GARY DOURDAN - CSI STAR BUSTED IN PALM SPRINGS

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Gary Dourdan, who co-stars on the CBS television hit "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," has been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine, heroin and other drugs, police said on Tuesday.

Dourdan, 41, was detained by police in the desert resort town of Palm Springs, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles, after he was found asleep in the driver's seat of a parked car before dawn on Monday, according to a police press release.

The car had been parked on the wrong side of the street with the interior light left on, and Dourdan appeared to be disoriented and "possibly under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs" when approached by an officer, the statement said.

The officer found substances believed to be cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy and various prescription drugs, as well as drug paraphernalia, police said.

Dourdan was arrested, booked for possession of narcotics and dangerous drugs and jailed for about five hours before he was released on $5,000 bail, police said.

A native of Philadelphia, Dourdan got his start on the TV sitcom "A Different World" -- a spinoff of the "Cosby Show" -- and later had a recurring role on the Showtime cable network series "Soul Food." He also starred in the 1997 film "Alien: Resurrection."
But he is best known for his role as forensics investigator Warrick Brown on "CSI," which has ranked as CBS' top-rated show, and the most watched drama on U.S. television, for much of its run. Last week's episode drew 17 million viewers.

Dourdan, whose character was implicated in the murder of a local gang member in recent episodes, is slated to leave the series in May, at the end of its eighth season.
A CBS spokesman said the network had no comment on how Dourdan's recent arrest might affect production of the show. The actor's agent was not immediately available for comment.
Source>>>
Do you all remember Gary Dourdan in Janet Jackson's video "Again?" He was Hot! Apparently he is a few other things too.
Check the video below!

Bates House Owner Joe Ware Has Died

It is with great sadness and tear filled eyes that I inform you all that a dear friend and fellow Oakland entrepreneur, Joe Ware, passed away over the weekend. Details have not yet been released as to the cause of death but it was health related.

I took this picture of Joe last year during the Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival and just as this picture suggests, Joe was a peaceful and laid back kind of guy. He was also a consumate host. It was these exact qualities that made his business The Bates House Bed & Breakfast such a hit with locals and visitors from all over the world.

As owner of the Bates House, Joe was the only black gay owner of a Bed & Breakfast hotel in the Bay, and one of maybe two black owned Bed & Breafast businesses in all of the North West.

And when he was healthy...he ran his business with pride, professionalism and class.

Almost all of the early Keeping It Real TV interviews were conducted at The Bates House and Joe always opened his door to special events in support of the LGBT community and the community at large.

Even today, there are not many who are brave enough to be out and gay and run a respectable business in the community. But Joe didn't care and he flew that big gay flag at the top of his business as a beacon, to let us know that without question we were welcome at the Bates House.

I will miss the days conversing with Joe in his beautiful backyard amongst the flowers and the impecably landscaped grounds, with classical music or smooth jazz wafting through the air.

I walked by the Bates House today....the big gay flag is gone....but we will not forget you Joe and all that you have done to help make our community and our city proud.

I love you and miss you and goodbye for now my friend.

Joe

PS...as soon as I get information about services I will add to this posting.

Erykah Badu Talks About Honey

Click Link To See Honey Video

It's Raining Men

Stripper/Actor Marcus Patrick At Circus

Marcus Patrick

Judge sentences Snipes to 3 years for tax convictions

Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison on tax charges Thursday, a victory for prosecutors who sought to make an example of the action star by aggressively pursuing the maximum penalty.
Snipes' lawyers had spent much of the day in court offering dozens of letters from family members, friends even fellow actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington attesting to the good character of the "Blade" star and asking for leniency. They argued he should get only probation because his three convictions were all misdemeanors and the actor had no previous criminal record.
But U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges said Snipes exhibited a "history of contempt over a period of time" for U.S. tax laws, and granted prosecutors the three year sentence they requested one year for each of Snipes' convictions of willfully failing to file a tax return.

Complete story here>>>

White Catholic Pastor Defends Reverand Wright

See this clip from Fox News as producer of "The Factor" Porter Berry confronts Father Pfledger for defending Rev. Wright and Farrakhan. Thanks to my friend Matthew in Atlanta for this.

TODAY IS EARTH DAY - Who Cares?

I do. I once ended a date with a guy who repeatedly threw paper out of my car window on the way to dinner. I am the type of person who will pick up paper off the ground when walking in my neighborhood if I see it. See earth day article below.
Joe

Today, April 22, is Earth Day, which has been marked each year since 1970 as a day of reflection on the state of the environment. At least that's the idea, so let's begin with some figures.

