Queen of the Strip: Chatting With Kissy Simmons of 'The Lion King'

December 16, 2010, 6:30 am

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Filed under: Theater

Disney's family-friendly production 'The Lion King' would seem out of place to many on the Las Vegas Strip. Surprisingly, the show blends well in the Cirque du Soleil-populated entertainment district, and the traditional theater production is a welcome reprieve to some of the overstylized stage shows.

Bringing to life the music composed by Elton John and Tim Rice, the stage adaptation of 'The Lion King' tells the story of young lion prince Simba and how he becomes king.

Director Julie Taymor has effectively captured the nuances of the film for the stage musical and the crowd is transported from the Mandalay Bay Casino & Resort to the grasslands of Africa while enjoying the chants and traditional vocal arrangements of African composer Lebo M.

BlackVoices.com sat down with the jubilant Kissy Simmons, who plays Nala in the Las Vegas production of 'The Lion King,' to talk about life in Sin City and what its like to be a queen on the Vegas strip.

What is it like being a queen on the Vegas strip?

It's a great feeling. I love it, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's awesome. I've been Nala for eight years total. I've gone from the tour to the Broadway company and now to Las Vegas, and I love it.

You've played Nala on Broadway and even in the touring production of 'The Lion King.' What's the difference playing the character in Las Vegas?

People seem to think that the tour is more hustle and bustle, but actually 'Lion King' sits for six to 10 weeks in every city so it doesn't feel like we're packing it up and going again. However, I will say that when it's a touring production versus a sit-down production, which is what we have in Vegas, the rock that you see is different. It travels on and off stage because you can't drill a hole in everybody's theater when you go. This Vegas company has more cast members, the stage is wider and bigger and that's pretty much one of the biggest differences with any other production.

How have you adapted to living in Las Vegas?

At first I really noticed the dryness, and I was ashy so I just took in a lot more water. You take it back to the roots and get some Vaseline, but it was an easy adjustment. Once you get over the fact that you're in the desert and you need to really rehydrate yourself, it's an easy adjustment.

I hear a lot of singers say the dryness of Vegas can affect your voice. What are you doing for voice preservation?

A lot of rest. I'm not consuming a lot of things that will affect my voice, and lots of water. I haven't found it to be super-detrimental because in my experience I go through my bout of allergies whether I'm in New York, Nashville or anywhere. It just comes with the territory of being a singer. When you perform live eight shows a week, sometimes you get up there and wish there was a button that they could push and you could mime it out, but that's not the case. Sometimes you sound like a barking dog, but you just drink some water, say a prayer and go on about your business.

Have you had a chance to check out any of the other shows on the Vegas Strip?

'Jersey Boys,' which is another Broadway show, but I didn't get to see that when I was in New York. I saw that here and just fell in love with it. The Cirque shows are spectacular to just see. You're like, "Are you really about to jump way from above the clouds?" They're great and they do a good job at sharing tickets with the shows among each other. They'll say, "Oh, we'll give you guy's tickets" and our show will say, "Well, we'll give you guys some tickets, too." So everybody gets to see all of the shows.

Is there a show that you'd like to see come to Vegas that maybe hasn't been here yet?

Yes, the 'Kissy Simmons Show Live.' I think if I were to do a show it wouldn't be one woman. I would be headlining the show, but it would be a show full of singing, comedy and it would be a full-on production with dancers in the background and full of things that involved athleticism, but mainly singing. I think any show could come to Vegas actually.

Do you think 'The Color Purple' production could play here on the strip?

I'm not sure about 'The Color Purple.' I think anything depends on how it's marketed. I think that's the key to anything.

So 'The Lion's King' will end here at Mandalay Bay in December of 2011. Have you thought about your plans after the show?

In general, since I've been performing, I've always wanted to dibble and dabble in the recording industry. I would love to do movies and TV. I've done some television, modeling and, of course, I've done Broadway. But I've never done a movie, and I've never had a recording contract.

Musically, once you begin to record your own CD, what will it sound like?

It would be a mixture. I love rock and roll, and I love old-school R&B/soul music. I think that caters to my voice. I like anything that's big and grand. I love Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy Cline. I have such a wide range, so I think it would be between those genres. I grew up singing gospel music. I was playing the keyboard in church from age 12. I grew up Pentecostal so you always have to stay true to your roots.

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Disney's 'The Lion King' Performance Times at Mandalay Bay

Tuesday - Friday at 7:30pm
Saturday & Sunday at 4:00pm and 8:00pm

For additional details, go to: Disney's 'The Lion's King' Website.

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WHERE TO EAT: If you need to catch a meal before seeing 'The Lion King' at Mandalay Bay, consider RM Seafood, a fine-dining experience just steps away from the theater. "RM is a good seafood restaurant here in Mandalay Bay," Simmons said of the establishment. BlackVoices.com experienced the decadent offerings there as well. Owner Chef Rick Moonen, who was recently seen on Bravo's 'Top Chef Masters,' has created a stellar menu that includes such mouthwatering interpretations of beef, chicken and everything imaginable from the ocean. We recommend the 2 pound steamed Lobster, Moonen's mash and the Fuji apple salad. A spacious establishment with a friendly, knowledgeable staff, RM Seafood offers a finger-licking butter-dipping dining experience. For more information, go to www.RMseafood.com.

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Wells Fargo Promises to Be Nicer to Black People: Oh Really?

December 16, 2010, 7:08 am

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Filed under: News, Housing, Mortgage

I got a call not too long ago. It was from Wells Fargo, the bank that has been sued by one county after another for engaging in predatory lending toward the African American community. My first question to my business manager was "What do they want? I'm probably not going to be interested." My personal negotiations with Wells Fargo didn't go very far. I had no interest in being associated with the company that many believe to have ripped billions of dollars in wealth from a community that has such little wealth to begin with. Also, after watching my grandparents lose the home they'd lived in for over 40 years, it was personal for me. I also applaud Tavis Smiley for ending his affiliation with Wells Fargo after the predatory lending allegations surfaced during the financial crisis.

You can imagine my dismay when the NAACP made a deal with Wells Fargo that led to the company immediately becoming the title sponsor of the organization's national convention this year. I spoke with NAACP President Ben Jealous about the matter, and I was ultimately left unsatisfied with the degree of transparency behind the deal. It's one thing to say that you're going into the demon's house to clean it up, but you must provide proof that you're not simply entering the house to enjoy the spoils of colluding with the demon. To date, the NAACP has not done an adequate job of describing the nature of its financial deal with Wells Fargo, and the group has also not made it clear exactly how Wells Fargo is going to make up for the billions in losses that have been caused by it within the African American community. Having the most powerful civil rights organization in America as a "partner" effectively releases Wells Fargo from the threat of any significant criticism for their activities in the black community (other than conversations that occur behind closed doors). If this partnership is not clearly defined and empowered, Wells Fargo could hire thugs to rob old ladies in the hood and the NAACP wouldn't be able to say a thing.

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Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Michael Vick
The former star quarterbacks' home became infamous in recent years. The 15-acre compound in Surry County, Virginia, was home to a dog-fighting operation which landed the former number-one overall NFL draft pick in jail. The house went on the market for $1.1 million.

