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12 Things You Didn’t Know About Whitney Houston

News One — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:29:10 +0000

1) Whitney Houston, born on August 9, 1963, came from music business royalty. Her mother, Cissy Houston, was a backup singer for the likes of Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin. Whitney’s cousin, Dionne Warwick, is an internationally recognized singing star. Whitney’s Godmother is Aretha Franklin. [Source: Wikipedia]

2) Houston is the most awarded female recording artist of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Houston’s awards include: 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards. [Source: Wikipedia]

Public Reaction To Whitney’s Death

3) Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits (“Saving All My Love for You”, “How Will I Know”, “Greatest Love of All”, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All”, “So Emotional”, and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”). [Source: Wikipedia]

4) Houston’s 1985 debut album, “Whitney Houston,” became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. [Source: Wikipedia]

5) In 1978, at the age of 15, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan’s hit single “I’m Every Woman,” which she ironically later re-recorded and turned into an even bigger hit on “The Bodyguard” soundtrack album. [Source: Wikipedia]

6) Before she was a recording artist, Whitney Houston was one of the most in-demand teen models of all time. She was the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Seventeen magazine. She also appeared in the pages of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss, and a Canada Dry ginger ale TV commercial.[Source: Wikipedia]

Our Favorite Whitney Houston Songs

7) Whitney Houston was a stalwart supporter the anti-apartheid movement and Nelson Mandela. During her days as a model, Houston refused to work with any agencies who did business with South Africa. In 1988, Houston performed a set at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday, who was still in prison at the time.[Source: Wikipedia]

8) Houston was actually booed at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, because many Black fans at the time believed that she had “sold out” with her crossover success. When Houston’s name was called for nomination, audible jeers could be heard in the audience. Houston later defended herself: “If you’re gonna have a long career, there’s a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I’m not ashamed of it.”[Source: Wikipedia]

9) Before she married R&B singer Bobby Brown in 1992, Whitney Houston dated football star Randall Cunningham and actor Eddie Murphy. [Source: Wikipedia]

10) Whitney Houston’s international smash, “I Will Always Love You,” was actually a remake of a Dolly Parton song. [Source: Wikipedia]

11) Whitney Houston’s 2002 conversation with Diane Sawyer was the highest-rated television interview in history. [Source: Wikipedia]

12) Whitney Houston gave conflicting statements about her crack use. In the 2002 Sawyer interview, Whitney denied using the drug, saying: “First of all, let’s get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let’s get that straight. Okay? We don’t do crack. We don’t do that. Crack is wack.” But in her next televised interview, with Oprah in 2009, Houston admitted using drugs with former husband Bobby Brown, telling Oprah that she “laced marijuana with rock cocaine.” [Source: Wikipedia]

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GALLERY: Landmark Year In Black History, 1970

News One — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:29:23 +0000

1970 in the African-American psyche felt like many years prior: two steps forward and one step back. The struggle for equality was still underway as evidenced by Angela Davis' arrest. But 1970 marked many firsts for African-Americans, including the first Black Pulitzer Prize winner, Charles Gordone, and the first Black contestant in the Miss American pageant, Cheryl Brown... Read more..

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News One — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:30:35 +0000

GALLERY: Landmark Year In Modern Black History – 1968

News One — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:20:08 +0000

1968 was a big year for Black history, including the tragic assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the signing into law of the Civil Rights Act. Check out the gallery here: See more Black History from 1968 below! And see our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 Read more..

GALLERY: Landmark Year In Black History, 1967

News One — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:21:08 +0000

The year 1967 was significant in the African-American psyche for several reasons, including continuing race riots in Newark, NJ as well as the increasingly heated opposition to the Vietnam War.

See more Black History from 1967 below!

And see our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 HERE!

See our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 HERE!

GALLERY: Landmark Year In Black History, 1966

News One — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:57 +0000

In 1966, the Black Panther Party was founded, Kwanzaa created, and Edward Brooke became the first Black U.S. Senator.

See more Black History from 1966 below!

And see our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 HERE!

See our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 HERE!

Celebrate BLACK HISTORY MONTH With NewsOne!

News One — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:25:38 +0000

Every February, people throughout America take 28 days to learn about, remember, and celebrate the contributions of Black people to American society. During the more than four centuries that have passed since this nation took its first steps toward existence, people of African descent have been an integral part of the American story, playing key roles in the political, cultural, and scientific progress we’ve enjoyed thus far.

The Origins Of Black History Month

Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,” which historian Carter G. Woodson conceived in the second week of February because of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays (Feb. 12 and Feb. 14, respectively). It was expanded into a full month in 1976.

At NewsOne this month, we’ll celebrate Black achievement with profiles of historical figures, photo galleries exploring pivotal years in modern Black history, trivia quizzes, original pieces on the many facets of our history, and more. But we’ll also be doing something different: Celebrating the achievements of little-known, everyday folks who are making contributions to their community on the local and national level. They’re called GAME CHANGERS, and you can take a look at them here as we roll out all 28 over the course of February. Be sure to check back often!

A final note: Over the years, there has been much debate over whether Black History Month is necessary, and whether its existence is counterproductive to recognizing “Black” history as simply American. This month at NewsOne, even as we celebrate, we plan to explore and engage with those criticisms as well. We hope you’ll join the conversation and share your own opinions with us in the comments.

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH FROM NEWSONE.COM!!

Game Changers Advertorial

News One — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:22:15 +0000

For First Time Ever, Black Woman Wins Best Director At Sundance

News One — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:15:36 +0000

Special to NewsOne by ReBecca Theodore Vachon

Whoever said black film is dead, think again.

Last night at the Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony, Ava DuVernay became the first African-American woman to win the US Directing Award: Dramatic for her second feature film, Middle of Nowhere. The movie stars Emayatzy Corinealdi as a young woman struggling to maintain her identity while her husband (Omari Hardwick) serves an eight year sentence behind bars. The trailblazing director tweeted a pic after her historic win (left).

Middle of Nowhere premiered at Sundance last week, and has received glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film has been picked up for distribution by Participant Media, partnering with DuVernay’s African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM) for Middle of Nowhere to be released in theaters later this year.

Ga. Official Predicts “Peril” For Obama If He Spurns Birther Hearing

News One — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:43:55 +0000

Republican officials across the country continue their campaign to delegitimize the presidency of Barack Hussein Obama.

Yesterday, the Georgia Secretary of State, Republican Brian Kemp, wrote a strongly-worded letter to President Barack Obama’s lawyer, Michael Jablonski, warning him that “if you and your client choose to suspend your participation in the… proceedings, please understand that you do so at your own peril.”

How GOP Racism Has Become The Norm

Kemp’s letter comes in response to Jablonski’s refusal to further participate in court hearings on the subject. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jablonski wrote, in part:

The Administrative Law Judge has exercised no control whatsoever over this proceeding, and it threatens to degenerate into a pure forum for political posturing to the detriment of the reputation of the State and your Office. Rather than bring this matter to a rapid conclusion, the ALJ has insisted on agreeing to a day of hearings, and on the full participation of the President in his capacity as a candidate. Only last week, he denied a Motion to Quash a subpoena he approved on the request of plaintiff’s counsel for the personal appearance of the President at the hearing, now scheduled for January 26.

