Saturday, June 27, 2009

King Of Pop


American superstar Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana in 1958 and has been entertaining audiences nearly his entire life. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a guitarist but was forced to give up his musical ambitions following his marriage to Katherine (Scruse). Together they prodded their growing family's musical interests at home. By the early 60s the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964 Michael and Marlon had joined in.A musical prodigy, Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of "The Jackson 5." An opening act for such soul groups as the O-Jays and James Brown, it was Gladys Knight (not Diana Ross) who officially brought the group to Berry Gordy's attention, and by 1969 the boys were producing back-to-back chartbusting hits as Motown artists. As a product of the 70s, the boys had emerged as one of the most accomplished black pop/soul vocal groups in music history, successfully evolving from a Temptations-like group act to a disco phenomenon.Solo success for Michael was inevitable, and by the 80s he had become infinitely more popular than his brotherly group. Record sales consistently orbited, culminating in the biggest-selling album of all time, "Thriller." A TV natural, he ventured rather uneasily into films, such as playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978), but had better luck with elaborate music videos.In the 90s the down side as an 80s pop phenomenon began to show. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes were obviously image oriented. Despite it all, Michael Jackson's skills as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman are unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled life.

Trade Mark
The Moonwalk.
Single sequined white glove.
He always wears white socks with black shoes.
Says "Hee Hee" in many of his songs
High-pitched voice.
Through his "Heal the World" Foundation, Jackson spearheaded airlifts of food and medical supplies to war-torn Sarajevo, instituted mentoring, immunization and drug-abuse education programs and paid for a Hungarian child's liver transplant.
Second child, daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, is born. [3 April 1998]
Wife, Rowe, gave birth to a son in Beverly Hills, named Prince Michael Jackson Jr. [13 February 1997]
Macaulay Culkin is godfather to his two eldest children.
Married Lisa Marie Presley in La Vega, Dominican Republic, by Judge Hugo Francisco Alvarez Perez. Witnesses present were Thomas Keough and Eve Darling (Lisa Marie's ex-brother-in-law and his wife, ex-sister-in-law). [26 May 1994]
Shares with Carlos Santana and Norah Jones the record for most Grammys won in one year, with eight in 1984.
First solo artist to generate four top ten hits on the Billboard charts on one album with "Off the Wall."
First artist to generate seven top ten hits (USA) on one album with "Thriller."
Only artist in history to generate five #1 hits (USA) from one album with "Bad."
With Lionel Richie, co-wrote the song "We Are the World," and was one of its performers.
His 1982 album "Thriller" is the biggest selling album of all time, with confirmed sales of over 47 million copies worldwide.
His 1991 album "Dangerous" is second to "Thriller" as the biggest selling album of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide.
His 1987 album "BAD" is third to "Thriller" as the biggest selling album of all time, with 20 million copies sold worldwide.
Brother of (in this order) Rebbie Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson and Janet Jackson.
Copied his moon walk after mime Marcel Marceau in "walk-against-the- wind" pantomime techniques.
Wrote and recorded a song called "On the Line", produced by Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, for the film Get on the Bus (1996) that was not included on the soundtrack for the film.
The name of his 2700-acre ranch near Santa Ynez, California, is Neverland Valley Ranch. It contains Jackson's house, an amusement park co-designed by Macaulay Culkin, a private theater and dance stage, and exotic animals.
Once dated Brooke Shields.
He is being sued by two former financial advisors for $25 million over alleged unpaid expenses. Jackson denies owing them anything. [9 September 2001]
Claims to have a skin disease called vitiligo.
Was a Jehovah's Witness.
Uncle of Jermaine Jackson II, Valencia Jackson, Brittany Jackson, Marlon Jackson Jr., Stevanna Jackson.
His estate contains a child's mini coaster, Zipper, Bumper cars, Merry go round, octopus, Giant slide and rocking dragon.. There is also a full size basketball court, water wars section (for water gun fights) 2 Trains, (one steam train) and a zoo where he has various exotic animals including elephants, giraffes, alligators, a tiger and even an Anaconda.
He does not own the right to the entire Beatles catalogue. For example, the family of the late George Harrison own songs he wrote, including "Something," and Sony music owns 50% of the catalogue after Jackson sold it to them because he needed the money.
Son of Katherine Jackson, and Joe Jackson.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 (as a solo artist).
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 (as a member of the Jackson 5).
