson" . . . sold around 100,000 copies EACH last week.

As you might expect, a significant portion of those album sales were DIGITAL. --Each of those three albums sold more than 30,000 copies through online retailers last week. (--Last week's numbers include sales from Monday, June 22nd, through this past Sunday. Obviously most of the purchases happened AFTER Michael's death on Thursday . . . since no one randomly buys music without a specific reason anymore.)

For comparison, Michael's ENTIRE catalog sold just 10,000 copies in the previous week. --If you haven't been following the music charts lately, those numbers are pretty big.

For example, last week's #1 album . . . (--which won't be officially announced until later today) . . . is expected to be the BLACK EYED PEAS' disc, "The E.N.D.", and it is NOT projected to make it to the 100,000 sales mark.

None of Michael's albums were eligible to top the Billboard 200, though, because they're too old. That chart only includes albums that have been released in the last 18 months. --Instead, Michael's sales numbers will be reflected on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog chart . . . which is for sales of older releases. Michael is expected to DOMINATE it.

The record for the most simultaneous albums on the Top 10 of that chart is FIVE . . . which is held by both THE BEATLES and AC/DC. If you count JACKSON 5 albums, Michael has a decent chance to take ALL 10 spots.) MICHAEL JACKSON RANDOMS:

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IS MICHAEL REALLY GONE??

Have you seen Michael Jackson alive since his supposed "death" last Thursday??? You're not the only one. There's a website devoted to MICHAEL JACKSON SIGHTINGS. The people who run the site say Michael FAKED HIS DEATH to escape all the chaos in his life . . . and they'll soon be posting pictorial proof. (--Check out the site here . . .) http://www.michaeljacksonsightings.com/

DON'T MAKE THE DR MAD

***SIX THINGS YOU DO THAT DRIVE YOUR DOCTOR CRAZY ***

Most of us hate going to the doctor, but it turns out that DOCTORS might hate seeing US even more . . . at least SOME of us. Here are six things you do that drive your doctor crazy . . .

#1.) BRINGING SOMEONE ELSE INTO THE EXAM ROOM. A lot of you bring a friend or family member to your doctor's appointments for moral support. Which is fine . . . as long as they stay in the waiting room.

-Some doctors find it hard to treat patients if someone else is there. It can be distracting, and people aren't always honest when someone else is in the room.

#2.) NEGLECTING TO MENTION THE SUPPLEMENTS YOU'RE TAKING. Maybe you think you don't need to tell your doctor about the herbs and supplements you're taking because they're ALL-NATURAL.

-But your doctor DOES need to know, because some supplements CAN interact with medication.

#3.) GOING OFF MEDICATION WITHOUT MENTIONING IT. Sometimes, you HAVE to go off medication because of side effects, money problems, or other reasons.

-But if you don't tell your doctor, and then you show up six months later with the same health issues . . . don't expect much sympathy.

#4.) REFUSING TO LOSE WEIGHT. We all love a quick cure . . . especially if it comes in a pill. But a lot of health problems . . . like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, sleep apnea, and chronic fatigue . . . can be traced back to overeating.

-Your doctor will get frustrated with you if you refuse to change your lifestyle . . . especially if it's the main thing that's making you miserable.

#5.) DIAGNOSING YOURSELF. America is one of the only countries in the world that lets drug companies advertise on TV. In 1997, the FDA decided it was okay, and now, it seems like every other commercial is for some new miracle drug.

-The result is . . . instead of walking into the doctor's office with a list of SYMPTOMS, now a lot of you walk in with a SHOPPING LIST.

#6.) DEMANDING TESTS YOU DON'T NEED. Some of you have great insurance plans . . . and you end up wanting to be OVER-treated . . . just to be safe. But what you don't understand is . . . unnecessary tests can lead to complications.

-And COMPLICATIONS can lead to more unnecessary tests. (ABCNews.com)

SHOES TO GO

WOULD YOU BUY SHOES FROM A VENDING MACHINE???

Ladies . . . how many times has this happened? You've spent all night dancing in high-heels. But now your FEET are killing you and all you really want to do . . . is slip on a pair of comfortable FLATS for the ride or walk home. Well, a company called Rollasole has come out with a solution to just that problem. Get this . . .

