Keepingitreal

Joy in the Castro as Penn wins Oscar for 'Milk'

(02-22) 23:48 PST San Francisco -- Hundreds of people who watched the Academy Awards from San Francisco's Castro Theatre on Sunday night gave polite applause to "Slumdog Millionaire" - which won best picture and seven other awards - but roared with foot-stomping standing ovations for "Milk" when it took the prizes for best original screenplay and best actor. "You commie, homo-loving sons of guns," Sean Penn told the academy upon accepting the best actor award for his portrayal of the slain San Francisco Supervisor and gay rights leader Harvey Milk. "I did not expect this, and I want it to be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often." Penn acknowledged the presence of anti-gay demonstrators outside the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles and said: "I think it's a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect on their great shame and their shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone."The Castro Theatre crowd was thrilled by Penn's remarks and his award. "It's wonderful," said the film's location manager, Jonathan Shedd. "The beauty of these awards is that it gives the movie more legs." Shedd was among numerous "Milk" crew members at the Castro who drank champagne and basked in the Oscar excitement. They were especially proud that gay activist Dustin Lance Black received the award for best original screenplay."Harvey's message was one of hope and love and equality," said Matthew Riutta, assistant location manager for the film, which was nominated for eight Oscars. "It's a wonderful thing that Lance's word is going out into the world." The crowd applauded when Black, in accepting his award, described learning about Milk as a 13-year-old. "It gave me the hope to live my life openly as who I am," he said in his acceptance speech. The San Francisco event took on a special importance and poignance in the landmark movie house that anchors the Castro district and sits just a block from where Milk and his partner, Scott Smith, ran a camera store in the 1970s. Castro Camera became a hive of gay political organizing and a launching pad for Milk's grassroots electoral campaigns, which were dramatized in the film. SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

Penelope Cruz Wins First Oscar For Spanish Actress

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Penelope Cruz became the first Spanish-born actress to win an Oscar by taking the best supporting actress award on Sunday for her role as tempestuous artist Maria Elena in Woody Allen's romantic comedy "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."Cruz, 34, thanked both Allen and Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar for their roles in shaping her career and dedicated the gold statuette to the actors from her country. "Thank you Woody for trusting me with this beautiful character. Thank you for having written over all these years some of the greatest characters for women," she said. With her Oscar win, Cruz, joins fellow actresses Dianne Wiest and Mira Sorvino in scoring best supporting-actress Oscars for their performances in Woody Allen films. "I grew up in a place called Alcobendas, where this was not a very realistic dream," said Cruz. Dressed in a 60-year-old ivory Pierre Balmain vintage gown and fighting back tears, Cruz asked anyone had ever fainted while accepting an Oscar. "I might be the first one." Born in Madrid to a hairdresser and an auto mechanic, Cruz got her big break in the Spanish film industry in 1992 with "Jamon Jamon." She captured the attention of the Oscar-winning Almodovar, who cast her in various movies including the 2006 film "Volver," which earned her a best actress Oscar nomination for her turn as a woman who kills her abusive husband.

Complete list of winners at the 81st annual Academy Awards, presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles

Complete list of winners at the 81st annual Academy Awards, presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles:

_ Motion Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire."

_ Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk."

_ Actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader."

_ Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight."

_ Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

_ Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."

_ Foreign Film: "Departures," Japan.

_ Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."

_ Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, "Milk."

_ Animated Feature Film: "WALL-E."

_ Art Direction: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

_ Cinematography: "Slumdog Millionaire."

_ Sound Mixing: "Slumdog Millionaire."

_ Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight."

_ Original Score: "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman.

_ Original Song: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.

_ Costume: "The Duchess."

_ Documentary Feature: "Man on Wire."

_ Documentary (short subject): "Smile Pinki."

_ Film Editing: "Slumdog Millionaire."

_ Makeup: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

_ Animated Short Film: "La Maison en Petits Cubes."

_ Live Action Short Film: "Spielzeugland (Toyland)."

