10-02-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE

WHITE HOUSE TO ADDRESS CHICAGO TEEN BEATING: President sending Atty Gen. Eric Holder and Ed. Sec. Arne Duncan to discuss issue with community.

 *The beating of a 16-year-old honors student in President Barack Obama's Chicago hometown was discussed at the president's morning meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday.

 By the afternoon, the White House had announced that it would send Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to the Windy City on Wednesday (Oct. 7) to meet with school officials, students and residents to discuss school violence.

 Chicago prosecutors have charged four teenagers with fatally beating Derrion Albert, a sophomore honor roll student. Officials say Albert was walking to a bus stop when he got caught up in the mob's street fighting.

 White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Wednesday said the cell phone video of teens viciously kicking and striking Albert with splintered railroad ties is "chilling" and among the most shocking anyone can see.

 He said the White House believes such crimes call for community involvement.

MJ AUTOPSY SHOWS HE WAS HEALTHY 'OVERALL': No plaque in heart; kidneys and other organs normal; little arthritis in spine; 'actively producing sperm.'

 *Despite all of the track marks in Michael Jackson's arms, scarring on his face and neck and tattooed eyebrows and lips, an autopsy report shows that he was a healthy 50-year-old before his death of a drug overdose.

 According to the Los Angeles County coroner's report obtained by Associated Press, Jackson's 136 pounds were in the acceptable range for a
5-foot-9 man. His heart was strong with no sign of plaque buildup. And his kidneys and most other major organs were normal.

 Jackson did have arthritis in the lower spine and some fingers, and mild plaque buildup in his leg arteries. Most serious was his lungs, which the autopsy report said were chronically inflamed and had reduced capacity that might have left him short of breath.

 But, according to the document, the lung condition was not serious enough to be a direct or contributing cause of death.

 "His overall health was fine," said Dr. Zeev Kain, chairman of the anesthesiology department at the University of California, Irvine, who reviewed a copy of the autopsy report for the AP. "The results are within normal limits."

 Kain was not involved in the autopsy. The full autopsy report has not been released publicly, but the AP obtained a copy.

Other findings in the autopsy report obtained by the AP:

• Jackson had a 3/4-inch scar behind his left ear and another apparent
scar behind his right ear. He had a scar beside each of his nostrils and another, 4-inch scar on his right shoulder. He had a pair of additional scars about 3-inches long at the base of his neck and smaller scars on his arms and wrist. He also had a small scar near his navel and a 2-inch scar on the right-hand side of his abdomen. Kain said most of the scars appeared to be from plastic surgery though others, like a scar on the knee, could have been from a medical procedure.
• The medical examiner found numerous punctures on both arms and on a
knee and ankle. The leg punctures could have been from intravenous therapies not described in the autopsy report, Kain said.
• Jackson had several tattoos, all them cosmetic, including dark
tattoos in the areas of both eyebrows and under his eyes, and a pink tattoo around his lips.
• He was going bald at the front of his head, with his remaining hair
described as short and tightly curled. The bald part of his scalp was darkened with what appeared to be a tattoo stretching across the top of his head from ear to ear.
• The coroner found depigmentation of his skin around his chest,
abdomen, face and arms.
• The coroner also found Jackson was actively producing sperm.

NIKE CLARIFIES NEW DEAL WITH MIKE VICK: It's not an endorsement contract, as reports have suggested.

 *Nike Inc on Thursday denied reports that it renewed its endorsement deal with Michael Vick more than two years after dumping the National Football League quarterback for bankrolling a dog-fighting ring.

       On Wednesday, there were reports that Vick's agent said his client has an endorsement deal with Nike but would not reveal terms of the contract.
      
       But the footwear and apparel company, which terminated its endorsement deal with Vick in 2007, said it was only supplying gear for Vick as it does with many athletes. In such deals, Nike does not pay the athlete.
      
