Keepingitreal

Online map details HIV prevalence in each state

(06-21) 17:35 PDT -- It's not surprising that San Francisco is among the top 20 counties with the highest AIDS and HIV prevalence, but a new national online map shows the Georgia counties of Fulton and DeKalb as well as Virginia's Petersburg County also make the list.County-level data on the intensity of AIDS and HIV cases, as well as statistics by age, gender and ethnicity, can be found through a new HIV/AIDS Atlas being launched today by the National Minority Quality Forum, a Washington, D.C., group.The online tool, available at www.mapHIV.org, contains detailed information about HIV and AIDS in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The information becomes available to the public for the first time in a single location, according to the group, which helps track death and disease in minorities and other special populations."For the first time, we actually know where the patients are," said Gary Puckrein, chief executive officer of the National Minority Quality Forum, which has created online atlases for other diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.The information helps improve data collection and analysis, prevention initiatives, early diagnosis and routine testing efforts in the hardest-hit communities, he said."With all this talk about health care and access, we've done a very poor job of measuring things," he said. "Because you don't measure, you make lots of assumptions about where the disease is."Using the HIV/AIDS Atlas, people can search by county and narrow their field by gender, age and ethnicity. The results will come up on color-coded maps, with the hot spots in red and regions with the lowest prevalence in green.The atlas counts the number of patients relative to the population, not the overall number of patients."When you do this, you begin to see the disease in different ways, and communities pop up on the radar screen we haven't noticed," Puckrein said.The level of information varies, with eight states providing state-level information and 29 states offering data at the county level.While New York City is the only region with ZIP code-level data, users can view many counties by congressional and state legislative districts. The atlas' creators stressed that it is an evolving tool and they will incorporate new data when available."This, in a very graphic way, helps decision-makers to see what is happening in their jurisdictions," said Dana Van Gorder, executive director of Project Inform in San Francisco, who previewed the map. He said San Francisco has data available by ZIP code that are not yet included in the atlas.SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

Racial Tensions Boil Over at Berkeley High

Berkeley High School's lingering racial tensions exploded this month in a flurry of online and verbal slurs, on-campus protests, and disciplinary actions. The Class of 2009's highly charged final days ended Friday in a celebratory graduation ceremony that only partially masked the friction recently ignited among the student body.About two weeks ago, a white male senior posted a Facebook photo album entitled "Niggas," which included images of him and his Caucasian friends in hip-hop attire with guns. The album used the word multiple times and triggered angry responses among students, especially from the Black Student Union.Shortly thereafter, the same student posted a photo of African-American history teacher Wendell Brooks, which had been modified to outfit Brooks in stereotypical gangster paraphernalia and wardrobe. The photo was accompanied by a caption and several comments from both white and black students that also used the term "nigga."Part of the dispute involved the difference, if any, between the words "nigger" and "nigga" — the latter of which some view as a slang nickname and not a derogatory insult. Other students, angered by any form of the word, brought this to the attention of Brooks, who said he resolved the issue with the student.One of the seniors who appeared in the original photo album also was accused of allegedly calling a female African-American senior a "nigger bitch" on campus. According to Taylor Brown, a member of the Black Student Union who was nearby but did not witness the incident, the male senior was criticizing the black students' response to the Facebook album, and that sparked a confrontation between the girl and boy. Whether the term "nigger bitch" was used remains his word against hers. The Express is not publishing the students' names. CONTINUE READING...

