Monday, February 28, 2011

Grant Storms: Anti-Gay Pastor Caught Masturbating While Watching Kids

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

A Christian fundamentalist pastor who has taken especially strong positions against the gay community has been arrested for masturbating in a public park in front of young children. The Rev. Grant Storms of New Orleans is known for campaigning against the Gay Southern Decadence Festival in New Orleans. The pastor has been booked for obscenity by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.
Storms claims that he was just having lunch in Lafreniere Park in his van when he decided to relieve himself in a bottle instead of going to the bathroom. However, two women claim that they saw Storms through the open windows of his van and that he was masturbating while watching young children. The ladies got the attention of an officer, who then had Storms arrested. His bail was set at $5,000, but he was released due to jail overcrowding.


In an effort to stop Southern Decadence, Pastor Storms actually videotaped public sex acts and showed them to legislators. "There's no economic gain that justifies an orgy in the streets," Storms said. "That's all it is -- a three-day orgy in the streets."

Click to read.

NEW PHOTOS FROM THE CHRIS BROWN & RIHANNA FIGHT

Just days after Rihanna’s restraining order against ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was relaxed, new pictures of the badly beaten R&B star leaked online.

The previously unseen pictures, posted by gossip site MediaTakeOut.com, were reportedly taken in the hours after Rihanna was assaulted by Brown in February 2009. The photographs appear to show the singer with extensive bruising, mainly on her right eye and lips.

The images are the second batch to emerge online and come shortly after Brown was praised for reforming his character by Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg.

The singer’s previous restraining order prohibited him from being within 100 yards of his ex-girlfriend. Brown’s lawyers had argued that the order was making it difficult for their client to attend industry events such as awards shows.

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CHRIS BROWN IS UPSET ABOUT RIHHAN NEW LEAKED PHOTOS

*Chris Brown has taken to Twitter to complain about the timing of leaked photos showing the extent of his attack on ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

“The Devil is always busy. But when u have a destiny, nothing or no one can stop what god has planned,” Brown wrote in one of the tweets, which have since been removed from his page.

He added, “It’s ironic how ‘somebody’ put this out right around my album time. Wow. I guess that’s supposed to be a strategic chess move. Unbelievable.”

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ALICIA KEYS WORKING ON NEW ALBUM

*After getting married and giving birth to her first child, Alicia Keys is getting ready to release her fifth studio album. The most recent single released was the song “Speechless’ produced by none other than her lover and husband Swizz Beatz.

Longtime producer and friend Kerry “Krucial” Brothers shared that she is currently recording new material and should be ready to wow her fans some time this year.

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IDRIS ELBA DISSES TYLER PERRY CHARACTER MADEA

*Actor Idris Elba is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows with a certain comment he made recently at the Lens Project’s “Artist Spotlight” series where he was a featured speaker.

The event was held this past Thursday evening at the Paul Robeson Center of Rutgers University’s Newark campus. The lecture was moderated by Ms. Baraka Sele, the current Assistant Vice President of Programming of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), reports urbandaily.com.

Sele and Elba discussed everything from his solid middle class beginnings in East London, his upcoming projects, to the current state of black cinema in Hollywood.

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THE KING’S SPEECH WAS VICTORIOUS AT THE OSCARS

*”The King’s Speech” was crowned best picture Sunday at an Academy Awards ceremony as precise as a state coronation. The monarchy drama won an expected four Oscars, and predictable favorites claimed acting honors.

Colin Firth as stammering British ruler George VI in “The King’s Speech” earned the best-actor prize, while Natalie Portman won best actress as a delusional ballerina in “Black Swan.”

The boxing drama “The Fighter” captured both supporting-acting honors, for Christian Bale as a boxer-turned-drug-abuser and Melissa Leo as a boxing clan’s domineering matriarch.

“The King’s Speech” also won the directing prize for Tom Hooper and the original-screenplay Oscar for David Seidler, a boyhood stutterer himself.

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MADEA BIG HAPPY FAMILY: WATCH TRAILER

*More than likely Idris Elba could care less about Tyler Perry’s new trailer for “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” but you might. If so, we’ve got it for you.

Besides Perry, “Big Happy Family” stars Loretta Devine, Bow Wow, Isiah Mustafah, and Teyana Taylor.

read more click here

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Cornell University Student Found Dead in a Frat House

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

George Desdunes, a 19-year old freshman at Cornell University, was found dead outside a fraternity house on Friday, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. Desdunes was from Brooklyn and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The cause of death has not yet been specified and is expected to be released after the autopsy.

