..as Castor Troy

The man’s movies tend to be either total pap or a slice of genius (…okay, maybe a little strong, but they’re bloody good!).  I would call myself a fan of his, but then I reflect on Bangkok Dangerous, The Weather Man and National Treasure. Even Ghost Rider was pretty bad. But then you’ve got The Rock, Family Man, It Could Happen to You (even though I’ve never met a soul who liked it) and the unforgettable switching role of Castor Troy in Face-off. I still think he’s a dude. But here’s his best and worst from my humble perspective as a semi-fan.

BEST: Family Man

– A truly fantastic movie about a man who is offered the chance to see what his life would look like if he chose the love of his life 10 years ago over his all-important ego-inspired career. Nick is on absolute form, enhancing every comedy moment and gripping the audience with the sentiment that is so well scripted and delivered that nothing comes off as corny. The producers made it feel real and grounded in a somewhat far stretched movie plot.

WORST: Bangkok Dangerous

– Never before have I wanted to leave a cinema half way through a movie through fear that if I stayed, I may lose my love of movies forever. Either that or I would have tried to drown myself in my Pepsi.

I love assassin movies, I dig the setting of Bangkok and I’m a Cage fan – what went wrong? Well… everything!! It actually depressed me that I would never get that hour and a half of my life back. At one stage, you see Cage eyeing two gunmen, then the camera swings away to a wall where you hear (not see) two gun shots, at which point the camera swings back to show the two men dead on the floor. Or we presume they’re dead – they may have fallen unconscious from sheer boredom. The only interesting thing about this movie is that Nicolas Cage’s career itself wasn’t assassinated at point blank range as a result.

CONCLUSION:

So to summarise… With a career full of highs and lows, it’s fair to say he’s made some daft decisions for roles. But with the right director, script and production team, Cage has the ability to take us by storm and if nothing else has left his mark of making a character almost as famous as the movie he arrived in… Castor Troy. We know you’re capable of magic Nicky… we’ve seen it.

I woke up singing this song in my head!

I was having a conversation with my wife, Mimi, the other day about technology.  It seems to be a topic of debate even at dinner parties, iPhone vs. Blackberry, so thought I would chime in too.  Men seemed to be the general users of the blackberry while women preferred the iPhone, even though I know allot of guys who have iPhones.  My wife agrees with me.  The iPhone seems to be very easy to use, is more fun and seems to be more in keeping with a woman’s every day running around.

I like my Blackberry.  It gives me a lot of depth of features, which I need for the business world, especially with the amount of email traffic I get.  My wife prefers the touch screen on her iPhone whereas I prefer the real keys on my blackberry.  I also feel the operating system does what it is supposed to do on my Blackberry and I know a few tricks to get maximum usability out of it.  Out of all the other operating systems in the world the iPhone is said to have the most technologically advanced system.

I guess all that advance makes it more user friendly for my wife.  Really neither phone is that much better than the other, I concluded.  The Bold is the best BlackBerry up until now, and it is fine for business use, but it’s not perfect.  The iPhone is a consumer device, and most of the original problems have already been addressed.

It really all comes down to what you need for your phone  My blogs contain a wealth of information you’ll find useful.

I was speaking with my wife Mimi the other day about technology with my wife Mimi. With iPhone vs. Blackberry becoming a large topic of conversation I decided I would chime in. I realized that a lot of men are Blackberry users, and a lot of women like the iPhone (although I have plenty of guy friends who also use the iPhone). My wife agrees. The iPhone is more fun to use and seems easier at keeping up with a daily motherly errands.

Hands down, I like my Blackberry. For business my Blackberry provides me with in depth features for e-mail and online traffic. I prefer to have the real keys on my Blackberry but my wife, Mimi, enjoys her iPhone’s touch screen. As well as knowing some tricks of how to get maximum usability out of my Blackberry I prefer their operating system. Out of all the other operating systems in the world the iPhone is said to have the most technologically advanced system.

I guess that is why my wife says it is more user friendly for her. Really neither phone is that much better than the other, I concluded. Even though it is not perfect the Blackberry Bold was one of the best for business. Most of the problems of the iPhone have already been addressed and it is more of a consumer device.

