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11-05-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
BEYONCE PREPS ABC THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: Plus, singer to release live DVD and CD from an August concert in Las Vegas.
*Turkey, football and now, Beyonce, will be available on Thanksgiving day, thanks to ABC, which is putting together a special featuring the superstar.
The program will come three days after Columbia's Nov. 23 release of "I Am ... Yours: An Intimate Performance At Wynn Las Vegas," a live concert DVD and companion CD.
The DVD, culled from an August stand in Las Vegas, will mix biographical storytelling, performances and behind-the-scenes footage, showcasing over 30 songs from all three Beyonce solo albums. A CD of the concert will be included in the package.
Also due Nov. 23 is a deluxe version of her current studio album "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," which will feature two bonus tracks, including "Video Phone (Extended Remix)," featuring Lady Gaga. The music video for "Video Phone" will premiere on MTV today.
CHRIS BROWN TO DISCUSS NIGHT OF ASSAULT: Singer sits down with MTV's Sway for an hour-long interview to air Friday.
*Chris Brown will finally discuss in detail what drove him to beat up his ex-girlfriend Rihanna on that February night in a new MTV News special "Chris Brown: The Interview," which airs Friday, November 6, at 6 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.
In the hour-long interview with MTV News correspondent Sway, Brown explains what caused him to lash out against his former girlfriend, why he tweeted old photos of the two of them and what does he think about, nine months later, when he recalls that fateful night?
"My thoughts [when I look back on it now] is like, why did it happen?" he told Sway during the interview that took place in Brown's native Virginia. "Like, what was I thinking? What is wrong with you? That's what I'm thinking with myself. That's what my thoughts are, basically, now.
"It's like, how do we get past it? How do you, Chris — talking to myself — how do you go from point A to point B? How do you learn from your mistakes, turn it into a positive and help other people with the situation, and at the end of the day become the person that you want to be?"
During the interview, Brown told MTV News that therapy is helping him to assess his actions and behavior. The singer said he sits in group settings during his weekly sessions and combines the experiences of others with his own to figure out what led him to assault then-girlfriend Rihanna.
"Just anger," he said plainly when asked by Sway what triggered the incident. "Yeah, anger.
"Young people, we do before we think," Brown added.
JANET JACKSON TO SIT DOWN WITH ROBIN ROBERTS: Singer expected to discuss death of her brother; official ABC announcement due today.
*ABC is expected to announce today that "Good Morning America" host Robin Roberts will interview Janet Jackson for a special to air on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 10 p.m.
The singer will likely spend much of the hour talking about her late brother, Michael, Variety reported Wednesday.
The network is also set to announce that its upcoming five-episode series "Let's Dance," which features celebs re-enacting well-known dance routines - will launch on Monday, Nov. 23 at 9:30 p.m.
The 90-minute premiere will follow the final performance show of "Dancing With the Stars."
"Let's Dance" will continue to air on Mondays at 9 p.m.
WHITNEY HOUSTON HEADED TO RUSSIA: Singer to headline two shows in December before touring Europe and Asia.
*Whitney Houston will spend part of the holiday season in Russia headlining a pair of concerts that will launch a tour of Europe and Asia, the Russian Entertainment Academy announced Tuesday.
The singer's official website lists the two engagements on Dec. 9 at the Olympisky Stadium in Moscow, and Dec. 12 at the Ice Palace in St.
Petersburg.
The concerts will be Whitney's first since the Aug. 31 release of her first studio recording in seven years, "I Look to You." The Europe-Asia dates represent the first tour for Houston in 11 years, according to the singer's reps, PMK HBH.
Her more recent appearances were for a studio audience on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and a Central Park set for "Good Morning America."
The shows, according to Variety, will apparently be used as a testing ground for a possible U.S. tour. Following the dates in Moscow, Houston's website lists five nights of performances in Japan, followed by five dates in the U.K. beginning April 8 and eight cities in Germany.
MJ'S 'THIS IS IT' ALBUM REACHES NO. 1: CD debuts atop Billboard 200 chart; scores year's fifth-best sales week for an album.
*As fully expected, Michael Jackson's "This Is It" album enters the Billboard 200 albums chart with an impressive 373,000 copies sold, the fifth-best sales week for an album in the U.S. this year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The companion album to the musical documentary film of the same name is Jackson's sixth No. 1 on the tally and it arrives with his best sales frame for an album since 1995's "HIStory" started atop the Billboard 200 with 391,000 copies.
Jackson's first No. 1 album was 1983's record-breaking "Thriller." He later scored the pole position with "Bad," "Dangerous," "HIStory" and "Invincible." Earlier this year, Jackson also notched a No. 1 on the Top Comprehensive Albums and Top Pop Catalog Albums charts with the 2003 greatest hits set "Number Ones."
Meanwhile, the "This Is It" film is already the second-highest grossing musical concert film in the U.S. and Canada behind "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" ($65.3 million).
CHIEFS FANS WANT LARRY JOHNSON GONE: Petition circulated calling on owner to fire running back, who is 80 yards away from setting team rushing record.
*A contingent of Kansas City Chiefs fans are fed up with running back Larry Johnson.
Following a week in which he was reprimanded for uttering gay slurs, hundreds of fans have signed a petition asking the team owner to boot him for good, despite being just 80 yards away from becoming the Chiefs' all time leading rusher.
"Larry has been a black eye on the organization ... We are asking you, as fans of this team, this organization, and of the pride that this city has in the Chiefs, please deactivate Larry Johnson," the petition read.
