Original cover of Michael Jackson's Thriller After more than 15 years as a child star with The Jackson 5 and five successful solo albums, Michael Jackson hit new levels of superstardom in 1982 with "Thriller." Celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend, Michael's sixth solo album is still an all time record-breaker, with 104 million copies sold worldwide, 80 consecutive weeks in the Billboard Top 10 (including 37 at number one), and seven Grammys. Michael earned top ten hits with seven of the album's nine tracks, including the Paul McCartney duet, "The Girl is Mine," and "Billie Jean," in which he denied allegations of fathering the child of an obsessive fan. "Billie Jean" also introduced the public to Michael's signature "Moonwalk" dance, said to be inspired by mime Marcel Marceau. The "Thriller" single went a (dance) step further with a 14-minute video directed by John Landis and narrated by the spooky voice of Vincent Price. In this horror movie spoof, Jackson turns into a werewolf, threatens to kill his date, and leads a chorus line of dancing zombies covered with grape jelly blood. Many cite it as the best music video ever, and there's no denying that both the album and the single made musical HIStory. Suggested Sites... Michael Jackson - his official website. Thriller Videos - the best and the worst of aspiring Michael Jacksons, including performances by Filipino inmates and Bollywood dancers. A Photographic History of Michael Jackson's Face - the "Thriller" makeup was frightening, but Michael's scariest face was yet to come. Thrill the World - learn how to dance like a zombie, and help break the record for simultaneous worldwide "Thriller" performances at the same time!

Directory categories: Michael Jackson, Rock and Pop Music, The 1980s

Archived under: Awards, Dance, Horror Films, Michael Jackson, Music, Music History, The `80s, Thriller, Zombies

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(Photo by Damon J. Moritz) For college football fans, this is going to be a big weekend, with several important BCS match-ups. But the real combat will occur as longtime martial rivals sneer at one another across the line of scrimmage in the annual Army-Navy game. While some traditional duels boast names like The Big Game or The Civil War, none attract the hoopla of the vaunted Army-Navy fight. This year will be the 108th year the teams have met -- ever since a young Cadet accepted a challenge to have the squads face off on The Plain at West Point in 1890. No doubt this year's game will be a whopper, featuring sharply dressed fans, fancy marching, and a show of military might. Even though neither team is headed to a major bowl game, the players and fans take the game very seriously. For them, the showdown at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium is the game of the season. The annual clash between the Cadets of West Point and the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy is one battle the military actually looks forward to fighting. Suggested Sites... 108th Army-Navy Game - information on the big match-up. Baltimore Sun: Army-Navy Archive - coverage of current and past clashes. Beat Navy - no bias here. Philly Loves Army Navy - counting the days until next year.

Directory categories: U.S. Naval Academy Football, West Point Football, College Football, College Football Rankings

Archived under: College Football, Events, Football, Military, Sports, TV

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Elton John and John Lennon at the Garden (From Bad Side of the Moon) Did you know that John Lennon's last concert appearance was a duet with Elton John? Stranger still, the only reason Lennon made that appearance was because he lost a bet with Elton. During 1974, the two legendary artists worked together on a few songs. Lennon played guitar on Elton's cover of The Beatles' classic "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," and Elton and his band performend on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night." At that point Lennon hadn't scored a solo number one hit (unlike the other three Beatles) and he didn't think his latest single would be the one to do it. Elton disagreed. He was so sure, in fact, that Elton bet that if it reached number one on Billboard, Lennon would have to join him on stage at his Thanksgiving gig at Madison Square Garden. "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" did reach number one, and the former Beatle kept his promise. On November 28, 1974, John Lennon joined Elton John on stage to perform three songs together: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," and "I Saw Her Standing There." It would be Lennon's last concert appearance. Those 17,000 fans were quite lucky that night, and have Elton's intuition (and betting habit) to thank for letting them witness rock history. Suggested Sites... Gallery of John and Elton at the Garden - photos from the historic event. YouTube: "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" Live - audio of their duet of "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" at the Garden, with a slideshow of photos. Howstuffworks: John Lennon and Elton John Play Madison Square Garden - more details about that night. Wikipedia: Madison Square Garden - history of the venue, the historical events, and "firsts" that have taken place, there. Yahoo! Music: John Lennon Lyrics - from "#9 Dream" to "You're the One."

