Judge Judy Doesn't Like Black People???

An ex-producer for "Judge Judy" is claiming that he was canned for complaining that black litigants were being... er, excused from the daytime courtroom strip. Does her bailiff know about this?


The lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court by former Senior Producer Jonathan Sebastien, alleges that Randy Douthit -- a supervisor -- told staffers, "We're not doing any more black shows," and "I don't want to hear black people arguing."

Sebastien claims when he complained about the alleged whitewashing, he says Douthit commanded his fellow producers to book "white upscale, pretty people" for Judge Judy, and to send black litigants to the "Judge Joe Brown" show.

He is seeking unspecified damages from the show and CBS Paramount. A staffer from "Judge Judy" -- who did not want to be identified -- says the suit has "no merit" and that this cat is a just "a disgruntled former employee who was fired for cause." [Source]

Brandy Has A Happy New Year, As L.A. Prosecutors Back Down From Filing Criminal Charges

A string of failures, in prosecuting celebrities has led the Los Angeles District Attorney to not prosecute Black Pop Singer/TV Actress Brandy, of vehicular manslaughter. This week is the one year anniversary of the deadly car crash and the Los Angeles city attorney had exactly one year to bring formal charges.

The official reason given is "insufficient evidence". But we all know that the DA's office is running scared and not trying to embarrass themselves with another loss in a high profile trial any time soon.


Brandy Norwood, the singer/actress better known as simply Brandy, will not be charged for the death of a 38-year-woman who was part of a 4-car crash initiated by Norwood in December 2006.

O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake, Paris Hilton getting out early, Nicole Richie does one day of jail, and Phil Spector gets a hung jury. It really has not been a great time for high visibility court cases for the LA District Attorney. For this reason alone they just had to stay away from the "marginal" case against Brandy.
Had the charges not been dropped, Norwood, 28, would have faced up to a year in jail time and a $1,000 fine.

Still, the family of the victim, Awatef Aboudihaj, is suing Norwood for $50 million, claiming wrongful death. Aboudihaj crashed into Norwood’s already crashed Land Rover and was then broadsided by another vehicle.

Alcohol, drugs and a cell phone have all been ruled out as distractions that may have caused Norwood’s initial crash.

Norwood was “extremely pleased,” she would not be charged for the death.

Lakers & Celtics: Those Butt-Huggin Gold Numbers From The 80's Weren't The Only Thing That Came Up Short!

(Lakers forward Trevor Ariza notices the loose ball)

A return to the 'short shorts' of the 1980s proved to be the high point of the night for Laker fans.

It was a surprisingly long process to finally get to the "short shorts" exhibition the Lakers unveiled Sunday against Boston. First and foremost, the players had to sign off on a return to the 1980s NBA look, if only for one night. Some of them wore the shorts at recent practices just to be sure they knew what they were getting themselves into. Lakers in their sexy short shorts.

Celtics 110, Lakers 91 / Rivalry that once was, not back just yet

"I think it's cool," forward Lamar Odom said before the game. "It'll be fun for the fans too. I expect them to laugh maybe two to three minutes straight."

The Shrinking Dollar Is Changing the Face of Hip-Hop And Black Folks Use To Getting Paid!

Nas Was Right: Hip Hop IS Dead!

UNTIL a few weeks ago it seemed like one of the few happy stories to emerge from an otherwise difficult year in hip-hop. UGK, the Port Arthur, Tex., duo that influenced a generation of Southern rappers, returned after a five-year hiatus. They came back bearing a sublime single, “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You).” And they came back bearing a great double album, “Underground Kingz”, which made its debut atop Billboard’s album chart.

Then, on Dec. 4, the news arrived: Pimp C — the duo’s flamboyant half, a slick drawler and an even slicker producer — had been found dead.

His bereaved musical partner, Bun B, gave a handful of eloquent interviews, trying to explain what he had lost, what fans had lost. “I appreciate the concern,” he told Vibe. “But I wouldn’t ask anyone to stop their life, because Pimp would’ve wanted us all to keep grinding.”

If you’re looking for a two-word motto for hip-hop in 2007, you could do worse than that: “Keep grinding.” This was the year when the gleaming hip-hop machine — the one that minted a long string of big-name stars, from Snoop Dogg to OutKast — finally broke down, leaving rappers no alternative but to work harder, and for fewer rewards. Newcomers arrived with big singles and bigger hopes, only to fall off the charts after selling a few hundred thousand copies, if that. Hip-pop hybrids dominated the radio, but rappers themselves seemed like underground figures, for the first time in nearly two decades.