Miami school named for Mourning over Reno

MIAMI (AP) - A new North Miami high school will be named after former NBA star Alonzo Mourning, rather than the first female U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno.A naming committee had earlier settled on the Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School Biscayne Bay Campus.The Miami-Dade School Board on Wednesday gave it the final OK.Mourning was a star for the Miami Heat, but it was the work he and his wife have done in local schools, including mentoring, that spurred the nomination.Reno was a longtime Miami-Dade state attorney before serving as the country's attorney general from 1993 to 2001.Many in South Florida's large Cuban-American population disagree with her order to return 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez to his father in Cuba in 2000 despite protests by his family in Miami. SOURCE:FOX NEWS

Chris Brown attorney seeks delay in assault case

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – An attorney for R&B singer Chris Brown has asked the California Supreme Court to delay the assault case against the pop star until it can rule on the lawyer's attempt to get information from police.Court records showed on Tuesday that the court has not ruled on the request by attorney Mark Geragos, who is defending the 20-year-old Brown against a charge that in February he beat former girlfriend Rihanna, who is also a pop star.Geragos' appeal with the California Supreme Court seeks to delay a Los Angeles Superior Court hearing set for Monday.Geragos is seeking the delay while he asks the California Supreme Court to rule on his request for information from Los Angeles police. Geragos wants details on a police probe of a photo leak that showed Rihanna looking bruised and bloodied.Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg last month denied Geragos' request for information about the photo leak, saying it was too early in the case to deal with that.Rihanna, 21, has been called to appear at the Los Angeles court hearing set for Monday and if asked to testify, her attorney has said she will do so. Brown would also be present.Rihanna scored hit songs with "Umbrella" and "Disturbia," and Brown hit the pop charts with "Kiss Kiss" and "Run It." SOURCE:YAHOO.COM

Common: a hip hop music superstar ? On Grandcrew.com

Lonnie Rashid Lynn is one of the finest lyricists worldwide, a champion MC of Black Power, wrestling for the best and the worst, but also a ‘bankable’ artist who turned out an actor- why shouldn’t he? –touched by the grace of the cream beatmakers in the rap-game. Better known by his stage name Common, our Chicago-native can be seen as typifying the evolution of a second generation Hip Hop which adjusted itself to the times and trends and asserted itself as the new soul pulsation in an America in search of a model.Between the backpack and bombastic styles of his past and a present in which he is gaining mainstream success through his (significant?) roles starring alongside such actors as Morgan Freeman, Forest Whitaker, etc., Common is one of these ambiguous figureheads of the Afro-American success which is based upon both Louis Farrakhan’s and Barak Obama’s vision of United States. We, The People. 20 years of action mainly in front of a microphone The son kills the father at the end of each album, importing the jazz, soul, spoken word and Native Tongue attitude into Illinois sphere. There used to be no rap in Chi town, the city of the Blues. So dramatic issue for a non-rap city in a late drum-machine era, when there was no strong positive reaction to his music among Chicago natives. The MC-to-be decided to drop out of university to give all his time over to the mic, after the disbanding of his crew (C.D.R). Beginning of the story. In the blooming 90s of a hippie alter-rap, epitomized by De La’s first droppin’ out, Common was featured in the Unsigned Hype column of the Source Magazine in 1992 and then burst out onto the Hip Hop scene with the release of his first album ‘Can I borrow a dollar?’. He was first seen as one of those ticked off with a deconstructed flow, droppin’ rhymes, loopin’ jazz classics, with blazers and baseball caps, ridiculous fast rappin’ for direct response to the socio-sexual attacks made in the West, G strikes straight from Compton, Easy-E, Dre and Ice Cube, as the wicked angelnos raiders. It was the time of an East coast / West coast rivalry and Common played a strong part in it. Like a part of hip-hop nervosis. Watch Common's concert video @ Only The Brave Block Party: www.grandcrew.com/videos/136