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BlackVoices.com

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Michael Vick
The former star quarterbacks' home became infamous in recent years. The 15-acre compound in Surry County, Virginia, was home to a dog-fighting operation which landed the former number-one overall NFL draft pick in jail. The house went on the market for $1.1 million.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Drew Barrymore
In 2001, the "Firestarter" actress was involved in a fire of her own. Barrymore and her husband Tom Green escaped a devastating fire at their $3 million Beverly Hills home thanks to their dog who woke them in the night. The inferno gutted the home, causing $600,000 in damage.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Michael Jackson
Rumors of the King of Pop's finances going bust had been swirling for years before his untimely death. For example, his famed Neverland Ranch was threatened by foreclosure before he received a last minute reprieve from Colony Capital, a private equity group. Sadly, he eventually lost the house anyway.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Whitney Houston
Critics once said she had one of the clearest voices in music, but diva Whitney Houston hit a sour note in 2006 when she came close to losing her $6 million, 10-acre New Jersey estate. The songstress reportedly owed thousands of dollars in back taxes. Then, in 2007, dozens of Houston's belongings were auctioned off: bras, bustiers, and other props from her past tours, along with a $400,000 see-through grand piano and her ex-husband Bobby Brown's Grammy awards.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

50 Cent
In May 2008, the home the rapper's former girlfriend and child occupied was gutted by a suspicious fire. No one was seriously injured. The rapper bought the house for $2.4 million.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Jose Canseco
It is rumored that former MLB star Jose Canseco walked away from his $2.5 million home in Encino, an area of Los Angeles. Multiple divorces may have been the final straw. Canseco stated that it did not make financial sense to keep up the mortgage.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Fantasia
2004 'American Idol' winner Fantasia Barrino's house was on the auction block in order to repay a loan. The home, valued at $1.1 million, was being used to compensate a company that lent Barrino money to pay taxes. Later foreclosure rumors were denied by the star.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Slash
The Guns 'n Roses/Velvet Revolver guitarist got suckered into a very bad real estate deal according to a lawsuit he filed last fall. Slash says he was duped into buying a million-dollar house that did not have the amenities that were promised in the deal. Perhaps Slash should actually view the house next time before he buys it.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez put his 4,600-square-foot New York pad on the market for $14 million after his ex-wife charged during their divorce that he had an "affair of the heart" with Madonna.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

Andre Rison
The late rap singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC faced arson charges in 1994 for setting a fire that destroyed her boyfriend football player Andre Rison's house.The $861,000 mansion was in the exclusive Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta.

Celeb Real Estate Disasters

With that said, a former NAACP official whom I respect, Monique Morris, shared a bit of information regarding just how Wells Fargo plans to make things right with black folks. In a recent article, Morris said that "They have been working with us closely with respect to lending practices, access to services and alternatives in communities of color."

I trust Monique and believe that she has good intentions. I also trust Wells Fargo to do exactly what a capitalist organization is expected to do: Maximize shareholder wealth. To date, I've not seen many incentives for Wells Fargo to do the right thing when it comes to minorities and the poor, so until concrete initiatives are released showing that the company has made amends for their past, I won't be convinced that their relationship with the NAACP is much more than a publicity stunt.

"So, what does this mean to us? It means taking a closer look at how we do business, it means taking a closer look at how we support communities and consider tangible steps to improve our service to those that we entrust with their finances," said Marvin Clark, Senior Relationship Manager with Wells Fargo. "It means listening to thought leaders like you and hearing the issues that you hear from the people on the street every day and delivering our commitment back to that community."

I am not sure if Mr. Clark is black, but given that he was a speaker at the Urban League National Conference, I wouldn't be surprised if he were. Also, job titles like "Senior Relationship Manager" fit with "Community Relations Director" and other titles that translate to "My job was created so I can speak to black people, because the rest of my company cannot." I was offered a similar position at Syracuse University, and find it interesting that many organizations don't realize that the creation of offshoot community liaison positions built specifically for African Americans is a by-product of the fact that black men and women are still marginalized in corporate America, academia and many other institutions in our country, as a particular artifact of slavery. Perhaps one day we can evolve to the point where we understand that it's OK for a black man or black woman with original ideas to have a position that is part of the critical fabric of the institution. That's what real diversity is all about.

This is not to say that Wells Fargo is a company full of racist human beings or that Mr. Clark is a corporate pawn. It is to say that unfettered capitalism, by its very nature, is built on oppressing the powerless. Given that banks are about as capitalist as you can get, we can never expect that they will deviate from their very reason for being. To expect a bank to do the right thing when it's not profitable to do so is like trusting a hungry lion to protect a pet rabbit instead of eating it. So thus far, Wells Fargo is reminding us of the old adage that "talk is cheap," and they are doing a lot of it.

When Wells Fargo is ordered to pay at least one billion dollars to black institutions to make up for the massive loss of wealth that occurred under its watch through predatory lending, then things will be nearly even. But making a small donation to the NAACP and promising to do better in the future is simply unacceptable. We don't live in a world where a person can steal billions of dollars and then make things right with a small fine and community service. But that's what Wells Fargo seems to be trying to do right now.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

 

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50 Cent on Cover of Black Enterprise Magazine in Dapper Suit

December 16, 2010, 7:08 am

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Filed under: Celebrity News, Careers, News

Black entertainment juggernaut The YBF has posted an exclusive picture of 50 Cent gracing the cover of this month's Black Enterprise magazine. YBF owner and editor Natasha reports:

BE editor Tennille Robinson was able to get a number of details on him regarding his estimated worth, most recent deals and how he's managed to leverage his celebrity into a number of business ventures. 50's all business in this story, no beef. That's a surprise. ....

The cover shoot took place in Los Angeles, which is where 50 is currently based since he's gotten more involved with acting and producing movies for his production company Cheetah Vision. He's already started filming 'The Set Up' [in which] he stars opposite Bruce Willis. And it's the first of a 10-picture deal backed by a $200 million fund financed by the New York City-based Hedge Fund Film Partners. Nice.
See more amazing photos and learn more details on 50 Cent at The YBF.

50 Cent has certainly come a long way from signing his first record deal for a cool million. After his $100 million Vitamin Water deal came to fruition, the Queens rapper has been able to parlay his brand into publishing, a fragrance, acting and now producing films on the business end.

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Rappers Turned Actors

Acting Up:
Queen Latifah, Will Smith and Ice Cube may be some of the most bankable black actors in Hollywood. But they are also hip hop royalty. These Grammy Award winners lead a growing list of rappers who caught the acting bug. Check them out.

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Rappers Turned Actors

Acting Up:
Queen Latifah, Will Smith and Ice Cube may be some of the most bankable black actors in Hollywood. But they are also hip hop royalty. These Grammy Award winners lead a growing list of rappers who caught the acting bug. Check them out.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Bow Wow
Real Name: Shad Moss
Notable Acting Roles: 'All About the Benjamins,' 'Like Mike,' 'Johnson Family Vacation,' 'Roll Bounce,' 'The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,' 'Hurricane Season,' 'Lottery Ticket'
Factoid: In the midst of promoting his latest film 'Lottery Ticket' Jermaine Dupri's former protégée revealed that he will appear alongside Loretta Devine and Isaiah Mustafa in the new upcoming Tyler Perry film, 'Madea's Big Happy Family.'