The SHOE VENDING MACHINE. According to Rollasole's website, "When you're all danced out, just slip one of our vending machines a fiver and it'll sort you out with a pair of roly poly pumps and a shiny new bag to slip your slingbacks in. "Rollasoles are fun, fashionable and fabulously comfy, so bag yourself a pair and get home in style."

That's right. You can now buy SHOES . . . from a vending machine. (WKMG News 6 - Orlando)

(--Check out Rollasole's website here . . .) http://www.rollasole.com/

MORE JACKSON NEWS

MICHAEL'S FINAL REHEARSAL

Here are some pictures from one of Michael's final rehearsals for what would have been his upcoming London concert series . . .

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MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOTHER HAS TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF HIS KIDS:

MICHAEL JACKSON'S mother KATHERINE was granted temporary custody of Michael's three children . . . 12-year-old Prince Michael, 11-year-old Paris and 7-year-old Prince Michael the Second.

They've been staying at the Jackson Family home since Michael died on Thursday. There will be a hearing on August 3rd to determine whether or not she gets permanent custody. Katherine and her husband Joe also filed a separate petition yesterday, seeking control of Michael's estate. She was named a, quote, "temporary special administrator" of the estate, meaning that she'll have power to control at least some aspects of it for the time being.

In their petition, Katherine and Joe expressed concern about unnamed "third parties" that had control of certain aspects of Michael's estate, and could potentially mishandle them. --This matter will be discussed further at a hearing next Monday.

It's still not clear what will happen to Michael's estate. For starters, we don't actually know what it's worth, or in what form any assets are in.

On top of all this, nobody seems clear on whether or not Michael actually had a will. In their court petition, Michael's parents say that if there IS a will, they haven't seen it. If there is one, then we would assume that whatever it says, goes. (--Barring any legal challenges . . . and OF COURSE there would be several.) If there's NOT a will, then the estate would go to Michael's children . . . with someone appointed to oversee it for them until they turn 18.

(--Joe and Katherine Jackson say that their intent in wanting control of Michael's estate is to preserve and administer it for the kids.) (--By some estimates, Michael was as much as $400 million in debt when he died. Of course, now that he's gone, he can't drive himself further into the hole.)

Meanwhile, songwriting royalties will continue to come in, and tons of money can be made from the marketing of Michael's name and likeness. What that means is that if his estate is managed correctly, it's worth a fortune. Remember, Elvis Presley was pretty much broke when HE died. But his ex-wife Priscilla brought it back and made it a GOLDMIND on behalf of their daughter Lisa Marie . . . who's now set for life a zillion times over.

There are several reports indicating that a lawyer named John Branca DOES have a will signed by Michael Jackson . . . and he plans to file it within 30 days. (--It's not clear when this will was written . . . but we think it's the one we heard about yesterday, which Michael drew up in 2002, following the birth of his third child.)

As for custody, we still don't know the intentions of DEBBIE ROWE . . . the biological mother of the two eldest kids. Especially since that interview of hers that we heard about yesterday turned out to be BOGUS. In the interview, conducted by Britain's "News of the World" tabloid, Debbie supposedly said she had no interest in the kids, and that she was basically just a womb to them, and nothing more.

Well, Debbie's attorney, Marta Almli, now says, quote, "The interview did not occur. The article is a complete fabrication." --But Almli wouldn't speak about Debbie's actual intentions. She said, quote, "Ms. Rowe's only thoughts at this time have been regarding the devastating loss Michael's family has suffered. --"Ms. Rowe requests that Michael's family, and particularly the children, be spared such harmful, sensationalist speculation and that they be able to say goodbye to their loved one in peace."

The big question that everyone is pondering . . . in terms of custody . . . is whether or not Debbie will come after the kids IF it looks like she might benefit financially from having custody of them.

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JOE JACKSON HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY . . . AND HYPED HIS NEW RECORD LABEL . . . ???

MICHAEL JACKSON'S father, JOE JACKSON, held a press conference yesterday to discuss various Michael-related issues. Oh, and also to pimp his new record label. Seriously . . . he tossed in a plug. He said, quote, "I was asked a question last night about the record company. Well, what I'm doin' is I established a record company . . . We have a lot of good artists we're fixing to come out."

Joe also talked about he and his wife KATHERINE wanting permanent custody of Michael's kids. He said, "We're the parents. This is where they belong. We're going to take care of them and give them the education they're supposed to have." Asked about DEBBIE ROWE, he said, quote, "Debbie Rowe has nothing to do with what we're doing."

