Year In Review - Top 12 News Stories Of 2005

As yet another New Year dawns, it is time for us to look back on 2005 and view from the outside all that happened. There were joys, triumphs, and tears. That everything that happens is a learning experience is quite true.

Among the many occurrences of 2005 news stories that were significant were:


1. Google made history in June 2005 as its share price made it the most highly valued media company.

2. Hurricanes of great intensity hit the US disrupting life in all its aspects. Of these Katrina was the worst and the long predicted nightmare for New Orleans came true. Attributed as an effect of global warming
scientists are making all efforts to protect the country from disasters of this kind.

3. In research among the many achievements was the sequencing of the chimpanzee genome. Bringing mankind a step closer to understanding himself.

4. Oil prices skyrocketed to reach $3.07 a gallon in September. The rising demand for crude in the US and China contributed along with the hurricane along the Gulf coast to rising prices.

5. That Michael Jackson was a wacko was proven at court.

6. As promised by President Bush, Iraq went to polls on Dec 15 to vote in a constitutional parliament.

7. The investigation into the CIA leak resulted in Bush adviser Karl Rove being brought before the grand jury four times and the resignation after indictment of former chief of staff Lewis Libby.

8. President Bush was sworn in for the second term in January. He stressed the need to improve economy, provide reliable energy, improve student achievements, and improve health care. He emphasized that the US was working for good throughout the world.

9. The Chicago White Sox won the World Series. Their last wins were in 1906 and 1917—this win came after 88 years.

10. The life-or-death battle came to the forefront with the case of Terri Schiavo who was severely brain damaged. With a raging national debate, 20 states introduced or passed bills to state clearly the defining terms of consent and guardianship in relation to life-prolonging medical procedures.

11. Pope John Paul II died in April after having led the Roman Catholic Church for 26 years.

12. Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines the nations no 3 &4 carriers filed for bankruptcy. High labor costs and spiraling fuel prices put the carriers in bankruptcy court along with United Airlines.

It was a year of great contrasts. There were triumphs and tears. In every field of endeavor be in business, entertainment, science, politics, or law there were ups and downs. There were valuable lessons to be learnt in many things as also a time for retrospection—are we headed in the right direction?

By: paul wilson1

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Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888PressRelease.com, the premier website to Submit Free Press Release for any announcements including launching of new product or services, new website, announcing new hires, sponsoring a special event or seminar and more. He also freelances for www.1888Discuss.com.

Want To Dance Then Download Disco Mp3 Music Or Buy Funk Mp3 Tracks.

Disco is a style of dance music with roots in R & B, Jazz and Latin music. It took the world by storm around 1972 and reached its peak around 1979. Disco continued into the 1980s by evolving into Hi-NRG on one front and House music on the other. Explore all aspects of Disco.

Global Groove Digital is a 70s-80s Disco dance music resource featuring a discography of vinyl disco records and CDs, Disco history, Top 700 Disco songs charts, artist / DJ interviews and a Disco message board to discuss Disco music, buying and selling records and asking for help in identifying unknown Disco songs. You can Download Disco MP3 Music or Buy Funk MP3 Tracks form this site.


Disco music is a blend of soul music and funk, set to 4/4 time syncopated rhythm, making it easily danceable. In the mid-1970s, it became the music to listen to, and the most often played in discotheques, or discos. New forms of dance, many of them based on ballroom dancing styles were adapted for disco music, and for a while, most of the Western world was swept up in the style.

Disco music had a lush orchestral sound, and bands often included several singers, the traditional bass, drums and guitar, and highly synthesized sounds. Full horn sections and string sections were not unusual in many bands, since synthesizers were still in their infancy and there was not much in the way of the sampling synthesizers that would eventually dominate the music of the 1980s. Vocals were an important aspect, with vocal tracks subject to heavy reverberation.