"Please do not let his name sit atop the all-time rushing leaders in Kansas City Chiefs history."
ARNOLD KLEIN EXPOSES A MIJAC SECRET: Singer's doc claims he liked to urinate in front of people as a joke.
*The boy who accused Michael Jackson of molestation in 1993 could identify the discoloration on the singer's genitals because Michael liked to urinate in front of people as a joke, according to his former doctor Arnold Klein.
TMZ.com's Harvey Levin reportedly spent three hours last Sunday with Dr. Klein, Jackson's best friend and doctor for decades. Dr. Klein said Jackson got a kick out of tinkling in front of people.
"Klein says there were numerous times when Jackson would pee in the doctor's home -- in a cup!!! -- around groups of people, including children," TMZ reported. "Klein says Jackson would also pee in front of other people in his office."
According to files from the 1993 Santa Barbara molestation investigation, the young accuser was able to describe -- in explicit detail
-- the discoloration on Jackson's genital area ... the result of Vitiligo, a skin discoloration disorder.
Dr. Klein says the boy saw Jackson peeing and that's why he could identify the genital markings.
SEACREST'S ALLEGED STALKER PLEADS NOT GUILTY: Chidi Uzomah charged with one felony and two misdemeanors.
*Ryan Seacrest's alleged stalker Chidi Uzomah pleaded not guilty to one felony stalking charge and two misdemeanor charges of disobeying a court order during a hearing on Tuesday.
The judge granted a protective order for Seacrest -- which states Uzomah must stay 500 yards away from the "American Idol" host. His bail was set at $150,000 and he is due back in court on Nov. 16.
Uzomah is accused of stalking Seacrest between Sept. 15 and Oct. 30
-- the day he was arrested at the E! Entertainment building where Ryan does a daily radio and TV show.
Uzomah pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors in September after he choked Ryan's bodyguard outside of a hospital in Orange County. If convicted of the new charges, Uzomah faces a maximum of four years in state prison.
RIVALS 50 CENT, GAME SHIFT CD RELEASE DATES: 'Self Destruct' pushed up due to leak; R.E.D. delayed.
*Old rap rivals 50 Cent and The Game are playing musical chairs with their upcoming album releases.
After 50's entire "Before I Self Destruct" leaked almost a full month before its original street date, the release was pushed up to Nov. 16 to avoid widespread piracy, his label announced.
The album is currently available for digital pre-order exclusively on iTunes. Pre-order consumers will receive the exclusive track "Man's World"
in addition to the "Baby By Me" single; the bonus track "Flight 187"; the film "Before I Self Destruct" the "Two Turntables And A Microphone: The Life And Death Of Jam Master Jay" documentary about 50 Cent's late mentor and friend, hip-hop pioneer Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC; exclusive photos; animated package artwork and other surprises.
The limited edition physical 1CD/2DVD package offered at retail will also include the "Before I Self Destruct" film and Jam Master Jay documentary.
Meanwhile, Interscope Records has confirmed the postponement of Game's forthcoming "R.E.D. Album," which was originally due on Dec. 8. No alternative release date has been announced.
Game broke the news early Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 3) via Twitter,
stating: “Album is Officially pushed back, says Interscope so that I can finish wit Dre without having to rush him, myself or the album. Think R.E.D."
Last week, the artist revealed the first three songs from R.E.D., a title which he has stated represents his “rededication” to hip hop, rather than a reference to the LA-based Blood gang.
The Cool & Dre-produced official single, "Big Money,” hit the Internet on Thursday (Oct. 29), as did the set's Timbaland-crafted street single “Krazy,” featuring Gucci Mane.
Other confirmed contributors to the album include Chris Brown, Akon, Polow Da Don, and Jim Jonsin.
The Game has also revealed that in preparation for the album, he will release four new mixtapes before the end of the year: "R.E.D. October,"
hosted by DJ Drama as part of his popular Gangsta Grillz series; "Red Tape,"
hosted by Game’s tour DJ, Miami-based DJ Krys Stylez; "Paint The Town RED,"
hosted by Nu Jerzey Devil; and The "Redprint," hosted by DJ Haze.
JERMAINE DUPRI, DA BRAT SUED OVER CLUB FIGHT: Waitress struck in the head with a rum bottle seeking undisclosed amount.
*The waitress who was hit in the face with a bottle wielded by rapper Da Brat at Jermaine Dupri's nightclub filed a civil lawsuit against both artists over the assault.
Shayla Stevens, a former Atlanta Falcons cheerleader, was an employee at Dupri's Atlanta club Studio 72 when she claims Da Brat smashed her in the face with a bottle, causing serious injuries.
The lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court claims Da Brat, born Shawntae Harris, has a criminal record and violent past record of assaulting other women; and that Dupri, a promoter named Joseph London and security personnel failed to protect her from the rapper during the altercation at a Halloween party in October 2007.
Stevens suffered permanent scars and nerve damage to her face after Da Brat struck her with a bottle of rum.
In August of 2008, Da Brat pleaded guilty to Felony Aggravated Assault and was sentenced to three years in prison. Upon her release, Da Brat must also serve seven years of probation and perform 200 hours of community service.
In 2000, Da Brat was charged with pistol-whipping another woman during a dispute in the V.I.P. section of a Buckhead, Georgia nightclub. In that assault, which required her victim to receive six stitches, Da Brat was sentenced to 80 hours of probation and fined $1,000.
OBAMA'S BRO OPENS UP ABOUT ABUSIVE DAD: Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo promotes new book during press conference in China.