Sales are down all over, but hip-hop has been hit particularly hard. Rap sales fell 21 percent from 2005 to 2006, and that trend is continuing to go south. The story continues...

FALLEN SOLDIERS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN: STARTING THE WEEK WITH THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE: 12-31-2007

TODAY, THE LAST DAY OF 2007 WE HONOR:
The 1,014 service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This holiday season you probably traveled somewhere by car, even if it was just to the store. This is how our boys are traveling in Iraq. Spend some time watching this and then pray:

YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE SACRIFICED THE GREATEST GIFT. THE UNITED STATES IS ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

Obama & Oprah Count Down To Iowa!

In Michelle Obama's Words, "It's Now or Never!"

Jealousy is a very funny thing. Whenever anyone who is powerfully positive, awe inspiring and secure enough to empower others to take control of their own lives, he or she is going to have challenges and "haters."


I relish in the beauty of moments like this when I recognize my own personal growth. For if this were five years ago, and a moment like this in history and I heard some of the pundits say some of the negative things they've been saying and read some of the negative posts I've been reading, I would have been ready to fight. I chaulk it up to the passion of my youth. I won't lie. Initially, when I began to hear some of the negative assessments of the highly successful campaign weekend two weeks ago by Oprah and Barack "I've been scrubbed" Obama, I did feel a bit of a rise of defensiveness.

However, as I thought about the spiritual force of nature and power that is playing out in Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, I immediately felt a sense of calm for I am of the deep, strong mindset that what is for you, is for you and no negative force can stop it.

I heard some say that Oprah was "over-the-top" and that the campaign rallies at times had the feel of revival. Well, my response to that is if there was ever a time our country was in need of being revived, it's right now!Why did I mention jealousy at the top of this blog post? I mentioned it because we, as a country, have had a power base that has benefited greatly from Americans who have been sleep walking for a very long time as they continue to behave as sheep being led to the slaughter economically and socially.

For generations, there has been a message that said "white is right" and that equates to what's best. Therefore, many of the pundits who are clearly culturally incompetent, are quick to dismiss, and frown upon impassioned communication like that exhibited by Oprah and Obama as pandering to their audience as if to imply they were being inauthentic.

Newsflash...OPRAH AND OBAMA ARE BLACK!

Continue with OPRAH & OBAMA: WHAT POLITICAL PUNDITS MISS ABOUT PASSION AND AUTHENTICITY

BUT DAMN REAL ESTATE #244: WHAT TO DO WITH MY MORTGAGE IN 2008 AND HOLD ON TO MY HOUSE

It's the end of the year and that big smile on your face is because either you were able to sell your house in this horrible market. Or you got a great deal on declining house prices and you're now sitting in your dream house. Either way congratulations.

BUT DAMN! ... What about the rest of us who are barely getting by?

Well, we made it through the year, as others around us dropped by the wayside. "For Sale" signs, empty houses and condos dot the lands scape. So now in 2008 how do we avoid foreclosure, and not become one of them? Start by clicking here to see what to do with your mortgage in 2008 because ... You've got to keep your crib by an means necessary!

Fat Joe's 'I Won't Tell' Featuring J Holiday Is Slammin'!!!

We definitely have a thing for this jam!

Dying A Slow Death, Put Fisk University Out Of Its Misery... NOW!

If We're Not Going To Support These Black Schools,

What's The Point?

Reporting operating losses that totaled more than $7 million in 2005 and 2006, Fisk University has still not been able to turn any of the valuable art donated by painter Georgia O'Keeffe into cash after two years. Already dealing with donor fatigue, the historically black college in Tennessee is on its last leg.


Although a legal fight over the latest $30 million proposal to share the 101-piece art collection with an Arkansas museum is scheduled for trial in February, African American leaders acknowledge that it could be years before any money changes hands.

So the Nashville school that was founded in 1866 to educate former slaves has had to look elsewhere to keep its doors open -- a difficult task in a community that has been asked to come to the school's financial rescue several times before.

"There is a fatigue factor there," said Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat and a former Nashville mayor. "There's a lot of people who give money traditionally for valuable projects who have given money to Fisk in the past, who don't think they've necessarily fixed the underlying problems. "They are really in the mode of 'I'm kind of through with that.' "

Fisk President Hazel O'Leary this month set a goal of raising $6.2 million by June 30, an effort that got a big boost this month when the New York-based Andrew W. Mellon Foundation announced it would give the school grants worth as much as $3 million. The Mellon Foundation, which awards grants to historically black colleges and universities among several other endeavors, said Fisk will receive $1 million up front.