A few artists can be said to have dominated the disco era. The Bee Gees was a very popular group, which featured the singing trio of Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb. Not only did they record multiple platinum records, but they wrote numerous songs for other artists. Other disco artists, more known for their disco music than any other style include Donna Summers and Barry White, and bands like Earth, Wind and Fire and ABBA. Disco music is marked by many musicians from other genres jumping on the disco bandwagon to produce hits.

As disco music grew in popularity, plenty of artists, either from the soul, pop or contemporary music tradition recorded disco music hits. Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” is a good example of a musician of the rock-n-roll genre who had a huge disco music hit. Other well-known artists to produce disco music include Carly Simon, Barry Manilow, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, and Eartha Kitt. All of songs are available at Global Groove Digital.com and that is good news for you than you are able to Download Disco MP3 Music or Buy Funk MP3 Tracks.

Disco music remained popular up to the late 1970s, when people began to hold anti-disco rallies. The amount of airplay devoted to disco music, and the destructive nature of the disco lifestyle, especially on the east and west coast took its toll on many musicians. Hedonistic dance clubs like New York’s Studio 54 were sharply criticized because of the easily accessible and explicit use of drugs and sexual activity. Eventually, disco music gave way to several different forms of music in the 1980s, including the new wave movement, and numerous lighter rock bands like Journey, XYZ and The Tubes.

Disco left its indelible mark on the music to follow, especially in the power ballad vocals of rock bands and the highly synthesized music of the new wave movement. Yet there was a return to more elemental music with fewer musicians. Bands like The Police, U2, and artists like Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mel encamp would become popular for using traditional rock ensembles of bass, guitar and drums with only light dependence on synthesizers.

A few of the great disco music hits include the following:
• The Bee Gees—"Jive Talkin," “You Should be Dancin,” and “Stayin’ Alive.”
• Donna Summers—“Bad Girls,” “Last Dance,” and “MacArthur Park.”
• Amii Stewart—“Knock on Wood”
• Gloria Gaynor—“I Will Survive”
• Earth, Wind and Fire—“September”
• KC and the Sunshine Band—“That’s the Way (I Like It),” and “(Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty”
• Thelma Houston--- “Don’t Leave Me This Way”

One of the greatest things about going to a really loud rave is the feeling of the bass traveling through your body. Standing in front of the speakers and feeling the air moving with the sound waves, rumbling through, from your toes to your nose. That experience is not going to happen from a pair of headphones. Maybe they have air blasting speaker simulation systems and an earthquake machine or something. Ah, as long as the music is good, the people will dance.

By: Ohnoerino Kamal

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

So, Download Disco MP3 Music to fly the sky with joy. If you are a funker then Buy Funk MP3 Tracks from Global Groove Digital. Here you will find extensive lists of disco songs, divided by year, supplemented by chart positions and other details.

Michael Johns - American Idol Contestant

29 years old

Hometown: Buckhead, GA


Musical Influences: ACDC, The Beatles, Neil Finn, Queen, Otis Redding, INXS and David Bowie

“It’s better to be a has been than a never was.”

-From the American Idol website

Michael Johns is one person who is willing to do everything that it takes for him to make it big. He believes in giving his best in everything that he does. There is simply nothing substandard about this American Idol hopeful. He has earned the admiration of all three judges as well as the AI fans all over the country.

Johns is one of those people who really love to work around music. If he doesn’t make it on American Idol, he will still continue writing music and performing. He wants to record his own albums, go on tour and practically live a good life.

Johns’ favorite artists include Freddie Mercury, Otis Redding, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Stevie Nicks. He has been singing since he was five and he hasn’t stopped yet. He decided to pursue the talent at seventeen. Singing to him was the most natural thing in the world. He enjoyed music a lot that he has been writing songs for quite some time now. He never had formal training in singing, however. He enjoys performing, which is precisely why he tried out for the American Idol. This definitely beats having to work as a mascot although he secretly loved that job.

Auditions and performances

Originally from down under Australia, Michael Johns auditioned for the American Idol in San Diego. For his first audition, he sang “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and all three judges thought that he was ready for a golden ticket to Hollywood. Even Simon Cowell couldn’t come up with anything negative about the guy. He called him a “white soul singer” and practically told him that it was a great audition.

