Michael Jackson’s death homicide, sleep aids caused
AP–Michael Jackson’s death was a homicide caused primarily by the powerful anesthetic propofol and another sedative, the coroner announced Friday in a highly anticipated ruling that increases the likelihood of criminal charges against the pop star’s personal doctor.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office determined the cause of death was “acute propofol intoxication.” Other sedatives contributed to the death, most notably lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan. Additional drugs detected in Jackson’s system were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine.
The coroner did not release Jackson’s full autopsy report, citing an ongoing security hold at the request of Los Angeles authorities as they continue investigating the case.
The 50-year-old Jackson died June 25 at his rented Los Angeles mansion. Dr. Conrad Murray, the Las Vegas cardiologist who was the pop star’s personal physician, told police he gave Jackson propofol that morning after a series of sedatives failed to help Jackson sleep.
Murray has not been identified as a suspect but is the target of what police term a manslaughter investigation.
Murray has been interviewed twice by police. According to court records, he told investigators that over about six hours he injected Jackson with two doses each of the sedatives lorazepam and midazolam. Finally, around 10:40 a.m., Murray said he succumbed to Jackson’s demands and administered propofol, a drug Murray said he had given Jackson every night for six weeks.
Propofol, dubbed “milk of amnesia” among anesthesia professionals, is commonly used to render patients unconscious for surgery. It’s only supposed to be administered by anesthesia professionals in medical settings and, because of its potency, requires the patient be closely monitored at all times. Using propofol strictly as a sleep agent violates medical guidelines.
Except for a brief video posted to YouTube, Murray has not spoken publicly since Jackson’s death. In the video, he said: “I told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail.”
Murray’s attorney, Edward Chernoff, has said his client never administered anything to Jackson that “should have” killed him.
The Los Angeles district attorney’s office has been working with the Los Angeles Police Department but has not indicated whether charges will be brought. The coroner’s determination of homicide makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed but does not guarantee it.
Over the past seven years, just a handful of doctors have been convicted of manslaughter, mostly involving their patients’ use of painkillers. To win a conviction, prosecutors would have to show that Murray acted recklessly and with negligence.
9/11 National Day of Service
AP–Some prominent performers are saying thank you to the 9/11 community and the people who have answered President Barack Obama’s call to volunteer.
Gavin DeGraw, The Roots and other musicians are performing in a free concert this Sept. 11 to mark the first time that the anniversary of the terrorist attacks is being recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, organizers announced Thursday.
Members of the Sept. 11 community and volunteers will be among the first to receive the free tickets. Other people can try to snag one of a limited number of tickets being distributed by lottery.
Actor Gary Sinise, talk-show host Jimmy Fallon, the Harlem Boys and Girls Choir, and singer Anjulie will be among the performers at the Beacon Theatre show. It’s part of an effort to encourage more people to serve as volunteers, organizers said.
“Our ultimate goal is to leave a positive legacy that honors the victims and those who rose in service,” said David Paine, the president of MyGoodDeed, one of the organizations responsible for the event. “We hope to rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion that followed the terrorist attacks.”
Paine’s organization, which pushed to establish Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service, was also launching a Web site on Thursday. People planning to give of their time on Sept. 11 can go to www.911dayofservice.org to share their plans and learn about volunteering opportunities.
Kate Gosselin goes big time
ABC is adding Kate Gosselin (GAHS’-lihn) to the list of guest co-hosts for “The View.”
Celebrity mom Gosselin will be subbing for regular “View” co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Sept. 14 and 15. Hasselbeck is on maternity leave after giving birth to her third child, Isaiah, earlier this month.
Gosselin, the mother of twins and sextuplets, co-stars with her estranged husband on TLC’s reality series “Jon & Kate Plus 8.”
ABC has previously announced Meghan McCain, E.D. Hill and LaToya Jackson as guest co-hosts for the daytime talk show.
The wonderful world of pregnancy dreams
I’ve written briefly before about my strange and unusual dreams since becoming pregnant. I decided to start a little dream log to keep the bizareness fresh in my mind. Here are the first few entries on the log:
Around 17 weeks:
I dreamt that I was on vacation in Jamaica. It was very vivid… beautiful sunset, lots of shopping, food, etc. I was standing near the beach looking out over the ocean and saw hundreds of dolphins diving out of the water. I thought how magical that sight was. Then, I looked to my left and saw a little boy standing on a boardwalk feeding a large manatee. The manatee looked at me and its face was my baby’s face.