       "Nike does not have a contractual relationship with Michael Vick,"
Nike spokesman KeJuan Wilkins said in a statement. "We have agreed to supply product to Michael Vick as we do a number of athletes who are not under contract with Nike."
      
       Vick, who was sentenced to 23 months in prison, played his first NFL game on Sept. 27 for the Philadelphia Eagles since getting out of jail and being reinstated to the NFL.

BRITISH MOBO AWARDS HONOR MICHAEL JACKSON: Plus, Beyonce wins two awards for 'Single Ladies.'

       *A special salute was given to Michael Jackson at the annual Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards ceremony, which took place Wednesday in Glasgow.
      
       Jackson, who died in June, was honored with tributes that included messages from his sister LaToya and brother Jermaine.
      
       "He was a wonderful artist and a wonderful human being ..My brother was everything to me," said Jermaine, who performed "Smile," Jackson's favorite song.
      
       Latoya said she was "not at all" coming to terms with her brother's death, which is being treated as homicide after he consumed a lethal cocktail of powerful prescription drugs.

       While London acts swooped most of the awards, Beyonce won the Best International award as well as Best Video for her hit "Single Ladies." She was unable to attend the ceremony.

JAMIE FOXX MAKES A 'DATE': Actor signs on for road-trip comedy from 'Hangover' director.

       *Jamie Foxx joins Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis in the Warner Bros. movie "Due Date," a road-trip comedy from "The Hangover"
director Todd Phillips.
      
       According to the Hollywood Reporter, the story follows a high-strung father-to-be (Downey) who's forced to hitch a ride with a college slacker
(Galifianakis) to make it to the birth on time.
      
       Foxx will play Downey's longtime pal who once dated his wife (Michelle Monaghan) and secretly keeps in touch with her.
      
       The Oscar winner next stars in the thriller "Law Abiding Citizen" and recently wrapped the romantic comedy "Valentine's Day."

MATTEL'S NEW BLACK BARBIE OFFENSIVE TO SOME: Some African American girls say the dolls' hip hop accessories go too far.

       *Mattel's new and improved black Barbie line, introduced this week, is being criticized by some African American girls as going too far with its associated hip hop accessories.
      
       The New York Daily News showed the new "So In Style" trio of dolls – Grace, Kara and Trichelle – to several girls in New York to get feedback.
While many liked the dolls, some felt the toy company overdid it with the shiny bling, big earrings and fancy sneakers.
      
       "Not all black people like hip hop," said Barbara Mootoo, 15, of Manhattan, looking at Kara's silver rope chain necklace. "They gave her a chain like a 50 Cent video."
      
       Tyaine Danclaire, 15, of the Bronx, liked Trichelle's straight, long hair because it looked like "a weave," but she thought the idea "was sorta racist."
      
       "They say black girls are ghetto with the gold earrings, with the big bling; I don't agree with that," she said.
      
       As previously reported, Mattel said veteran Barbie designer Stacey McBride-Irby, an African-American mother of two, created the dolls so her kids could have toys that look like their neighborhood friends. The new black dolls have "authentic-looking facial features" such as fuller lips, a wider nose ... and curlier hair," Mattel said.
      
       "I like it," said Rachel Kahn, 9, of Charlotte, N.C., visiting relatives in Manhattan. "It is hip hop. It is Beyoncé." 
      
       Nikki Wright, 12, of East Harlem, showed off her braided hair extensions and gold hoops in her ears while holding a Trichelle doll.
      
       "They look like people where we live," the seventh-grader told the Daily News. "I wear big earrings. The weave. Things that we use."

TV ONE'S 'UNSUNG' RETURNS IN NOVEMBER: Teena Marie, Bootsy Collins, Zapp and Klymaxx fill show's third season.
 
 *Next month, TV One brings back its acclaimed one-hour biography series "Unsung," which celebrates the lives and careers of successful artists or groups who, despite great talent, have been under-recognized or under-appreciated. 

