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MIJAC NABS 5 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD NOMS: Plus, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Foxx, Cole, Mary Mary, Peas, Hilson, Maxwell and T.I. make the cut.
*Michael Jackson, who has dominated album sales since his death June 25, received five posthumous American Music Awards nominations on Tuesday, including the coveted artist of the year.
Unlike the industry-voted Grammy Awards, American Music Award nominations are based on sales and radio data from Nielsen SoundScan, with winners determined by online voting from fans.
In the 10 days following Jackson's death, his 2003 greatest hits package "Number Ones" surged to the top of the charts selling more than 440,000 copies, according to Nielsen. The collection could end up as 2009's top-selling album.
Jackson will face Lady Gaga, Eminem, Kings of Leon and country star Taylor Swift in the artist of the year category, while "Number Ones" scored a nod for favorite pop/rock album, where it will compete against Gaga's "The Fame" and Swift's "Fearless."
The King of Pop was also nominated for favorite pop/rock male artist, favorite soul/R&B artist and favorite soul/R&B album.
Swift leads all AMA nominations with six, while Eminem falls in behind Jackson with four nods.
Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas and T.I. each earned three nominations; while Jay-Z and gospel duo Mary Mary each collected two. Receiving one nod apiece were Keri Hilson, Keyshia Cole, Jamie Foxx, Maxwell, Day 26 and country singer Darius Rucker.
The American Music Awards will air live for the East Coast from Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles on ABC at 8 p.m. Nov. 22.
Complete nominations for the 2009 American Music Awards are listed
below:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kings of Leon
Taylor Swift
Lady Gaga
Eminem
Michael Jackson
POP/ROCK - Favorite Male Artist
Eminem
Michael Jackson
T.I.
POP/ROCK - Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce
Lady Gaga
Taylor Swift
POP/ROCK - Favorite Band, Duo or Group
The Black Eyed Peas
Kings of Leon
Nickelback
POP/ROCK - Favorite Album
Fame - Lady Gaga
Number Ones - Michael Jackson
Fearless - Taylor Swift
COUNTRY - Favorite Male Artist
Jason Aldean
Darius Rucker
Keith Urban
COUNTRY - Favorite Female Artist
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
COUNTRY - Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
Zac Brown Band
COUNTRY - Favorite Album
Unstoppable - Rascal Flatts
Fearless - Taylor Swift
Foundation - Zac Brown Band
RAP/HIP-HOP - Favorite Male Artist
Eminem
Jay-Z
T.I.
RAP/HIP-HOP - Favorite Album
Relapse - Eminem
Blueprint 3 - Jay-Z
Paper Trail - T.I.
SOUL/R&B - Favorite Male Artist
Jamie Foxx
Michael Jackson
Maxwell
SOUL/R&B - Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce
Keyshia Cole
Keri Hilson
SOUL/R&B - Favorite Band, Duo or Group
The Black Eyed Peas
Day26
Mary Mary
SOUL/R&B - Favorite Album
I Am...Sasha Fierce - Beyonce
The E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas
Number Ones - Michael Jackson
SOUNDTRACKS - Favorite Album
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hannah Montana 3
Twilight Soundtrack
ALTERNATIVE ROCK - Favorite Artist
Green Day
Kings of Leon
Shinedown
ADULT CONTEMPORARY - Favorite Artist
Daughtry
Jason Mraz
Taylor Swift
LATIN - Favorite Artist
Aventura
Luis Fonsi
Wisin Y Yandel
CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL - Favorite Artist Jeremy Camp Brandon Heath Mary Mary
PAUL ANKA GETS HALF OF 'THIS IS IT' COPYRIGHT: Crooner proves he co-authored MiJac's 'new' single nearly 20 years ago.
*Paul Anka has settled his gripe with Sony music after discovering that Michael Jackson's new single "This Is It" was actually a tune he co-wrote with the King of Pop in 1983 and gave to another singer to record
18 years ago.
After threatening to sue Jackson's estate for proper credit and his share of royalties, the administrators of the estate quickly acknowledged Anka's claims and granted him 50 percent of the copyright, according to the AP.
