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10-23-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
50 CENT GRANTED MONTHLY VISITATION WITH SON: Agreement reached Wednesday with Shaniqua.
*50 Cent has been granted monthly visitation with his 12-year-old son Marquise in an agreement reached Wednesday in the bitter custody dispute with his ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins.
The artist, born Curtis Jackson, avoided eye contact with Tompkins as they stood with their attorneys in a Central Islip, N.Y., courtroom just before noon, reports People.com.
During the hearing, which lasted less than five minutes, a judge granted Jackson one weekend visit a month with Marquise, who will also spend half of his school's winter and spring breaks with his father.
"50 is pleased this has been settled and looks forward to spending some quality time with his son," the rapper's attorney Brett Kimmel tells People.
"We came to an agreement," Tompkins told People after the hearing.
"Despite my feelings for his father, I want Marquise and his father to have a healthy relationship. That's what that time is for."
The former couple had been in a heated custody dispute following the May 30 fire that destroyed a Long Island home owned by Jackson and inhabited by Tompkins and their son. Tompkins publicly blamed Jackson for starting the blaze in the midst of his attempts to evict her. The rap artist denied the allegation and in June filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against her.
BENNY MEDINA CLOSES MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Handprint Entertainment is dead after many of his clients jumped ship.
*Benny Medina, the one-time manager of such celebs as Jennifer Lopez, Tyra Banks, Mariah Carey and Usher, has decided to shut down his management company Handprint Entertainment, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The industry veteran and his Handprint partner Jeff Pollack have also steered the careers of Kyra Sedgwick, Mekhi Phifer, Chris Rock, Will Smith, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Nicole Richie.
But, as Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman puts it, "a stint with Usher was short. Banks left once she started making real money. Lopez left during her famed "Bennifer" days with Ben Affleck, who didn’t like Medina. More recently, Mariah said 'adieu' after her marriage to actor Nick Cannon."
'DANCING'S' BRAXTON SAYS 'GOAL WAS REACHED': Singer was voted off of ABC show Tuesday.
*Toni Braxton says she considers her "Dancing with the Stars" run a complete success because she overcame her heart condition to master the demanding ballroom routines each week.
"My goal was reached," Braxton, who has coronary microvascular angina, told The Associated Press after being voted off Tuesday night. "I wanted to do better. I wanted to breathe better. And I was definitely breathing better. I've come a long way from Week One to Week Now."
Braxton and her professional partner, Alec Mazo, received a score of
22 out of 30 from the show's judges during Monday's performance after a respectable West Coast swing routine. The "Unbreak My Heart" crooner was booted after that score was combined with viewer votes.
The R&B singer follows previously-eliminated celebs Chef Rocco DiSpirito, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, actor Ted McGinley and comedian Jeffrey Ross. Remaining stars include TV personality Brooke Burke; singer Lance Bass; former NFL star Warren Sapp; Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene; actor Cody Linley; and actresses Cloris Leachman and Susan Lucci.
USHER URGES ACTIVISM IN NEW SINGLE: Singer hopes 'Hush' will encourage young people to make a difference after Nov. 4.
*Usher released a new single Wednesday that he hopes will encourage young people to remain socially active on Election Day and far beyond, reports People.com.
In "Hush," available on iTunes, Usher sings about the folks who complain about high taxes, gas prices and the war in the Middle East – but don't do anything about it.
"'Hush' is about my awakening over the past 10 years to the social issues in our country and realizing that I have a voice," Usher, 30, said in a statement. "Complaining isn't enough, you have to also take action."
A portion of the proceeds from sales of "Hush" will benefit Usher's New Look Foundation.
WILL.I.AM POWERS 'MADAGASCAR 2' SOUNDTRACK: Artist wrote instrumental score, four songs and voices new character.
*Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas has teamed with Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer for the soundtrack to "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,"
which also features the artist as the voice of new character, Moto Moto, in the DreamWorks Animation movie.
The rapper wrote four original songs (and the instrumental score) for the soundtrack, which is due for release on Election Day (Nov. 4) in the physical and digital marketplace. The movie opens nationwide on Friday, Nov.
7.
The soundtrack for "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" will contain 17 tracks, including the four new songs co-written by will.i.am and Zimmer, and performed by will.i.am: "The Traveling Song," "Big and Chunky," "She Loves Me," and "Best Friends." Will.i.am. also performs his own new version of Reel 2 Real's 1993 dance classic "I Like To Move It" (which Sacha Baron Cohen originally performed on the first Madagascar soundtrack in 2005).