 Narrated by actor Gary Anthony Williams, the new episodes will premiere, on four consecutive Sundays beginning Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. and will chronicle the careers of Teena Marie, Bootsy Collins, Zapp feat. Roger Troutman and Klymaxx.

 The Teena Marie episode premieres on Nov. 1, followed by Bootsy on Nov. 8, Klymaxx on Nov. 15 and Zapp and Roger on Nov. 22.

 Featuring exclusive interviews, musical clips and archival footage, each episode will investigate the stories of these pivotal artists, their journey through music and their perhaps unexpected influence on the music of today.

 New episodes will repeat at 11 p.m. ET on Sundays.

MARIAH CAREY CALLS OUT EMINEM – AGAIN: Singer tells Seacrest he's 'still using her name to boost his career, 'which I don't think is working.'
      
       *Mariah Carey is still being asked about her issues with rap star Eminem, which revved up last summer as both artists recorded songs that but the other on blast. 
      
       In an interview with Ryan Seacrest for his LA radio show, Carey never mentions Slim Shady's name, but made it clear that her new album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" is not full of songs that bash Eminem – and this includes the set's first single, "Obsessed."
      
       "If I write a song, called 'Why Are You So Upset With Me,' and people are seeing that person in the song, that's not my problem," she told Seacrest.

       "Eight years ago, maybe I knew that person, kind of, in a very platonic way and yet they're still using my name in songs in order to boost their career, which I don't think is working," she continued.
      
       "It's just obsession. ... Anybody who would write a song about somebody and try to say nasty, disgusting things about them eight years later, when they're married, I'm like, I don't think so."
      

DR. DRE INTRODUCES NEW LADY GAGA HEADPHONES: 'Heartbeats' joins family of Monster products under Beats by Dr. Dre.

       *Dr. Dre, Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine and audio/video accessories company Monster announce the introduction of Heartbeats by Lady Gaga, the latest addition to the Beats by Dr. Dre headphone family from Monster.
      
       With every detail developed with singer Lady Gaga, the design is both a reflection of her style and fashion sense as well as her commitment to the sound quality of her music, a press release states.
      
       The sets come with “ControlTalk,” an on-cable feature that provides users with full control of their listening experience when using their 3GS iPhone, iPod shuffle and other new iPods and portable music devices.
      
       The special Monster ControlTalk headphone cable features an integrated high-grade microphone and answer button and allows users to access their music and answer phone calls without having to reach into their pocketbook, backpack or pocket.
      
       Lady Gaga explains her motivation behind “Heartbeats by Lady Gaga”:
"In the deepest hour of the night, I confess to myself three things; I would die if I was forbidden to write, forbidden to love, or forbidden to fashion.
Heartbeats embody the trinity of my human being, with one additional vow:
that sound matters. Wear heartbeats, love each other, and celebrate the art and lifestyle of music.”
      
       Heartbeats by Lady Gaga will be available in all Best Buy stores on Oct. 18.
      
JAY-Z, KEYS FILM VIDEO NEAR GROUND ZERO: 'Empire State Of Mind' clip directed by Hype Williams.

 *Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – without Lil Mama – filmed the music video for their New York ode "Empire State of Mind" in spots around Tribeca and around Ground Zero on Wednesday.

       Before performing the song at the "MTV Video Music Awards" last month, Keys told the network how the collaboration for the track on Jay-Z's "Blueprint 3" album came about.
      
       "Working together on 'Empire State of Mind' was incredible," Keys said. "I've admired Jay-Z for a long time. 'Reasonable Doubt' is my all-time favorite album, period, and he's been on the scene for long time. I always figured that we would do some type of collaboration, and finally, it came together with this. He reached out to me and said, 'I have this big New York record. I feel its right for us to do it together. It has this big Frank Sinatra, take-it-there feeling. I feel like you could really do something with it.'
      
       "I went by [the studio], took a listen to it," she continued. "I really felt the energy of New York all through it. It felt classic, it felt so good; the piano obviously was in there. I said, 'I love it, so let's do it.' We communicated a lot during the process. I think we both are really happy with how it came out."

