The dwindling of Michael Jackson’s millions is as mysterious as the cause of his death. Posthumously for the singer, Thriller has sold nearly a million more copies since his death a month ago. That Michael Jackson can rake in millions of dollars in income, dead or alive, is no mystery. He captured the fancy and adulation of millions of fans the world over. What is puzzling to some is how he managed to lose most of the money. He died on some half a billion dollars worth of debt.

Paying ‘$47.5 million in 1985 for the rights to a catalog of music that included 251 Beatles songs’ was a good move on his part. Profits from those materials plus all the other projects he did over the span of the past two decades gave him a gross worth of more than $400 million.

The rest of his cash-outs were one-way tickets to SpendVille. With no profits to return on these investments, Jackson’s coffers bottomed out. Relentless spending, legal settlements, a hefty divorce settlement, and meeting the payables on a string of bank loans subtracted heavily and quickly from his amassed wealth.

The 1,000-hectare ranch that became Neverland was bought at $17 million. ‘Maintaining the theme park — complete with zoo, movie theater and fairground — swallowed up about $5 million annually.’ The settlement on the early 1990s child-molestation case set him back by about $20 million. In 1995, he gave up half the rights to the Beatles’ catalog to Sony for the price of almost $100 million. That meant cutting in half all his future, potential, and eventual income from his most effective cash cow thus far. Divorce settlement with Lisa Marie Presley was not trifle. He also learned how to ‘increasingly use his earnings from music as collateral for loans’ that had interests that ate up more funds.

And the rest of his loads of cash went to his proverbial profligate spending on private plane charters, expensive hotels, entourages to bring along during his travels, antique shopping, and buying expensive toys. He really should have hired a stricter accountant.

Via TIME

Toys and Sporting Equipment

The toy megastore Toys “R” Us is an anchor tenant at the Forum Galleria along Orchard Road. All department stores and shops in the main shopping belts of Singapore carry toys, to cater to tourist families and expatriate families that come to Singapore with children in tow.

Sports equipment and sportswear are found at Suntec City Mall, and at Orchard shopping hotspots such as Centrepoint, Royal Sporting House in Ngee Ann City, Shaw Centre, Pacific Plaza, Tangs, Tanglin Place, and World of Sports at the Level 4 of Wisma Atria. Golfing equipment is available at Paragon.

Other shops for sporting equipment are found at Jurong Point on Jurong West Central, Queensway Shopping Centre, Far East Shopping Centre, Sim Lim Square, Takashimaya Sports Department, and in Sportslink at the 4th level of Ang Mo Kio Ave. 6.

Groceries, Fresh Fruits, and Vegetables

Supermarkets in Singapore are well stocked with local produce, as well as imported supplies. There are at least 32 shopping centers with supermarkets and a smattering of 206 7-11 stores operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tanglin Market Place has a gourmet supermarket. Shaw House has a well stocked supermarket in the basement.

Cold Storage has 26 branches in different malls and supermarkets all over the country, such as at Causeway Point and Great World City. FairPrice NTUC can be found at Bedok North, Bukit Timah Plaza, Marine Parade, Junction 8, Liberty Market Jurong Point, IOI Plaza on Middle Road, a branch on Woodlands Centre Road, and another branch along Woodlands Drive. The 24-hour FairPrice Express has branches at the Exxon Mobile Station Mac Pherson, Exxon Mobile Station Bedok South, and Exxon Mobile Station East Coast Road.

The hypermarket Carrefour can be found at different locations as well. Fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish abound in the wet markets of Singapore. The more popular of such markets are the ones in Chinatown on Smith Street, Empress Market on Farrer Road, Holland Village Market at Lorong Mambong, Toa Payoh Central Market at Toa Payoh Mo, Marine Parade Market opposite Parkway Parade, Senoko Fishing Port at Woodlands, Tekka Centre along Buffalo Road, and at Geylang Serai.

Image

Via Locanto/ToyDem/Singapore findouter

Qb Playhouses are meant for children who would love to have a lot of fun but don’t have much to play with. It allows them to them to use their fanciful imagination while playing in the playhouse. The child can choose, build and play with the playhouse themselves. This way it is one of the first customizable playhouse meant for children.

Imagine the joy of your child when he or she can customize his or her own playhouse! The qb playhouse costs between 619 Euros and 749 Euros. The child can choose between an array of colors to enliven the doors, windows and other parts of the playhouse.

They can also choose funky patterns to decorate the playhouse. I would say, this is one of the more ingenious designs I have seen. Though slightly over priced, it sure is a great way to build your own playhouse while you still can!

Via: Inhabitots

If you had always wanted to sail but did not have the expertise or training, you must consider trying the cool and awesome Land Sailor. It uses wind power and you could sail on land and reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. It can sail on any flat surface and you need no prior training. It could easily be fit inside a car and taken to a place where there is flat surface.

The sail is made of Dacron and it is the same material that is used in nautical engineering. It also comes with corrosion proof wheels to make sure you do not have to replace them often. However caution must be maintained as it is directed only at those who are aged 12 and above.

The Land Sailor is rather expensive and costs $999.95 and could be ordered from Hammacher. It takes up to 6 weeks for delivery. I suggest you could go on long sailing trips with your beloved even if you can’t venture out into the ocean.