Credit Bailout: Issuers Slashing Card Balances

The banks were bailed out last fall, the automobile companies last winter. For Edward McClelland, a writer in Chicago, deliverance finally arrived a few days ago.Mr. McClelland’s credit card company was calling yet again, wondering when it could expect the next installment on his delinquent account. He proposed paying half of his $5,486 balance and calling the matter even.It’s a deal, the account representative immediately said, not even bothering to check with a supervisor.As they confront unprecedented numbers of troubled customers, credit card companies are increasingly doing something they have historically scorned: settling delinquent accounts for substantially less than the amount owed.The practice started last fall as the economy worsened. But in recent months, with unemployment topping 9 percent and more people having trouble paying their bills, experts say this approach has risen drastically.They say many credit card issuers have revised internal guidelines to give front-line employees the power to cut deals with consumers. The workers do not even have to wait for customers to call and ask for a break.“Now it’s the card company calling you and saying, ‘Let’s talk turkey,’ ” said David Robertson, publisher of the credit industry journal The Nilson Report.Only a few creditors are willing to confirm the practice. Bank of America and American Express say they decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept less than the full balance. Other card companies refuse to discuss the subject, but their trade group, the American Bankers Association, acknowledges that settlements are becoming more common.The shift comes as the financial services industry finds itself losing some of its legendary power. A credit card reform bill that makes it harder to raise rates on existing balances and prevents certain automatic fees flew through Congress and was signed by President Obama in late May.Borrowers still have a crushing amount of debt to deal with, however.Revolving credit, a close approximation of credit card debt, totaled $939.6 billion in March. The Federal Reserve reported that 6.5 percent of credit card debt was at least 30 days past due in the first quarter, the highest percentage since it began tracking the number in 1991. The amount being written off was also at peak levels.After a balance has been delinquent for six months, regulations require the card company to reduce the value of the debt on its books to zero. If a borrower has not paid by this point, chances are he never will.“The creditors would rather have a piece of something now instead of absolutely nothing down the road,” said Adam K. Levin, the founder of the consumer education Web site Credit.com. Banks and credit card companies are discussing new programs that would, for the first time, allow credit counselors to invoke reductions of principal as a routine part of their strategy, said Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, a lawyer for many counseling agencies. In the past, counselors could persuade card issuers to adjust interest rates and modify late fees, but the balance was untouchable.  CONTINUE READING...

Today's Papers: Iran Tries To Arrest Its Way Out

The New York Times leads with the Iranians who continued to take to the streets yesterday even as the government stepped up its efforts to quell the unrest by detaining high-profile reformers. For the first time, the Iranian government accused the United States of "meddling" in its internal politics. Meanwhile, the government increased its efforts to prevent Iranian news from getting to the outside world by blocking Web sites, banning journalists from covering the demonstration, and threatening bloggers.The rest of the papers lead with, and the Wall Street Journal banners, President Obama's plan to reform financial regulations, which he officially unveiled yesterday. The proposals put forward by the White House "would affect nearly every aspect of banking and markets," notes the WSJ. The administration urged Congress to act before the end of the year and, among other things, give more power to the Federal Reserve and impose more oversight of the derivatives market. Most of the papers focus on the proposed creation of a new agency "that would thin the alphabet soup of agencies that keep companies from abusing borrowers, savers and debtors," explains USA Today. The Los Angeles Times calls the creation of an independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency one of the "most controversial provisions" in Obama's proposal. The Washington Post points out there is such strong opposition to this new agency that it sets up "a high-stakes contest between the industry and the White House for the loyalty of a few moderate senators who increasingly hold the balance of power."To continue reading, click here.

E-Mail Surveillance Renews Concerns in Congress

WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency is facing renewed scrutiny over the extent of its domestic surveillance program, with critics in Congress saying its recent intercepts of the private telephone calls and e-mail messages of Americans are broader than previously acknowledged, current and former officials said.The agency’s monitoring of domestic e-mail messages, in particular, has posed longstanding legal and logistical difficulties, the officials said.Since April, when it was disclosed that the intercepts of some private communications of Americans went beyond legal limits in late 2008 and early 2009, several Congressional committees have been investigating. Those inquiries have led to concerns in Congress about the agency’s ability to collect and read domestic e-mail messages of Americans on a widespread basis, officials said. Supporting that conclusion is the account of a former N.S.A. analyst who, in a series of interviews, described being trained in 2005 for a program in which the agency routinely examined large volumes of Americans’ e-mail messages without court warrants. Two intelligence officials confirmed that the program was still in operation.Both the former analyst’s account and the rising concern among some members of Congress about the N.S.A.’s recent operation are raising fresh questions about the spy agency.Representative Rush Holt, Democrat of New Jersey and chairman of the House Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, has been investigating the incidents and said he had become increasingly troubled by the agency’s handling of domestic communications.In an interview, Mr. Holt disputed assertions by Justice Department and national security officials that the overcollection was inadvertent.“Some actions are so flagrant that they can’t be accidental,” Mr. Holt said. Other Congressional officials raised similar concerns but would not agree to be quoted for the record. CONTINUE READING..

