Tuesday Open Thread | LTD & Jeffrey Osborne Week

Posted on February 17, 2015 by rikyrah

More LTD & Jeffrey Osborne, Enjoy!

family_ltd_pic2-555x420

LTD – Holding On (When Love Is Gone)

The ever CLASSIC Love Ballard

This entry was posted in Current Events, Media, Music, News, Open Thread, Politics and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

54 Responses to Tuesday Open Thread | LTD & Jeffrey Osborne Week

  1. SouthernGirl2 says:
    February 18, 2015 at 10:33 am

    I have never been so much
    In love, in love before
    What a difference
    How true love made in my life
    So nice and so right….

    DANCING COUPLE

    Reply
  4. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    February 17, 2015 at 3:38 pm

    I need some help reading some great mimeographed documents from SNCC and other civil rights organizations at this site that I will like. I can click on a thumbnail of a document, but once I get the document to come up, I can’t figure out where the “scroll down” button is so that I can read the whole document.

    I would appreciate any help any of you reading here can provide me. Thanks in advance.

    http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15932coll2/id/2987/rv/compoundobject/cpd/3031

    Reply
  6. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    February 17, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    deray mckesson @deray · 58m 58 minutes ago
    The Rise of Homeschooling Among Black Families http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/02/the-rise-of-homeschooling-among-black-families/385543/ …

    Reply
  7. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 2:55 pm

    How the Shutdown Trap Snared the GOP
    FEB 17, 2015 1:50 PM EST
    By Jonathan Bernstein

    The fight over Homeland Security funding could be canceled after a Texas judge put President Barack Obama’s immigration actions on hold, at least temporarily. Greg Sargent at Plum Line has a good summary of where this leaves the president’s policy and the congressional Republicans’ fight against it.

    But odds are the showdown over the department’s financing will continue. Why? For the same reasons the fight started in the first place: the internal dynamics of the Republican Party.

    Congress scholar Joshua Huder over at Rule 22 has a terrific postexplaining why we keep seeing this play out the same way. Radical House Republicans demand something that the House doesn’t have the leverage to get. When the rest of the conference supports them, the House passes something sure to be dead on arrival in the Senate or on the president’s desk.

    In this case, riders on the Homeland Security bill that would block the president’s immigration actions don’t have the support needed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, much less to override Obama’s veto. Normally, the next step would be negotiating a deal for something they could obtain. Instead we get a stalemate.

    Huder gets to the heart of it, focusing on what Raul Labrador and his fellow House radicals are up to:

    In the process of promising victories they cannot deliver, Labrador and his colleagues are also feeding a couple of underlying problems in the Republican Party. Statements like these set up unrealistic expectations. Many constituents likely believe McConnell is standing between conservatives and their immigration battle with the President. As I mentioned, that is not the case.

    Further, failing to understand (or acknowledge) leaderships’ limitations makes McConnell’s and Boehner’s job harder. Congressional leaders are only effective if others are willing to follow. Framing Republican leaders as weak, not conservative enough, or cowardly deters colleagues and constituents from following leaders’ cues.

    http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-02-17/how-the-shutdown-trap-snared-the-gop

    Reply
  9. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    CNN/ORC poll: Majority of Americans oppose Netanyahu invite

    Washington (CNN)A large majority of Americans believe that Republican congressional leaders should not have invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress without consulting the White House, according to a new CNN/ORC survey.

    The nationwide poll, released Tuesday, shows 63% of Americans say it was a bad move for congressional leadership to extend the invitation without giving President Barack Obama a heads up that it was coming. Only 33% say it was the right thing to do.

    And as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to simmer in the Middle East, the survey found that a similar majority thinks the U.S. should stay out of that fight altogether.

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/17/politics/poll-netanyahu-speech-opposition/index.html

    Reply
  10. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    Oklahoma Lawmakers Vote Overwhelmingly To Ban Advanced Placement U.S. History
    FEBRUARY 17, 2015 AT 12:12 PM

    An Oklahoma legislative committee overwhelmingly voted to ban Advanced Placement U.S. History class, persuaded by the argument that it only teaches students “what is bad about America.” Other lawmakers are seeking a court ruling that would effectively prohibit the teaching of all AP courses in public schools.