If there is something about footballers, it has to be the lifestyle they lead, almost unmatchable even by the standards of movie stars. David Beckham is not only blessed with a great talent for playing football, loads of money, but also with great looks. David Beckham knows how to lead the life king-size and he has made sure his son leads such a life too.

Brooklyn Beckham, his son was recently given a gift by his doting father, which consists of a Porsche handmade. The car guzzles diesel and is a small sports car right for Beckham’s little son. However, the car costs 50,000 Pounds and isn’t exactly what I would call, the price of a small car.

The Porsche small car for Brooklyn Beckham is a single seater and will surely make him the envy of all the other kids. I would say, this beauty of a car would certainly win many auto exhibitions and contests, for in spite of being so small, manages to look greater than it really is. David surely knows how to choose gifts and Brooklyn must be one happy kid at the end of the day.

Via: QQ/EliteChoice

We understand the plight of you mommies and daddies trying to figure out what toy to buy your little one when information regarding unsafe levels of lead flows in from all around. And so do Melissa & Doug, who have dedicated themselves to the cause from a long time ago. Starting with making toys in the garage of Doug’s childhood home 20 years back, the duo now have have gone commercial with a guarantee of ’safety’.

Manufacturing a huge range of toys, Melissa & Doug subject each of their product to intense testing to ensure that they are safe for kids to play with. Regular inspection and audits in their various factories while the products are in various phases of production also furthers the cause the two so strongly believe in. The paints used on toys are also checked time and again for lead and even verified by third parties.

And all that does not mean that the toys they make are drab and boring. Melissa & Doug offer a wide range of playthings that will impress even the most discerning toy connoisseur.

Via ecollo

The DIY Bottle Catamaran must appeal to all those who couldn’t afford the luxurious catamarans we have featured many times. Now all you need is this DIY kit and you could get empty bottles to whiz in a tub or even a small body of water. The eco friendly science kit will help you build a catamaran that would be propelled by a spinning propeller.

The kit comes with instructions, and you would require two empty bottles, 2 AAA batteries, head screwdriver, and of course the patience to sit through and build it. The kit is available exclusively online and costs $9.99 and I must say it’s one of the funniest products I have ever come across. All you would need to do on a boring Sunday afternoon is get this DIY catamaran to float across your tub or even the swimming pool, if you need some attention.

Make sure the bottles are made of plastic and not metal, for your catamaran would sink like a stone. And moreover, make sure you dispose the bottles in an environmentally friendly manner and not discard it wherever you please.

Via: UrbanOutfitters

Mark 1 Tanks has unveiled a cool toy tank that must surely scare away any inquisitive neighbours. The tank is modelled on the German King Tiger straight from the days of World War II. The tank comes with a fully functioning turret and a long gun which measures 2 feet. It even has what is being touted as a realistic recoil action. This tank is radio controlled and is powerful enough to tow or pull your boring car.

However, the toy tank is quite expensive for anything that can be called a toy and costs $15,000. Now, if you plan to ship it from the U.K., you may have to spend a lot more than that. Think twice before you order this or decide to gift someone this ultra cool toy tank. I wonder if they even manufacture toy warships. However, toy warships would serve no purpose if you keep them in the garden.

Hence, the toy tank is a cool product that will surely scare all your neighbours and visitors and they would think twice before they parked their vehicle close to your gate. They wouldn’t want their flashy cars be pulled by this monstrosity of a toy, would they?

Via: Switched

Most people nurture the idea of tormenting people especially when the victim loves something that the tormentor hates. Take me for example, I find golf absolutely boring and sickening. I still can’t understand why people would want to walk around the lawns and hit a ball with a stick without even getting enough exercise. This has to be the action-less sport.

For those of us who hate golf like I do, ProActive Sports Radio Controlled Incred-A-Ball seems to be the perfect answer. Now you can go ahead and make those golfers wrack their nerves trying to fallow a ball that refuses to be hit with the stick and just moves along the lawns and course on its will.

The ball comes with a little gyroscope motor and a remote control so that you can control the ball’s movements. The ball has 3 different radio bands and this avoids interference. The 1.2 volt battery makes sure the ball keeps moving across the course on its will and make all the golfer guys go crazy. Well, literally. If you have been frustrated enough in life, get this ball at $19.99.

Via: InventorSpot

We all know how tasty Chick-fil-A’s menu usually is and how nutritious it is for children to opt for the company’s mouth-watering offerings when they decide to go out. This time around, the company tied up with Kennedy Space Center to help children not only eat tasty and nutritious food, but also learn a little bit of space and time. Chick-fil-A has launched space shuttle based toys, which come in four different pieces.

When all the four are joined, they become a totally cool space shuttle miniature that the kids can have fun with. This also would serve as a great opportunity to make children find interest in science and astronomy, which is lately dying thanks to all the consoles and games. Moreover the fast food chain has launched many tasty entrees, condiments sand trans fat.

This would definitely appeal to mothers who have obese children. Obesity among children is a major cause for worry in the U.S. and other developed nations. So adults can go ahead and take their children to one of the Chick-fil-A locations all across the U.S. before November 22 and help their children eat food that is fun, tasty and healthy, and also learn a little about space exploration.

Via: CollectSpace