Jackson shocked his fans when he dangled his third child, infant Prince Michael II, over a balcony on the fourth floor of a Berlin, Germany hotel for all hovering fans to see. He later stated that he made "a terrible mistake." [November 2002]
Starting with Black or White (1991) (V), Jackson and his record company refer to his music videos, before or since, as "short films," never "videos".
Has his look-alike puppet in the French show "Les guignols de l'info" (1988).
Father of Prince Michael Jackson I, Prince Michael Jackson II, and Paris Jackson.
Is the godfather of Michael Gibb, son of Bee Gees frontman Barry Gibb.
He and his lawyer, Mark Geragos, sued jet charter company XtraJet for invasion of privacy. The firm allegedly installed hidden cameras to tape the two's confidential attorney-client conversations. A California judge has barred the firm from releasing or selling any footage it may have obtained. [25 November 2003]
In 2002 had planned to produce and star in the movie "The Nightmares of Edgar Allan Poe", about the last years of writer Edgar Allan Poe. He was to star as the famed 19th century author (who was Caucasian), and had written music for the film as well.
For a charity event held at the Neverland Ranch in September 2003, for the first time ever, he invited an artist from the outside to perform there. It was Yannick Harrison, also known as Jay Kid, from Denmark that performed a number of his interpretations of Michael Jackson songs for the specially invited guests.
Has sold 170 million albums worldwide.
Was present at the private funeral service for Maurice Gibb.
He was voted the 35th Greatest Artist of all time in Rock 'n' Roll by Rolling Stone.
His favourite "Beatles' song is "Come Together" - his version of the song is on "History - Past, Present and Future."
Was found not guilty on ten counts of child molestation on 13 June 2005 due to lack of evidence.
Ranked #11 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars" with his brothers as the Jackson Five
He was (along with Tito Jackson) co-best man at Liza Minnelli's and David Gest's wedding.
Tatum O'Neal, was Jackson's first girlfriend and allegedly his first real love.
His hit song "Bad" from 1987 was initially supposed to be a duet with fellow 80's superstar Prince. Prince said in an interview that he did not wish to sing the line "Your butt is mine".
Ex-brother-in-law of James DeBarge.
President Ronald Reagan wanted to award a special White House medal to Jackson, Bob Hope and the late John Wayne in 1984. However, future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts advised against the proposal, saying the award was too much for a pop singer.
Received a Presidential Humanitarian Award from President Reagan at the White House in May 1984, in recognition of Jackson's contribution to the government's campaign against drunk driving. "Beat It" was used in television advertisements.
He was the highest earning singer of 1988-1989, with $125 million from his worldwide "BAD" album tour.
He was thwarted in his bid to buy the remains of the Victorian "Elephant Man, John Meyrick, in June 1987. The London Medical College told Jackson he would not be allowed to buy it, no matter how much money he offered.
Honored by CBS as the "top selling act of the Eighties" in March 1990.
Jackson was seen by a record 500,000 people during his seven day stand at Wembley Stadium in July 1988.
Moonwalker (1988) was certified as the all-time top selling music video in March 1989.
Attended James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia. (30 December 2006).
Inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. [11 November 2004]
He returned to live in the United States on 24 December 2006, setting up residence in Las Vegas.
Has sold over 300 million records worldwide.
Longtime supporter of AIDS research.
In the early 1970s while still very young and a member of "The Jackson 5", appeared on "The Dating Game" (1965). Roles were reversed; Michael asked questions and picked a date from three eligible "bachelorettes".
Is a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship
A special 25th anniversary edition of his 1982 album "Thriller", entitled "Thriller 25", sold an estimated 3 million copies worldwide.
He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1541 Vine Street and for Recording at 6927 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
The Jacksons were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1500 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
Personal Quotes
I can't think of a better way to spread the message of world peace than by working with the NFL and being part of Super Bowl XXVII.
I don't like pop music.
I'll always be Peter Pan in my heart.
People think they know me, but they don't. Not really. Actually, I am one of the loneliest people on this earth. I cry sometimes, because it hurts. It does. To be honest, I guess you could say that it hurts to be me.
"You ain't seen nothing yet, and the best is yet to come।" (1999)
खुदी को कर बुलंद इतना के खुदा बन्दे से पूछे बता तेरी रजा क्या है ........................................................


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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Indira Gandhi