Click to read.

Actor Idris Elba Says “Oscars are not designed for us”

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

I saw an interesting article recently in which Idris Elba, one of my favorite actors, went out of his way to give his true feelings about the Oscars.  You know the Oscars, those awards that black people never get unless they yank out a breast or act like they want to kill other black people. 

In an appearance at a university, Elba made this statement: “Halle Berry and I were the only two black actors nominated for this year’s Golden Globes (Idris for Lutherand Halle for Frankie & Alice). The Oscars aren’t designed for us…let’s focus on making more films.”

Click to read.

Creflo Dollar Accused of Saying that Non-Tithers Should Be Shot by a Firing Squad

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard this audio, in which Creflo Dollar appears to be arguing that if you don’t tithe, you should be put in front of a firing squad.  I did some research and found media outlets reporting the video, and I can only hope that he doesn’t truly believe this.

Click to read.

Miley Cyrus: Helping in Haiti

The following photo outside her hotel in the country:

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Cheap and fast haircut in Taipei

How I got my hair cut in no time for almost no money


Few days ago it was time to get a new haircut, because I was starting to grow a mop up there. My girlfriend and I went out to have a look around our neighborhood in order to find a good and affordable hairdresser. I'm actually very particular, when it comes to these things. Being a loyal customer, I usually choose one parlor and visit it regularly. In Taiwan's big cities, there are three things you will see almost on every corner: Food stalls, convenience stores and hair salons. It's amazing how many of the latter are close to where I live. One of them stood out immediately, because there was a big signboard that said: Extremely fast hair cut for 100 NDT (that's only 2.5 eur!). I was a little skeptical at first, I thought the price was too low and was afraid that the final result may not meet my expectations. After some time of hesitation and pondering, I finally gave green light to my girlfriend and we entered the shop.

That's how F100 looks from the outside. It's small and cozy.

And this is something I haven't seen before: A hair cut vending machine?

They ask you to insert 100 NTD into the machine and you get a number. After that you'd have to wait, but since there was nobody waiting before me, it was my turn right away. I sat down and my girlfriend explained to the girl, how I want my hair cut (which is always the same: short and thin). And then she put on her mask and started to snip snip like crazy.

She was very fast and skilled, I was impressed.

In the end, she vacuumed my head and I felt I was like a carpet.

You would not believe it, but in a little more than 10 minutes she was finished! How good was that? I can't stand hairdressers that need too long or those who talk to much. Especially in the small town near my home in Slovenia, where I usually went to cut my hair, they would constantly ask me personal stuff and gossip about other people, which made the whole session a long and unbearable torture (you can read more here).

But not here in Taipei: 極速剪髮 or F100 is a new concept, that came over here from Japan. Their philosophy is to cut hair for the cheapest price and as fast as possible. And they only cut and trim. No dying, no perming, no crazy hairdos... And what's best: They don't talk, they don't waste time. They are the McDonald's of hairdressers and I have to say I really like the concept. Currently they have 85 salons in various cities around Taiwan. There are also some other hair salons with a similar concept and pricing. One of them is QB cut, oftentimes found around Taipei's MRT stations.

I do have to add, that the cut wasn't perfect, but I don't want to nit pick, It's still good enough to make me return in the future and get my hair cut for a bowl of beef noodles. Who can beat that? So far, I haven't seen anybody else. Have you?

How a College Grad Built a $60,000 per Month Business One Phone Call at a Time

 

Click to watch the interview with Lawrence Watkins, founder of GreatBlackSpeakers.com.

Friday, February 25, 2011

VANESSA WILLIAMS TO APPEAR AT NAACP IMAGE AWARDS

Vanessa Williams arrives at the 2011 InStyle And Warner Bros. 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards post-party held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on Jan. 16, 2011 in Beverly Hills.

*Halle Berry, LL Cool J and Vanessa Williams are among the first celebs announced to appear at the 42nd NAACP Image Awards, to broadcast live from Los Angeles’ historic Shrine Auditorium on Friday, March 4 (8-10 p.m. ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

Kimberly Elise, Kerry Washington and rising comedy star Affion Crockett are also due to appear, according to organizers.