For these reasons, and as discussed briefly below, you should bring an end to this baseless, costly and unproductive hearing by withdrawing the original hearing request as improvidently issued.

It is well established that there is no legitimate issue here—a conclusion validated time and again by courts around the country. The State of Hawaii produced official records documenting birth there; the President made documents available to the general public by placing them on his website.

Read more about this story here and read Kemp’s letter to the President’s attorney here.

Is GOP Racism Becoming The Norm?

Why Obama’s Economy Is Built To Last

Poor N.Y. Neighborhood Feeds Region, But Has No Supermarket

News One — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:07:18 +0000

Hunts Point, an isolated and poor neighborhood in New York City’s borough of The Bronx, hosts the largest marketplace for fresh produce, meat, and fish in the northeastern United States. Huge trucks come and go at all hours of the day and night, carrying food to supermarket chains and the region’s finest restaurants.

RELATED: America’s Worst 9 Urban Food Deserts

But after a fire gutted the neighborhood’s only supermarket, Hunts Point’s residents — mostly Black and Latino — have no place to buy quality groceries.

The New York Daily News reports:

“Everybody in Hunts Point goes shopping there — all the seniors,” said area resident J.C. Creer, 73, a retired trucker. “They have quality food and fresh food there. We rely on that store.”

The industrial section of Hunts Point is home to a sprawling food distribution center that includes wholesale produce, fish and meat markets, but the residential section of the neighborhood is a so-called food desert, with few stores selling fresh fruit and vegetables.

Hunts Point Ave. is lined with bodegas and convenience stores, but now the nearest supermarket is located across busy Bruckner Blvd. in Longwood, at the corner of Southern Blvd. and E. 163rd St.

See NewsOne’s exclusive story on American “food deserts” here.

The Big Question: Are You Going To See “Red Tails” This Weekend?

News One — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:41:24 +0000

You’ve already read about the $50-plus million George Lucas-produced film “Red Tails” here and elsewhere.

You’ve read how major studios refused to finance the film and how Lucas feels that a poor turnout might be detrimental to the future of Black film.

But this is all just conjecture.

Now, this weekend, will really demonstrate whether audiences, Black and white and other, will go to see this film.

But we want you to weigh in… Did you see “Red Tails” last night? Going to see it this weekend? If you saw it, what did you think? Give us your report below!

17 Stars Who Shouldn’t Quit Their Day Jobs

Is Rocawear Dying? Jay-Z’s Brand Fires Half Of Staff

News One — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:51:13 +0000

Rocawear may be dying. The clothing company founded by rapper Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Damon Dash in 1999 — and sold to Iconix for a whopping $200-plus million in 2007, has just laid off 28 of its 56 staffers. According to the New York Post:

Jay-Z, formerly a “big presence” in the office, rarely shows up anymore, an insider told The Post. “It’s kind of like he’s given up on the brand,” the source added.

In 2007, as the market for urban-style clothing was peaking, the rap tycoon sold the Rocawear brand for $204 million in cash to Iconix Group, a licensing company that also owns brands such as Candie’s, Ed Hardy and Peanuts.

While Jay-Z retained an interest in Rocawear as part of the deal, his contractual obligations to the brand have expired and the rapper has since refused to promote it amid steady, double-digit sales drops, sources said.

“Jay-Z doesn’t do anything without getting paid a lot of money — a lot more than Rocawear is generating,” according to one insider.

Perry To Drop Out; Santorum, NOT Romney, Wins Iowa Recount

News One — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:51:34 +0000

It is a morning of upheaval in the GOP presidential primary race.

According to the New York Times, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is poised to drop out:

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is poised to end his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, according to two Republicans close to Mr. Perry, a decision that comes two days before the South Carolina primary.

Mr. Perry will not participate in the debate here on Thursday evening, an aide said, and will make the announcement to supporters and contributors in South Carolina at an 11 a.m. press conference. He had been aggressively campaigning across the state, hoping that the first Southern primary would revive his candidacy.

It was the second time that Mr. Perry had signaled that he would leave the race. After a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses two weeks ago, Mr. Perry said that he was returning to Texas to reassess his campaign, but he decided to press ahead in South Carolina.

And in news from Iowa, a recount of votes shows a win for Rick Santorum, not Mitt Romney as previously counted:

Mitt Romney’s eight-vote victory in the Iowa caucuses will be rescinded on Thursday, following a two-week review by the state’s Republican Party that found that Rick Santorum actually finished 34 votes ahead of Mr. Romney, two party officials confirmed.

Matt Strawn, chairman of Iowa’s Republican Party, is set to announce at 9:15 a.m. Eastern time that an actual winner cannot be determined in the caucuses because results from eight of 1,774 precincts could not be located for certification. But of the votes that could be reviewed by the party, the officials said, Mr. Santorum finished narrowly ahead of Mr. Romney.

Mr. Santorum moved quickly on Thursday to declare victory and dismissed the suggestion that a clear-cut winner could not be determined. He will argue to voters in South Carolina, aides said, that the result shows that he is the best-equipped candidate to emerge as a conservative alternative to Mr. Romney.

For more details on this developing story, click here.

Serves Him Right? Ward Connerly Accused Of Profiteering

News One — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:13:04 +0000

The most prominent Black foe of affirmative action is being accused of financial mismanagement of donations to his own cause.

Ward Connerly, for years the champion of white conservatives and the bane of Black liberals, is alleged to have received excessive compensation on behalf of his American Civil Rights Institute, which is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.

The New York Times reports:

Mr. Connerly has faced accusations of profiteering before, as supporters of affirmative action highlighted his salary in an effort to discredit his cause. But this time, the allegations are more detailed and come from another significant movement figure: Jennifer Gratz, the named plaintiff in a landmark 2003 Supreme Court case that struck down a race-based admissions policy at the University of Michigan.

After she won that case, Mr. Connerly hired Ms. Gratz to conduct research and run campaigns supporting anti-affirmative action ballot initiatives. She resigned last September and, through her lawyer, sent the group’s board a five-page letter, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

“For years, Ms. Gratz was aware of the allegations that Mr. Connerly received excessive compensation,” it said. “She presumed that the issue was politically motivated and raised solely by opponents of the organization’s mission. It has come to her attention, however, that there may be some merit to the allegations of financial impropriety.”

Ward Connerly defended himself against the accusations:

Interviewed by phone and e-mail, Mr. Connerly, 72, acknowledged that his group had had financial difficulties, but said its board had not responded to the letter because “90 percent” of it was false. He portrayed Ms. Gratz as a “disgruntled former employee” trying to “besmirch me personally” because she wanted to replace him.

Black Americans and Californian’s especially will remember Connerly as an unapologetic enemy of race-based admissions at state schools and was the chief proponent of California Proposition 209, eliminating race- and gender-based priorities in state hiring.

MLK Day Of Service: What Are YOU Doing?

News One — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:38:36 +0000

When our first Black president, Barack Obama, took office, he took pains to invigorate the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national Day of Service.

The MLKDay.gov website features a number of resources to plan how you can best serve your country and your local community.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

Tell us what YOU are planning to do this MLK Day to both celebrate and serve!

PLAYLIST: Top 6 MLK Tribute Songs

News One — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:48 +0000

On Martin Luther King day NewsOne honors him by presenting the top 5 songs paying tribute to him. Here’s our Top 5 Martin Luther King Tribute songs.