His luck continued on in Hollywood when he made it to the top 24 with his rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Now, he’s really showing the whole world that there’s more to him than just a good-looking Aussie who wants to be famous just like the rest of them. He got a unanimous vote for him to move forward. In fact, his was considered the best audition thus far. For Hollywood Week, he impressed the judges again with his rendition of “Light My Fire”. He has consistently maintained a positive impression on everyone who was there to listen to him sing. He was able to do the song justice. He literally set the stage on fire with his showmanship. That was yet another great performance to add to the growing list. All the judges thought he did great, yet again. Michael Johns is one of the very few people on the competition who haven’t received negative feedback from the judges so far. The judges loved how he sang so naturally.

Michael Johns is someone that everybody should watch out for. He can well become one of the most interesting and talented performers that the American Idol has ever seen. If you’re still wondering why this guy should make it big, you probably haven’t really heard him sing. Either that or you’re deaf.

By: James Kara Murat

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James Kara Murat from PrintCountry, the contributor of PrintCountry. More information on the subject is at Michael Johns – American Idol Contestant, and related resources can be found at Printer Cartridge Recycling.

Famous American Entertainer - Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson who is born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago, Illonois. He is an American recording artist, extraordinary entertainer, and a successful businessman.

The seventh child out of nine of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group.


Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, five of his solo studio albums have become some of the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall in (1979), Thriller in (1982), Bad in (1987), Dangerous in (1991) and HIStory in (1995).

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and Thriller"credited for transforming the music video into an art form and a promotional tool"helped bring the relatively new channel to fame.

Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV into the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced numerous hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.

Jackson has donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundation, charity singles and support of 39 charities. However, other aspects of his personal life"including his changing appearance and behavior"generated significant controversy which damaged his public image.

Mr Jackson has been married twice and fathered three children, all of which caused further controversy in his life. The singer has experienced health concerns since the early 1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s.

One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records"including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time""13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career"more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era"and the sale of over 750 million units worldwide. Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, has made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades. He has been cited as one of the world's most famous men.

By: Corobo

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Colon Bolden is a full time internet marketer who works with other industry leading internet marketers from around the world. He specializes in helping others succeed in marketing online home businesses. For more information on continuous ways to profit other than the same traditional way, visit www.wenetprofitsglobal.com

World mourns Michael Jackson

Stars and fans pay tribute to singer Michael Jackson, following his sudden death at the age of 50.

Known to millions around the world as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson collapsed at his home in Beverly Hills and went into cardiac arrest.

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson had been due to play 50 concert dates in the UK this summer

Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.

Paramedics were called to the singer's Beverly Hills home at about midday on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. Jackson's brother, Jermaine, said he was believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Jackson, who had a history of health problems, had been due to stage a series of comeback concerts in the UK, beginning on 13 July.

Speaking on behalf of the Jackson family, Jermaine said doctors had tried to resuscitate the star for more than an hour without success.

Jermaine Jackson on his brother's sudden death

He added: "The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time."

"And Allah be with you Michael, always. I love you."

Celebrities Who Have Had Or Are Rumored To Have Had Rhinoplasty

The list of celebrity nose jobs is very long. It seems that a nose job in Hollywood is a rite of passage as a great many celebrities have opted for rhinoplasty. Some have had good results with rhinoplasty while others, like Michael Jackson, had such disastrous results from repeated nose job surgery that his nose was actually on the verge of collapse. Michael Jackson had so much plastic in his nose that it actually caught fire when he was filming a television commercial years ago.

Halle Berry has had rhinoplasty that looks well on her. She thinned down her nose a bit without looking completely unnatural. Other celebrity nose jobs have thinned down the nose too much, giving it a pointy and totally unnatural look.


Tori Spelling also had nose job surgery when she was a teenager. She is rumored to have said that her mother made her feel ashamed of her appearance due to her large nose. Her rhinoplasty surgery was successful as she has a natural looking nose.