*President Barack Obama's half-brother appeared before the media in southern China on Wednesday - his home for seven years - to launch a novel he says draws on his painful childhood under an abusive father.
Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo -- who had the same, late, father as the President -- has kept a low public profile since reports surfaced last year that he was living and working in the southern Chinese capitalist and manufacturing haven of Shenzhen, around an hour's train ride from Hong Kong.
Ironically, Ndesandjo's first major public appearance to launch his debut novel comes less than two weeks before his famous brother travels to China for the first time.
He said his work, "Nairobi to Shenzhen" is a fictional account that started off nearly 10 years ago as an autobiography and "reflects many experiences in my own life as a child brought up in Kenya" including a troubled relationship with his father.
"My mother used to say of my father, he's a brilliant man but a social failure," Ndesandjo told reporters at a press conference in Guangzhou, near his adopted city of Shenzhen. "I remember times in my house when I would hear screams and I would hear my mother's pain." His American mother Ruth was his father's third wife.
Ndesandjo's book details how the protagonist, David, made an improbable journey to China in 2001 just after the September 11th attacks, inspired by his "growing love for a beautiful Chinese woman and a young orphan," and reflects Ndesandjo's own marriage to a young Chinese woman and his charitable work for Chinese orphans.
He was less forthright about his relationship with President Obama, however, saying that they are in touch and an upcoming autobiography, for which he still hasn't found a publisher, would give a fuller account of their family background and ties.
"We're family, I love my family," said the crew-cut Ndesandjo, who wore a burgundy bandana and professes a love for the piano, Chinese calligraphy and classic works of Chinese literature. "I was so proud of my brother Barack," he said of his sibling becoming the first African-American U.S. president.
MICHAEL IRVIN PUNTED FROM 'DWTS': NFL vet and Iron Chef eliminated this week.
*There's no time left on the clock for Michael Irvin on "Dancing with the Stars."
The former Dallas Cowboys receiver failed to capture enough viewer votes to keep him in the competition, even though he finished his run on the hit ABC show with his highest score of the season: 23 points out of 30 for his Foxtrot with professional partner Anna Demidova on Monday's episode.
Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which contestants are eliminated each week.
"Last night was a great night, and to see the audience here standing up, it's their way of saying they appreciate the hard work," Irwin said after learning his fate.
Remaining contestants include singer Aaron Carter, model Joanna Krupa reality TV star Kelly Osbourne, singer Mya and entertainer Donny Osmond.
Each will perform two dances on Monday's episode.
BBN TO PREMIERE 'RAISING BOYS' DOC IN HOUSTON: Series spotlights urban single moms struggling to guide young sons.
*Black Broadcasting Network (BBN) will premiere its documentary series "Raising Boys - Tips for Single Moms" at Houston's Angelika Theater, tonight (Nov. 5) at 7 p.m.
The four part program focuses on the plight of inner-city single mothers and stars Houston-based activist Deric Muhammad, a product of an urban single parent household.
"I believe that much of the youth violence that has spiraled out of control in America's major cities can be traced to the lack of guidance from strong fathers," said Muhammad. "The problems start in the home and spill over into the streets. We think we can help."
Muhammad follows the lives of women who are forced to pull "double duty," as both mother and father. Statistics show that some 70% of the households in America's black communities are headed by a woman.
"Black Broadcasting Network is dedicated to enhancing the value of programming available to viewers today, and we are excited to present the premier of 'Raising Boys,'" said Attorney Ricky Anderson, CEO of Black Broadcasting Network. "We believe 'Raising Boys' exhibits the type of programming BBN has in store for our targeted audience."
BBN will host premieres throughout the coming months in major urban cities including Washington, DC, Chicago, New York and Atlanta.
• Black Broadcasting Network (BBN), America's newest 24-hour, cable channel, is created specifically for today's hip, urban viewer. We deliver a mix of movies, sports and original programming, providing our audience with the latest in black films, music, comedy, and positive urban lifestyle programming. Our viewers will get programming they can't find anywhere else, appealing to a hipper, younger audience while delivering current and modern entertainment they crave. www.blackbroadcasting.com
RACIAL DISPARITY IN HOUSE ETHICS PROBES: All active investigations just so happen to target black lawmakers.
*The House ethics committee is currently investigating seven African-American lawmakers — more than 15 percent of the total in the House.
And an eighth black member, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), would be under investigation if the Justice Department hadn’t asked the committee to back off, according to an extensive report from Politico.com.
Not a single white lawmaker is currently the subject of a full-scale ethics committee probe, the Web site points out.
Both the ethics committee and Congressional Black Caucus members were reluctant to go on record about the racial disparity. But privately, some black members are outraged — and see in the numbers a worrisome trend in the actions of ethics watchdogs on and off Capitol Hill.
“Is there concern whether someone is trying to set up [Congressional Black Caucus] members? Yeah, there is,” a black House Democrat said. “It looks as if there is somebody out there who understands what the rules [are] and sends names to the ethics committee with the goal of going after the [CBC].”
African-American politicians have long complained that they’re treated unfairly when ethical issues arise. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are still fuming over Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to oust then-Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) from the House Ways and Means Committee in 2006, and some have argued that race plays a role in the ongoing efforts to remove Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) from his chairmanship of that committee.
Last week’s actions by the House ethics committee are sure to add fuel to the fire.
The committee — which has one African-American lawmaker, Rep. G.K.
Butterfield (D-N.C.), among its 10 members — on Thursday considered three referrals from the recently formed Office of Congressional Ethics. It dismissed a case against Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who is white, but agreed to open full-blown investigations of California Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson, both of whom are black.
