Harry Potter Magic Mysteries in the Air

By Danielle Azzolina
Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
July 13, 2009

I was like a seeker in the game of quidditch, but I wasn’t searching for the golden snitch…I was searching for the golden actors who star in the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. And like Harry Potter on his flying broom, I scored!

At the premiere of the newest Harry Potter movie in New York City July 9, I stood along the red carpet watching as excited Potter fans crammed together behind metal barriers waiting for the stars to arrive. Some sported sorting hats, the signature round rimmed Potter glasses, and other mystical garments from the world of Hogwarts. Some held up signs. One read: “Honk if you love Harry.” And there was honking—and yelling and cheering and chanting. “Snape! Snape! Sirius! Snape!” It was magical!

The crowd ignited with screams and cheers as the actors stepped out of their limos and onto West 54th Street in front of the Ziegfeld Theatre. There was so much excitement in the air you could taste it!

Daniel Radcliff, who plays Harry Potter, was one of the first to arrive. Before talking to reporters, however, he walked along the other side of the street greeting fans and signing autographs. I could tell where he was by the location of screaming fans.

While Radcliff was busy, Warwick Davis, who plays Professor Filius Flitwick, showed up. This was his second premiere at the Ziegfled, he told me. He was also in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. He said the Harry Potter red carpet was much longer. I asked him to tell me about the hardest scene for him in Harry Potter. To give you his full answer would mean revealing the movie’s ending, so I edited his response.

“It’s a very moving scene,” he said of one of the final moments in the movie. “When you’ve been so close to all the characters and then have to stand there and witness [something like that] it was really quite, quite moving for me personally as well as in a character sense.”

Producer David Hymen talked to me about the hardest special effect, which was creating the infery, the underwater zombies.

“We all have a feeling about how zombies should be and what they look like,” he said. “And so to come up with something that had a connection to zombies of the upper world, but that was unique to water, that was the most difficult.”

Freddie Stroma, who plays the cocky Cormac McLaggen, a student at Hogwarts, told me about his favorite scene, when he goes into potions professor Horace Slughorn’s office with Hermione.

“I got to do sort of cheeky grins at Hermione, trying to get her attention and she kept looking away; that was quite fun,” he said.

I asked Director David Yates which scene had the most bloopers.

“There’s a scene right at the beginning of the movie where we get Daniel, Rupert and Emma sitting in the burrows talking about how old Dumbledore is,” he said. “ I can’t tell you how many bloopers we got in that scene because they kept cracking up. I had to send them off the set for a while!”

He promised it would show up in outtakes at some point—maybe the DVD.

Radcliff finally made it to the red carpet and it was my turn to question him. He has eyes that pierce right through you and a nice smile. He is also very gracious. I told him I had two questions to ask. First I wanted to know how he was most like Harry.

“I think in the way that we value our friends,” he said. “Friendship is very important in both our lives. I think I have Harry’s natural curiosity as well. He’s interested in a lot of things in his world as am I in mine.”

Before I got to ask my next question, anxious reporters began to call out questions to him and he asked them very politely to please wait while I asked my second question. That was cool!

I asked him to explain how Harry has changed from the first movie to the sixth. His answer made me laugh.

“Well, he’s gotten marginally taller,” he said. In a more serious tone, he said that the films have gotten darker from the first to this most recent. “I think Harry has had to become a lot tougher because of that,” he said.

Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy, was next along the carpet. I asked him what it was like to play such a bad guy.

“I think it’s a lot more fun than playing a good guy really,” he said. “It’s great to play someone as far opposite of who I am in real life, so I really enjoy it.”

Emma Watson, who plays Hermione, answered the same question.

“Hermione has relaxed a little bit more now,” she said. “She doesn’t feel she has to prove herself so much because I think when she first arrived at Hogwarts she felt she had to prove herself.”

I spotted Rupert Grint, who plays Ron, before he got to my spot on the carpet. I saw his red hair through the crowd. I could also hear chants of “Rupert! Rupert! Rupert!” as he got closer. I asked him about his first on-screen kiss.

“It was kind of a big moment,” he said. “We were both quite nervous about it because we were in a room full of people who were shouting at us. It was a little bit embarrassing, but it was quite a bit of fun, too,” he said with a devilish look in his eye.

If you’ve read the books, you know who Ron’s first kiss is with, but if not, don’t expect me to spoil the surprise!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens in theaters nationwide on July 15. harrypotter.warnerbros.com/

 

Editor’s Note: Scholastic Kid Reporter Danielle Azzolina interviews Daniel Radcliffe, left, star of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, at the premiere in New York City. Ruper Grint, right, plays Ron Weasley. Photo Courtesy of Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Scholastic News Online

Football Players Keep Healthy

By Mary L. Gavin, MD
July 12, 2009

 

Football training camp tests what a player is made of. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that means sweltering August afternoons in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on the campus of St. Vincent College. The sun beats down on the fields as coaches and fans scout to see who’s got the right stuff this year.