"They realize it's a mistake, they realize it's my song, they realize it's my production of his vocal in my studio and I am getting 50 percent of the whole project, actually, which is fair," Anka, 68, said in a video posted on TMZ.com.
The original song, called "I Never Heard," was intended for inclusion on an Anka album. But the pair fell out after co-writing the tune. Jackson took the master tapes, but Anka ended up getting them back. The song was eventually released in 1991 after Anka placed it with an unknown Latin singer named Sa-Fire.
Both "I Never Heard" and "This Is It" share the same vocal and piano line, although the latter track boasts new overdubs from Jackson's brothers.
But "This Is It" had been promoted as a new Jackson recording, one of a multitude of unreleased recordings likely to come out in the next few years.
It was released online around the world nearly four months after the singer died in Los Angeles of a prescription drug overdose at the age of 50.
Fans will be able to buy it when a two-disc album hits the shelves in two weeks to coincide with the Oct. 28 worldwide release of the Jackson rehearsal-footage movie "This is It."
JANET JACKSON TO RELEASE GREATEST HITS CD: Set to include her latest single 'Make Me.'
*Janet Jackson's upcoming greatest hits album, titled "Number Ones,"
includes her latest release "Make Me," which debuted online in September immediately following her performance on the MTV Video Music Awards.
The two-disc album, due Nov. 17, features 33 classic Jackson tracks spanning the pop star's career – from her 1986 debut, "Control," to last year's "Discipline."
Jackson's last greatest hits album was released in 1995.
The 43-year-old singer is also working on an autobiography and a new studio album set for release next year.
NEWARK MAYOR TO FINALLY FACE CONAN O'BRIEN: Cory Booker to visit 'Tonight Show' and challenge host over recent jokes.
*Newark Mayor Cory Booker will "put on for his city" with an appearance this Friday on "The Tonight Show," where he is expected to take on Conan O'Brien for making fun of the city's bleak reputation.
The booking follows weeks of playful feuding between Booker and O'Brien that began on Sept. 23, when the red head poked fun at Booker's new health care plan for Newark — long an icon for urban decay — saying it consisted of a bus ticket out of town.
Booker fought back with a humorous response on YouTube in which he "banned" the 46-year-old NBC host from Newark Liberty International Airport.
The back-and-forth continued until Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the nation's top diplomat, playfully broke up the spat Oct. 8.
"I look forward to our summit," O'Brien said in a statement. "My apologies for bumping Brad Pitt."
Booker is expected to point out the city's reduction in shootings and homicides during his first term as Newark mayor, which began in July 2006.
But the city's unemployment rate was 14.7 percent in August.
Booker said Newark has been the brunt of unfair jokes and criticism for too long.
"We're making progress in Newark on problems that impact cities everywhere," he said.
HEIDI KLUM AND SEAL WELCOME BABY GIRL: Lou Sulola Samuel born Friday evening in Los Angeles.
*Heidi Klum and Seal are the proud new parents of baby girl, Lou Sulola Samuel, born Friday (Oct. 9) in Los Angeles, her rep stated. The couple's fourth child joins siblings Johan, 2 ½, Henry, 4, and Leni, 5.
In a statement released Monday, Seal gushed: "It's difficult to imagine loving another child as much as you love your existing children.
Anyone who has a family will tell you this. Where will one find that extra love? If you love your existing children with all of your heart, how then can one possibly find more heart with which to love another?"
"On Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at 7:46 p.m., the answer to this question came in the form of our fourth child and second daughter," he continued.
"Lou Sulola Samuel was born, and from the moment she looked into both of our eyes, it was endless love at first sight. She is beautiful beyond words and we are happy that she chose us to watch her grow over the coming years."
Klum recently applied to change her last name to Seal's surname of Samuel. She and the "Kiss From a Rose" singer were married in 2005.
JAMIE FOXX SAYS POLANSKI 'WOULD BE MISSING': Director better be glad the actor's daughter wasn't his teen victim.