1. Happy Birthday-Stevie Wonder. I love this song. They used to play it on the loudspeakers on every MLK day and elementary school.

2. Pride in the Name of Love-U2. I didn’t know this song was about King till the inaugural concert. Now that I do, it makes the song all the more powerful.

3. By The Time I Get to Arizona-Public Enemy. Chuck D’s militant charge for Arizona to honor MLK was a strike against racism and Arizona’s Senator, John McCain who opposed the holiday.

4. King Holiday-Various Artists. Whitney Houston, The Fatboys, Run DMC, and other artists combined for a We are The World style MLK tribute. Well intentioned, if a bit corny.

5. Common-I Have a Dream. By sampling King’s voice, Common and Will I Am show the wonderful musical and spiritual quality of King’s voice.

6. Ed OG and Masta Ace-Wishing

This song uses an excerpt from MLK’s “I Have Dream Speech” and was featured in the MLK episode of “The Boondocks” Great song embodying the spirit and politics of Martin Luther King.

Kwame Kilpatrick’s Testimony Revealed In Case Of Murdered Detroit Stripper

News One — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:15:16 +0000

In 2002, stripper Tamara Greene was rumored to have performed for then-Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the city’s Manoogian Mansion. Months later, she turned up dead.

N’Dour Halts Music Career For Presidency

In Detroit and elsewhere, the murder of Greene has been the subject of whispers and conjecture for years. The family of Greene filed suit against Kilpatrick and the city, claiming that the powers that be squelched the subsequent investigation.

In November, a federal judge dismissed the case. Now he’s releasing the testimony behind his decision. The Detroit Free Press reports:

Chief U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen said he plans to unseal dozens of items, including the sworn testimony of then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, two former police chiefs and several police executives who were questioned in the case — unless they file objections within 30 days.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the records would be made available.

Rosen said previously he wouldn’t release the testimony of several others, including former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, because they didn’t factor into his decision to toss the case.

Cox lost the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary amid criticism about his handling of the investigation into the Manoogian party rumors. He didn’t take along State Police investigators to his interview with Kilpatrick and declared the rumor an urban legend.

Rosen previously said he also doesn’t plan to release the depositions of Kilpatrick’s wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, who was rumored to have assaulted a stripper at the 2002 party; former Kwame Kilpatrick top aide Christine Beatty; former city Law Department director Ruth Carter; two former Kilpatrick bodyguards, or Darrett King, the man some detectives said they believe killed Greene.

Voices Of The People Contest Rules

News One — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:38:46 +0000

NEWSONE.com VOICES OF THE PEOPLE Giveaway

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

CONTEST DESCRIPTION:

The NEWSONE.com Giveaway VOICES OF THE PEOPLE contest (“Contest”) will begin at 12:00 PM. on FEBRUARY 9, 2012 and end at 12 Midnight FEBRUARY 24, 2012 (“Contest Period”). ONE (1) winner will be awarded the opportunity to be a “guest blogger” on NewsOne for a week, with the opportunity to publish at least two (2) original opinion pieces, edited by the NewsOne team; and to have their winning essay discussed on the Rev. Al Sharpton radio show.

HOW TO ENTER:

Legal residents of the U.S. who are 16 years of age or older and are members of BlackPlanet.com will be able to take part in this Contest. To participate in the Contest, participants must do the following:

1. Go to NEWSONE.com and click on the VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WIDGET. All essays must be received by Midnight EST on FEBRUARY 12, 2012 or they will be void.

2. In the form provided, submit an essay on the following topic: a local or national African-American figure has impacted your life and why, in 350 words or less.

3. Beginning February 13, 2012, NewsOne visitors will have the opportunity to read and vote for their favorite essay in NewsOne’s “U Pick Em” interface.

4. On February 24, the votes will be tallied and a winner declared on the site and the winner notified via email.

5. One entry per person per day during the Contest Period.

6. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of a participant’s online entry, the entry will be deemed to have been made by the authorized holder of the e-mail account at the time the entry was made.

ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS:

1. The Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States and are 16 years of age or older at the time of contest registration.

2. Employees of Radio One, Inc., Community Connect, Inc. or Interactive One, LLC (together “Company”), its officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, general sponsors, promotional partners, their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, parent companies, members of the immediate families (defined as spouse, child, sibling, parent, or grandparent), and members of the households (whether related or not) of any of the above are NOT eligible to participate or win in this Contest.

3. Persons who have won a prize in another contest or promotion of any kind from Company within the thirty-day (30) period immediately preceding the start date of this Contest are not eligible to participate.

4. Contestants agree to abide with any applicable federal, state, local laws and regulations.

PRIZES:

1. Prize package will include the following:

awarded the opportunity to be a “guest blogger” on NewsOne for a week, with the opportunity to publish at least two (2) original opinion pieces, edited by the NewsOne team.

One (1) prize will be awarded during the Contest Period.

2. If a winner is unable to accept the prize, the prize will be forfeited in its entirety.

3. No substitution of prize is offered, no transfer of prize to a third party is permitted and non-cash prizes may not be redeemed for cash value, except as determined by Company management and/or the sponsor in its sole discretion.

4. All Contest winners must sign and date official Company release and waiver forms as requested. Failure to do so will result in the winner’s forfeiture of the prize.

5. All cash prizes won will be awarded in the form of a check.

6. Company will award the prizes only upon winner verification and final approval. Each winner or selected entrant will be notified by email, mail and/or phone within five (5) days after being selected (e.g., date of drawing). Each winner or selected entrant will then have five (5) days to respond with their information. Company will then send prizes or prize-verification information via the U.S. Mail. If the winner or selected entrant is unable to be contacted within five (5) days after being selected (e.g. drawing date), is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return completed and executed release forms and affidavits, if applicable and as required by Company, or if the prize notification or prize is returned undeliverable, that prize will be forfeited and an alternate entrant will be selected. If the winner is a minor (under the age of eighteen (18)), all release forms and affidavits must be signed by the winner’s parent or legal guardian.

EXECUTION:

1. During the Contest Period, eligible participants will be encouraged to take part in the Contest by commenting online at NEWSONE.com. After completing their comments regarding a designated article posted on NEWSONE.com, entrants will be qualified for a chance to win the prize.

2. The end of voting will take place on 12 Midnight FEBRUARY 24, 2012. The contestant with the most votes will be declared a winner. In the event of a tie, NewsOne staff will select a winner.

3. The winners will be notified by email.

4. All decisions made by Company management regarding any aspect of this Contest are final.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:

1. Winners are responsible for all applicable taxes associated with the receipt of the prize (prizes are not transferable and may not be exchanged).

2. Any person winning over $600.00 in prizes will receive an IRS form 1099 at the end of the calendar year for tax purposes and a copy of such form will be filed with the IRS as required by law.

3. No purchase necessary. Contest is void where prohibited. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, local laws and regulations.

4. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible contestants participating during the Contest Period.

5. By participating in the Contest, the winner or winners agree to have their name, voice, or likeness used in any advertising or broadcasting material relating to this Contest, in any media now known or hereafter devised for advertising or promotional purposes without additional compensation, and must sign a publicity release prior to acceptance of the prize. By entering this Contest, each participant agrees to comply with these Official Contest Rules and the decisions of the Contest sponsor which shall be final and binding in all aspects relating to the Contest.