A separate fundraising effort by black churches in Nashville has netted about $25,000 so far.
Fisk's board of trustees in December 2005 voted to try to sell off two signature pieces of the art collection to help keep the school afloat. Those efforts became bogged down in court battles over whether the sale of paintings violated the terms of O'Keeffe's bequest, and a Fisk lawyer told the judge that the school was likely to run out of cash before the end of the year.

The Mellon grant has halted that cash-flow crisis, but some feel that the school waited too long to focus on fundraising efforts because of a preoccupation with selling the art that was donated in 1949. "Why opt for the strategy of selling your art rather than developing a capital campaign?" asked Lucius Outlaw Jr., a Vanderbilt professor and Fisk alumnus. "The normal way of managing an institution is to have developed and implemented a plan for substantial fundraising to build an endowment." Davis Carr, a former member of the school's board, said donors are frightened off by Fisk's decades of financial problems.

The bad news keeps coming>>>

South Africa's Ruling Party Has A Scandal Brewing With Jacob Zuma's Criminal Corruption & Tax Evasion Charges

Jacob Zuma, who swept to victory last week as leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress party, was charged with corruption in Johannesburg Friday, in a setback that could thwart his ambitions to rule the country.

The populist trounced South African President Thabo Mbeki in the ANC leadership contest even though the corruption case against him has been dragging on for years. With Zuma’s corruption case set to go to trial in August 2008, the allegations could thwart the ruling party chief's hopes of becoming South Africa's president.

Details on ANC Leader Charged.

Should Black People Be Concerned About What's Happening In Pakistan Post Bhutto's Slaying?

Pakistan Accused of Bhutto Murder Cover-Up
'Dying' for Hannah Montana

Black Churches And Democratic Politics

Rest In Peace Channel OJ, aka Court TV

Black LA's Cultural Cornerstone To Get $10 Mil Lift

Beer closing in on cocktails as drink of choice

Zoo could face charges in tiger attack
Biracial candidate Obama walks fine line

Waitress gets $50,000 from cranky Texan
Kenya rioters loot shops, burn homes
N.Y., Chicago see homicides plummet
High school hoops star needs bodyguards

Ex-OJ Prosecutor Chris Darden Wants To Be A Judge While The Gavel Drops On TV's Judge Hatchett

Christopher Darden, the black prosecutor who unsuccessfully took on OJ Simpson in that OTHER criminal case, is seeking to join the bench. Hope he doesn't also have television aspirations, because there will be one less African American jurist on daytime as Sony adjourns Glenda Hatchette's court gig.

Christopher Darden, is under consideration for appointment as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, Three Brothers has learned.

Several lawyers, including members of the O.J. Simpson (what's he up to lately?) defense team, reported receiving questionnaires from the State Bar Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation. Simpson defense lawyer Carl Douglas said he was surprised to have received a questionnaire, because he didn’t know that Darden, whom he has known for over 20 years, had aspirations to sit on the bench.

Douglas said that Darden may have been “a little off balance” after Simpson was acquitted. Darden left the District Attorney’s office soon after that and taught at Southwestern Law School for a time before going into private practice. In the 12 years since the trial, however, Douglas said, Darden “has grown as a person and a lawyer, and has served many years as a criminal and civil defense attorney” whose “broad experience” would make him a good judge.

Another Simpson defense attorney, Robert Shapiro, said he had rated Darden “extremely well-qualified” on the questionnaire he returned to the JNE commission. He noted Darden’s “balanced” experience as both a prosecutor and a defense lawyer, and pointed to Darden’s experience as a law professor, saying that Darden has the requisite knowledge for the position.
“I would be happy to appear in front of him,” Shapiro said.

If appointed, Darden would be the third Simpson prosecutor to become a judge, following in the footsteps of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Hank Goldberg and San Diego Superior Court Judge George “Woody” Clarke.Gavel Drops on Original Production of Sony’s Judge Hatchett.

Meanwhile across the way over in Hollywood, Sony Pictures Television’s Judge Hatchett is going out of original production after this year. Rumor is they didn't want to pay her honor the $2 mil a year she was demanding. Sony, however, hopes to keep the show on the air.

The studio is pitching TV stations “theme weeks” -- around such topics as divorce or interventions -- comprised of repeats. Judge Hatchett, featuring Judge Glenda Hatchett, is in its eighth season, giving the studio plenty of episodes to choose from.

Folks Who Get It: Essence Loses Its Soul With Susan L Taylor's Departure

Essence Editor Is Leaving Magazine

I met Susan L. Taylor in 2000 and I still feel her spirit. She was speaking about slowing down, catching one's breadth, and making sure that you connect with God on a daily basis. Her mystique, her regalness, her style is what made Essence magazine what it is today. So of course I'm tripping over the news that the longtime editor is leaving the publication after 37 years.