Since 1970, carbon monoxide emissions in the U.S. are down 55%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Particular emissions are down nearly 80%, and sulfur dioxide emissions have been reduced by half. Lead emissions have declined more than 98%. All of this has been accomplished despite a doubling of the number of cars on the road and a near-tripling of the number of miles driven, according to Steven Hayward of the Pacific Research Institute. Source>>>>

Soul Train The Movie?

According to Reuters, Iconic host Don Cornelius has linked up with Warner Brothers to create the comedy, which follows two male dancers as they get into "a lot of good stuff and some bad stuff as well."Along with Darryl Porter, the executive producer of the Hughes brothers' 1995 flick, Dead Presidents, Cornelius will produce Soul Train: The Movie.

The film, which is still in the writing phase with newbie script writer J. Gil Williams turning in the first draft next month, does not have a cast or a director attached as of yet.Cornelius promised that Soul Train: The Movie will feature "lots of music, lots of comedy and a little bit of violence."And of course, lots of sexuality."'Soul Train' has always been about sexuality," Cornelius said. "It's almost never been about guys, and almost always about girls. It's what has kept us afloat for these three decades or so.""Soul Train" was the longest-running show airing in first-run syndication, launching nationally in 1971.

The program recently ended its run in 2006 but during its day, helped catapult some of the biggest stars in R&B.Soul Train: The Movie is scheduled to roll into theatres next year.
SOURCE >>>>

The 5 year Old Dancing Gymnast

KANYE CALLS OFF HIS ENGAGEMENT

Sources close to the hip-hop star tell me that it was West who ended the engagement after revealing to Phifer: "I just don't think it is going to work out anymore."The 30-year-old entertainer even asked for his ring back!

The often-controversial rapper/producer got engaged to Phifer while overseas in the fall of 2006.
The two met when Phifer worked as the assistant to West's fulltime wardrobe stylist.
A graduate from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in California, Phifer is working on a clothing line and has already designed some dresses that have been worn by artists like Lil' Mo.

Sources close to the couple claim she was also helping West develop his forthcoming Pastelle clothing line.
The Chicago-raised rapper had been dating Phifer on and off since 2002.The couple broke up in 2004 and he began dating an executive assistant at MTV named Brooke Crittendon.He and Crittendon allegedly split after she posted a letter about their whirlwind romance on MySpace, a claim she denied in an interview with the now defunct Vibe Vixen magazine.

Crittenden also once told the New York Daily News: "I don't think we've ever been apart longer than seven days. I trust him. He's got so much going on, but he never makes me feel like number two."Maybe there's now hope for a reconciliation with the 26-year-old Crittendon, now a producer at MTV, and West since he has ended his courtship with fiancé Phifer.A request to West's rep for comment had not been answered at press time.

Nuclear War - The Destroyer Of Worlds

We have watched many movies depicting the destruction of human kind through global warming, aliens, viral mutations, biological and nuclear war. With nation after nation rushing to develop their own nuclear and biological weapons, more humans have their fingers on the button of world destruction than ever. So far Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, Russia and the United States have acknowledged that they have nuclear weapons. It is widely believed that Israel has nuclear capabilities and North Korea and Iran are currently seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Below, J.Robert Openheimer laments over his role in the creation of the Atomic Bomb and quotes a Hindu scripture from the Bhagavad Gita: "Now I am Become Death, The Destroyer Of Worlds." A perfect example of the tragedy of genius.
Deep....

Barack Obama Shakes The Dirt Off Of His Shoulder

Flash Back Comedy - Richard Pryor The Exorcist

Flash Back Comedy - Julie Brown Spoofs Mariah Carey

Thanks Mattie for this one...I should have known that it would have been either this or Madonna (lol).

B SCOTT INTERVIEW WITH MR ORDINARY STEPH JONES

Great interview with the super duper popular online peronality B.Scott featuring Steph Jones.
I first heard Steph Jones sing in the trailer for the HERE TV series The DL Chronicles.
The song "Mr. Ordinary" was so inocent and boyish yet wise at the same time. In the interview Steph talks about his life growing up and as a model, his 2 years in jail, his tatoos, his relationships, and his love of music.
Thanks B. Scott for this entertaining interview with the beautiful and super talented vocalist, Steph Jones.
Enjoy!
Joe

Interviewer Picks The Wrong Obama Supporter To Railroad

During a recent rally, an interviewer attempts to grill a young brutha about why he supports Obama. The young man broke it down and clarified his reasons for his support of Obama.
Now dat's what I'm talkin' bout! Thanks Holland for sending this one to me.