It all comes down to what you like and what you really want in a phone. Check out my Ron Pollack blogs for more information and exciting updates.

As father to five kids, Mimi, my wife and I, always like to keep it educational.  Living in Florida, we are on vacation year round, at least we have access to special activities that others travel hundreds of miles to encounter.  When our kids were younger, we spent most weekends at our beach house, located on one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in Florida’s North Clearwater Beach.  One of the special seasons we enjoyed, was “Turtle Season”.  I remember when the kiddies saw the roped off turtle areas and would ask a million questions.   So I decided to share some of my favorite turtle facts they can pass on to their kids.

-Hatchelings weigh less than one ounce and are only two inches long.  -Adults can grow over 3 feet long and weigh 200 to 300 pounds!

-The nest temperature during incubation determines a sea turtle’s sex.  -If it is cold it will be male.  -The warm nests will turn out females.

(My next door neighbor Ellen is on the board of the nearby Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which not only rescues sick or injured sea animals, they also monitor nearly 26 miles of Pinellas County’s coast line and reports on any nesting activity.  They help prevent extinction of these sea turtles by rescuing an releasing them into the Gulf as hatchlings.  You can learn more about them at cmaquarium.org.)

Here are the Fun Facts!  -Florida beaches are home to 80% of Loggerhead turtles in the U.S.

-Turtles can migrate thousands of miles, but usually return to lay their eggs on the same beach where they hatched.  -Only when the female lays her eggs do they come ashore.

One of our favorite <a href=’http://www.myspace.com/ron_pollack’>Ron Pollack family</a> vacation spots is our Florida beach house because of the turtles.

A father of with along with my wife Mimi, like to keep things educational. Living in Florida, we are on vacation year round, at least we have access to special activities that others travel hundreds of miles to encounter. When our kids were younger, we spent most weekends at our beach house, located on one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in Florida’s North Clearwater Beach. “Turtle Season” was the favorite season to all of us. Seeing the turtle areas ripped off they always asked us questions about the turtles. So we would teach them turtle facts that they could pass on to their own children.

-About 2 inches long these hatchlings weigh less then an ounce. -200 to 300 pounds is what they weigh full grown.

-Their incubation temperature will decide if the turtle is male or female. -Boys like it cool. -Girls like it hot.

(Ellen, our neighbor that belongs to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, helps monitor 26 miles of Pinellas County’s coast line to help rescue or report nesting for the wild life. They help prevent extinction of these sea turtles by rescuing an releasing them into the Gulf as hatchlings. I like checking out their cmaquarium.org website.)

Now for the Fun Facts! -Florida is home to 80% of Loggerhead turtles on U.S. beaches.

-A sea turtle can take 15 to 50 years before they are able to reproduce. -Only when the female lays her eggs do they come ashore.

Our Florida beach house, along with the turtles, makes for one of our favorite Ron Pollack family vacation spots.

I thought I would share this update about with my friends about Nathan, my son. Hours he’ll spend lunging, bathing & brushing his horse along with riding it around the ring. He even showed Francesca twin fawns. He spent this last summer at the age of 15, in Oregon. I found out that an old neighborhood friend Francesca, is in Oregon and staying nearby. On the weekends our family would go to the beach house a few blocks from where she grew up. Besides when Nathan would come to visit, Francesca’s Mom wouldn’t even lock the door because the neighborhood was so remote. At 6AM, before we knew, he was off on his bike to her house because he knew he could walk right in and wake them up to play. Now that he is grown up, Francesca was really excited to see him. He took her to see his horse, named “Indian Pony”, It is a paint gelding whose nickname is Apache. Eventually he might get the stallion he wants but now he is starting with a gelding.

It was really nice to hear from him from Oregon. I love our Ron Pollack family updates.

