January 2008 Archives

Brandy was in the Spin Room 4 floors above the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. She spoke briefly with Melissa Long. Many celebrities listened in on the debate and actress Angela Bassett was also in attendance. Who won this debate? I haven't seen so much excitement around a presidential election. It's magical how people get involved in the process when they have candidates they feel they can identify with.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia native Liya Kebede who is a model, actress, goodwill ambassador, and activist graces the latest cover of Cookie magazine. She is photo'd with her 2-year-old daughter, Raee. You’ve seen her in many publications including Essence and Vogue. She has a new children’s clothing line, LemLem, and the clothes are so cute. LemLem means "bloom" in Amharic, and the clothes are geared towards kids under 10 years of age. The fine pieces are made in Ethiopia with traditional weaving and embroidery, and the garments are absolutely breathtaking. Raee is a cute miniature image of mom. Can you believe Liya was once considered an ugly duckling? Get to know her. With so much emphasis on Naomi and Gisele, we hear very little about some of the other women in the modeling world.

Related Articles:

Her Next Wave

An Ugly Duckling Becomes a Beauty Icon
Photo Credit: Cookie magazine

This was forwarded to me and I wondered if some of these clips were real. Now if Jaqwuan or Shaquita were to throw their laptops across the room, how long would it be before security would appear in the video? Pronto. If the footage is real...did these people lose their jobs because of their tempers or did they get anger management counseling? Just a thought...

Thanks to MyUrbanReport.com for posting on this. Somehow, I overlooked it in The New York Times, but the new online magazine is called the ROOT and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr is the magazine's editor. The magazine's target audience is black, and will feature commentary on politics, news, culture and tools to research family history.

According to the NY Times, the site is viewed as a "high brow" alternative to sites such as Ebony, BlackAmericaWeb.com, and BlackVoices.com. These sites have high entertainment, lifestyle, and consumption content; however, the Root will distinguish itself by putting more emphasis on genealogy. I hope it has more success than Africana.com, which quietly disappeared and now has its traffic re-directed to BlackVoices.com.

Reference: www.theroot.com

Well there is some good news for the super rich. You know…families that make over $50,000 per year. Dartmouth College, out of Hanover, New Hampshire has come to the aide of families with income of less than $75,000.

Dartmouth plans to replace loans with scholarships in a move, which mimics actions by Harvard University last year, to lessen the burden on families which fall outside of the financial eligibility guidelines. Many of the students who receive free tuition will also be eligible to receive scholarships for expenses such as room, board, and books.

Tuition at Dartmouth for this school year is $34,965 + room, board, and mandatory fees $10,518 total $45,483 a year to attend the university. The school boasts a $3.8 billion endowment fund.

For more information, visit the school at: www.dartmouth.edu/

In the past, I have wanted to create a forum, where whites and other non-blacks could ask candid questions of blacks, and where black people could ask candid questions of non-blacks. Not in a name calling, blaming type of interaction, but more a fact finding or opinion finding mission to try to understand other groups of people or the way individuals think. Yes, there is just ONE human race, but the fact is we have cultural differences in many aspects of our lives. And of course, one person does not speak for everyone else, but may be able to provide answers based on their experiences. And I don't want to create an online race war, there are enough sites online doing damage.

With that said, If you want to type an open letter or question, with the goal of getting some questions answered, please forward it to us, and if it is not graphic, without profanity, or racial slurs, and appears to be a sincere curiosity, we will create a post in hope that others of the opposite race will provide answers. Any personal attack posts probably won't be published. If you don't agree with some of the responses, this is fine, but your well meant message will probably be lost someone along the way.

Please keep the questions under 150 words. All questions may not be published, and they may be edited. Send your correspondence to: weneedtostop at mail.com

CNN’s Larry King interviewed rapper Snoop Dogg and the interview will air tomorrow night. Who knew Snoop had a political opinion? He actually looked alert, sounded lucid and under the influence of nothing, but life. He chatted with Larry on the Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. While he did not name a favorite, at this point he sounds indecisive.

Here is an excerpt of what’s to come. In summary, it does not say a whole lot, but I have highlighted his interesting comments.

Snoop on Hill & Obama:

Snoop: To me, I feel like they both are great candidates, because they both have strong situations of support. As far as Clinton, her husband was in office and when he was in office, we had a great time. (We did, Snoop? Who is we? Care to elaborate?) And she was his backbone and everybody knows that any strong man needs a woman to be his backbone. So she basically, probably was the mind and soul behind him, being the president.

Larry: So, don’t you have emotionally though, have some tie to Obama?

Monday Jan. 28th, Dr. Phil will have a discussion with parents, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Grammy nominated hip hop artists Ying Yang Twins, to discuss this debate and address whether the 12 passed local ordinances, banning saggy/baggy pants across the states, unfairly target African Americans?

There are some earlier posts on this subject, but I don't have a problem with baggy pants in general. Some people take it to the extreme. My problem is with pants that sag and expose undergarments, butt cracks, and pubic hair or part of the groin.

Reference: www.drphil.com

Photo Credit: ABC News

The setting was at Carver High, starring Ken Howard who was the white basketball coach who had to ficticiously leave the Chicago Bulls because of knee problems. The show was on during the late 70s. This was one of my favorite and few predominately black cast shows on then. Remember any of the characters outside of Coolidge, the tallest one with the big afro with an afro pick stuck in there. Stoney Jackson was always in the teen magazines.