The committee was already investigating five other African-Americans. Rangel is the subject of two different probes, one involving a host of issues he has put before the committee and another involving allegations that corporate funds may have been used improperly to pay for members’ trips to the Caribbean in 2007-08. Reps. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Donald Payne (D-N.J.) and Del.
Donna Christensen (D-U.S. Virgin Islands) are also included in the second of those investigations.
A document leaked to The Washington Post last week showed that nearly three dozen lawmakers have come under scrutiny this year by either the House ethics committee or the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent watchdog created in 2008 at the insistence of Pelosi. While the list contained a substantial number of white lawmakers, the ethics committee has not yet launched formal investigative subcommittees with respect to any of them — as it has with the seven African-American members.
• Read the entire article at Politico.com:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29055.html
EUR FILM REVIEW: 'A Serious Man'
Job-Like Patriarch Tested in Coen Brothers’ Modern Morality Play
Film Review by Kam Williams
*The Book of Job, thought by many theologians to be the oldest set of scriptures in the Bible, relates the story of a generous, prosperous and pious patriarch whose faith in God is tested by a series of calamities orchestrated by Satan.
Over the course of his excruciating ordeal, Job remains righteous despite losing his children, his home and all his worldly possessions in a whirlwind, and then his health and even the love of his wife, who tells him to “Curse God, and die!”
Instead, he consults three friends for an explanation as to why the Almighty would allow a devoted follower to suffer so much misfortune, but they are of no help since they believe he must have sinned to incur God’s wrath.
In the end, Job’s “Why me?” is left unanswered, although he is at least well rewarded for having kept his faith in the face of adversity.
Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man is a modern morality play revolving around a latter-day Job burdened by a host of woes of Biblical proportions. After the pre-opening credits murder of an elderly rabbi (Fyvush Finkel) by a skeptical peasant couple (Allen Lewis Rickman and Yelena Shmulenson) living in an Eastern European shtetl around the turn of the 20th Century, the setting shifts to Minnesota in 1967 where we are introduced to the protagonist, Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a mild-mannered economics professor.
Larry resides in a modest, middle-class home on a nondescript, suburban tract typical of the era, a defoliated landscape dotted with rows of identical houses devoid of personality. The members of his dysfunctional family, however, bear little resemblance to their sterile environment, as each is a colorfully-comical character with a skeleton in his or her closets.
There’s Larry’s wife, Judith (Sari Lennick), who wants a divorce so she can remarry unctuous, recently-widowed Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed). Meanwhile, their spoiled teenage daughter, Sarah (Jessica McManus), has been stealing money to pay for a nose job, and their son, Danny (Aaron Wolff), is hooked on Marijuana at the age of 12. Finally, we have unemployed Uncle Arthur (Richard Kind), a slacker who keeps landing on the wrong side of the law.
Things aren’t any better for Larry at work where someone’s been anonymously sending letters to his department suggesting that he be denied tenure on the grounds of moral turpitude. Plus, a desperate Korean student (David Kang) who failed an exam has been trying to bribe him for a passing grade.
All of the above trials and tribulations leave Larry overwhelmed, both financially and emotionally. So, he requests an audience with sage Rabbi Marshak (Alan Mandell), only to be told he has to work his way up the spiritual ladder by meeting first with assistant Rabbi Scott (Simon Helberg), and then with Rabbi Nachtner (George Wyner). Neither, of course, is able to resolve the dilemma, thus leaving it up to Larry, like Job, to be buoyed by faith alone.
Its religious pretensions notwithstanding, A Serious Man isn’t as heavy in tone as it might sound since it isn’t designed to be taken very seriously.
In fact, the film is first and foremost a sublime comedy given to poking fun at mid-western Jewish mores at the time the Coen Brothers themselves were raised in Minnesota. Perhaps because of their intimate familiarity with the subject-matter, this picture proves to be their most mature, coherent and satisfying offering yet.
A sumptuous cinematic feast, and kosher to boot!
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for profanity, sexuality, nudity and brief violence.
In English, Hebrew and Yiddish with subtitles.
Running time: 105 minutes
Studi Focus Features
To see a trailer for A Serious Man, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcUTv3LH3ss
EUR DVD REVIEW: 'Jerichow'
German Remake of Film Noir Classic Comes to DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*After Thomas (Benno Furmann) inherits his mother’s house, he decides to return to his hometown to live.
However, tiny Jerichow is located in a desolate region of northeastern Germany presently plagued by economic plight. So, as a dishonorably-discharged soldier, the almost broke bachelor finds it next to impossible to find any employment.
Salvation arrives in the person of Ali (Hilmi Sozer), a Turkish businessman Thomas who owns a chain of snack bars.
Although Ali is generally suspicious of people, for some reason he takes a liking to the strapping young stranger. And against his better judgment, he offers him a job as his chauffeur and personal assistant. As a result, Thomas now must not only spend a lot of time around his middle-aged boss, but will often be in the company of his benefactor’s restless, neglected and considerably-younger wife, Laura (Nina Hoss).
Needless to say, this proves to be a recipe for disaster, as sparks fly between Thomas and the fetching femme fatale.
Naïve Ali unwittingly trusts them both, even going so far as encouraging them to dance romantically with each other at the beach. Subsequently, the two secretly rendezvous and embark on a steamy affair before they start contemplating ways of moving Ali out of the picture entirely.
This is the ominous premise established in Jerichow, a well-crafted crime caper directed by Christian Petzold (Yella). Although Petzold also takes a writing credit for the picture, the picture might be better thought of as a German remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice.