I thought I would give my friends an update on my oldest son, Nathan. He spends hours at the barn, and often is there bathing, brushing and lunging his horse and riding it in the ring. He even showed Francesca twin fawns. He spent this last summer at the age of 15, in Oregon. His old friend from the neighborhood, Francesca, is also staying nearby in Oregon. She was going over the old days when Nathan, age 7 and with family, would go to our beach house on the weekends just a few blocks from where she grew up. With that part of the beach being so private her mother used to leave their home unlocked, except when Nathan would come to visit. At 6AM, before we knew, he ws off on his bike to her house because he knew he could walk right in and wake them up to play. So Francesca was excited to see how Nathan has grown up. “Indian Pony” is his gelding horse he took her to see nicknamed Apache. Nathan would prefer a stallion, but for now, we let him start with a gelding.

It was really nice to hear from him from Oregon. I hope you enjoy our Ron Pollack family updates as much as we do.

All my friends and family know that my wife, Mimi, and I love tennis. We recommend lessons at McMullen’s Chall Tennis Academy to anyone who wants to experience the same results. When I have the time, I am looking forward to picking up a racquet on a regular basis again. Now, my wife Mimi, always comes home happy with her game. (I used to play competitively as a kid, but then tennis took a back seat to investing, to kids and other pursuits.) Yet, I still have not given up on the sport. One of the biggest tennis states is Florida. But through the years, we have often been frustrated — despite going to fancy tennis camps, and even buying a house with a tennis court. I still haven’t found the time to dedicate into resurrecting my game, But Mimi’s game has been reborn with the help of Erick Chall, the head pro at McMullen Tennis center. Eric’s technique seems to be incomparable to others through Mimi’s experiences with playing “on again, off again” tennis. Luckily Eric’s enthusiasm for the sport is highly contagious. Since my son regained interest his game went romp a few lucky shots to an actual tennis player to be reckoned with.

On my Ron Pollack blog, I am letting people know about the great resources we now have in Clearwater.

This morning I woke up feeling tired. After the morning routine I’ve gotten myself into, I headed straight for the coffee pot (Jura Capressa), and made myself a strong cup. Sitting at my kitchen table and breathing in the soothing and yet bitter aroma of the coffee beneath my nose, and felt like something to eat, I was surprised to see in the refrigerator, a cinnamon bun from my sister (we live in the same house)! How sweet of her to think of me. I felt like that moment in “Family Man” when Nicolas Cage finds out unexpectedly that it’s his anniversary and has forgotten to get her a present. However, I gratefully dove fork and knife into my breakfast. (I never eat anything without a fork and knife unless it’s a raw vegetable, Pizza Hut pizza, or a cookie.) It got me thinking, “What if everybody did?” as in, that old book about instances that could become disastrous if everybody did, for instance: If one girl put a tack on a chair… if everybody did… etc. It reminds me a lot of peer-pressure actually. Anyway, the point being, if everybody was as kind and thoughtful as my sister, our world would be so different I have no doubt we would not recognize it to be earth. They say whatever you do effects your surroundings, you know. Even if everyone did just one thing every day that was kind or thoughtful to someone, a relative, a friend, a neighbor, etc. So that’s my weekly resolution (why wait till New Years?): I’m going to do something “nice” (for lack of better word at the moment) for someone every day. I encourage whoever is reading this to do likewise.

Baru beberapa kali berkencan dengan si dia…, kamu merasa sudah dekat dengannya… Tetapi.., muncul keraguan.., apakah dia si Pria Idaman…..? Diteruskan atau tidak ya..? Baca “tanda-tanda” berikut untuk memastikan apakah sebaiknya dia tidak lepas dari genggaman kamu…..

1. Tahu bagaimana harus bersikap
Sikap yang tenang dan pandai menempatkan diri adalah kunci memikat hati seorang wanita… Kamu dan dia seharusnya tahu bagaimana bisa menghabiskan waktu bersama dengan menyenangkan… Di lain waktu.., ketika dia bertemu orangtua kamu atau orang lain.., dia bisa menempatkan diri sebagai seseorang yang dewasa.., sopan.., dan tenang… Humm….. Dia tidak pula terlalu kekanak-kanakan.., dimana segalanya bergantung pada kamu…

2. Dia menempatkan kamu lebih dulu
Pernah dengar ujar-ujar.., bahwa jika seorang pria bersedia membagi apa yang ada di piringnya adalah pria yang mau terbuka..? Sebaliknya.., jika dia tak mau ada yang mengambil apa yang ada di piringnya.., dia adalah orang yang tertutup..? Nah.., coba ingat-ingat.., ketika sedang di restoran.., dan dia memesan makanan favoritnya.., apakah dia akan mempersilakan kamu mencobanya duluan..? Apakah dia bersedia membagi bagian terenak dari makanan pesanannya..? Bila dia mau membagi bagian terenak dari makanan pesanannya.., berarti dia mau mendahulukan kamu untuk segalanya.., begitu menurut Rachel Greenwald, pengarang Why He Didn’t Call You Back: 1,000 Guys Reveal What They Really Thought of You After Your Date…..