Indira Gandhi (Iron Lady of India)
Indian history has been witness to only one female Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi. She was the third Prime Minister of India and the daughter of the first - Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru. Her charm, intelligence and charisma made her a powerful statesperson, much loved and admired by her people. A Politically Charged Childhood
Born on 19th November 1917, in Allahabad, she was greatly loved by her parents and her grandfather Motilal Nehru, who was a famous lawyer, and a public figure in his own right.
Her father had joined the freedom struggle, so little Indira, or Priyadarshani as she was lovingly called, was exposed to politics from the age of 3 or 4 years. Her house was the centre of political activity, as all the important leaders stayed there on visiting Allahabad. Mahatma Gandhi was a frequent visitor to her father's residence and she was greatly affected by his thinking. A visit to the Sabarmati Ashram left an indelible mark on her psyche and she was impressed by the simple, hard life and patriotic feelings that she witnessed there.
She passed her Metric from Pune University and was then sent on to Shantiniketan, formed by Rabindranath Tagore. Here she was made to lead a strict highly disciplined life. From here she went on to study in Switzerland and then to Oxford University in London.
Her Father's Daughter
After her return to India she married Feroze Gandhi, in March 1941 much against the wishes of the conservative Hindu community, as he was a Parsee. But Nehru was on her side. When Indira's father was in jail he used to write beautiful, long letters to her about his patriotic feelings and the current political situation. This led her to understand the intricacies of the nation, better than the most. In 1942, she joined the 'Quit India' Movement along with her husband and was arrested and jailed.
After India gained freedom, Pandit Nehru was elected Prime Minister. After his death in 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri took over. And then in 1966, Indira Gandhi was elected leader of the Congress.
Her Tenure As Prime Minister
Indira will be remembered for her commendable efforts in the development and progress of science, space exploration, irrigation, as well as policies like the nationalisation of banks and the 20-point programme.
But on the other hand, the enormity of the problems she faced was the cause of much heartache. There were problems in Assam, Punjab as well as East Bengal. And in 1971, Pakistan attacked India and forced another smaller partition - the creation of Bangladesh.
On June 26th, 1975, Mrs. Gandhi declared an emergency, due to the turbulent political situation in the country at that time. Janta Party leaders like J.P. Narayan were arrested and jailed. But Mrs. Gandhi lost out to them in the next election in 1977 and was re-elected to power in 1980. Later, in Punjab there was a demand for a separate state of Khalistan, and the Sardarji's were up in arms. But their demands were not met and this was the cause of her ultimate assassination.
The End
On Wednesday, October 31, 1984, when Indira Gandhi was proceeding to her office, she was gunned down by her own bodyguards. This day has gone down in History as national Unity Day, as a tribute to the memory of a Great lady, leader and statesperson.
Iron Lady of India
India had been ruled by England for over a century prior to its independence in 1947. While the British hadbuilt many roads, schools, and hospitals, they had also acted as a superior colonial power. The Indians greatly resented British control. The organized struggle for freedom began early in this century and grew until after World War II, which ended in 1945, when the British finally realized they could no longer hold India. The ascension of a woman, Indira Gandhi, to the highest position in the world's most populous democracy was especially significant for Indian women, who had traditionally been subservient to men. In addition, she was also an inspiration to people in other Third World nations. When Mrs. Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1966 the Congress was split in two factions, the socialists led by Mrs. Gandhi, and the conservatives led by Morarji Desai. Rammanohar Lohia called her Gungi Gudiya which means 'Dumb Doll'[11]. The internal problems showed in the 1967 election where the Congress lost nearly 60 seats winning 297 seats in the 545 seat Lok Sabha. She had to accommodate Desai as Deputy Prime Minister of India and Finance Minister of India. In 1969 after many disagreements with Desai, the Indian National Congress split. She ruled with support from Socialist and Communist Parties for the next two years. In the same year, in July 1969 she nationalized banks.
Devaluation of the Rupee
During the late 1960s, Indira's administration decreed a 40% devaluation in the value of the Indian Rupee from 4 to 7 to the US Dollar to boost trade.
Nuclear weapons program
A national nuclear program was started by Mrs. Gandhi in 1967, in response to the nuclear threat from the People's Republic of China and to establish India's stability and security interests as independent from those of the nuclear superpowers. In 1974, India successfully conducted an underground nuclear test, unofficially code named as "Smiling Buddha", near the desert village of Pokhran in Rajasthan. Describing the test as for peaceful purposes, India became the world's youngest nuclear power.
Controversies
Indira Gandhi, late Prime Minister of India, implemented a forced sterilization programme in the 1970s.Officially, men with two children or more had to submit to sterilization, but many unmarried young men, political opponents and ignorant men were also believed to have been sterilized. This program is still remembered and criticized in India, and is blamed for creating a wrong public aversion to family planning, which hampered Government programmes for decades.
Green Revolution
Special agricultural innovation programs and extra government support launched in the 1960s finally transformed India's chronic food shortages into surplus production of wheat, rice, cotton and milk. Rather than relying on food aid from the United States - headed by a President whom Mrs. Gandhi disliked considerably (the feeling was mutual: to Nixon, Indira was "the old witch"[15]), the country became a food exporter. That achievement, along with the diversification of its commercial crop production, has become known as the "Green Revolution". At the same time, the White Revolution was an expansion in milk production which helped to combat malnutrition, especially amidst young children. 'Food security', as the program was called, was another source of support for Mrs. Gandhi in the years leading up to 1975.[16]
Quotes: "Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave।" "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist।" "Martyrdom does not end something, it only a beginning." "Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood... will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic." "You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose." "There are two kinds of people: Those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group because there is less competition there." famous quotes by Indira Gandhi.

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