    Oklahoma Rep. Dan Fisher (R) has introduced “emergency” legislation “prohibiting the expenditure of funds on the Advanced Placement United States History course.” Fisher is part of a group called the “Black Robe Regiment” which argues “the church and God himself has been under assault, marginalized, and diminished by the progressives and secularists.” The group attacks the “false wall of separation of church and state.” The Black Robe Regiment claims that a “growing tide of special interest groups indoctrinating our youth at the exclusion of the Christian perspective.”

    Fisher said the Advanced Placement history class fails to teach “American exceptionalism.” The bill passed the Oklahoma House Education committee on Monday on a vote of 11-4. You can read the actual course description for the course here.

    For other lawmakers, however, Fisher is thinking too small. Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern (R) claims that all “AP courses violate the legislation approved last year that repealed Common Core.” She has asked the Oklahoma Attorney General to issue a ruling. Kern argues that “AP courses are similar to Common Core, in that they could be construed as an attempt to impose a national curriculum on American schools.”

    http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/02/17/3623683/oklahoma-lawmakers-vote-overwhleming-ban-advanced-placement-history-class/

    Reply
  12. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    Kat 4 Obama @Kat4Obama
    Follow
    “Gerrymandering, super PACs, apathy, obsessive media ‘balance,’ and short memories” protect GOP from voter backlash. http://on.msnbc.com/1CEuwSQ
    12:48 PM – 17 Feb 2015

    Reply
  14. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    Senate Confirms First-Ever Native American Woman As Federal Judge
    Posted: 05/15/2014 10:07 am EDT Updated: 05/15/2014 3:59 pm EDT

    WASHINGTON — The Senate quietly made history on Wednesday night when it confirmed Diane Humetewa as a federal judge — the first Native American woman to ever hold such a post.

    Humetewa was confirmed 96-0 to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. She is a former U.S. attorney in Arizona and a member of the Hopi tribe. She is now the first active member of a Native American tribe to serve on the federal bench and only the third Native American in history to do so.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/native-american-judge_n_5330273.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

    Reply
  16. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 2:05 pm

    Eric Boehlert @EricBoehlert
    Follow
    they make this too easy….@NRO 2012; “Why Obama’s Transcripts Matter.” NRO now: Who Cares Abt Walker’s College Yrs?; http://bit.ly/1AJpa9G
    7:27 PM – 16 Feb 2015

    Reply
  21. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    Michelle Obama and Big Bird Slow Dance to Aerosmith on the Latest Billy on the Street

    President Obama isn’t the only one who gets to have fun with viral videos. One week after the President’s “Can I live?” Buzzfeed video, the First Lady is getting in on the action with a new Funny or Die video. (Both POTUS and FLOTUS have worked with Funny or Die in the past.) In celebration of the 5th anniversary of Let’s Move and to promote the healthy eating program Eat Brighter, Michelle Obama and her partner-in-produce Big Bird joined Billy Eichner in a Washington D.C. Safeway for an indoor version of Billy on the Street. Though the video does promote FLOTUS’s love of vegetables, Eichner also found room to address One Direction, sing an old Aerosmith jam, make Michelle Obama quote Guardians of the Galaxy, and have her weigh in on the all-female Ghostbusters.

    http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/02/michelle-obama-big-bird-billy-on-the-street?mbid=social_twitter

    Reply
  22. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 12:13 pm

    Did Netanyahu leak sensitive information?
    02/17/15 10:02 AM—UPDATED 02/17/15 10:21 AM
    By Steve Benen
    It’s no secret that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a fierce opponent of ongoing diplomatic talks with Iran. Indeed, he’s eager to partner with congressional Republicans to derail the international negotiations – for the first time ever, lawmakers invited a foreign leader to deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress for the express purpose of condemning, and working to undermine, American foreign policy.