FLASH BACK TV: Teresa Graves in "Get Christie Love"

Wow! In the 70's Teresa Graves was ground-breaking in her role as a detective in the show "Get Christie Love!" One of her many classic sassy comebacks is captured below in a scene were she is working undercover as a prostitute and an old white bum calls her a nigger after he couldn't get what he wanted. See the scene in the clip below for her response. Ms. Graves died in a house fire in Los Angeles at the age of 53 in 2002.

When I look at this clip I realize how much she looks like Whitney Houston. Enjoy.

Flash Back TV - Wonder Woman

The spins, the golden lasso, the reflector bracelets...now those were the days.

Windows XP going off market in June: What it means

Microsoft originally announced over a year ago that Windows XP would be going off the market in January 2008. XP was later given a brief stay of execution, to June 30, 2008. That deadline is fast approaching, which has led to much panicking from people who aren't quite sure what XP's "going off market" means, exactly.

People are still as confused as ever. So let's take a stab at clarifying, once again, what's going to happen by answering some frequently asked questions about XP's imminent disappearance.
Will Windows XP really no longer be on sale after June 30? Sorry for the double negative, but no. All this means is that Microsoft will stop selling the OS. Finding a computer with XP preinstalled will likely be very difficult, as well.

However, you'll still be able to find copies for the foreseeable future, and likely the unforeseeable one, too. See for yourself: You can find copies of just about any Microsoft product, including ancient versions of Windows and even MS-DOS, by simply searching online. But hang on to your current copy of Windows XP. You may need it down the road if you don't want to move to Vista.
Will I be forced to upgrade to Vista soon? No. But it will get harder and harder not to, especially since new software and peripherals are likely to stop working with XP. That could take years.
Will my XP machine stop working in June? No, but Microsoft will stop releasing non-security software updates to the masses on April 14, 2009. But let's be clear: XP will continue to "work" even after this point.

Will Microsoft shut off product activation for XP after June? No, that would be crazy. While no one has said this will happen, it's conceivable that Windows could shut down product activation for XP at some point. But that would only happen after XP reaches its end-of-support term (when all support plans expire). The good news for you: That happens on April 8, 2014, which should be plenty of time to get the kinks worked out of Vista-or switch to a Mac, Linux, or anything else. Bottom line: Your copy of XP will work, totally legally, for at least six more years.
Complete Story At Source>>>

Flash Back - Phyllis Hyman - In A Sentimental Mood

PHYLLIS HYMAN

Ken Kavanaugh Official Photographer for Blatino Oasis Palm Springs

Ken Kavanagh is Florida based photographer who specializies in erotic images of Men of Color. Throughout his career, his photos have appeared on the covers, and in the pages of all of the top men's magazines: Black Inches, Latin Inches, Torso, Mandate, Freshman, Black Male, Men, BlackFire-- to name a few. His work has also been featured in the book From ABFAB to ZEN: Paper's Guide to Pop Culture.

I am honored to have Ken on board as our official event Photographer for Blatino Oasis Palm Springs 2008.

Actor And Model Kairon John Heats Up Blatino Oasis In Palm Springs

Actor Kairon John, who has had many acting gigs including in the series Noah's Ark, CSI Miami, Stargate and many more, will co-host the Rufskin "Ruff & Hard" fashion show in Palm Springs. Kairon will soon be starring in the new Maurice Jamal TV spinoff SKI TRIP: Friends & Lovers and the upcoming film B-boy Blues, based on the hit book by author James Earl Hardy, who by the way will also be in Palm Springs presenting his new work "The Freak Filez."

Pink Planet Report On Palm Springs California

Pink Planet Report on Palm Springs. I will of course, be doing my own video report after my event Blatino Oasis in Palm Springs in a few weeks.

SAN FRANCISCO..15 Minutes Across The Bridge From Oakland And Simply Beautiful

Just 15 minutes across the bridge from Oakland, although San Francisco has the smallest population of African Americans of any major city in America (we are all mostly in Oakland).Very few cities in America can match the amazing beauty of San Francisco. I really love living here in the Bay Area, the beauty alone is sometimes overwhelming.

Balloon Ride over My Home Oakland California and Vintage Video

I really love living in Oakland, and it is a beautiful city in the scenic San Francisco Bay area...although in 2007 it ranked in the top 5 cities with violent crime. See if your city ranks in the top 25.

Oakland Today From Balloon

Speaking Of Detroit...Recent City Council Hearing

Ghetto Ass City Politics At Its Worst!

Flash Back - Detroit Dance Show The Scene 1982

I use to periodically dance on this show in Detroit called The Scene back in the day that aired on WGPR on channel 62. WGPR was the nation's first African American owned television network. Now, for those of you who know me, you know why I dance the way I do (lol).