CAST:

Ken Reeves: Ken Howard
Sybil Buchanan: Joan Pringle
Morris Thorpe: Kevin Hooks
Mario 'Salami' Pettrino: Timothy Van Patten
Warren 'Cool' Coolidge: Byron Stewart
Ricky 'Go Go' Gomez: Ira Angustain
Jim Willis: Ed Bernard
James Hayward: Thomas Carter
Milton Reese: Nathan Cook
Bill Donahue: Jerry Fogel
Ezra Davis: Roosevelt Grier
Eddie Franklin: Art Holliday
Jesse Mitchell: Stoney Jackson
Wardell Stone: Larry Flash Jenkins
Curtis Jackson: Erik Kilpatrick
Paddy Falahey: John Laughlin
Nick Vatalgia: John Mengatti
Abner Goldstein: Ken Michelman
Teddy Rutherford: Wolfe Perry
Manager Phil Jefferson: Russell Phillip Robinson
Katie Donahue: Robin Pearson Rose

I wanted to post this quote when this article first was published, and forgot, so I was cleaning out my bookmarks and it reminded me of something.

After the announcement of the birth of her son, Christina Aguilera was quoted as writing to her fans and supporters: "Just a little something to say 'thank you' for your undying love and support…It is in no small part because of you that I live such a blessed and wonderful life!"

It is a RARITY to have a celebrity publicly acknowledge, in these terms, that they would not be leading the lifestyle they live without fan support. This statement really caught me by surprise, and that was honorable of her. What a nice gesture.

Sure, we hear them say, particularly at awards ceremonies: I want to thank my fans, blah, blah, blah...however, some walk around as if they bought up all of their own merchandise (cd, dvds, etc.) and all of the theaters tickets to get to where they are today.

I lifted this off of eBay. It surely makes a statement. We've come so far, but yet have much further to go. The brilliant minds behind this poster had all the answers, I see.

Hey folks, there is a big story developing over at the blog What About Our Daughters? which relates to BET (Black Entertainment Television) and a particular group of black clergy in this country, with a questionable issue of them potentially selling out black folks for the almighty dollar.

Here is an excerpt of the post:

"I am here to express my shock and dismay at the utter contempt that BET has shown the parishioners of the black church. For more than a decade, BET has waged open, blatant war against everything that the church believes in, and arrogantly ignored thousands upon thousands of letters, phone calls, and petitions by Christians of all faiths who hoped to appeal to the collective conscience of its leadership.

BET is the longest standing purveyor of black pornographic lyrics, the corporate pimp of lascivious imagery, and has proven time and time again that it is hell bent on polluting the collective atmosphere with degrading and stereotypical images of black women and youth." READ MORE...

You may want to preface this article by first reading What would Jesus do...about BET?

Secondly, read: Payola in the Pulpit - Black Entertainment Television "Bribes" Black Clergy

Find out what's going on and how you can get involved.

Questions:

What do you think about BET? Do you think it has done much harm to the black community? If you don't see any harm in a network like BET, why not? If you don't have a problem with BET, might your age be a factor? Do you think they are trying to change programming for the better? Is the damage already done and irreplaceable? Any opinions on founder Bob Johnson in relation to BET? Any opinions on Debra Lee, current BET president and her role? What's on your mind?

***In the meantime, starting Monday, I am taking a short break and will return by this Friday, and I will be searching for some interesting topics to post. Please feel free to leave comments.***

Shawn Anderson, was asked to leave a West Palm Beach bar called Roxy's. The bar manager says "grillz" or mouthpieces don't comply with its dress code. Anderson states his gold teeth are permanent, and aren't a grill. I know a few people in Florida with a lone gold front tooth, who have had them since the 70s. This is nothing new in Florida. Something sounds fishy in the Sunshine State.

According to the West Palm Post, the bar owner said Anderson came in the bar and "would have been fine if he had been dressed like his friends." Also the bar said, "He walked in with his butt hanging out of his pants. He was asked to pull up his pants." (not mentioned in the video newscast)

After Anderson went to the media, Roxy went on the defensive and put his 20 year history of snares with the law on super blast on their website. ouch

According to Roxy's, because they have received so much attention and traffic to their website "We'll be donating $0.01 for ever hit we receive in the month of January to Document the Silence, an organization dedicated to stopping violence against women of color."

I must confess, after watching the video I quickly formed an opinion, then after reading a news article and visiting Roxy's website, my opinion changed some. That's why it is a good idea the get all sides of a story, before believing just one side. Since, I was not there, I don't know who to believe, but it is an interesting story, and there's probably enough blame to spread/wrong on both sides.

Related Article:
West Palm bar, would-be patron won't be toasting grillz together

Speaking of Australia, R&B singer kicks off his down under tour in a few days. Prince performed there last week. LOL, I did not know he had a role in Ice Cube's new movie, First Sunday, because I watched 10 minutes of it and could not watch anymore of it. I was bored to death. I love his "Read Your Mind" song, and I saw him perform in Boston one year when he was on tour with singer Ginuwine and Jagged Edge. Now that was a good concert on the harbor.