Directory categories: John Lennon, Elton John, The Beatles

Archived under: Dead Celebrities, Entertainment, John Lennon, Music, Rock and Roll, The Beatles

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Cover of Hannah Montana's DVD, "Life's What You Make It" If you're neither a teenage girl nor the parent of one, consider yourself lucky, for you probably haven't been subjected to Hannah Montana. Like other shows on the Disney Channel and its ilk, Hannah Montana succeeds with tweens by offering bland music, wooden "acting," minimal production values, and nothing that would disturb even the most sensitive grandparent. We can't place all the blame for this fiasco on Disney, though. Much of it can be pinned on its star, Miley Cyrus (daughter of singer Billy Ray Cyrus -- yes, that Billy Ray Cyrus). The "multi-talented" Miley, who wrote most of the songs on her latest album (and we all know how many songs written by 14-year-olds end up in the Great American Songbook), turns 15 on November 27. She'll celebrate in Charlotte, North Carolina, on her tour that caused a commotion for its instant sellouts and distress among those unable to get tickets. H. L. Mencken once noted that no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public. With that in mind, we'd like to suggest a song title for Miley's next album: "Laughing All the Way to the Bank." Suggested Sites... Miley Cyrus - official site for the multi-threat (and we do mean threat) performer. Hannah Montana - high school student by day, rock star by night, annoying 24/7. Disney Channel - if there are new bottoms to the barrel, they'll find them. Wikipedia: Best of Both Worlds Tour - there must be a reason she's performing under an assumed name... Miley Fans.net - gluttons for punishment.

Directory categories: Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Disney Channel, Rock and Pop Artists, Children's Television

Archived under: Birthdays, Celebrities, Disney Channel, Entertainment, Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, Music, TV

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Homemade presents in tissue paper (Photo by sewpixie) Stores overflow with shoppers in a mad rush for holiday bargains. But gift-giving doesn't have to include stressful mall trips and painful pocketbook blows. Gifts don't have to be cheap imported toys, useless knickknacks, or disposable electronics. Some friends and family on your list might want to reduce their clutter. And many gifts are environmentally unfriendly, with big carbon footprints from transportation and packaging (plus a short functional life before lingering in landfills). But for many of us, the holidays are about giving. Showing up to a family celebration without a gift for Grandma -- even if she insists she doesn't need anything -- is unthinkable. So what's a frugal, green, or simplicity-savvy gift-giver to do? DIY! Homemade gifts are a great way to give something useful and personal. People who don't need any more stuff might appreciate homemade treats like candy, hand-mixed seasonings, canned preserves, or bread mixes. Crafty folks could knit or sew simple hats, scarves, socks, or pillows, or even create handmade jewelry. Other gifts -- like soap, candles, and hand-stamped stationary -- don't require as much time or craft expertise. Calendars, magnets, or ornaments with personal photos and drawings are easy enough to make with the kids. This year, show your loved ones that you didn't just hit the department store looking for the biggest, shiniest, or most expensive thing you could find. With a little effort and love, you can create gifts that are functional, personal, and truly memorable. Suggested Sites... FamilyFun: A Homemade Christmas - tons of kid-friendly gift projects, including easy, last-minute ideas. Flickr: Holiday Gift Ideas DIY - homemade gift images and tutorials. DIY Network: Christmas Crafts - instructions for holiday crafts and lots of homemade gifts. Make-Stuff - tons of crafts, recipes, and DIY projects that make great gifts. Craftster - the ultimate place to swap craft ideas.

Directory categories: Crafts, Cooking, How-To Guides, Buy Nothing Day, Black Friday Sales

Archived under: Cooking, Crafts, DIY, Gifts, Holidays, Homemade, Recipes

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