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Queen Latifah
Real Name: Dana Elaine Owens
Notable Acting Roles: 'Jungle Fever,' 'Living Single,' 'Set It Off'' 'Chicago'
Factoid: The New Jersey native spent five years as magazine editor Khadijah James on the hit television sitcom 'Living Single,' but this Grammy Award winning Cover Girl spokesperson was marked as an actress to watch when she scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Matron Mama Morton in the movie 'Chicago,' based on the hit Broadway musical.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Ice Cube
Real Name: O'Shea Jackson
Notable Acting Roles: 'Boyz N the Hood,' 'Barbershop,' 'Are We There Yet?' 'Friday'
Factoid: This former N.W.A. rapper got his start as Doughboy in the John Singleton directed Academy Award-nominated film 'Boyz N the Hood' before starring in and producing his own comedy 'Friday' as well as family-friendly fare like 'Are We There Yet' and its sequel.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: DMX
Real Name: Earl Simmons
Notable Acting Roles: 'Belly,' 'Exit Wounds,' 'Romeo Must Die'
Factoid: Once a chart-topping rap superstar, DMX, who reportedly suffers from a bipolar disorder, has spent most of the past five years in and out of jail, which has side-lined his budding acting career -- not to mention the possibility of starring in an official sequel to the Hype Williams-helmed cult classic 'Belly' alongside fellow rapper Nas.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Ice T
Real Name: Tracy Marrow
Notable Acting Roles: 'New Jack City,' 'New York Undercover,' 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
Factoid: Talk about a 360. Once a controversial gangsta rapper with the song 'Cop Killer,' Ice T is a household name -- thanks to his role as NYPD Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuloa on the police drama 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.' Series co-creator Dick Wolf reportedly cast him in after seeing his NAACP Image Award-winning portrayal of drug dealer Danny Cort on 'New York Undercover.'

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Will Smith
Real Name: Willard Christopher Smith, Jr.
Notable Acting Roles: 'Independence Day,' 'Six Degrees of Separation,' 'Men In Black' and 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'
Factoid: At 40, not only is this 'Parents Just Don't Understand' rapper one of only two hip-hop artists to receive an Academy Award nomination in an acting category (Queen Latifah is the other), but Smith is the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in domestic box office and have all eight open at #1.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Nas
Real Name: Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones
Notable Acting Role: 'Belly'
Factoid: In both a pivotal scene in 'Belly' and on a song called 'One Love' from his 1994 album 'Illmatic,' this New York lyricist talks about a character named 'Shorty,' who shoots from the roof of a Queens project building.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Method Man
Real Name: Clifford Smith
Notable Acting Roles: 'How High,' 'The Wackness,' 'The Wire'
Factoid: According to 'The Wire' series creator David Simon, the Wu Tang Clan member's character Melvin 'Cheese' Wagstaff was the father of Randy Wagstaff, a young boy in the final two seasons of the Emmy-nominated HBO drama, but the relationship was never explored on the show.

Rappers Turned Actors

Stage Name: Diddy
Real Name: Sean John Combs
Notable Acting Roles: 'Raisin in the Sun,' 'Monster's Ball'
Factoid: Although his early days forming Bad Boy Records were portrayed on the silver screen by actor Derek Luke in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic 'Notorious,' Diddy has worked tirelessly so that he would be taken seriously as a thespian. Since starring in 'A Raisin in the Sun' on Broadway and then taking a bit role in the critically-acclaimed indie 'Monster's Ball,' the hip hop mogul has been cast in the upcoming movie 'Get Him to the Greek.'

Rappers Turned Actors

If his movie production arm is successful, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson might soon be able to give Tyler Perry a run for his money as a new African American player in Hollywood. Despite the success of 'Precious' and Tyler Perry's enterprises, the financial power and influence of African Americans in film is minimal. Earlier this year we reported on the fact that even an Oscar winner like Forest Whitaker has to appear in films funded by the Gaddafi family in order to get backing as a black star. This shows how dire the situation is in Hollywood even for stellar black actors of quality.

50 Cent might not be a great thespian, but he is an extremely successful wealth creator, which in Tinseltown goes a long way. Perhaps his film production company will be able to generate great opportunities not just for himself, but also for established African American actors who are underutilized by the current system.

 

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Cops Raid Waka Flocka Flame's House, Gucci Mane Arrested for Alleged Prostitution

December 16, 2010, 7:20 am

≫ Next: Check Out Pics of Martin Lawrence, Brandon T. Jackson From 'Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son'

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Filed under: News

TMZ reports that gangsta hip-hop's Waka Flocka Flame (pictured left), who was recently in a heap of legal trouble earlier this year, had his Atlanta home raided by police Thursday morning.

According to Waka's mom, rapper Gucci Mane (pictured right), who was visiting his friend and is no stranger to a jail cell, was also taken in to custody. Prostitution is thought to be involved.

At the raid, police were reportedly looking for evidence of gangs and drugs. They were also investigating possible prostitution but found marijuana and weapons. According to the Henry County Sheriff's Office, the partners in crime have not yet been booked in the county jail.

Both men have been previously incarcerated.

Gucci Mane, real name Radrick Davis, was behind bars for six months on a parole-violation charge. He was only released last May. Upon breathing fresh air again, the performer held court outside the jail and told reporters:

"My time in jail was trying, but I grew from it and am now a stronger and better person. I want to continue on a positive track and truly focus on being a role model to my fans and my community. I have made some mistakes in my life that have hurt a lot of people who care about me. I have worked very hard to get past them, but those mistakes have brought me to where I am today, and they will not be repeated."

Waka Flocka Flame, whose given name is Juaquin Malphurs and who was shot and robbed at an Atlanta car wash last January, was also jailed for a parole violation in March.

Attention hip-hop rappers: Going to jail is NOT like going to the Ritz or the Four Seasons. Think about the consequences of your actions. If you want success and all of the fame and fortune that can accompany a solid rap career, then stop this cycle.

You are self-sabotaging yourselves with your destructive behaviors. If you want success, you have to start using your head. Think about the time for the crime. Is it really worth it?

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Check Out Pics of Martin Lawrence, Brandon T. Jackson From 'Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son'

December 16, 2010, 7:52 am

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20th Century Fox have released some stills from 'Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son,' the third installment from the 'Big Momma' franchise starring Martin Lawrence.

Directed by John Whitesell, the comedy also stars Brandon T. Jackson, Jessica Lucas, Faizon Love, Emily Rios, Portia Doubleday, and Michelle Ang.

Big Momma (played by Lawrence) and Charmaine (played by Jackson) go undercover at an all-girls performing-arts school to unmask a murderer. Love will play Kurtis Kool, a school security guard and former Run-D.M.C. roadie who becomes smitten with Big Momma. Rios, Doubleday and Ang will play students at the school who befriend Jackson's character.

'Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son' hits theaters on Feb. 18, 2011.

 

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Working Poor Take Home Less Pay With Tax Deal

December 16, 2010, 7:57 am

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Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama

Despite a tax cut compromise that is supposed to keep everyone whole financially, if not better off, 51 million households will face a higher tax bill or a lower refund compared with this year.

The main culprit: The proposed payroll tax break would not be as generous for many low- and middle-income households as the tax cut it is replacing.

The bill, which has passed the Senate and is set for a House vote on Thursday, would for one year reduce workers' Social Security taxes. Workers pay 6.2% on their first $106,800 of wages. The tax cut deal would reduce that to 4.2%.