    Just how far would Netanyahu go to achieve his goals? David Ignatius raised an alarming possibility yesterday in his Washington Post column.
    Mistrust between the Obama administration and Benjamin Netanyahu has widened even further in recent days because of U.S. suspicion that the Israeli prime minister has authorized leaks of details about the U.S. nuclear talks with Iran.

    The decision to reduce the exchange of sensitive information about the Iran talks was prompted by concerns that Netanyahu’s office had given Israeli journalists sensitive details of the U.S. position, including a U.S. offer to allow Iran to enrich uranium with 6,500 or more centrifuges as part of a final deal.
    The point of the alleged leak was to make it seem as if the West were giving Tehran a sweetheart deal, though Ignatius’ piece went on to note that Obama administration officials believe the leaked details were misleading and removed from relevant context.

    In fairness to the Israeli Prime Minister, we don’t yet know whether the suspicions are true. Ignatius offered no hints about his sources and no one has even gone on the record in making the accusation.

    Having said that, Ignatius is hardly a purveyor of baseless speculation. On the contrary, he has a reputation for being responsible in these areas, which makes the underlying allegation that much more serious.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/did-netanyahu-leak-sensitive-information

    Reply
  23. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 12:09 pm

    Will Republicans scuttle Lynch’s A.G. nomination?
    02/17/15 08:40 AM
    By Steve Benen
    President Obama nominated U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch as his choice to be Attorney General on Nov. 8. Nearly a full month later, he nominated Ash Carter to be the Secretary of Defense. Both sailed through their confirmation hearings with ease, both are eminently qualified, and both have impressed observers on both sides of the aisle.

    And yet, it was Carter who was easily confirmed last week, while Lynch, despite being nominated a month earlier, continues to wait for reasons that are not entirely clear.

    In late January, BuzzFeed reported that Lynch had ample, bipartisan support in the Judiciary Committee, which was set to advance her nomination by Feb. 13. A confirmation vote would follow soon after, and Lynch was poised to replace Eric Holder “before the end of February.” Everything I was hearing from the Hill pointed at the identical conclusion.

    As of now, however, circumstances have inexplicably changed.
    President Obama’s pick to serve as the next attorney general is having a hard time finding Republican supporters. To be confirmed by the Senate, attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch only needs four Republicans to support her nomination. But it is unclear where those votes will come from.

    Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) is the only Republican so far who has signaled his intention to vote for Lynch, though several others have spoken favorably about her.
    Senate Democrats are, by all appearances, genuinely surprised. During the Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearings, Lynch was as impressive an A.G. nominee as anyone can remember. Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) organized an unfortunate clown show, filled with witnesses called to testify against Lynch, but none of them actually had anything negative to say about the nominee.

    So what in the world is going on here?

    Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wants to block her because, well, he’s Ted Cruz. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is using similar rhetoric, but he seems primarily interested in using Lynch’s nomination to collect names and contact information for his presidential bid. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is going after the A.G. nominee as part of an odd attempt at posturing in advance of his gubernatorial campaign later this year.

    But in recent weeks, the idea that Lynch’s nomination might actually be derailed seemed silly, largely because there’s no reason for it. It doesn’t even serve the far-right’s interests – the more Republicans play games, the longer Eric Holder remains the nation’s chief law-enforcement officer, and the GOP makes no secret of its wild-eyed hatred for Holder.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/will-republicans-scuttle-lynchs-ag-nomination

    Reply
  24. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Why expect competence?
    Posted by Richard Mayhew at 9:12 am Feb 172015

    Nicholas Bagley has an excellent summation of the standing/mootness question for the four King plaintiffs. There are a couple of lines in his post that I want to highlight:

    Although King appears to lack standing, it’s hard to say for certain whether Hurst, Levy, or Luck do. One of them might well have standing, although I’m frankly not sure which one….Is the Court really untroubled by the very real possibility that the plaintiffs have used inaccurate or misleading declarations to manufacture a federal case? Or that the case may have become moot as to some of them? This isn’t your garden-variety suit; it’s precisely the sort of high-stakes ideological clash that—absent a plaintiff with a bona fide injury—standing doctrine is supposed to filter out.

