Former child star Mark Lester, known for his lead role in the 1968 movie version of the stage show “Oliver!,” said in an interview Monday with AP that Jackson was in excellent shape when he visited London in March to announce his comeback concerts.

He said his friend seemed excited about the shows when he spoke with Lester by telephone shortly before his sudden death.

“The circumstances of his death just don’t add up for me,” said Lester, a Jackson friend for more than 25 years who said he never saw the singer use drugs. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

The two met extensively when Jackson was in London in March and Lester found his friend to be fit and in good spirits at the time. Their families had meals together at Jackson’s hotel, with the singer indulging in his British favorite, fish and chips.

Lester said he has a close relationship with Jackson’s three children and has spoken to them since the loss of their father. He said he supports the bid of the singer’s mother, Katherine Jackson, to obtain custody.

“I understand his mother is taking control and that is probably the best thing for them,” he said. “She is a very loving, kind and gracious woman and she had a very close relationship with Michael and a very good rapport with her grandchildren. I know the kids are fine. They are deeply saddened by what’s happened but they’re coping.”

Lester, 50, said he does not plan to become directly involved in the children’s care, even though he became their godfather at a 2003 ceremony in Las Vegas. He said Jackson also became godfather to his four children, who are badly shaken by his death.

“They are devastated, coming to terms with the fact that we’ll never see this great man again,” said Lester, whose eyes seem haunted by the loss of his friend.

The two first became friends some 27 years ago when Jackson’s manager told Lester the singer wanted to meet him. Both shared the experience of early stardom, although Lester left show business — he is now an osteopath in this bucolic small town in southwest England — while Jackson remained a performer until his death.

“Michael thrived on it really,” Lester said. “He told me he was an illusionist, creating an illusion, and that his singing and dancing were a gift from above, that he was just the receptor of this gift. There were ups and downs to it but Michael Jackson loved being Michael Jackson, he loved the adoration he got from his fans. And he liked the trappings that came with it.”

Lester said one reason he is suspicious about Jackson’s sudden death is because the singer was so enthusiastic about his upcoming return to the stage, set for July 13 at the 02 Arena in London. They spoke recently about Jackson’s plans to come over to London for final rehearsals, and Lester and his family planned to be there opening night.

“He was really fired up, really positive, really looking forward to it,” said Lester. “He wouldn’t tell me about the show, he said he wanted me to be surprised. He said it would be extraordinary.”

A US restaurant owner has been forced to tone down his advertising techniques following complaints over his use of a bikini-wearing mannequin.

The mascot was placed outside KT’s Barbeque in Reading, Ohio and quickly resulted in a 40% boost in business following previous struggles.

Praising the impact of the mannequin, owner Kenny Tessel commented: “She’s done it. She has actually made people stop. I know it’s crazy, and it’s hard to believe.”

However, Tessel’s promotional gimmick also sparked a number of complaints from local residents, with one describing it as “a sensational ploy to attract gawkers”.

Attending a local hearing this week, Tessel was instructed to dress the figure more conservatively if he wishes to continue using it. He has since vowed to appeal.

Under town zoning rules, Donald Crabtree would need a new permit to start operating his business from a trailer or other structure on the property in Vassalboro, just north of Augusta.

Crabtree tells the Kennebec Journal newspaper he’s going to set up a tent instead and have employees hand out free doughnuts and coffee next to a collection jar.

His home and business were destroyed Wednesday in a deliberately set fire just hours after he had talked with local officials about making the business more like a strip club.

Paris Hilton, in a sexy white bathing suit,  is doing a bikini photo shoot in USA  on Saturday afternoon.

“You have to be a brave chick to go jump on an aircraft carrier full of dudes who have been at sea for months.”

Megan insists she felt at ease filming the scenes because the sailors were so well-behaved.

The 23-year-old actress said: “They were actually incredibly chivalrous and super polite. I think that is part of protocol for being in the navy.”

Shia, who reprises his role as Sam Witwicky for ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’, has revealed the sequel is more dangerous and explosive than its predecessor.

He told Total Film magazine: “It is not a movie set - you are in the middle of a war zone! The stunts on this are at a whole other level. You go to New Mexico not because it is cute but because you can’t blow s**t up at the size we wanted anywhere else in the country.

“We have a 1,000 lb gas bomb with actors in the middle of it. That goes on record as the biggest explosion ever filmed in the history of cinema with actors in it!”

More nude photographs of Miss California, Carrie Prejean, have surfaced.

The topless shots, revealed by TMZ web site, were taken before she applied to enter the Miss California USA competition.

The pictures professionally taken were reportedly taken just last year when Carrie was 20.

Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organisation, will decide today whether or not he’ll strip Carrie himself - of the beauty title.

Tell you how to make $150+ per month on the Web.This is  a very easy way.

If you have some websites (irrespective of their age, quality and PR, all are accepted), you can make $30 (£15) per month from it by just adding their banners on 5 of its pages. And, you are allowed to do that on 5 of your sites. All the sites and pages are auto accepted. Here is how it works.

Matched.co.uk is a UK based advertising network which is accepting publishers and affiliates from around the world (any country as far as you can accept paypal) for their network.

Follow these simple steps to make $150+ (£75+) every month:

Register with matched.co.uk as a publisher and get you $10 (£5) bonus.
Add a website and its 5 different pages (5 pages can be any pages on your site (not much visited pages)) to your account.
Similarly you can add 5 more sites. Everything is auto accepted.
You will see “We are trying to match an ad to your page” message. Don’t worry, these will get matched soon. Then you can add the code into those 5 pages on each site.
This will make you £3 * 5 * 5 = £75 = $150/month for you.
Now for the same account, just click on the “Affiliate tab” and become affiliate as well. Affiliates are paid $10 (£5) for every person they refer to them.
So, I think this is the easiest way to make $150/month ($160 for first month). If you can refer more affiliates to them, there is no limit how much you can earn with them. Payment is through paypal.
THIS POST IS FROM  http://www.jimkarter.com/2008-07-14-easy-150month-you-can-make.html