Same-sex partners to get fed benefits

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, under growing criticism for not seeking to end the ban on openly gay men and women in the military, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Obama plans to announce his decision on Wednesday in the Oval Office, a White House official said Tuesday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the president hadn't yet signed the presidential memorandum. The official said Obama would release more details on Wednesday. The decision is a political nod to a reliably Democratic voting bloc that in recent weeks has grown frustrated with the White House's slow movement on their priorities. Several powerful gay fundraisers withdrew their support from a June 25 Democratic National Committee event where Vice President Joe Biden is expected to speak. Their exit came in response to a June 12 Justice Department brief that defended the Defense of Marriage Act, a prime target for gay and lesbian criticism. Justice lawyers argued that the law allowed states to reject marriages performed in other states or countries that defy their own standards. The legal arguments — including citing incest and sex with minors — sparked rebellion among gay and lesbian activists who had been largely biting their tongues since Obama won election. They had objected to the Rev. Rick Warren's invitation to participate in the inauguration despite his support for repealing gay marriage in California. Their January protest won the invitation of Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson, whose consecration as the first openly gay bishop divided and almost split his denomination. Gays and lesbians later fretted as the White House declined to intervene in the cases of enlisted military members facing courts martial for defying the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policies. White House officials say they want Congress to repeal the policy as part of a "lasting and durable" solution, instead of intervening on individual cases. SOURCE:COMCAST.NET

Today's Papers: A Bloody Monday in Tehran

The papers continue to give top billing to Iran, where hundreds of thousands of protesters ignored a ban and marched through central Tehran to protest the result of Friday's presidential election. It was the largest unofficial demonstration since the 1979 Islamic revolution and came mere hours after the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered an investigation into allegations of fraud in the voting process. While most of the protests were largely peaceful, the day ended in bloodshed when members of a pro-government militia fired into a crowd. The Los Angeles Times catches late-breaking news that Iran's state radio reported today that seven people were killed after protesters tried to "attack a military site." The Wall Street Journal notes unconfirmed reports from "a student-run news service" that five students were killed Sunday night in raids at Tehran University carried out by pro-government militias. The New York Times and LAT front breathtaking pictures of the "broad river of people" (NYT) that took to the streets yesterday and marched slowly from Revolution Square to Freedom Square. The Washington Post points out that there were reports of protests and clashes with police in other cities besides Tehran. USA Today goes with a photograph from Iran at the top of its front page, but dedicates its lead spot to President Obama's speech before the American Medical Association to garner support for his efforts to overhaul the nation's health system. Obama took aim at those who say he wants the government to take over health care by saying that they "are not telling the truth." He made sure to emphasize that a public coverage plan would not be "a Trojan horse for a single-payer system."To continue reading, click here.

