My Love For Life Review

It is sad for me to know of Michael Jackson's death this morning. The World has lost one of its greatest performers. The following is a Reuters news article detailing the incident:

"LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, died on Thursday. He was 50.

U.S. pop star Michael Jackson speaks during a news conference at the O2 Arena in London March 5, 2009. (REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

Jackson was pronounced dead after arriving at a Los Angeles hospital in full cardiac arrest, Los Angeles coroner Fred Corral said. The cause of death was not known and an autopsy would likely take place on Friday, he said.

Jackson's sudden death had been reported earlier by U.S. media including the Los Angeles Times and the TMZ entertainment website, which said he was taken ill at his home and rushed to the hospital by paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived.

Known as the "King of Pop," for hits that included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," Jackson's dramatic, one-gloved stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world.

His lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, made him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

But Jackson's belief that "I am Peter Pan in my heart", his preference for the company of children, his friendship with a chimp, his high-pitched voice and numerous plastic surgeries also earned him critics and the nickname "Wacko Jacko."

Jackson, who had lived as a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation, had been scheduled to launch a comeback tour from London next month.

Quincy Jones, who helped arrange the music on the album "Thriller" and produced the "Off the Wall" album, told MSNBC: "I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news."

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

PARAMEDICS UNABLE TO REVIVE SINGER

TMZ said on its website that Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. "We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back," the site said.

The Los Angeles Times said paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the singer's home before taking him to the UCLA Medical Center hospital.

Jackson had been due to start a series of concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. The singer had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months.

The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale in March.

There were concerns about Jackson's health in recent years but the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.

Outside the hospital in Los Angeles about 200 fans and reporters gathered on Thursday, waiting for confirmation of Jackson's death or condition.

Some fans were crying and hugging each other, and others were climbing atop fences to get a better look at a microphone stand where a news conference was supposed to take place.

"I hope he's gone to God, and I hope that he's free of all the troubles he's been plagued with," Tonya Blazer, 50, who said she had been a fan going back more than four decades to his days as a child star.

"I just feel like I'm paying tribute to him," said Dawn Burgess, 42, a fan who said she had posters of Michael pinned to her bedroom wall when she was a child.

CHILD STAR TO MEGASTAR

Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael -- first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize and went on to become a best-selling band, The Jackson Five, and then The Jackson 5.

Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released "Thriller" in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide.

The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.

New Yorkers and tourists in the city's Times Square were shocked at the news of Jackson's death.

"I don't know what to say. It's sad, it's really, really sad," said Nicole Smith, an 18-year-old student from Brooklyn, New York, in Times Square. "My mother was a fan. I listened to his music."

"I'm shocked. I thought someone was lying to me when I first heard it. I was a fan from when he was a little boy and then he got weird," said Sue Sheider, 51, a teacher from Long Island.

(Additional Reporting by Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles and Michelle Nichols in New York)

Copyright © 2008 Reuters"

Last week has not been a kind week for me. I developed some hip pain at the back area of my right kidney last Wednesday afternoon. After visiting the medical centre, the Dr prescribed some painkillers and antibiotics for me in addition to some alkaline syrup. I spent most of my weekend bedridden with a throbbing headache. Luckily I got a little better on Sunday. My cousin came by and we did our Sunday routine, watched the season 5 finale of Lost followed by a couple of movies. This is one of the movies: How To Lose Friends and Alienate People.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is a 2008 comedy movie based on Toby Young's 2001 memoir of the same name. The movie features a star studded cast including Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson and Megan Fox. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People caught me off guard in a pleasant way. Being British of origin, the movie managed to break free from all the norms typically associated with a British production. The on screen humor are universal in nature, and the characters are well portrayed by the cast members.

How To Lose Friends and Alienate People movie trailer


In a nutshell the movie's plot is about a small time British journalist Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) and how he made his way up to be in the glamorous world of celebrity only to realize that it was not what he wanted. The movie gives viewers an up close and personal look into the social circles and life of a celebrity journalist, something which proved to be interesting to watch. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is generally a feel good movie with some romance thrown in to the mix. My Love For Life Movie Review rating for How to Lose Friends and Alienate People: 3.5/5

My Love For Life Review

Continuing from my previous TT Hongli Tieren Ground Type Gundam model kit assembly review, this is the review of the complete assembled model. For size comparison I use an empty soda can which is 12cm in height. The HG Tieren Ground Type is slightly over 12cm in height.

Tieren in standby pose view
Rear view
Direct frontal view
Right diagonal frontal view
Left diagonal rear view
Left diagonal front view
Closeup of upper body
Closeup of chest area. Notice the foil stickers for the golden yellow as well as the shiny silver parts. In case you are wondering the pink eye is also a fold sticker.
Closeup of main canon weapon. Notice the white foil sticker for the canon part.
Closeup of the head
The head helmet can be taken off and the eye of the Tieren can be rotated via a gimmick.
Rear backpack view
Tieren's melee weapon housed on the back skirt armor
Left side shoulder armor view
Closeup of right leg
Closeup of the Tieren's feet. Notice the details on the underside of the feet.
Left leg armor view. The armor part can be mounted on either leg and can swivel about 30 degrees front and back.
Amazing articulation of Tieren's arm and leg.
Tieren's shoulders can move forward by 30 degrees.
Closeup view on the Tieren's legs connector
The Tieren's legs are connected to the hip via double joints which enable the amazing articulation range of the model.
The Tieren balancing on one leg
Super high kick! Amazing articulation of the leg clearly demonstrated here.
The Tieren's upper body and lower body is connected via a waist joint part. Be careful as the lower and upper body can come off easily as the connector joint is quite loose.
The connector joint also enables the Tieren to pan up and down around 30 degrees each way.
Another ridiculous stunt pose only possible with the Tieren's double jointed leg connector.
Tieren's "taking a crap in the jungle" pose front view
Tieren's "taking a crap in the jungle" pose rear view
Tieren's feet are quite posable as well and provide adequate support to prevent it from falling over
Closeup of the right foot
Tieren shooting pose frontal view
Tieren shooting pose left side view
Tieren shooting pose right side view
Tieren shooting pose rear side view
Front view with canon retracted
Side view with canon retracted
Tieren's squatting kung fu pose front view
Tieren's squatting kung fu pose side view
Tieren's squatting kung fu pose rear view
The canon can be mounted on either arm and by mounting it on the left arm, the canon can be placed on top of the left leg armor.
In this position, the left leg armor will double as a shield from incoming enemy fire
Squating firing pose frontal view
Squating firing pose side view
The Tieren's melee weapon can be attached to the left hand via a peg that is to be inserted.
Tieren now holding its melee weapon on the left hand and the canon mounted on the right arm.
Closeup on the canon
Closeup on the melee weapon
Top side view of the Tieren holding its melee weapon
Tieren's attacking stance frontal view
Tieren's attacking stance side view
Melee weapon attack stance top frontal view
Melee weapon attack stance frontal view
Closeup of Melee weapon attack stance
Tieren box art stance frontal view
Tieren box art stance side view
Tieren box art stance rear view
Closeup of Tieren box art stance
Tieren box art stance frontal overview
Tieren box art stance side overview


Overall I am quite pleased with TT Hongli HG Tieren Ground Type. My Love For Life gundam review rating for TT Hongli HG Tieren Ground Type: 4/5


My Love For Life Review