Some celebrities get a celebrity nose job that is too thin. Paris Hilton does not appear to have a natural looking nose as her nose, just like her body, is rail thin. Paris Hilton is proof that not all celebrity nose jobs turn out successful. Priscilla Presley also had a bad celebrity nose job as well as other poor cosmetic surgery that turned the once beautiful widow of Elvis Presley into a plastic cartoon person. Some nose jobs, such as the one performed on Angelina Jolie, look more natural.

A good rhinoplasty surgery will make the nose appear as natural as possible while, most often, reducing the size. Celebrity nose jobs are often used to get rid of bumps in the nose as well as make the nose smaller. Celebrity nose jobs are often performed on young celebrities or even children of celebrities in an effort to boost their confidence and secure more roles. Not all celebrities, however, have had a nose job. Some, like Owen Wilson, proudly walk around with the nose that they were born with, even if it is broken.

By: Daniel Beasley

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Visit a San Francisco liposuction, Dallas liposuction or Miami liposuction surgeon.

Breast Cancer Cure With The Power Of Fame by: Denny Armstrong

There is no known cure for breast cancer. More than 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year worldwide. The incidence of breast cancer has nearly tripled in the past 50 years. A woman's lifetime risk has increased from 1 in 20 in the 1950's to 1 in 7 today. Scientists don't know why most women get breast cancer, yet breast cancer is the most frequent tumor found in women the world over. What can a woman do when fate has played a cruel joke and a woman's very life can be in question? What do you do when an intimate part of your body becomes host to an assassin, a foreign element assigned to debilitate, maim and kill?

A woman who dies of breast cancer is robbed of an average of nearly 20 years of her life. Breast cancer knows no social boundaries. It’s a disease that can affect anyone. Some prominent women whose lives that have been touched by breast cancer include: Anastacia, singer only 29 years old! Jill Eikenberry actress age 52; Ann Jillian, 48, Actress; Peggy Fleming age 49 figure skater; Kate Jackson age 50 (Charlies Angels); Olivia Newton-John age 50 actress singer; Patti LaBelle, age 57, singer; Diahann Carroll, age 63 Actress/singer; Rue McClanahan, Hollywood actress, Rue is best known for her portrayal of Blanche on the hit sitcom “The Golden Girls;” Shirley Temple Black age 70 Actress/singer; Betty Ford, Former First Lady; Nancy Reagan age 77 former first lady; Melissa Etheridge age 43 singer; Lynn Redgrave, age 59, actress; Edie Falco Sopranos star, Tami Agassi, sister to tennis star Andre Agassi, and the beautiful Suzanne Summers actress. Dusty Springfield the singer, died from breast cancer at age 59. Breast cancer also took the lives of Linda McCartney and Jill Ireland. This is a disease that has plagued women for centuries. The mother of Louis XIV of France died of breast cancer in 1666. These high rates of breast cancer are not acceptable to the women of the world and must be met with scientific research that provides results.

Despite over a decade of research, and more than $1.7 billion spent, hundreds of women worldwide are dying from breast cancer every day. Yet doctors don’t know how breast cancer starts or how to cure it. Doctors are still approaching treatment for breast cancer in the same old fashioned ways: surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Barbaric treatments…And scientists keep doing the same old redundant research that’s simply not working. Over 30 US federal agencies and dozens of foundations, pharmaceutical and biotech companies are conducting or funding research, but: No one knows how much money is being raised every year. No one knows how much money is being spent every year. No one knows where the money is going. Meanwhile, mothers, sisters and daughters are dying-at a rate of nearly 110 women a day. It’s time for a new approach to cure this deadly killer. We don’t want you to have to under go surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.