But before they hit the field, Leslie Bonci makes sure they have the right stuff on their plates. As the team nutritionist, she helps set the menu at the camp cafeteria and says good nutrition gets front-and-center attention at training camp. Rule No. 1: No skipping meals. Players must sign in at every meal, which means even superstar athletes can’t sleep through breakfast.

“It puts the importance on the fueling,” Bonci said.

Healthy, nutritious food – eaten at the right times – can make a difference for all athletes, kids included, she said. You might not be a Steeler yet, but you can follow Bonci’s advice before beginning your preseason sports camps and practices.

 

Put your health first.

Bonci likes to use the acronym SHOP with the players she advises. It stands for “Safeguard health. Optimize performance.” That means no one should start their preseason workouts unless they’re sure they’re healthy. For a kid, that might mean getting a sports physical.

Lots of schools require these, which typically include an exam to check basic stuff like your blood pressure and weight. It’s also a chance for a doctor to look at your medical history – info on current medical issues, previous sports injuries, and health problems you have had in the past or ones that run in your family.

The Steelers are no different. They get health checkups, too. This year, Bonci had to help one player who had gained weight in the off-season. She worked with the camp cafeteria to create special meals for him. While the rest of the team was having chicken wings for an evening snack, this player got a portion of grilled chicken with dipping sauce. Still a tasty, satisfying snack, but less fat and calories.

 

Start practice an hour early.

No, Bonci doesn’t tell the Steelers to get to the field an hour early. But she does tell athletes to start preparing for practice 1 hour before by having a drink and a snack.

“That’s part of your warm-up,” Bonci said.

This is especially important when practices will be long and intense – the kind when you’ll spend an hour or more doing conditioning exercises or actively practicing your sport.

Here are some before-practice menu options:

 

Drinks (choose 1)

• 8-10 ounces of water
• Half a sports drink (10 ounces)

 

Snacks (choose 1)

        *   Half a peanut butter sandwich

• Yogurt and granola (Steeler Troy Polamalu loves yogurt!)
• Small egg sandwich or wrap.

These pre-practice snacks include carbohydrates (like the bread, granola, and oatmeal) for energy. They also offer some protein (peanut butter, yogurt, egg) to help athletes keep going during a long, tiring practice.

 

Bring enough to drink.

Also 1 hour before practice, think about what you’ll need to pack. Most important? Enough water to get you through. Bring a large insulated jug of water rather than just one bottle. Don’t rely on the water fountain, Bonci says; bring your own and enough of it.

Your body performs best when you’re hydrated. When you’re not, you may start feeling lightheaded and dizzy. Even mild dehydration can make it hard to throw that perfect spiral or go after the soccer ball. Sweating while working out means you’re losing extra water. Try to take a drink every 15 minutes or so.

 

Pack a “recovery snack.”

Bonci recommends a “recovery snack” – something to eat about 15 minutes after practice ends. At Steeler training camp, some of the players eat Popsicles as they walk off the field after afternoon practice. Other good choices include fresh fruit, granola bars, some dry cereal, or Bonci’s favorite recovery snack – garbage can trail mix. What’s that?

For large teams, you start with a clean garbage can with a liner. Dump in dry cereal (such as Chex), pretzels, and snack crackers. Give everyone a plastic cup to scoop some out and you have the perfect recovery snack.

Eating a little something after practice takes advantage of enzymes (chemicals your body produces) that help your body recover after a tough workout, Bonci said. A recovery snack has an added benefit: It makes athletes less likely to overeat later.

So the right recovery snack will help “Fast Willie” Parker eat just the right amount of lasagna after a game. Read on to learn more about this Super Bowl champion’s healthy food habits

 

Food Q&A With Running Back Willie Parker

 

(Q) What’s your favorite healthy food?
(A) Salad.

 

(Q) What is your favorite pre-game meal or snack?
(A) Baked chicken, some potatoes, and lots of fruit.

 

(Q) What’s your favorite post-game meal?
(A) Lasagna.

 

(Q) What’s your favorite junk food and do you limit how much you eat?
(A) Fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. I like to limit my servings to two servings of each.

 

(Q) Have your eating habits changed since you were a kid or teen athlete?
(A) They have changed dramatically. You have to start eating healthier by eating better foods. I also have a nutritionist who makes sure that I get the right proteins.

(Q) Any food advice for kids and teens who are practicing and playing hard?
(A) Stay away from high-sugar meals and snacks.

 

How About Some Steeler Salad?

This recipe incorporates Parker’s favorites – salad, chicken, potatoes, and fruit – all in one Super Bowl! Have an adult help you with this dish, which requires some cutting, chopping, and use of the stove.

