The Associated Press: Guitar legend Les Paul dies at age 94Guitar legend Les Paul dies at age 94WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Les Paul, the guitarist and inventor who changed the course of music with the electric guitar and multitrack recording and had a string of hits, many with wife Mary Ford, died on Thursday. He was 94.
According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died of complications from pneumonia at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.
As an inventor, Paul helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll and multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the "tracks" in the finished recording.
August 13, 2009
Guitar legend Les Paul dies at age 94 - Stay Tuned @mrjyn for Tribute
Art hotels of the world | Travel | guardian.co.uk
Art hotels of the world | Travel | guardian.co.uk
The Hotel Chelsea, New York: One of the original 'art hotels'. In the 50s and 60s artists, writers and musicians took up cheap lodgings here, leaving works of art in lieu of rent, which decorate the hotel today. The roll call includes Sir Arthur C Clarke, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Stanley Kubrick, Arthur Miller, Dee Dee Ramone, Larry Rivers, Dylan Thomas, and Tennessee Williams. Rooms from £96 a night. +1 212 243 3700hotelchelsea.com
Photograph: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
Hotel du Petit Moulin, Paris: French designer Christian Lacroix has transformed the interior of this former bakery. The 17 rooms represent 17 ways to discover the area Le Marais, from rustic history to zen spaces. Doubles from €190, room only (+33 1 42 74 10 10; paris-hotel-petitmoulin.com).
Propeller Island Hotel, Berlin: One of several art hotels in Berlin, at Propeller Island even the hotel music is part of the art experience. Some rooms are more user-friendly than others. Shown here is the Freedom room, which one suspects might inspire the need to escape. Rooms from €69-115pp pn. +49 (0)30 891 9016, propeller-island.de
21c Museum Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky: The hotel is housed in what were five abandoned tobacco and bourbon warehouses and displays works of art in elevators, courtyards, roof, and even the toilets. Visitors can see installations and exhibitions by emerging and recognised artists, such as Bill Viola, Tony Oursler, Sam Taylor-Wood and David Levinthal. Doubles from $165 (low season), +1 502 217 6300, 21cmuseumhotel.com
Broomhill Art Hotel and sculpture garden, North Devon: This six-bedroom Victorian hotel has its own contemporary art gallery and 10-acre sculpture park, displaying over 300 sculptures which guests are free to view during their stay. Doubles from £75 a night B&B, +44 (0)1271 850262, broomhillart.co.uk
Gramercy Park Hotel, New York: The hotel's design is the creation of Julian Schnabel, whose painting Suddenly Last Summer (Picasso Painting No. 2) hangs above the fireplace. In the back corner is Andy Warhol's Rorschach. Doubles from £240. +1 866 784 1300, gramercyparkhotel.com
Hotel des Arts, San Francisco: Leading emerging artists from the around the world were given full artistic control to turn rooms into individual art spaces. The results range from full installations, to pop art or graffiti. Doubles from £39 a night. sfhoteldesarts.com
The Colombe D'Or, St Paul de Vence, Provence: An art hotel where great artists like Picasso and Matisse really did hang out, and left their work for future guests to enjoy. Here an Alexander Calder mobile stands next to the swimming pool. Doubles from £283 a night, +33 4 93 32 80 02, la-colombe-dor.com
Fox hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark: Manga cartoons, street art, whimsical fantasy creations or graphic designs adorn the rooms at Fox Hotel. In this room UK designers Container have used a royal theme based on the suits in a pack of cards 'to emphasise the feeling of being special that one gets when one stays in a hotel'. Doubles from about £89 incl breakfast (depending on season). +45 33 95 77 55, hotelfox.dk
Atelier Sul Mare, Sicily: Sitting right on Sicily's coast at Castel di Tusa, Atelier Sul Mare sets out to be a hotel-museum where guests wake up among the art works. This room recreates a fairytale by Sicilian author Vincenzo Consolo about the fall of the moon (represented by the bed). Nineteen olive tree sculptures represent wisdom. Art rooms from €80 (£69) a night B&B, regular rooms from €60pp pn. +39 (0)921 334 295, ateliersulmare.it
Gladstone Hotel, Toronto: The 37 individually artist-designed rooms are not the only draw of Toronto's oldest continuously operating hotel. It's home to a buzzing cultural scene, hosting gig nights in the bar, regular exhibitions and has a lively cafe and various function rooms. Rooms range from classical to theatrical and start at C$195 (£107) a night. +1 416 531 4635, gladstonehotel.com
Photograph: PR
Michael Jackson Dies, Masks Come Off - Prince and Blanket on a shopping trip | Mail Online
Michael Jackson's 'secret son' joins Prince and Blanket on a shopping trip | Mail OnlineThere may be conflicting opinions over whether Omer Bhatti really is Michael Jackson's secret fourth child, but he certainly looked like part of the family as he enjoyed a shopping trip with the singer's other sons in Santa Monica yesterday.
The 25-year-old dancer, who was dressed in a bright yellow T-shirt, jeans, hi-top Nike trainers and a baseball cap, joined Prince Michael, 12, and long-haired Blanket, seven, on a trip to a book store.