    Why is Professor Bagley surprised that the standing and mootness component of the plaintiff’s case is sloppy and rife with errors. It would have been surprising that everything on this score was clean, proper and straightforward.

    The entire case has been built on deliberate misreading of the law, bullying of advocates that the evidence is clear that no one thought subsidies were contigent on states establishing exchanges, deliberate mistatements of what reporters wrote and then mansplaining to those reporters what they actually meant after the reporter responded, sadistic satisfaction, and a deliberate willingness to have the same plaintiff say multiple things in multiple cases.

    Why should it be surprising that standing is a clusterfuck as well?

    http://www.balloon-juice.com/2015/02/17/why-expect-competence/

    Reply
  25. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 9:21 am

    HARRISON, Mont. — After Spencer Ore was banned from a Montana high school in 2013 for bringing two pistols to campus and was accused of making threats, his parents sought help with the hope that one day he’d reintegrate into society.

    Margaret and Stephen Ore visited him every weekend while he was in juvenile detention. They invested in nearly two years of treatment for underlying behavioral problems.

    When his doctors and probation officers said Spencer, now 16, was well enough to return to public school, the Ores moved across the state to enroll him at a school in quiet, rural Twin Bridges.

    But last month, parents at Twin Bridges discovered Spencer’s past and successfully sued to block him from attending the school, a rejection that left the Ores wondering whether a boy like theirs can get a second chance to get an education in an age of school shootings.

    “We were just hoping that he could be accepted into that community and have a chance to be a regular kid,” his mother said.

    For the 31 parents and grandparents who sued, it’s a risk they are not prepared to take.

    “The bottom line is we feel like we’re getting a dangerous child shoved down the throats of all the people here in the school,” said Bart Baumeister, one of those who filed the case. “It’s upsetting.”

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/montana-community-turns-away-teen-with-troubled-past/ar-BBhEHqP

    Reply
  27. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 8:33 am

    Published on Aug 7, 2014

    Dr. Mary Frances Berry relates her personal experiences in the fight for civil liberties to employees gathered in the Kennedy Space Center Training Auditorium for a special event marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

    http://youtu.be/yEic1FBKHZM

    Reply
    • yahtzeebutterfly says:
      February 17, 2015 at 10:56 am

      Thank you very much for posting this, rikyrah!

      She provides a good first-hand overview of the Civil Rights Movement.

      Reply
  28. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 8:31 am

    Watch: Stars of Book of Negroes on Importance of History
    Actress Aunjanue Ellis tells The Root that to ignore “slave stories” is to deny individuals the right to their history.

    BY: THE ROOT STAFF
    Posted: Feb. 16 2015 3:00 AM

    A little-reported episode of history is the subject of a new miniseries this week on BET. The Book of Negroes, based on Lawrence Hill’s 2007 novel, tells the story of 3,000 slaves who worked for the British during the American Revolution in exchange for freedom in Canada. Unlike previous films about slavery, the protagonist of The Book of Negroes is a woman, Aminata Diallo, who worked for the British, recording the names of the slaves.

    Actress Aunjanue Ellis portrays Diallo, a slave who was kidnapped from her native Mali as a child. The film also stars Louis Gossett Jr., whose character is based on a historical figure who helped found Canada’s first black settlement. Ellis and Gossett sat down with The Root to talk about the significance of this project for them.

    http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/02/watch_book_of_negroes_actors_talk_about_importance_of_history.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr%3Acontent%26

    Reply
  29. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 8:28 am

    Gambling Granny Leaves Child In Freezing Car So She Can Go Inside Casino By patrice | February 16, 2015

    By: Naturally Triece

    A 56-year-old grandmother has been arrested Saturday after she’d reportedly left her five-year-old granddaughter in a freezing cold car so that she could go inside a New York casino and gamble.