MP3: Pseudo Slang - "Bedouin" / Album Drops Today

Critical Praise for Pseudo Slang:  "Pseudo Slang make the thinking fan's kind of hip-hop." - Chicago Sun Times The Song: Pseudo Slang's long awaited new release We'll Keep Looking drops today. In honor of the release, Emcee Sick and Tone Atlas are offering up yet another free mp3 from the album. "Bedouin" is a true Jack Kerouac track, inspired by life on the road. The Bedouins are a tribe of Arab nomadic people who are constantly on the move, and for Sick and Tone, this describes their current lifestyle of non-stop touring and promotion. Set to a lounge room jazz beat that sounds as though members of the Rat Pack are about to croon to us with their velvet vocals, Emcee Sick spits the hip-hop equivalent, taking us on a lyrical journey from city to city and expressing his feelings about the life of a traveling man: "At the time when I wrote it, we were touring", says Emcee Sick, "and when I first heard the rough beat from Tone I was just writing text from afar, you know, writing from the road. It can be thankless to book tours, you let it whisk you away until you return home and then remember you still have to deal with the issues at hand. In a way, I needed this track and it presented itself to me in a natural way; I didn't have to force it and it wasn't just a track where we said, 'Let's just be creative', it just kind of came about from being out on the road."  We'll Keep Looking is available everywhere now via Fat Beats Records. http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=318098163&s=143441

Floyd Mayweather Comeback Against Marquez Postponed Due To Injury

The highly anticipated return of Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been postponed for the time being, due to an injury that will keep the boxer from training.According to reports, the 32-year-old former boxing champ damaged cartilage in his ribs and had to stop training for his comeback fight until a doctor says he can resume."He tried to work through it. He really did not want to postpone the fight, but it came to the point where he could barely sit," Richard Schaefer, of Golden Boy promotions, told the Associated Press. "He could not train, he could not move and there was really not much of a choice."The undefeated Mayweather was scheduled to fight Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but things will be pushed back due to the injury.Schaefer told the AP that both fighters have committed to rescheduling and a September date has been mentioned. But promoters and the fighters won't agree to a date without the OK of doctors.Mayweather's ribs are not broken, and he plans to see a doctor this week. How he damaged his ribs is currently unknown."Right now he cannot go and train, he cannot work out, he cannot run, he cannot hit the heavy bag and the speed bags and jump ropes and all these kinds of things," Schaefer explained. "He definitely will need some additional training, but again, Floyd is such an amazing athlete -- and really on top of his game -- that I think it will be relatively easy for him to get right back into it." SOURCE:BALLERSTATUS.COM

D-Wade to the Celtics in 2010?

So far, we know the top level of the 2010 free agent class — LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh, Nowitzki, Amar’e — will be taking a long look at New York and all the money and mass appeal the city has to offer, even if the team still stinks by then. We know Miami, one of the NBA’s other destination cities, will be in the mix. We know Detroit is setting itself up to be a major player in the bidding. Now we may have to add Boston to the mix. During a radio interview earlier today, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said the franchise will have room to offer somebody a max contract next summer, that “there is a situation under which we could do that.”Looking at the team’s salary structure, Ray Allen’s $19.7 million is coming off the books in 2010, and Paul Pierce has a player-option on his $21.5 million deal. Kevin Garnett is still locked in for $18.8 million in 2010-11. And don’t forget Rajon Rondo will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2010.Assuming Boston wants to re-sign Rondo to a big-money long-term deal and that Pierce opts out to test the market, what would you do if you’re running the Celtics? Try to keep Pierce, or let him go and go for one of the other superstars? SOURCE:DIME MAGAZINE

Frank's Review of "The Wiz"