Here are his tour dates for anyone who will be there. Based on the ladies' comments on his MySpace page, the women can't wait to see him. Australian tour dates:

* Thursday 31st January – Sydney @ Sydney Entertainment Centre
* Friday 1st February – Brisbane @ Chandler Theatre
* Saturday 2nd February – New Zealand @ Vector Arena
* Sunday 3rd February – Melbourne @ Vodafone Arena

Reference: www.myspace.com/avant

Once again, I am p!ssed to the maximum of maximumism. Why does the government continue to treat people who make over $75,000 as rich? They continue to punish citizens who earn over a certain amount of money.

$75,000 is not rich. We pay more taxes and when will file our taxes, we almost never qualify for any of those special tax credits. To someone who makes $10,000 a year, they may consider this as being wealthy, but if you live in Massachusetts and other states, on a salary of $75,000, you go through a wide spectrum of feelings after paying a fee for this, a surcharge for that, and a tax for this…and feelings of being rich is not one of them.

Additionally, single people continue to get treated as third class citizens. If someone opts not to marry or have children or their children may be adults, they receive similar treatment. With this “stimulus” package, specifically the taxpayer rebate portion, this bias needs to stop. Taxpayers in this $75k-$120k income bracket are not outraged? Single people are you mad as h*ll? My gripe.

The Williams' sister run neck-n-neck in career earnings. These figures don't include their lucrative endorsement deals (in millions) over the years.

SERENA WILLIAMS (USA)

Australian Opens played | 8

Australian Open champion | 2003, 2005, 2007

Career prize money | $18,109,234

Career matches won-lost | 346-73

Grand Slams won | 8

VENUS WILLIAMS (USA)

Australian Opens played | 8

Best Australian Open | Finals 2003

Career prize money | $18,173,781

Career matches won-lost | 457-109

Grand Slams won | 6

UPDATE 1/27/8: Tsonga lost to #3 Serbian, Novak Djokovic in 4 sets. The score was 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 and his ranking has jumped up to #18 in the world. What a tournament!



22 year old Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (#38 world ranking) of France UPSET the #2 men's tennis player in Melbourne, Australia to earn a spot in the final championship match. If you don't know, this is a BIG FREAKIN DEAL....LOL

I did not pick him to reach the finals, but with his performance throughout the tournament, who could have counted him out? With the #1 player Federer (my pick) out, Tsonga may have a real chance at the trophy and that $1.37 million 1st place prize money. Prize Money Chart Bonne chance, Tsonga!

Tsonga's physical appearance is often compared to a young Muhammad Ali. Yes, he does resemble The Champ, he floats all over the court, and he sure did sting many of his opponents. Even if he does not win this championship, we will still be proud of him. Keep up with him on www.blacktennispros.blogspot.com

Photo Credit: AP

Who knew comedienne Sheryl Underwood was a Republican? Underwood belongs to that small club of black Republicans. Interesting.

According to notes on Jamie Foxx's Foxxhole Channel 106 SIRIUS Satellite Radio site:

The Sheryl Underwood Show
Tuesdays 10 pm ET, Wednesdays 10 am ET

"Sheryl Underwood brings a mix of political satire, comedy and music to the Foxxhole. With 20 years of professional comedy experience and Masters Degree under her belt, this God-fearing, sexually progressive, staunch Republican dares to say what people want to say but don't — but she still is a fun-loving Zeta Phi Beta Sorority girl at heart."

Watch her battle it out with Juanita Bynum on what looks like "The Black View":

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Photo Credit: Comedy Central

This comes from a post I created back in August. While cleaning out my unpublished post files, this was 1 of 4 unpublished entries. The film was longer, but it was only available on a video player which was too large to post on this blog page. Well once again, thanks to YouTube, someone posted it a few months ago, and tonight I found it. This film is everywhere now. Modern day slavery is still going on in many parts of the world. Here is a link to the full 17 minute film. Below is a YouTube excerpt from the film which is about 4 minutes long.

In relation to food, I can’t say that holds true for me, because for starters, I am and always have been a picky eater. I won’t try anything once unless it is a life or death situation. Eating things while they are still alive…well just let’s say, it and anything else I ate before that would be all over the floor, and in a toilet or sink, if I could get to one fast enough. A Florida friend was telling me about a wildlife buffet he went to down there, and there wasn't anything he mentioned that sounded appetizing.

I liked hog maws, chitlins, and liver when I was a young kid. That was before I was about 10 years old and really knew-knew what they were. Once I could fully, comprehend where they came from, and their function in the animal, and developed an opinion on them, those foods never touched my tongue again.

Lately, I have been reading about different foods in other countries, and the “cuisine” or local “staples” in Vietnam, so far repulse me the most. This explains why a Vietnamese study partner I had in college would never confirm whether they dined on snakes.

I won’t spoil the detail, but this article is not for those with weak, stomachs or sensitive feelings towards certain animals. It seems as if it moves, and they can catch it, they eat it. I always thought, if I ever visited a place such as Vietnam, I would stick with vegetables, chicken, and fish, but it seems as if “chicken” won’t ALWAYS be chicken. The cooks tend to stretch the truth at times, because chicken is very expensive. Read this traveler’s detail on the strange foods, he encountered and ate while there. Strange Foods With Another Bald, Fat Guy: ThingsAsian

Hopefully, I will never be put in a position where I would have to chose between eating someone’s pet or staying alive. YUCK! We really are fortunate in America, and blessed with choice, and this should never be taken for granted.