 

Steeler Salad

What You Need

• 2 3-ounce chicken breasts
• 2 baking potatoes, washed
• 2 cups washed greens (lettuce, spinach, or both)
• ½ cup sliced cucumber
• ½ cup peppers (any color)
• ½ cup red grapes
• Cajun or blackened seasoning (for chicken)
• Cooking spray oil
• Italian seasoning (for potatoes)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup shredded cheese, optional
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds, cashews, or peanuts
• Low-fat or fat-free salad dressing (any variety)

 

Equipment and Utensils

• Oven/stove
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Nonstick grill pan or skillet (for chicken)
• Baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (for potatoes)
• Tongs or spatula
• Knife
• Two large salad bowls

 

What to Do

Potatoes

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Sprinkle a little olive oil on the baking sheet lined with foil.
• 3. Cut 2 baking potatoes into long wedges.
• 4. Place potatoes on the baking sheet lined with foil.
• 5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
• 6. Bake about 15-20 minutes at 350°.
• 7. Increase oven temperature to broil and broil for 5 minutes until brown.
• 8. Remove from oven, cut into smaller chunks. Set aside.

 

Chicken

• 1. Prepare grill pan or skillet with spray oil.
• 2. Sprinkle chicken with Cajun or blackened seasoning.
• 3. Grill in grill pan until done.
• 4. Cut into strips, set aside.

 

The salad

• 1. In two bowls, combine greens, cucumbers, peppers, and grapes.
• 2. Add chicken strips and potato chunks to each bowl.
• 3. Add cheese and nuts, if desired.
• 4. Top with 1-2 tablespoons dressing

Source: Kids Health

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Harry Potter” Star Charged with Planting Ten Cannabis Plants

By Fox News
July 10, 2009

The 19-year-old actor will have to appear in court later this month for the charges stemming from an April arrest.

Waylett, who plays Potter bully Vincent Crabbe, was busted when cops pulled over his vehicle in London and allegedly found eight bags of marijuana. He was taken to a nearby police station before a team of officers raided his mother’s home in Camden, the Daily Telegraph reports.

A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said the actor would appear in court late this month and “is charged with producing a Class B drug, nearly ten plants of cannabis.”

The plants – valued at more than $3,000 – were allegedly found among DJ equipment and a Playstation, the Telegraph said.

Waylett may face up to 14 years for cannabis production, while the maximum charge for cannabis possession is five years.

Source: Fox News

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Exclusive with ZEKE AND LUTHER’s Adam Hicks

By Karen
STACKS Staffer
July 8, 2009

I am not a morning person. So a few weeks ago when I realized I had to get to the office by 8:30 a.m. for a celebrity video shoot, I was not happy. Not happy at all. But then I met Adam Hicks, and all was forgiven. If you’ve been watching Disney XD’s Zeke and Luther, you know Adam as the sometimes awkward, often zany, always irrepressible Luther.

So I was kind of expecting the Tasmanian Devil to show up for the video shoot. But it turns out that Adam is totally calm, down-to-earth, and cool. AND he loves to read: In addition to the video shoot, Adam also sat down for an interview with Marie (the same goddess who connects THE STACKS with all our celeb coverage – we bow to Marie).

They chatted about the show, plus everything else from books to music to cheetahs (yes, cheetahs). Keep an eye out for the full interview in Scholastic’s magazines in the fall. In the meantime, read on for a sneak peek, not to mention more videos with Adam!

(Q) First of all, let’s talk about Zeke and Luther. Tell me about the plot. 

(A) Okay, it’s about two 15-year-old kids who have this dream of becoming professional skateboarders. They’ve been friends ever since they were 5 years old so this is a dream that they take very seriously. And I play Luther, who’s a 15-year-old zany kid. He’s outrageous, always getting into these sorts of outrageous situations, and I sort of get persuaded from that dream and it’s Zeke’s job to pull me back at any given time.  

(Q) Zeke and Luther is on Disney XD. From what I understand, that channel aims to appeal more to boys than to girls. Do you think that the show is going to be more boy-oriented, or appeal to both?

(A) I honestly think it’s both in a way because Zeke has a younger sister who sort of brings the girl appeal to the show, and it has different situations where it does focus on both. Honestly anyone pretty much can love it. There’s outrageous stunts. It is extreme. So it’s definitely a new type of thing for Disney that they’re doing, and I feel like any gender will love it.

(Q) When you say it’s extreme, what do you mean by that  

(A)  Well, there’s outrageous stunts. We’re always traveling. It’s fast-paced, always moving, lots of music, lots of tricks. Stuff like that.  

(Q) Now, did you skateboard beforehand?

(A)  I did actually have a dream of becoming a professional skateboarder when I was a little kid, but I sort of jumped out of that phase. I had been skateboarding about six years before the show, and then I got the show, so I am pretty good, yeah.  

(Q) Do you have to take classes, work with professionals?