Joe said the family isn't ready to announce memorial or funeral plans for Michael. He added, quote, "We're searching to see what happened to Michael. -"I want to see how this autopsy is coming out, the second autopsy. I'm expecting to hear about it real soon."

One thing he COULD say on that front, however, is that there are NO plans to bury Michael at the Neverland Ranch. He said, quote, "That's not true." --Joe also expressed sadness that Michael couldn't be there to see how much love he's been getting from around the world since his death. He said, quote, "The family and I are very proud to see all of you come out here and help us with this whole situation. I wish Michael could be here to see all this. "Michael was a superstar. He was loved in every country and the U.S. . . . but one thing Michael didn't know, he didn't know how strong this could be."

(--Check out a little bit of the press conference, including Joe's record company plug, here . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6qqtmoEo9k

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-30-09)

BILLY MAYS PROBABLY DIED OF HEART DISEASE . . . NOT HEAD TRAUMA:

OxiClean spokesman BILLY MAYS most likely died of HEART DISEASE . . . not head trauma. Billy's wife found him dead in his bed on Sunday morning. On Saturday, he'd received a bump on the head when a commercial airliner he had taken from Philadelphia had a rough landing. But the coroner said yesterday that he found no sign of head trauma during the autopsy.

He said Billy most likely died due to complications from heart disease. Billy suffered from high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis . . . which is a condition in which plaques build on the artery walls. This can restrict blood flow and cause a clot.

The coroner also said that Billy was taking the prescription painkillers Tramadol and Hydrocodone for hip pain . . . but he was taking the correct dosage. (--Billy was supposed to undergo his third hip replacement yesterday.) The full autopsy results won't be known for several weeks, though, so there won't be an official cause of death until then.

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ENJOY THIS PHOTO OF SARAH JESSICA PARKER AND HER NEWBORN TWINS:

SARAH JESSICA PARKER and MATTHEW BRODERICK have released a photo showing them with their six-year-old son James, and their new twin baby daughters.

The twins were born last Monday using a surrogate mother. And they have the relatively normal celebrity baby names Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick.

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MELISSA RYCROFT IS ENGAGED . . . AGAIN:

MELISSA RYCROFT . . . the woman who was dumped at the last minute on this past season of "The Bachelor", but then landed a gig on "Dancing with the Stars" . . . is ENGAGED. Again. (--Melissa was chosen by "Bachelor" JASON MESNICK, but he called it off back in March . . . on LIVE TV . . . during the "After the Final Rose" special, to go back to the finalist he DIDN'T choose.)

The new lucky man in Melissa's life is a Dallas insurance agent named Tye Strickland, whom she's dated . . . on and off . . . over the past two years. (--We're assuming they were in the midst of one of those "off" periods while Melissa was on "The Bachelor".)

According to "People" magazine, Tye popped the question last Friday night.

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JON & KATE HAVE NOTHING TO SAY.

JON and KATE GOSSELIN have issued a statement . . . saying that they don't plan on issuing any more statements.

In a message posted on TLC's website, the estranged couple says, quote, "During this very difficult time we will be working to focus solely on the needs of our family. -"This includes no longer commenting publicly or reacting to media stories and speculation. Our goal is to do the very best for our children and that will be done as privately as possible. We appreciate the understanding, support and well wishes from so many. Thank you."

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SEE YA NEXT FALL DEMI

DEMI LOVATO tripped and fell at one of her concerts over the weekend, and fortunately for all of us . . . it was caught on video. Demi was OK. She recovered pretty quickly and laughed it off.

(--Here's the video. She falls at the 1:10 mark.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2JV_WCttc

(--It's interesting to note: It looks like Demi was singing LIVE . . . so you have to give her some props for that. She falls pretty suddenly, and unless I'm missing something . . . there wasn't a baking track still playing while she recovered.)

BON JOVI NEWS

JON BON JOVI'S MOST RECENT SONG . . . AND HIS EARLIEST ONE:

#1.) JON BON JOVI and an exiled Iranian singer named Andy Madadian have teamed up to record a new version of the BEN E. KING classic, "Stand By Me". It was done to, "[send] a musical message of worldwide solidarity" to the Iranian people.