6. Company retains the right to disqualify any contestant if all contest rules are not followed.

7. All Contest winners will be required to sign a liability release prior to acceptance of any prize. Pursuant to the liability release, the winner or winners will agree to hold Company, any other Contest parties and each of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, agencies, officers, shareholders, directors, employees, agents and representatives of each of the foregoing, harmless against any and all claims or liability, directly or indirectly related to or arising from or in connection with Contest participation or the acceptance, possession or use / misuse of any awarded prize or any portion thereof, or participation in prize-related activities, including but not limited to any related travel.

8. By accepting the prize, the winner acknowledges that Company has neither made, nor is in any manner responsible or liable for, any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to the prize or to any portion thereof, including but not limited to its quality, mechanical condition or fitness for a particular purpose.

9. Any information collected by registering to enter the Contest shall be used only in a manner consistent with these Official Contest Rules.

10. Company, participating sponsors and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates or their representatives, agents and employees are not responsible for the inability of any contestant to complete or continue an internet registration due to equipment malfunction, busy lines, inadvertent disconnections, unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other connections, communication failures or human error that may occur in the transmission, receipt or processing of entries, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer arising from or relating to participation in this Promotion,. In addition, Company, participating sponsors and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates or their representatives, agents and employees are not responsible for late, postage due, lost, misdirected, mutilated, illegible or incomplete contest entries. No mechanically reproduced or automated entries permitted. Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered are void. Once submitted, entries become the property of Company and will not be returned.

11. If for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including without limitation, any suspected evidence of tampering or technological corruption or if any portion of the promotion is compromised by virus, bugs, worms or unauthorized human intervention, fraud, acts of God, strikes, terrorists acts, criminal acts of third parties, an insufficient number of qualified contest entries, or any other causes beyond Company’s control which, in the Company’s sole opinion, corrupts, threatens or impairs the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Company reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest at its sole discretion.

12. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be in violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Company reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney’s fees) from any such entrant to the fullest extent of the law, including criminal prosecution.

13. To receive the name of the winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt to: NEWSONE GIVEAWAYS, c/o INTERACTIVE ONE, LLC 205 HUDSON ST. 6th Floor, NY, NY 10013 ATTN: VOICES OF THE PEOPLE CO-ORDINATOR

Man May Have Intentionally Infected HUNDREDS With HIV

News One — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:00:46 +0000

A Michigan man may have intentionally infected hundreds of sexual partners with HIV.

SEE ALSO: America’s Drunkest Cities

David Dean Smith, 51, was charged with one count of “AIDS-sexual penetration with an uninformed partner” by Grand Rapids police after admitting that he had unprotected sex with “as many people as he could” during the last three years. Then, on Wednesday, he was arraigned on a second count after police identified a possible second victim.

MSNBC reports:

One of the two possible victims police say they have found so far said in an interview with NBC station WOOD-TV of Grand Rapids that she was diagnosed with HIV in October 2008.

The woman, whom authorities and NBC News are not identifying, said she knew immediately that it was Smith — whom she said she met through an ad on the Yahoo! Personals website — who had infected her. She called him “a predator” and “a sociopath.”

The woman said Smith sent her a text message letting her know that he was going to surrender to police. The message read: “Turning myself into the law, my life is over. Take care. Always love you.”

“It’s something he should have done years ago,” she said. “He shouldn’t get a pat on the head for what he did.”

Smith said at his arraignment Wednesday that he has been undergoing counseling. Court documents show that Smith was admitted to Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services recently because he was “suicidal” and had tried to kill himself at least once.

Smith will face preliminary hearings on both charges in the coming weeks.

Read more at MSNBC.com

Mel Gibson Loses Half Of His $850M Fortune

PHOTOS: Celebrities Ring In The New Year

News One — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:01:43 +0000

Celebrities took in the celebrations and stars like Kim Kardashian raked in big bank hosting parties on New Year’s Eve. Check this gallery of luminaries as they ring in the New Year!

SEE ALSO: America’s Drunkest Cities

Mel Gibson Loses Half Of His $850M Fortune

REPORTS: Beyonce Checked Into Hospital, In Labor

News One — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:32:43 +0000

Beyonce is in labor and has checked into a New York hospital, according to several unconfirmed reports.

According to the UK Daily Mail:

Beyoncé is said to be moments away from giving birth to her first child.

And the appearance of the star’s mother Tina, 57, sister Solange, 25, and nephew Julez in the city has certainly added weight to the report.

Nurses at New York’s St Luke’s Roosevelt hospital have allegedly been told to prepare the labour suite for the arrival of a celebrity VIP.

But the New York Post reports that Beyonce was spotted this past weekend during holiday party-hopping:

While St. Luke’s Hospital was reportedly on high alert last night, piquing suspicion that Beyoncé might give birth there, the pregnant singer apparently stopped by one more party before she went into labor. On Friday, she and husband Jay-Z were spotted at SoHo hot spot W.i.P. for a bash celebrating youth arts program Creation Nation and its Creators Club, which will meet weekly in the space. Beyoncé — who reports say is nine months pregnant — and Jay-Z were spotted sitting tight in a VIP booth and fielding greetings from friends. Beyoncé was overheard saying that her pregnancy was “the best Christmas present possible.” Our witnesses report that the rapper “was very attentive to his wife, at one point getting up to get her some water.” Beyonce has publicly announced that her baby is due in February. But reports have speculated that the diva might be due as soon as this month after she’d said during a video shoot in late September that she was then six months pregnant.

Stay tuned to NewsOne for more breaking reports.

NewsOne’s Top 11 Exclusives And Originals For 2011

News One — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:32:25 +0000

Journalism in the age of the Internet is a difficult practice. And if it’s difficult for one the finest news organizations in the world, you know it’s doubly so for even the best of Black media. Like our partners and friends at The Grio and The Root, we do the best we can with limited resources. But we do have many moments of pride — when we’re able to execute the kind of reporting and writing that we believe our audience deserves.

What follows is a list of our favorite original NewsOne pieces in 2011. We hope you enjoyed them as much as we liked creating them.

SEE ALSO: America’s Drunkest Cities

REPORTING

When the North River Sewage Treatment Plant in Harlem burst into flames this summer, NewsOne decided to do an expose of how that nasty bit of public works got to be placed in Harlem in the first place.

In the spring, the New York Daily News reported that a genius 13-year-old girl had been accepted to the University of Connecticut, only to have her acceptance rescinded. As it turned out, with some digging by NewsOne reporter Gerren Gaynor, the story was completely bogus. Representatives at UConn refuted the alleged “confirmation” that Daily News claimed that they received from college officials. The Daily News told us that they “stood by” their story.

When New York police rioted against the patrons of a peaceful hip-hop concert, NewsOne captured the aftermath.

In a world gone media mad, NewsOne found sanity in the story of two little girls from Baltimore who called out Lil Wayne for his misogynistic lyrics; and the father who decided that it was better to turn his daughters into soldiers against bad influences than to shield them.