Anatole Broyard was a New Orleans born Creole man born in the 20s, and at a point in his life decided to live as a white man, negating his black roots. He married a white woman and his two children had not known he was part black until he was dying on his deathbed back in 1990. He was an author and worked at the NY Times as a reviewer/ literary critic. This is just a pinpoint drop of biography on him, but his daughter Bliss Broyard, author also, has written a book called "One Drop: My Father’s Hidden Life — A Story of Race and Family Secrets.” The book was released this past fall.

His story is the story of many who chose to pass as white for either selfish or unselfish reasons. There is an article linked to this site by Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., whom some have criticized as attacking a man for passing, after he has died. I don't know anyone who has lived a life like that, and I can't imagine living like that, as it seems like a life sentence of constant turmoil, fear, and frustration. I could be wrong, but Broyard lived the life he felt he needed to live. I suppose.

If you saw the movie or read the novel, The Human Stain, I think it was out in the 90's, it has been suggested that Anatole's life was loosely based on this film.

This YouTube video from Bliss's site, briefly touches on her experience and her father's life. WATCH VIDEO

Anatole Broyard Related Articles & Sites

BlissBroyard.com
NY Times: A Daughter Discovers Branches of the Family Tree Pruned by Her Father
NY Times: Passing Strange
The Passing of Anatole Broyard." In Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man. New York: Random House, 1997. Pp. 180-214
Passing for Creole in Early New Orleans. Sex, Race and Passe Blanc-myth vs facts. by Ted Duplessis

“African Footprint is to South Africa what Riverdance is to the Irish and Stomp is to the Brits!" Entertainment iafrica.com, South Africa

"Enjoyed by over 250 million viewers around the world, South Africa ’s longest-running show is finally coming to America." www.AfricanFootPrint.com

Follow the jump for tour dates or visit the website.

Another disappointing Oscar year. For the past four years, I can say I have seen at least three of the nominated films for the year, but last year I only saw American Gangster with nominations in only two categories. Ruby Dee is looong overdue. Denzel did well in the film, and again, another year of underrepresentation of films with minority involvement. The Oscars take place on February 24 at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. It will be hosted by Jon Stewart and airs on ABC. Maybe the writer's strike will save us. Here is the complete nomination list: OSCAR List

Best supporting actress
Ruby Dee ("American Gangster")

Achievement in art direction
"American Gangster" (Universal): Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino

Achievement in makeup
"Norbit" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount): Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji

Best documentary feature
"War/Dance" (THINKFilm) A Shine Global and Fine Films Production: Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine

According to Newsweek, there are over 200 syndicated comic strips in U.S. newspapers, but only 15 show strips with regular black characters by black cartoonist. So on February 10th, Darrin Bell, a black cartoonist ("Candorville") and eight other cartoonists are going to hold a demonstration. And all black cartoonists don't write/draw strip soley based on black characters or storylines.

No. They won't be picketing outside newspaper offices, but on February 10th, each will be drawing a variation of the same comic strip. This will be a smack at readers and editors who treat all of their work as being the same.

Most of the newsprint black comic strips I have seen tend to appear to be quite similar in themes. Newsweek asked Bell, why did they decide to act on this now?

Bell: "I just thought, enough is enough. When one of my cartoons gets added to a page, I dread asking my syndicate what I replaced because it's too often one of the other 15 "black" strips, even though they have nothing to do with mine thematically. Many of us have even been told: adding one means cutting another."
READ MORE...

Follow the jump to see who else is participating in this protest.

What a sweet song, Honey, by Erykah Badu. Classic Badu. This song just takes me back to the seventies, even I was a young kid. Her album New Amerykah should be out shortly. Listen to Honey. Honey RADIO E-REQUEST CARD Here is a note from Erykah asking fans to request the song. erykah-badu-radio-request-note

I always wondered what people got for their money when they called the Jafaican television "psychic" who went by the name of Miss Cleo, who gained popularity back in the early 90s. Silly me, I used to think: If you she so popular, how could she answer all of those phone calls.

Who was gullible enough to call into those 900 numbers to get readings from her? Apparently, many people called in for their readings. Boy, did she make that psychic operation rich. Thanks to video sites such as YouTube, it is easy to see how the operation worked.

According to Wahgwaan Entertainment, a company founded & presided over by Miss Cleo (Now Ms. Cleo or CLEO) she hustles Cds, t-shirts, provides readings, energy & house cleansings (is that removing roots? lol), performs wedding ceremonies, and is involved with HIV/AIDS charities.

Refresh your memory with this YouTube video. Those infomercials were hilarious. Not that was real reality tv. Who is willing to admit they called her? LOL. I thought not. "Yep, dats deh daddy!" LOL, remember when she was doing paternity tests over the phone. Classic. WATCH VIDEO

Reference: www.wahgwaanentertainment.com

Shriners Hospitals PSA

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Two days ago, around 3 am (in between watching tennis) I saw Beyonce in a new Shriners Hospital for Children television commercial. My jaw dropped. No booty shaking. No gyrating. No wiggling. It was a face shot, and she had on red or the background was red. This was so refreshing to see.