FLAVOR FLAV SHOPPING NEW REALITY SERIES: Rapper pitching show that would follow him getting high school diploma.

 *Flavor Flav is going back to high school and he wants TV cameras to film it for a new reality series.

       The rapper-turned-VH1 star, who dropped out of school in the 10th grade, is teaming with producer Eric Ortner to shop a new show to networks that would follow him as he earns his high school diploma.
       "I just want to show the world it's never too late to get your diploma, and show kids they should stay in school and not wait until you're old to get it," Flav tells the Hollywood Reporter. "Everybody sees me as this big love mogul. Now I got a baby girl, I've been there and done that and now it's time for the next episode."
      
       Flav starred in VH1's "The Surreal Life," "Strange Love" and in three seasons of the popular dating show "Flavor of Love," which set ratings records for the network. Flav ended up settling down with a woman who he met outside the show.

WYCLEF TEAMS WITH TIMBERLAND FOR GREEN BOOTS: Eco-friendly footwear and t-shirts to support rapper's Haiti charity.

       *Wyclef Jean and The Timberland Co. have joined forces to promote eco-friendly footwear, and to support reforestation of the singer's native Haiti, according to the Associated Press.
      
       Jean, a former member of rap group The Fugees, collaborated with the New Hampshire-based footwear and apparel company on a 16-boot collection set to hit stores in November. The partnership is part of Timberland's Earthkeepers program, which promotes environmental and social activism.
      
       Timberland will also sell T-shirts designed by Haitian children, and a new line of organic shirts and hats will be sold at Jean's concerts, with a portion of the proceeds going to Jean's Yele Haiti foundation.

       In an interview with The Associated Press, Jean says he hopes the partnership will inspire children and put a new face on his homeland.

TONI BRAXTON COUNTERSUED BY INSURANCE CO.: Lloyds of London claims she lied about medical history when she cancelled 2006 show over heart problems.

       *Lloyds of London has filed a countersuit against Toni Braxton, who filed a claim against the company for refusing to pay her under the concert cancellation insurance policy she took out.
      
       According to TMZ.com, the singer was supposed to get a check from Lloyds after canceling a show in 2006 due to heart problems. She sued Lloyd's for the money, but the company says they dropped Braxton because she failed to disclose her full medical history on the insurance application.
      
       Braxton suffered from pericarditis, a heart ailment that forced her to end a run of shows she had booked in Las Vegas.
      
       Lloyd's not only refuses to pay her, but has countersued claiming Braxton owes them damages.

PEAS TIE MARIAH'S RECORD ON HOT 100: 'I Gotta Feeling' matches 'We Belong Together' for longest No. 1 this decade.
      
       *The Black Eyed Peas single "I Gotta Feeling" is now tied with Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" for the longest No. 1 stay on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart this decade at 14 weeks. 
      
       The Peas have now held firm at No. 1 for 26 straight weeks, with "Boom Boom Pow" preceding "Feeling" with a 12-week run, making them the second act in the 51-year history of the Hot 100 to remain at No. 1 for a half a calendar year or more.
      
       The other was Usher, who spent 28 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 in
2004 with four tracks.
      
       Alicia Keys has the list's Hot Shot Debut as "Doesn't Mean Anything"
opens at No. 61. In just its second week on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song surges 32-19 as the Greatest Gainer.

 Meanwhile, next week's Billboard 200 albums chart will feature a tight race for No. 1 between Carey's new "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" and Paramore's third album "Brand New Eyes."
      
       Based on early prognostications from industry sources, each album could sell between 160,000 to 170,000 in their first week.

LEEZZY GETS A NEW ADVISOR GIG: Former Secretary of State to serve on board of Birmingham's Regions Financial Corp.

       *Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will serve as a senior adviser to Regions Financial Corp’s board of directors and executive management, the Birmingham, Ala. bank announced Tuesday.
      