_ Visual Effects: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Lakers escape Minnesota with a victory

It wasn't easy, but the Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 111-108, this evening at Target Center. The Lakers clinched the victory only after Timberwolves guard Randy Foye air-balled a three-point attempt at the final buzzer.Kobe Bryant had 28 points, and Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom each added 25 as the Lakers (46-10) improved to a league-best 20-6 on the road. The Timberwolves never shrunk back from the Lakers, getting 20 points from Ryan Gomes and Sebastian Telfair. Odom's tip-in off Bryant's miss from the left wing gave the Lakers a 108-105 lead with 20.5 seconds left. Foye's fadeaway three-pointer brought the Timberwolves to within 109-108 with 9.2 seconds left, but Bryant made two free throws at the other end and Foye couldn't hit another three-pointer as time expired. The Lakers conclude their two-game trip Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

Tyler Perry's New 'Madea Goes To Jail' Earns No. 1 At The Box Office

Director/filmmaker Tyler Perry scored the biggest box office opening of his career over the weekend, when his new film "Madea Goes To Jail" topped the weekend's films with a $41.1 million debut. According to the Associated Press, studio estimates put the film's earnings as the grossing film ever for both Perry and the film's studio, Lionsgate. Since Perry's 2005 "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," the actor-director-producer has frequently opened films strongly, despite little mainstream recognition.  His previous best opening weekend was for his second film, "Madea's Family Reunion," which started with $30 million in 2006. Four of Perry's seven films have made their debut at No. 1. In the new film -- based on his successful play -- the 39-year-old actor and director dresses in drag to play Madea, the trademark grandmother character featured in many of his films and plays. Other than Perry's debut, most of the films within the top ranks showed little change. The Liam Neeson kidnap thriller "Taken" gained one spot to No. 2 with $11.4 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its total to $95.1 million; while the cartoon "Coraline" jumped two spots to No. 3 with $11 million in its third week, taking its total to $53.4 million. The romantic comedy "He's Just Not That Into You," which led the box office two weeks ago, fell two spots to No. 4 with $8.5 million, while pushing its total to $70.1 million. And the slowly-rising Oscar fave, "Slumdog Millionaire," leaped up to no. 5 over the week, earning $8.1 million. The film it is up for 10 Oscar nominations in nine categories. To date, its earned $98 million, and has spent nine of its 15 weeks in the top 10. The no. 1 spot last week was held by a remake of "Friday the 13th," but this week it slide to no. 6, selling just $7.8 million in ticket sales. Since last weekend's opening, it stands at $55 million. The only other new release was the college comedy "Fired Up," which opens at no. 9 with just $6 million in ticket sales. SOURCE:BALLERSTATUS.COM

T.I. goes back to court—to talk to teenagers

ATLANTA— A month from beginning a yearlong federal prison sentence, rapper T.I. was in court again Friday, but this time he wasn't in the hot seat. The 28-year-old performer, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., spoke to dozens of high school students—half serving juvenile sentences—gathered at the Georgia Supreme Court."You can see from me that nobody is too rich, too famous, too cool, too good-looking or too young to make a mistake and pay a price for it," said Harris, dressed in jeans, a gray hooded sweat shirt and a blue knit hat. "More important than the mistake you make, though, is what you are able to take away from that mistake. How can you use that mistake to ensure you will never make a similar mistake again?"He told them to work hard, stay in school and do what is necessary to get what they want in life."Education is more important than any material thing you can have," said Harris, who only has a high school diploma. "The things you do not have in your life, the things you do not have in your possession, will be a reflection of the things you have not learned."He warned the teens from high schools across metro Atlanta to learn from his mistakes, which include a 2008 federal firearms conviction that will send him to prison for a year starting next month. His appearance was part of 1,000 hours of community service he must complete under that sentence. His legal troubles didn't start there. Harris grewp in one of Atlanta's housing projects and dealt crack while trying to break into the music industry. The students listened intently as he described the prostitutes, drug dealers and junkies he encountered.He was first arrested at 17 and spent time in jail for violating probation after several other arrests. In 2007, just an hour before he was scheduled to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta, authorities arrested him for trying to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers. High School junior Stephen Murphy said he is trying to turn his life around after getting into trouble with drugs and driving without a license last year. Harris' speech was encouragement to keep working at it, he said."Your life can go down the wrong path, and you'll end up in prison, where he's fixing to go," he said. "I don't want to go there."Harris, a Grammy winner, has a list of No. 1 hits on his resume, including two off his latest CD, "Paper Trail," which also hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. SOURCE:INSIDETHEBAYAREA.COM