3. Ia tak takut tertular penyakit kamu
Kamu tahu bahwa ia adalah pria idaman ketika ia tak tahan jauh dari kamu… Dia akan berusaha sebisa mungkin selalu dekat kamu… Bukan dalam arti bahwa dia adalah seorang penguntit atau orang yang sangat bergantung pada kamu… Tetapi.., bahwa ia selalu ingin menjaga dan merawat kamu.., bahkan ketika kamu sedang sakit sekali pun… “Dia akan menawarkan diri untuk menjenguk atau merawat kamu yang sedang sakit flu berat.., misalnya… Ketimbang hanya menelepon dan berkata ‘Cepat sembuh, ya… Kalau sudah sembuh.., telepon aku ya..,’” ujar Greenwald…..

4. Family man
Dia kerap menanyakan keadaan keluarga kamu.., dan secara tulus ingin tahu keadaan mereka… “Ketertarikan terhadap keluarga kamu menunjukkan bahwa di matanya.., kamu adalah ‘satu paket’… Dia pasti paham.., bahwa untuk bersama kamu.., berarti harus memahami dan menerima kerabat kamu juga…,” terang Sarah Harrison, editor senior di yourtango.com…..

5. Bersahabat dengan teman kamu
Teman adalah bagian penting dalam hidup seorang wanita.., maka ketika si dia mau berusaha berkenalan dan menemui sahabat-sahabat kamu.., berarti dia berusaha mengenal kamu juga… Di masa depan.., ketika hubungan kamu berlanjut…, pada suatu titik dia pun harus berhubungan dengan mereka… Maka.., ketika dia berusaha untuk berkenalan dan berteman dengan mereka.., hal ini menunjukkan kedewasaannya…..

6. Penyemangat utama
Seorang pria yang suportif akan kemajuan kamu dalam segala hal adalah pria yang tak takut akan kesuksesan kamu… Dia tahu apa yang dia mau dan bagaimana meraihnya… Artinya.., dia tak takut jika kamu lebih sukses darinya… Dia akan merasa senang ketika kamu senang…..

7. Dia mengingat hal-hal kecil
Apakah kekasih kamu selalu tertarik untuk mendengarkan kamu..? Dia adalah pria idaman jika dia ingat apa yang pernah kamu ceritakan.., dan melontarkan pertanyaan seputar cerita kamu di lain waktu… Misal.., kamu bercerita akan menghadiri rapat penting yang menegangkan… Bila sore harinya ia menanyakan bagaimana hasilnya.., hal ini menunjukkan perhatiannya…..

8. Ia bahagia ketika kamu senang
Ada pria yang bersedia menonton film drama romantis yang “cewek banget” bersama kamu ketimbang nonton film action…? Seringkali hal ini bukan ia lakukan karena suka filmnya.., tetapi karena ingin menemani kamu..? Wah.., dua jempol untuk si dia…!! Ini berarti dia peduli dengan kesenangan kamu…..

9. Dia mendorong kamu menjadi yang terbaik dari diri kamu
Seorang pria yang membuat kamu menjadi wanita paling beruntung.., percaya diri.., dan merasa nyaman dengan diri sendiri adalah pria yang sangat diidamkan… Sebuah hubungan tak hanya berkisar seputar apa yang kamu merasa tentangnya.., tapi juga tentang bagaimana si dia membuat kamu merasa nyaman tentang diri kamu sendiri…..