Shortly after that dream, I dreamt that my baby’s little leg was growing out of the back of my right hand. I played with its little foot and thought how cute it was. Then, it dawned on me that it was probably not such a good thing that the baby’s leg was growing out of my hand. I thought to myself that I had better have the doctor put it back in. So the doctor put it back in and I had a big bandage wrapped around my hand.
Around 18 weeks:
I dreamt that my mom and I had agreed to house some female college students for awhile at our home. I got a phone call the day they were to arrive and I asked exactly how many students to expect. The girl on the phone said about 12 to 15. I was shocked! Where would they all sleep? I started clearing furniture around our smallish house so the women could sleep all over the floor. Then I called my mother and said, “How are we going to take care of that many students for two years???”
“Well, there’s something I haven’t told you,” mom said. “When your grandmother died, I didn’t really give you all of your inheritance.”
“What do you mean?” I said.
“Well, she actually left us between $300 and $400 million.”
I was on a school bus when we had this conversation. When the bus stopped at my stop, I got off and realized I was at the family estate I never knew existed. It was a beautiful mansion and very extravagant.
Week 22:
I dreamt that I was driving around the country, kind of lost. Not sure where I was trying to go but I ended up at a buffalo ranch. The ranch owner apparently thought I was the buffalo herder he had been expecting. He briefly explained to me how to do my job: I was to keep hold of the head buffalo and make sure he was happy so he wouldn’t upset the rest of the buffalos. They were all chained together in a long sequence of two buffalos side by side, much like Santa’s reindeer. I was at the head of the line, holding on to the head buffalo.
When it was time to start moving, the buffalos just flew into the sky, again like Santa’s reindeer. We flew from Guthrie, Okla. to the stockyards in Oklahoma City. Along the way, I could see my house, my office, etc. It was a fun ride and all the way, I made sure to scratch my buffalo behind the ears, whispering nice things to keep him happy. When we landed at the stockyards, I was paid $250.
I dreamt that I was trying out for the cheerleading squad at my high school. I made it all the way to finals and I couldn’t figure out why because, unlike all the other cute, skinny girls trying out, I was kind of old, fat and very pregnant. I knew I probably wouldn’t make it because who wants a big pregnant cheerleader on the high school squad?
Have you had some memorable pregnancy dreams? Tell me about them!
What’s your sleep style?
How do you sleep? Before being pregnant, my sleep position of choice was on my belly. But that position is a thing of the past. Nowadays, I sleep wrapped around a 4-foot-long body pillow. Poor Andy. We have a queen-size bed, but he only has about 15 inches of space on “his side” of the bed.
According to body language expert Patti Wood, the way you sleep with your significant other says a lot about your relationship. At her blog, http://bodylanguagelady.blogspot.com, Wood defines four major positions and what they mean:
→The football. Both on your sides facing each other with one foot touching. You don’t need to be around each other all the time to connect. You make the most of the time you do have together.
→Classic spoon. Full front-to-back contact, with one person tucked into the other. You are a traditional couple. The protective one is on the outside and the sensitive one on the inside.
→Tetherball. One of you on your back with a single hand on the other person. You’re both strong-minded, willful people who find ways to compromise. A heated discussion can lead to romance.
→Cliff-hangers. Sleeping on opposite sides of the bed with your backs to each other. You prove that opposites attract. He likes sports, and you like the opera, but you find ways to meet in the middle. Though there may be a rift in your relationship, practicality trumps all.
Wood also identifies the best sleeping partner combos:
→Spaghetti noodle (you sleep on your side with your arms out and are mellow) + the soldier (you’re so go-with-the-flow, you need a little structure).
→The crab (you lie facedown, as if you’re making out with your pillow, and you tend to be stubborn) + the spaghetti noodle (you need someone loose who’ll bend around you).
→The soldier (you sleep on your back with your arms at your sides) + the womb (a womb sleeper’s softness will soothe your rigid side).