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JENNIFER HUDSON ADDED TO THE LINEUP AS AN OSCAR PRESENTER

*Jennifer Hudson and Justin Timberlake have joined the lineup of presenters who are taking part in the 83rd annual Academy Awards on Sunday, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Hudson won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her performance as Effie White in 2006’s “Dreamgirls” at the 79th Academy Awards, and she also appeared at the 80th show, where she presented the best supporting actor award to Javier Bardem for “No Country for Old Men.”

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JEANETTE JENKINS GETTING MO’NIQUES AUDIENCE FIT


*The Mo’Nique Show Healthy Fitness Challenge with Jeanette Jenkins is a comprehensive 12-week fitness program designed by Jenkins specifically for Mo’Nique Show viewers to help them achieve a healthy lifestyle, regardless of age or fitness level.

The program provides viewers with the key tools for success: a daily exercise routine, healthy meal plan, and an inspirational message to keep participants motivated. It also features a daily “Exercise of the Day” video clip to teach viewers proper technique and form.

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NBC WANTS CEE-LO TO BE A JUDGE


Cee Lo Green performs during NBA All-Star Saturday night presented by State Farm at Staples Center on Feb. 19, 2011 in Los Angeles, Calif.

*Producers for NBC’s upcoming talent competition “The Voice” wants Cee Lo Green to occupy one of the judging seats.

EW is reporting that producer Mark Burnett is in talks with the “F*** You” singer and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine about joining the series, which is based on a Dutch talent show that was a ratings hit.

Unlike “American Idol” and “The X Factor,” this competition’s audition round has judges sitting with their backs to the singers so they’re evaluating only the person’s voice. If one of the four judges (or “coaches,” as NBC calls them) selects a singer, the chair spins around and brings judge and singer face to face

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THE LEGEND OF JAYNE KENNEDY….NUFF SAID!


*Ground-breaking, ahead of her time, consummate professional, the first African American woman to grace the cover of Playboy, the first woman to join the staff of CBS Sports’ “NFL Today,” the first Black Miss Ohio.

She was also only one of only a handful of black actresses to consistently get work in the 70s. The list of accomplishments and accolades for the legendary Jayne Kennedy is as long as your arm, but the list falls short of measuring her true impact on society as it is today.

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Kelly Osbourne Respects Co-Star Miley Cyrus



Kelly Osbourne Respects Co-Star Miley Cyrus

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Ephren Taylor Gives His Version of the Financial Mix-Up with Eddie Long and His Church

Interview done by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

Quite a few people took notice when Bishop Eddie Long went to YouTube to issue a very direct challenge to young entrepreneur Ephren Taylor over money that Bishop Long felt Taylor to have shaken out of his congregation. According to Bishop Long, Taylor should give $1 million to the members of his congregation who made investments in response to a seminar being offered by Taylor. Long's video seems to imply that Ephren had been unethical and misleading in the way he delivered the information and that people had lost thousands of dollars as a result.


I've never personally met either Bishop Eddie Long or Ephren Taylor, but I watched the Eddie Long video with extreme curiosity. I felt it to be entirely possible that Taylor could have been less than ethical, since pure capitalism tends to put ethics at the bottom of the priority list (legality is not the same as morality, so someone could be unethical while remaining within the boundaries of the law) . At the same time, there was also the possibility that Long's parishioners may not have read the fine print or had a misconception about what it means to invest. Some investors believe that investing means that you are guaranteed to make money. This is far from the truth. You can easily lose everything, so you should make sure you're prepared to stomach the risk before putting up your money.

 

Click to read.

MADAM PREZIDENT: BEYONCE’S BLACKFACE

_MG_2992beyonce-l'officiel-paris.jpg

Since Beyonce singing existence she has dominated the music industry. She isn’t just a great singer, she and her management has made her an extraordinary brand from Beyonce Knowles talent. Beyonce is rarely in the news for anything controversial. The media only indulge in her success, discussing her beauty, fashion endeavors, and relationship.

When I saw the article I had mixed emotions about it. For some reason white folk, head editors, and photographers think “black faces are the shit” for black history month! However it isn’t. I mean if you want to do the black face, why don’t you just do a shoot with black models picking cotton, or do a shoot with chains or a noose around black models neck.

I don’t care how anyone decides to express their artistic side, whatever you consider art is art. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; right? So, the idea of wanting to darken Beyonce’s skin doesn’t bother me. Now, the fact that Beyonce agreed to it does bother me.

The shoot wasn’t about money because B made a reportedly 89 million dollars in 2010 alone, she is one of the highest paid singers in America right now, however my black sister who made a reportedly 89 million dollars is obviously unfamiliar with Minstrel Shows. I believe if Mrs. Knowles was educated about black faces, she would not have allowed a group of people to put one on her!