    Renee Osby allegedly attempted to bring her granddaughter, Jordan, into Resorts World Casino in New York City with her earlier that day, but she was denied entry when security noticed that she had a child with her.

    New York Daily News Reports said that security guards became suspicious of Osby when she returned soon after, without the child. They’d began searching the parking lot only to find a car with the child inside. The car was not heated and the temperature was below freezing, according to NY Daily News.

    The guards of the casino contacted the police immediately, who came and arrested Osby on charges that she acted “in a manner [that caused] injury to a child” whom is under 17 years old.

    http://naturallymoi.com/2015/02/gambling-granny-leaves-child-in-freezing-car-so-she-can-go-inside-casino/

    Reply
  30. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 8:08 am

    Monday, February 16, 2015
    Last Call For Who Needs Obamacare, Anyway?
    Posted by Zandar

    Attention red state Republicans: more of you than you will ever admit have bought plans on the federal insurance marketplace, and now have health care coverage because of it. Your GOP leaders in Washington are trying to take this coverage from you, and are using the Supreme Court in order to make it unaffordable.

    Erin Meredith, a fifth-generation Republican who lives in Austin, was no fan of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which she considered just another wasteful government handout. She didn’t sign up for a health plan until late last year, when she felt she had no other choice.

    By then, Meredith, who is 37 and has two children, had gotten divorced and lost the insurance provided through her husband. Her new job, as an office manager for a roofing company, didn’t offer benefits. About the same time, she learned that her headaches and fatigue were the result of a rare condition that affects the oxygen level in her blood. She couldn’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on doctor’s visits, and her desperation slowly turned to panic.

    In November, at a friend’s urging, Meredith looked for a health plan on the federal online marketplace. With an income of about $30,000 a year, she discovered she qualified for a government subsidy of $132 a month. Her premium would be $89 a month.

    Now that she has coverage, she doesn’t want to lose it. “I can still feed my kids and put gas in my car,” she said. “I’m not trying to go to Cancun or carry a Michael Kors bag. I drive a 2009 Mazda and I’m just trying to make it in my little apartment and not be on government assistance.”

    Sorry Erin, according to the Republicans in your state of Texas, you never wanted affordable health care, you never wanted subsidies to make it affordable to you and your family, and you are now nothing more than a welfare queen to them.

    Welcome to being one of “those people.

    “If they’re not going to participate in Obamacare and I’m not going to have these financial benefits, which will force me to pay $220 a month for coverage, do you know if Greg Abbott, our governor, has any plan to offer something comparable?” Meredith asked in an e-mail. “I understand and support his efforts to put Washington back in its place. I just don’t want that to come at the cost of hard-working Texans and their ability to maintain medical coverage.”

    http://zandarvts.blogspot.com/2015/02/last-call-for-who-needs-obamacare-anyway.html

    Reply
  31. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 8:04 am

    S. Epatha Merkerson Joins Yaya DaCosta to Star in NBC Spin-off Series ‘Chicago Med’ (Black Actors in Demand This Pilot Season)

    By Tambay A. Obenson | Shadow and Act
    February 13, 2015 at 7:39PM

    I continue to pose a question I’ve been asking for about 2 years now: are TV networks finally starting to realize the ratings and profit potential In producing content with black talent, targeting black people? (specifically, black women).

    S. Epatha Merkerson has joined Yaya DaCosta to star in NBC’s “Chicago Med,” which will be a spin-off of the current NBC drama, “Chicago Fire.”

    The plan is for DaCosta, Merkerson and the other cast members to be introduced in episode 19 of the current season of “Chicago Fire,” with the “Chicago Med” series to premiere at a later date.

    According to the premise, DaCosta will play a Maggie Seaver, who’s described as an attractive nurse who begins dating Chicago Fire’s Kelly (played by Taylor Kinney), whom she has known since high school. And Merkerson will play Sharon Goodwin, the head of the hospital where the drama will be set, who is tough and good at what she does, despite loathing the politics involved in running a hospital.

    http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/s-epatha-merkerson-joins-yaya-dacosta-to-star-in-nbc-spin-off-series-chicago-med-20150213

    Reply
  32. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 8:01 am

    What Critics Are Saying About ‘The Book of Negroes’ Miniseries, Which Premieres Tonight on BET

    By Tambay A. Obenson | Shadow and Act
    February 16, 2015 at 10:40AM

    Earlier this month, I wrote and published a piece on BET’s first-ever chances at Emmy nominations this year with 2 scripted series in “Being Mary Jane” and “The Book of Negroes.”