The album will also include a number of instrumental themes written by Zimmer and will.i.am for the movie: "Once Upon A Time In Africa," "Party!
Party! Party!," "Volcano," "Rescue Me," "Foofie," and "Monochromatic Friends."
JANET JACKSON'S VERTIGO QUESTIONED: Fox411's Roger Freidman says 'Jackson watchers' believe she was never sick.
*Janet Jackson may have announced that a bout of vertigo caused her to cancel a handful of tour dates this month, but some people just aren't buying it.
Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman suggests that "Jackson watchers"
believe the singer may have faked the illness as a way to cancel shows that hadn't sold a respectable amount of tickets.
Friedman wrote:
Jackson watchers speculated that she’d picked up an old trick from brother Michael. When ticket sales are off, or you just feel blue, claim illness. Michael has made more unnecessary hospital visits than any other celebrity besides his own mentor, Liz Taylor.
Still, it seemed so unlike Janet. She’s always had a strong work ethic, and always seemed above her family’s shenanigans. But the truth is, tickets were not moving. Yesterday afternoon you could have bought 8 floor seats for the show at Houston’s Toyota Center.
LIL WAYNE'S AIDE TESTIFIES AT GUN TRIAL: Terry Bourgeois says he 'occasionally' saw gun on tour bus.
*Lil Wayne's assistant took the stand at the rapper's trial on gun charges this week and said he saw a handgun "occasionally" on the tour bus, but couldn't single out Wayne for possessing the .40-caliber pistol at the root of the case.
According to E! Online, Terry Bourgeois also testified that he could not say if the gun was present when Wayne was taken into custody during the July 2007 arrest.
Last month, a police officer told jurors she searched the vehicle after smelling marijuana as it was parked outside New York's Beacon Theatre following a concert. She then said she witnessed the artist attempting to hide the firearm during her search of the bus.
Wayne (born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) has pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon and remains free on $70,000 bond. If convicted, he could face up to three and a half years in prison.
According to Newsday, another eyewitness, 47-year-old Derrick Parker, a security guard hired by the concert promoter who was on the scene that night, testified he did not smell or see any marijuana on our outside the bus.
DIDDY TAKES OVER LIZ CLAIBORNE'S ENYCE: Mogul acquires urban lifestyle brand as company downsizes.
*Diddy's fashion line, Sean John Clothing Inc., is the new owner of urban lifestyle brand Enyce, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The rap mogul purchased the line from Liz Claiborne Inc. as the 32-year-old company shifts its focus to bigger businesses amid a decline in consumer spending.
A person familiar with the deal said that Enyce -- which Claiborne bought for $114 million in 2003 -- was valued at about $20 million. Enyce's sales were as high as $100 million at their peak, but have since dwindled to about half that amount as retailers have consolidated.
Diddy said he plans to retool the brand, expand its distribution and use his entertainment industry contacts to promote it.
"In music, people know me as the 'King of the Remix,'" Diddy said.
"Now I am remixing this brand and making it a hit."
The artist said he will ensure Enyce's brand identity is distinct from the core Sean John brand, which sells higher-priced apparel. "We are going to take the next month to get in there and come up with a new strategy, and make sure there aren't any conflicts," he said.
OBAMA GETS HIS BOOGIE ON FOR 'ELLEN' – AGAIN: Presidential candidate makes surprise 'Ellen' appearance via satellite from Florida.
*Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday found himself cutting a rug for the third time with talk show host Ellen Degeneres.
Following a long day of campaigning in Florida, the Democratic presidential nominee taped a satellite appearance that aired Wednesday on "The Ellen Degeneres Show."
"Let's talk about dancing," said the TV personality. "Your wife, Michelle, was on the show and she was talking some smack about your moves."
DeGeneres played music and gave Obama 20 seconds to try and out-dance his wife. As supporters sat behind him, he began grooving his upper body only – much the same way he did in his two previous appearances on "Ellen."
"Michelle may be a better dancer, but I am convinced I am a better dancer than John McCain," Obama said of his Republican rival.
During the brief appearance, Obama also revealed the Halloween costumes his two daughters have planned. Ten-year-old Malia will be a fairy and 7-year-old Sasha has chosen to be a "corpse bride," he said.
Obama also offered to help Ellen meet George Clooney, who has an office on the same Warner Bros. lot. If elected, he said he would appoint Clooney "ambassador to the Ellen show."
"We would have you and him sit down without preconditions and solve any differences that you may have," Obama said.
View clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hadj_S9UzLw
ANTHONY HAMILTON COMES OUT OT 'PLAY': Crooner announces national tour in support of new CD 'The Point of it All.'
*Anthony Hamilton will hit the road next month for a national tour to promote his new album, "The Point Of It All," which is due for release on Dec. 2.
The "Playin' It Cool" tour, which kicks off in Chicago, IL on Nov. 5, gets its name from the album's first single "Cool" featuring David Banner.
"The Point Of It All" contains a wide range of soul-infused music with Hamilton co-writing the entire album and co-producing on the album as well with his longtime collaborators, producer/songwriter Mark Batson and Kelvin Wooten. Other producers on the album include The Avila Brothers and Jack Splash.
Most recently, Hamilton made his big-screen debut performing his hit single "Do You Feel Me," in the Oscar-nominated "American Gangster" movie.
He will also have a track in the upcoming film and soundtrack "Soul Men"
starring Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac.
The "Playin' It Cool" tour dates are as follows:
Date City Venue
Nov 5th Chicago, IL House of Blues
Nov 7th Minneapolis, MN Epic Event Center
Nov 9th St Louis, MO House of Blues
Nov 11th Cleveland, OH House of Blues
Nov 13th Washington, DC Lincoln Theater
Nov 14th Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Nov 15th Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
Nov 16th Buffalo, NY Tralf Music Hall
Nov 18th Foxboro, MA Showcase Live
Nov 19th New York, NY Blender Theater
Nov 21st Greensboro, NC Music City
Nov 22nd Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theater
Nov 23rd Charlotte, NC Amos Theater
Nov 27th Louisville, KY City Block
Nov 28th Atlanta,GA Centerstage
Nov 29th Memphis, TN Orpheum Theater
Nov 30th Nashville, TN Wild Horse Saloon
Dec 3rd Dallas, TX Majestic Theater
Dec 4th New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Dec 5th Austin, TX Paramount Theater
Dec 7th Houston, TX Arena Theater
Dec 10th Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
Dec 11th Anaheim, CA House of Blues
Dec 12th San Deigo, CA House of Blues
Dec 13th Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
KATT WILLIAMS' BET NO-SHOW EXPLAINED: AOL's Jawn Murray says host walked out after confrontation with producer.
*BlackVoices.com's Jawn Murray is reporting that Katt Williams was missing in action as host of the BET Hip-Hop Awards last weekend because he got into a diva spat with one of the show's producers.
"Katt was disrespectful, difficult and demanding throughout the process and his unprovoked verbal lashing on the producer was unwarranted,"
a source close to the production is quoted as saying.
Murray says the whole thing started when Williams rolled up to the set three hours late in an RV he was driving himself. A producer greeted him and wanted to escort him into the rehearsal.
"He hopped out of his RV and went into a 'do you know who I am'
rant," the source told Murray. "He was angry and wanted to know who called the union on him, because there had been an issue with Katt's camp trying to over-schedule the backup dancers."
Murray continues: "Apparently the Ohio-bred star of 'First Sunday'
then went into rehearsal and acted as though nothing was wrong, but moments later abruptly stopped rehearsal and declared: 'Someone owes me an apology.
I'm sorry, I can't go on without an apology.' BET brass scrambled to resolve the situation.
"Williams lined up his entire staff and demanded that the network or someone from Cosette Productions have the unsuspecting producer apologize to each of them. Said producer refused, standing by the fact that Williams'
attack on her was unprovoked and superfluous.
"The 'Friday After Next' star, who hosted two previous BET Hip-Hop Awards, then left the rehearsal and refused to return until an apology was ready to be issued.
When it was determined that Williams had no intention to return for rehearsals the day before the show, producers then had to salvage the show and find a replacement host.
The call went out to T-Pain at 1 a.m. the morning of the show to fill the slot and the vocoder-loving singer went into cram mode to prepare for that evening."
Meanwhile, BET's official reason for replacing Williams with T-Pain was posted on their Web site – which states Williams gave up his hosting gig after losing a break dance competition with T-Pain.
Murray wrote: "BET's publicist said that their Web site account of the story is the only statement they have as well."
The BET Hip-Hop Awards airs tonight at 8.
MARIAH CAREY USES HER SCENT TO FIGHT CANCER: Singer challenges fans to design 'luscious pink' dress to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
*To celebrate the launch of her new fragrance, Mariah Carey's Luscious Pink, the singer is challenging fans to design a luscious pink dress for Mariah Carey herself.