Oke.., manusia tak ada yang sempurna. Namun.., tanda-tanda di atas bukan berarti tak mungkin ada dalam seorang pria.., kan..?? Lagipula.., tanda-tanda ini bukan syarat utama untuk bisa meneruskan hubungan kamu… Bagaimana kamu menerima pribadi yang kamu sebut “pasangan”-lah yang penting… Tanda-tanda di atas hanya sebagai pengingat bahwa dia layak untuk dipertahankan…..

Iya bangetss…..

(Sumber: YourTango, kompas.com)

A great Dad can have a lasting impact on the life of a little girl, she may learn that she matters, deserves to be respected and loved. A little boy might learn the importance of integrity, courage, kindness and love. Whatever the lessons are, Dads are in a position to affect the lives of their children and the lives of many generations to come.

Do you know a Great Dad?  Is it your brother? Is it your husband? Is it your Dad?  Tell us about him and what makes him a Great Dad.

Children can be a blessing or an annoyance, a joy or a burden, a gift or a hindrance. How we feel about them has little to do with them and more to do with our ability to see and willingness to fill one of the most important roles we will ever have.

If we embrace our role as loving responsible fathers, we may have to come to terms with a lot of questions that may have been going unanswered like, who are we?, what is our life purpose?, what will our children think of us when they are adults? We must consider the fact that the life lessons that build confidence, respect, understanding, curiosity, and positive minds, that lead to well-adjusted young adults are greatly influenced by our leadership in our families. In modern American society it is more and more common to see men unwilling to serve as the leaders in their household. Some of these men are from poor or single parent homes but others are from two parent middle income or high income homes. The families with larger disposable incomes differ in that they use buying their children things or signing them up at exclusive schools as proof of their love and attention.

Our children depend on us for an impression of normal behavior from our daily interaction with the people around us, are we impatient with the clerk at the store, do we have a negative outlook on life? Whatever this behavior is will have a great impact on your child for a long time to come. Why is it that a man who is abusive to his wife is very often surprised to see his daughter grow up and marry a man who abuses her? I believe people like that are being reactive and just doing what come natural and do not see the great importance of their role as a father. These people very often are not aware that how they act speaks louder than what they say.

The greatest good we have to offer our children does not come from things that can be purchased but from the love, attention, understanding and age appropriate wisdom we give to them. This presupposes that we are open to and embrace opportunities for us to grow in these areas. Without us growing in these areas, especially the areas in which we received little from our own families, we would not have much to offer our children. It takes courage to come face to face with our own limitations and inadequacies and do the work it takes to overcome them. That is why love is such a critical part of us finding the motivation and reason to do the necessary work. The old saying ‘nobody learns more than the teacher’ is especially true here. If we are honest about becoming the best dad we can be, and we are willing to do the work, we emerge transformed into a better version of us than we otherwise would have been. It is in loving that we find love, it is in giving attention that we learn to validate, it is in understanding that we give empathy, it is in having the need to be a source of wisdom that we may be first inclined to seek wisdom. When you step into the shoes of Dad you embark on a journey to be some little soul’s hero.

Step Up!
Dominic Pacheco
domicianop@gmail.com

It’s been an interesting day so far.  It started like any other day, with the kids waking us up from a slumber that could best be described as that like a hibernating bear.  Then it was the usual; throw on some clothes, head downstairs to the breakfast table, grind on sugar-laden cereal of choice, and commence with the days activities.  But quickly after Amanda left for work, the boys did what they often do…  they turned on me.  It was total mutiny.

Amanda had mentioned yesterday evening that the local theater was having a Free Family Film Festival. This weekend, they’re showing “Open Season,” an animated film about Boog, a domesticated bear with no survival skills whose world gets quickly turned upside down.  I decided it was time for a field trip. The kids needed a change of scenery, and I needed some reprieve.

Now, I probably should have started this note off by mentioning that the plethora of irony surrounding the movie and it’s title aren’t at all lost on me today.  To say I felt a little bit like Boog, well that would be an understatement.  The movie theater is only a mile or so away from the house. We can get their in 5 minutes or less if we drive.  It’s uber-convenient for days like this.  Ah, but there’s the catch. Amanda, bless her heart, is at work – and she has the van key.  I’m stranded. The kids have turned on me, and I’m stranded!

