Michael Jackson headed to Japan for Asian tour

Michael Jackson is headed to Tokyo to accept an MTV Japan "Legend Award" and to kick off the start of his Asian tour.


Michael Jackson is set to kick off Asian tour. EOnline Photo from Yahoo News.

Jackson will also be performing in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. This is his first tour and public appearance since acquittal last June.

The pop idol's spokesperson Raymone K. Bain said Jackson was looking forward to seeing old friends and fans in Japan, and that he continues to work on a song to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.




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Da Vinci Code cracks record

The Da Vinci Code movie established a new record opening earning a whopping $152.6 million in five days.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith held the previous record set the same time last year at $144.8 million.


Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ron Howard, Paul Bettany and Sir Ian McKellen following the naming of a Eurostar train 'The Da Vinci Code' at Waterloo Station in London, Tuesday May 16, 2006. AP photo from Yahoo News.

A record was also established in Japan where the movie opened in more theaters than any other film. The Da Vinci Code did extremely well in Latin America and Europe. According to Sony Pictures, the film set a record or second best debut in each Latin American opening.

Records also fell in two strongly Catholic European countries -- Italy and Spain -- despite calls for a boycott from conservative Catholic groups.



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Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro recovering from injury

After a severe injury during the running of the Preakness Stakes, Barbaro appears to be making a comeback from a potentially life-threatening situation.

Many thought the undefeated colt had a chance at becoming the first Triple Crown winner in decades after easily winning the Kentucky Derby.


Barbaro rests in his stall after surgery to repair his broken leg at the intensive care unit of the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals, Kennett Square, Pa., Tuesday, May 23, 2006. AP photo from Yahoo News.

Barbaro's leg was broken into 20+ pieces, a type of injury that often leads to euthanization. Horses can suffer from circulatory problems and other complications if they cannot evenly distribute their weight on all four legs.

So far Barbaro is recovering well and is resting all day long in his stall. If he fully recovers he may become a stallion used for breeding other horses.

It seems rather peculiar to me that horses, animals that depend on their running ability in the wild to survive, could severely break their legs just by galloping. And it appears this is a rather common occurrence.

Are the horses overtrained? Have they been bred too large in frame for the type of racing in which they compete?




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