By Frank Leon Roberts ~ Last night I saw The Wiz. Let me begin by answering the question that's on everyone's mind: "How was Ashanti?" Honestly, she was excellent. I would say that she was slightly better than "good" but less than "fabulous." But one thing is for certain: this was not the thin-voiced pop singer I've grown accustomed to hearing on the radio. After listening to that disastrous you-tube clip of “Home" last week, I was expecting the absolute worst. But I left the theatre a changed man. Ashanti's vocals were full, powerful, and soaked in deep Gospel overtones. Though I was not overjoyed by her rendition of “Home” last night, it was still better than the youtube version. And her interpretations of “Be a Lion” and “Soon as I Get Home” made up for any perceived deficiency in the “Home” number. In fact, her rendition of “Be a Lion” was the best that I have ever heard (I’d actually place it above Stephanie Mills' version, and definitely above Diana Ross’s). As an ensemble cast, The Wiz is exceptional. Joshua Henry delivers a brilliant portrayal of The Tinman. His rendition of “What Would I Do If I Could Feel?” (a song that I never really cared for before) was the best male vocal of the evening. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. Henry’s voice is saturated with a deep, dramatic baritone timbre that reminds me of Brian Stokes Mitchell (or Jesse Martin). James Monroe Iglehart and Orlando Jones delivered solid performances as The Lion and The Wiz. Christian Dante White also made a pretty good “Scarecrow” though I was disappointed by the producer’s decision to stick to the original Broadway score and not include “You Cant Win” (the memorable track that appears in the film version of the show, written by Quincy Jones .) And then, of course, there’s Dawnn Lewis, Tichina Arnold, and veteran Broadway diva LaChanze. Not surprisingly, these three ladies were brilliant in every imaginable way. LaChanze’s renditions of “The Feeling We Once Had” and “Believe in Yourself” left shivers down my spine. Overall, I recommend The Wiz enthusiastically. Though it is certainly not a perfect production (and will need to be further revised, expanded and developed if and when it hits the Broadway mainstage) it left me absolutely satisfied. Go out and buy your tickets today!

The Science of The Sexes: Diagnosing Our Differences

EXCERPT FROM CLUTCH MAGAZINEONLINE.COM ~ Man and Woman: Two halves of a whole that form humankind. One cannot exist without the other, but at times it is our intrinsic, but essential differences that cause us to feel locked in a co-dependent alliance filled with anguish and frustration. Countless authors, “relationship experts” and random intimacy Guru’s have profited off of our desire to understand (or merely learn to tolerate) members of the opposite sex. One financially successful franchise went so far as to imply that men and women are from two totally different planets, Mars & Venus.A thought provoking article titled Human Hardware: Men And Women takes a scientific look at some key differences between the two sexes that could possibly explain the eternal struggle men and women face in trying to form a sometimes uneasy union.According to one particular study, there are distinct differences between the male and female brain. Scientists at UC – Irvine found that males have 6.5 times more grey matter in their dome than females, while women have 10 times more white matter than the fellas:“Gray matter is the raw processing material of the brain, and white matter connects the processing centers. That means that men’s brains have a little more horsepower, but women’s brains are better connected. Consequently, men can focus better on tasks that require raw manipulation of data, and women are better at pulling information for multiple sources and synthesizing it. [In addition] the researchers found no significant differences in general intelligence between men and women. Although our brains are wired differently, they seem to work equally well.” CONTINUE READING...

The Real Queen: Vanessa Williams

By Clay Cane ~ Who doesn't love Vanessa Williams? Black, white, straight, gay, country, or suburban, Vanessa Williams transcends every group. This could be the reason why she has survived the entertainment industry for over 26 years and has the résumé to prove it: 14 Grammy nominations; a Tony Award nomination; tons of hit singles, including her legendary pop ballad "Save the Best for Last"; and the 2007 "Ally for Equality" award from the Human Rights Campaign.The former beauty queen has been a friend and honorary member of the gay community from the start of her career. Her performance as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty has only catapulted her popularity among gays -- many of whom will protest if she doesn't win an Emmy for the role.Now, Miss V is taking it back to the music with The Real Thing, in stores now. Here, Vanessa talks about the new album, her history with the gay community, exhaustion with Carrie Prejean (take notes from one of the original beauty queens, Miss Carrie!), and more.Advocate.com: What is your approach when you go back to the recording studio?
Vanessa Williams: It's kind of like jumping back on a bicycle -- once you know how to ride it, it's easy. Luckily, I only worked with one new producer that I had not worked with before. Keith Thomas, he did "Save the Best for Last" and "Colors of the Wind," he is a dear friend. Babyface produced two songs, I've worked with him before and he is a friend as well. Getting into the studio was the easy part, it's just making the time, picking the right material, and the direction the CD was going to be.You mentioned Babyface. Is it true that while working on the two songs you did with him you were running a gay wedding? Oh yeah! I went to two gay weddings actually. I went into the studio and finished both songs then went to my dear friend Daniel and Rick's wedding, who had gotten married about 10 years ago but made it legal. October was the end date in California. The next day I went to Christopher and Mark's wedding, who was the costume designer for the Hannah Montana movie. They had a beautiful ceremony; Alan Cumming sang a song and Loni Anderson was there. Lovely couple. Quite a weekend!