Over the years, I had long grown tired of Beyonce pictures such as: Beyonce leaves restaurant. Beyonce on vacation. Beyonce leaves designer boutique. Beyonce with a new wig. Beyonce at a basketball game. Beyonce eating. Beyonce with her man...LOL, and I understand there is a market demand for her. No problems here with that. This is the side of Beyonce I have longed to see more of, and I hope there in more of this in the future.

I can't really say that I am a Beyonce fan, and I don't dislike her, but it is nice to see her do something else in the "public eye" besides entertain.

This is an older public service announcement for Shriners, but quite similar to the one I saw. I have a special feeling/empathy for burn patients, although it's tough seeing children burn victims. I am quite certain she is involved in a few charities, but all of the other “news” such as Beyonce sightings overshadow this. But I must give it to Beyonce. You done well on this one!

WASHINGTON, D.C. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR NATIONAL MEMORIAL CENTER
HELP BUILD THE DREAM

Watch artist Nelly speak on MLK and the National Memorial WATCH VIDEO

Donate to help make this memorial a reality. No donation is too small.

MLKMemorial.org
BuildTheDream.org

The Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday By Coretta Scott King

Read King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail

The Sundance Film Festival has begun, and I sure do wish I could be there. Sundance is the largest independent film festival in the U.S. I love films. Good films, that is.

Here are some of the films premiering, and I provided a link to more details such as the film's description, filmmaker(s) bio, and intros to other premiering films. Hopefully, many of them (including those not listed here) will make it to to big screen, or we will be able to gain access through DVD. Sundance 2008 Online Film Guide

SUNDANCE '08 - INTERVIEW: A GOOD DAY TO BE BLACK AND SEXY

Good Day to Be Black & Sexy starring Chonte Harris, Marcuis Harris, Mylika Davis, Jerome Anthony Hawkins, Alphonso Johnson, Emily Liu

Director(s): Dennis Dortch
Screenwriter(s): Dennis Dortch
Producer: Layla Mashavu
Cinematographer: Brian Harding
Editors: Dennis Dortch, Tangier Clarke
Casting Director: Adetoro Makinde

D.C. high school student Juashaunna Kelly was disqualified from a track competition, because officials stated she did not comply with the dress code. She modified her uniform to try to conform with Muslim requirements of covering it up. I have a mixed opinion on this one, but she does have a point. They waited three years to tell her she was not in compliance. Why now? READ MORE...

In a new book coming out in August, it is reported that legendary football Georgia running back and 1982 Heisman Trophy winner, Herschel Walker reveals he has multiple personalities. Multiple personality disorder is a medical condition where a person has two or more identifiable personalities. Walker played for Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

I wonder how long he has had this, and how many personalities he has? He needs to go on Oprah or Maury. This will be interesting. Now when he goes on his book tour, people are going to be watching to see if other people "jump out" of him. READ MORE...

Photo Credit: Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images

Filmmakers Edgy Lee and Don Brown are producing a one hour documentay called "Exit to Paradise." And it is about the history of black Americans in Hawaii. Many black men came to Hawaii working as sailors on whaling ships, and ended up staying and marrying the local women. READ MORE...

They are looking for families with roots in Hawaii, according to the Honolulu Star Bulletin:

"Those willing to explore their mixed-race genealogy for the documentary "Exit to Paradise," about the history of black Americans in Hawaii, should e-mail Don Brown at donbrown@hawaii.rr.com"

Photo Credit: From Honolulu Star Bulletin COURTESY NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM

Click on the boxes and a small letter board will pop up. If you don't see it, move your screen up and down, it is on your screen. Then click on the letters to add your words to the puzzle. Enjoy!

Golfweek vice president and editor, Dave Seanor, was given the pink slip for putting a noose on the front cover, in its magazine in an effort to provide commentary on the recent Kelly Tilghman/ Tiger Woods "lynching" statement? It is not clear; however, he has been replaced. The January 19th cover copy, shown here, was reportedly removed this morning.

Looks like some companies are adopting a zero tolerance policy when it comes to nooses, even if they are in the form of a digital image. I guess this guy's timing of the placement of this image was way off. Now, I would like to get my hands on that article.

For Seanor, a nine year veteran with the company, is this a terminable offense?

The president of Golfweek's parent company issued a statement:

""We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country," Turnstile Publishing Co. president William P. Kupper Jr. said. "We were trying to convey the controversial issues with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic." READ MORE...

Link to ESPN video news discussion: ESPN News Video

Reference: Yahoo! News

They haven't been on the screen together on the show for 20 years and Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams will return as Dr. Angie and Jesse Hubbard. The actors were one of the first to appear as an African American couple in soap operas. Their fans will be happy. I have never watched the show. Back then I was a Young & the Restless, Bold & Beautiful, and As the World Turns kind of a gal.

Here is a refresher video from 1983. What a beautiful year that was.