    The jury is still out on the former, but, based on reviews I’ve read thus far about the latter, Emmy recognition might be within grasp. Even if not a win, at least a nomination, whether for the miniseries as a whole, or for its star, Aunjanue Ellis, who is receiving much praise for her performance, essentially carrying the show.

    It’s finally here, almost 2 years after the project’s initial announcement – BET launches its first-ever event miniseries “The Book of Negroes,” a six-part historical drama in the tradition of “Roots,” based on Lawrence Hill’s award-winning, Oprah Winfrey-listed novel (known in the United States as “Someone Knows My Name”). The highly anticipated television event will run over the course of three consecutive nights in two-hour installments, starting tonight, Monday, February 16, 2015 at 8 PM ET/PT.

    Director Clement Virgo’s adaptation stars Aunjanue Ellis as Aminata Diallo, abducted as an 11-year-old child from her village in Sierra Leone (West Africa), is sent to live as a slave in South Carolina, and years later, forges her way to freedom, serving the British in the Revolutionary War and registering her name in the historic “Book of Negroes” – an actual document that provides a short but immensely revealing record of freed Loyalist slaves who requested permission to leave the US for resettlement in Nova Scotia, only to find that the haven they sought was steeped in an oppression all of its own.

    That this is a story told solely from the perspective of a woman, separates it from most slave narratives.

    http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/what-critics-are-saying-about-the-book-of-negroes-miniseries-which-premieres-tonight-on-bet-20150216

    Reply
  33. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:59 am

    ’50 Shades of… Black’? On the Novel’s Film Adaptation, But with Black Leads…

    By Vanessa Martinez | Shadow and Act
    February 16, 2015 at 3:50PM

    Editor’s note: Per Sergio’s box office report, “50 Shades of Grey,” which opened over the weekend, grossed an astounding $85 million, exceeding expectations! In light of that news, here’s a piece first published on this blog in 2013, when the film adaptation of the novel had been packaged for production, which I though was worth revisiting.

    In light of the film adaptation of E.L. James’ erotic novel “50 Shades of Grey” (Dakota Johnson is set to play Anastasia Steel; Jamie Dornan fills the Christian Grey role), I thought we could reflect on the significance – if any – of this novel and its “controversial” premise in regards to black American culture.

    This is not in any way insinuating that there should be, in fact, a film adaptation of “50 Shades of Grey,” comprised of black characters (although there is a film adaptation of erotic fiction author Zane’s novel “Addicted” set for release later this year). However, I thought it would be interesting to broach the topic of this immensely popular – and polarizing novel, due to its questionable literary value and anti-feminist themes – in an effort to reflect and ponder upon how this cultural “phenomenon” of a book, and eventual film, could translate as a film starring black Americans.

    Hypothetically speaking, here is, oh let’s say, Michael Ealy – or *insert* Omari Hardwick, Anthony Mackie, Lance Gross? – as über-successful and wealthy entrepreneur Christian Grey, who seems to be more concerned about devising methods of sexual domination – rather than focusing on his business – for his penthouse “dungeon,” where he keeps paddles, handcuffs and whips.

