Thoughts and prayers

Thoughts and prayers are with the families of those in Manila, Philippines who were taken hostage and killed on a tourist bus at the hand of a disgruntled worker. 

Thoughts and continued prayers are with the families of the 33 miners in Chile who are trapped, and thankfully alive.  Sadly, news reports are saying it may take them months (by Christmas) to get them free. 

Thoughts and prayers are with the Jackson family today after the hearing in Los Angeles regarding the potential trial of Conrad Murray. 

Much LOVE to each of these families and their loved ones, and others who are struggling with loss. 

 

Interesting things from around the net

Larry King Live has a poll  What is your favorite MJ album?  10 days left to vote.

Don't forget the CNN poll is going to close soon (on/before August 25th): Who are the top 5 Music icons? We already know who will win #1... if we vote, that is.

Kraken Opus went digital-- a new iPhone app was announced for the Saatchi Opus. Appears they are creating a series of apps for Apple products, actually.   Question:  How many of you have phones that are app-friendly?  How many have iPhones/iPad/iTouch, etc? 

New events have been added to the Upcoming MJ related events calendar here.  If you know of an event for MJ's birthday, please send me a link so I can add it to the calendar!  Thank you!

Mexico City- Hector Jackson's Funk and Drill  Remember his event that made it into the Guinness Book of World records last year?   See lots of video here.

Los Angeles - (Aug 28th) Unveiling largest US MJ Mural
                       (Aug 28th) Fans' trip to Neverland (link coming)
                       (Aug 29th) Film viewing of The Way He Makes Them Feel
                                         Pre-order the DVD here

Trashy rumors:  Mr & Mrs Jackson might be getting a divorce.  UPDATE:  Well, according to Roger Friedman (takes grain of salt), his column reports it as, well, sort of confirmed.  Hmmm. Read here.

Don't want to leave you on a sour note, so here's an ABC report titled How Michael Jackson Won the West.  Pretty great video.

TRIBUTE: Dominquie & Darius - Michael in Me

"A new group from Sacramento called DandD paid respects to the King by writing a hit tribute song called "Michael In Me". They collaborated with Harrison Funk, who was Michael Jackson's personal photographer, and Bernie Grundman, sound engineer on Thriller."

Photo credit: Harrison Funk (c) 2010

WALLPAPER: Nytram's newest, MJ Angel

It appears the series on Nate Giorgio has inspired many of us in many ways.  For NYTram (MJTKOP-NYTram), it has inspired this beautiful piece.

Thank you NYTram for sharing this with us!

Showcase 9: Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (5/5)

This is the last, in our series of 5, rare MJ sketch from Nate Giorgio.  We hope you have enjoyed this series and maybe learned a little more about Mr. Giorgio.  I know I have. 

I would like to thank Mr. Giorgio for his graciousness and generousity by sharing these 5 sketches with MJ fans.  Words escape my ability to truly thank him enough. 

(c) 2010 Nate Giorgio, All Rights Reserved.

In case you missed any of the Showcase series featuring Nate Giorgio, here they are:

Showcase 1:  Nate Giorgio and The Bradford Exchange
Showcase 2:  Nate Giorgio Trivia
Showcase 3:  Nate Giorgio.. Videos and did you know...
Showcase 4:  Nate Giorgio: Trivia... with a twist!
Showcase 5:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (1/5)
Showcase 6:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (2/5)
Showcase 7:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (3/5)
Showcase 8:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (4/5)

Happy Anniversary, Karl Fowler

From Michael Jackson fans around the world

Click to enlarge.  Enjoy.

Let's go back a year ago today, August 12, 2009.  Remember the time?

Do you have an anniversary card you'd like to share with Karl Fowler?  Please email cali_mj_fan@yahoo.com and it will be posted here!

But wait!  There's more!  Click READ MORE to see the rest!

Showcase 8: Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (4/5)

Today's art is a personal favorite.  Wait until you see this one!

(c) 2010 Nate Giorgio, All Rights Reserved.

I am speechless.

Thank you Mr. Giorgio.  Thank you for loving Michael, for sharing your vision and talent with the world.  And most of all, for being you.  We are honored to be in your world.
Much L.O.V.E.,
Cali
In case you missed any of the Showcase series featuring Nate Giorgio, here they are:

Showcase 1:  Nate Giorgio & The Bradford Exchange
Showcase 2:  Nate Giorgio Trivia
Showcase 3:  Nate Giorgio.. Videos & did you know...
Showcase 4:  Nate Giorgio: Trivia... with a twist!
Showcase 5:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (1/5)
Showcase 6:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (2/5)
Showcase 7:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (3/5)

Showcase 7: Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (3/5)

As promised, today's rare look inside is a sketch and ink of Michael.  WOW!  Be sure to visit Nate's website here.  The music is enchanting.  His art, divine.

(c) 2010 Nate Giorgio, All Rights Reserved.