Oakland Rappers find refuge

Unrest in Caribbean Has Roots in Slavery Past

POINTE-A-PITRE, Guadeloupe (AP) -- Protests that have nearly shut down the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique are not just about demands for lower prices and higher wages: For demonstrators they are no less than a battle against the vestiges of slavery. Afro-Caribbean islanders -- most of whose forbears toiled in the sugarcane fields under the yoke of slavery more than 160 years ago -- not only resent France's handling of the global economic crisis, they have long resented that slaveholders' descendants control the economy on both islands. They also suspect that businesses earn too high a profit on goods, most of which are imported. This resentment against the primarily white, elite slaveholder descendants, known as bekes (bay-KAY), has lent an especially sharp edge to weeks of demonstrations that at times have erupted in gunfire, arson, looting, and the death of one activist in Guadeloupe. ''They've got the money, they've got the power, they've got Guadeloupe,'' snapped protester Lollia Naily. ''This is not a race thing. It is a money thing and it is a power thing.'' Protesters in Martinique also have rejected the bekes, with frequent chants of ''Martinique is ours, not theirs!'' Bekes own most industries in Martinique -- but represent only about 1 percent of the island's 401,000 residents. Deep economic and social disparities divide France from its overseas possessions: Unemployment in Guadeloupe is about 23 percent, compared with 8 percent on mainland France, and 12 percent of islanders live in poverty, compared with 6 percent of mainlanders, according to the most recent statistics. The conflict extends beyond the Caribbean: Islanders living in mainland France are relegated to low-level jobs and are absent from senior positions in business, the military and government, revealing a ''color fracture in French society,'' said Patrick Lozes, head of the Representative Council of Black Associations. Islanders demand that France treat them as equals -- wherever they are living -- and question why food is more expensive here than on the mainland. SOURCE:NYT.COM

Today's Papers: Barack The Knife

The New York Times and Los Angeles Times lead with Barack Obama's first budget and his plan to cut the deficit in half by the end of his term. All of the papers note that the reduction will come primarily from higher taxes on the wealthy and lower spending in Iraq. While the Washington Post fronts the Obama plan, it chooses to lead with the more sensational news of a possible arrest in the eight-year-old murder case of Chandra Levy. The Post has long been infatuated with the Levy case, describing it as "one of the most famous unsolved homicide cases in Washington history." The WP and LAT call the president's first budget "ambitious." Obama hopes to use the plan to make progress on health-care reform and move toward a cap-and-trade system for energy use. But the effort to "cut" (LAT), "slash" (NYT) or merely "trim" (WP) the deficit grabs the headlines. To do this, Obama will let most of George Bush's tax cuts expire in 2011 for those making over $250,000. The Post alone adds a touch of skepticism, noting that some "question the wisdom of announcing a plan to raise taxes in the midst of a recession." On Iraq, Obama had previously expected to save $90 billion a year by withdrawing combat troops. But the NYT says "it is not clear how much any savings would be offset by increased spending in Afghanistan." The full details of the budget won't be released until April. To continue reading, click here.

Tim'm West: In Security: The Golden Error

In Security: The Golden Error ~ is Tim'm's 3rd solo project following critically acclaimed projects "Songs from Red Dirt", the more recent "Blakkboy Blue(s)", and several projects with the now defunct Deep Dickollective The album, not unlike the first two, is an autobiographical lens through Tim'm's life as a black man, a black gay man, and a Hip Hop head. It examines what it means to be in security with insecurities-- taking on everything from his speech impediment issues as a young kid, to growing up in Arkansas, or the cosmetic cyst/bump on his forehead he has not been vain enough (yet) to have removed Says Tim'm in the song Bump: "faced with any insecurity, i use it. one emcee who gone' always do me". Other strong points on the album include tracks like "Old School", "Full Moon", "Nappy", "Against the Grain", and  "Walking Contradiction". Tim'm, being among the foundational "out emcees in Hip Hop also pays tribute to the Golden Era of Hip Hop (1987-1993) that was most influential in his own Hip Hop history and when he began rhyming. Not unlike other of his projects, it already contains multiple favorites, evidence of a balanced project where expectations for all songs are high and there are few "fillers". With original production by a strong cast of both straight and LGBT emcees/vocalists and producers, Tim'm has began to see a broadening of his fan base without making compromises in content With vocal collabs with Last Offence, Bryn't, The Qure, Maia Papaya, Tru, Deadlee Mid*One, Tim Dillinger, TwiZza, William Scott, and Sarafina as well as production by Dirty Bird (CA), Eddy J. Free (Cincinnati), DJ Sirrah (Cincinnati), Tru (Atlanta), and Lil Biggie (ATL) the album is Tim'm's most polished and upbeat project to date. Says Tim'm: "I'm known for being that deep bohemian who is too old school and conscious to have fun with music With this project, I saw an opportunity to remember the joy I found in Hip Hop during its Golden Era... Hip Hop was great party music AND had a lot of meaningful content I don't think of it as either/or but both/and ... you can be a fun, conscious emcee. This was perhaps an error of previous projects... so caught up in my pain that I let it color entire projects Truth is... I am learning to love life and am a happy guy who loves to love and who loves flirting. I hope people begin to see me a bit differently: no less deep, all the more fun, if lyrically tough and "hard" at times. After all, what if you began to see your errors and insecurities as golden, as opportunities to grow and change. That's what the project is about."