Susan L. Taylor has worked for Essence magazine since 1970. She became editor in chief in 1981, a post she held until 2000. Ms. Taylor, 61, joined the definitive magazine for Black women the year it was first published, as a freelance fashion and beauty editor after founding her own company, Nequai Cosmetics. She became editor in chief in 1981, a post she held until 2000, when she was promoted to publications director.

She has most recently been the magazine’s editorial director and author of its In the Spirit column, which dispenses inspirational words about things like finance and prayer. Although Essence, which is owned by the Time Inc. division of Time Warner, did not make an official announcement, Ms. Taylor chose to send out word of the change via e-mail.

“I am taking a break in South Africa and will have little access to e-mail,” she wrote in an automated out-of-office message this month. “When I come back to the states in mid-January, I will be leaving Essence to do what at this juncture in my life has become a larger work for me — building the National Cares Mentoring Movement, which I founded as Essence Cares and today is my deepest passion.”

Essence Cares encourages black adults to serve as mentors for at-risk young people. According to the program’s Web site, “Essence Cares is a call to action for every able black adult to take under wing a vulnerable young person, which costs nothing.”

While Ms. Taylor rose to the top of the magazine world — in 1999 she became the first black woman to receive the Henry Johnson Fisher Award from the Magazine Publishers of America, one of the industry’s top honors — she used her position to highlight civic causes. As an advocate for children and improving education, she once calling failing schools “the pipelines to prison.”

This year she appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to promote the National Cares Mentoring Movement, which she founded in 2006 with the goal of signing up more than one million people to become mentors. The organization is a coalition of advocacy groups, including the National Urban League, 100 Black Men in America and the Y.W.C.A.

“It’s a burning desire to use whatever resources she has to help our young people,” said Terrie Williams, a longtime friend of Ms. Taylor’s and a former communications executive at Essence who runs a public relations firm in New York. “She lives and breathes it.”

Ms. Williams said that Ms. Taylor “takes young people with her to most of the events she goes to. She’s put kids through college. She’s made calls to get kids in distressed situations in to college. She really is an icon in the black community.”

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Ms. Taylor used Essence as a platform to keep the plight of New Orleans, where the magazine had long held an annual music festival, in the nation’s consciousness. She was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to the Louisiana Recovery Authority, a panel that advised the governor on rebuilding efforts.

In July, an article in The Times-Picayune of New Orleans described her as a “traveling saleswoman for New Orleans and other hurricane-battered regions of the state.”

Ms. Taylor’s fourth book, “All About Love,” a collection of her columns, will be published in February.

Essence, a monthly publication, has a circulation of about 1 million. On Dec. 18, Michelle Ebanks, the president of Essence, sent a memo to the magazine’s staff, saying of Ms. Taylor, “it is not often that you have the chance to work with a living legend, and we are all lucky to have had this extraordinary privilege. [Source

Tiger Woods Is Killing Them, And Jay-Z's Not So Bad Either!

Jay-Z and Tiger Among 07's Winners & Losers
Floodwaters in Zimbabwe Kill 7

Black Lobbying Clout Increases with Democratic Majority
Ashanti Afraid New Movie Role Will Ruin Her Image
Juror Felt Pressured to Convict in LI Case Sharpton to March
Black Gay Community Scared Over Deaths in Chicago

Yung Joc Says He Wants to Clear His Name
Black Coaches Still Getting Overlooked in College Football
Nigeria: Do You Remember the Days of Slavery?
Rev Run and Wife Justine Simmons Adopt Baby Girl Pics
French Jailed in Chad to Return Home
Indiana Black Expo Names New CEO

BHUTTO IS ASSASSINATED, COULD BARACK OBAMA BE NEXT???

With the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, should Black presidential candidate Barack Obama be even more nervous as he too, speaks in public among throngs of fans and admirers?

With her assassination, yet another lightening rod for Democracy is silenced. Should Barack Obama be concerned that he may be killed like Anwar Sadat?

Are memories of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King, creating uneasiness with his wife Michelle Obama?

Do I pose these questions because Obama is Black and the US is is still ripe with prejudice? ... No.

Do I pose these questions because Robert F. Kennedy was also a candidate like Obama … and he was assassinated? ... No.

Do I pose these question because Obama, has a negative stance against Pakistan and has made himself public enemy number #1 among the Pakistan people? ... Hell yes!

"If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act, we will."

Barack has made it clear how he feels about the Pakistan people, the Pakistan leadership and what is being allowed to happen in Pakistan? ... and the brotha’ is mad at you!