(--You can listen to the song and watch the video below. . .)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RASKaZFZtS8

--A man named Don Was, who co-produced the track, says they're not planning on officially releasing the song. He says, "It is not for sale. It wasn't intended to be on the Billboard charts, wasn't meant to be a hit record or even pressed on a CD. --"It's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people. The whole idea was to get it into Iran and tell them . . . to carry on, that the world is watching and we're with you."

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#2.) Hardcore BON JOVI and / or "Star Wars" fans may know this, but YOU probably don't: JON BON JOVI'S first professional recording appeared on a "Star Wars"-themed holiday disc called "Christmas in the Stars".

(--Here's the cover . . .)

--The album was originally released in 1980 . . . but now it's out of print . . . (--and apparently, it's pretty rare. Used ones are going for between $50 and $100 on Amazon.com.) Jon was 18 at the time, and did odd jobs at the studio run by his cousin where the album was made. He's credited under his REAL name . . . John Bongiovi . . . and he sings with a high school choir on the song "R2-D2, We Wish You a Merry Christmas". (--You can listen to it, here . . .) http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/1329/16246/Before-they-were-famous:-Bon-Jovi.html

TIME TO EAT

***FOUR REASONS TO EAT THE SAME THING EVERY DAY***

These days, we have an AMAZING number of choices when it comes to what we eat. If you wanted to, you could have a completely different meal for dinner every night. But that doesn't mean you should. Here are four reasons to eat the same thing every day . . .

#1.) IT MAKES SHOPPING SIMPLER. And it's a lot easier to predict how much you'll spend on food each month. Plus, it allows you to buy in bulk, which can save you a LOT of money.

#2.) IT CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT. If you eat the same thing every day, you only have to count calories ONCE. But it only works if you choose a HEALTHY meal to eat over and over again. That means you have to take care of all the basic food groups.

-And you should vary the vegetables every now and then to make sure you're getting a full range of vitamins. Eating the same thing every day CAN be healthy, but if you decide to eat LASAGNA five days a week . . . not so much.

#3.) IT SAVES TIME IN THE KITCHEN. SIMPLE food is usually HEALTHY food. And simple food is easy to make. Something like chicken, steamed vegetables, and rice is simple, but it's also healthy. And it takes less than 30 minutes to make.

#4.) YOU'LL HAVE A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR FOOD. If you DO decide to have routine meals, it doesn't mean you can't change things up every now and then. And on OFF-DAYS, the "NEW" food you eat will taste even better.

-Eating the same thing CAN get old, so it's important to be creative. Using spices, seasonings, and sauces can make the same old meal taste VERY different. (SheerBalance.com)

HERE BOY

WANT TO SEE WHAT THE UGLIEST DOG IN THE WORLD LOOKS LIKE???

On Friday, the 21st annual World's Ugliest Dog contest took place at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California. Pabst . . . a Boxer-mix with a SERIOUS under-bite . . . was crowned the World's Ugliest Dog. His owner was awarded $1,600.

And a blind Chinese Crested Hairless dog named Miss Ellie was named the World's Ugliest Purebred dog. Her owner was awarded $1,000.(-Take a look at Pabst and Miss Ellie below. . .)

You can get more info on the World's Ugliest Dog contest here . . .http://www.sonoma-marinfair.org/uglydogcontest.shtml(Yahoo News / Daily Mail)

DANGEROUS SPORT

THE MOST DANGEROUS HIGH SCHOOL SPORT IS . . . CHEERLEADING???

You probably think of football and hockey as DANGEROUS sports. But cheerleading? Maybe not so much.

So you may be surprised to hear that, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina, cheerleading accounts for 65% of all catastrophic sports injuries in high school.

And it accounts for 70% of all catastrophic sports injuries in college. (--Who knew?) (Live Science)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-29-09)

AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED ON MICHAEL JACKSON . . . BUT A SECOND ONE MAY BE ON THE WAY:

An autopsy has been performed on MICHAEL JACKSON . . . but, as usual, the results are inconclusive at this time. -A spokesman for the L.A. County Coroner's Office said they'll know more when results from the toxicology tests come back . . . which will take four to six weeks. But there are no signs of foul play or, quote, "external trauma."

-The spokesman added that Jackson WAS taking unspecified prescription medications at the time of his death. --But the Jackson Family is having a SECOND autopsy done . . . because they want to know what really happened the day Michael died.