That payroll tax "holiday" would replace the Making Work Pay credit, which expires Dec. 31 and was part of the 2009 Recovery Act.

As a result, 51 million households -- about a third of the total -- would be out an average of $210 compared with this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

"Nothing else in the compromise tax agreement compensates [them] for those losses," Tax Policy Center senior fellow Roberton Williams wrote in the blog Tax Vox.

About 45 million of the households represent private and public sector workers.

Here's why they won't get as much tax relief in 2011: Making Work Pay was worth $400 for individuals making $75,000 or less or $800 per couple making $150,000 or less.

To get that much under the payroll tax break, one would need to earn at least $20,000 ($40,000 for couples). That's because the payroll tax break would amount to 2% of a worker's pay.

The other 6 million households affected represent state and local government employees who received the Making Work Pay credit but won't qualify for the payroll tax holiday. Why? Because they're not covered by Social Security and therefore don't pay into the system.

Source: CNN


Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.

 

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Magazine Matters: Star Jones Named New Editor At Uptown

December 16, 2010, 8:05 am

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Filed under: Photos, Television

Star Jones has just been named Editor-at-Large at Uptown magazine.

The former co-host of 'The View' makes her column debut in the special Weddings and Travel issue of the magazine that hits newsstands on Jan 20, 2011.

Uptown is published eight times a year and the glossy describes itself as "the only luxury lifestyle publication for affluent African Americans."

"As an accomplished attorney and television personality, Star represents Uptown's readers and will bring added 'star power' to our consumers," said Editor-in-Chief Keija Minor.

The 48-year-old talent will contribute a regular column in the magazine, pen political, entertainment and celebrity stories, and provide some features for Uptown's website.

In addition to her new venture with Uptown, Jones will be among the celebrity contestants on season four of Donald Trump's 'Celebrity Apprentice,' which premieres in March of 2011.

The Badin, North Carolina-bred personality also has a her debut novel, 'The Lunch Club' (Simon & Schuster) that is loosely based on her time at 'The View' early next year as well.

---

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• Star Jones & La Toya Jackson to Join 'Celebrity Apprentice': What's the Career Lesson?

---

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Reality Bites

Sharisse "Shar" Jackson
Affiliation: 'Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp' on VH1
Side note: Though some may remember her as the sidekick Niecy Jackson on the groundbreaking UPN sitcom 'Moesha,' Jackson gained international tabloid attention as the mother of two children with Kevin Federline (who was married to pop superstar Britney Spears for three years). All together, she has four children.

Reality Bites

Fantasia Barrino
Affiliation: 'Fantasia For Real' on VH1
Side note: The 'American Idol' champion (2005) is a best-selling author ('Life is Not a Fairytale') and garnered critical acclaim as Miss Celie in the Broadway musical 'The Color Purple.'

Reality Bites

Nene Leakes
Affiliation: 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' on Bravo
Side note: The brazen Queens, NY native is a domestic abuse survivor and a former stripper - all revelations she detailed in her 2009 memoir 'Never Make the Same Mistake Twice.'

Reality Bites

Terrell Owens
Affiliation: 'The T.O. Show' on VH1
Side note: Alabama's very own football star simply known as "T.O." -- literally let it all hang out for the photo shoot promoting his new reality series, in July 2009. The show revolves around his life off the field as he searches for love, repair family relationships and make the move from Dallas to Buffalo.

Reality Bites

Ray Cunningham
Affiliation: 'College Hill: Virginia State University' on BET
Side note: One of the more memorable characters from the Black Entertainment Television network reality ranks, Cunningham has become an openly gay LGBT advocate, budding actor and busy blogger, who was featured in Adam Bouska's groundbreaking NoH8 Campaign, which assembled California notables responding to the state's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage. Cunningham was also cast in acclaimed filmmaker Maurice Jamal's new forthcoming TV project 'Friends and Lovers.'

Reality Bites

Miss New York
Affiliation:'Flavor of Love' and 'I Love New York' on VH1
Side note: The upstate New York drama queen competed for hip-hop hype-man Flavor Flav's love twice and was rejected both times.

Reality Bites

MC Hammer
Affiliation: 'Hammertime' on A&E
Side note: Stanley Kirk Burrell seems to have done it all: Joined the navy; won Grammy Awards; danced for KFC popcorn chicken; fathered six children; wiggled his manhood in a Speedo bikini on a music video; went bankrupt; became a preacher; and now doing reality TV. 'Hammertime' is a look inside the family life of the man formerly known as one of the riches entertainers of his era.

Reality Bites

Keyshia Cole
Affiliation: 'The Way It Is' on BET
Side note: In an interview, thuggish ruggish rap icon Young Jeezy claimed that the hip-hop soul songstress asked him to marry her but he turned her down.

Reality Bites

Mo'Nique
Affiliation: 'Charm School' on VH1
Side note: While promoting the movie 'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,' Mo'Nique told Oprah Winfrey that co-star Martin Lawrence once gave her invaluable advice about show business.

Reality Bites

Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth
Affiliation: 'The Apprentice' on NBC and 'The Surreal Life' on VH1
Side note:The former White House staffer proudly became the superbitch of reality TV.

Reality Bites

 

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Yet Another Racist Small Business Sign -- And I Thought We Were Post-Racial

December 16, 2010, 8:18 am

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Filed under: News

Even in "post-racial" America, some people find their rights to freedom of expression constantly under attack by the PC police. Not a week goes by that we don't find some business owner being criticized by a clueless, oppressive public for merely putting up a sign (or selling "Darkie" soap). A business owner is certainly entitled to their freedom of speech. Right?

There was the Maryland restaurant that put up a "Country First. McCain/Palin" sign during campaign season. A Florida doctor who posted a sign telling anyone who voted for Obama to "seek care elsewhere". A Georgia bar owner put the word "n*gger" on a sign outside his business. And just last week, I told you about some ingrate in Wisconsin who essentially put a "No Coloreds Allowed" sign on the front of his strip club.

And now this guy. Seriously, what is it with quasi-racist small business owners and their signs:

The fuss over a sign in Alabama at an electronics store reading "BBQ PORK RESTURANT (sic) IS SAFEST NO MUSLIMS INSIDE" shocked its longtime owner who said he doesn't understand why it's such a big deal.

Electronic Repair Company owner Chuck Biddinger, who put up the sign last week, said he meant the message as a joke. But he said this sign, which has garnered national attention, has gotten more positive reaction than negative - and he has no plans to apologize to anyone offended.

He told local television station ABC 33/40 that while it was meant as a lighthearted joke, it was true.

"Muslims do not eat pork," he told the television station. "It's a known fact that Muslims have tried to commit crimes in this country."

On Friday, Biddinger said he planned to take the sign down sometime soon, but hadn't quite had the time to do it - and was still looking for something equally eye-catching. Signs outside his shop are changed every week, usually with jokes he receives via email chains.

When asked by The News if he understood why this sign might have gotten more attention than other racist or sexist signs he may have posted, he replied, "No, ma'am." After all, he said, he wasn't worried about people's feelings. "For the local area, if I offend a few Muslims, there will be a lot of people who support it," he said.

Not to mention, all the coverage of his repair shop from the sign is good for business.