Even if you’re familiar with the plotline of that 1946 classic, this variation on the theme is nonetheless worthwhile for the visual capture of the cinematography alone. For the compelling action unfolds against an array of bracing backdrops, a sumptuous mix of natural settings. From a verdant forest to the empty expanse of the rolling plain to a scenic seashore topped by a cliff that could provide the perfect launching pad for the feloniously-inclined.
How do you say “Three’s a crowd” auf Deutsch?
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
In German and Turkish with subtitles.
Running time: 96 minutes
Studi Cinema Guild
DVD Extras: “The Making of” documentary and theatrical trailers.
To order a copy of Jerichow on DVD, visit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EBRFAQ?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCo
de=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002EBRFAQ
To see a trailer Jerichow, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlgHdr2-SBM
JOSEPH C. PHILLIPS: A New Morning of Race in America
*On the issue of race in America there is something in the air. Shakespeare’s melancholy Dane might say it is the “scent of morning;” our president would call it a “teaching moment.”
A lawsuit filed in the district court of East St. Louis alleges that Mayor Alvin Parks and City manager Robert Becks refused to hire Ronald Grimming, a former top commander of the Illinois State Police and former Director of the Florida Highway Patrol as the city’s police chief because he is white.
Plaintiffs Wyatt Frazer and Della Murphy, former members of the Police, Fire and Civil Service board, allege that shortly after Parks was elected he let his bias be known rejecting their recommendation of Grimming because in his words, “the city was not ready to hire a white police chief.” At Parks’ recommendation the city later hired Michael Braxton, a Black candidate with considerably less experience. Braxton resigned earlier this year following allegations that he has mishandled murder cases and engaged in race based hiring practices.
Frazer and Murphy further claim that for their advocacy of white candidates for other jobs in the municipality they were forced off the board.
The two had better not hold their collective breaths waiting for an invite to the white house for a few brewskies with the President. The Obama administration is decidedly unsympathetic and in fact shares the opinion of the city of East St. Louis that Black interests are best served by Black (and undoubtedly democratic) representation.
Last year voters of Kinston, North Carolina – a city of 23 thousand residents -- voted overwhelmingly to remove party affiliations from ballots in their local elections for offices of mayor and city council. In their continuing effort to demonstrate to we cowardly Americans what true racial courage looks like the Obama Justice Department stepped in and over-ruled the voters in mid October.
Registered Black voters in Kinston outnumber whites; however, whites tend to vote in larger numbers. (The Obama election was the exception bringing thousands of Black voters to the polls for the first time.) The justice department therefore argues that blacks must still be viewed as a minority for “analytical purposes.” They further argue that because whites will only vote for Black candidates if they are Democrats the net effect of removing party affiliations is to deny Black voters representation of their choice, which the DOJ believes are only Black and only Democrat.
Irony is apparently a strong suit of this Justice Department. Officials claim to be protecting the free choice of Black voters while tacitly ignoring the choice they made by a 2-1 margin to do away with party affiliations. The decision is more troubling, however, in that it seems to put the United States Government in the position of attempting to guarantee that the “choices” of Black voters win elections. As civil rights commissioner Abigail Thernstrom rightly points out the Civil Rights Act was never intended to be a guarantee that ones choice of candidate would be victorious.
The opinion that only Black Democrats can represent Black people is shared by the Maryland chapter of the NAACP, which has asked that the state legislature strip the Governor of the right to name a successor as Mayor of Baltimore should current Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon be found guilty of any of the nine charges of theft and perjury she faces.
Marvin Cheatham, President of the Baltimore Chapter expressed his concern: "Here you have a predominantly African-American city. What if the governor appointed somebody white? ... Would he appoint someone Irish to be the mayor?" Would he indeed?! And will the Obama Justice Department act on behalf of the minority white citizens of Baltimore to ensure that they receive representation of their choice?
The specter of the nations oldest civil rights organization requesting that the state legislature run interference for them so that they might discriminate based on race should give all of us pause to consider if we have not entered into a Ray Bradbury novel.
We might also consider that if America is ever to move beyond race -- which is to say if the dream of America is ever to become a reality -- we must fully embrace the principle of racial non-discrimination. The way forward does not lie through proportional representation and/or the political use of government power to pick winners and losers.
Yes, there is indeed something in the air. What the new morning brings and whether or not we learn the appropriate lessons remains to be seen.
Joseph C. Phillips is the author of "He Talk Like a White Boy" available where ever books are sold.
AUDREY'S SOCIETY WHIRL: RECORD $6.2 MILLION RAISED DURING THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND:
Danny Glover MCs star-studded annual gala celebrating its 22nd year; Mary J. Blige presented with coveted Breaking Barriers Award
By Audrey J. Bernard, Lifestyles/Society Editor
*New York City has returned to its usual relaxed state of mind after haven’t been sent through a massive celebratory whirl caused by more than 600 excited students enrolled at 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), together with 4,000 educators, philanthropists, CEOs, business and government executives, celebrities, tastemakers and media who converged on The Big Apple to celebrate the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF) 22nd anniversary dinner weekend in New York City.
The anniversary gala is a culmination of the weekend festivities. In addition to the gala, the anniversary weekend consisted of three other primary events: The 9th Annual Leadership Institute Recruitment Conference & Career Fair, the 4th Annual FRONT ROW Fashion Show and the Prestige Awards.