She should have asked questions, she is the kind of celebrity that will get her questions answered. Her opinion matters. I wish Beyonce would have taken a stand this time, and said something, I wish she would have told these people whom are clueless of what black is, what black is. Black is being a multi-millionaire before 30, being waited on hand and foot, and rearranging a whole shoot with your sensitivity to those who could only act, sing, and dance with a painted face. When they declared the idea of the black face, I wish she would have simply said, “Darkening my skin almost unrecognizable is unnecessary, I AM THE BLACK FACE.” I am new form of black history!

 

Meaningful Blessings,

Madam Prezident

 

 

 

 

 

DONALD TRUMP IS MAD AT RIHANNA

*Over the weekend, Rihanna canceled on money man Donald Trump, claiming she was sick. But the singer performed at the All-Star Game.

According to Trump, he hired her for a fundraiser in South Florida, but bailed last minute due to illness. But within 24 hours, she miraculously was healed and on stage in Los Angeles doing her thing.

“I thought that (Rihanna bailing) was insulting to everyone,” Trump shared. “But for Rihanna to go to the All-Star game and perform after she told us she was sick, that is just a lack of respect.”

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OPRAH WINFREY TELLS HER FANS TO BE PATIENT WITH THE OWN NETWORK


*In a sit down with the Hollywood Reporter, Oprah Winfrey warns dissatisfied viewers of her OWN network to hang in there – more programming is on the horizon.

“We’re building, night by night by night. What everyone told me about the cable business is the way you do cable is you start with a couple of shows, people are used to repeats,” Winfrey told trade magazine from the Chicago offices of Harpo Productions. “Oprah viewers were not!”

Winfrey says she’s actively seeking audience input while building her network, and even signed up for an oprah@oprah.com email address on her website last week, which she plans to use to interact with people.

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CARMELO ANTHONY & LALA MOVE TO NEW YORK WILL BE TELEVISED


*Well that was quick.

Just one day after Carmelo Anthony’s announced trade from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks, VH1 is announcing a new reality series surrounding the NBA star and his TV host wife, La La Vazquez, as they make the transition from Colorado to the Big Apple.

According to the New York Post, the network began filming the couple in January for a show tentatively titled “La La’s Full Court Life,” a follow-up to last fall’s five-episode wedding special, “La La’s Full Court Wedding,” which documented the duo’s July 2010 nuptials.

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KIM POSES NAKED WHILE PREGNANT

*Phaedra isn’t the only Atlanta Housewife who fancies a good photo shoot while pregnant.

Kim Zolciak has marked the start of her third trimester with a spread for Life & Style in which she appears in just a bra and panties.

She tells the magazine that at age 33, she loves her pregnancy body, as does her 25-year-old NFL-star babydaddy, Kroy Biermann.

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THE KID WHO ROBBED LIL WAYNE, ONLY DID IT TO MEET HIM


*A man who allegedly broke onto the set of Lil Wayne’s music video shoot and stole items, admitted to police that his plan was just a dumb stunt to meet Mr. Weezy reports TMZ:

We’re told after 20-year-old Marcus Negrete was arrested for allegedly swiping some swag — he told officers he took the items hoping he could return the stuff back to Weezy in person — and maybe get a little one-on-one time with the singer.  Apparently he never considered the consequences.

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ANDREW YOUNG BEING HONORED BY THE EMMY AWARDS


*Former U.S. Ambassador and Atlanta ex-Mayor Andrew Young is being honored by the Emmy Awards for television work more than 50 years ago, reports the AP.

As a young minister living in New York, Young made frequent appearances on the CBS-TV show “Look Up and Live” from 1957 to 1960.

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Adam Lambert Hangs With Miley Cyrus



Adam Lambert Hangs With Miley Cyrus

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Your Black News – 2/24/11

Meet Pastor Omarosa

Meet Pastor Omarosa

10 Reasons Why He Won't Marry You

10 Reasons Why He Won't Marry You

Michael Boatman On Being Uber Black

Michael Boatman On Being Uber Black

Photo Credit: Jordan Strauss, WireImageCorbisJohn Heller, WireImage

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Dead NFL Star Said Something Was Wrong With His Brain from Concussions

 

Dave-duerson-nfl-congress

This video interview with the wife of former Bears star Dave Duerson who killed himself says that Dave was having problems with his brain before he died.

Click to watch.

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