Check the guy dancing in the white shirt and skinny black tie...that would have been me. I love you Matthew for sending me this.

Television Report About The rise and fall of THE SCENE!

IRS And Economic Stimulous Checks

The IRS has created a sample Form 1040A with information on how to fill out the lines necessary to enable eligible people who do not normally file a tax return to receive the stimulus payment. Details on eligibility, payment amounts and requirements can be found at http://www.irs.gov/ which is the agency's Web site.

Djimon Hounsou Too Big For China

"Regulators in Hong Kong, who received complaints of indecency about a 27-story Calvin Klein billboard featuring Djimon Hounsou draped on the side of the city's soon-to-be-leveled Ritz Carlton hotel, took a good look at it and decided it wasn't indecent. The billboard will stay up until April 15, at which time the wrecking crews will come and the city will lose its erection."
Source >>>

PlanetOut agrees to sell magazine business for $6 million

Gay and lesbian media portal PlanetOut Inc. agreed to sell its magazine and book publishing business to Here Networks for $6 million in cash.

San Francisco-based PlanetOut signed a letter of intent with Regent Releasing, an affiliate of New York-based Here, which is a gay and lesbian television network. A formal agreement should be done by April 30 and the deal should close by August 31. The price in the letter of agreement is $6 million, with $1 million coming on April 30 or sooner, if the agreement is finished earlier. Other $1 million payments will be made on the 15th of the month from May through September.
The letter, signed by PlanetOut CEO Karen Magee and Regent CEO Paul Colichman states: "The funds shall be treated as prepaid advertising, to be applied as the marketing occurs." The ads must run by March 31, 2009.

Regent also agreed to pay $500,000 in cash as a put/call payment when the deal closes.
PlanetOut publishes magazines like Out and Advocate, but wants to return its focus to its web sites gay.com and planetout.com, which have been contributing a smaller percentage of its revenue recently.

Complete story at source here>>>

Vanilla Ice Busted After Meltdown With Wife

Former rap star Vanilla Ice, real name Robert Van Winkle, was arrested tonight at his home after an alleged altercation with his wife. Ice was booked by Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies at 10:43 PM ET on a charge of domestic battery. Sources tell TMZ he got into an argument with his wife, Laura, and he pushed her.Vanilla Ice is still in custody at Palm Beach County Jail. Palm Beach County Sheriff's tell TMZ that in most cases, people arrested for domestic violence are usually held over to see a judge. Looks like Mr. Van Winkle will spend a night in the pokey.
Source>>>

BLATINO OASIS BATH AND SHOWER TRAINING VIDEO

BLATINO OASIS PALM SPRNGS CALIFORNIA MAY 9-12

Madonna's New Video - 4 Minutes

Tyra Banks When She Is Really Pissed

Cool Music Video - Portishead: Only You

Ex-Gay Starbucks Card

I just learned about this from reading one of my favorite blogs rod2.o.

According to the blog TruthWinsOut.org, Portland Fellowship, an Exodus affiliate program in Portland, Oregon, has launched a web site to recruit churches to the ex-gay cause. Supporters are asked to pick a church, write a recruitment letter, and send $25 per church. The $25 apparently buys each church an ex-gay CD-ROM and a Starbucks $5 gift card. One critic noted that Starbucks is among the top gay-inclusive companies, according to Human Rights Campaign. Obvious question: Were the cards purchased by the Fellowship or donated by Starbucks?

White Couple Kills Black Roommate in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- A couple sought in the December bludgeoning death of their San Francisco housemate, whose body lay undiscovered in an impounded van for more than a week, have been arrested in Mexico and are being extradited to California, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service said today.

Richard Carelli and his girlfriend Michelle Pinkerton, both 38, are wanted in the slaying of Leonard Milo Hoskins, 49, whose body languished for eight days in Carelli's van at a police impound yard after officers towed it from the Mission Terrace house where all three lived.
Mexican authorities arrested the couple Monday night in El Rosario, Mexico, a town on the Baja peninsula, San Francisco police said.

The two are likely to be returned to San Francisco today, said Chris Hanson, a supervisory deputy for the U.S. Marshals Service, which assisted in the investigation.
The couple's 6-year-old daughter, Viana Carelli, and their infant child were with the pair and are safe in protective custody, Hanson said.

Authorities did not immediately release further details of the arrest.
San Francisco police seized Carelli's van Jan. 24, after a neighbor told police he had seen Carelli hit Hoskins over the head with a piece of lumber outside their home on Lamartine Street, then drag him inside and emerge later smeared with blood. The man said the attack happened the night of Dec. 22, but he didn't talk to police until weeks later.