    Our Christian Grey is actively searching for his submissive, played by, oh let’s say, Keke Palmer, Zoe Kravitz, Yaya DaCosta, or Nicole Beharie (the last two may be too old for the part, I know; Just roll with it for now), as the ingénue and school of journalism intern, who, after interviewing him for her school editorial, is taken aback by the mysterious and powerful Grey, who begins pursuing her at the local hardware store where she works, and offers to pay her bills, wine and dine her, and give her rides in his helicopter (no pun intended), in exchange for her absolute submission in and out of the bedroom.

    http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/50-shades-of-black-on-the-novels-film-adaptation-but-with-black-leads-20150216

    Reply
  34. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:57 am

    Watch Idris Elba in 4-Part Jaguar Road Trip Documentary Series (A 007 Preview?)
    By Tambay A. Obenson | Shadow and Act
    February 16, 2015 at 5:01PM

    Jaguars have provided transportation for 007 in at least 4 movies in the franchise, featuring quite prominently in “Die Another Day,” “Skyfall,” “Casino Royale,” and “Quantum of Solace.” But it’s not quite a preview of what he’d look like as James Bond (the actor has long been rumored to be the heir apparent to Daniel Craig in the 007 franchise, although nothing’s been confirmed. Even Sony ex-chief Amy Pascal voiced her approval in one of those leaked emails made public a few months ago). However, you’ll get to see Idris Elba get behind the steering wheel of the latest Jaguar model, the XE, as part of a 4-part documentary series that follows the actor and musician on what is described by the auto manufacturer as an “epic road trip” from London to Berlin, while testing the class-leading fuel economy and technology credentials of the new Jaguar XE.

    Starting his journey on January 10, at the National Youth Music Theatre in London, where his own acting career began, Idris auditions young hopefuls before getting into the Jaguar XE 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel 163PS for a 750 mile journey across 4 countries, in 3 days, in challenging winter conditions, to deliver the XE to its German launch, and also to DJ at a special pop-up party in Berlin.

    It’s essentially a 4-part commercial for the Jaguar XE; ads have to be more and more creative these days to get the right kind of attention, and generate buzz. Although, likely, most of us watching the series can’t afford to buy these $70,000 cars (on average), which won’t be available for purchase in the USA until 2016.

    http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-idris-elba-in-4-part-jaguar-road-trip-documentary-series-a-007-preview-20150216

    Reply
  38. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:54 am

    skeeerra @SKEEerra

    15-year-old Amber Rose had to strip to survive. Your mother sells your sister(s’) sexuality to keep y’all relevant. @khloekardashian

    Reply
  40. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:53 am

    The ‘Empire’ Ratings Juggernaut Continues on and on… and on
    By Sergio | Shadow and Act
    February 13, 2015 at 9:58AM

    A few weeks ago, I reported that Fox’s hit show “Empire,” broke a 22 year old ratings record in the history of the network (HERE). However, if you think that show may have peaked (as some sources have reported this week), au contraire.

    In fact the show has continued to break rating records for Fox TV, rising another 4% this week, for a series ratings high, with a total viewership of 12 million people.

    Since premiering on January 7th, the audience has risen week by week, from 9.9 million viewers, to 10.3 million, to 11.1 million, to 11.4 million, to 11.5 million, and now just under 12 million.

    In fact, not only is the show wiping out its competition on the other networks in its time slot, according to Variety, it’s “the first program in the history of Nielsen’s People Meters (going back to 1991) to grow in total viewers, with each of its four episodes following its premiere.”

    And according to Nielsen, the cities in which “Empire” is doing the best are Atlanta, Detroit and St. Louis, with a 25 rating share (that is the percentage of TVs actually tuned on to the show, out of all the TVs turned on during its time slot). It also did a 21 share in Washington, D.C. and Chicago and Philadelphia both with a 20 share.

    http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/the-empire-ratings-juggernaut-goes-on-and-on-and-on-20150213

    Reply
  41. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:48 am

    For 2016 Senate races, Democrats worry about a shallow candidate pool

    The Washington Post

    Sean Sullivan 9 hrs ago

    The war hero. The star fundraiser. The popular governor. The toughened ex-senators.

    These are the blue-chip recruits many Democrats believe are essential to winning back control of the U.S. Senate in 2016 after a midterm drubbing cost them their majority.