Carey will pick the design that perfectly captures the essence of Luscious Pink. Three dresses will be produced -- one for the songstress to wear, one for the design winner, and one to be auctioned off to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
"It's always exciting to be able to reveal another facet of my personality through Luscious Pink," said Carey. "The development of the scent coupled with the fun and flirtatious interactive design competition gave me an opportunity to interact with my fans, which I always love to do, and at the same time raise money for an extremely important cause that affects all women around the world."
"It's an honor to work with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization that has helped save so many lives with continuous funding and research for breast cancer awareness," she added.
The 'Luscious Pink' dress design contest will run online at www.mariahcareybeauty.com through Nov. 14.
EMINEM ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA: Rapper also discusses reunion with Dr. Dre on new album.
*While promoting his new book "The Way I Am" on BBC Radio, Eminem was asked which presidential candidate he would be supporting on Election Day.
"I will vote for Barack Obama," the rapper told host Zane Lowe. "I can't get too political honestly because I don't know enough about everything to know what's going on.
"I know we're going into a recession and, pardon the cliché, but we need something to change. I think Barack would be a breath of fresh air to get what's left of the Bush administration out of the door."
As for his upcoming album, "Relapse," Eminem said he's had a lot of input from his mentor, Dr. Dre.
"For the last five months I've been working pretty much straight with Dre," he said. "There's going to be a lot of material, more so than I've had on an album with him producing before."
He added: "Obviously his beats are insane but aside from that I can rap, I can write and not worry about what the beat has to sound like and how loud a snare drum is. All those things are taken care of for me. I feel like a spoiled rapper. I get to pick and choose everything."
The rapper said he has no plans to tour at present and, referring to his previous success, has "no desire to be that big again."
P. MILLER, SILKK FORM TRAVEL AGENCY: Siblings team with two companies to create affiliate marketing business.
*P. Miller and his brother, rapper Silkk the Shocker, have joined with Gene Van Horn and World Ventures to create a new affiliate marketing business www.yourinvestmenttravel.com, reports Allhiphop.com.
The Web site shows budding entrepreneurs and home-based travel agents how to earn money in the $7 trillion-a-year travel industry, which Miller believes is an untapped market that hopefuls can buy into with minimal investment.
"Instead of spending a couple hundred dollars at the mall, you could put that money towards starting your own small business," said P. Miller.
"If you just sacrifice $500 from your weekly personal expenses and invest that in yourself, you will not only be able to afford more in the future, but you will also be building generational wealth for your family."
Miller says he wants the new venture to inspire others to break into the lucrative industry.
“This is not about entertainment,” he explained. “This is about exposing people to other opportunities that lead to financial freedom. If you are in the music business and you are waiting for that big record deal, you still need to eat and take care of your families now. It's time to be more responsible."
RASHIDA JONES HAS SOLUTION TO WALL ST. DEBACLE: Actress appears in spoof on Funnyordie.com.
*Actress Rashida Jones, the daughter of music legend Quincy Jones, appears with Natalie Portman in a video that pokes fun at the current global economic crisis.
The clip, posted at comedian Will Ferrell's Web site Funnyordie.com, features the two stars offering their own suggestion to solve the problem.
"The global financial crisis is affecting all of us. The panic on Wall Street has now reached mainstream. There doesn't seem to be a clear answer. And the worst may be yet to come," they say. Portman adds, "After careful consideration, Rashida and I have determined the best course of action - puppies!"
The actresses are then shown frolicking with a bunch of puppies in a bed, before challenging viewers by saying in all seriousness, "So how about it America? Puppies." View here: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f88f8d6385
ITTY BITTY BITS: More 'Practice' for ABC; B.B. King in CBS's pre-Grammy concert; YWCA Benefactrix Ball.
*ABC has announced it has picked up "Private Practice" for a full season. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the network gave a back-nine order to the sophomore drama featuring Taye Diggs and Audra McDonald among the cast.
*Fourteen-time Grammy winner B.B. King is among the first performers announced for "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night," a one-hour special to air live on CBS from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
on Dec. 3. The event will be held in Los Angeles at Nokia Theater L.A. Live and also include Celine Dion, the Foo Fighters, John Mayer, and Taylor Swift. Tickets will be available beginning Oct. 27 at 213.480.3232 or at www.ticketmaster.com). Proceeds will benefit the Grammy Museum.
*The Seventh Annual YWCA Benefactrix Ball, hosted tomorrow (Oct. 24) at the Beverly Hills Hotel (9641 Sunset Blvd. Beverly Hills), begins with a red carpet, reception and silent auction at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at
8 p.m. A Silent Auction includes autographed memorabilia by R&B legend Stevie Wonder, destination getaways to Paradise Island, Bahamas and more. Proceeds will support YWCA programs for girls.