(A) Oh, yeah. We have this professional there, and his name is Jimmy Gorecki. He has helped Hutch and Daniel and me – everyone on set pretty much, and he’s pretty much guided us because skateboarding is always changing. The kids are always bringing new flavor into everything and it’s his job to let us know because we’re not always there to pick up on what the new trend is. He’s helped us so much from the pilot all the way to the end of the season.

(Q) Do you do all your own boarding or do they have stand-ins?

(A) We have a stand-in. My stand-in, his name is Sammy – I mean, he’s amazing. He’s a pro, and he pretty much makes us look great.

(Q) Do you have a personal favorite move?

(A)  A 360 Flip.

(Q) How long did it take you to learn how to do that?

(A) I actually learned it on the show. From Sammy. I had never really understood how to do it, but all you really need is guidance – because it’s complicated, but only in your head. For someone else, they’ve mastered things that you think are complicated, so if you just listen for a second, it’s very easy to pick it up.

(Q) Any scary or funny moments on the board?

(A) Man, I have done things. Yeah. There have been a lot of races and stuff where we just totally came off the board. And I mean, it’s gonna happen. I remember this scene, and I had this huge backpack on and I had to go down this hill. It took at least 20 tries because the backpack kept weighing me down, so every time I jumped on the board, the backpack would come over my head and I would just wipe out immediately. And they didn’t call in our stunt doubles that day, so we had to do it.

(Q) In real life, do you think Luther would be a friend of yours?

(A) Definitely. I think Luther is in every kid really. That’s why I think he has an appeal to every person, girl or boy . . . Have you ever had those moments where you live in that quiet type of abnormal state? Like you live in the outrageous moments? I know in your life you have a couple moments where you shouldn’t have said that or you shouldn’t have done that. That’s sort of Luther all around. He lives in those types of moments: “Oh no, I shouldn’t have done that! Why did I do that?” But he doesn’t realize it. And that’s sort of how I based the character. I looked at other people’s outrageous states and just sort of created him.

(Q) Have you ever met anybody like Luther?

(A) Honestly, no, to tell you the truth. I mean, he has his serious moments. He’s into girls; he’s starting to hit that age, but he’s still outrageous. He wears outrageous clothes. He eats outrageous foods. He doesn’t get it. You can tell him, but he still just won’t listen. And I don’t think it’s that he doesn’t care; he’s just not aware. You can go as far as doing whatever with this character. That’s why I love it.

(Q) Now, I know that you write songs and play the drums. Do you have a band?

(A) Well, we tried a band when I was little, but as I grew up I started hanging with an older group and they sort of influenced me on the hip hop type of music. I know at first look –  I mean, I get this all day long: “What, what? What are you – ?” But actually, Daniel Curtis Lee, who plays Kojo on the show, we make music and we have a whole thing of mix tapes and CDs. We’re working on that right now. And so hopefully that gets launched. So yeah, we make music and I wish you guys could hear some. [Karen] Well, your wish is our command, Adam! Little did he know that we’d eventually get our hands on this  to watch Adam and Daniel’s music video for their remake of MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This”! (in our Video section)

(Q) I’ve heard that animals are a big part of your family’s life and your mom takes in a lot of stray animals. Have you ever been with your mother when she’s rescued an animal?

(A) You have no idea. It’s like daily – yes. Constantly . . . If you talk about an animal lover, then you talk about my mom. Seriously. She’s like 150 percent, all the way – I mean, she’ll drive down the freeway and see a dog off the freeway and get off the freeway and go down to rescue it. I mean she has seven, eight cats. I can’t even – I don’t even know! We have seven or eight cats, two dogs . .

(Q) Silly question about animals – if you could be an animal, what animal would you like to be?

(A) Let me think. Probably a cheetah. Speed, beauty, physique.

(Q) You’ve said that a favorite book of yours is Henry VIII. Do you like biographies?

(A) I do, I do like biographies. I have a weird taste . . . I don’t want to say tragic, but real life stories appeal to me more than stuff. I read a lot of autobiographies, a lot . . . I don’t know, I think it’s more appealing. It draws you in more, does it not? And it’s not just those types of biographies – I’ll read history, stuff on space. It really doesn’t have to do with anything, but just black holes and stuff like that. I find it interesting.  

(Q) If you were going to recommend three books to other kids, what would they be?

(A) The Black Pearl, all the Harry Potters, and The Hobbit. Man, those were good!  

Why exactly does Adam like The Hobbit so much? See what he had to say: We also asked Adam if he had a favorite book series from when he was younger, and he recommended Goosebumps by R. L. Stine. (Coincidentally, Adam also starred in the movie Mostly Ghostly, based on the first book in R. L. Stine’s series of the same name.)

Check out what Adam had to say about Goosebumps: Of course, Adam also loves Stephen King, who’s considered, like, THE master of horror for adults. So that clinches it – not only is Adam not the kind of confused, slightly spastic character he plays on TV, but he’s definitely a much braver soul than I am.

