MJ's Death Photo
It has been nearly two weeks, but the Internet is still buzzing with talk of MJ and his last days. If you type ‘Michael Jackson’ into Google right now, the first suggestion will be ‘death photo.’ The ‘King of Pop’ will be laid to rest tomorrow, July 7th, after a public viewing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Whether or not Jackson’s body will be revealed at the service has been undisclosed.
The reason for this disturbing search term can be attributed to none other than OK! Magazine. The entertainment mongering publication is notorious for shady tactics, and Michael Jackson’s ‘death photo’ is no exception. After paying $500,000, OK! Magazine got an exclusive photograph of MJ as emergency personnel struggled to resuscitate the struggling star. Fans and family members are outraged by the magazine’s insensitive, yet unsurprising use of this image. According to an online source, there is a petition to “Stop Michael Jackson Death Photo.”
Helping Military Call Home
This July 4th, AT&T wants to help its customers connect with family members serving in the U.S. Military. More than 30,000 prepaid phone cards will be provided to overseas military personnel in honor of this patriotic holiday. These phone cards hold a retail value of more than $150,000! With help from the United Service Organizations (USO), AT&T will distribute these cards during entertainment tours in regions including Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, South Korea, Japan, Italy and Germany. This includes personally handing cards to injured soldiers at Landsthul Regional Medical Center, the largest military hospital outside of the U.S. This donation is in celebration of American veterans worldwide, whether they have a husband, wife, son or daughter who is currently serving our nation.
Over the past 20 years, Dallas-based AT&T has donated millions of dollars to the USO.
“We’re very passionate about helping keep military families connected,” said Judy Cavalieri, Vice President of Prepaid Products, AT&T. “Whether you’re across town or around the world from friends and family, sometimes a phone call can make all the difference.”
USA Beats Spain
Every dog has its day, and the United States is no exception. Today, the U.S. broke Spain’s winning streak (35 consecutive wins since November 2006) with a 2-0 victory. As a result, the U.S. will have a well-deserved shot at the FIFA Confederations Cup title. Before today, the U.S. stood virtually no chance in the eyes of most soccer fans, ranking 14th after losing two straight games. A Spanish victory was imminent, right? Apparently, not! Brazil and South Africa will go head-to-head on June 25, and the winner will play the U.S. on June 28 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the title.
News of America’s unexpected victory is dominating sports headlines on both the Internet and television. People just can’t stop talking about today’s historical match! One minute the U.S. is on the verge of elimination, and the next minute the U.S. is on top! Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey are responsible for shooting the two winning goals against top-ranked Spain. Will the U.S. claim victory?
Alice in Wonderland Pix
Promotional photographs from Tim Burton’s long-awaited remake of “Alice in Wonderland” are finally available on the Internet. Johnny Depp will play a devilish Mad Hatter, Helena Bona Carter (Tim Burton’s muse and longtime partner) will turn heads – and cut them off – as the Red Queen, and beautifully fair Anne Hathaway will play the White Queen. Tim Burton is known for his dark, surreal artistic style. It will be interesting to see how he transforms this classic tale, which will be released in theaters on March 5th, 2010.
The starring role, Alice, will be played by Mia Wasikowska, a relatively unknown 19-year old actress from Australia. Wasikowska is best known for her television role on “In Treatment,” an HBO drama that chronicles the life of Dr. Paul Weston, a middle-aged psychotherapist.
“Alice in Wonderland” will be released in both standard and 3-D. More information and high resolution images can be found online at www.USAToday.com.
Iran is Tweeting
The Internet has proven to be a useful tool for Iranians worldwide during the recent presidential election. Social networking via Twitter provided real-time updates from within the chaos and protests that resulted after Amadinejad's victory. Even with a 140 character limit, Tweeting became a great way for Mousavi supporters to rally for change - that is, until service became mysteriously disrupted. Was the Iranian government afraid of a social networking-inspired revolution?
Internet access is still in the beginning stages in Iran, but it is available, and it has been a critical component in the recent election. Both candidates, Amadinejad and Mousavi, actively operated Facebook pages before, during, and after the election. Iranian bloggers have complained that words like 'democracy,' 'violence'and 'unrest' have been filtered by the country's Intelligence Ministry. It's clear that outsiders will never get a completely accurate idea as to what, exactly, is taking place in Iran. News television offers a highly regulated, one-sided view into a world that we cannot truly understand from across the Atlantic. When operational, social networking sites, like Twitter, provide a real-time solution for unbiased communication.