Let’s go back to his August 1 Speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. This is where Obama first set out his 5 element program to get our troops home from Iraq.

It is time to turn the page. When I am President, we will wage the war that has to be won, with a comprehensive strategy with five elements: getting out of Iraq and on to the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan; developing the capabilities and partnerships we need to take out the terrorists and the world’s most deadly weapons; engaging the world to dry up support for terror and extremism; restoring our values; and securing a more resilient homeland.

The first step must be getting off the wrong battlefield in Iraq, and taking the fight to the terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As President, I would make the hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional, and I would make our conditions clear: Pakistan must make substantial progress in closing down the training camps, evicting foreign fighters, and preventing the Taliban from using Pakistan as a staging area for attacks in Afghanistan.

I understand that President Musharraf has his own challenges. But let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act, we will.

And Pakistan needs more than F-16s to combat extremism. As the Pakistani government increases investment in secular education to counter radical madrasas, my Administration will increase America’s commitment. We must help Pakistan invest in the provinces along the Afghan border, so that the extremists’ program of hate is met with one of hope. And we must not turn a blind eye to elections that are neither free nor fair – our goal is not simply an ally in Pakistan, it is a democratic ally.

Beyond Pakistan, there is a core of terrorists – probably in the tens of thousands – who have made their choice to attack America. So the second step in my strategy will be to build our capacity and our partnerships to track down, capture or kill terrorists around the world, and to deny them the world’s most dangerous weapons.

I will not hesitate to use military force to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to America. This requires a broader set of capabilities, as outlined in the Army and Marine Corps’s new counter-insurgency manual. I will ensure that our military becomes more stealth, agile, and lethal in its ability to capture or kill terrorists. We need to recruit, train, and equip our armed forces to better target terrorists, and to help foreign militarys to do the same. This must include a program to bolster our ability to speak different languages, understand different cultures, and coordinate complex missions with our civilian agencies.

To succeed, we must improve our civilian capacity. The finest military in the world is adapting to the challenges of the 21st century.

Want more of this speech? Check out Sam Graham-Felsen who contributed these excerpts.

Time Warner May End Reign As Largest Media Conglomerate Post Black CEO Richard Parson's Reign

Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons is barely out the door and the company is already having what looks to be a major fire sale. Jeffrey Bewkes, who takes over as chief executive officer of Time Warner Inc. next week, is rumored to be the force that quickly dismantles the world's largest media company.

Bewkes may spin off the cable-television division and sell the AOL Web and Time Inc. magazine units, said Gamco Investors Inc. fund manager Chris Marangi and National City Bank analyst Daniel Poole. The remaining company, anchored by the film studio and cable-TV networks, would resemble Viacom Inc. -- and accordingly command higher multiples, Marangi said.

Sumner Redstone's Viacom, owner of Paramount Pictures and MTV Networks, trades for nine times projected 2008 earnings before interest, taxes and non-cash expenses, Marangi said in an interview. New York-based Time Warner, whose assets include Warner Bros., CNN and HBO, trades at seven.``There's nothing special necessarily about being the biggest,'' Marangi said. Gamco, based in Rye, New York, has $30 billion in assets, including 11.3 million Time Warner shares. ``It's more important to be nimble.

Bewkes, 55, inherits a company created in 2001 with America Online Inc.'s $124 billion takeover of Time Warner Inc., billed as the ultimate in media convergence. Plans to sell everything from TV shows to magazines through the AOL network ended in record losses and the exits of CEO Gerald Levin and Chairman Stephen Case.

While outgoing Richard Parsons returned Time Warner to profitability, he failed to reignite the stock. Time Warner's 22 percent drop this year before today puts it among the 10 biggest losers in the S&P 100 Index of large U.S. companies. Where Parsons fended off pressure from billionaire Carl Icahn to unravel the company by selling a 16 percent stake in Time Warner Cable this year and buying back more shares, Bewkes may end up revisiting the idea.``We will be looking at anything that improves our strategic advantage,'' Bewkes said.'

Black Boys Enjoying The Sewing Machine More than PlayStation: Is That A Good Thing?

When Janice Rankins began offering sewing classes in the District 10 years ago, it was mostly a girl thing.

"Initially, boys were a little skeptical," Rankins said. "But once they started seeing rappers like Puff Daddy and Jay Z getting into the fashion business, their attitudes began to change."

So far, Rankins has taught about 50 boys (along with hundreds of girls) how to make clothes through her Sew 'N Know Entrepreneurship Program.