*While promoting his new film "Law Abiding Citizen," Jamie Foxx was asked about the 1977 case in which director Roman Polanski pled guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old minor – then promptly fled the country before sentencing.
“If it had been my daughter who was barely a teenager — my daughter is 15 — Roman Polanski would be missing ... period,” Foxx said in an interview with Parade magazine. “It wouldn’t even get to the court case.
But, that’s me and I wouldn’t want anyone else to follow that because you should let the justice system work it out.”
Foxx went on to explain that while his perspective might have been different had he known the director personally, as do many of his Hollywood peers, ultimately he believes “this whole issue is bigger than Roman Polanski.” So big, it forces Foxx to confront his own complex sense of revenge.
“Revenge is a tough thing,” said the Oscar winner. “When it comes to someone bringing harm to your family, it’s hard to think about turning the other cheek. When I hear about things that we allow to go on in our society where women are harmed, I just knee-jerk. I’ve said some things publicly that my publicist keeps telling me I should keep to myself.
"I don’t know if that’s my Texas upbringing, but there comes a point where you just say, ‘OK, that would be my tipping point. What would I do?’
Some of things I’ve said I’d do to sexual perpetrators were pretty graphic.
But I also read some stories of people taking the law into their own hands, which is bad too. So it’s tough to know how far you’d go.”
On Sept. 26, Polanski was arrested, at the request of U.S.
authorities, by Swiss police, on arrival at Zürich Airport while trying to enter Switzerland to pick up a lifetime achievement "Golden Icon Award" from the Zurich Film Festival.
'SOUTHLAND' MAY GET SECOND CHANCE: TNT reportedly looking to pick up series after NBC pulled the plug.
*After NBC announced the end of its new cop drama "Southland" on Friday, ears over at TNT suddenly perked up.
Negotiations are reportedly underway to bring the Regina King series to the cable network, which shares a corporate parent with Warner Bros. TV – the studio that produces the critically-praised series with WBTV-based John Wells Prods.
The Hollywood Reporter on Monday quoted sources who said talks between the two sides are "advancing."
"We continually look at all programming opportunities that fit our portfolio of brands," TNT said in a statement.
"Southland," shot six episodes of its second season before being shut down by NBC last week.
'FLASHFORWARD' GETS A FULL SEASON PICKUP: ABC rewards its new mystery drama after ratings success.
*Good news for Courtney B. Vance, Gabrielle Union, Lynn Whitfield, Barry Shabaka Henley and the other cast members of ABC's freshman series "FlashForward."
The network has given a full-season pickup to the mystery drama, which has done well in its competitive Thursday-night time slot, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
"FlashForward" was the first regular scripted series since "Friends"
to beat CBS' perennial winner "Survivor" with the advertiser-desired 18- to 49-year-old audiences.
The full season pickup includes nine more episodes to tell its core story of a mysterious worldwide two-minute-and-17-second blackout. Joseph Fiennes, John Cho and Sonya Walger also star.
GLOVER, DUNBAR, NAUGHTON 'PARK' IN DETROIT: Trio star in new indie film about restoration of a public library.
*Danny Glover, Rockmond Dunbar and Nauri Naughton star in the upcoming film "Highland Park," a drama about a group of high school faculty members who embark upon restoring a public library to help build hope in the community.
The Bureau of Moving Pictures feature film, set in Detroit, is based on the true story of a teacher winning the lottery and using the money to help revitalize his community. Cast members include Billy Burke, Michelle Forbes, Parker Posey, Bob Gunton and Deborah Ann Woll, with Andrew Meieran helming.
The film is unique in that it has the real-life motive of helping to reopen Highland Park's McGregor Library, shut down in 2002 because of a lack of funds.
Meieran plans to simultaneously direct the film as well as a documentary tracing Highland Park's history and the library restoration efforts.
NENE LEAKES AND CO. HEADED TO DAYTIME: 'Real Housewives' franchise gets syndication deal to begin in fall 2010.
*Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchise will begin airing in off-net syndication next fall thanks to a deal struck by its parent company NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution.
Variety is reporting that the company sold the franchise to NBC Local Media, Hearst Television and other broadcast groups around the country to air in daytime syndication.