Source: Blog Scholastic

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Kat’s has Asthma and Still Plays Sports

By Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph
July 1, 2009

Look at Kat go! She’s 12 and she loves soccer and track and field events, like running and jumping. She even qualified for the National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships. Unless you saw her using her inhaler, you would never guess that she has asthma.

Asthma is a lung problem that can make it difficult to breathe. Breathing, as you know, is pretty important when you’re running a race or charging down the soccer field. Your body needs the oxygen it gets from breathing to work properly. And your body needs even more oxygen when you’re exercising.

So how does Kat do it? Let’s find out:

(Q) How old were you when you first discovered you have asthma?

(A) I was 8 years old and in the third grade.

(Q) What happened that led you and your family to think you might have asthma?

(A) My mom says I had a bad cough that sounded like a bark and it just would not go away.

(Q) Did you have a lot of tests, and what were they like?

(A) I had a pin test where they injected (under my skin) tiny amounts of the stuff that can cause allergies. I had that test because allergies can cause the symptoms of asthma or make asthma worse. They also put a “sleeve” on my finger to measure the amount of oxygen in my blood. And I had to blow as hard and as long as I could into a peak flow meter so they could figure out how well my lungs work.

(Q) How did you feel when you first heard you had asthma?

(A) I did not exactly know what it meant so I did not care too much. But when I learned what it was and what it meant I was scared and thought I would not be able to play sports anymore. Luckily, I didn’t have to stop.

(Q) What’s the hardest part for you about having asthma?

(A) Having to remember to take my medicines I would say is very hard, but also remembering what makes my asthma act up is pretty difficult.
[Smoke and cold air are two things that make Kat’s asthma get worse.]

(Q) What does it feel like when you have an asthma flare-up? Some people describe it as “like breathing through a straw” or “drowning above water.”

(A) I actually have never had a real flare-up, but when I have breathing trouble, my throat loses the moist feeling. I feel like no air will go through or down my throat, like a boulder rolled over my throat blocking air. Like someone once said about having asthma, “I feel like a fish out of water.”

(Q) What do you do to prevent yourself from getting an asthma flare-up?

(A) I follow my doctor’s advice about taking my medicine.
[This includes controller medicine taken every day and “rescue” medicine she takes if she feels breathing trouble starting to happen.]
Taking my medicine has prevented me from having a big, dramatic asthma flare-up. Whenever I feel breathing trouble about to start, I take a puff on my inhaler. I do this even in the middle of a soccer game, which I really don’t like but know I need to do! Before every sporting event I take two puffs, one dose, on my inhaler. And because cold air will make my asthma worse, I wear a ski mask over my face when I’m outside or competing. I wear the mask because it warms the air before I breathe it.

(Q) As an athlete, what is the most challenging thing about managing your asthma?

(A) Knowing when to take my inhalers and remembering which one is for sports is challenging, but it is a lot easier now. Also, coming out of a soccer game to take my medicines is hard because I love to play the game.

(Q) You play two sports (track and soccer) where competing and success depend on how hard you push yourself. How do you do this and still manage your asthma?

(A) I do not let sports take over my life, and if I can’t breathe easily, I will take a break from the sport or go back to my doctor and see what is wrong. Also, my coaches are supportive and make sure I use my inhalers when I need to.

(Q) How do your teammates handle your asthma?

(A) The people on my soccer team always ask me if I am OK.

(Q) Many kids don’t have asthma. What do they need to know about it?

(A) That asthma is not contagious.

(Q) What tips or encouragement would you give to other kids who have asthma and want to play sports?

(A) Go for it, but make sure it is OK with your doctor. And if your asthma acts up, remember it is OK to take a break during practice, a game, or race.

Source: Kids Health

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

America Lost a Legend Michael Jackson

by Fox News
June 25, 2009

Music icon Michael Jackson, whose fame spanned from his childhood with the legendary Jackson 5 to a superstar solo career that earned him the nickname ‘King of Pop,’ died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital, a source close to the family told FOX News. He was 50.

Debra Opri, a former Jackson family attorney, confirmed the singers death after other media reported that he had fallen into a coma. He reportedly was taken by ambulance at 12:30 p.m. local time to UCLA Medical Center, where he died at 3:15 p.m.

Multiple reports said he had gone into cardiac arrest, though the official cause of death wasn’t immediately known. A news conference is expected later Thursday at the hospital, where fans have gathered to pay tribute to the singer.

Jackson’s death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music’s premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

PHOTOS: Click here for photos of Michael Jackson.

Jackson was born in Indiana in 1958. He rose to fame as part of the successful pop group The Jackson 5, formed with his brothers in 1967. The group went on to earn four number one hits in 1970 alone, and the 12-year-old Jackson became the undeniable breakout star of the group

In 1972, Jackson enjoyed his first solo hit with the song “Ben.” Six years later, he made his film debut in “The Wiz,” in which he renewed his friendship with producer Quincy Jones.