At the group's annual holiday bazaar, held last week at the John A. Wilson Building, five boys were among the 15 students who set a sales record: earning more than $1,200 for their custom-made hats, scarves and pillows.

Students used some proceeds for Christmas shopping and invested the rest in the sewing program. Far from being ridiculed, the boys find themselves being the toast of the playground.
"People come up to us and say, 'Hey, where did you get those pants or that shirt?' " said Aaron Gerald, 10. "They look surprised when we say we made them. People are always asking us if we can make stuff for them."

But there is more to sewing than just making clothes, money and new best friends.
According to the winter issue of Sewing Today, a 1997 study of 100 grade-school children found that sewing not only increases creativity but also helps develop patience, perseverance and problem-solving skills. Watching TV, on the other hand, was found to decrease those abilities.

"Because they are working with sewing machines, razors, pins and scissors, there is no tolerance for clowning around in class," Rankins said. "You have to be seriously focused. Parents say this is the only class they can't get their children to come out of when it's time to go. You hear a lot of, 'Mom, wait. I've got to finish this seam.' "

Rankins, 57, began sewing when she was 7. A native of Los Angeles, she worked in the wardrobe department at several Hollywood studios and helped make clothes for such television shows as "Good Times," "Gimme a Break" and "Room 222." She moved to the District in 1994 and began designing clothes for a select clientele before starting the sewing program for children.

Sewing classes are now held after school three days a week at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, 701 Mississippi Ave. During summers, students attend classes all day. The program is sponsored by the Recreation Wish List Committee, which provides sewing machines, fabric and notions. Continue reading>>>

ROGER CLEMENS WON'T COME CLEAN AND NEITHER WILL THE SPORTS MEDIA

Though a video on his website, Roger Clemens has again denied any use of steroids and HGH. Clemens will also have a 60 Minutes interview this week. We expect he'll continue to deny it. Clemens' friend Andy Pettitte has acknowledged his own use. And you and I both know, you usually do what your friends are doing. You can not stray too far away.



So when will the sports press and other "investigative reporters" start blasting like they have already done on slugger Barry Bonds for this pastyear? When are we going to get the interview with Roger Clemens and Black ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, firing the questions. That's what I call kicking this whole investigation and discovery up a notch. Until then I agree with Barry, this is all so lame.

Iowa Punishes Barack For Celebrating Kwanzaa With A Gift To Hillary's Presidential Campaign

A devastating new poll has Hillary kickin' Obama's Barack all up, down and around Iowa. If true, this is a seismic shift and will disabuse many of us who actually thought a brotha could... finally, make his way to 1600 Pennslyvania Avenue.

NBC's American Gladiators Features Nude Black Model Alex Castro, Militia If That's How You Roll!

Big if not huge back in the 90's, recycled game show American Gladiators is back family. Only this time, one of the stars is causing all kinds of buzz even before the show airs. Militia, aka Alex Castro, is known for showing off more than a little skin for, um ... well... everyone!

No Cream No Sugar has ALL the details about the Black Cuban brotha's story.

VH-1's New York Traps, Er... Lands A Married White Dude "Tailor Made" For Her

Triffling Tiffany “New York” Pollard — the embarrassing, low-budget boob and weave star of VH1’s hit reality show I Love New York 2 — is jumpin the broom to a guy that's still working on that divorce, Three Brothers has learned.

New York, 25, weeded through 20 wannabe celebrities, er... we mean eligible bachelors in season 2 of her dating reality show before she finally found a trainer. Sorry, we mean keeper. Her Mr. Right? “Tailor Made” (real name George Weisgerber), a 32-year-old White retail planner from Queens, New York. This cat proposed on the Dec. 17 finale, but Pollard turned him down. On season 2’s reunion show that airs Jan. 6, however, he was stupid enough to propose again. This time, her and her momma said "yes!”

Pollard originally competed for (slept with) rapper Flavor Flav’s affection on his hit VH1 show, Flavor of Love. When he chose the big booty we still lovingly refer to as “Deelishis” over her, she looked for love her own show, I Love New York. In Season one, Pollard chose “Tango,” who, after a few months, called off their engagement.

Weisgerber, who was separated while taping the show and is currently finalizing his divorce, admits he “always had a crush” on Pollard, and thought it fate when casting for season two began. “She needs a guy who will treat her right and respects her and values her for who she is, he told PEOPLE recently. “Our personalities complete each other. I cherish her and want to cater to her every need. But I’m not a doormat. We have a good balance.” People

Forget Football, Reggie Bush Just Wants To Shop!