The first batch of episodes will be a combination of the various "Housewives" incarnations -- Orange County, New York City, Atlanta and New Jersey – and are set to air Monday through Friday.
NBC Local Media is the umbrella for Peacock's owned-and-operated stations -- in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Miami, San Diego and Hartford, Conn.
Hearst stations are in Tampa, Orlando and West Palm Beach, Fla.; plus Sacramento, Louisville, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Baltimore and New Orleans.
BILL COSBY READY TO DROP HIP HOP ALBUM: 'State of Emergency' features real rappers on tracks conceived by the comedian.
*Bill Cosby's long-discussed rap album is finally here.
Titled “Bill Cosby Presents the Cosnarati: State of Emergency," the set features the comedian as executive producer in charge of developing the concepts for each track.
William “Spaceman” Patterson and Ultramagnetic MC veteran Ced-Gee served as the album's producers, mixing elements of hip-hop, R&B, jazz, pop, rock, and funk to power such songs as “Where’s the Parade,” honoring black women; “Dad Behind the Glass,” about absent fathers; and “Get on Your Job,”
detailing self-responsibility.
"I don't like referring to the music as clean,” Cosby said in a statement. “What I like is what you're not going to do. You're not going to curse. You're not going to put women down. You're not going to put the glory of the gun somewhere. And you're not going to put a whole lot of violence up front like that's the thing that will cleanse you and make you feel better."
The album will be available for digital and physical release on Nov.
24, including Cosby’s social media network site www.billcosby.com. Cosby and the Cosnarati Band will perform on Oct. 19 via a virtual town hall meeting in New York City. The presentation is courtesy of Ustream and begins at 7 p.m. Additionally, the concert will be available on www.billcosby.com and www.facebook.com/billcosby.
LATIFAH SCHEDULES NOVEMBER TOUR: Singer-actress-rapper to promote new set 'Persona.'
*Queen Latifah has set aside the month of November for a North American tour to promote her recently released studio set, "Persona."
The entertainer kicks things off with a Nov. 1 show in Vancouver, after which she will work her way east. The month-long club tour will stop by 18 cities through the Nov. 29 conclusion in Chicago.
"Persona," Latifah's seventh studio album and her long-awaited return to hip-hop, debuted at No. 25 on The Billboard 200 during its release in August. It is Latifah's first collection of new material since 1998's "Order in the Court."
"My acting, singing and rapping identities all came together under one roof as well as my taste in different kinds of music," Latifah explained about "Persona" in a recent interview with the LA Times. "I'd say it's half rap and half singing. If I had to categorize it, it would be more like hip-hop urban alternative."
Below is Queen Latifah's tour itinerary:
November 2009
1 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
3 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
4 - West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
6 - Las Vegas, NV - LAX
8 - Denver, CO - Odgen Theatre
10 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
12 - Austin, TX - Antone's
13 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
15 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
17 - Miami Beach, FL - Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater
18 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
19 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
21 - Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live!
22 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
24 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
25 - Foxborough, MA - Showcase Live
27 - Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues
29 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
RAY-J LOOKING FOR LOVE AGAIN ON VH1: Season 2 begins Nov. 2 at 9 p.m.
*He's baack. Ray J returns to VH1 next month with a whole new crop of ladies vying for his affection in "For The Love of Ray J 2."
Last season, the artist chose Cocktail out of 14 women, but as these things tend to go, the relationship did not last. His search for a new love begins Monday, Nov. 2 at 9 p.m.
"For The Love of Ray J 2" will bring 19 single ladies to Ray J's TV mansion in the Hollywood Hills. "With the help of VH1, Ray J will be able to see first-hand who can handle his fast-paced celebrity lifestyle," the network stated. "From hitting the hottest spots in LA to seeing if they can deal with the pressures of being Ray J's girl, these women will be put to the test."
Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 27 fans can catch a sneak peek of the season's first episode on VH1.com - six days before the on-air premiere.
Subsequent episodes will be available on VH1.com the morning after they air.