Police towed the van after cadaver dogs showed interest in it, but officers did not detain Carelli and Pinkerton at the time. Police put the van in an impound yard but did not search it until Feb. 1. They found Hoskins' decomposed body in the back, then learned that Carelli and Pinkerton had fled.

Their disappearance was the culmination of a series of apparent police missteps.
Hoskins' sister, Ureena Hoskins, initially reported him missing to police in Oakland, where she thought he had vanished. Oakland police officials conceded after Hoskins' body was found that they had failed to contact police in San Francisco immediately after learning that Hoskins had last been seen there.

Ureena Hoskins started checking on her own, spoke with the neighbor who saw the Dec. 22 incident and called San Francisco police Jan. 23. Inspector Angela Martin of the missing persons unit later said she sent two officers to the house on Lamartine Street, where they reported seeing blood on a door.

The next day, Martin and other San Francisco investigators went to the house with cadaver dogs borrowed from the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.
Martin wrote in a court affidavit that she saw more smears of blood on the top of the door. As dogs searched the outside, Carelli came out of his unit and Martin told him why police were there, she said.

"He told me that he'd heard others ... saying that he had been involved in a fight with (Hoskins)," in which he supposedly hit Hoskins with a piece of wood, Martin wrote in her affidavit.
After the dogs showed interest in the van, police called for a tow truck. "As officers were leaving the scene, Mr. Carelli and Ms. Pinkerton left together (in another car)," Martin wrote. Police made no effort to stop them.
Source here>>>

Straight or gay? U.S. court says Web site can't ask

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A roommate-finding site cannot require users to disclose their sexual orientation, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday, in the latest skirmish over whether anti-discrimination rules apply to the Web.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said Roommates.com, which obliges users to list their sexual orientation, was different than Internet sites where people can volunteer or withhold personal information.

To inquire electronically about sexual orientation would not be different from asking people in person or by telephone if they were black or Jewish before conducting business, the panel said in an 8-3 ruling that partly overturns a lower federal court decision.

"If such screening is prohibited when practiced in person or by telephone, we see no reason why Congress would have wanted to make it lawful to profit from it online," 9th Circuit chief judge Alex Kozinski wrote. "Not only does Roommate ask these questions, Roommate makes answering the discriminatory questions a condition of doing business."
Roommates.com says it offers more than 100,000 rental listings on its site across the United States and is owned by Roommate.com LLC.

Complete story here>>>

American Cancels 500 Flights

DALLAS - American Airlines said it was canceling up to 500 flights Tuesday, potentially more than one-fifth of its schedule, to check the bundling of wires in some planes, the same issue that caused the airline to scrap more than 400 flights last month.

American, the nation's largest carrier, said the cancellations could spill into Wednesday and beyond.
The airline said the Federal Aviation Administration raised more concerns about the recent inspections of the wiring in its approximately 300 MD-80 aircraft.
The inspections will focus on issues including the spacing and direction of cords used to secure bundles of wires in the planes' auxiliary hydraulic systems. The company said they were not safety-of-flight issues.

Tim Wagner, a spokesman for the airline, said an FAA inspector checked several planes Monday and found that some of the work performed last month didn't meet the agency's standards.
American operates about 2,300 daily flights. Wagner said 185 flights had already been canceled by late afternoon at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, where American often uses MD-80s.

The FAA has tightened inspections of planes at all U.S. carriers since the agency came under fire for letting Southwest Airlines Co. fly planes that had missed safety inspections. American and Delta Air Lines Inc. both canceled flights in late March to perform wiring-related inspections and repairs. Complete story at source here>>>

WORKING OVERTIME

GAS PRICES IN 2008

Iconic And Controversial Actor Charlton Heston Dead

Legendary actor Charlton Heston died on Saturday at the age of 83. The iconic actor of such films as Ben Hur and Soylent Green died at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife, Lydia Clarke Heston, by his side. Heston is survived by son Fraser Clarke Heston, daughter Holly Ann Heston, and three grandchildren.

Heston's family released a statement on Saturday confirming the actor's death. "We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather, with an infectious sense of humor," the statement said, according to CNN.com. "He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity. He loved deeply, and he was deeply loved."
Known for playing some of the most notable figures in history, Heston starred in over 100 movies, including such landmark films as The Ten Commandments, Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes and The Big Country. Heston won an Academy Award in 1960 for his starring role in Ben Hur. He was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1972.

Off the screen, Heston was known as a champion for civil rights and often spoke out against the evils of racism. In a radical move for the time in 1961, Heston joined a picket line outside of a movie theater premiering one of his films because the theater segregated its audiences. He also accompanied Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights march held in Washington, D.C. in 1963."Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiselled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played," Heston's family said, according to The Press Association. "No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country."