All My Children - December 1983
The couple appear at time 1:57

Photo Credit: ABC

I ran across this interesting article, and could not help but think of a recent talk show segment on the poorest of people from New Orleans, who were uprooted from their homes during Katrina, and are having a tough time finding affordable housing in the area. This article is ten years old, and sadly it's still the same ole, same ole. I agree with many points made in the article, but not all. Not much has changed since this article was published.

Excerpt from the article written by Bob Avakian:

"Now we hear ignorant people who say: "My family came to the U.S. from Poland (or wherever), and we had to live in a poor neighborhood, but we all worked hard, went to church on Sundays and my parents worked and gave us a good home, and after a while my parents worked their way into better jobs and we moved out, into better housing. How come these Black people can't do this?" Or they say: "What's wrong with these immigrants from Latin America who don't even speak the right language. We spoke English when we got to the U.S. Sure we spoke Polish in our home, but we learned how to speak English. What's wrong with these people?"" READ MORE...

Why, she name her son Kingston, reggae influences her music, and her latest 2008 spring/summer L.A.M.B. clothing line honors the culture with its pieces in Jamaica's reggae colors: red, gold, and green colors, and flag colors: green, black and gold. Popstyle Jamaica Magazine has a layout of these pieces and NY Mag has the full line.

UPDATE 1-18-8

Thanks to everyone who sent a letter to Nintendo. Please don't send them anymore letters, because the video has been removed and I replaced it with a screen capture image with the company logo obscured. This shows we have the power to impact change. But don't get complacent. Be on the lookout for the video, as it could show up on another video networking site or someone's webpage. If it does, please feel free to send Nintendo another letter with the location of the video.

Original Post

Someone (clearly obsessed with black people) posted this on YouTube. Under the "Comedy" tag. There is nothing funny about it. It's racist, but you should not get angry with the person. Instead, pray that they/he/she/it ...whatever, will be healed of these compulsively obsessive thoughts of black folks. This video is posted here to highlight ignorance and the sickness. The YouTuber wrote: "Slavery +Wii= SlaverWii"

Hopefully, it won't be up too long, quite sure it will be flagged soon. I don't know much about Wii, except that it is for entertainment? Perhaps a video game. But this is supposed to be a parody on the Wii, and the joke is supposed to be on us and slavery. If you don't know much about Wii, here is the web address to get better context of the video clip: http://wii.com/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UPDATE: 1/17/8

Whether or not Nintendo can act on this video, I don't know, but I have sent a letter to them, and if you are also appalled, you may cut and paste this letter I sent. Don't forget to sign it.

Let other people know and encourage them to write to Nintendo also. Just talking/typing about it does nothing. If you have never written to a company, now would be a good time to start.

Submit your letter here. Denise Kaigler is the new VP of Corporate Affairs.

Here is the telephone number to Nintendo's Communications / PR Department:
1-425-882-2040

Dear Denise Kaigler, VP of Corporate Affairs :

Sincerely,

Rapper Foxy Brown has submitted a request to be released from jail so that she can travel to California for hearing tests and repair of a cochlear implant. I say fat chance. But she is a celeb, so one never knows. She has been jailed since September 2007 for parole violation, and was sentenced to a year in jail. She should have thought about her health before she violated probation. If it is not life threatening, it is in her best interest to do her time.

The Chicago Tribune reports Oprah Winfrey reached a 50/50 TV network deal with Discovery Communications called OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, and will hit the airwaves next year. The media mogul will serves as chairman of OWN.

Winfrey is quoted, "Fifteen years ago, I wrote in my journal that one day I would create a television network, as I always felt my show was just the beginning of what the future could hold."

Oprah continually sets examples of how to keep busy and to get into a career or business you really enjoy.

Sugar mamas who want their gift loan money back. Judge Mathis Show: It's Hard out There for a Pimp

"To me, as an African American, I am frankly insulted the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues — when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book — when they have been involved"- Bob Johnson

Can we say BET UNCUT? Man, did he open the flood gates.

Related Article: BET Founder Bob Johnson Criticizes Obama

The professional tennis tournament, the Australian Open kicked off today, actually broadcast started last night at 7 pm. For tennis fanatics like me, Grand Slam tournaments are our Superbowls of tennis, and we get to enjoy one 4 times a year outside of all of the other tournaments. www.australianopen.com

FIRST ROUND UPDATE

The Williams sisters: Venus still has to play and Serena enjoyed a first round victory. She's playing well.

Young American Dondald Young, winner of the junior boy's Wimbledon tournament, lost his first round match, but he played an impressive game, testing his challenger. He is one to watch in the future and has good game.

Jo-Wilfried Tsongas, a French newcomer, upset the #9 Brit player Andy Murray.

James Blake is next to be taken to the test.

MY PREDICTIONS

I am predicting a Williams in the final--this time Venus, although Serena could just as easily be there, and my baby...lol, Federer, on the men's side, although I am hoping for Nadal to take the trophy home.

I wish you all well MATES!

Check out this site www.BlackTennisPros.blogspot.com, for up to date information on what the black players on the professional circuit are doing.