→The womb (you curl up and are as thoughtful as you are cozy) + the crab (you sleep in a tiny ball, and a Crab isn’t into snuggling.
Normally, I’m a “crab,” but lately I alternate between “soldier” and “womb.” Which one are you? Do you agree with these definitions?
Meteor shower peaks tonight
–Bright meteors will fill the sky tonight during the annual Perseid meteor shower.
Starting about 11 p.m. the space particles will radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus, the Greek hero who killed the serpent-haired Medusa.
The shower should last until about 4 a.m. Wednesday, Carol Lee Lutsinger, a NASA Solar System Ambassador said.
According to astronomy sources, the Perseid meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through a debris field left by
Comet Swift-Tuttle.
“Comets leave a trail of dust behind them, kind of like a teenager dropping their backpack at the door coming to take cookies and leaving crumbs on their way out the door,” Lutsinger, who teaches at Benavides Elementary School in Brownsville, said.
“So these comets leave a trail of ionized gas and dust behind them.
”The shower actually started on July 31, according to a NASA education Web article. But tonight into Wednesday morning will be the peak viewing time.
“(The particles) stay suspended out there as Earth rotates through it,” Lutsinger said.
There may be some slight visibility problems with the moon, according to Earthsky.org. The moon should rise around midnight, just when the shower will be gaining speed. But viewers should have no trouble before moonrise or after.
Tim Speece, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said there might be some clouds tonight, but for the most part it should be clear.
“This one is predicted to be a pretty good shower,” Lutsinger said. “If you find a good dark spot, even though the moon will be bright, they should be bright enough to see.”
Skygazers who want to see the shower should look north towards the constellation Perseus, Lutsinger said.
Wednesday night the University of Texasb“Pan America will take its portable inflatable planetarium dome to the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission, a release from the McAllen Chamber of Commerce stated.
That program is free, but viewers must pay admission to enter the park, which is $5 per person, free for children 12 and under.
”The event will be a celebration of astronomy and nature at night,“ Jennifer Hall, assistant superintendent at Bentsen, said. ”We’ll have our naturalists talking about the legend of Perseus and they’ll take people on an owl prowl, to search for scorpions and spiders.“
Hall said the meteors should still be visible during the event at the park.
The South Texas Astronomical Society in Brownsville will be at the Las Palmas Park Tuesday from 11 p.m. until midnight,
Lutsinger said.
Michael Jackson movie approved
In this handout photo provided by AEG, pop star Michael Jackson rehearses at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. The insurance taken out on Jackson for his London concert series does not cover cancellations if the pop star was found to have illegally possessed drugs or was involved in the "illicit taking of drugs." (AP Photo/Kevin Mazur, AEG/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Audiences will get to see the King of Pop perform one more time after a judge approved a major movie deal.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal between Michael Jackson’s estate, concert promoter AEG Live and Columbia Pictures on Friday and announced his ruling Monday.
A proposed contract states the movie will feature footage of Jackson’s final rehearsals for a planned series of London comeback concerts. The film could also include videos prepared for display during the “This is It” shows.
Beckloff had until Monday to approve the film and allowed Jackson’s mother, Katherine, to review the contracts and raise any objections. Jackson died on June 25, days before he was set to embark to England for his comeback shows.
Morning sickness not so bad after all
So, all you fellow pregnant ladies out there, here’s another study that shows morning sickness can actually be a good thing!
We all know that the presence of morning sickness can be positive because it means your body is producing lots of new hormones (hCG) that help the pregnancy advance.
But a small Canadian study of 121 kids aged 3 to 7 shows that the children whose moms had morning sickness scored higher on IQ, memory and language tests than those whose moms had no morning sickness.
That could explain why my daughter, Amber, is such a genius! I was sick every day during my pregnancy with her!
Further, the study found that those mothers who took diclectin, an anti-nausea medication prescribed in Canada for morning sickness had children who scored highest on the tests.
The findings suggest that “nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is not harmful and in fact may enhance faborably children’s long-term” mental development, said Dr. Irena Nulman of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in a Reuters Health report.
Morning sickness is linked to lower rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm delivery and is commonly considered a sign of a healthy pregnancy.
source: Journal of Pediatrics, July 2009 and Reuters Health.