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Vintage Racist Advertising

African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising 1924 Cream of Wheat advertisement

Photo Source: The Authentic History Center

The Authentic History Center

AP

BlackVoices.com

Vintage Racist Advertising

Top left LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 1: Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav present onstage at the VH1 - Big in '04 on December 1, 2004 at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Top right: 1899 -- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by (C) CORBIS; Bottom right: 1930s AC spark plugs ad in The Saturday Evening Post -- Photo by The Authentic History Center; Bottom left: This cartoon image provided by the New York Post appeared in the Post's Page Six Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009. The cartoon, which refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police in Stamford, Conn. on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner, drew criticism Wednesday on media Web sites and from civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton. (AP Photo/New York Post) ** NO SALES ** Credit: Getty Images / Corbis / Authentic History Center / AP

Vintage Racist Advertising

Advertisement for an African-American slave sale.

Although the enslavement of mankind in general has been recorded as early as 1200 BC; the first African slaves were reportedly transported to the 'New World' in 1517. This is 76 years after the first black slaves were captured and taken to Portugal.

Vintage Racist Advertising

African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising c.1880s Tin of Nigger Hair Tobacco

For decades this product was sold in stores as chewing tobacco or for smoking. It was advertised as 'pure, unadulterated, fine old burley leaf.'

Photo Source: The Authentic History Center

Vintage Racist Advertising

1888 -- Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster -- Image by (C) Swim Ink 2, LLC/CORBIS Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster

Vintage Racist Advertising

ca. 1890 -- Zoulou Powder Poster (French advertisement)

Because offensive advertising was permeated throughout the world for many years, (and still is, as you will see in a few upcoming slides) it should come as no surprise that in more modern times 'racism has become the scourge of European soccer stadiums.'

Vintage Racist Advertising

ca. 1899 --- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by (C) CORBIS Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Topsy was a stereotypical pickaninny character in the book, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.' Uncle Tom was a slave in the book. The term 'Uncle Tom' is recognized to be offensive and a derogatory name for a black man who is abjectly servile and deferential to whites.

Vintage Racist Advertising

ca. 1899 --- George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster --- Image by (C) CORBIS George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster

Early definition of minstrel: a medieval poet and musician who sang or recited while accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, either as a member of a noble household or as an itinerant troubadour.

The black-face minstrel act was a very popular form of entertainment in 19th-century America. White audiences were receptive to the portrayals of Blacks as singing, dancing, grinning fools. T.D. 'Daddy' Rice, the original Jim Crow, became rich and famous because of his skills as a minstrel. Interestingly though, when he died in New York on September 19, 1860, he was broke.

Vintage Racist Advertising

African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising 1899 Durkee's Salad Dressing advertisement, Harpers Magazine

Notice the broken English purportedly spoken by black Americans, 'We're gwine ter live high ter-night ...'

Photo Source: The Authentic History Centerr

Vintage Racist Advertising

Advertisement for Clarence Brooks and Co.'s Fine Coach Varnishes uses racist stereotypes to depict a group of African-American adults and children as they cheer and watch two shirtless boxers, one of whom appears unconscious, accompanied by the text "the Championship Fight, Sullivan Wins," late 1800s. The Sullivan in the text is a reference to boxer John L. Sullivan, who fought bare-knuckled in several famous bouts.

Vintage Racist Advertising

Advertisement for the St. Louis Beef Canning Company features an illustration of a stereotyped African-American character sitting on a can of beef, accompanied by phonetically rendered, stereotypical dialect-style text that reads: 'No Sah! dont jine no Exodus so as dis Beef lasts,' late 1800s.

Showing blacks to massacre the English language, further perpetuated the false idea that African Americans were somehow ineducable.

Vintage Racist Advertising

Ahhh, the money phrase: "all the coverage of his repair shop from the sign is good for business." Seriously -- this guy sees pissing off a segment of the population as "good for business," even though the business of note (BBQ joint) isn't one Biddinger even owns?

Because the sign isn't related to hiring or directly serving patrons, I doubt there's technically anything illegal about Biddinger's expression of free speech. Tasteless? Sure. Ignorant? Definitely. Racist? Probably. Illegal? Not so much.

If there were any justice in Birmingham, this moron's "electronic repair company" would be out of business.

Questions:
-Do small business owners have the right to put any sign they want onto a business even though it may offend the community?
-What rights to people have to enjoy public spaces free of negative discrimination, even if it is not directly threatening?

Leave your comments below.

---

Jay Anderson is a freelance writer from Washington, DC, whose work has been featured in the Washington Post and on NPR. When he's not busy talking smack here, he runs the award-winning blog AverageBro.com. Follow him via Twitter @AverageBro.

 

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'Birther' Soldier Admits Wrong, Sentenced to Six Months in Jail

December 17, 2010, 2:01 am

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Have you ever had a plan to do something that you thought would be so great, but as you implemented that plan, you realized you hadn't quite thought everything through?

Like wearing sexy heels to Six Flags. It starts off fine, and you think you're looking real hot, but after an hour, when your feet are killing you and you have six more hours to be there, you realize what a horribly bad idea it was.

Well, apparently that is the fix that Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin finds himself in today. Lakin took a stand against President Barack Obama and refused to deploy to Afghanistan on the grounds that Obama is not a legitimate president of the United States. He claims Obama is not a citizen, and thus, ineligible to serve.

The Army rewarded his stand and his political views with a court martial, jail time and the loss of millions in pension benefits.

Once realizing his "stand" wasn't turning out too well, he said, SIKE!


Much like wearing heels to Six Flags, it seems that the colonel's plan wasn't very well thought through. Throwing his career and a bunch of money down the toilet was not quite the result Lakin had in mind.

Lakin, looking like a big dummy, now says that despite his questions about Obama's eligibility for office, he was wrong not to follow Army orders:

"I don't want it to end this way," Lakin told the jury Wednesday under questioning from his lawyer. "I want to continue to serve."

Prosecutors aren't buying it, though.

The prosecutor, Philip J. O'Beirne, said Lakin had other options, such as resigning or asking not to be deployed, if he had issues with his orders.

Instead, he used his deployment earlier this year as a political ploy, O'Beirne said, going to great lengths to create a "spectacle" by informing people of what he was doing.

Under questioning by his lawyer, he admitted that he used his deployment as a way to raise the issue and that he knew when he disobeyed orders that his "career was over."

Friday morning, a military prosecutor asked the jury to sentence Lakin to at least two years in a military prison and to dismiss him from service.

The jury returned with a sentence of six months in jail and dismissal from the armed services.

He'll have a lot of time in jail to study maps.

Maybe during that time, he will finally realize that Hawaii is a part of the United States. Good riddance!

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Wikileaks Says Grace Mugabe Deals in Illegal Diamonds

December 17, 2010, 2:04 am

≫ Next: Hanging with Obama, All-Star Kobe Bryant Has Come a Long Way

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Filed under: News, Profiles, Politics

Grace Mugabe, Zimbabwe's first lady, is a mess.

She has been accused of punching out a newspaper photographer who dared to take pictures of her on a Hong Kong shopping spree.

She is rumored to have carried on a "secret" affair with Zimbabwe's central bank chief Gideon Gono.

And even though her nation is broke, Mugabe's lavish jet-setting lifestyle has led her critics to call her "Disgrace."

Now the Zimbabwe Standard newspaper is facing a $15 million lawsuit from Mugabe for reporting that she was involved in illegal diamond deals.