EUR DVD REVIEW: To the Limit (Am Limit)
DVD Features Squabbling Siblings Scaling Peaks in Mountain Climbing Documentary DVD Review by Kam Williams
*Thomas and Alexander Huber are world-class mountain climbers, but otherwise polar opposites.
Elder brother Thomas is very laid back and plays in a rock band while two years younger Alexander is a physicist by day.
So, it comes as no surprise that the latter would be a methodical planner while the former is an idealistic dreamer with a Laissez-faire attitude.
Ordinarily, this doesn’t matter much, since they lead separate lives most of the time.
However, the contrast does cause conflict whenever they reunite for a climbing expedition, such as the ones chronicled here scaling both Patagonia and the thousand foot-high vertical nose of El Capitan, a peak located in Yosemite National Park.
The mountains magnify the squabbling siblings’ differences because neither is content merely to reach the top of a precipice, but they also happen to be speed climbers driven to arrive there in record time. Given their distinctly different orientations, this means there’s frequently tension in the air despite the fact that they’re involved in an undertaking where one false move could prove fatal.
To the Limit is a character-driven documentary dedicated to capturing these bickering daredevils against a variety of breathtaking backdrops.
Their cooperation and competition were caught on camera by fellow German Pepe Danquart, a gifted director who won an Oscar in 1994 for a short called Schwarzfahrer.
Far more memorable for its stomach-churning cinematography and the daring exploits of the risk-taking Hubers than for the boys’ badinage, this is a film which might, in any other context, simply be dismissed as a case study in unresolved sibling rivalry. But when such mouthing off comes while dangling thousands of feet in the air from the face of a cliff, it makes for a fairly compelling cinematic experience.
Mountain-climbing undertaken with a manic sense of urgency.
Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated
In German and English with subtitles.
Running time: 95 minutes
Studi First Run Features
DVD Extras: Epilogue, photo gallery, bios and production notes.
To see a trailer for To the Limit, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLpRydQ0jFY
EUR DVD REVIEW: You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Raunchy Adam Sandler Comedy Comes to DVD DVD Review by Kam Williams
*Although Zohan Dvir (Adam Sandler) is the best counter-terrorism commando in the Israeli army, he dreams of the day when he will be free to immigrate to America to open his own beauty salon.
But such a move would definitely disappoint his family who see hairdressing as a gay profession.
Nonetheless, Zohan’s patience runs out when he is asked to track down The Phantom (John Turturro), a paroled Palestinian terrorist he’d already captured once previously.
Seeing no end in sight to the never-ending Arab-Israeli conflict, Zohan fakes his own death and resurfaces in New York City as the flamboyant Scrappy Coco.
Willing to work his way up, Scrappy takes a position sweeping the floor at a fledgling beauty parlor owned by a Palestinian (Emmanuelle Chriqui) who has no idea that her new employee is an AWOL Mossad agent.
Meanwhile, Zohan is equally unaware that his gorgeous boss’ brother, Fat-tush, is none other than his militant Muslim nemesis, The Phantom.
So, it’s only a matter of time before the truth is revealed and everything comes to a head in a big showdown. In the interim, Scrappy takes advantage of any opportunity to leave his mark on Manhattan by behaving in the sort of sophomoric fashion we’ve come to expect of an Adam Sandler.
Directed by Dennis Dugan (Happy Gilmore), You Don't Mess with the Zohan is a throwback to the sort of crude fare which made Sandler famous, including generous helpings of homophobia, misogyny, animal cruelty, bodily function slapstick and ethnic stereotyping. This bawdy insult to the intelligence is likely to resonate only with his rabid fans nostalgic for flashes of that locker room brand of humor.
Tasteless, a last minute appeal to tolerance notwithstanding.
Fair (1 star)
Rated PG-13 for nudity, profanity, graphic sexuality and crude humor.
Running time: 117 minutes
Studi Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
2-Disc DVD Features: Commentary with Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel, Rob Schneider and Nick Swardson, commentary with Dennis Dugan, deleted scenes, and ten featurettes.
To see a trailer of You Don't Mess with the Zohan, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Mc_rFTQ7Q
JOSEPH C. PHILLIPS: Be Careful What You Ask For
*There is a certain current logic that calls for “change we can believe in.” The message is delivered in smooth tones and with a winning smile. It is the promise of something new – something fresh, the opportunity to move in some other direction – any direction other than the one in which we are currently headed.