The whirlwind weekend kicked off with the 9th annual Leadership Institute and Recruitment Conference & Career Fair at The Sheraton NY Hotel & Towers on Friday, October 23. The event is the largest recruitment conference in the nation dedicated to providing leadership development and professional development training to HBCU students bringing together students attending the 47-public HBCUs with top executives to prepare students to be more competitive professionals. The conference has a recruiting component that provides access for students to potential career opportunities with many of the nation’s leading corporations and government agencies.
On Saturday, October 24, all eyes were up front at the 4th annual Front Row Fashion Show at the historic Roseland Ballroom featuring a runway show with the latest apparel and accessories from several of the industry’s established and emerging designers. The annual fashion showcase pays tribute to some of the fashion industry’s leading professionals and style icons who have advanced and influenced multicultural style and achievements in the industry.
On Sunday, October 25, hundreds headed to Saks Fifth Avenue for the Prestige Awards that acknowledges the achievements of individuals who are young, talented and have made notable contributions to their professions, industries and communities. The coveted commendation is one of the highest awards presented annually to honorees that consistently demonstrate leadership and embody the commitment and legacy of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall.
The stellar anniversary weekend culminated in a gorgeous gala on Monday, October 26, 2009 at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers where thousands gathered together to celebrate the TMCF’s 22nd annual gala in the stately Grand Ballroom.
Themed “TMCF @ 22: Lighting the Path for Tomorrow’s Leaders,” the anniversary dinner raised $6.2 million, breaking all previous records. The funds raised will assist in leadership development, programmatic support, scholarships and capacity-building for the 47-public HBCUs.
The event also honored the achievements of the country’s foremost visionaries, activists and organizations that use their status to affect positive change in their communities and to embody the legacy of Thurgood Marshall through their commitment to the Fund and its mission.
The 2009 TMCF honorees included: Brent O.E. Clinkscale, Esq., Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PPLC (founder’s award); James Mitchell, Jr., senior managing director-alternative investments, General Electric Asset Management, Inc. (corporate leadership award); Charles Merinoff, vice chairman & CEO, The Charmer Sunbelt Group (community leadership award); and Dr. Mary Evans Sias, president, Kentucky State University (educational leadership award).
Recording superstar Mary J. Blige, founder and president, Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, Inc. (FFAWN), was the recipient of the breaking barriers award, the Fund’s highest honor presented to an individual annually to foster relationships with future generations in the fields of entertainment, arts, public service and law. The award represents the late Justice Marshall’s commitment to equal opportunity for all men and women regardless of their race, creed, religion or origin. The recipient of this award serves as a role model for youth of the world.
Celebrities serving as presenters during the prestigious event included: Jasmine Guy, Tasha Smith, Lynn Whitfield, Brian Courtney Wilson and Monica. John Esposito, president & CEO, Bacardi, USA Inc., and Carl Dalstrom, president & CEO, USA Funds, served as gala co-chairs. Recording Artists Raheem DeVaughn and Fantasia as well as the Kentucky State University Glee Club performed throughout the evening.
During the gala, acclaimed actor Danny Glover, who served as Master of Ceremonies, announced to the audience donations received from Fortune 500 companies Wal-Mart in the amount of $1 million and Miller Coors in the amount of $1.275 million to invest in the nation’s next leaders that attend HBCUs that TMCF serve.
“Our supporters dedicated their resources in spite of lean times to show their commitment to the future of America,” said a visibly happy Dwayne Ashley, president & CEO, TMCF. “Their gifts will have an immediate impact in investing in the national need to produce leaders.”
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Inc., named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, was established in 1987 and represents 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and 6 Law Schools located in 22 states with a population of well over 250,000 students.
Over the last 22 years, TMCF has awarded more than $100 million in leadership development, programmatic and capacity support, and scholarships enabling more than 7,500 students to attend public HBCUs. It is the only national organization of its type that provides merit-based scholarships and programmatic support to students attending the nation’s public HBCUs.
TMCF also provides internship programs and joins corporate and foundation partners in providing leadership training and support to students preparing for undergraduate and professional schools. TMCF is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization. (Photos by Steve Azzuro and Ronnie Wright)
Audrey J. Bernard is an established chronicler of Black society and Urban happenings based in the New York City area.
GLENN'S STRATEGIES FOR WELL-BEING: Understanding Pneumonia
*Many people who've died from swine flu also have been infected with pneumonia bacteria. Influenza can cause viral pneumonia, but it can also weaken the system enough to allow opportunistic bacteria to surge, resulting in separate, potentially deadly infections. The Flu season is off to a fast start and unfortunately there will be more cases of bacterial infections in people suffering from influenza. Pneumonia is a common and very serious flu complication. Whether viral or bacterial, pneumonia can make you quite ill and may require hospitalization.
The influenza virus is spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. The virus is then sent into the air allowing other people to inhale it. Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flu can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people. Some people develop more serious medical complications, such as pneumonia.
More than 200,000 cases of pneumococcal pneumonia occur annually in the United States, and approximately 40,000 Americans die from the disease each year. Are you one of the millions who, each year, ponder whether or not to get a pneumonia vaccine?
Pneumonia is a word that many of us are hearing more and more, as a result of it being contracted with greater frequency. Maybe it is because many of us are getting older – who knows. At any rate, here is some information that could be useful.
Pneumonia is when the lungs get inflamed, usually due to infection. Breathing in certain chemical fumes can also cause pneumonia. It's a more common problem than most people think. Usually it's a mild disease, but some forms are very dangerous. In all cases you'll need a doctor's advice.
Pneumonia can affect just one section of the lung or many sections of the lung. When both lungs are affected, it's called double pneumonia.