OPINION/ANALYSIS

Not many folks would have the guts to come out and say it, but our West Coast Editor Adisa Banjoko did. In this controversial piece, Banjoko basically said that Kwanzaa’s weak foothold in among African Americans can be traced directly to the spiritual bankruptcy of its founder, Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Gene Marks, for those that don’t know, is a freelancer for Forbes.com who drew very strong criticism for a very weak piece about what he would do if he were a “poor, Black child.” In the days following the article’s publication, commentators from around the Web heaped invective on Marks. But none, for our money, were more poignant than that of our very own contributor Terrell Jermaine Starr, who drew on his own impoverished upbringing in the streets of Detroit to slay — point by point — Marks’ specious argument.

Most of us at NewsOne may not agree with this piece — still believing as we do that Ron Paul is at the very least a latent white supremacist. But nothing beats the chutzpa of Johan Thomas’ rational argument here, that Paul’s policies and his status as a third party candidate make for a lot of common ground with African Americans.

Elon James White isn’t all humor and sarcasm (though we do love him for it). In this piece, Elon describes his poignant “aha” moment at the 2011 Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference, realizing that there actually is a “there” there.

INFOGRAPHICS/LISTS

Johan Thomas researched, wrote, and designed this centerpiece for our “Prisons & Projects” exploration.

America’s Worst 9 Urban Food Deserts

Johan Thomas used U.S. Census and other government data to calculate a list of American cities featuring the neighborhoods with the worst access to fresh, healthy food.

HUMOR

What do you get when you combine the latest anti-capitalist movement with the ultimate day in American consumerism? This very funny satire from contributor Sia Barnes.

SEE ALSO:

Obama To Bomb Iran?

Ron Paul’s Surge Invites Scrutiny

Cooking For Good Luck In The New Year

News One — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:49:27 +0000

Looking for good luck in the New Year? A dish of black eyed peas and rice might be nice. HuffingtonPost Black Voices reports:

SEE ALSO: Take The 2011 News Quiz

As ubiquitous as champagne and confetti on New Year’s Eve, black-eyed peas are a staple in African-American homes come January 1.

Like its soul-food kin, hoppin’ John, as the peas are called when cooked with rice, is rooted in slave culture and has been eaten throughout the South for good luck on New Year’s Day (alongside collard greens, which are said to bring money, and cornbread for good health).

According to Andrew F. Smith’s “Oxford Companion To American Food And Drink,” the dish rose to prominence in South Carolina’s low country, where rice-growing slaves from West Africa prepared it in dishes based on those they made in their homeland. And though it started out as a tradition among slaves, its inclusion in an 1847 cookbook called “The Carolina Housewife” by Sarah Rutledge signaled its acceptance in upper-class kitchens as well.

For recipes to unlock the keys to prosperity and health in the New Year, click here!

Read More At Black Voices

SEE ALSO:

Top TV Deaths Of 2011

Pariah’s Scene Stealer

Best Weight-Loss Apps

Rapper Slim Dunkin’s Alleged Killer Turns Himself In

News One — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:25:19 +0000

Vinson Hardimon, 28, an Atlanta rapper known professionally as Young Vito, turned himself in to police just days after he was fingered as the prime suspect in the December 16 murder of another Atlanta MC, Slim Dunkin. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

Atlanta police put out a lookout for Hardimon, and through the media advised Hardimon to turn himself in, warning that his life might be in danger.

“I got a call today from his attorney,” Atlanta police homicide Det. David Quinn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. “He said he wished to turn himself in.”

Sometime after 2 p.m., attorney Derrick Wright brought Hardimon to Atlanta Police headquarters, Quinn said. From there, Hardimon was taken to the Fulton jail.

Quinn pointed out that Hardimon’s appearance had changed significantly after the shooting, comparing his picture in the wanted poster to the man who showed up Monday.

“He cut off those dreadlocks and was clean-shaven,” Quinn said, pointing out a previous photo showed Hardimon with a dark goatee and mustache and long hair.

Hardimon has been arrested at least four times in Fulton County dating back to 2004 on charges ranging from traffic violations to aggravated assault and child cruelty.

According to police, the alleged fight between the two rappers may have started over a piece of candy; but the police are still having some trouble piecing their account together:

“There were at least 30 people in the studio at the time of the shooting,” he said. “They should get in touch with me. We want the facts. It’s the right thing to do.”

Police are asking that anyone with information in the case call Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477 or contact Quinn at 404-245-8039.

SEE ALSO:

Take The 2011 News Quiz

Top TV Deaths Of 2011

Pariah’s Scene Stealer

Top 11 Fake Deaths On Twitter

News One — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:10:25 +0000

By Darnella Dunham

Twitter has killed dozens of celebrities, and it proves that you should definitely not believe everything you read. The lack of credibility from the sender of these false rumors doesn’t stop them from getting retweeted and going viral. And unfortunately, death hoaxes on Twitter have become commonplace.

But Twitter isn’t all bad when it comes to getting the news about the death of a celebrity. When Heavy D died on November 8th, Twitter was the outlet at the forefront of spreading the sad news.

Nevertheless, Twitter users are way too eager to spread reports of unconfirmed deaths. Here’s a look at some of the most notable non-dead Black people who, if you believe anything you read on Twitter, died.

Barack Obama

Fox News was behind a series of tweets that had its followers believing that President Barack Obama had been assassinated this year on the 4^th of July. This false tweet was bad, but it was given even more legitimacy when it was followed up by another tweet wishing Vice President Joe Biden “the best of luck as our new President of the United States.” The conservative news channel claims its Twitter account was hacked, and that none of the Fox News employee sent out any of the controversial tweets.

Aretha Franklin

Twitter was the social media that quickly spread the rumor that the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin had died from pancreatic cancer in December of 2010. In actuality, she was recovering from an undisclosed surgery, and has since rebounded as a thinner and healthier-looking version of her previous self.

Eddie Murphy

Since Eddie Murphy is a comedian, it’s seems like the person who started this Twitter death hoax about him wanted to maintain the funny. According to the well-circulated tweet, Murphy “died” this year as Denzel Washington allegedly did: snowboarding in Switzerland. The reports of Murphy’s death even reach hashtag status on Twitter.

Bill Cosby

Probably the celebrity who’s been reported to be dead on Twitter the most (at least four times), Bill Cosby should be used hearing false rumors about his death via the social network. The latest mistweet was sent in the summer of 2011, and caused his daughter to call and check on him. Instead of bashing Twitter, Cosby sent a tweet stating, “To the people behind the foolishness, I’m not sure you see how upsetting this is.”

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington was reported to be dead on Twitter after a vicious snowboard accident in Switzerland. The fact that Washington was filming a movie in Atlanta quickly killed the rumor.

Kanye West

After getting an endless amount of bad press for stealing Taylor Swift’s shine at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West became the latest celebrity reported to be dead via Twitter. Tweets saying West had been killed in a car accident went viral, and even made it to his then girlfriend Amber Rose’s timeline. She shut down the credibility of the rumors by tweeting, “This ‘RIP KanyeWest’ topic is not funny and its NOT TRUE! He has people like myself and his family that love him very much.”

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman’s death by Twitter occurred in 2010, and the root of the mistruth was sourced as coming from CNN. Blame it on former tweeter @originalcjizzle, who was discredited by CNN when the news organization issued an official statement and promised to “aggressively investigate this hoax.” Before deleting his or her account, @originalcjizzle tweeted, “I had no intention of things turning out this way.”

Nelson Mandela

Not only Americans are falsely reported to be dead on Twitter. Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela experienced a Twitter death in January 2011 thanks to @lebolukewarm. This user has since deleted his or her Twitter account after angering followers for spreading this lie.