In the 80's and 90's, Heston's political views shifted more to the right and he openly opposed affirmative action and abortion. In 1998, Heston was elected President of the National Rifle Association and was a strong proponent of gun rights. In a speech at the 1998 NRA Convention, Republican Heston criticized President Bill Clinton over his policies regarding gun rights, saying, "Mr. Clinton, sir, America didn't trust you with our health-care system. America didn't trust you with gays in the military. America doesn't trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we sure, Lord, don't trust you with our guns."

Although Heston talked about and praised the "brilliantly taleted homosexuals" he worked with during his career, he was often accused of being homophobic, especially later in his life.
In a 1997 speech at the Free Congress Foundation's 20th Anniversary Gala, Heston was criticized by gay rights groups, including GLAAD, for derogatory remarks made toward the gay community. In the speech, Heston demonstrated both tolerance and discrimination against gays in almost equal measure.
"Many homosexuals are hugely talented artists and executives... also dear friends. I don't despise their lifestyle, though I don't share it," Heston stated. "As long as gay and lesbian Americans are as productive, law-abiding and private as the rest of us, I think America owes them absolute tolerance. It's the right thing to do."
"But on the other hand," Heston continued. "I find my blood pressure rising when Clinton's cultural shock troops participate in homosexual-rights fund-raisers but boycott gun-rights fund-raisers... and then claim it's time to place homosexual men in tents with Boy Scouts, and suggest that sperm donor babis born into lesbian relationships are somehow better served and more loved."
Complete story at source>>>

Religious - Vannessa Bell Armstrong - Nobody But Jesus

Vannessa Bell Armstrong

JIGGA AND BEYONCE MARRIED

WASHINGTON -- Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and singer-actress Beyonce Knowles married Friday in New York, People magazine reported on its Web site, citing an unidentified friend of the couple.

The report quoted the friend as saying, "It happened earlier this evening. Jay wanted it to be a really private affair -- close friends and family."

Representatives for the couple were unavailable to confirm the report, which added that the ceremony was followed by a party at the rapper's TriBeCa apartment.

Guests included Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles, her father and manager Mathew, her sister Solange, Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and friend Gwyneth Paltrow, it said.

The report followed widespread speculation that drew swarms of media to the street outside Jay-Z's penthouse Friday.

A parade of sport utility vehicles with tinted windows was seen coming and going from the garage late in the afternoon, one of them carrying two people dressed in chef's uniforms carrying large, square, white boxes on their laps.
And men dressed in tuxedos were spotted on the roof of the building, where a white tent was erected.

People touched off the celebrity wedding watch this week when it reported the couple, who have been dating for several years, had taken out a wedding license in Scarsdale Village, New York, valid for 60 days.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton fanned the flames when he reported the wedding would take place Friday, then followed up by posting the address of Jay-Z's apartment as the location.

Matrimonial union between Jay-Z, 37, whose real name is Shawn Carter, and Beyonce, 26, also known by her full name Beyonce Knowles, would mark one of the highest-profile celebrity unions in recent years.

Complete story here>>>

Dr. Maya Angelou Remembers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

First TV Interview: The Pregnant Man Part 1/5

Flashback - Chaka Khan - I Feel 4 U

CHAKA KHAN

Choreographer Nate Adams Hot

Choreographer Nate Adams

MTV-LOGO ROCKDOGS PARTY WAS OFF THE CHAIN

Sorry that I didn't post anything about the party/fundraiser that we promoted in San Francisco with Demarco Majors and the SF Rockdogs sooner. The party was packed, very diverse, and sexy as hell. I was eating jello shots like they were candy and ended up having to leave after the fashion show because I was ripped.

The swimwear/underwear competition included members of the SF Rockdogs baskeball team with each team member competing for the crowds screams and...my boy Demarco won! The pictures here were taken that night.

You guys will get to see the competition once the show airs and I will also be making a cameo appearance.

One of the many things that I noticed about Demarco that night is that he is a completely different person when the spotlight is on him. Normally, he is cool, chill, laid back. But once it was his turn to compete, I didn't recognize him and let me tell you...that boy will give a stripper a run for their money cause his ass can dance!

The team is wrapping up taping and San Francisco and off to Chicago for the championship game.

We have numerous pictures from this event, however, I will not post them here until after the reality show airs on MTV-Logo this summer. All I have to say is the guys were sexy as hell.

I can't wait to see what Demarco will be wearing (or not wearing) at Blatino Oasis in Palm Springs next month....YUMMY!

Joe

Classics - Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was an iconic dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of black American culture, which took Paris by storm in the 1920s.