About 30 different kinds of germs infect the lungs and cause pneumonia. Infected lungs leak fluids and shed dead cells. This material clogs up air sacs and makes it hard for the lungs to do their job of getting oxygen into the blood. Without enough oxygen, none of the cells in your body work as they should.
Pneumonia generally lasts about two weeks. Even healthy people may feel tired or weak for a month or more after the lungs clear up.
Viruses cause about half of all cases of pneumonia. Bacteria are the most common cause of pneumonia in adults over the age of 30. Fungi can also cause pneumonia.
Many of these germs are all around us. They usually can't get past a healthy person's natural defenses. That's why pneumonia is most common in elderly people, in cigarette smokers, in alcoholics, and in people suffering from other diseases such as the flu.
What Are the Symptoms?
* Viral pneumonia usually comes with a combination of low fever and chills, muscle aches, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, chest pain, sore throat, and coughing. The cough generally brings up only a small amount of mucus.
* Bacterial pneumonia usually comes with a combination of high fever, cough with thick greenish or rust-colored mucus, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, sharp chest pain that is worse with deep breaths, abdominal pain, and severe fatigue. There can be profuse sweating and mental confusion.
* In children, labored and rapid breathing (more than 45 breaths a minute); sudden onset of fever; cough; wheezing; and bluish skin, lips, or fingertips are general signs of pneumonia.
* Mycoplasma pneumonia (mild pneumonia that usually affects people younger than 40) is often very benign and resolves without any treatment. Symptoms can consist of violent attacks of coughing that bring up only a small amount of mucus. There are chills and fever; some people get nausea or vomiting. Some patients become very weak for up to a month.
Call Your Doctor If:
* Your symptoms indicate you have any form of pneumonia. In many instances, you need immediate treatment to recover and avoid complications.
* Your sharp chest pain does not get better with prescribed treatment; you have increased shortness of breath; or your fingernails, toenails, or skin becomes dark or develops a bluish tinge after diagnosis. Your lungs are not getting enough oxygen and you need medical assistance.
* You cough up blood; you may need additional treatment for a worsening infection.
Pneumonia's forms range from a mild condition treatable at home to a potentially fatal infection requiring hospitalization. You must see your doctor to guarantee appropriate treatment and a successful recovery. Your doctor will first listen to your chest for crackling noises and tap your chest to check for dull thuds indicating fluid-filled lungs. If necessary, an X-ray can confirm that you have pneumonia, showing where air sacs in the lungs are filled with fluid and debris. Blood and mucus samples, sometimes obtained by inserting a tube down the trachea into the lungs, may be tested for bacteria or viruses, but the results are not always conclusive.
Early treatment is most effective. See a doctor right away if you think you might have pneumonia. Exactly which drug is used to treat pneumonia depends on the type of germ and on your doctor's treatment strategy.
Antibiotics can cure bacterial pneumonia and make recovery from mycoplasma pneumonia much quicker. Sometimes antiviral drugs can be used to treat certain types of viral pneumonia, but there is not yet any treatment that works against all causes.
In most cases, treatment must be continued until most symptoms are gone. This is to be sure that all the germs are killed. Relapse of pneumonia is nearly always much more severe than the original disease.
Supportive treatment often helps. This can include medicines that ease chest pain and relieve violent coughing. Sometimes oxygen is needed. In all cases, a proper diet speeds recovery.
Young, healthy people can feel perfectly fine only a week after recovery. A middle-aged person may not regain full strength for several weeks. In all cases, plenty of rest is needed. People generally can return to work as soon as they feel up to it, but they will need to take it easy at first.
As with all diseases, a healthy lifestyle -- proper diet, regular exercise, good hygiene -- decrease the chance of illness and speed recovery from infection.
Remember, I’m not a doctor. I just sound like one.
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF AND LIVE THE BEST LIFE POSSIBLE!
Glenn Ellis is a Health Advocacy Communications Specialist, columnist, and talk-radio personality who lectures on health issues particularly relevant to the African-American community. He is the author of “Which Doctor?”.
For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com
VERONICA'S VIEW: Saving our sons, Brother II Brother
Veronica Hendrix
*It was a beautiful and warm Southern California morning as nearly 300 young men arrived at UCLA for the 3rd Annual Brother II Brother Youth Empowerment Symposium.
Some were hurried as their buses arrived a little late. Others walked with wide-eyed wonder up the stairs and into Moore Hall unsure about what awaited them since they were rousted awake by a parent or caregiver on a Saturday morning and whisked away to Westwood.
They came from middle and high schools from the Inland Empire, South Central, Watts, Compton, Lawndale, Hawthorne, Inglewood, the Crenshaw District any beyond. For many of the young men their journey to participate in the male mentorship program has been less than storied. Foster care, broken homes, communities riddled with gangs, poor school performance are just a few of the challenges these young men face in their lives. But they are the kind of challenges Brother II Brother has taken head-on with great success.
Stinsen Brown, chairman of Brother II Brother, glided through the hallways squaring away a few details as the youth arrived. Brown, a 22-year veteran and renowned drill instructor at the Los Angeles Police Department, founded the organization in 2007 after growing tired of witnessing young men die in his arms from gang related violence. Tragically, Brown’s only son, Stinson Ameer, was murdered by a teenager this past July. Standing before hundreds in attendance at his son’s funeral, Brown pledged that “the work of the organization will not stop.”
As the young men were escorted into the auditorium they were greeted by 60 male mentors from a wide variety of professions. There were two judges, a medical director, a carpenter, corporate sales executives, teachers, probation officers, police officers, professional athletes, entertainment professionals, independent business owners, civil servants, construction workers just to mention a few.