Additional video content from "For The Love Of Ray J 2" including extras from each episode will be available on VH1.com and on VH1 Mobile throughout the season.
ZO' MOURNING LOBBIES FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM: Former NBA star joins Kidney Care Partners on Capitol Hill to educate lawmakers.
*Seven-time NBA All-Star and kidney transplant recipient Alonzo Mourning visited Washington, D.C. this week to educate federal lawmakers about the impact of kidney disease and to ask for their commitment on health care reform.
Mourning was accompanied by leadership from Kidney Care Partners, a broad-based alliance of patient advocates, dialysis professionals, care providers, nurses and physicians groups, researchers and manufacturers working together to improve access, choice and quality of care for individuals with kidney disease and kidney failure.
While on Capitol Hill, Mourning asked lawmakers to specifically support extending the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) provision, which currently forces end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients off of their private insurance and onto Medicare after 30 months of dialysis.
"By allowing ESRD patients to stay on their preferred private insurance coverage for longer, they will be able to take advantage of helpful preventive care and health management services not offered by Medicare that can help them better manage their kidney disease and their overall health," said Mourning.
"Extending this access to employer-based insurance will also create the savings to Medicare that are needed to help patients keep their transplanted kidney and avoid a return to dialysis. So for patients and for the government, this policy just makes sense."
Mourning's advocacy efforts in Washington come on the heels of the successful passage of the "Alonzo Mourning Access to Care Act," which went into effect in Florida on October 1. The legislation, which was passed with overwhelming support in the Florida state legislature, created the opportunity for Florida's Medicare beneficiaries, including ESRD patients under the age of 65, to purchase Medigap coverage for their medical needs.
LUDACRIS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES HONOREES: Rep. Maxine Waters, Quincy Jones and Debra Lee to be recognized.
*The 6th Annual Ludacris Foundation Benefit Dinner will honor Rep.
Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), with its first Ludacris Foundation Congressional Leadership Award.
The gala, which takes place on Oct. 24, will also recognize the achievements of Quincy Jones, BET CEO Debra Lee and two other individuals – all of whom possess "a rich history of giving back and who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service," a press release states.
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and comedian Joe Clair will host the event.
Russell Simmons, Bob Johnson, LA Reid, Common, Usain Bolt, Cathy Hughes, Jeff Johnson, Clinton Portis, Taraji Henson, Hill Harper, Michael Eric Dyson, Cynne Simpson, Raheem DeVaughn, DJ Nice, Gabrielle Union, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, Big Tigger and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty are expected to attend.
P. MILLER TRYING TO FEED WORLD'S HUNGRY: Mogul joins with charity organization for holiday giving.
*Percy "Master P" Miller has launched a partnership with OneMillionGifts.org to help feed and clothe at least 1 million people around the world throughout the upcoming holiday season.
OneMillionGifts.org helps children and parents who lack education or shelter and those children that have addicted parents or come from broken homes.
"Growing up in poverty made me realize that most crimes are committed during Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Master P. told AllHipHop.com. “Not only will we feed and clothe one million but also we can help prevent a lot of those in need from committing crimes like robbing and stealing the food or gifts they can't afford during the holidays. Our mission is to bring hope to families by offering programs that help educate and rehabilitate families back into society.”
Master P. is going all out to spread the word. “I'm reaching out personally to corporations, entrepreneurs, pro-athletes, entertainers, churches, foundations, radio stations, online media, TV stations, Oprah, Dr.Phil, and others that can help bring awareness to this great cause,” he said.
“Eight years ago, I realized that education saves lives and being charitable and helping those in need has given me a profound happiness in my life, as there is nothing more rewarding than bringing smiles to children who are less fortunate,” Master P. stated. “OneMillionGifts.org specializes in these areas. Therefore, I'm honored to be a part of this team."
MLK'S CHILDREN SETTLE LEGAL DISPUTE: Temporary custodian ordered to handle parents' affairs so siblings can mend fences.
*The children of Martin Luther King Jr. have closed the book on their long-running and contentious battle over their father's estate, reports The Guardian.