!^!^!^^!^^!^!^!^^!^!^!^^!^!^^!!^!^^!^!^^^!^!^^!^!^^!^!^!^^!^^!^!^!^^!^!^!^^!^!^^!!^!
While reading about things down under, I learned aboriginal tennis legend Evonne Goolagong has a tennis camp called Goolagong National Development Camp for aborigine kids, cultivating talent to produce the next biggest sensation out the aboriginal people community in Australia. http://www.ozvol.org.au/

Photo Credits: Men's pro photos from ATP TOUR, Women's pro photos from WTA TOUR, Goolagong Camp photo from Ozvol.org.au

The $100 laptop made for educational purposes for children in developing countries. www.laptop.org

Retiring Army Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, was sent to New Orleans by President Bush, to bring law and order after Hurricane Katrina. News Orleans mayor Ray Nagin called him “John Wayne dude.” He famously told reporters not to “get stuck on stupid.” He says after Katrina, Americans still have not learned a lesson, and many people still don’t think a disaster could happen in their area.

He is right, because I freakout if the power goes out for 2 minutes. The majority of us aren't prepared for a disaster. Some of us go ballistic if we have fire drills at work or school. Our attitudes and preparedness need to change for the better.

When she gets back to the U.S. from South Africa, after almost 38 years of shaping Essence magazine, Susan L. Taylor ,61, will be leaving the publication this month for a new full-time gig, transforming her Essence Cares program into The National Cares Mentoring Movement. The Hurricane Katrina disaster was the launching pad for Essence Cares, a mentoring program.

Last year, on an Oprah show appearance, on Essence Cares Susan said, “"We're going to enlist a million or more people to link arms and aims, and put each hand on a vulnerable young person's shoulder.” And she asked, "Women, get your men, please, to stand up and mentor, because the critical need is really for men."

Kenneth Eng, Asian, and former columnist wrote this opinion article, in the Asian Week newspaper last year. Ole boy Kenny was let go after backlash. I heard about the story somewhere online, but had not read the article and recently came across a Fox news interview he did, and I must say this guy sounds confused and like a ticking time bomb. All of the warning signs are there. He hates whites also, so he says. He sounds like a rejected KKK applicant for membership. To say he is bitter and angry is an understatement. There is much more going on there in that little head.

Whether or not he was born here in the U.S. or is an American citizen, he has an option that many of us black Americans do not have. He can always go back to a more homogenous society, somewhere in Asia, wherever his family originates.

For the record, he wrote an article “Why I Hate Asians,” but he stated this article was of a satiric nature. Read "Why I Hate Asians"

Follow the jump to read Kenneth Eng’s article “Why I Hate Blacks.”

Reference: http://www.gfabtoons.com/blog/

“Young men the world over with no work, no hope, no future are driven to violence. It is true throughout history. They are easily recruited into causes because they are made to feel they belong. The one universal truth is people need 3 things to make life worth living:
something to do
something to love
something to look forward to
without this they are aimless wanderers searching to belong.” --carnabylane

Someone wrote this in response to a Newsweek article on the violence which ensued after the Kenya elections. This is a huge black eye for Kenya. Just last month I was reading how it is lined up to become the world’s next outsourcing hub.

Most people (I hope) have heard about the recent tribal violence after then Kenya presidential elections. Some of us have witnessed it in videos, heard from friends or family members or seen the horrific photos online. One video, which was on the news and heavily edited showed a tall person in a white shirt with his hands raised and another person just hacking him with a machete.

New York City Campaign

The date for the New York rally is January 12th at 12noon.

The campaign is inviting the hip-hop community, women’s groups, Latino organizations, the faith community, and all those concerned to join the weekly rally outside the Manhattan residence of Philippe P. Dauman, President and CEO of Viacom, Inc. located on East 65th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues.

A press conference will be held at the site of the rally @ 1:00 p.m. EDT. Supporters can take the F Train to the 63rd Street Station or the 4 Train to the 68th Street Hunter College Station.

Washington, DC Campaign:

Rally will take place at the BET AWARDs outside the Warner Theater on Saturday 12 in lieu of the usual location!!! Meet us there at 6 pm or get on the bus at 5 pm at Mt Ennon Baptist Church, at 9832 Piscataway Road, Clinton, Maryland.

Reference: www.enoughisenoughcampaign.com/

Hi tech rollerskates...lol, but this sounds like a good deal for some of us lazy folks. I guess you really don't have to be lazy, but I like the idea. And I can see some problems, similar to kids rolling around in the mall with rollerskates or skateboards. But for people who want to save on gas to get to a place which may be a bit too far to walk say 5 or 6 miles...this is an alternative form of transportation.

Specifications: weigh approx. 11.8lbs per pair, battery operated, recharges in 2 hours. I don't know if there are weight restrictions. BIG folks may want to inquire. The iShoes have a top speed of 13.5 mph and cost around $600, but don't worry, like everything else, once enough volume is sold and competition starts, the prices will plummet. So be on the lookout.

Reference: www.theishoes.com/

This is a comedy bit and has been circulating on the Net for some time. It's still funny. Did he find a mate? LOL

This is a fun, feature of this blog. Five random celebrity websites will be selected and rated and the results will be listed. We will try this whenever and see how it goes. The website must be an official website and not a MySpace type page. This is a review of the website only.