Collaborating with Jones, Jackson went on to become remarkably successful with his solo efforts “Off The Wall” in 1979 and “Thriller” in 1982.

From there, Jackson went on to become the undeniable “King of Pop,” winning eight Grammy awards for “Thriller” alone.

TOPIC: Click here for the latest on Michael Jackson.

During the 1980s, he became an icon with a distinct style of fashion and performing, as well, wearing one sparkling glove, bejeweled military clothing and short pants with socks.

It was around this time that Jackson began experimenting with excessive cosmetic surgery, including lightening of his skin.

In 1992, Jackson founded the “Heal the World Foundation,” a charity that brought underprivileged children to his Neverland Ranch, where Jackson would spend time with them and allow them to stay the night.

This practice raised many eyebrows, especially when Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy who had become a regular Neverland guest. Jackson maintained his innocence. In 1994, he settled the case out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Jackson briefly was married to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis. The union drew intense public scrutiny, there was speculation as to whether the marriage was simply an attempt to improve Jackson’s image, though he maintained that they lived genuinely as husband and wife; however, the marriage broke up after less than two years.

From there, his career never quite recovered, but he remained in the news, making headline after headline for strange and unusual behavior, including dangling his child over a balcony in Germany in 2002.

In 2004, police raided the Neverland Ranch, issuing an arrest warrant for charges of child molestation based on allegations of a boy who had appeared in Martin Bashir’s infamous documentary about Jackson. Later that year, a man filed a lawsuit against him, alleging he had been molested 20 years earlier, explaining that he had repressed the memory until 2003. However, a judge eventually dismissed the lawsuit.

In 2005, he was cleared of charges he molested the 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of playing the boy with alcohol and groping him. The case took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.

Jackson was preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital as word of his death spread. The emergency entrance at the UCLA Medical Center, which is near Jackson’s rented home, was roped off with police tape.

In New York’s Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.

“No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow,” Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend sent to his telephone. “It’s like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died.”

FOXNews.com’s Allison McGevna and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Garry Marshall vs. Lori Marshall: On Decorating

by Garry and Lori Marshall
May 24, 2009

 

 

 

The veteran Hollywood director and his daughter argue over intelligent design or a waste of time.

MOM LORI: My boyfriend wanted to see a picture of me as a teenager and I showed him the famous one.

POP GARRY: Of you standing by the concrete slab?

MOM LORI: Not many people have that kind of a photo.

POP GARRY: What did he think?

MOM LORI: He was surprised. He thought the photo was extremely princess-y of me.

POP GARRY: And you are not that way anymore?

MOM LORI: Nah. I hung up my teenage tiara for good.

POP GARRY: Not many teenage girls have the audacity to instruct a contractor to make her new bedroom six feet longer than it was supposed to be. Without discussing it with her parents first, no less.

MOM LORI: Mom was kind of mad at me back then.

POP GARRY: If my memory serves correctly, I believe she tried to strangle you when we got home from the cruise and found out.

MOM LORI: But I thought the room was going to be too small.

POP GARRY: Clearly.

MOM LORI: But then the room turned out to be way too huge when it was done.

POP GARRY: Reminiscent of a football field with a canopy bed on the 50-yard line.

MOM LORI: But why did the contractor listen to me anyway? I was only a teenager.

POP GARRY: Ah, you’ve hit upon one of the most difficult problems in the history of Western Civilization: How to win an argument with a teenage girl? Impossible.

MOM LORI: Teenage boys aren’t as difficult?

POP GARRY: Not particularly. And they certainly don’t scream, throw purple eye shadow, and flip their hair around as ferociously.

MOM LORI: But to a teenage girl, your own room is the most special place you have. A private space. As Virginia Woolf wrote – “A Room of One’s Own.”

POP GARRY: Teenage girls should find a way to personalize their private space without spending too much money. A nice area rug. Something in shag.

MOM LORI: Remember when we used to have hardwood floors until Kathleen fell out of the top of the bunk bed?

POP GARRY: Carpeting is definitely better for breaking falls. And what about signage? That’s cheap.

MOM LORI: Like “No parents allowed?” or “Knock before entering?”

POP GARRY: You used to have a funny one that said, “I only talk during TV commercials.” Signs are affordable and so is painting a bedroom.

MOM LORI: What’s a good color for my teenagers, your granddaughters?

POP GARRY: I read some place that red is a stimulating color and yellow is good if you have asthma or want to sleep a lot. So I would steer clear of yellow. Teenagers sleep enough.

MOM LORI: What about everything else? Where do you draw the line? At chintz? At leopard? At fur and leather?

POP GARRY: Definitely at concrete.

MOM LORI: There’s all of this pressure in the catalogues – like Pottery Barn Teen and Children’s Ikea – to give your kids the coolest and hippest room. How can people afford it?