Ruby Dee

The Twitter death of Ruby Dee circulated because someone simply mistweeted. Instead of telling followers that beloved rapper Heavy D had passed away, the legendary actress was said to be dead. Fortunately, the tweets about Ruby D weren’t true. Sadly, the tweets regarding Heavy D’s untimely demise were.

Tiger Woods

Twitter reported Tiger Woods to be dead in November, but at the time, he was in Sydney, Australia playing in a golf tournament. Not only was Tiger alive and well, he was playing some of the best golf of his career since his 2009 sex scandal.

Will Smith

Will Smith was first reported as dead on the Internet in 2007 from a car crash. But in May of 2011, fake Twitter death rumormongers got creative by offing him from a drug overdose, by falling off of a cliff, and a car accident. The death rumors have subsided, but the divorce rumors live on.

LaShawn Merritt Sprints Past Accusations Of Doping

News One — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:15:21 +0000

In 2009, sprinter and Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merrit tested positive for banned performance enhancing drugs and faced a two year ban from competition — a lifetime in the world of sport. To the world, it looked like another case of desperate athletic doping. But the New York Times reports:

What happens when an athlete ingests a prohibited substance and it was truly inadvertent? And he can prove it to the satisfaction of antidoping officials? And he is willing to tell the truth about what he took, even if his admission causes his private life to be made public and subjects him to embarrassment and ridicule?

This is what happened to LaShawn Merritt. Three times from October 2009 to January 2010, he tested positive for steroid derivatives called DHEA and pregnenolone.

Except — and this is a big exception — the substances were not intended to enhance athletic performance. They were contained instead in a male-enhancement product called ExtenZe, bought over the counter from a convenience store.

Cleared of any wrongdoing, Merritt is now enjoying his redemption, both public and athletic, at the 2011 world track and field championships in Daegu, South Korea.

In a preliminary heat, he ran the fastest time of any quarter-miler this year, 44.35 seconds. Still not fully race sharp after a long layoff, though, Merritt was caught at the wire in the final and finished second. Then in October, he scored one of the most important victories of his career, not on the track but before the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The tribunal nullified a controversial rule established by the International Olympic Committee. The rule prohibited athletes who received doping bans of six months or longer from competing in the next Olympics even if they had completed their suspensions. Essentially, the I.O.C. constraint was found to punish athletes twice for the same violation.

His eligibility restored for the London Games, Merritt will attempt to become the only man other than Michael Johnson (1996, 2000) to repeat as Olympic champion at 400 meters.

“I saw a top-10 list of the most ridiculous excuses for positive drug tests,” Tygart said. “This is probably the only one on the list proved true through a court of law.”

Read the entire story in the New York Times.

25 Years Later, Wounds Remain From Howard Beach Attack

News One — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:50:24 +0000

Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of the racial attack on Black youths in the Queens, N.Y. neighborhood of Howard Beach, one that polarized New York City and left marks that are still being felt. The New York Times reports:

One of the victims died in the attack and is memorialized in a Brooklyn street sign, another died five years later, and the third is in jail in Virginia for unrelated crimes. The three teenagers convicted of manslaughter were released from prison and are family men in their 40s. A leader of the attack, who became the key prosecution witness and dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps in law enforcement, never did become a police officer.

Elsewhere, the Times recalls the events of December 19, 1986:

The events in Howard Beach began when Mr. Griffith, a construction worker, and three black companions traveled from Brooklyn to Queens to pick up his paycheck. Their car broke down late on Dec. 19 on a desolate stretch of Cross Bay Boulevard, and three of the four began walking into Howard Beach. As they were crossing the street, they were nearly bumped by a car in which several white teenagers were riding. Racial slurs were exchanged. The teenagers, joined by other young whites, confronted the black men outside a pizza parlor, New Park Pizza, and chased them.

Timothy Grimes, who was 18, escaped unharmed. Mr. Griffith was killed by a car on the Belt Parkway. Cedric Sandiford, who was 36, was beaten with a bat and other weapons.

Read more in the New York Times.

We Must Draw More Black Americans To Tech

News One — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:12:40 +0000

—–

This month, NewsOne presents a special exploration of Black Americans’ influence on social media, #TWEETING WHILE BLACK.

—–

Navarrow Wright has a mission.

“It’s easier to become an entrepreneur than it is to be a rapper,” he often tells people.

Wright, the chief technical officer of InteractiveOne (parent company of NewsOne), was in many ways the spiritual force behind the events portrayed in CNN’s recent edition of Black In America called” “The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley.” Wright was the leading mentor to over a half-dozen hopeful Black tech entrepreneurs seeking funding and support from the tech industry, the “Yoda” to a crowd of young tech Luke Skywalkers.

In a new blog posted on CNN.com, Wright offers an impassioned plea for young Black Americans to view the tech sector as much of an opportunity as they do the world of entertainment:

We are slowly becoming an underclass in a world where opportunities are abundant to others. Since my on experience as a technology entrepreneur, I’ve been committed to creating opportunities for exposure to as many people as I can and connecting with other future entrepreneurs to help them understand the process that needs to followed, level of focus need and the personal and professional awards that await them. So when Angela Benton, one of the NewMe Accelerator founders, asked me to be a mentor for the program, I accepted immediately. The ability to be a part of a process that helps develop minority entrepreneurs was something I quickly and humbly accepted.

So, now that program has been covered in CNN and has become a national conversation. Does race matter in technology entrepreneurship? How can we, as African-Americans, become an active part of this ecosystem? While we all may have different vantage points and opinions on these and the other questions that are being raised, the important thing is that the dialogue is happening across the country. I’ve always believed that in order to make real change, we have to change people’s perspectives and show people examples that they can relate to in order to make the opportunity real. The challenge now is to make sure that enough people see the documentary and have the dialogue continue so that real changes can come of it.

Read More On CNN

SEE THE ENTIRE #TWEETINGWHILEBLACK SERIES HERE

INFOGRAPHIC: A History Of Black Twitter

News One — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:01:21 +0000

—–

This month, NewsOne presents a special exploration of Black Americans’ influence on social media, #TWEETING WHILE BLACK.

—–

The concept of “Black Twitter” actually has a history that is years-deep. We believe that the phenomenon has its roots in Black innovation — our cultural predilection to take tools and technology and use them in ways that even their creators never imagined possible. And while for some the Black predominance on social networks like Twitter may cause consternation — and to others a shrug of indifference — the phenomenon itself is so rich and still so present that it’s worth a bit of a recap.