       The position calls for Rice to provide advice and counsel on current regional and global issues that may affect Regions, the bank said in a news release to Birmingham.BizJournals.com.
      
       “Dr. Rice has a special interest in working with the largest public company headquartered in her hometown and contributing to its continued growth,” said Dowd Ritter, chairman, president and CEO. “We are fortunate to have someone of her tremendous quality and experience both in Washington and around the world. Her assistance in helping us navigate through today’s rapidly changing environment and uncertain times will be invaluable to Regions’ management and Board of Directors.”
      
       Rice, currently employed as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and professor of political science at Stanford University, served as secretary of state from January 2005 to 2009 and as an national security adviser from January 2001 to 2005.

       "I look forward to working with Regions, a responsible corporate citizen, in their efforts to make Birmingham and the communities they serve – stronger, healthier and better places to live," Rice said.

TAMIA, KELLY PRICE JOIN DIVAS LINEUP: Singers added to Sheryl Lee Ralph's fundraiser for HIV/AIDS research.
 
 *Tamia and Kelly Price – two/thirds of the new trio TDK with Deborah Cox – have been added to the lineup for the 19th Annual DIVAS Simply Singing, Sheryl Lee Ralph's annual fundraiser for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

 During the Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. event in Beverly Hills, Tamia and Price will announce the upcoming TDK album "The Queen Project," as well as a reality series that will document the making of the CD.

 Others in the lineup include Faith Evans, Yolanda Adams, Brenda Russell, Jenifer Lewis, Yo Yo, Barbara Morrison, Frenchie Davis, and Neo Soul Artist N’dambi along with original Dreamgirls Loretta Devine and Ralph herself. Sam Harris will be the resident divo, paying tribute to the ladies.

 The event will take place at the Saban Theatre (formerly Wilshire Theatre), located at  8440 Wilshire Blvd. Tickets range from $25 to $250.
For ticket information, contact the box office of the Saban Theatre Beverly Hills at 323-655-0111.

BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH STUDY GETS $9.1 MIL: Boston University's School of Medicine receives award from National Cancer Institute.

       *The Black Women's Health Study (BWHS) of the Sloan Epidemiology Center at Boston University School of Medicine's (BUSM) has received a five-year continuation of grant funding award from the National Cancer Institute.
      
       The National Cancer Institute has given a $9.1 million award to The Black Women's Health Study (BWHS) of the Sloan Epidemiology Center at Boston University School of Medicine's (BUSM).
      
       The money allows for a five-year continuation – years 16-20 – of the largest follow-up study of the health of African-American women, reports Michelle Roberts of the Boston University Medical Center.
      
       Lynn Rosenberg, Sc.D., an associate director of the Slone Epidemiology Center and professor of epidemiology at BUSM, is the principal investigator of the BWHS, which has followed 59,000 black women from across the United States since 1995.
      
       "African American women are more likely to be affected by aggressive breast cancers and at younger ages than other U.S. women," said Rosenberg.
"We are grateful that the National Cancer Institute recognizes the importance of studying causes of breast cancer in African American women."

OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         
For movies opening October 2, 2009
by Kam Williams

BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Invention of Lying (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality and drug use) Romantic comedy set in a mythical world where everyone is truthful and gullible except for the one person (Ricky Gervais) who has learned how to lie his way to fame and fortune while manipulating his way into the heart of the woman of his dreams (Jennifer Garner). With Tina Fey, Jeffrey Tambor,
Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe and Louis C.K. 

More Than a Game (PG for mild epithets and smoking) Overcoming-the-odds documentary recounting the hoop exploits and tight-knit friendship of LeBron James and the four pals he played on the same basketball team with from junior high through high school graduation. 

A Serious Man (R for profanity, sexuality, nudity and brief violence) Semi-autobiographical comedy set in Minnesota in 1967, written and directed by the Coen Brothers, about a college professor (Michael Stuhlbarg) whose life falls apart when he is left by his wife (Sari Lennick) for one of his colleagues (Fred Melamed). 