Martin Luther King III and Bernice King have been battling Dexter King in an Atlanta courtroom for more than a year over the management of their father's legacy. Among the debated issues were the division of $32 million from the sale of the Nobel laureate's archives, and the ownership of love letters written to their mother from their father.
The siblings began negotiations Monday morning as the threat loomed of a public trial that was expected to reveal personal and financial details about King Inc, the multimillion-dollar firm set up to control their father's estate. Had they not reached an agreement, jury selection would have started this week.
Dexter's brother and sister sued him in July 2008, accusing him of acting improperly as head of their father's estate, which the three of them control as a private corporation. In the lawsuit, they claimed he shut them out of decisions involving King Inc and had refused to hold a shareholders'
meeting since 2004. The three have been estranged for months as Martin Luther III and Bernice said their brother continued to make decisions on behalf of King Inc without their input or knowledge.
According to Monday's agreement, Fulton county superior court judge Ural Glanville has declared the siblings "deadlocked" as shareholders and will appoint a temporary custodian to run King Inc and work with them to determine the future of the corporation.
The temporary custodian is also meant to add credibility to the troubled estate and allow the siblings a chance to focus on improving their personal relationships. All three siblings said they looked forward to mending the rifts of recent months.
"It was a tiring day, but I would say a very triumphant day," Dexter said after the hearing. "This allows us to begin the healing process. I'm looking forward to the future. The most important thing is that we can advance the legacy of our parents."
Dexter, who seriously injured his leg in a recent car accident, walked on crutches during the day and left the courthouse in a wheelchair without his siblings. However, Martin Luther III and Bernice called the settlement a positive one.
"We have always loved one another," said the elder brother. "After all, we are all we have."
Bernice said reconciliation with Dexter would be a process. "Love compels you to take a higher road," she said. "We love our brother and the legacy of our parents. At the end of the day, we're still a family."
Both parties must submit three names of proposed custodians within 14 days of the settlement. Under the terms of the agreement, the candidates "must be qualified to manage a business but must also be sensitive to the nature of the legacy to be managed."
The court must interview at least one choice from both sides, and will name the custodian within 30 days of receiving the proposed list of candidates. Once approved, the custodian will report regularly to the court on King Inc's progress.
HAMPTON DIVIDED OVER FIRST NON-BLACK MISS HU: Nikole Churchill chosen by judges to rep school. Controversy ensues.
*Friday's crowning of Hampton University's first non-black Miss HU has caused a great divide on campus that prompted the winner to write President Barack Obama for help in addressing racial tolerance.
Nikole Churchill – a 22-year-old from Hawaii whose mother is Italian and father if from Guam – won against nine black students in the 15th annual Miss HU scholarship pageant, according to Virginia's Newport News Daily Press.
The senior nursing major wrote Obama on Sunday to tell him that her crowning has been met with criticism due to her skin color. She invited the president to visit HU and speak out about racial tolerance.
"I am hoping that perhaps you would be able to make an appearance to my campus, Hampton University, so that my fellow Hamptonians can stop focusing so much on the color of my skin and doubting my abilities to represent," she wrote in a letter posted Sunday on Congress.org, "but rather be proud of the changes our nation is making toward accepting diversity."
Churchill, who attends the school's College of Virginia Beach, won a $1,500 scholarship, will serve as homecoming queen Oct. 24 and continues on to the 2010 Miss Virginia pageant.
This year's HU pageant was judged by five people, including two certified by the Miss Virginia competition, which leads to the Miss America pageant. The other judges were Joan Gentry, an HU counselor for freshman studies; Lorraine Bell, an HU music professor; and Henry Mills, a senior vice president at Old Point National Bank.
The Daily Press is reporting that the Hampton campus is split on Churchill's crowning. Journalism sophomore Juan Diasgranados said everyone from students to faculty and professors are weighing in – with some believing her win embodies HU's spirit of diversity, and others complaining that she's not black and doesn't attend the main campus.
Hampton's main campus has about 5,700 students while the university's Virginia Beach campus has about 90 students.
Diasgranados said a noticeable number of students walked out of the pageant in Ogden Hall when Churchill was crowned, but that he was among the majority who stood and applauded.