POP GARRY: I like Ikea.

MOM LORI: You’ve never been to Ikea.

POP GARRY: No, but I want to go. I hear everything there is very peppy and cheap. I think Virginia Woolf would have liked to go to Ikea to decorate her room.

MOM LORI: It is a fun place. And they have good Swedish meatballs there, too.

POP GARRY: Let’s take a field trip to Ikea.

MOM LORI: Okay! How much should the overall budget be?

POP GARRY: Is $100 enough?

MOM LORI: Sounds low, Dad.

POP GARRY: Yes, but you gotta start with some kind of budget and work within it.

MOM LORI: I like that idea. Very Suze Orman of you. Never leave home without a shopping list to guide you and your wallet.

POP GARRY: And I think teens should do what I did in the old days in the Bronx. Decorate with junk.

MOM LORI: I think today they would refer to it as “slightly worn” or “vintage.”

POP GARRY: Exactly. Vintage is cheaper than new stuff. Get creative. Put up pictures of sports heroes. Rock-and-rollers. TV stars. Charlotte should hang up posters from her favorite television show House, for example.

MOM LORI: But I won’t let her use tape or put thumbtacks up because it will ruin the walls.

POP GARRY: So frame them or find another way.

MOM LORI: Lily is into local politics and I can decorate her room with framed pictures of local politicians.

POP GARRY: Very PC of her. You see, you are officially over being a princess.

MOM LORI: I’m trying. But please don’t tell my daughters that I was ever a princess.

POP GARRY: It’s okay. If you ever feel like getting princess-y again, call me and I’ll send you some concrete.

MOM LORI: No. No. I’m blocking out that memory from my past.

POP GARRY: Don’t do that. It’s a good memory. Something beneficial came out of the experience for everyone involved. I bet that contractor never worked with a teenage girl again.
 

Source: Grandparents

 

 

 

Garry Marshall vs. Lori Marshall: On Tattoos

by Garry and Lori Marshall
May 11, 2009
 

Mom wants to become a marked woman. Pop’s not big on branding.

MOM LORI: I want to get a tattoo. 

POP GARRY: What? Just out of the blue. Like shazam. You woke up this morning and decided you wanted a skull and crossbones on your triceps?

MOM LORI: It’s not out of the blue. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and I’m ready. I want to get one when I’m officially divorced.

POP GARRY: That’s odd.

MOM LORI: What’s odd about it? I was married for 20 years. My life is about to change significantly. And when I finally get the official divorce papers, I think there should be some outwardly visible sign of change to commemorate it.

POP GARRY: Then you won’t be able to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

MOM LORI: I’m not Jewish.

POP GARRY: But what if your second marriage is to a Jewish man? He’ll be buried in a nice plot and you’ll be shipped out to the boondocks where they bury the people with the tattoos.

MOM LORI: I’m sure there are many famous tattooed people in the boondocks.

POP GARRY: But there are so many other reasons not to get all tatted up. Isn’t that the phrase the young kids use now? Tatted up?

MOM LORI: Your teenage grandkids say “inked.”

POP GARRY: Okay, inked, schminked.

MOM LORI: So what are other reasons not to do it?

POP GARRY: Think of some of the people who have tattoos. They are named Crash and Smash and make their homes in prisons like San Quentin or in the NFL or the NBA.

MOM LORI: That’s so stereotypical, Dad. Many very nice people have tattoos.

POP GARRY: For example?

MOM LORI: Angelina and Brad.

POP GARRY: They have tattoos? I thought they had lots of children.

MOM LORI: And tattoos.

POP GARRY: But what about regular people. Do you have friends with tattoos?

MOM LORI: Sure. My friend Katie who runs a big company gets one every year on her birthday.

POP GARRY: Big? Small? Or Scary?

MOM LORI: Various. And my friend Sue is a teacher and she has a tattoo.

POP GARRY: Sue with a tattoo? Sounds like a musical.

MOM LORI: And neither woman has served time in prison. So what’s the big deal?

POP GARRY: One word: Sagging.

MOM LORI: Ewww. What does that mean?

POP GARRY: Say you get a butterfly on your arm.

MOM LORI: Say I do.

POP GARRY: The day you get the butterfly it will look colorful and perky and cute. Just the way you want it to be.

MOM LORI: Sweet!

POP GARRY: But then by the time you hit 80 years old, it will look like a butterfly that’s been run over by a hybrid SUV.

MOM LORI: Gross. But why a hybrid?

POP GARRY: I like all my stories to be environmentally green. So back to your tattoo. If you get one and then try to years later go online and date seniors they’re not going to like your sagging butterfly.

MOM LORI: Good point. Got any others?

POP GARRY: Would you let either one of your 13-year-old twin daughters get a tattoo?

MOM LORI: Absolutely not.

POP GARRY: Why not?

MOM LORI: They are too young to get something that will be on their body for the rest of their lives.