So I decided what’s a mile or two? I’ve taken the boys out in the double stroller plenty of times before around the neighborhood, to Chick-Fil-A, and even to the nearby Hollywood Video and a nearby Mexican Restaraunt.  This should be no big deal. I changed out of the flip flops and into the running shoes, and we strapped in for the ride.  The boys did great. Much better than my calves anyway. The double stroller is meant for flat-surface cruising, not all terrain cross-country treks.  To say the least, the trip to and from the theater was a challenge.  When there is a sidewalk along the road, you’re likely to find that you have to hop the curb, or avoid numerous “hazzards” along the way.

We got to the movie about 20-30 minutes after it started, but I didn’t care. I had just walked, no, huffed and puffed across a four-lane highway, and over several hazzards to get there. Afterwards, it was time to head back. I got my workout in today, but all in all, I would do it again. I just wish that – in a time when local, state and federal agencies are trying to promote “green living” – the community was a little more conducive to making this a habit.

It’s only 12:30pm.  Here’s to the rest of the day…

Anybody else have some similar stories and adventures that they’d like to share? Leave a comment and let us know! We look forward to reading them.

- Dan W. Boles

Kaka dan Cristiano Ronaldo telah resmi akan bermain untuk Real Madrid sejak musim 2009-2010. Ada sejumlah hal yang bisa dibandingkan di antara mereka. Persamaannya, Kaka dan Ronaldo pernah menyandang gelar sebagai Pemain Terbaik Dunia. Kaka meraihnya di tahun 2007, sementara Ronaldo pada tahun 2008. Sebelum meraih gelar prestisius tersebut, kedua pemain sukses membawa klub masing-masing menjadi jawara Liga Champion dan Piala Dunia Antarklub. Baik Kaka maupun Ronaldo juga terkenal dengan kecepatan lari, aksi dribel bola yang brilian, serta piawai mencetak gol. Mereka juga dibeli dengan harga yang sama fantastisnya dari klub sebelumnya. Kaka dan Ronaldo juga laris sebagai bintang beragam iklan karena penampilan fisiknya yang tak mengecewakan, komersil pula pastinya.

Perbedaannya, Kaka pernah menjadi juara (Piala Dunia, Copa America, dan Piala Konfederasi) bersama negaranya Brasil, sedangkan Ronaldo belum pernah mendapat trofi apa pun bersama Portugal. Kaka terkenal dengan sifatnya yang rendah hati, sementara Ronaldo justru sering dicap sebagai sosok yang arogan. Satu hal lagi, Kaka merupakan lelaki yang setia pada satu perempuan dan tipe family man, padahal Ronaldo justru kondang sebagai lelaki yang suka bergonta-ganti pasangan dan pantas disebut bad boy. Dengan segala persamaan maupun perbedaannya, Kaka dan Ronaldo akan bekerja sama berupaya mengembalikan kejayaan Los Merengues.

Barabara Walters discusses the reasons why she thinks that Adam Lambert didn’t win first prize, and Kris Allen did.

This is a backtrack to what we already know but I thought it was interesting to see just the same.

What the debate is, do you think the American people are prejudice against gay singers?

I know from comments talking to people around me, that little girls thought that Adam Lambert looked scary and evil with his eye liner.

I laughed about it but then I heard it from several different parties!

I guess when your older stuff like that doesn’t fizz on you, maybe it did create a “fear factor” in the general public.

Kris Allen is the family man with christian values and looks like an innocent angel that would never hurt a flea.

Personally I think Adam Lambert had more talent, grant it, he did a little bit of screaming in his songs and I think that people picked up on that.  However if they would have seen the videos I posted of him with him singing in a lower range and normal tone of voice, they would have realized he was just showing his wide vocal range on the show because the judges requested that he do so.

I guess Adam Lambert is just too sexy for little girls…. sigh…

adam-lambert-led-zeppelin scary to little girls

Since Jackson’s death on Thursday, June 25, acquaintances, family members and celebrities have been interviewed by the media, most telling heartwarming stories of their friend. They have tried to paint a picture of Jackson as just a regular guy, underneath the pancake makeup that was used to obscure the decades of plastic surgery which had destroyed the beauty of his natural face.

