Why we should admire Michael Jackson

I've always been a bigtime Michael Jackson fan. When I wash the dishes I only wear one dishwashing glolve, and yes it's sequined. But I've found that every fan is a bigtime fan, they have to be. After all the terrible stuff that's surrounded the King of Pop's history (real history, not the album) only the big fans have the ability to stay loyal. Let's face it, we went through a lot. Going from black to white I don't really care about. But the pedophilia stories are disgusting. Or how abourt the inteviews? They're downright disturbing. What is that he was saying about running off with his baby, right after it was born, and it still had the placenta?! Yuck Gross! What the hell is that about? If anything I've learned not to watch a Michael Jackson interview while at the dinnertable, unless my mom is cooking. No offense mom. But there should be no surprise there. Her cooking, and Michael Jasckson's behavior are both weird, wild stuff.

So the King of Pop made some mistakes. So what? In most cultures holding a baby out the window of a multi-story hotel is at least...frowned upon (remember I'm a big fan). Clearly he was not the teach by example type of role model. But this is his life not his music, and certainly not his legacy. Just take a look at what he left behind. Then you'll see we lost a legend that could easily be the greatest performer the world will ever know.

The Thriller music video. Dancing zombies? Werewolves? Sure we're used to that idea because it came out in the early eighties. But look at the other videos that were around at the same time as Thriller. Not much to compare with it really. Usually it was just someone recording an artist performing a live number on a variety show. There wasn't really much in the way of music videos. But thriller is a movie. It has dialog, acting, costumes and choreographed dance. And not only does it have those things, it accomplishes those things to perfection.

Compare it to music videos of today. Many of them consist of a guy in a club trying to be sexy. And then the songs are played in in a club with people trying to be sexy. What an original idea! Where do they get the inspiration? Some songs are so vile as to list the anatomical parts of reproduction and how they work, a sort of "how to" guide right there on the dance floor. Sure people like these songs in the club, but they don't capture anyone's heart. However put thriller on in that club and everybody screams with excitement, 25 years after the song came out.

Not only Michael Jaskson's music videos great, there was also his dancing. It inspired copycats all over the world. Popular Hip Hop and R&B stars in the US admit to being heavily influenced by him. And people like Rain from Korea or Aaron Kwok from Hong Kong can be seen to adopt some of Michael Jackson's techniques. He wasn't just a great dancer; he created a whole new type of dance. Whenever someone does his moves people recognize where they came from. Who else can claim that kind of recognition? No one's ever came up to me on the dance floor and said "Hey that's my neighbor Bob's move!"

It's clear that Michael Jackson's music videos and dancing set a new standard in the industry and there is a lesson in this for all artists, writers, performers and everyone else. Push yourself to your creative limit and make a true contribution to your medium. Michael Jackson didn't live off the fat of the music industry, he changed it. Is it any wonder why he was loved by so many? The Moonwalk, his unique scream, these are things that he created to push forward his vision. Sometimes he even made up words like "shumon" and "mama say mama saw mama kusa." Yeah he could do that because he made us expect it from him. We should do the same.

MTR waste

Look at all the lights that are on at this MTR exit in Kwun Tong. I took this photo at 3 in the afternoon. It's a beautiful sunny day, extremely bright. So why are there so many lights on?

You know it's a little hot on that covered walkway, why don't we put AC there too? As long as we're being wasteful right?