Churchill was one of about 35 students who applied to compete in the pageant during the spring semester, and one of 10 selected to compete after turning in applications. Her platform was about the need to mentor girls ages 11-14 on topics including self-esteem, body image, teenage pregnancies and nutrition.
EUR FILM REVIEW: The Cartel
Expose' Uncovers Cronyism at Heart of N.J. Public Education System
Film Review by Kam Williams
*I got the shock of my life soon after graduating from college when I tried teaching in an inner city public school.
I was totally unprepared for an educational system which had already failed the students entering my high school English classes.
Since I had only attended parochial schools, I was unfamiliar with the practice of awarding social promotions which sent functional-illiterates on to the next grade even though they had never learned to read.
Before I left to look for another line of work at the end of the year, I never really received an adequate answer from the head of my department as to why I was being forced to pass 90% of the kids in my class, when less than a third had mastered the material.
What good would it do them to get a diploma, if they couldn't really read, write or do basic arithmetic?
Thus, I found The Cartel to be thoroughly refreshing, for this chilling expose' confirmed for me exactly the extent of the entrenched corruption truly dedicated teachers remain up against. Directed by intrepid investigative journalist Bob Bowdon, this damning documentary blows the cover off the state of affairs in New Jersey's public schools, where educational concerns take a back seat to the salaries and benefits of the teachers and staff.
According to Bowdon, cronyism is rampant in the Garden State, where only 45% of the high school grads are actually ready for college. And although New Jersey ranks #1 in the amount of money devoted to public education, its students only rank 37th in SAT scores. The problem starts with excessive administration pay and is compounded by a teachers' union more devoted to protecting its members than to helping kids. This explains why the organization runs a misleading TV ad boasting that Jersey has the best graduation rate in the country when it's really 24th.
In addition, the state is broken up into 616 school districts, which inflates costs, as this in turn necessitates the wasteful duplication of superintendents, principals and other non-classroom employees. Sadly, this arrangement hurts the inner city the most, where the dwindling tax base translates into less funds, more violence in the halls and a mere 12% student proficiency in Mathematics.
An eye-opening film that makes the best case yet for making vouchers available as an option for parents of children stuck in woefully underperforming schools.
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: minutes
Studi Bowdon Media
To see a trailer for The Cartel, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzIfTmD8UUc
MARVIN SAPP LIVE: Fifth CD to be ground breaking.
*Marvin Sapp is set to record the follow-up to his runaway hit Thirsty, and fans around the world are invited to the concert as it is streamed live over the web at www.verityrecords.com. Those viewing the stream also will be the first to see one-on-one interviews with Sapp, Aaron Lindsey and others involved with the recording.
In addition to viewing the live concert, fans will be invited into the Marvin Sapp Recording chat room for an interactive experience during the recording that will include special contests throughout the evening, including the opportunity to win Marvin Sapp’s entire catalogue and a call from Sapp himself immediately following the recording.
Fans logged into the live stream can text to purchase a ring tone of one of the evening’s amazing songs - "I Came" - during the recording. The event will take place Friday, Oct. 16th and will begin with an exclusive pre-show at 6:30 p.m. EST. Aaron Lindsey will produce the show and Myron Butler will serve as director.
STAR-STUDDED CD: Gotta Have Gospel is a must.
*As people start to turn their attention towards the holiday season, the CD entitled GOTTA HAVE GOSPEL! CHRISTMAS will be released on Oct. 20, 2009. Fifteen of today’s brightest and most renowned gospel artists lend their voices in celebration of the birth of Christ — the real reason for the season.
According to RocSpace News, this compilation includes all the yuletide standards and classics performed by gospel’s biggest stars, including Donnie McClurkin’s "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," Mary Mary’s "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," Fred Hammond’s "Go Tell It on the Mountain," Yolanda Adams’ "Little Drummer Boy," Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singers’ "Carol of the Bells," and Martha Munizzi’s "O Little Town of Bethlehem."
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE CHURCH: Pastors resist call to use pulpit as a platform.