Remember to check back Thursday and Friday for two more releases.   Enjoy! 
Cali wishes to once again thank Mr. Giorgio for his kindness.  Thank you really does not express my gratitude.
Much L.O.V.E.
Cali

In case you missed any of the Showcase series featuring Nate Giorgio, here they are:

Showcase 1:  Nate Giorgio & The Bradford Exchange
Showcase 2:  Nate Giorgio Trivia
Showcase 3:  Nate Giorgio.. Videos & did you know...
Showcase 4:  Nate Giorgio: Trivia... with a twist!
Showcase 5:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (1/5)
Showcase 6:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (2/5)

POLL: Vote MJ's TII Band as best performance

Please go to George Lopez' Lopez Tonight poll to vote for MJ's This is It band's performance of MJ's Man in the Mirror as #1.  You can vote as many times as you want. 

UPDATE:  They are currently #3. #1.  #2 to Pitbull.  Back to #1 (yay...ty PattiAnn & Velvet & Volos & Renata & NYTram) Looks like we have some competition with Pitbull fans.  PLEASE KEEP VOTING

UPDATE 2:  We have a little comfortable lead right now (thank you thank you PattiAnn and Velvet, Velvet and Renata!) so let's help get Orianthi in the #2 spot! Stinks she's in the same alpha as MJ's TII -- but I'm sure MJ would want her up there too.

UPDATE 3:  My first look today -- This is it Band with 2100 and Ori had 834.  Just now, TII with 2122 and Ori 900.  So keep voting.  (lol, and yes, it IS addicting!)  See my tips in comments below.  If you have any, please let us know!

Thanks for all your votes!  Please share with #MJFam.

One for all..and all for one.... (and two).  For MJ.

Showcase 6: Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (2/5)

Today we a have double-shot with a Smooth Criminal pencil sketch and the face of an angel. 

(c) 2010 Nate Giorgio, All Rights Reserved.

Tomorrow's entry in this rare look inside, will be a beautiful pencil sketch portrait and ink.  Of course, we are saving the big surprises for Thursday and Friday.  Stay tuned!

Once again, Cali would like to thank Mr. Giorgio for his kind generousity.  Thank you.

Much L.O.V.E.,
Cali

In case you missed last week's Showcases on Nate Giorgio, the artist, here they are:

Showcase 1:  Nate Giorgio & The Bradford Exchange
Showcase 2:  Nate Giorgio Trivia
Showcase 3:  Nate Giorgio.. Videos & did you know...
Showcase 4:  Nate Giorgio: Trivia... with a twist!
Showcase 5:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (1/5)
Showcase 7:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (3/5)

Showcase 5: Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (1/5)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get a look at Nate's sketches of MJ?  What about the 100's of them that have never been seen before?  Ever wondered what they talked about?  What Nate was thinking while he was sketching?  How was Nate able to capture the very essence of Michael with a few strokes of his golden brushes? 

While these questions may not be answered here, this week's series is a very brief and exclusive opportunity!  We will be posting a photograph-a-day of rarely seen sketches, taken directly from Mr. Giorgio's sketchbooks.  These are posted, with permissions, for the express purpose of MJ fans to enjoy.  So mark your calendars and tell your MJ friends.  You won't want to miss these through Friday! 

Without delay, here is #1 in this 5-part series.  MJ fans, please be sure to thank Mr. Giorgio in the comments (or email me cali_mj_fan@yahoo.com)  Most of all, ENJOY!

(c) 2010, Nate Giorgio, All Rights Reserved.

This was the first rough that Nate was developing for cover of The Official Michael Jackson Opus, before he went with the one that adorns it now. 

(c) 2010 Nate Giorgio, All Rights Reserved. 

Click a picture to enlarge in a new window. 

Cali would like to gratefully thank Mr. Nate Giorgio for the humbling honor of sharing these with MJ fans around the world.  Mr. Giorgio's heartfelt love of, and for, his friend Michael, gleams through his kindness and work.  Thank you just does not seem enough.

Much L.O.V.E.,
Cali

In case you missed last week's Showcases on Nate Giorgio, the artist, here they are:
Showcase 1:  Nate Giorgio & The Bradford Exchange
Showcase 2:  Nate Giorgio Trivia
Showcase 3:  Nate Giorgio.. Videos & did you know...
Showcase 4:  Nate Giorgio: Trivia... with a twist!
Showcase 6:  Nate Giorgio:  A rare look inside (2/5)
Showcase 7:  Nate Giorgio: A rare look inside (3/5)

Facebook

Yes it's true.  Cali's finally on Facebook.  Many of you have invited me so the new page was launched Friday.  Your warm welcomes and comments are beautiful.  Thank you. 

The new Facebook page will be another way to share MJ and non-MJ related news about the world around us.  Let's make the world a better place to live.  Make a change.  If you see something interesting you would like to share, please bring it to my attention.

By the way, a few of you asked how I found you.  Facebook has a friend-finder function that sends the invitation requests by email, which is what I did.   So if you have received one from Calimj Fann-- that is from me.  (The system would not allow my last name as Fan.  haha)

Edit:  PS.  I'll be making a few little adds and changes to the blog here too (nothing major).  Just in case anyone thinks they are seeing things that are appearing and disappearing, it might just be me messing around. 

Showcase 4: Nate Giorgo Trivia... with a twist!