A global action is the only answer to rising cancer deaths. Someone needs to answer the action call on all types of cancer. Newly formed International Celebrity Cancer Research Foundation has answered that call on global cancer. ICCRF’s war on cancer will be fought with the power of fame with celebrities from all 192 countries of the world. But the war on cancer can only be won with the support from the citizens of the world. Each and every one of you can answer your personal call to action to help fight the global war on cancer by supporting ICCRF’s battle on the war on cancer now.

Billionaires whom we have been recommended that we should contact for support include: Paul Allen, Bill and Melinda Gates, Jon Huntsman, William and Alice Goodman, Ann Lurie, Jamie and Karen Moyer, Harold C. Simmons, Alfred Mann, Sumner M. Redstone, Michael Milton and the Palm beach billionaires. There are simply too many billionaires to mention them all. The combined wealth of the three Microsoft billionaires alone is more than ten times the amount spent by the U.S. Federal Government on research to fight cancer and other deadly diseases. We could use help from the media with publicity stories, ads and promotions to get the word out. We are particularly interested in looking for assistance from the billionaires of the world; there are approximately 600 in the world. Billionaires like Sergey Brin and Larry Page (Google billionaires), Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner, and Oprah Winfrey and others who control the media could get our life-saving message to the world fast.

Here’s what some very influential and famous people have to say about breast cancer research. Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta Jones, "Catherine and I are committed to do everything possible to eradicate this disease," says Oscar-winner Michael Douglas. Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, “I lost my aunt to breast cancer about two years ago and my very good friend Liz to ovarian around the same time," says Wilson, who is married to Tom Hanks. "I've seen what these cancers are really like and we have to support more research.” Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, “Steven and I are passionate about improving women's health," says Capshaw.”

Stars that we know that are interested in supporting cancer research including breast cancer research include: Melissa Etheridge, Charlie Sheen, Kirk and Anne Douglas, Sting and wife Trudie Styler, Larry King, Sylvester Stallone, Nicole Kidman, Bon Jovi, Julia Roberts, Jack Lemmon, Dustin Hoffman, Denzel Washington, Warren Beatty, Candice Bergen, Angie Dickinson, Sally Field, Larry Hagman, Merv Griffin, Carroll O'Connor and his wife, Nancy, Robert DiNiro, Cybill Shepherd, Elizabeth Taylor,Michael Jackson, Sean Penn, Gwyneth Paltrow, Carmen Electra, Gene Wilder, Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Michael J. Fox, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Leonardo Di Caprio, Sigourney Weaver, Bruce Willis, Billy Joel, Tim McGraw, Robbin Williams, Elizabeth Hurley, Tiger Woods, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Will Smith, Katie Couric, George Clooney, Mike Myers, Ben affleck, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Al Pacino, P Diddy, George Lucas, Oliver Stone, Drew Barrymore, Britney Spears, Barbara Streisand, Gene Hackman, Fred Thompson , Burt Reynolds, William Shatner, Donald Trump, Donald Sutherland, Morgan Freeman, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Sidney Poitier, Tom Arnold, Quincy Jones, Eminem, Shaquille Oneal, Adam Sandler, Steven Soderbergh, Bono/U-2, Patti LaBelle, Rosie O’Donnell, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Actor Rob Lowe, he was moved to serve as a spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day, which raised money for breast cancer research, because his grandmother and great-grandmother both suffered from the disease, Sharon Osbourne, Britt Ekland, Westlife, Simon Cowell, Emma Thompson, Philip Treacy, Geri Halliwell, Paul McCartney, and Lance Armstrong.

Country music stars who support breast cancer research include: Wynona Judd, Amy Grant, Donny Osmond, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, the Dixie Chicks, Lonestar, Brad Paisley, Diamond Rio, Trick Pony, Alan Jackson, SHeDAISY, Terri Clark, Lee Ann Womack, Phil Vassar, Buddy Jewell, Joe Nichols, Amy Grant, Anne Murray, Vince Gill, Randy Travis, Tracy Lawrence, Tammy Cochran, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Greenwood, George Jones, Rascal Flatts, Emerson Drive, Bering Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Clint Black, Steve Wariner, Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Faith Hill and Sara Evans, Richard Marx, Anne Cochran, Lee Ann Womack, Terri Clark, Dave Koz, Sophie B. Hawkins, Jonatha Brooke, Heart’s Anne and Nancy Wilson and Mercy Me.