*A Maryland state’s attorney is butting heads with clergy in his county over domestic violence and how to combat it. Glenn F. Ivey told the Washington Post that his efforts to get area pastors to speak against domestic violence from the pulpit has been met with a brick wall of resistance.
"I thought it would be an easy sell," Ivey said Saturday at the third annual conference of the Domestic Violence Ministry of the People's Community Baptist Church in Silver Spring. "But no, I heard things like: 'Brother, it's a little hot to talk about that one.' Or, 'Well, I'll take it up, and we'll form a task force and get back to you.' . . . And then there are churches where the response to the victim is, 'You have to stick it out.' "
More than 50 social workers, government officials and advocates attended the conference. According to Ivey, the state’s attorney for Prince George’s County near Washington, D.C., some clergy argued with him about the acceptability of domestic violence, citing passages in the Bible that could be misinterpreted as supporting it. Ivey said even though nearly one-third of American women report having been abused by a husband or boyfriend and as many as 80 percent of teenagers report knowing others who were involved in abusive relationships, domestic violence is a topic few people want to talk about publicly.
President Barack Obama has designated October as "National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Area churches and community based organizations across the D.C. metro area will host gatherings for "Project Safe Sunday," an initiative aimed at getting people to talk about the sometimes-taboo subject of domestic violence. Ivey said the goal is to help people understand the serious and complicated problem and to spur them to learn how to help themselves and others get out of abusive relationships.
The subject received national attention recently when singer Chris Brown attacked his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, and was sentenced to community service. The incident highlighted the need for better education.
SEX OFFENDERS AT CHURCH: Some state laws might hinder freedom of religion.
*A registered sex offender who was arrested for worshiping at a church with a daycare center said his constitutional right to religious freedom has been violated. James Nichols is challenging North Carolina’s sex-offender laws saying his criminal status has kept him from bettering himself by attending church service.
According to the Raleigh News and Observer, police arrested Nichols, a convicted sex offender, after they learned the church he frequented housed a daycare center. At issue in Nichols' case and a similar one in Georgia are day care centers and youth programs at houses of worship where sex offenders can come into proximity with children. Sex offender advocates agree some convicts should not be allowed around children, but they contend barring all offenders denies them support needed to become productive citizens.
"Criminalizing the practice of religion for everyone on the registry will do more harm than good," said Sara Totonchi, policy director for the Southern Center for Human Rights. "With these laws, states are driving people on the registry from their faith community and depriving them of the rehabilitative influence of the church."
Thirty-six states establish zones where sex offenders cannot live or visit. Some states provide exemptions for churches but many do not. Last December, North Carolina state legislators barred sex offenders from coming within 300 feet of any place intended primarily for the use, care or supervision of minors.
HIGH SCHOOL BIBLE CLASSES: Students petition to make Bible study a class elective.
*High school students in the Houston area school district have petitioned the board to offer Bible classes to fulfill a state law that was passed in 2007. According to the Houston Chronicle, two years ago state lawmakers made it OK for schools to provide elective Bible classes but so far few school districts implemented the plan. Now some students have lost patience.
The 2007 law requires schools, beginning this year, to include some Bible literacy in history and literature classes. Bible classes are optional but encouraged under the law. The thinking is that educated students must be familiar with biblical references and themes that pervade culture and society.
"It's not like a Bible study like you have at church," said Gale Drummond, assistant superintendent of secondary education for Conroe ISD. "It's about looking at the Bible and its influence in Western civilization."
Some school districts in other areas of Texas already have begun to offer the classes. Now students in the Montgomery County districts want the same. A renewed interest in Bible classes seems to have struck the nation in the past few years. Many states have introduced Bible bills, and some states, such as Texas, Georgia and Tennessee, have passed laws mandating Bible classes or the inclusion of Bible literacy in core classes.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself."
— Leonardo da Vinci
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Oct. 14: Singer Karyn White is 44. Singer Shaznay Lewis of All Saints is 34. Singer Usher is 31.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
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BLACK HISTORY
Oct. 14, 1834: Harry Blair patents his corn-planting machine.
(Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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