What remains less clear are the messianic comparisons of the standard bearer of that change (which border on the irrational) and why voters seem prepared to turn the keys to the treasury over to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Under their stellar leadership Congress has a lower approval rating than President Bush.
Supporters have suggested that we add the book of Obama to the bible, compared his community organizing work with that of Jesus of Nazareth and designed posters portraying the presidential candidate gazing towards the heavens, no doubt in deep consultation with the Lord. During a recent address, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan noted that when Obama speaks "the Messiah is absolutely speaking." The candidate himself has promised to “heal the sick and calm the rising seas.” It may be better if first he accomplished something a bit more manageable, for instance practicing what he preaches. His record in that department is rather thin.
He talks about transparency, but when asked by non-partisan watchdog groups to share more information about their small donors, the Obama camp refused while the other guy opened his books. He has donated almost a million dollars to ACORN, the community activist group currently embroiled in charges of voter fraud. He talks about building consensus and yet has not once bucked his party in the name of bi-partisanship. He claims to believe in traditional marriage and yet promises to make homosexual marriage the law of the land. He claims that character counts and yet has a history of long and intimate associations with people of questionable character the mention of which always seem to be a “distraction.” Would that so many had been willing to believe the real messiah on such scant evidence.
The mantra of change also has democrats salivating that they may in fact increase their lead in the senate to a super majority of 60 seats thus negating any chance of Republican filibuster. So much for the need to build consensus. These are after all many of the very same folks that looked the other way while the financial crisis grew and then passed a constitutionally questionable “fix” that picked the taxpayer pocket for almost a trillion dollars. Letting them loose to play in the halls of government unchecked seems unwise at best.
For the current displeasure with republicans the GOP have only themselves to blame. Somehow the collective republican mind decided that the best candidate to run was John McCain, an honorable man to be sure, but one whose age speaks to a different time in America and frankly based on his seeming unwillingness to hit Obama where he is weakest (there are so many targets) seems to have lost the eye of the tiger. Moreover, while in power Republicans abandoned their conservative base to say nothing of their principles, spent tax dollars as if they were democrats all the while singing the low- tax hymn (note to future Republican politicians: low taxes plus high spending do not make you a conservative!)
While democrats are chilling the champagne they may do well to remember the lesson Republicans are poised to learn to whit: there is a difference between winning elections and governing a nation. American voters are not opposed to showing political parties the door and warning them not to let the doorknob hit you on the way out.
By the same token Americans enamoured of change may also do well to remember the adage: be careful what you ask for...
Joseph C. Phillips is the author of “He Talk Like A White Boy” available wherever books are sold.
ASK ADVICE CHICK: Answers to YOUR Dating, Sex, Life, & Love Questions!
By AdviceChick at ameritech.net
Chicago area ladies! Get your tickets NOW to my sexy and talented all male revue event of November 8, 2008! Have a GREAT time, Visit http://www.ultimateladiesniteout.com to see clips from the last show!
Dear Advice Chick,
*While my girlfriend and I were arguing she said she is not “in love” with me. Did she mean it? We haven’t had sex in seven months and she’s drinking a lot. What should I do?
Advice Chick replies,
If she said it she probably means it. In the heat of an argument we “sometimes” say things we really don’t mean but – we also “sometimes” say things we’ve wanted to say for a while. Since the two of you haven’t been sexual with each other for seven really long a$$ months I’m inclined to believe her.
Ask yourself, If she ain’t loving you, WHO in the hell IS she loving?
PLUS she’s turned to alcohol? This is more drama than any normal man would usually deal with. You should man up and walk out.
Send YOUR questions to Advice Chick right NOW! Please put “Dear Advice Chick” in the subject line so your email isn’t deleted as spam. Thanks! Send your emails t advicechick at ameritech.net
----------
Ask Advice Chick about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING related to dating, sex, love, and life! She is THE resident dating expert at EURweb.com, and calls on over 11 years of dating and relationship industry experience.
BETWEEN THE LINES: Colin Powell’s Endorsement Of Barack Obama: Republicans Will NEVER Admit How Large It Was
Anthony Asadullah Samad
*The most respected public figure in, or out, of American government endorsed Barack Obama this week. To even suggest that the endorsement of former Secretary of State, former National Security Adviser, former Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell, the first African American to do any of the three and all of the three through three Republican and Democrat administrations, was a frivolous endorsement is lunacy. Colin Powell STILL has the highest favorable rating to come out of government in the last ten years. He is the man who would’ve been the first black President, had he wanted it, in 2000. We never would have heard of George W. The same for this year in 2008, if he had wanted to run.