Toy Story I & II 3D (G) The much-beloved, animated children's classics return to theaters in 3-D format. With voicework by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, John Ratzenberger and "Mr Warmth" Don Rickles. 

Whip It (PG-13 for sexuality, crude humor, profanity and drug use) Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut and also appears in this adaptation of Shauna Cross' best seller about a reluctant beauty pageant contestant (Ellen Page) who rebels against her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) by joining a rough-and-tumble roller derby team. Cast includes Kristen Wiig, Jimmy
Fallon, Eve, Daniel Stern, Juliette Lewis and Har Mar Superstar.

Zombieland (R for profanity and gory violence) Horror comedy about a hardy band of survivors (Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone) who seek sanctuary in an amusement park after America is overrun by man-eating zombies. Supporting cast includes Billy Murray, Amber Heard and Derek Graf.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Afterschool (Unrated) Youtube generation drama about an internet-addicted, prep school student (Ezra Miller) who dispassionately videotapes the deaths of a couple of classmates instead of trying to save them after an accidental drug overdose. With Rosemarie DeWitt, Emory Cohen and Addison Timlin.

As Seen through These Eyes (Unrated) Holocaust documentary, narrated by Maya Angelou, examines works of art created by Holocaust survivors imprisoned at Auschwitz, including the personal portraitist of Nazi madman Josef Mengele.

A Beautiful Life (Unrated) Screen adaptation of the stage play "Jersey City," a romance drama about a runaway teen Angela Sarafyan) who falls in love with an illegal immigrant (Jesse Garcia) sharing shelter at an L.A. strip club. With Ling Bai, Dana Delany and Debi Mazar. 

Chelsea on the Rocks (R for profanity, sexuality, drug use and brief violence) Director Abel Ferrara moved into Manhattan's Chelsea Hotel for six months to shoot this documentary about the historic artists' residence which over the ages has served as a home for everyone from Mark Twain and O. Henry to Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.   

The Horse Boy (Unrated) Road documentary chronicling a Texas couple's travels by horseback with their two year-old son across Outer Mongolia in a desperate search for a spiritual shaman who could cure the child's autism miraculously.

Intimate Enemies (Unrated) Algerian war saga, set in 1959, focusing on the strained relationship of a battle-hardened sergeant (Albert Dupontel) and an officer (Benoit Magimel) new to the front who is reluctant to participate in any barbaric atrocities or crimes against humanity. (In French, Arabic and Kabyle with subtitles)'

St. Trinian's (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, mature themes, and drug and alcohol use) Sixth installment in the British comedy series set at the famed school for troubled girls finds the mischievous heroines hatching a plan to steal a priceless painting in order to save their financially-troubled alma mater from bankruptcy. With Talulah Riley, Rupert Everett, Gemma Arterton and Juno Temple. 

EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE 

"Look at life through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror." — Byrd Baggett
      
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS   

         Oct. 2: Singer Freddie Jackson is 47. Singer Dion Allen of Az Yet
is 35. Singer LaTocha Scott of Xscape is 32. Rapper Big Proof of D12 is 28.

         Oct. 3: Activist Al Sharpton is 55. Retired MLB player Dave Winfield is 58.

       Oct. 4: Actor Clifton Davis ("Amen") is 64. Rap producer Russell Simmons is 52. Singer Jessica Benson of 3LW is 22.

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
      
        If you are someone who loves to travel, check out the online version of Pathfinder magazine: www.pathfinderstravel.com

      Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.     

BLACK HISTORY
              
        Oct. 2, 1967: Thurgood Marshall is sworn in and becomes the first black Supreme Court Justice.

       Oct. 3, 1995: Ex-football star O.J. Simpson is cleared of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
      
       Oct. 4, 1988: The Martin L. King, Jr. Federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga. It is the first federal building in the nation to bear the name of the slain civil rights leader.  (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)