Travis Henry, With 9 Kids by 9 Moms, Loses Bid to Reduce Child Support

Former Bills, Titans and Broncos running back Travis Henry, who has nine children with nine different women, was shot down by a judge on Thursday when he went to court in an effort to have his child support reduced. As we've noted previously here at FanHouse, Henry signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract with the Broncos in 2007, and he has a $100,000 car and has spent $146,000 on jewelry. But, despite his riches, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that Henry came close to being jailed because he couldn't come up with $9,800 he owed in child support, and he ended up borrowing that money from his former team, the Titans, to pay it. The Journal-Constitution also reported:

Henry, 28, has fathered nine children by nine women in at least four Southern states and has been ordered by various judges to provide child support for seven of them, according to court records involving one child living in DeKalb County. ...

Henry isn't the most thrifty guy, according to court records, so the judge wants to ensure payment by establishing an unusual $250,000 trust that Henry must fund.

The hearing on Thursday in DeKalb County, Georgia, related only to the $3,000 a month he has to pay to support his 5-year-old son. Henry argues that he can't afford that much child support now that he's out of the league and facing felony cocaine possession charges. But the lawyer for the mother argued that if Henry can afford to spend thousands of dollars on jewelry, cars and a new home, he can afford to take care of his kids, too. The judge apparently found that argument persuasive.

As for Henry, here's how he explained himself in court:

"Now that I look back on my life, not all of my decisions were good, and now I'm paying for it," Henry said. "I just want to make good. ... I want to take care of my children. I want to get my life back together."

Henry's lawyer said he's not done fighting to have his child support reduced.

Def Jam Celebrates 25 Year Milestone With Record Store Day

With a long history of producing stars in hip-hop -- from LL Cool J and Slick Rick, all the way down to Rihanna, Jay-Z and Kanye West -- Def Jam Records has held down the genre for a quarter of a decade. Now, in celebration of their 25th anniversary, the legendary record label is set to launch Def Jam 25, and Record Store Day. "25 years as a thriving, successful hip-hop and R&B label -- a company that has always put its artists first and maintained deep roots in the Urban community -- is a giant accomplishment in anyone's book," said Antonio "L.A." Reid, Chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group. "From a personal standpoint, I can say that Def Jam had tremendous meaning and significance in my own career as a musician, producer and independent label head, long before I actually arrived at these offices five years ago. Let's celebrate the next 25 years of Def Jam right now."

To assist in the celebration of Record Store Day, Def Jam plans to release a limited edition 4-LP deluxe set --Def Jam 25: DJ Bring That Back Volumes 1 and 2.

Below is the tracklists:

Vol 1

"Disturbia" - Rihanna
"I Luv Your Girl" - The-Dream
"Hustlin'" - Rick Ross
"Go Crazy" - Young Jeezy
"Jesus Walks" - Kanye West
"Splash Waterfalls" - Ludacris
"Foolish" - Ashanti
"Put It On Me" - Ja Rule ft. Vita
"Just Friends (Sunny)" - Musiq Soulchild
"What's My Name" - DMX
"Money Ain't A Thang" - Jay-Z ft. Jermaine Dupri
"Big Bad Mama" - Foxy Brown ft. Dru Hill

Vol 2

"Whateva Man" - Redman
"This Is How We Do It" - Montell Jordan
"Bring The Pain" – Method Man
"Slam" - Onyx
"Deeper" - Boss
"Hip Hop Junkies" – Nice & Smooth
"911 Is A Joke" - Public Enemy
"Pop Goes The Weasel" - 3rd Bass
"Children's Story" - Slick Rick
"I Need Love" - LL Cool J
"The Rain" - Oran Juice Jones
"My Radio" - LL Cool J
"It's Yours" - T la Rock ft. Jazzy Jay

John Legend's Open Letter To The New York Post Over Cartoon

Dear Editor:

I'm trying to understand what possible motivation you may have had for publishing that vile cartoon depicting the shooting of the chimpanzee that went crazy. I guess you thought it would be funny to suggest that whomever was responsible for writing the Economic Recovery legislation must have the intelligence and judgment of a deranged, violent chimpanzee, and should be shot to protect the larger community. Really? Did it occur to you that this suggestion would imply a connection between President Barack Obama and the deranged chimpanzee? Did it occur to you that our President has been receiving death threats since early in his candidacy? Did it occur to you that blacks have historically been compared to various apes as a way of racist insult and mockery? Did you intend to invoke these painful themes when you printed the cartoon?