SEE ALSO: Top Ten Black Tweeters

Here, then, is some perspective: The history of Black Twitter, laid out in visual form:

SEE THE ENTIRE #TWEETINGWHILEBLACK SERIES HERE

SOURCES:

Jan 2007   First study noticing racial divide in social networks
Jun 2009   OMG! Black People!
Oct 2009   First study of Black “over-indexing” on Twitter
Nov 2009   Twitter starts “curating” trending topics
Nov 2009   White blogger coins term “Black Twitter”?
Apr 2010   Study: Blacks represent 1/4 of Twitter users
May 2010   Gawker piece on “#thingsblackpeopledo” trend
Jul 2010   “White Flight” from Myspace to Facebook
Aug 2010   Slate article amuses some, offends others
Jan 2011   TheRoot: Black Twitter Bad!
May 2011   Yet another study. Guess what it said…
May 2011   TheRoot: Black Twitter Good!
May 2011   “Shut Up About Black Twitter Already”
Jun 2011   Study: 25% of Blacks online use Twitter
Jun 2011   Enter planking
Sep 2011   The Troy Davis conspiracy

Compton Girl Becomes Youngest To Fly Solo Across America

News One — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:17:20 +0000

CNN reports that 15-year-old Kimberly Anyadike of Compton, Calif. has become the youngest Black woman in history to fly solo across America. She was coached by a Tuskeegee Airman. This story courtesy of YourBlackWorld TV:

Alec Baldwin’s PERFECT Tracey Morgan Impression

NOLA Mayor: “More Likely To Be Killed Here Than Afghanistan”

News One — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:54:20 +0000

New Orleans is in the midst of a violent murder spree unlike anything the city has seen before or since Hurricane Katrina.

According to an excellent piece in today’s New York Times, New Orleans’ murder rate in 2010 was 10 times the national average, “long before shootings on Halloween night in the crowded French Quarter revealed to a larger public what was going on in poor neighborhoods around the city every week.”

There were 51 homicides per 100,000 residents here last year, compared with less than 7 per 100,000 in New York or 23 in similar-size Oakland, Calif.

“From September of last year to February of this year,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu in a recent speech, after reciting a litany of killings from one city high school, “a student attending John McDonogh was more likely to be killed than a soldier in Afghanistan.”

The causes of the skyrocketing rate can be found in the economic devastation and social dislocation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Notorious corruption in the police department hasn’t helped, leading to a great mistrust between New Orleans’s citizenry and the force that is supposed to serve and protect them.

The narrower causes are less clear. There are no large organized gangs in town, nor are there major drug wars, though some killings are turf disputes over the drug market, made worse by the drastic reshuffling of the urban poor after Hurricane Katrina and the demolition of public housing projects.

Many killings in New Orleans are a result of conflicts and vendettas among small, loosely organized groups, the analysis concluded, but in nearly half the cases, the experts listed the primary motive as uncertain or unknown. Only about half the homicide cases are cleared.

In the end, its not the living who pay, but the victims:

The killers and their victims are overwhelmingly young black men, according to an analysis of homicide cases by outside experts last March, and sponsored by the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance. As police officials frequently point out to the anger of some families, most victims and offenders had prior contacts with the police, often for violent crimes. Less than a quarter were listed as having a steady job.

Lose Those Pounds! The Al Sharpton Workout Plan

News One — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:02:08 +0000

Anyone who has followed the career of the Rev. Al Sharpton has witnessed a remarkable fitness transformation. The once-portly pompadoured preacher is now a fitness junkie. The Wall Street Journal just published a rather flattering profile of the now-svelte Black leader and talk-show host:

Rev. Sharpton, 57 years old, says he weighed more than 300 pounds from the late ’80s through the ’90s. He lost 30 pounds in 2001 while jailed for protesting the U.S. Navy bombing exercises on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, and fasted nearly 40 days, he says.
Rev. Al Sharpton works out seven days each week. At the NBC Studios gym in New York, he uses a stationary bike.
“That isn’t a healthy way to lose weight, but I liked the way I looked,” he says.

Sharpton gained his weight back in the years thereafter, but then committed to taking it off for good.

Nearly six years later, he’s down to 176 pounds. “I remember seeing Bill Clinton when I first lost weight and he told me, ‘Al, you will feel better and you won’t need as much sleep.’ He was right. I used to need six or seven hours and now I need four or five and am much more mentally alert.”

How did he do it?

Female H.S. Principal In Hot Water AND Chocolate Sauce

News One — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:18:10 +0000

Sharron Smalls, the principal of Jane Addams High School in The Bronx, landed in hot water on Friday over the possibility that she improperly gave class credits to students. Now HALF of the entire senior class is in danger of not graduating because they do not have enough credits to do so.

The scheme was called “double dipping” by a teacher at the school. Stephen Tavano was quoted in the New York Times:

“Clearly, there’s an agenda of credit accumulation, and it certainly plays into this. There’s tremendous pressure to get students to graduate, but what has to be understood is that they’ve got to graduate the right way, according to the standards of New York State. And the principal made it a point to break the rules.”

But now, credit fudging isn’t the only kind of hot cocoa mess that Sharron Smalls is finding herself in. Shortly after the story broke, pictures from Smalls’ Facebook page surfaced, including a photo of Smalls cavorting in chocolate sauce with a man who appears to be a male stripper. The New York Daily News reports:

On Friday students retaliated by plastering the school with the photo of a bare-chested man spraying the scantily dressed principal with what looks like melted chocolate as the two grind on a dance floor.

Until this week Smalls used the photo for her Facebook profile. The pic has left kids flabbergasted, considering her dress code for the school declares “the thug look is out.”

“I cannot believe my principal would dance like that,” said shocked senior Christine Daniels, 18, who saw the photo online, where it has also been making the rounds on email.

“She doesn’t want us to come to school with short shorts and then she turns around and does this,” said senior Tehrra Smith, 17. “It’s gonna be bad for college, very bad.”

Smalls, 43, is accused of handing students chemistry credits for cosmetology courses and geography credits for tourism classes. Teachers say the fraud may lead to more than 100 seniors not graduating from the F-rated school because they lack credits in high-level math courses.

Smalls has already been blasted by teachers and parents over the scandal – and now officials say she should have shown better judgment online.

11-Year-Old Girls Getting Bikini Waxes: How Much Is Too Much?

Sandusky Interview: “They’ve Twisted Everything I’ve Done”

News One — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:42:26 +0000

In an exclusive video interview with the New York Times, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky denied allegations that he sexually abused dozens of boys over the last few decades, using his charity The Second Mile as a kind of “farm team” to pick his victims:

“They’ve taken everything that I ever did for any young person and twisted it to say that my motives were sexual or whatever,” Mr. Sandusky said. He added: “I had kid after kid after kid who might say I was a father figure. And they just twisted that all.”

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO:

Sandusky confirmed part of what prosecutors have called a “manipulative scheme” to shower boys with gifts in return for their trust and affection:

“I would call kids on the phone and work with them academically,” he said. “I tried to reward them sometimes with a little money in hand, just so that they could see something. But more often than not, I tried to set up, maybe get them to save the money, and I put it directly into a savings account established for them.”

In a bombshell, Sandusky also said that his boss, head coach Joe Paterno, never spoke to him about the alleged incidents of sexual abuse:

“I never talked to him about either one,” Mr. Sandusky said of Mr. Paterno. “That’s all I can say. I mean, I don’t know.”

Read More In The New York Times

Ew! 10 Colleges With The Grossest Food

Sharpton Ratings Smash! MSNBC #1 Among Black Viewers

News One — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:56:29 +0000

After much controversy about the hiring of the Rev. Al Sharpton to fill the MSNBC time slot vacated by liberal pundit Cenk Uygur, the new TV ratings are in, and Sharpton’s show is a smash.

While MSNBC has never been able to trump the conservative juggernaut of Fox News, MSNBC resoundingly beat CNN in all “dayparts,” according to the latest Neilsen ratings. TVNewser reports:

MSNBC pulled back ahead of CNN this month, reclaiming the #2 spot among the cable news networks across the board: in primetime and in Total Day.