We are also hoping that more of my celebrity friends will come forward as spokespersons and spread their wings to help support our breast cancer research. My friends and acquaintances include: Steven Seagal, Charlie Sheen (Charlie, has done a great job for breast cancer research by leading an effort in the fight against breast cancer, by encouraging the American public to take part in a National Denim Day), Wesley Snipes, Danny Glover, Erik Estrada, Tom Arnold, Dolph Lundgren, Roger Clinton, Bill Clinton, Usher, Clint Black, Hulk Hogan, Ivana Trump, Clint Black, John Secada, Sylvester Stalone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mike Reno, Eddie Money, Paul Hogan, Jay Leno, Danny Glover, Danny Aiello, Larry Hagman, Lee Majors, Tyson Becford, Jennifer Tilly, David Hasselhoff, Richard Branson, Brendan Fraser, Cindy Crawford, (whose grandmother died from breast cancer), Cher, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and other stars that I have had the good fortune of meeting in person and others celebrities that I hope to meet in the future. How about Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnon, Mick Jagger and Pamela Lee Anderson. (Photos of Denny and the stars can be viewed at his promotional group listed below.) We have star friends who are bigger than life and they are ready to become our spokespersons. But we still need your donations to get our celebrities to international print and broadcast ads to get the word out. We, the people of the world can cure breast cancer as well as all the cancers of the world.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at dennyarmstrongiccrf@yahoo.com

About The Author

Denny Armstrong counsels and writes about the global cancer problem. Mr. Armstrong has recently formed the new International Celebrity Cancer Research Foundation. You may join the war on cancer by joining ICCRF’s group and supporting the cause to find better treatments and a cure for all types of cancer. visit his group at: http://groups.msn.com/CancerResearch

dennyarmstrongiccrf@yahoo.com

Singer Michael Jackson dies at 50

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson had been due to play 50 concert dates in the UK this summer

Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.

Paramedics were called to the singer's Beverly Hills home at about midday on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. Jackson's brother, Jermaine, said he was believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Jackson, who had a history of health problems, had been due to stage a series of comeback concerts in the UK, beginning on 13 July.

Speaking on behalf of the Jackson family, Jermaine said doctors had tried to resuscitate the star for more than an hour without success.

Jermaine Jackson on his brother's sudden death

He added: "The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time."

"And Allah be with you Michael, always. I love you."

TV footage showed the star's body flown from UCLA to the LA County Coroner's office where a post-mortem is expected to take place on Friday.

Concerns were raised last month when four of Jackson's planned comeback concerts were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show.

AT THE SCENE
Rajesh Mirchandani
Rajesh Mirchandani
BBC News

Michael Jackson was brought here to the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles around 12 hours ago. Earlier there were several hundred people here, before it got dark - there was a sense of grief, of disbelief.

But in the last few hours, these people have been singing his songs, dancing, there was a guy on a keyboard earlier, playing his songs for people to dance along to.

This has turned into an impromptu celebration of Michael Jackson's music. He's the king of pop as far as they're concerned. They're still shocked by his sudden death but they're here because they want to show their support.

A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time.

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: "I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old.

"I'm wondering that, as we find out details of his death, if perhaps the stress of preparing for those dates was a factor in his collapse.

"It was wishful thinking that, at this stage of his life, he could be Michael Jackson again."

Tributes have poured in from the entertainment industry. Sir Paul McCartney described Jackson's death as " sad and shocking".

The pair worked together on two hit tracks, Say Say, Say and The Girl Is Mine from Jackson's Thriller album.

He said " I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy-man with a gentle soul.

"His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.

"I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family, and to his countless fans all around the world."

Speaking outside New York's historic Apollo theatre, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton paid tribute to his friend.