The newspaper story was based on a 2008 Wikileaks dispatch that quotes former U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee as saying that both Mugabe and her alleged lover Gano had "reaped tremendous profits" from corruption and violence-plagued diamond mines in eastern Zimbabwe.

It's enough to make you get down on your hands and knees and kiss the ground in thanks for First Lady Michelle Obama.

The Zimbabwe courts ought to throw Mugabe's silly lawsuit out -- without delay.

The story shows why the Wikileaks disclosures are valuable.

The people of the world have the right to know what is really going on in the capitals, embassies and government offices around the world. All the nasty little secrets of government representatives and friends, like Grace Mugabe's misdeeds, need to be exposed.

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Hanging with Obama, All-Star Kobe Bryant Has Come a Long Way

December 17, 2010, 2:29 am

≫ Next: Obama Signs Bill for Post Office to Bear Dorothy Height's Name

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Filed under: Basketball

This week it was announced that Kobe Bryant, star of the Los Angeles Lakers, is leading the nation in All-Star votes. Bryant has over 722,000 votes thus far and is on his way to once again becoming America's favorite basketball player (well, he might already be there). He is more popular than his nemesis, LeBron James, who lost a bulk of his public support after improperly orchestrating his move to Miami. At the same time, the criticism of James was inherently unfair.

What's interesting about LeBron vs. Kobe is that one guy has always been a team player and stayed out of trouble (LeBron). The other one (Kobe) was accused of rape just a few years ago and was also once known as a prima donna who wouldn't pass the ball to anyone other than himself. My oh my how times have changed.


The point of clarity for me regarding just how far Kobe's career has come since the rape allegations seven years ago was when I saw Bryant in the White House cheesing and talking smack with President Barack Obama. "Wow," I thought. "The President of the United States has no problem being photographed next to an accused rapist."

This is not to say that I disagree with President Obama's decision to take a picture with Bryant, I probably would too. It is also not to say that I believe Kobe raped anyone, since athletes who like to "get around" are easy targets for predatory women. But understanding just how careful the president has been when it comes to being associated with the wrong people and with black men (he hasn't said the words "black man" in public at all this year, according to my count), I was stunned that he felt so comfortable spending time with Bryant on such a large stage. Had Kobe wanted to hang out in the White House five years ago, the president would surely have been busy that day.

Kobe's comeback has been a beautiful thing to watch. Both he and Michael Vick have gone down that ugly path only preserved for the black athlete in America. It is the path in which a public backlash might spontaneously combust like a forest fire being fueled by racism and America's long history of hatred of African American men. On this path, mountains of devastation are created out of molehills of common mistakes. The margin of error for the black male in America is incredibly small and we've long been considered less than human.

Kobe Bryant has gone from the depths of embarrassment to becoming the darling of Madison Avenue. Last year, he was in the top five highest paid athletes in the world. He has five NBA titles under his belt while being young enough to bag at least a couple more. He has helped rebuild the Lakers from the team with a gaping hole in the middle (after losing Shaq) into a powerful collection of amazing players with great synergy feeding off the talent and experience that Bryant brings to the table.

Both Michael Vick and Tiger Woods can learn from Kobe's rise. Although I was saddened by Bryant's decision to cheat on his wife with a woman he'd only known for a few minutes (we should have learned something from Magic Johnson), I was proud to see him use discipline, focus and determination to rebuild his life instead of choosing to self-destruct. I have a great deal of respect for Kobe Bryant.



Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

 

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Obama Signs Bill for Post Office to Bear Dorothy Height's Name

December 17, 2010, 2:31 am

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Filed under: News, President Obama, Race and Civil Rights, Health Care Debate

In one of many underrated accomplishments of the Obama administration, and one of the more morally symbolic, President Barack Obama signed H.R. 6118 bill on Wednesday, which names the United States Postal Service on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C. as the Dorothy I. Height Post Office.

Height, one of the most significant, but unsung Civil Rights leaders and Chair Emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, worked tirelessly for equality for blacks, women - both white and black - farmers, and poor families, as well as helped desegregate the YWCA, among other accomplishments.

She was known for her regal hats and dignified persistence; she met with President Obama over a dozen times before she passed away this past April at age 98. She had the opportunity to talk with him about the landmark health care reform bill. President Obama delivered the eulogy and wept openly at her funeral.

Height was snubbed by Barnard College, where she gained entrance but was refused admission because they only allowed two black students per year. She graduated from New York University and would go on to advise presidents from Eisenhower to Obama on issues of equality.

At her eulogy President Obama said, "Dr. Dorothy Height deserves a place in this pantheon," referring to leaders whose legacies are taught tirelessly in schools. "She, too, deserves a place in our history books. She, too, deserves a place of honor in America's memory."

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Getty Images North America

Your Hottest News Stories

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Click Here for the Complete Story

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'Grim Sleeper' Photos of Women Baffle Police

December 17, 2010, 2:58 am

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Filed under: News, Race and Civil Rights

Investigators in Los Angeles are seeking the public's help to unravel another mystery in the "Grim Sleeper" serial murder case: who are the women in his photos (pictured above)?

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Images of about 180 women - some sexual in nature, others on home video - were taken from the home of "Grim Sleeper" suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr. (pictured below), who has pleaded not guilty to charges that he murdered 10 women from 1985 to 1988 and from 2002 to 2007.

The 14-year delay between the killing sprees has led authorities to call him the "Grim Sleeper." The pictures and videos of the 180 women were found during a search of his home in July and appear to stretch from the 1970s to the present day - if the hairstyles, makeup and clothing on the women are any clue.

Most of the women, who appear to range in age from their late teens to their 50s, are smiling and look like they are having fun when the pictures were taken; the vast majority are black.

Franklin, a backyard mechanic, was captured last summer using a controversial police technique, called "familial DNA search," that found Franklin through a DNA sample from his son who was picked up in an unrelated crime. The son's DNA came back as similar to that taken from the serial killings and police later gathered evidence from the elder Franklin to charge him with those crimes.

Just because a woman's picture might be located in Franklin's photo album doesn't mean she may have met a tragic end by his hands.

But anyone who lost a young female relative or friend to the gritty streets of Los Angeles in the past few decades might be wise to look at the photos, which police will have displayed on large outdoor billboards.

A young lady might have had the misfortune of meeting a backyard mechanic named Lonnie Franklin Jr.

 

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Michael Vick Wants to Own a Dog Again...Some Day

December 17, 2010, 3:12 am

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Filed under: Football

As part of Michael Vick's sentence for his dogfighting operations, he has been banned from owning dogs for life.

But now Vick is hoping to have that part of the punishment reversed as part of his rehabilitation. In an interview with TheGrio.com, Vick expressed hopes that he will one day be able to have a dog as a pet again.

"I would love to get another dog in the future. I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process," Vick said. "I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love and my passion for animals; I think it would be outstanding. If I ever have the opportunity again I will never take it for granted. I miss having a dog right now. I wish I could. My daughters miss having one, and that's the hardest thing: telling them that we can't have one because of my actions."

Vick is having a career year as quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, currently at top of the NFC East and looking toward a deep playoff run. But even though a lot of fans have forgiven Vick for his bad deeds, there are still a lot of people who harbor hate toward him, believing there is no chance for redemption. The folks at TheGrio.com talked to him about all of these things. The video clip above is from the upcoming interview.