Powell really never had a taste for the indignities of politics. You almost felt that politics was beneath him, but being the American patriot he is—he always played where he was asked to play. He didn’t want to deal with the non-sense a national Presidential campaign brings about. Had he accepted a position on John McCain’s ticket, Obama's Presidential prospects would have been a lot lower than they are now. Retired four star Army General, Colin Powell, knows the military and knows the successes and failures of war, having lead the nation through the Gulf War of 1991 and advised against the Iraqi War at the start of the Bush II administration. He was the only credible voice, considered the voice of reason, in an administration of war hawks that never fought in a war but were quick to start one. They tricked him into being the frontman for the war because nobody else in the administration had the credibility to sell it. They showed him doctored photographs, based on fabricated intelligence, that were supposed to represent the presence of “weapons of mass destruction.” We now know there were no weapons of mass destruction. It humiliated Secretary Powell and no longer being able to defend the lie, he left the Bush administration with his reputation a bit smudged, but with his dignity intact. Still the biggest draw, save former President Bill Clinton, on the lecture circuit—drawing in $75,000 a speech—the public draws near when Colin Powell opens his mouth, and when Colin speaks—the world listens. So, when Secretary Powell went on Meet The Press to announce his choice for President, Republicans everywhere held their breath. So, did the rest of the world. Powell stated that he would cross his party’s line and vote for Senator Barack Obama. That was HUGE.
How huge was it? First, it bumped McCain/Palin out of the news cycle. Palin’s appearance on Saturday Night Live was the most watched SNL episode in ten years. It was supposed to be a demonstration of Palin’s popularity and represent one last shot in the arm to a McCain campaign in critical condition. Powell’s endorsement dominated the news cycle. Second, McCain couldn’t continue his bash on Obama. He had to try to refute the importance of Powell’s endorsement. Though he tried, it's still the buzz of the political campaign. There was no refuting this endorsement. So, the talk radio propaganda machine has gone into full throttle to try to marginalize the endorsement. Silly Rush Limbaugh is at the head of the line trying to trivialize Powell’s endorsement, saying it was based on race. Obviously, he didn’t see the announcement.
Colin Powell gave the most articulate deconstruction of the failures of the McCain campaign, and of the dismal state of the Republican Party, that anyone has ever given. Powell’s rationale centered, not just based on McCain’s inability to articulate solutions for an ailing economy—nor was it solely based on his pick of Sarah Palin which punched a big hole in McCain’s judgment (in Powell’s opinion). It centered on the narrowing of the Republican Party in its effort to race-bait, scapegoat Arabs, drum up fear around terrorism, link Obama to terrorists, and most critically, demonize Muslims. Powell’s articulation of an American Muslim soldier, who died in Iraq fighting for his country, whose mother cried on her son’s grave with a star and crescent on his headstone, was the noblest demonstration of unbiased reasoning we’ve witnessed in this year’s whole campaign cycle (primaries and general). Every time Obama was accused of being a Muslim, Powell stated the appropriate response should have been, “And what is wrong with being a Muslim?” A true insight to the type of ideological demagoguery many Americans are subscribing to as McCain and Palin seek to steal another election based on fear and emotion. I believe this, among other things, drove Colin Powell to reject his party, and reject his party’s nominee. High level Republicans usually don’t betray the party. They either leave the party, or they sit silent on the sideline. Colin Powell did neither. He intially went against his party, in hopes that in the future—he can reform his party. In the meantime, he boldly asserted that Barack Obama was what the nation needed at this time, a “transformational figure” to transform a nation that has lost its moral center and it socio-political balance. Now, that’s huge.
The Republican pundits are saying Powell betrayed his party. The Republican Party betrayed Colin Powell a long time ago. General Douglas McArthur once said, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.’ Colin Powell was one old soldier who chose not to just fade away. And again, being the voice of reason, he may have saved our nation…from itself.
Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D., is a national columnist, managing director of the Urban Issues Forum (www.urbanissuesforum.com) and author of the new book, Saving The Race: Empowerment Through Wisdom. He can be reached at www.AnthonySamad.com
THE PULSE OF ENTERTAINMENT: Baltimore's Maysa "Metamorphosis' from usher to headliner at the Lyric Theater October 26th to promote new CD; and Jazz/Gospel/Neo-Soul singer Gina Green takes listeners on a "Journey' with first secular album
By Eunice Moseley
Baltimore’s Maysa ‘Metamorphosis’ from usher to headliner at the Lyric Theatre on October 26th to promote her new CD
*On Sunday, October 26th acclaimed Soul/Jazz singer Maysa returns to perform at the Lyric Theater in Baltimore, where she once worked as an usher. The former (and periodic) lead vocalist for Incognito has a new release she will be promoting, “Metamorphosis” on the Shanachie label was recently released.