Baker grew up fatherless and in poverty. Between the ages of 8 and 10 she was out of school, helping to support her family. As a child Baker developed a taste for the flamboyant that was later to make her famous. As an adolescent she became a dancer, touring at 16 with a dance troupe from Philadelphia.

In 1923 she joined the chorus in a road company performing the musical comedy Shuffle Along and then moved to New York City, where she advanced steadily through the show Chocolate Dandies on Broadway and the floor show of the Plantation Club. In 1925 she went to Paris to dance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in La Revue nègre and introduced her danse sauvage to France. She went on to become one of the most popular music-hall entertainers in France and achieved star billing at the Folies-Bergère, where she created a sensation by dancing seminude in a G-string ornamented with bananas. She became a French citizen in 1937.

She sang professionally for the first time in 1930, made her screen debut as a singer four years later, and made several more films before World War II curtailed her career.During the German occupation of France, Baker worked with the Red Cross and the Résistance, and as a member of the Free French forces she entertained troops in Africa and the Middle East.

She was later awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour with the rosette of the Résistance. After the war much of her energy was devoted to Les Milandes, her estate in southwestern France, from which she began in 1950 to adopt babies of all nationalities in the cause of what she defined as “an experiment in brotherhood” and her “rainbow tribe.”

She retired from the stage in 1956, but to maintain Les Milandes she was later obliged to return, starring in Paris in 1959. She traveled several times to the United States during the 1960s to participate in civil rights demonstrations. In 1968 her estate was sold to satisfy accumulated debt. She continued to perform occasionally until her death in 1975, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of her Paris debut.

Classics - Giving Betty Davis Her Due On Her 100th Birthday

As a young boy, I can remember my mother being a huge fan of Betty Davis. However, it wasn't until I was about 13 years old that I realized why.

I happened upon one of Davis's films that was featured on the "Movie Of The Week" titled "DEAD RINGER," a devious story about twin sisters in which she played both roles. After the movie was over I was stunned. I then began asking my mother about other films starring Betty Davis and I have been hooked ever since.

Betty Davis was born April 5 and died October 6, 1989 at 81 and her 100th birthday arrives this Saturday. Every time that I watch a Betty Davis film, I think of my mother and our many hours of shared enjoyment of this classic and dynamic actress.
Happy Birthday Betty Davis and thanks for the memories.
See video clips below.

Naomi Campbell arrested at Terminal 5, say UK media

LONDON, England (AP) -- Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been arrested at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 for allegedly spitting at a police officer, Sky News television reported Thursday.

A London Metropolitan Police spokesman said a woman was arrested at the terminal for an assault on police, but refused to disclose her identity or give her age.

The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity in line with force policy.
BAA PLC, the company that runs Heathrow, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.

British Airways PLC, the terminal's sole occupant, referred questions to BAA.
Campbell, a British fashion model, has a history of getting physical with assistants and employees, and has attended an anger management program.

In 2000, Campbell pleaded guilty in Toronto to an assault charge for beating an assistant while making a film in Canada in 1998. Under an agreement with prosecutors, Campbell expressed remorse and was released without punishment or a criminal record.

In January 2007, Campbell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for throwing her mobile phone at her maid in a dispute over a missing pair of jeans.

Source>>>

George Michael To Tour After 17 Years

A swarming paparazzi presence coupled with a nasty legal spat with Sony Music nearly scared him away for good, but George Michael hasn't completely lost his faith in America. This summer, the British bad boy returns for his first U.S. tour in 17 years.

After performing more than 80 shows in Europe, Michael kicks off the U.S. leg of his 25 Live tour in San Diego on June 17 before heading to 19 other cities. The arena tour will showcase songs from his album Twenty-Five, out April 1 and featuring duets with Mary J. Blige and Paul McCartney.

Why return now? Michael, 44, calls it a "rounding off" of his career's first phase. "I don't want to do anything on this scale again," he says. "No more stadiums. I'd like to be the Tony Bennett for my generation."

Disturbed by the increasing trend of downloadable music rendering CDs obsolete and talent shows such as American Idol taking the passion out of pop music, Michael says, "it's the end of a certain era, and I'm not sure how much I really want to be a part of what's next. So, it's a kind of a way of saying thank you to everybody before I move on."

Complete story at source>>>

FRENCH VOCAL ARTIST - AYMAR

Listen To AYMAR's music by clicking here>>>

HOW TO SPOT A GAY TERRORIST

Nation's Only National Black Gay Magazine Prints Final Issue

Dwight Powell, producer of the uber successful circuit party Miami Sizzle and publisher of the nation's only Black gay magazine, Clik, announced via an email bulletin that he is ending his 10 year run publishing Clik Magazine.