There's been talk that Michael passed out right after receiving a shot of the heavy-duty painkiller Demerol. And if that did happen, it would stand to reason that the shot was administered by Michael's doctor, one CONRAD MURRAY. (--Supposedly, Michael referred to these Demerol injections as his, quote, "health tonic" . . . which is kind of like how he referred to wine as "Jesus Juice".)

Murray has already been interviewed by police, and they do NOT consider him a suspect. At least not at this time. --And Dr. Murray's attorney issued a statement saying that Murray did NOT inject Michael with painkillers on that day. --He added, quote, "[My client] never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson. The doctor was surprised when [Michael collapsed]. He didn't know why Jackson stopped breathing." -Murray's attorney said that any drugs his client prescribed to Michael Jackson were for specific health reasons. -But REVEREND JESSE JACKSON . . . who has been in close contact with Michael's family . . . had this to say over the weekend . . . quote, "There is a concern about what happened the last 12 hours of Michael's life. The doctor has shown some bizarre behavior."

-Dr. Murray was one of the few people who were with Michael at the time of his death. He attempted CPR until paramedics arrived . . . and he rode in the ambulance with Michael to the hospital. While the LAPD won't say publicly that they're investigating potential criminality in regards to Michael's death, Jackson Family attorney BRIAN OXMAN has told Britain's "Sun" tabloid that they ARE doing just that.

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THE JACKSON FAMILY'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT:

The JACKSON FAMILY issued their official statement over the weekend. Here it is . . . --"In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter. Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon.

-"It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times. --"We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words. But Michael would not want us to give up now. So we want to thank all of his faithful supporters and loyal fans worldwide, you . . . who Michael loved so much.

-"Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you. Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever.

-"In addition, Joseph Jackson wishes to personally convey: 'My grandchildren are deeply moved by all the love and support you have shown for them and their father, Michael Jackson.'"

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WILL MICHAEL JACKSON BE BURIED AT THE NEVERLAND RANCH???

There's still no word on a memorial service for MICHAEL JACKSON . . . but there's some talk going around that it'll happen Wednesday at the Neverland Ranch. Supposedly, there's at least one proposal on the table to have Michael BURIED at Neverland . . . and to turn the place into another Graceland.

This proposal has been put forth by a guy named Tohme Tohme. He was Michael's manager at one point, and he works with Colony Capital LLC, which holds the Neverland mortgage.

There's no word how Michael's family feels about any of this. But at the same time, it's not really clear how much of that would be their call. --Supposedly, Michael last updated his will in 2002, after his youngest son, "Blanket" was born. There's no word what provisions are in it . . . or if the family has even seen it yet.

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ELIZABETH TAYLOR HAS FINALLY SPOKEN ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH:

ELIZABETH TAYLOR was one of MICHAEL JACKSON'S closest friends. And when he died on Thursday, she was too crushed to comment. But over the weekend, she issued a statement on her Twitter account.

She said, quote, "My heart . . . my mind . . . are broken. I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common and we had such loving fun together . . . My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I've ever known. Oh God! I'm going to miss him . . .

". . . I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love HIM forever."

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There's talk in the World Wide Web of Misinformation that JANET JACKSON and the rest of the JACKSONS may launch a tribute tour to celebrate MICHAEL JACKSON'S life. (--Obviously, we'll let you know if we hear more.)

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We don't have any numbers yet, but Michael Jackson may very well have stormed his way back onto the album charts. A lot of music retail outlets are running out of his stuff. The most popular discs are the expanded, remastered version of "Thriller", "Number Ones" and "The Essential Michael Jackson". His tracks and albums are also topping best-seller lists on iTunes and Amazon's online music store.

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JUST DANCE!

Remember those prison inmates in the Philippines who became YouTube sensations by doing the "Thriller" dance in their prison yard??? Well, after Michael died, they worked up a tribute dance for him. You can watch it here . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK25cfzdTTg

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LAST NIGHT'S "BET AWARDS" WERE TURNED INTO A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON:

Organizers of last night's "BET Awards" spent the weekend re-tooling the show, in order to turn it into a tribute to MICHAEL JACKSON. --Host JAMIE FOXX opened the show with some Michael Jackson dance moves . . . and pretty much everybody who took the stage to present or receive an award gave props to Michael and sent their love out to his family.

Michael's father, JOE JACKSON, was seated in the front row along with REVEREND AL SHARPTON . . . and at the end of the show, JANET JACKSON made a surprise appearance and issued a brief statement.