"I knew him 35 years. When he had problems he would call me," he said.
HAVE YOUR SAY

Can't believe it. I'm gutted. RIP Michael, thanks for everything you gave us.

Tommy, Cardiff
Send us your comments

"I feel like he was not treated fairly. I hope history will be more kind to him than some of the contemporary media."

Melanie Bromley, west coast bureau chief of Us Weekly magazine, told the BBC the scene in Los Angeles was one of "pandemonium".

"At the moment there is a period of disbelief. He was buying a home in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles and the scene outside the house is one of fans, reporters and TV cameras - it's absolute craziness.

"I feel this is the biggest celebrity story in a long time and has the potential to be the Princess Diana of popular culture."

Musical icon

Tributes from the world of music and film have already flooded in from celebrities including Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger and ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley.


Michael Jackson in 1972

Jackson's contribution to music

Large numbers of fans have also gathered outside Jackson's home and at the UCLA medical centre with lit candles to mourn the star while playing his greatest hits.

Facebook groups have also been set up for fans to share their memories.

The singer's albums are occupying the top 15 slots of online music retailer Amazon.com's current best-seller chart, led by his 1982 smash hit Thriller.

Paramedics were called to the singer's house in Bel Air at 1221 (1921GMT) following an emergency phone call.

They performed CPR on Jackson and rushed him to the UCLA medical centre.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the robbery and homicide team was investigating Jackson's death because of its "high profile", but there was no suggestion of foul play.

Jackson began his career as a child in family group The Jackson 5.


MICHAEL JACKSON 1958-2009
Full name: Michael Joseph Jackson
Born: August 29, 1958, Gary, Indiana, US
Also known as: The King of Pop, Wacko Jacko
Biggest hits: I Want You Back, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, Billie Jean, Bad, Black or White, Earth Song

Obituary: Remarkable talent
Life in pictures
Tributes paid to Michael Jackson

He then went on to achieve global fame as a solo artist with smash hits such as Billie Jean and Bad.

Thriller, released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time, shifting 65m copies, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards.

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall.

"He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

The singer had been dogged by controversy and money trouble in recent years, becoming a virtual recluse.

Michael Jackson's body is delivered by helicopter for a post mortem report

He was arrested in 2003 on charges of molesting a 14-year-old boy, but was found not guilty following a five-month trial.

The star had three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II.

He is survived by his mother, Katherine, father, Joseph and eight siblings - including Janet, Randy, Jermaine and La Toya Jackson.


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MICHAEL JACKSON 1958-2009

Michael Jackson Singer Michael Jackson dies at 50
LATEST NEWS
Glastonbury to honour Jackson
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REACTION
'One of the greatest stars'
In pictures: Fans' grief
Fans in shock
Your memories
Jackson's impact on music
Bodyguard's tribute
BACKGROUND
The Jackson 5. Michael Jackson (centre) and his brothers. Photo: 1970 Child star, pop icon, troubled decline - a life in pictures
'Spendaholic' singer dies in debt
Why Jackson was the King of Pop
Obituary: Remarkable talent
The songs that defined a star
Career highs and lows
IN VIDEO
Jermaine Jackson Jermaine Jackson pays tribute to brother

Michael Jackson fan Jackson fans worldwide react to his death

Jesse Jackson Jesse Jackson: 'He was tough'

Glastonbury music fans Glastonbury fans on Jackson death

MOBO founder hails "greatest showman"
BBC reporters on global Jackson reaction
Uri Geller: 'My reaction is utter shock'
Memorable Michael Jackson moments

FROM OTHER NEWS SITES
CNN Autopsy planned Friday for Michael Jackson - 1 hr ago
Ananova Pop 'Genius' Michael Jackson Has Died At 50 - 1 hr ago
Globe and Mail King of Pop was on brink of comeback - 1 hr ago
Herald Sun Jackson leaves debt behind - 3 hrs ago
IAfrica.com Michael Jackson dead at 50 - 5 hrs ago
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