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Tiger Woods' Brother Says He Cut off the Family

December 17, 2010, 4:23 am

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Filed under: Golf & Tennis

Tiger Woods' brother, Earl Woods Jr., had some interesting things to say about the golfing superstar. Woods is the oldest of three children who came from the previous marriage of Tiger's now-deceased father. Tiger's brother now publicly claims that Woods has cut the family off and that he hasn't spoken to him since 2006. Apparently, they spoke quite frequently when Tiger was younger.It seems that, according to Earl, the trappings of fame, entourages and piles of money may have detached Tiger from that which matters most: those who love us. At the same time, we can't say for sure what happened in Tiger's family that caused the division to occur in the first place. Tiger's brother says that although they were invited to ride on Tiger's jet to their father's funeral, the golfer barely acknowledged them during the trip.

One interesting thing about Tiger Woods is that he has long been notorious for cutting off those who've crossed him. Friends who spoke to the media about his personal life were gone forever, and Tiger has reportedly been quite ruthless in protecting his privacy. All that changed with the Internet, where privacy is no longer an option, when TMZ can fly a helicopter over the roof of your house. Tiger learned this year that no matter how powerful the celeb might be, no one can have complete control over his destiny, public image and lifestyle.

Another added point that gives credibility to Earl Woods Jr.'s side of the story is that Tiger has appeared to possess a bit of the narcissism that comes with being the greatest golfer in the history of the world. A married man who has unprotected sex with porn stars (as Woods reportedly did) might be perceived to be a wee bit inconsiderate. There's no way to determine what personal nightmares Tiger's ex-wife Elin has experienced since finding out about her husband's secret life.

Earl Woods Jr. didn't appear to be on a mission to bash his baby brother. Instead, he actually defended Tiger's public image, and made it clear that the man being portrayed in media is not the person his brother actually is. He also didn't seem to be chasing money, but then again, we don't know what his ambitions might be. To be honest, if Earl Woods is having financial problems, it would be frustrating to be cut off by a brother earning over $100 million per year. I'm sure that every family member's financial problems could be solved with the spare change in Tiger's pocket. To that extent, given the size of Woods' massive fortune, it would be expected that he would create a small fund (perhaps just a measly million bucks) to help with family financial problems -- a man should take care of the people who loved him before he became a big shot.

During his interview with CNN, Earl made a final point that many of us speculated to be true in the first place. He said that Tiger has been lost since the death of his father, Earl Woods Sr. It does appear that the loss of his dad changed Tiger in ways that most of us can't imagine. Loss and grief can make us do strange things, and superstars like Tiger Woods are no exception. Let's hope that Tiger finds his way to happiness and a truly wealthy life.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.

 

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Tax Bill: Obama to Sign Tax Legislation

December 17, 2010, 4:54 am

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Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama, Race and Civil Rights

Moving at almost the speed of light in terms of Washington time, Congress has passed and sent tax legislation to President Barack Obama for his signature.

The $801-billion package includes $57 billion to extend unemployment benefits and also extends tax cuts for wealthy and middle class Americans. The bill also includes a break on payroll taxes for most Americans that legislators hope will spur growth in the economy.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 277 to 148 after Liberal Democrats tried and failed to remove the tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

"It's a huge giveaway to the super-rich in tough economic times," said Representative Jim McDermott, Democrat of Washington.

President Obama may have gotten the best out of a bad deal. Without the legislation, taxes would have increased for everyone at the end of the year, and millions of Americans who can't find work because of our sluggish economy, will at least have some money over the next year.

In addition, the White House says the legislation will be beneficial to African-American families. For example, 2.2-million black families and 4.7 million children will benefit from an extension of the earned income tax credit and child tax credit. Approximately 1.1-million African Americans will benefit from the extension of unemployment benefits for 13 months. The unemployment rate for African Americans stands at 16 percent.

The bill, however, exposes all that is wrong with the economic policies coming out of Washington.



The legislation that Obama signs still functions under the belief that Americans can spend their way out of the economic slump. We keep putting money back in the pockets of Americans to spend to boost the economy, and while that may work when it comes to people buying basic goods like food and making home repairs, it's clear that Americans have not learned the most important lesson from the economic bust of 2008: living beyond your means is a risky proposition.

It also operates under the belief that trickle down economics actually works. In other words, the false belief that tax cuts to the wealthy will actually create jobs and spark the economy is a myth still being pushed at the highest levels by Republicans.

"I don't see how the Republicans win that argument," Obama said. "I don't know how they're going to be able to argue that extending permanently these high-end tax cuts is going to be good for our economy when, to offset them, we'd end up having to cut vital services for our kids, for our veterans, for our seniors."

This country is also in denial about the deficit. It's clear that bad fiscal policies by the Bush Administration helped reinstate our deficit. While Republicans keep pushing the need to eliminate the deficit, they don't want to take simple steps, such as eliminating tax breaks for people who already have plenty of money, that will help reduce our deficit in the long-run.

Obama deserves credit for not playing politics with the lives of Americans. Agreeing to this bill had some real political risk for the president; however, this bill only delays the long-term decisions Americans need to make to improve our economy. Now would be a good time to commence the debate, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

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Floyd Mayweather Arrested, Released

December 17, 2010, 5:03 am

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Boxing fans eager to see the only professional championship fight that really matters, Floyd "Money" Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, may have to give of the dream of seeing the world's two finest fighters square off.

Although Pacquiao seems to get better with each performance in the ring, Mayweather's best boxing achievements are fading into distant memories because his legal problems have sent him into a spiral.

Mayweather's latest woe came last night when the boxer was arrested on the Las Vegas strip for an outstanding warrant after a November clash with a security guard who Mayweather allegedly poked in the eye.

Mayweather was released from the Clark County Detention Center Friday afternoon on $33,000 bail, according to ESPN reports.

Police said Mayweather was issued two parking tickets by the security guard. Mayweather confronted the guard and struck him in the face and poked him in the eye.

Other officers attempted to question Mayweather about the incident, but he refused to open the door to his home.

That's a fine way for the best boxer in the world to carry himself -- hiding from police behind a closed door.

It might as well have been Pacquiao knocking on the door considering the way Mayweather has been ducking the Filipino champion over the past few years.

Mayweather faces six months in jail if convicted.

And don't forget Mayweather is still facing a domestic battery charge for allegedly beating up his former girlfriend, Josie Harris, in front of their kids in September.

At this point, it might be time for Mayweather to forget about all in-ring pursuits and concentrate on getting his life back on track.

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Bishop Eddie Long Accusers Say They Broke Into Office to Obtain Evidence

December 17, 2010, 6:12 am

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Filed under: News

The Bishop Eddie Long sex scandal has been the peculiar incident in Atlanta that turned the black church upside down. A popular pastor given the responsibility of caring for scores of young men has been accused of coercing some of them in to sexual relationships.

Just when you thought the scandal couldn't get anymore scandalous, another piece of evidence emerges from the fray.

Several of Bishop Eddie Long's accusers now claim that the reason they broke in to his office earlier this year was to obtain evidence against Bishop Eddie Long for a pending lawsuit. This is in contrast to previous reports that the men broke in to Long's office for money.

"That man was hurt," said one of Long's accusers, Jamal Parris. "He wanted to get evidence to prove what was happening to him and to all of us."

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Parris' story is corroborated by the fact that the buglars took Bishop Long's I-Phone and I-Pad, copying all of the information off of it before giving it back.