If that's not what you intended, then it was stupid and willfully ignorant of you not to connect these easily connectable dots. If it is what you intended, then you obviously wanted to be grossly provocative, racist and offensive to the sensibilities of most reasonable Americans. Either way, you should not have printed this cartoon, and the fact that you did is truly reprehensible. I can't imagine what possible justification you have for this. I've read your lame statement in response to the outrage you provoked. Shame on you for dodging the real issue and then using the letter as an opportunity to attack Rev. Sharpton. This is not about Rev. Sharpton. It's about the cartoon being blatantly racist and offensive. I believe in freedom of speech, and you have every right to print what you want. But freedom of speech still comes with responsibilities and consequences. You are responsible for printing this cartoon, and I hope you experience some real consequences for it. I'm personally boycotting your paper and won't do any interviews with any of your reporters, and I encourage all of my colleagues in the entertainment business to do so as well. I implore your advertisers to seriously reconsider their business relationships with you as well.

You should print an apology in your paper acknowledging that this cartoon was ignorant, offensive and racist and should not have been printed. I'm well aware of our country's history of racism and violence, but I truly believe we are better than this filth. As we attempt to rise above our difficult past and look toward a better future, we don't need the New York Post to resurrect the images of Jim Crow to deride the new administration and put black folks in our place. Please feel free to criticize and honestly evaluate our new President, but do so without the incendiary images and rhetoric.

Sincerely,
John Legend

Today's Papers: California Lives! (For Now)

The Los Angeles Times banners, while the Washington Post, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead with, California lawmakers finally passing a budget after a three-month battle. Legislators spent almost two full days locked in the Capitol and finally got the two-thirds majority they needed to pass a budget that closes the state's $42-billion deficit. But, as the LAT highlights, the fight isn't over as $5.8 billion in the budget depends on voters approving a series of ballot measures in a special election May 19. The NYT and WP say that the drama surrounding California's budget is a preview of what could soon be seen in state capitals across the country. With an economy that's larger than all but seven nations and a deficit that's larger than the expenditure of all but 10 other states, California clearly has outsized problems. "But with 40 states operating in the red, similar days of reckoning will soon be coming to state capitals from Florida to Arizona,"notes the Post. USA Today leads with a look at the increasing cost of acquiring individual health insuranceat a time when more Americans are seeking the coverage because they lost their jobs. Individuals have no choice but to accept the higher rates because they don't have the power to negotiate with insurers. In the past few months, more people have been seeking out individual health coverage, and while insurance companies say the increases aren't out of the ordinary they do come as a shock to consumers who never experienced them when they were covered through an employer. To continue reading, click here.