    Less than four months after the painful losses, Democratic officials have begun charting a path back to Senate control that runs through more than half a dozen blue and purple states where the presidential campaign is expected to boost Democratic turnout. But even in that favorable terrain, the party faithful fear they could fall short if marquee challengers don’t step forward, since their talent pool is shallow and they are trying to unseat a well-prepared group of Republican senators.

    “The bench is short, but the aces are strong,” said Democratic donor John Morgan. He summed up the all-or-nothing outlook with another baseball analogy: “All you need is a right-hander that throws 99 mph, and you don’t need a bench.”

    Needing to gain four seats — five if a Republican wins the White House — to reclaim the majority, Democrats are under intense pressure to enlist top contenders. Since House Republicans hold their widest majority in decades and are early favorites to stay in power, the fight for the Senate stands to determine whether the next president will face a split Congress or one controlled completely by the GOP.

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/for-2016-senate-races-democrats-worry-about-a-shallow-candidate-pool/ar-BBhEtmA?ocid=HPCDHP

    Reply
  42. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:44 am

    secret?

    FLOTUS and the First Daughters go skiiing every President’s Day weekend.

    ……….

    Michelle Obama’s secret Aspen ski trip exposed after her motorcade was
    allowed to sneak around a car accident

    Michelle Obama headed to Colorado on
    Friday for some skiing with her daughters for the fourth Presidents’ Day weekend
    in a row

    On Sunday, their motorcade was
    allowed to sneak around the scene of a car accident even though the road was
    closed

    Instagram users also shared photos of
    their plane on the tarmac at Aspen

    By Lydia Warren For Dailymail.com

    Published: 16:03 EST, 16 February 2015
    | Updated: 17:20 EST, 16 February 2015

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2956118/Michelle-Obama-s-secret-Aspen-ski-trip-revealed-motorcade-allowed-sneak-car-accident.html#ixzz3S0ePxaFw

    Reply
  43. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:40 am

    Federal judge stalls Obama’s executive action on immigration

    Associated Press

    JUAN A. LOZANO 4 hrs ago

    A federal judge in South Texas on Monday temporarily blocked President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration, giving a coalition of 26 states time to pursue a lawsuit that aims to permanently stop the orders.

    U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s decision comes after a hearing in Brownsville in January and puts on hold Obama’s orders that could spare as many as five million people who are in the U.S. illegally from deportation.

    Hanen wrote in a memorandum accompanying his order that the lawsuit should go forward and that without a preliminary injunction the states will “suffer irreparable harm in this case.”

    “The genie would be impossible to put back into the bottle,” he wrote, adding that he agreed with the plaintiffs’ argument that legalizing the presence of millions of people is a “virtually irreversible” action.

    The White House in a statement early Tuesday defended the executive orders issued in November as within the president’s legal authority, saying that the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress have said federal officials can set priorities in enforcing immigration laws.

    “The district court’s decision wrongly prevents these lawful, commonsense policies from taking effect and the Department of Justice has indicated that it will appeal that decision,” the statement said. An appeal would be heard by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/federal-judge-stalls-obamas-executive-action-on-immigration/ar-BBhELqL?ocid=HPCDHP

    Reply
  44. rikyrah says:
    February 17, 2015 at 7:39 am

    Good Morning, Everyone :)

    Reply
    • yahtzeebutterfly says:
      February 17, 2015 at 8:05 am

      oops…it was January 17 ….I guess I was a little too sleepy this morning to get it right.
      You can erase this entry.

      Reply
  46. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    February 17, 2015 at 6:59 am

    Good Morning, Everyone :)

    I found these tweets this morning:

    deray mckesson retweeted
    Miss Packnett @MsPackyetti · 5h
    I just want to build. I want you to, too. If you build in your lane & I build in mine, and it’s all love, we’ll get to freedom much faster.

    Value the contributions of many. It takes every finger to make that fist & all the power for that fist to strike a fatal blow to oppression.

    “Let’s save the power of that fist for injustice-not each other.”

    deray mckesson @deray · 1h 1 hour ago
    To stand with the full range of black lives and not just with the narrow(er) range of blackness with which you identify closest.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to rikyrahCancel reply