Additionally, there was more than $100,000 in jewelry left in the Bishop's private bath that could have been easily stolen. The young men did, however, take some of Long's valuables during the break-in.

"They are feeding the media that this was about money," Parris told Fox 5 News in Atlanta back in September. "But it was about more than that, these men were collecting evidence because they were tired, tired of being hurt and used - so they decided to stand up for themselves and do what they had to do to get attention."

When it comes to the Bishop Eddie Long sex scandal, my head has been spinning for months. First, I must publicly wonder why a man has more than $100,000 in jewelry just laying around his office?

Is he a Baptist minister or a gangsta rapper?

Most black folks don't even have $100,000 in home equity or in their 401K account, let alone in jewelry.

Second, the fact that the young men didn't take the jewelry supports their case. At the same time, it's not as if they didn't take anything of value, and it's hard to determine if that particular part of the theft was due to revenge or simple robbery.

At the very least, Long's attorneys can't easily write the men off as thugs just because they broke in to the man's office. The truth is that young people who are sexually abused may act out in strange ways.

We recently asked here on Black Voices why Bishop Eddie Long settled for mediation instead of a public trial. One of our members of the Your Black World coalition, an attorney out of Atlanta, claims that part of the reason Long might have gone for mediation is because the court system in Atlanta is overcrowded and the courts strongly encourage this option. In fact, he claims that Long was forced to use mediation, which doesn't make much sense to me. So, I reached out to Dr. Christopher Metzler, a highly-respected attorney who also resides at Georgetown University to ascertain the likelihood that Bishop Long was not given the option of having a public trial.

According to Dr. Metzler,"He could have decided to forgo mediation and went to trial. The court can't force mediation, it is simply an alternative. Under Georgia rules of Civil Procedure, and county rules, mediation is known as alternative dispute resolution. Thus, it is an alternative rather than a mandate."

Once again, I submit that Bishop Eddie Long, being accountable to thousands of church members and supporters around the nation, should ensure that his name is cleared by asking that all evidence be presented to the public.

If there is any chance that he may have been having sex with teenage boys while they were in his care, he should not be anyone's spiritual leader.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

 

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'Tron: Legacy' Film Review: A Visually Dazzling Cyber Failure

December 17, 2010, 6:27 am

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Filed under: Reviews

Throughout the year, we've had lots of films that were shown in 3D, and most of them, from 'Clash of the Titans' to 'Yogi Bear' were just downright overpriced and awful.

Now, comes the one film that most have been patiently waiting for, 'Tron: Legacy,' the sequel to the 1982 film, 'Tron' where Jeff Bridges reprises his role as Kevin Flynn and Clu.

Playing in IMAX 3-D, the film is visually dazzling, but the main problem is that the script was left of the drawing board.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, Garrett Hedlund plays Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, whose reckless lifestyle has left him wandering the streets still searching for answers why his old man disappeared over two decades ago.

Visited by his father's partner, Alan Bradley (played by Bruce Boxleitner, reprising his role from the '82 film) after Sam pulls another stunt at his father's company board meeting, Sam is told by Alan that he received an alert from his father's pager that hasn't been used in decades. Going over to the abandon arcade game place where his father worked, Sam is stunned to find a hidden door where he discovers and enters a portal to another universe. After escaping gladiator-like games on the grid through the help of cyber warrior Quorra (played by Olivia Wilde), Sam discovers that Kevin Flynn is alive!

Apparently, Kevin's digital copy, Clu had kept Kevin from returning to the real world in the pursuit of perfection, and Sam has to figure a way to do so and save Quorra in the process as well.

This is where everything gets messy in telling the story. Whether you saw the original film or not, you will get lost in figuring this film out as the script is filled with plenty of holes. It's never clearly explained how Alan got the text and why now, twenty years later, or how Sam got sucked into the cyberworld. There are endless questions never answered even if one were to ask.

What works is the look of the film and the music score done by Daft Punk. It's hypnotic to say the least, but once you get past it, there's nothing else.

While Hedlund plays a bland Kevin, Bridges is having a ball playing two characters. Considering technology has enhanced over the years, Clu have been better drawn out as oppose to looking like some claymation character from MTV's 'Celebrity Deathmatch.'

If there was ever a film where the brain needed to take a break, it's 'Tron: Legacy.'

 

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Mayoral Candidate James Meeks Back Peddles on Affirmative Action After Backlash

December 17, 2010, 6:37 am

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Filed under: News, Politics

State Sen. James T. Meeks (pictured right), a Chicago mayoral candidate and reverend at the South Side mega-church Salem Baptist, found himself in boiling water this week, when he made some interesting comments on WVON-AM radio.

According to FOX-TV Chicago, Meeks made these comments while discussing his education policy during a forum radio:

"I think that the word 'minority,' from our standpoint, should mean African-American," Meeks said, according to FOX-TV, a conservative news station known for its political bent.

"I don't think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able to use that title. That's why our numbers cannot improve, because we use women, Asians and Hispanics, who are not people of color, who are not people who have been discriminated against. We fought for these laws based on discrimination. Now, groups that have not been discriminated against are the chief beneficiaries."

The comments caused a firestorm of controversy among other elected officials, conservatives, voters and business leaders, who asked Sen. Meeks to clarify what appears to be reverse discrimination and sexist statements about women, Hispanic and Asian business-owners not deserving the benefits of affirmative action.

Now Meeks says his comments were taken out of context and is trying to distance himself from the remarks. In a statement released late Thursday, Bryan Zises, director of Sen. Meeks's campaign, said:

"Senator Meeks strongly believes all minority and women-owned businesses deserve their fair share of City contract opportunities.

"But there's no pretending that Chicago has a history of systemic corruption in its minority and women-owned business program and that African-American owned businesses are the most underrepresented among city contractors. Lucrative contracts have repeatedly gone to companies disguised as minority- or women-owned, resulting in multiple investigations, firings and imprisonment on this issue."

Indeed, Chicago has a long history of political corruption, but Sen. Meeks has a history of foot-in-mouth statements that could very well jeopardize his candidacy in a city that has a history of deep-seated racial politics.

Several years ago, Meeks reportedly likened Mayor Richard M. Daley to a "slave master'' and called some elected officials "house n*ggers who are gonna fight you to protect that white man.''

For another example of Chicago's racial politics, one need look no further than the tumultuous election of the city's first black mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983. Washington battled through the rough and tumble ranks of the notoriously corrupt white Democratic machine politics that still exist today. Washington was not unscathed and the battle to fill his seat after his untimely death in 1987 created a lasting schism among black politicians.

So in an already racially tenuous environment in the city and across the nation, any seemingly disparaging comments about any group could sound the death knell for a public official running for office. In Chicago, blacks make up 33 percent of the 1.3-million likely voters, while whites make up 36 percent of the electorate, according to Labels & Lists, a voter-data agency.

Sen. Meeks is also a member of a crowded field of candidates running to replace retiring Mayor Daley on Feb. 22, including Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, former U.S. Sen. Carol Mosley Braun, City Clerk Miguel Del Valle and Gery Chico, a former Daley staffer.

Not to mention that the black vote is already splintered among three candidates, including himself, Braun and Davis.

Still, his camp is looking to the future:

"As mayor, he would put an end to the corruption and lack of accountability that has been allowed to go unchecked," Zises said in the statement.

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