iPhone blog buzz 02.20.09

The Obama administration hopes to encourage new lending by effectively subsidizing the profits of hedge funds and private equity firms that serve as bankers to the banks.After five days of intense negotiations over how to close a $41 billion gap, state lawmakers agreed on a budget on Thursday. The New York Post, which was the subject of a protest outside its Midtown headquarters and continued criticism from elected officials on Thursday over the publication of an editorial cartoon that linked a chimpanzee to the economic stimulus package, has issued an apology “to those who were offended,” while maintaining that the cartoon was not intended to be racist. The cartoon has been widely criticized as making an implicit comparison between the chimpanzee — a reference to a chimpanzee that was shot to death by a police officer in Connecticut on Monday after it brutally attacked a friend of its owner — and President Obama, who signed the stimulus package into law on Tuesday. ATLANTA — On Tuesday, Morris Brown College, one of a cluster of historically black institutions here, narrowly averted having its water shut off for the second time this school year by paying $150,000 toward an outstanding bill of more than $200,000.E! Online is reporting that Beyonce is among the music talent scheduled to perform for Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. Also rumored to sing are "High School Musical" stars and real-life couple Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, and "Mamma Mia!'s" Amanda Seyfried. Tameka Foster Raymond was released from a hospital in Brazil on Monday where she was treated after suffering a cardiac arrest shortly before undergoing plastic surgery.The wife of R&B singer Usher spent 11 days recovering at Sirio-Libanes Hospital, reports the Associated Press. A spokeswoman for the facility said Wednesday that Raymond left Monday night, but declined to provide any details on her treatment at the family's request. By Brennan Williams, BlackVoices.com It was only a matter of time. Since news broke on Feb. 8 regarding Chris Brown and Rihanna's alleged altercation prior to the '51st Annual Grammy Awards,' many have speculated how severe the multiplatinum singer's... Read more BHM MEDIA NEW While on a family vacation with Tom and Suri, Katie Holmes hit the beach near Rio de Janeiro in this blue one piece. bauergriffinonline.com Rihanna hits the stage at the NFL Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Concert in a pair of knee-high... Read more Black Community Bitter about Chris Brown Monique Wright-Williams had always forbidden her three girls from watching hip-hop music videos because of the way they portray women as “hoochies or sex objects,” she said. “I don’t ever want them to think of themselves as a sex object,” she told ABCNews.com. The music of Chris Brown, though, was different. Marketed as more of a Jonas Brother than a Lil Wayne, Brown won the approval of both mother and daughters. Wright-Williams’ oldest daughter, Solange, a 17-year-old college freshman, plastered her room with pictures of the 19-year-old R&B singer and affectionately referred to him as her “husband.” (Continue Reading…)  First Lady Michelle Obama speaks to 6th and 7th graders from the DC area during an event celebrating Black History Month in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday. Sasha and Malia were at the event, along with their grandmother, Marian Robinson. On Sunday, February 15, 2009 The Write Stuff Reality Show held its fourth in-person auditions. It took place at Vibes Nightclub & Lounge in Cordova, TN and was hosted by The Risque Cafe. The event is featured in today's Commercial Appeal Newspaper: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/feb/16/authors-showcase-write-stuff/
The Oakland Tribune reports that Jeff Loman, the Oakland deputy chief who has been accused of sexually harassing a female subordinate, was placed on paid leave yesterday, in an apparent sign that the complaint against him is gathering strength. Outside investigators have completed their work on the case, but no conclusions have been published. This could well be the first time in the department's history that a deputy chief has been suspended. Complicated situations involving Rihanna, Rick Ross and Jay-Z are among the challenges facing new Def Jam Executive Vice President Chris Hicks.Lil Wayne has announced new dates for his I Am Music tour in March, and he's pushed back the release date of Rebirth to May 19.R&B singer Mario Dewar Barrett, better known as Mario, is featured in next month's issue of Men's Fitness.  The 22-year-old singer has been mostly known for being on the thin side, but, he says he was inspired by his recent stint on Dancing with the Stars to build up muscle.St. Lunatics' leader Nelly has announced plans to launch a new variety show called "Nelly's Night in Vegas."Call it a modern-day tale of two cities. For decades, Las Vegas, ripe with new construction and economic development, burgeoned into a shimmering urban carnival. Detroit, once the fulcrum of American industry, sagged and rusted under its own weight. These days, it's the worst of times for both. Las Vegas edged Detroit for the title of America's most abandoned city. Atlanta came in third, followed by Greensboro, N.C., and Dayton, Ohio. Our rankings, a combination of rental and homeowner vacancy rates for the 75 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country, are based on fourth-quarter data released Feb. 3 by the Census Bureau. Each was ranked on rental vacancies and housing vacancies; the final ranking is an average of the two. For complete story see source>>>  SoulTrackers are passionate about their music, especially their classic albums.  So thanks to a suggestion by SoulTracker Vin, we decided to let you sound off and choose the greatest soul albums of all time.  Our top 20 power Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol, Antawn Jamison, ESPN

