April yard sale of Michael Jackson’s glitzy memorabilia in Beverly Hills faces lawsuit

Controversy has been sparked by forthcoming auction of some 2,000 items of Michael Jackson’s interesting memorabilia from his once-glorious 2,800 acre fantasy estate, the Neverland. The sale pieces which have been exhibited in the Newbridge Silverware Museum in Ireland drew crowds of Jackson’s curious fans and admirers.

Set in April in Beverly Hills in California, Darren Julien, president of the the Julien Auctions said it is moving ahead with the 4-day sale slated on April 22 to 25, 2009, in spite of demands from Jackson’s representatives and lawyers to postpone the sale because of “danger” posed on the auctioneers. The company handling the sale hopes it will prevail over in a lawsuit in which Jackson asserted he did not give permission to sell many of his personal belongings.

Included in the sale are Jackson’s personal items, decorative arts, and fascinating antiques which are estimated to raise $10 to $20 million—- cash that the legendary King of Pop badly needs at this time of financial difficulty. Five percent of the sale will be allotted to charity. (Photo Credit: LA Times/ AFP/ Getty Images x 2; European Pressphoto Agency)=0=

RELATED BLOG: “Michael Jackson’s white sequined glove for sale” Posted by mesiamd at 12/15/2008

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A footnote from Madonna’s nude photo

If only to remind us that it’s the culture, value judgment, and sensibility of the 21st century that people are living, Madonna’s nude photo taken when the singer was just 20 years old trying to make ends meet, fetched for a record sell of $35,500.

The astounding amount is enough to stave off hunger of more than 35,500 indigent families in the Third World for a day or feed greater than 1,167 poor families for one month.

The frontal shot was taken for a measly $25 in a 1979 photo session with the then obscure Madonna Louise Ciccone before she became the well-known Madonna, the celebrity of the musical world. The photo was bought by an unidentified European buyer at a price more than twice than originally expected in a New York auction on February 12, 2009. (Photo Credit: Tony Barton PD) =0=

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From the frontiers of space, an explanation of a sky glow seen 436 years ago

Using the distant echoes of light from a thermonuclear flare which an ancient Dutch astronomer witnessed in November 1572, scientists were able to make a composite picture of the event. Astronomer Tycho Brahe described the enigmatic glow in the heavens. He thought it was a new star in the Cassiopeia constellation.

Scientists arrived at an explanation of “SN1572,” the luminescent body which was first seen and documented by Brahe 436 years ago before it faded in the sky. Scientists from Europe and Japan confirmed it was supernova, an old exploding star.

“Supernovae are the explosions of aging stars, that produce enough light to outshine entire galaxies for a few weeks. They are important scientifically because they seed the universe with heavy elements, providing the raw material for successive generations of new stars. The very well defined luminosity of type-Ia supernova also makes them ideal “standard candles”, allowing astronomers, by comparing their observed and actual luminosities, to gauge distances within the universe and thereby chart the cosmic rate of expansion.“ Physicsworld.com (12/03/08, Cartlidge, E)

The interesting findings of the Tycho Brahe’s supernova are important in the understanding of aging stars— the past, present, and future of the universe in general. Photo Credit: Nasa/AP)=0=