With her voice on the verge of cracking, she said, quote, "To you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in all of our hearts. --"On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much, thank you so much." (--Here's a video clip of Janet's speech . . .)http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities_blog/2009/06/janet_jackson_speaks_at_the_be.html

JAMIE FOXX and NE-YO then closed the show with a duet on "I'll Be There", while a montage of Michael Jackson pictures flashed across the screen behind them. --Elsewhere in the show, NEW EDITION performed several hits by the JACKSON 5 . . . Ne-Yo sang Michael's lesser-known ballad "Lady in My Life" . . . and CIARA did "Heal the World".

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DEATH COMES IN FOURS . . . OR FIVES . . . PROFESSIONAL PITCHMAN BILLY MAYS HAS DIED:

You know that whole "Death comes in threes" theory you were probably pimping on Friday, following the rapid-fire demises of MICHAEL JACKSON, FARRAH FAWCETT and ED MCMAHON???

Well, professional TV pitchman BILLY MAYS just blew it out of the water by passing away yesterday. He was only 50 years old. --You know Billy Mays. He's that burly, bearded guy who sold all manner of products . . . including Oxi Clean and Kaboom. He started most of his commercials by saying, "Hi, Billy Mays here . . ."

He was also one of the stars of the Discovery Channel series, "Pitchmen". Well, Billy went to bed Saturday night at his home in Tampa, Florida and never woke up. His wife found him unresponsive at 7:45 A.M.

There's no word yet on a cause of death . . . but foul play is NOT suspected. --On Saturday, however, Billy apparently suffered a blow to the head while on a flight from Philadelphia . . . (--Where he'd just shot a new Oxi Clean commercial.)

The plane had a rough landing, because the two front tires blew as it hit the runway. --Billy told a local TV station, quote, "All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head." --Right after the incident, Billy "Tweeted", quote, "Just had a close call landing in Tampa. The tires blew out upon landing. Stuck in the plane on the runway. You can always count on US Air."

Billy wasn't feeling well when he went to bed Saturday night at around 10:00 P.M. (--Obviously, people are speculating that Billy died from a subdural hematoma . . . which is bleeding in the brain, often caused by head trauma. That's what killed actress NATASHA RICHARDSON . . . after she bumped her head in a skiing accident.) (--It's all speculation, though, until an autopsy is performed and the findings are released.)

Billy's wife Deborah issued the following statement . . . quote, "Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times." --In addition to Deborah, Billy is survived by a 3-year-old daughter and a stepson in his 20s.

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ED MCMAHON'S FUNERAL SERVICE WENT DOWN YESTERDAY:

ED MCMAHON'S memorial service was held yesterday in the Hollywood Hills. (--Ed passed away last Monday. He was 86.) According to "Entertainment Tonight", about 200 people attended the service . . . including JIMMY KIMMEL, TONY DANZA, and JOANNA CARSON, who was JOHNNY CARSON'S third wife. (--They were married from 1972 to 1985.) --NATALIE COLE also performed her song, "Smile". --Sources say that the guests also gave Ed a loud standing ovation during the service.

YOU CAN DO IT!

***FOUR WAYS TO BOOST SELF-ESTEEM***

If you've recently been dumped or fired, then your self-esteem probably took a serious hit. Self-worth is a fragile thing, but repairing it can be easier than you think. Here are four ways to boost your self-esteem . . .

#1.) DO A GOOD DEED. It can be something big like helping a friend move, or something small like giving directions to someone who looks lost. The more you help out, the more helpful you'll feel.

#2.) MAKE A RESOLUTION . . . AND KEEP IT. If you resolve to clean out the bedroom closet, you'll get organized . . . which will boost your self-esteem . . . AND you'll get a boost just from making a commitment and sticking to it.

-But make sure you resolve to do something that's realistic. If you end up starting something you can't finish, it won't do your self-esteem ANY good.

#3.) BECOME AN EXPERT. Pick something you're interested in . . . it can literally be ANYTHING . . . then dig in. Whether you read up on cooking, Photoshop, or the American Revolution, becoming an "expert" on something will really boost your ego.

#4.) GET PHYSICAL. It's not for everyone, but some people get a real boost in self-esteem by doing things that are physically challenging . . . like training for a 10K or going white-water rafting. If you're less daring, try a bike ride or a brisk walk instead. (Yahoo.com)