Judge tosses out key evidence in Bonds' trial

A federal judge late today threw out much of the "mountain of evidence" that prosecutors say they accumulated to prove former Giants star Barry Bonds lied when he denied knowingly using steroids. Eleven days before the start of Bonds' trial on perjury charges, Judge Susan Illston ruled that the jury may not be told about three positive steroid tests, doping calendars and other documents that the government says shows Bonds' longtime use of performance-enhancing drugs. The evidence amounts to inadmissible "hearsay," the judge wrote in a ruling, unless the man who allegedly kept the calendars and arranged the private steroid tests - trainer Greg Anderson - agrees to testify about the documents. Anderson, who pleaded guilty in the BALCO steroid conspiracy case, already has served a year in prison for contempt of court rather than testify against Bonds, his longtime client and friend. He hasn't changed his mind. At a hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, prosecutor Matthew Parrella said he has been told that Anderson, freed from prison last year, plans to ignore his subpoena to Bonds' trial. The judge's ruling places some of the government's most significant evidence off-limits. No longer available are: -- Reports on private steroid tests from 2000 and 2001, allegedly arranged by Anderson via the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative in Burlingame. The government says they show Bonds was using the injectable steroids methenelone and nandrolone. -- "Handwritten notes, calendars and drug ledgers" seized in a raid on Anderson's Burlingame condominium in 2003. The government says the trainer created the documents to track Bonds' regimen of banned drugs. -- Testimony about doping calendars from Oakland A's slugger Jason Giambi and six other ball players who admit they obtained steroids from Anderson. The players said Anderson kept calendars for them that are similar to the ones he allegedly kept for Bonds, according to the government. The players still may be permitted to testify about other matters. Prosecutors had hoped to tie Bonds to the drug tests through the testimony of former BALCO Vice President James Valente. But Valente said he knew about the tests because Anderson told him so. That's hearsay, the judge ruled - second-hand testimony that is usually impermissible. Bonds, 44, holder of basball's all-time home run record, is charged with 11 counts of perjury and obstruction of justice, all in connection with testimony in 2003 in which he told the grand jury investigating the BALCO steroids scandal that Anderson had given him only flax seed oil and arthritis balm, not steroids.SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

A Swiss Bank Is Set to Open Its Secret Files

In the hush-hush world of Swiss banking, the unthinkable is happening: secrets are spilling into the open.  UBS, the largest bank in Switzerland, agreed on Wednesday to divulge the names of well-heeled Americans whom the authorities suspect of using offshore accounts at the bank to evade taxes. The bank admitted conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and agreed to pay $780 million to settle a sweeping federal investigation into its activities. It is unclear how many of its clients’ names UBS will divulge. Federal prosecutors have been examining about 19,000 accounts at the bank, but UBS ultimately may disclose the identities of only a few hundred customers. But to some, turning over any names at all heralds the end of the secret Swiss bank account, whose traditions date to the Middle Ages.  “The Swiss are saying that this is the end of Swiss banking as they knew it,” said Jack Blum, an offshore tax specialist. “Nobody will trust the security of the Swiss bank account.” As part of the settlement, UBS agreed to cooperate with a broad summons issued by the Justice Department to turn over the names. Under the terms of a so-called deferred prosecution agreement, the bank and its executives could be indicted if UBS didn’t identify the customers. UBS has said it is closing the offshore accounts of its American clients. But under the deal with the United States authorities, the bank must provide periodic written evidence of that to prosecutors. UBS earned $200 million annually from the business. Prosecutors suspect that from late 2002 to 2007, UBS helped American clients illegally hide $20 billion, letting them evade $300 million a year in taxes.  In a striking admission, UBS said that from 2000 through 2007, some of its private bankers and managers had “participated in a scheme to defraud the United States” and the I.R.S. by helping American clients set up and conceal offshore accounts. The scheme involved falsifying or not properly obtaining or filing certain tax forms required of both the bank and its clients. SOURCE:NYT.COM

California Legislature passes spending plan

Voting at dawn to end a three-month impasse, the California Legislature approved a deal that Democrats and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reached with a GOP holdout to resolve the state's fiscal emergency.Under the arrangement, Sen. Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria provided the final Republican vote needed to pass a spending plan with billions of dollars in tax hikes. In exchange, Democrats agreed to rewrite election rules that Maldonado said had allowed the Capitol to become paralyzed by partisanship, leading the state to the brink of financial ruin.The plan gelled Wednesday night following seven unsuccessful votes held throughout the day and into the night in the Capitol, which Sen. President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) had locked down Tuesday, barring senators from leaving. California's financial state had deteriorated to the point where Schwarzenegger had ordered layoffs of 10,000 state workers and the suspension of hundreds of public-works projects. Early income-tax refunds have been delayed, and public anger has grown."I'm very relieved for the people of California," Steinberg said. "There's not a lot of good news to come out of a $41-billion budget deficit, except that we in fact solved it."