Look What Reggie Bush Put On His Credit Card

With NFL tailback Reggie Bush (knee) and Aaron Stecker (turf toe) both questionable for Sunday's game at Chicago, the Saints signed two running backs to fill their depleted backfield - fifth-year veteran Artose Pinner and first-year pro Chris Barclay.

Pinner has bounced around the league for a little while, playing for Detroit, Minnesota and Atlanta. He has 858 career rushing yards with eight touchdowns. Barclay appeared in four games with the Tennessee Titans earlier this year. Both Stecker and Bush did not participate in the team portion of practice Wednesday. But Saints Coach Sean Payton didn't rule either of them out. For now, it looks like undrafted rookie Pierre Thomas will carry the bulk of the Saints' rushing load against the Bears

Of course if your Kim Kardashian -- the Black man's Kryptonite -- none of this really matters to you. Right Kim?

Are You Really Feelin' Kwanzaa: Don't Lie!!!

Kwanzaa: A Time of Reflection, Unity
New Generations Are Taking Kwanzaa to Heart
How to Arrange Kwanzaa Symbols and Decorations
Kwanzaa Principles Are Valuable for All of Us

The Black Pharaohs

Will Smith's I Am Pissed

Why Don't Blacks "Buy American?"

50 Die in Lagos Pipeline Explosion
New Orleans Gets a Boost from NASA
Nigerian Judge Detains Pfizer Officials
Fear of War Increasing in Horn of Africa

JAY-Z KEEPS BEYONCE, LEAVES DEF JAM RECORDS

It wasn't a choice of her or his job. We just shameless like to include a picture of Beyonce in a story whenever we can. In fact there are still rumours of a secret wedding between the two, but for now lets deal with him changing his work situation.

In a move thought to be on-and-off for months, Jay-Z gave up being president of Def Jam Records -- to get back to being a rapper, and ... to open a hotel?

Jay-Z announced on Christmas Eve that he'll be vacating his big corner office at Def Jam because it's "time for me to take on new challenges," according to a statement. He took over the top spot three years ago, and famously "retired" from hip-hop, though he came back twice to release new albums.

Jay's boss, L.A. Reid, says he's sorry Jay will be leaving: "He will nonetheless be missed in this executive capacity."

Universal Music Group said Monday that rap artist and hip-hop mogul Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is stepping down as president of its Def Jam Records unit, effective by the end of the year. Carter, 38, has been president of the rap label since 2005, and has signed acts including R&B singers Rihanna and Ne-Yo.

Want More on this story? See ... JZ Back to Basics

WILD TIGER IN SAN FRANCISCO ZOO MAULS 2 AND KILLS 1

SAN FRANCISCO - A tiger that mauled a zookeeper last year escaped from its pen at the San Francisco Zoo on Tuesday, killing one man and injuring two others before police shot it dead, authorities said.

The three men were in their 20s; they were together and were not zoo employees, San Francisco Police spokesman Steve Mannina said. They were attacked just after the 5 p.m. closing time, on the east end of the 125-acre grounds.

MSNBC News has got the whole story and we'll update you with the names of the victims as they are released.

Oscar Peterson Legendary Jazz Pianist and Canadian Treasure Dies at 82

Dexterity, flow, lightening fingers, imposing presence, regal, demanding and giving, talent of super power proportions. These are the superlatives that easily describe but greatly underestimate legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, who has died at 82.

I was a young jazz sax player in Detroit, and he was one of the few performers who played another instrument, in this case piano, whose live performances I could never miss. My father shared his love of jazz music with me, and early on he let me know that in jazz piano, Thelonious Monk was the "innovator", but Oscar Peterson was the "accelerator". How could one man play so fast and never sacrifice tonality, lyricism, creativity and down home approachable jazz style?

During an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Peterson played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. He is also remembered for touring in a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s.

Now unlike all the jazz performers of his ilk. Peterson was from Canada and always returned to his home of Canada. This sharply contrasted with the jazz giants from New York, Detroit, Philadelphia and Saint Louis. so here you had this man who you thought was a US national treasure but in fact was Canada's national treasure.

Peterson's impressive collection of awards include all of Canada's highest honors, such as the Order of Canada, as well as a Lifetime Grammy (1997) and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame.

Click here For more Oscar Peterson Love from AP reporter Lily Hindy in New York

Halle Berry, Jay Z, R Kelly, Will Smith & A B2K Sex Scandal Tops Your Special Christmas Day Edition

Halle Berry's Pregnant and her baby belly appears to have doubled overnight. Shopping at the Party Paper Life gift shop in Beverly Hills, the sexy biracial mommy to be was out and about sans model donor Gabriel Aubrey. Don't hate on the White guy family.