With another friend and minder in tow, the group looked in good spirits as they headed home after their outing.
Prince Michael and Blanket were free of the masks their father always insisted they wore on public outings and both were dressed like average boys in shorts and T-shirts.
Jackson clan: Prince Michael, in red, Blanket, in blue, and Omer Bhatti in yellow enjoyed a shopping spree with friends in Santa Monica yesterday
Jackson's father Joe insists Bhatti is the King Of Pop's child, saying last month: 'I knew Michael had another son - yes, I did.
'He looks like a Jackson, he acts like a Jackson and he can dance like a Jackson. This boy's a fantastic dancer - as a matter of fact, he teaches dance.'
According to reports, Michael told friends in 2004 that Bhatti was his son from a one-night stand.
Boys' day out: Prince and Blanket seemed in good spirits while their sister Paris sat the trip out
Bhatti attended Michael's memorial service and has been staying with the Jacksons ever since. He is said to be planning a DNA test.
However several other sources say that claims Bhatti is Jackson's biological son are inaccurate.
Several insiders, including musician and Jackson friend Ricky Harlow, say Jackson took him under his wing after they met in Europe in the mid-1990s, when Bhatti was around 11.
'They had a father-and-son type of connection,' Harlow told America's People magazine, 'but I never thought he was his biological father.
'They met when "Little Michael"[Bhatti] did a contest impersonating Michael Jackson in Europe in the mid-1990s, and Michael saw it and was blown away and got in contact with the family.'
Meanwhile, it has been announced that Michael's mother Katherine, 79, and Prince Michael and Paris' biological mother Debbie Rowe will share custody of the three children.
Yesterday, a raid on a pharmacy uncovered evidence that Jackson's personal doctor bought a powerful sedative of the type thought to have killed him, sources said.
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched Applied Pharmacy Services in Las Vegas for evidence including prescriptions written by Dr Conrad Murray.
After the raid, a law enforcement official said that documents showing that Dr Murray had purchased propofol had been found on the premises.
The source added that the anaesthetic had been purchased legally.
Police are reportedly working on the theory that the doctor administered the powerful sedative in the hours leading up to the singer's death.
Jackson died aged 50 at his rented Beverly Hills home on June 25.
Dr Murray, his personal physician, was with him at the time of death. It has been suggested the doctor gave Jackson the powerful drug to help him sleep.
Family ties: Omer Bhatti (circled) sat among Jackson family members at the memorial service at LA's Staples Center on July 7
It is understood that during today's raid, DEA agents were looking for prescriptions written by Dr Murray for Jackson or any aliases.
It is the latest in a number of warrants placed on premises connected to Dr Murray. His home and office in Las Vegas were raided last month, as was a site in Houston, Texas, connected to the doctor.
Dr Murray has been quizzed twice by police as part of their probe and a third interview is planned.
He has not been named as a suspect, but court records have identified the 51-year-old physician as the subject of a manslaughter investigation.
It is widely believed the results of Jackson's post-mortem examination will show the singer was on heavy medication when he died.
On Monday, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said it had completed its post mortem on Jackson's body and related toxicology tests.
But the results will be delayed until after the official investigation is complete.
Los Angeles Police Department asked the office not to release any findings while its probe continues. Ed Winter, assistant chief coroner, declined to say when that would be.
He added that the office would not respond to queries until the inquiry is completed.
Video: Las Vegas pharmacy raid in Jackson death probe
Houston man learns credit problem could be due to Jackson's doctor | LOCAL NEWS | KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas
Houston man learns credit problem could be due to Jackson's doctor | LOCAL NEWS | KHOU.com | News for Houston, TexasHouston man learns credit problem could be due to Jackson's doctor
08:34 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 12, 2009
HOUSTON—A Houston man has been swept up into the firestorm surrounding the death of Michael Jackson, and he says his social security number might be the reason why. “It’s surreal and kind of unbelievable,” said Robert Carter, at his northwest Houston home.
11 News VideoHouston man learns credit problem could be due to Jackson's doctorFor years, Carter says he’s had problems with his credit but only recently started to figure out why.
“I was watching the news and saw a reporter about Jackson’s doctor. That’s when I knew.”
Jackson’s personal physician was Dr. Conrad Murray. It turns out his social security number is identical to Carter’s except for one digit. Carter says when he applied for a car loan once he was turned down. He was told he had a bankruptcy on his credit.
“I just didn’t understand it because I had never filed bankruptcy,” Carter said.
A public data search reveals a bankruptcy filing for Doctor Murray from 1992. Carter’s social security number was also on the document. Both men’s names also appear on a social trace using Carter’s social security number.
A local activist brought the information to the attention of Murray’s attorneys.
“We just want to clear things up by speaking with their client to get his take on things, “said Erskin Hill, the president of Houston-based All People for Justice.
Attorney Ed Chernoff, who represents Murray, released the following statement: “Why would Conrad Murray in the hopes of extinguishing his dept use anyone else’s social security number? This is either a mistake, a typo or fraud. And if it’s fraud, it was not committed by Conrad Murray.”
For now, Carter just wants to have a clean credit report. “That way I can put this behind me,” he said.
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