The final plan incorporated most of the framework of the original budget compromise from Democratic and Republican leaders. It included billions of dollars in cuts to schools, healthcare institutions, higher education and programs for the poor. If signed by Schwarzenegger, who helped devise the package, it also would raise personal income taxes and the state sales tax, although a 12-cent per-gallon increase in gasoline taxes was eliminated in the final hours.Democrats initially said Maldonado's call for "open" primaries, in which voters could cross party lines and candidates of all parties would compete in the same primary, followed by a runoff of the top two vote-getters, was too substantial to be pushed through in a budget deal. But Maldonado said the current budget stalemate proved that California could not return to fiscal sanity without fundamental changes in the way it elects its representatives. CONTINUE READING...

Singer-Songwriter TONEX To Release His First Album in Five Years on Battery Records

(February19th, 2009 - Brooklyn, NY) Battery Records, a newly formed imprint under the Sony Music Entertainment’s RCA/ JIVE Label Group umbrella, is pleased announce the release of singer/songwriter TONEX (“Tone-AYE”). His forthcoming album Unspoken, dropping March 17th, will bring his unique talents to the forefront of music. Though TONEX’s name might be new to some, his impactful work has long been a mainstay in the gospel world.TONEX is indeed a prolific artist, having released three albums on Verity Records over the years, while producing for both gospel, secular and mainstream artists alike. He has also amassed several awards including eight Stellar Awards and two GMA Awards. He also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Soul Gospel Album for his 2004 critically acclaimed album, Out The Box.TONEX is excited for the shift from the Verity to Battery. On Battery Records he’ll be given the freedom to showcase his true talent as a music-maker. His brand new LP Unspoken features hard-hitting R&B, dance and even a smattering of alternative with its lead single "Blend.” The timely song addresses the need to stay true to oneself. "I knew that ‘Blend’ was going to be the lead single from the start,” TONEX stresses. “It represents who I've been all along by bringing that artist to the masses for the first time."For TONEX, Unspoken is a transitional album that heads in a more mainstream direction but yet still targets his longstanding gospel segment. Says TONEX, “I didn't want to alienate the fan base generated from the Out the Box phenomenon. Even though I appreciate that album's success, I felt that there were so many people from different demographics I still had yet to reach. I made the transition from Verity Records to Battery Records to facilitate that career evolution."Unspoken conveys TONEX’s variety, musical prowess and adaptability. A dreamer, TONEX’s dream of showcasing his rare spectrum of talents to an R&B audience is coming true. The project will be marketed to not only gospel music lovers but also mainstream R&B music lovers. Battery Records stands wholly behind TONEX and his ambitious project. Battery Records’Neil Levine adds “It is important that TONEX keeps his credibility within the gospel community while Battery helps him expand to a more mainstream audience.” Battery Records was formed to develop young urban talent, in an age where such development is sorely lacking. Neil Levine, Battery Records’ Senior Vice President and General Manager, aims to uncover and cultivate young talent and thereby create an indispensable niche in the marketplace.
Streams:

"Blend"
http://media.audibletreats.com/Tonex-Blend.asx

Bio, pictures, and streams available here:
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/Tonex

MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/theofficialtonex

Label Site:
http://www.batteryrecords.net/

Nafta Looming Over Obama’s Canada Trip

WASHINGTON — As a candidate, Barack Obama courted votes in the Rust Belt by suggesting he might renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, a pact he criticized as not “good for America.”Now Mr. Obama is about to make his first foreign trip as president toCanada, the United States’ largest trading partner — and he is sounding a strikingly different message. With Canadians up in arms over “Buy America” provisions in President Obama’s economic recovery package, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper warning the United States not to back away from its international treaty obligations, Mr. Obama, who will make a day trip to Ottawa on Thursday, is no longer emphasizing the idea of reopening Nafta. Instead, he and his senior advisers are talking up the booming trade relationship between Canada and the United States — the largest trade partnership in the world, the White House says — and limiting their Nafta message to revamping side agreements on environmental and labor protections. In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday, the president said there were “a lot of sensitivities right now” about renegotiating trade pacts “because of the huge decline in world trade.” As he tries to right the struggling American economy, Mr. Obama pledged to do so in a way that would enhance, rather than suppress, trade between the two nations. “It’s not in anybody’s interest to see that trade diminish,” he said. Trade is an issue that has long bedeviled Democrats, and this is especially so for Mr. Obama. Trade has split the party along regional and economic lines, pitting those who see a globalized economy as inevitable and productive against those in economically depressed areas of the nation, like Ohio and Michigan, who see the price of free trade, in lost jobs and declining wages, as simply too high for the American worker to bear.  CONTINUE READING...