What can your gay fans expect from the album The Real Thing?
It's about as perky as a jazz album can possibly be! [Laughs] My original intent was to do a Brazilian album because I love the feel and sensuality of Brazil and the music. It morphed into some jazz songs. One song we did was a Lena Horne song "Come on Strong," kind of an homage to Wilhelmina, where I am living at every day on the set. It went through a bunch of directions and I think we came out with a taste of everything.CONTINUE READING...

USHER DIVORCE UPDATE: Now it's officially on; Papers filed Friday.

After a flood of false online reports on Thursday that had Usher had filing for divorce against Tameka Foster, the AP is now saying that he has officially filed. Court records show singer the entertainer has filed for divorce from Tameka Foster Raymond after less than two years of marriage. The 30-year-old Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, filed the petition Friday in Superior Court in Atlanta. The court record did not give any details about the split between the R&B star and his wife, who were married in August 2007. Here's what EUR reported earlier: Forget what you've probably heard about the word divorce and Usher and Tameka in the same sentence. Here's the bottom line as we know it. The superstar performer and his wife have not filed for divorced. At least not yet. The hub bub started yesterday when celebrity magazine In Touch, quoting anonymous sources, reported that the couple, after two years of marriage, had filed divorce papers in Fulton County Superior Court Thursday morning. However, after a check of court records, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says no such filing was found.The magazine claims the couple has been living apart for the past year, but finally decided to file papers Thursday morning in Atlanta. Usher and Tameka have two kids together: Usher Raymond V, 18 months, and Naviyd, six months. Four months ago, Usher was flying to Brazil to be by Tameka's side after she suffered cardiac arrest during cosmetic surgery. At the time, there were reports that he had no idea his wife had flown there for the procedure.“The Grammy winner has been living apart from his wife for nearly a year after almost two years of marriage" a source TOLD Us Magazine. "Usher’s primary concern is for his children. He is a great father and just wants to do what is right for them.” Despite the reported filing, sources close to Tameka say that she has yet to receive any papers. The source also adds that Tameka hasn’t spoken to Usher “in a few days.”

Lakers win it all in Orlando:The Lakers take a decisive win over the Magic, 99-86, to end the NBA finals in five games.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers were one half from their 15th championship, running off 16 straight points in a dominant second quarter to open a 56-46 lead over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night in Game 5 of the NBA finals. Kobe Bryant, seeking his fourth title but first withoutShaquille O'Neal, scored 15 points in the half. Trevor Ariza had 11 of his 12 in the second quarter. The Lakers surged into the lead with a 16-0 run to open a 12-point lead, thrilling a large contingent of their fans wearing purple and gold inside Amway Arena. Los Angeles was 5 of 8 from 3-point range in the half and made three 3s during their big run. Orlando missed eight of its nine 3s. Dwight Howard and Rafer Alston both scored nine points in the half for Orlando, which was trying to force a Game 6 in Los Angeles on Tuesday. No team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals. With the Lakers trailing 40-36 midway through the second quarter , Derek Fisher and Ariza hit 3s, and after a jumper by Bryant, Ariza made another 3 for a 47-40 lead. Fisher followed with  another bucket, Ariza hit a free throw, and a basket by Lamar Odom pushed the lead to 52-40 before Alston finally ended Orlando's drought with a layup. The Lakers, who made eight straight shots in one stretch, outscored the Magic 30-18 in the period, helped by Orlando's sloppy play on the offensive end. The Magic had seven turnovers in the quarter, leading to 11 points. Orlando, which shot a finals-record 62.5 percent from the field in its Game 3 victory, started on pace for another night like that. The Magic made eight of their first 11 shots, running off eight straight points to open a 15-6 lead. The last basket came after Rashard Lewis batted the ball out of Bryant's hand, leading to a layup by Alston. Bryant lingered at the other end of the court in obvious pain and during the timeout trainer Gary Vitti looked at his right hand, which has had two fingers dislocated in the last two seasons. Bryant returned play resumed and hit his next two shots, including a 3-pointer, and the Lakers chipped away at the lead as Orlando's shots stopped falling. The Magic missed 10 of their final 14 shots as their lead was cut to 28-26 after one quarter. SOURCE:NYTIMES