Meanwhile, Jean Johnson, 49, used her cellphone camera to snap pictures of R. Kelly during a recent hearing in court and got slammed for it. Ironically, Kelly still hasn't gone to trial on those child porn charges ... After five years. Johnson plead guilty to contempt of court and was sentenced to the five days, but was released for time served.

An Internet rumor that went on ad nauseum, Jay-Z's has finally ditched his Def Jam Post. Giving up or being fired -- whatever works for you -- allows the Donald Trump of hip hop to, in his words, "get back to being a rapper," and ... open a hotel? Jay's boss, L.A. Reid, says he's sorry Jay will be leaving: "He will nonetheless be missed in this executive capacity."

Did Will Smith actually say that Hitler wasn't That Bad? The Jewish Defense League is calling on Barack Obama to repudiate Smith's comments, and wants theaters to pull Smith's new flick "I Am Legend" from their screens. Smith told a Scottish paper that Hitler "didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' ... I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.'"

Chris Stokes who managed the band B2K before they broke up, is saying "Hell to the nah!"over allegations he sexually abused former member Demario "Raz-B" Thorton and his brother, Ricardo aka Ricky Romance . "The accusations that Demario "Raz B" Thorton and Ricardo Thorton have made are vehemently false and hold no merit. I have recently stopped financially supporting both individuals along with assisting them with their criminal and legal matters which leads me to believe they are resentful and looking to benefit financially from this," the producer and director maintains.

Pics and stories from TMZ.com

We Love MSNBC's Tamron Hall And Couldn't Care Less What She Called GOP Candidate John McCain

While Republican homeboys Mitt Romney and John McCain spit in each other's eggnog, we're trying to figure out why this is news? That's okay Tamron, keep doing your thang!

Is Chris Stokes A Child Molester? Raz-B Is On YouTube Discussing Omarion, Marques Houston & All The B2K Rumors

Explosive videos have been posted on YouTube today alleging shocking claims that Black roducer/manager Chris Stokes had sex with young B2K members.

The clips are blazing through the Black Blogosphere like wildfire and could mean hella trouble for the man known as a creative genius.

In it, former B2K member Raz B accuses his former manager and relative of Marques Houston of molestation. Raz B recorded himself on the phone with the families of Stokes and Houston. Later in the video Raz B’s little brother, Ricky Romantic, is heard saying the following.


"Chris made me take showers with the other boys .... All the [things] that my brother was introduced to, that … was brought to me first. I blocked that … and I wasn't with it - I backed out ... I kinda knew what was going on there. And yet, I took my brother over to Chris, and I didn't protect him like I should have."

"[Chris Stokes] molested my brother and he molested me ... when I say that, it hurts."

Director of the Marques and Omarion film You Got Served, Chris Stokes’ response was, "I don't do that anymore, that was me years ago ... I just don't do that in my life anymore."

JAMES BROWN'S DEATH ONE YEAR LATER

It has been exactly one year since we lost James Brown, Soul Brother Number One, The Godfather of Soul. We truly miss him.

My favorite childhood Christmas Eve Memory is of my Old Man, Mr. Jim, turning off all the lights except for the Christmas lights and putting on a stack of 45's, (those are small vinyl records folks) all of them Christmas soul music and him dancing with with my mom in the middle of the family room floor as the kids just looked on. It was their moment.

My favorite song was James Browns' "Santa Clause go Straight to the Ghetto." That was our cue that the kids could get up and dance. I could not find a video of that song but I did find Faith Evan's tribute to another James Brown classic Christmas hit. Enjoy!

SHOWING HOLIDAY LOVE TO OUR VETS GETTING WHATS DO YOU

Thank you VETS for all you do and all you have done. VET do you need help getting medical or financial help due you? Click this link

Taking care of Vets

FALLEN SOLDIERS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN: STARTING THE WEEK WITH THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE: 12-24-2007

THIS WEEK, THE PENTAGON RELEASED THE NAMES OF 3 SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ:

THESE SOLDIERS WILL NOT BE COMING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. THEY WONT BE COMING HOME EVER

Army SGT Austin D Pratt, 22, of Cadet, Mo.
Army 1LT Jeremy E Ray, 26, of Houston
Army PFC Juctin R P McDaniel, 19, of Andover, N.H.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE SACRIFICED THE GREATEST GIFT. THE UNITED STATES IS ETERNALLY GRATEFUL

WE JOIN IN PRAYER FOR THE SAFE RETURN OF THOSE WHO ARE STILL THERE

Toni Braxton Does The Christmas Song Proper!

Holiday Funnies To Get You Into The Christmas Groove