According to Mr. Powell, the magazine got its start in Houston, Texas in 1998. Clikque, now "Clik" evolved into America's most recognized and respected publication targeting African American men who love men and was created to highlight the black gay experience in America.

"I am excited and saddened all at the same time. Sad that this issues closes this chapter of my life, but however, excited of the future and possibilities that await me. As I say farewell to you, my good friends, I must first express my gratitude to the many people that have been instrumental in not only the success, but longevity of this publication."

The final issue is scheduled for release on April 15, 2008.
------------------------------------------------
Thank you Dwight for being brave enough to dream a big dream for black gay men and and the gay community at large. Thanks for having the vision, determination, and courage to make that dream real. For years I have always admired and respected your many contributions to our community and I wish you continued success as you blaze a digital trail into the future.

You are GREAT!!

Joe

Mariah Carey's 'Touch My Body' - Her 18th Number 1 Single

NEW YORK, April 2, 2008, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- International superstar Mariah Carey reaches a once-in-a-lifetime career achievement as her current single "Touch My Body" goes to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week and becomes her 18th career #1 hit -- surpassing one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley's 17 #1's. Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles' all-time high of 20 #1 hits.

"Touch My Body" takes over #1 with an all-time record-setting 286,000 debut week at #1 on the Billboard hot digital songs chart, and a Hot 100 Airplay radio audience now over 115 million. The video, directed by feature filmmaker Brett Ratner, and featuring a cameo by Jack McBrayer (30 Rock's Kenneth Parcell), stays at #1 on the Yahoo Music Video Chart, Yahoo Launchcast and AOL. And Mariah's widget has been viewed over 4.26 million times!

"Touch My Body" is the first smash from Mariah's highly anticipated hot new album "E=MC2," arriving in stores April 15th. Pre-orders are now underway for "E=MC2," with iTunes customers receiving "Touch My Body" instantly with their pre-order.

Complete story at source>>>

Classic Joe Simmons

Former NBA Player Enters California State Capital Mayors Race

It's official -- former NBA star Kevin Johnson is running for mayor in California's capital city of Sacramento.

Before more than 200 people in Oak Park's Guild Theatre, Johnson said he had decided to enter the race after much soul searching.

"I came to the unequivocal conclusion that we need a change in this city, and we need a change now," Johnson said.

Sacramento, Johnson said, could be one of the most vibrant cities in the country with the proper leadership. In the past month, Johnson said he's spoken with many people about what they want for their city.
"Right now, people see our city government as nonresponsive, tired, uninspired and bureaucratic," Johnson said.
He will be challenging current mayor, Heather Fargo, who is seeking her third term as mayor in the June 3 election.

Johnson said he will spend time talking to more people before revealing his platform and plans for change. However, he said he knows he will push for good schools, a climate that attracts business and jobs, and a transparent, accountable government. He said he would commit to decreasing crime in the city and would put more sworn police officers on the street the first day he takes office.

He urged the crowd: "Help me create a city that works for everyone."

Johnson, a Sacramento landowner and developer who was an All-Star basketball player at Cal and with the NBA's Phoenix Suns, founded St. HOPE, the nonprofit organization that runs Sacramento Charter High School.
Johnson's announcement comes as a poll by California State University, Sacramento, finds the mayoral race is "wide open."
Complete story at source>>>

Also see story on Johnson on Oprah here>>>

Sean Levert Restrained Before Death

Shortly before he collapsed and died, R&B singer Sean Levert had to be physically restrained by prison guards because he was "out of control," according to TMZ.com.
The 39-year-old son of O'Jays star Eddie Levert collapsed in his cell at Cuyahoga County Jail on Sunday night and was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Levert was behind bars for allegedly failing to pay $80,000 in child support to the mother of his children.

TMZ.com is reporting that Levert had been "hallucinating" late on Sunday, and had to be strapped to a restraining chair because prison staff was convinced he posed a danger to himself and others.

Warden Kevin McDonough claims Levert co-operated with staff and "went willingly" when he was taken from his cell to have his wrists bound and feet shackled.

The Cuyahoga County Coroner reported that there were no signs of physical trauma on Levert's body and his death is not considered suspicious. He is believed to have suffered from high blood pressure, but jail officials claim they were unaware of any health condition he may have had.
They are currently waiting on results from toxicology tests to determine Levert's exact cause of death.

Sean's death is the second to hit the Levert family in two years. His brother, R&B legend Gerald Levert, passed away in November 2006, at age 40, following an accidental drug overdose. In a statement released on Monday night, the Levert family says, "There is no song that can capture the loss that we have in our hearts."
More Here>>>
Rest in peace.
Joe