“Spellbound” is the word that most accurately reflected the expression on the faces of the young men when mentors personally welcomed each of them with a firm handshake and a caring smile. They filed in orderly, silently and expectantly, clutching their Brother II Brother agenda in their hands. They took their seats and I sat at the back of the auditorium and watched their eyes jet left and right, surveying their peers and gazing at the array of strong men, suited and booted, that filled the room.
“We are all here for you,” said Pernell Clark, pharmaceutical sales executive and Vice Chair of Brother II Brother. “We care about you and this day is all about you.”
Chris Schauble, NBC4 early morning co-anchor of “Today in LA” was the Master of Ceremony of the event. It was a fitting choice in that Schauble was adopted as a child, yet he persevered and is now one of the top broadcast journalists in Los Angeles. He told the group of eager participants, “You can overcome any barrier you face in life and you can be a success.” And they heard him.
The program was packed full of speakers who challenged the young men to find the greatness within them. Actor and author Hill Harper was also a speaker whose words of encouragement helped to make the day a memorable one for the young men.
During the breakout sessions the mentors guided the young men in discussions about taking charge of their lives, education, health, and being better than average. The mentors created a safe space for the young men to talk about some of the challenges that were affecting their lives and the young men opened up and asked numerous question. It was a powerful “male focused” moment that was a first in the lives of most of the young men.
The beauty of Brother II Brother lies in the simplicity of what it does: it relates to at risk male youth, brother-to-brother, in a way that exhibits caring and kinship. That is what I saw that day and I have never been as touched as I was by seeing the strength and veracity of African American men who more often than not are painted in hues of darkness and despair in the media. It was a bright and brilliant moment that demonstrated the norm and not the anomaly when it comes to African American men in America. I am honored I had the opportunity witness this.
The lives of those young men shifted in a new direction that Saturday. The lives of the mentors did too.
Brother II Brother says “Saving our youth is NOT an option… it’s our responsibility.” These brothas mean it and are committed to doing something about it. . If you’d like more information about the Brother II Brother organization, check out their website at www.BrotherIIBrother.org. (If you have comments about Veronica’s View, email them to vsview@yahoo.com.)
THE PULSE OF ENTERTAINMENT: Kevon Edmonds is back with a hot new CD solo project, 'Who Knew;' Ted Winn debuts his solo Gospel CD 'Balance' through Shanachie Entertainment
By Eunice Moseley
Kevon Edmonds is back with a hot new CD solo project, 'Who Knew'
*Kevon Edmonds, the fourth oldest brother of Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and the co-founder and lead member of the group After 7, has teamed with Make Entertainment for a hot new project titled “Who Knew.” The recently released CD is distributed through EMI Distribution.
“I used young producers,” singer/songwriter Kevon Edmonds said when asked about the hot tracks on his new CD.
The young producers Kevon is talking about consist of the hot songwriting team from Boston Kadis and Sean and his nephews, Jason and Dave Edmonds. Also on the CD is Greg Curtis, who co-wrote the first single, “Oh,” with Kevon. Kadis and Sean produced the title Pop track “Who Knew,” the R&B cut “Hurt Too Much to Cry,” and the fairytale sounding “April's Fool.”
“I never stopped believing that there was going to be another record,” said Edmonds about the ten year gap between this sophomore solo project and his debut album. “This (music) is nothing I was trained to do. It's just a talent God has blessed you with...you might take a break...you don't waste that.”
Kevon said that without him planning it, it seems his solo projects are being released every ten years.
“It has perfect timing,” Edmonds continued. “It gives me an opportunity to re-introduce myself to my fans and I get to make new fans, introduce myself to new listeners...connect the dots.”
The “Who Knew” CD does just that, it offers both old school and new school. You get the old school way of recording with the live instruments and quality soulful vocals such as in my two most favorite cuts “Who Knew” and “Oh.” Then you get the new school way of sound manipulation and experimentation such as on the Urban R&B selections “She Love's Me” and “April's Fool,” also favorite selections of mine.
While attending Indiana University, Kevon formed the R&B group After 7 with classmate Keith Mitchell and his brother Melvin Edmonds. After graduation, they signed with his younger brother Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds' record label LaFace (with LA Reid) who had just signed a deal with Virgin Records.
The group released a self-titled album in 1989 which earned them a platinum album and seven gold singles. In 1995 they left the label and by 1997 the group had disbanded. In 1999 Kevon Edmonds released his first solo project “24/7” on RCA/BMG and it garnered him a gold title track single. Now Edmonds is promoting his sophomore CD “Who Knew” on independent label, Make Entertainment/EMI.
“Al Matterson (Make Entertainment) was one of the guys trying to get me to do another record,” Kevon points out.
Edmonds said that independent labels may not have the funds and that may make the process stressful, but that they were willing to put their noses to the grindstone. Kevon feels that the finished product was worth the risk of going with an “indie” label.
To watch the music video of his first single “Oh,” produced by Nick Leisure Films, log onto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcL2ONdq4wY and to learn more on Kevon log onto www.myspace.com/kemonds.
Ted Winn debuts his solo Gospel CD 'Balance' through Shanachie Entertainment
Ted Winn, half of the duo Ted and Sheri and owner of Veracity Entertainment, a publishing/production rights management company to over 30 high-profile songwriters such as Ciara, Marques Houston, Toni Braxton and T-Pain, has just released his solo Gospel CD project “Balance” on TeddysJamz Records, distributed through Shanachie E
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