Michael Jackson broke the color barrier of music, selling to white audiences around the world and becoming the first black musician to be featured on MTV videos. His album “Thriller” became the biggest album of all time. It’s now back on the charts, along with his other solo albums, fueled by the media frenzy surrounding his death.

By the time he died, Jackson was neither black nor white. He reportedly suffered from vitiligo, a skin disorder characterized by white patches due to the loss of natural pigment. But that doesn’t explain the fact that he ended up with a dimple in his chin and no nose to speak of.

Jackson’s legal problems in his later years, when he had to deal with allegations of child molestation, caused his career to take a nosedive. The fact that he had the business sense to buy up the Beatles’ song catalogue let him keep up his lavish lifestyle. The song catalogue barely kept him afloat as he was sinking into debt, not just because of his legal bills, but because of his compulsion to spend money.

The media wasn’t kind to Michael Jackson when he was alive. But his fans were everywhere. He was even bigger in Europe and other countries than in the United States. His fans looked beyond the odd behavior and legal accusations and stood by him. It should be said, none of the allegations of sexual misconduct were ever proven. The fact that Jackson settled his civil case for $20 million led people to believe he was guilty. In his more recent criminal trial, Jackson was found not guilty. Unfortunately, in our society, especially in high profile celebrity cases, you’re guilty until proven innocent.

There is no doubt that Michael Jackson was a public relations disaster when he was alive. His strange behavior got most of the media attention. He was planning a comeback tour when he died, and he chose England, where he was the most popular. Still, he had a lot to overcome, as far as his image was concerned. When he died, however, there was an outpouring of support and love from all corners of the world.

The eccentric pop star who never seemed to grow up was portrayed by the media mostly as an eccentric oddball who had no business taking care of children. He famously dangled his youngest child, Prince Michael II, nicknamed “Blanket”, over a hotel balcony in 2002, when the child was just an infant. His three kids were rarely seen publicly, and when they were, their faces were covered by veils or masks.

After his death, something changed in the media. The sexual allegations and reports of weird behavior were pushed to the background while Jackson’s contributions to the world of music were celebrated. The groundbreaking musical career that Jackson gave us was on a level with Elvis and the Beatles. In this era of news-at-the-speed-of-the-Internet, Jackson as an icon seems to have no peer. The news of his death has been relentless, and sales of his music is going through the roof.

Jackson’s comeback is even bigger in death than it would have been in life. Sales of his final rehearsals at the Staples Center are expected to bring in at least $500 million. The fact that he’s not alive to spend his money will make his heirs very wealthy. His children stand to inherit the bulk of his estate.

The memorial was over the top. The gold coffin, the endless parade of celebrity guests, the gospel choir and endless videos of the pop star himself, all transmitted globally through the Internet and television to millions of people worldwide was surreal enough. Inside the Staples Center, people were taking videos on their cell phones and posting them on the Internet while journalists sent out Twitter reports.

The defining moment in the image transformation of Michael Jackson was not complete, however, until the end of the glitzy affair at the Staples Center. After all the musical numbers, prepared speeches and video tributes, it appeared that Janet Jackson was going to address the crowd. Instead, Janet pushed little Paris Katherine, the 11-year-old daughter of Michael, in front of the microphone. In addition to Paris and Prince Michael II, now age 7, 12-year-old Prince Michael I was in attendance. Could these normal-looking children be related to the man who once owned the Elephant Man’s bones, slept in an oxygen chamber, and dangled his baby over a hotel balcony?

As the circus elephants waited in the wings, Paris gave her now famous speech, lasting only a few sentences, and ending with: “I love him so much.” As she broke down in tears, there weren’t many dry eyes in the house, or around the world, for that matter. The memorial service for Jackson was now over, but the image of his loving daughter will live on.

As much as he would have loved the spectacle at the Staples Center, which portrayed him as a larger-than-life icon, a new Michael Jackson has emerged: family man.

Instrumental track from Family Man, as played in Live ‘84 DVD and album. Henry Rollins adds percussion.

Note how Roessler and Stevenson take turns between very consciously playing with Ginn, and very consciously not.