Scorecard max points= 65
Scale from 0-5 with 0=worst & 5=outstanding

Celebrity websites rated: R & B Singer Monica, boxing champ Laila Ali, rapper/activist KRS-One, author Zora Neale Hurston, Soca music Artist Machel Montano

RESULTS

1. www.machelmontanohd.com 60

2. www.lailaali.com 59
3. www.monica.com 53
4. www.zoranealehurston.com 53
5. www.templeofhiphop.org 52

Get a full breakdown of each site's score.

This reminds me of a Yugo or a Ford Festiva I once owned. Don’t like the outerspace design, however, I am sure the features are probably a bonus, and it’s affordable and hopefully safe...lol and if someone gave one to me as a gift, I would drive the tires and rims off of it, LOL..... I wonder how well it handles snow and ice. READ MORE...

Today, radio talk show host Warren Ballentine had guests ad executive Ken Smikle, president and founder of Target Market News (Ken Smikle Info) and attorney David Honig, executive director of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, discussing a new FCC ruling on “Non Urban Dictate” or "No Urban Dictate” (NUD), and "No Spanish Dictate.". Every black and Hispanic person, and anyone else who disapproves of this practice should take note of this issue.

As I understand it, Non Urban Dictate in the advertising business, occurs when a company indicates to advertisers it does not want to advertise with broadcasters or media, whose target audience is primarily urban (black and/or Latino). This practice is now against the law. This is a civil rights matter. I urge folks to check out the documents and follow the links in this post before arguing "companies have a right to advertise where they want." Sure they do, but what many are practicing (NUD) has been classified as discrimination.

What you can do as a consumer? Follow the jump!

Couldn't she have found a better word? The Golf Channel television anchor Kelly Tilghman, a former Duke Blue Devil golfer last Friday, reportedly said during a Mercedes-Benz Championship "golf's young players should lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley." Was this a slip? Could the word have been "bench" or "pinch"? OUCH! Wondering if she will be back on the air anytime soon.

Related article: Tiger Lynching Statement

Photo Credit: Golf Channel

A group of Boston firefighters is alleged to have cheated on a promotional civil service exam last year. There are reports of test takers going to the bathroom with their cell phones and text messaging answers to other test takers.

People who cheat on these exams are the same types who shoot down affirmative action, and cry that it is a reverse discriminatory practice. On the other hand, this is another example of why affirmative action is necessary-to balance problems like this.

This group may have been caught, but how many others have obtained their promotions, through cheating and other forms of dishonesty? What's sad is, if they are found guilty, it would not be surprising to see them walk away with their pensions intact.

Related Article Officials investigating possible cheating on firefighters exam

I must admit. I am getting election fatigue. This is happening to me for the first time, and I think this is partially due to the extensive presidential candidate coverage in print, radio, the Net, and television. Is it I or is it overkill? The candidate pool is large on both sides, and we get to witness various aspects of the race from mudslinging to candidate raw emotions.

Identifying myself as an Independent leaves me content with sitting on the fence daily, taking a peak on each side to see what is going on, but the coverage is exhausting. It’s like too much Britney coverage. Is the coverage in overdrive? In addition, I am wondering if there are any people out there (well I know there are) who openly admit they are voting for Barack Obama for no other reason than, because he is black, and those who are voting for Hillary only because she is a woman and/or is Bill’s wife. Frankly, I am more impressed with Michelle Obama than her husband.

As a black person, I have this mild internal struggle, which tells me I should vote for Obama (no matter what). However, my stronger, more overpowering conscience tells me to vote on the issues and other characteristics the candidates possess. Anyone else struggling with this?

In Massachusetts, we elected our first black governor, Deval Patrick, and for me, it’s no big deal now (but was a big deal during the race). The novelty has diminished. His butt is expected to produce stellar results just as any other governor is, and I think he is performing a satisfactory job.

Personally, I think if Obama or Clinton becomes the Democratic frontrunner there will be a record number of voter registrations and ballots cast, particularly among blacks and minorities, with many of whom have never registered or voted before.

For me, it’s time for a campaign trail vacation after tonight’s New Hampshire Primary coverage.

I just watched this movie and it was excellent from start to finish, except the ending was predictable and it would have been interesting to see Samantha's character developed a little more. Several Oscar nominations should be in order. Why aren't the box office numbers strong...who knows? This film is a must see movie especially for teens.

More notes 1/7/8: This morning, I was reading my NY Post copy I bought last week and PageSix has a story alleging Harvard University was not the real team Wiley College beat, it was a California university. The source was questioned as to why would Harvard University allow filming to be done there, and the answer was Harvard is the gold standard, and it made for a better story to tell. Interesting...

Notes 1/8/8: The Great Debaters leads with 8 nominations for the 39th NAACP Image Awards.

JiMiFLiX! is an Atlanta based professional photographer who regularly covers celebrities and events, and this slideshow displays some of his favorites shots. I am enamored with his work and every time I view his photos, it reminds me that public schools need to find a way to preserve the arts in the curriculum. One cannot ignore the artistry, technical attributes and aspects in his photography. He is an amazing artist. The man can work color.

His photography reminds me often of a film called Born into Brothels (see Kids with Cameras), where Indian children of prostitutes were given cameras and introduced to photography. The photography instilled hope in those children of something better and beyond the brothels. Photography should be introduced to all students and I think the introduction would save many kids from delving into trouble.

Check out some