Sharpton’s show, “PoliticsNation,” is a part of that success. According to the network, the show is 50 percent ahead of CNN’s “John King USA” in the 6 p.m. weekday time slot. According to the network:

At 6 p.m., “PoliticsNation” hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton beat CNN’s “John King USA” by 50% among total viewers (767,000 vs. 512,000) and by 41% in the demo of A25-54 (171,000 vs. 121,000). This is MSNBC’s best A25-54 6p program delivery since Dec. 2010 and the lowest 6p delivery for CNN since August 2010.

MSNBC has been rated first among African-American viewers for almost two years straight.

Tyler Perry’s Open Letter to Penn State 11-Year-Old

News One — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:04:40 +0000

In this week’s Newsweek, producer/director Tyler Perry has penned an open letter to one of the alleged victims of Jerry Sandusky in the scandal that has rocked Penn State University and the entire country:

SEE ALSO: The Sex Addiction Epidemic

I don’t know your name, but I know your face. I don’t know your journey, but I know where you are. I am your brother!

I must tell you, what you have done is so courageous. The strength that it must have taken for your 11-year-old voice to speak out about such a horrible act is something that I didn’t have the strength or courage to do at that age.

I was a very poor young black boy in New Orleans, just a face without a name, swimming in a sea of poverty trying to survive. Forget about living, I was just trying to exist. I was enduring a lot of the same things that you’ve come forward and said happened to you, and it was awful. I felt so powerless. I knew what was happening to me, but unlike you, I couldn’t speak about it because no one saw me. I was invisible and my voice was inaudible.

So to think that you, when you were only 11 years old, spoke up—you are my hero! I’m so proud of you. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I want you to know you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not your fault. Please know that you were chosen by a monster. You didn’t choose him. You didn’t ask for it and, most of all, you didn’t deserve it. What a huge lesson that was for me to learn. Your 11-year-old self was no match for wicked, evil tactics of this kind. You were hunted like prey. A pedophile looks for the young boys he thinks he can manipulate. The ones who have daddy or mommy issues, the ones who are broken, and the ones who are in need. But this wasn’t you.

Read The Entire Letter At Newsweek

Sean Bell Killing — Five Years Later

News One — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:47:10 +0000

Five years ago today, Sean Bell was shot dead by New York City police. The New York Times recalls the details of the shooting:

In the early morning hours of Nov. 25, 2006, Sean Bell, a 23-year-old New York City man due to be married later that day, walked out of a Queens strip club, climbed into a gray Nissan Altima with two friends who had been celebrating with him — and died in a hail of 50 bullets fired by a group of five police officers.

For more of the history of the shooting and its aftermath, click here.

See Also: Woman Pepper-Sprays Shopper s

Today, NY1News is reporting on gatherings being held in Sean Bell’s memory:

A candlelight vigil was held overnight on “Sean Bell Way” in Jamaica, Queens.

Family members placed candles where Bell was killed and rang a bell 50 times to mark the number of shots that were fired the night he died.

Bell’s fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, plans to keep holding the vigil every year to honor his legacy.

“What we’re hoping is that five years later we can have some change and that no other families have to suffer the way my family does. So every day is a struggle for us. My daughters, they miss their dad, and we have been here from day one and we’re going to continue to stand up,” said Bell.

See NY1 video here.

Two police officers involved in the shooting are awaiting a verdict in a departmental hearing. If found guilty, the officers may be fired.

MORE Black Friday VIOLENCE: Shootings, Pepper Spray, Bombs, Robberies

News One — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:26:56 +0000

UPDATE — Via MSNBC:

Violence erupted at Black Friday sales across the U.S. with one bargain-hunter left critically injured after being shot during a robbery and 15 other people injured when an angry shopper used pepper spray.

Several of the incidents took place at Wal-Mart stores as millions of Americans loaded up on holiday purchases.

Update 11:57 a.m. ET: An off-duty police officer used pepper spray on shoppers at a Wal-Mart in Kinston, N.C.

Kinston police Sgt. Roland Davis said an off-duty officer whom the store had hired to help with security used the chemical while trying to make an arrest during a disturbance. Unconfirmed reports said as many as 20 peopl ewer affected.

Updated 10:55 a.m. ET: A Rome, N.Y., man was charged with disorderly conduct after a fight that broke out the moment Black Friday shopping began at midnight, NBC station WSTM of Syracuse, N.Y., reported.

Several shoppers at the electronics department at a Wal-Mart store were pushed to the ground, and several fights broke out, Oneida County sheriff’s deputies said. Two shoppers were taken to a hospital for minor injuries.

Updated 10:39 a.m. ET: Police said they were investigating a possible shooting in the parking lot of Valley West Mall in West Des Moines, Iowa, NBC station WHO reported. There was no immediate report that anyone was injured.

Police got a call of shots fired shortly before 4 a.m., when the mall opened. They wouldn’t say whether they had a suspect, and they reassured shoppers that the mall is safe..

Updated 9:50 a.m. ET: A 55-year-old shopper was shot and wounded during a robbery near a Wal-Mart in Myrtle Beach, S.C., NBC station WMBF reported.

Tonia Robbins, 55, was shot in the foot after two men demanded her purse shortly after 1 a.m. ET Friday as she stood by the trunk of her car with friends.

Updated 9:45 a.m. ET: An explosive device was found at a break room at a Wal-Mart in Cave Creek, Ariz., according to reports Friday.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said a suspicious package was found inside a refrigerator in the store break room on Thursday. The store was evacuated as a precaution while deputies investigated the package.

Updated at 9:40 a.m. ET: A Black Friday shopper was shot and critically injured during a robbery outisde a Wal-Mart in San Leandro, Calif., early Friday, police said.

Police patrolling the parking lot found a victim suffering a gunshot wound and a possible suspect being detained by family members of the victim.

Police said the victims were walking to their car with their purchases and were approached by multiple suspects who demanded the merchandise.

A fight ensued and one suspect pulled out a gun and shot one of the victims. Some of the victims wrestled down one suspect as the other suspect fled the scene.

The victim who was shot is in critical but stable condition at a local hospital. The suspect in custody is an adult male in his mid ’20s, but it is not known if he was the shooter.

Updated at 7.30 a.m. ET: An angry woman used pepper spray when Black Friday bargain-hunters tried to cut in line at a crowded Wal-Mart store in Los Angeles late Thursday, leaving 15 people with minor injuries. The incident occurred shortly after 10:20 p.m. PT (1:20 a.m. ET Friday) in the San Fernando Valley as shoppers looking for deals were let inside the outlet.

Shawn Lenske, a Los Angeles fire department spokesman, said the injuries were due to “rapid crowd movement.”

Video uploaded to youTube shows shopper recovering after one woman allegedly doused them in pepper spray as they battled for bargains at a Walmart in Los Angeles. NBC’s Kristen Dahlgren reports.

NBC News reported police said no more than 15 were hurt, 10 of them for the effects of inhalation of pepper spray.

Police Lt. Abel Parga said a woman used pepper spray, then left. Parga said police were looking for the woman and no arrests have been made.

“It was an unhappy customer,” he said.

A witness told Los Angeles’ NBC4 that the incident started as people waited in line for the new Xbox 360.