POP GARRY: Knowing Charlotte, she would want a tattoo of Hugh Laurie from House, complete with the cane. You know how much she loves that show.

MOM LORI: See, it comes back to the time problem. Back in the day, I would have loved a tattoo of Rick Springfield from General Hospital, but now I would want it removed.

POP GARRY: So we’ve established that a tattoo is not the right thing for a kid.

MOM LORI: No. But it’s my body and I am an adult.

POP GARRY: What about body piercing?

MOM LORI: Dad!

POP GARRY: What?

MOM LORI: Are you suggesting that I should get a belly button ring over a tattoo?

POP GARRY: Or a nose ring.

MOM LORI: A nose ring?! Impossible. I sneeze a lot. That would be painful during allergy season.

POP GARRY: How about another hole in your ear? An extra earring?

MOM LORI: Doesn’t that seem so pedestrian?

POP GARRY: Pedestrian is mixing black and blue in your wardrobe. I think a third hole would be something unique.

MOM LORI: Well …

POP GARRY: Are you thinking it over?

MOM LORI: No. My computer just froze.

POP GARRY: I’ll wait.

MOM LORI: Maybe I should just buy myself a nice new pair of earrings to commemorate the divorce.

POP GARRY: Right. And years from now when you are at the old people’s home and three holes is out of vogue – you can just let one close up.

MOM LORI: I think you might be right. Less invasive and less permanent than a tattoo. Or a nose ring.

POP GARRY: Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of the henna tattoo. Something that’s festive and fun, but can be washed off so you don’t look like you’re in the Navy for the rest of your life.

MOM LORI: A good plan. Thanks, Dad.

POP GARRY: Enough about you. Let’s talk about me. Should I get transplants?

MOM LORI: No. Your hair is fine.

POP GARRY: I meant implants.

MOM LORI: What???

POP GARRY: For my teeth. Should I get them?

MOM LORI: Oh, that’s what you mean? No. No implants, no transplants.

POP GARRY: Maybe I should stick to just plants. You know how much I love gardening.

MOM LORI: Much safer. And again, not permanent.

POP GARRY: Oh, that reminds me. Your mother’s getting a permanent today. I have to run and pick her up at the beauty parlor.

MOM LORI: You better hurry. I hear they’ve started doing tattoos there as well.

The debates continue, when these two argue over gardening. Also, read how our columnist, Beverly Beckham, discovered her friend’s tattoo.

Source: Grand Parents

Marine Inspires Youth Through Football

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bobby J. Yarbrough
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 11, 2009

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, While growing up in the inner city of St. Louis, Marine Corps Sgt. Timothy Craig had two choices: turn to sports or the streets.For Craig, football was the answer. He started playing at age 7, was very successful and pursued it throughout his youth.During high school, Craig grew into a leader on the field, which kept him on the right path even while school presented its challenges.”I struggled with school work,” he admitted. “The only reason I went to high school was because of football.”

Craig continued to struggle with school work throughout high school and beyond. After a year at Joplin Junior College in Joplin, Mo., his grades were not holding up, and Craig had to abandon his dream of playing college football. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2004.

While serving in California with the Corps, Craig continued to play an active role in the football community, coaching a youth league at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and playing on the all-Marine team at Camp Pendleton. After arriving on Okinawa in 2007, he became a coach in the Kadena Youth Tackle Football League. After two seasons, the league was disbanded because there wasn’t enough interest.

But Craig saw things differently.

“A lot of the kids were heartbroken,” Craig said. “I thought it was upsetting that these kids had no outlet, and I thought something had to be done. These kids sacrifice enough being part of the military community, and I didn’t think they should have to sacrifice football as well.”

Seeing a need for a youth tackle football league, Craig decided to start up the Okinawa Youth Football League.

The league is straightforward. There are no contracts, trade deadlines, advertisements or concession stands. It is just 15 teams dedicated to football, pure and simple.
The entire league is funded by contributions from the players’ parents, Craig said.

The league does not single out individual effort or award most valuable player trophies. Instead, coaches stress the importance of teamwork and how each player’s contribution is important to the overall team. The players give their all, not for money, but only for the love of the game. They play through fatigue not for fame, but simply to learn the game of football, Craig said.

“The league teaches humility,” he said. “Players learn the difference between winning and losing, they learn the definition of teamwork, and they learn about their individual character. But, as coaches, we remind them that it’s not about winning and losing, it’s about learning fundamentals and having fun.”

Craig said the most important thing about the league is the academic performance a player must maintain to remain eligible to play. Coaches monitor grades, and players must maintain a 2.0 grade point average and proper attendance records.

“The league is built on the very principle that kept me from pursuing my dreams,” Craig said. “I want these kids to realize that although sports are significant, the most important aspect is education”

(Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bobby J. Yarbrough serves with Marine Corps Bases Japan.)
Source: America Supports You

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