Today's Papers: Obama Gives In to NIMBY Lawmakers

The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times lead with word that the White House is pretty much giving up on its efforts to resettle some Guantanamo detainees in the United States. Although the Post does hear from a source that there might still be a chance that "a few" of the more than 50 detainees who have been cleared for release could settle in the United States, the Obama administration is recognizing the overwhelming congressional opposition to the plan and has decided to not push the issue for now. Word of the change in direction came on the same day as six detainees were transferred from the prison. USA Today leads with a look at the problems confronting workers. While much time is devoted to talking about the unemployed, the truth is that even those who still have jobs "are faring worse than at any time since the Great Depression." The employed are working a record-low number of hours, which, combined with cuts in wages, means they have less to spend.The New York Times leads with, and the LAT and WP front, news that the Senate approved legislation that will give vast new powers to the federal government to regulate tobacco products. The legislation was approved 79 to 17 and is expected to easily make it through the House. It would enable the Food and Drug Administration to impose new controls on how cigarettes, along with other tobacco products, are made and marketed. The Wall Street Journal leads its world-wide newsbox with today's presidential election in Iran, which culminates a campaign that has been more heated than most analysts expected. A record turnout is expected and some suspect there will be a runoff.To continue reading, click here.

Orlando Magic fall apart in 4th quarter, go down 3-1 to L.A. Lakers

They've taken their fans on a wild, wondrous journey since October and defied the kind of odds this postseason that gets you in Ripley's and makes Vegas blush.The Orlando Magic now will have to top their own comeback act, dipping deep into the well of improbability to drink in a championship.After falling to the Los Angeles Lakers 99-91 in a bitter overtime loss on Thursday night at Amway Arena, the Magic trail 3-1 in the NBA Finals.The Magic not only must buck history heading into Game 5 on Sunday — no team has ever rebounded from this deficit in the Finals to win the title — but they must get past perhaps an equally formidable obstacle.Kobe.Can they beat Bryant three straight times and stop the Lakers from putting on a 15th title parade?The Magic will have to win to send the series back to L.A. If they wind up starting the summer without a trophy, the chance to win a championship might have come down to two critical areas in Game 4:Dwight Howard's poor free-throw shooting and the team failing to foul while leading by three points in regulation.Howard finished with 16 points and 21 rebounds but was just 6-of-14 at the line.Lakers forward Pau Gasol dunked to trim Orlando's lead to 87-84, but Howard missed two free throws with 10.8 seconds left. All he needed was to hit one to put the game virtually out of reach. They would be big misses on a horrendous night in which the Magic missed 15 free throws (22-of-37).Bryant got the ball to Trevor Ariza up the court, who found Derek Fisher. Fisher nailed a 3-pointer over 5-foot-10 Jameer Nelson to send the game into OT, the Magic unable — or unwilling — to foul on the other end. Mickael Pietrus missed a shot at the horn."We thought 11 seconds was too early, especially the way we were shooting free throws," Coach Stan Van Gundy said. "In retrospect, we gave [Fisher] too much space to shoot the ball. We played like we were trying to protect a layup. We just didn't play Derek Fisher. SOURCE:ORLANDO SENTINEL