EDIT:  It's time to post the answers!  They are below in red.  CONGRATS to the international team who has spent the last 3 days scouring the Earth for these answers!  You can breath now.  LOL

Velvet said she is bouncing from roof to floor waiting for these. LOL

These might be a little harder.  Why? 

Who is still missing their MJ Opus?

Sigh, I can't believe it's August-- 10 days short of ONE YEAR since we started ordering-- and I'm writing this, but...

Who has still NOT received their The Official Michael Jackson Opus from Kraken Opus / Kraken Media Group?

There are still more emails for me to go through, but if you have gotten an email from me today, then I have you on my list for follow up.  If you haven't heard from me today or are new to this blog-- and ordered an MJ Opus more than 2 weeks ago, and still have not received it from Kraken Opus, please email me at cali_mj_fan@yahoo.com  (MJ OPUS in subject line)

Please include the following in your email to expedite this process.  (Please do NOT leave this information in the comment section of this blog for your privacy).

Your/customer's name
Email
Country
Date of purchase
Purchased from?  Ticketmaster or Kraken Opus.

That's it.  Your information will be added to a list I send to UK to check the status of your delivery, and I will continue to follow up until you write me to confirm you have received it.  Every last one!

Here comes a rant:

CNN Polling: Top 5 Iconic Musicians

Voting is on NOW.  Please use this link

It was kind of confusing on how to do it.  They want you to rate your top 5 of the ones below.  So, go to one and then select what number you want them in your vote.  Example (of course), Click "rate" under MJ's picture, and select #1.  If you scroll back up to the top of the page, you'll see MJ in your #1 box.  Complete #'s 2 through 5 the same way, then click submit. 

Results will be on their site on/after August 25th.  So hurry and vote.

PS.  HEY CNN-- WHERE'S FRANK SINATRA Chairman of the Board !?!?!

Showcase 3: Nate Giorgio... Videos & Did you know...

... you can connect directly with Nate on most of the social networking sites? 

MySpace
Facebook
YouTube
MJ.com

I'm checking to see if he has a Twitter account-- stay tuned on that front.  In the meantime, be sure you show Nate some MJ L.O.V.E. and add him as a friend on his official accounts above! 

Let's venture deeper into one of these sites to see what it has to offer: YouTube

Here are two videos of Nate's art after the jump.  There are 4 others as well posted on Nate's YouTube channel. 

Hint:  The above sites are all great opportunities to talk to Nate himself!  Have fun!

Sony no longer offering MJ's Opus????

Have I lost my marbles everyone?  I was just writing out a post for someone on MJ.com and I wanted to post the link to purchase MJ's Opus (for a US customer)... and I can't find it.  I don't see the advertisement they had before (now showing TII), and there's nothing in the Store section either.  I do see an ad banner for McDonalds at the bottom too.. (ugh!)

Can anyone else find it?  I can't imagine that Sony wouldn't have it offered on MJ's official site any longer. 

Freaky! 

NEWS: John Branca's FATHER has passed away

We would like to send our L.O.V.E. and condolences to Mr. Branca and his entire family at this time of loss. 

MJ FANS:  If you wish to make a donation in memory of John Branca's FATHER, Mr. John R. Branca,  we might suggest the American Heart Association, which can be found here.

Brother of famed Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher dies

By LINDA DEUTSCH (AP) – 5 days ago

LOS ANGELES — John R. Branca, brother of famed Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca and father of prominent entertainment lawyer John Branca, who is co-executor of Michael Jackson's estate, has died, his family said Thursday.

WALLPAPERS: New in the Heart Series from Lulu!

As always, Lulu really shares her heart and soul with us when she makes these beautiful wallpapers for us.  Here are her newest, still in the Heart Series. 

Thank you Lulu.  What a beautiful welcome home gift!

Showcase 2: Nate Giorgio Trivia

(c) Nate Giorgio.  All Rights Reserved.

(c) 2010 Nate Giorgio.  All Rights Reserved.

Today is trivia. Share your answers in the comments. 

WATW-R ALERT: 1,870 Russian families homeless: 40 dead

Please read the latest update on the fires in Russia here and video here.  According to the article, there are 1,870 families who have lost their homes.  40 people have lost their lives.

Here is a crowdsourced piece translated by Global Voices (thru RuNet Echo) from Russia discussing how citizens are trying to organize the online community to help.

MJ fans, what will we do to help?  Please pass this around and share your ideas below. 

We will never change the world just talking about it.

Much L.O.V.E.
Cali

Showcase 1: Nate Giorgio & The Bradford Exchange

There are only a handful of artists who have had the honor of painting Michael, but there is one who stands tall among them:  Nate Giorgio.  Over the past 25 years, we have come to know Mr. Giorgio as simply Nate.  The mere mention of his name and we visualize his art.  Nate's artistic ability has captured the innocent essence of the man we have adored for decades.  What else do we know about his art?  Let's take a closer look!

'Allo 'Allo

Summer has created some beautiful distractions as well as travels.  I'm back ... and missing my IACOPs as never before.  Emails... and catching up with you all is my first priority!

How is everyone? 

Much L.O.V.E.
Cali