“I’m changing as a person,” Maysa told me as to what the meaning of the album “Metamorphosis” means to her. “The last few years I have been getting closer and closer to God, relying on Him.”
Maysa said now that she is 40 she doesn’t let things bother her like she used to, as One of the cuts off of her CD is titled, “Simpatico,” one of my favorites, which has a sexy Jazz/Pop feel to it. Another favorite on the set is “Let’s work it out,” a song she wrote for founder and head man of Incognito, Bluey, and features guitarist Nick Colionne.
Other artists featured on the “Metamorphosis” album include Rex Rideout, Chris David and Angela Johnson as producer/writers, and flautist Najee on “My Destiny.”
Another one of my favorite songs on the new Maysa CD, “Grateful,” was written and recorded “freestyle.” She said Rex was playing around with some of the other musicians while waiting for Maysa who was late. She said when she got there she was in a dark place mentally and when she heard the music they were working on, this song came out and what an awesome selection it is.
“God truly set that up,” Maysa points out. “All day long I was talking to God, asking ‘Why everything (recognition) happens to the singers who are bad girls and I have been a good girl, why am I still struggling?’”
Maysa feels the answer was that song, that moment that ended up with “Grateful,” she was to just be grateful. Such a touching moment and believe me the whole album has a feel like this is one of her master-pieces.
“Happy Feelings,” “Love So True,” “Walk Away,” and “Conversation with the Universe,” where you can her Maysa scatting to a Jazz/African flavor background of music, are some more of my favorites on this album.
Gina Green new rising star with a sultry Jazz/Gospel/Neo-Soul influence presents to you her ‘Journey’
Gina Green, though she is too young and not into Stephanie Mills (more into Deniece Williams) singer/songwriter Gina Green has an unbelievable vocal resemblance to Stephanie Mills. Imagine Stephanie Mills singing Jazz and that is what you will hear on Green’s newest CD release, “Journey,” on GICO Music).
“This is my first secular album,” Gina Green stated when asked why she recorded an R&B/Jazz/NEO-Soul album when her previous albums have been Gospel. “Actually I wanted to do one because I sing at weddings (and other events) and I didn’t have any (secular) material.”
Gina says the other driving force to record a secular album was that she felt the music out now is all about promiscuity. “Young girls don’t know what love is or what it should be,” Green added.
Gina is a pastor’s daughter who was raised in a household where her father was a Christian and her mother was a Catholic. She was rooted in Gospel music and developed an eight octave voice that allowed her to sing Deniece Williams' “Silly” at a local talent show.
Green went on to record three Gospel albums “In His Times” in 1996; “Changes” in 2003, and “Tell ‘um” in 2006 with then husband producer Isom Green, Jr. (Dr Dre, Ice Cube, Whitney Houston), She won the Las Vegas Black Music Associations’ 2006 Best Gospel Female Performance Award and received a nomination from the Black Music Academy Association of America for Best Gospel Performance Female and Gospel Rising Star. Gina has performed with Tonex, J Moss and on TBN’s Bill and Rene Morris Show with Brent Jones and God’s Original Gangstas.
“I wanted to have my own uniqueness,” Gina says of her style and voice. “This (her vocal resemblance to Stephanie Mills) could be positive, this generation hasn’t heard her sound and after a while people will listen and hear Gina Green.”
True she does have her own modern Neo-Soul/Jazz/Gospel style of singing and delivery. I truly enjoyed watching her performance when I attended the Lee Bailey EURweb Media Awards where Gina sang at the pre-red carpet concert, great vocals and great performance.
Though the entire album is full of great material my favorite songs on the “Journey” album include the title track “Journey,” “You’re Like the Sun,” “I just want to dance with you,” “the heart-wrenching “Why,” “True Love,” which comes with a music video, and “On my way.”
You can see her music video and learn more on Gina Green at www.GinaGreen.net.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"Holding anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." — The Buddha
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Oct. 23: Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is 52. Singer David Thomas of Take
6 is 42.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Aspiring African American actors, models, dancers and singers will want to bookmark Young Black Starz.org (www.YoungBlackStarz.org).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Oct. 23, 1947: NAACP petition on racism, "An Appeal to the World," presented to United Nations at Lake Success. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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