TIME’S UP - WOMEN TO MARCH SUNDAY JANUARY 21, 2018 - SUPPORT WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS (WEAR BLACK)

TIME’S UP - WOMEN TO MARCH SUNDAY JANUARY 21, 2018 - SUPPORT WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS (WEAR BLACK):

TIME’S UP MOVEMENT RAISES $15 MIL.

VIOLENCE, SEXISM, DISCRIMINATION & SEXUAL HARASSMENT AGAINST WOMEN HAS NO PLACE IN THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS WORLD.

WOMEN HAVE EQUAL HUMAN RIGHTS TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS & HELP CREATE JOBS WITHOUT FEAR.

TIME'S UP.


Sources: Post Sources: Heavy.com, Telegraph.co.uk, CBS News, Page Six, Youtube


******* Women’s March on Washington D.C. 2018: Route, Time, & Map for January 20


The Women’s March organization is hosting a one-year anniversary event, called Power to the Polls, on January 21. But Washington D.C. is hosting its own Women’s March today, January 20. A year ago, the women’s march in D.C. was massive, so expect a big crowd again today. The March on Washington 2018 (in D.C.) rally begins at 11 a.m. Eastern today, January 20, at the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The march itself is expected to start around 1 p.m., according to the event’s official Facebook page. You can’t bring tripods, chairs, or tables. But you can bring cardboard posters or signs, as long as there are no metal or wood posts to hold them up.

Be sure and arrive early, because the event is going to be massive. At least 9,600 have RSVP’d that they plan to attend, and about 5,500 are expected. The rally portion of the event will feature several talented speakers. Here is a map of where the rally will be taking place:

The march, which is expected to begin around 1 p.m., will march all the way to the White House. Although the organizers did not to release the march on their website, according to their march’s Route Webpage, they have released the map via other sources. Thrillist shared a map of the march and where it will be taking place, courtesy of the Women’s March. You can view the map and route here. The march will travel along Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue. Marshals will help direct the marchers so they know where to go.

Numerous special guests will be speaking at the rally before the march begins. They include:

• Daryl Davis, musician, actor, lecturer, and race relations consultant. He’s the leader of the Daryl Davis Band and wrote Klan-Destine Relationships. He appeared on HBO’s The Wire.
• Judith Heumann, an international disability rights advocate. She served as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights during the Obama administration.
• Kofi Annan, president of the Fairfax County NAACP. He’s a native of Georgetown, Guyana, and immigrated to America at the age of 12. He served eight years in the U.S. Army and is now the founder and CEO of Veteran Career Counseling Services, LLC.
• Judy Gearhart, executive director of the International Labor Rights Forum. She teaches human rights at Columbia University.
• Tim Kaine, former Vice Presidential nominee for the Democratic Party.
• Brittany T. Oliver. She’s the founding director of Not Without Black Women, and is a race and gender activist. In 2016, she received national recognition for challenging white feminism during the early stages of the Women’s March on Washington.
• Joanna Lohma, professional soccer player. She’s been a professional athlete for 13 years and is a Sport Diplomat.
• Mia D. Mason, owner of Managers Lendors Investors, Inc.. She’s a veteran LGBT Infantry servicewoman, an Army electronic warfare officer, and a Naval aviation electronic technician.
• Chris Carson. She’s President of the League of Women Voters.
• Kelly Convirs-Fowler, delegate for the 21st district in Virginia.
• Kamala Lopez, director, actress, and President of Heroica Films.
• Jean S. Gearon, Ph.D., Women’s Alliance for Democracy & Justice
• Susan Platt, President of Platt Consulting.
• Kings Floyd, co-chair of DC Metro ADAPT
• Marcela Howell, executive director of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
• Eve Hurwtiz, Treasurer of March On
• Nuchhi Currier, President of the Women’s National Democratic Club
• Muthoni Wambu Kraal, VP for Outreach and Training at EMILY’s List
• Eleanor Smeal: President and co-founder of Feminist Majority Foundation
• Toni Van Pelt: President of the National Organization for Women
• Marilyn Karp: A leader of Indivisible Nova West, a group focused on Getting Out the Vote.
• Elise A. Bryant: Director and Labor Educator
• Greisa Martinez Rosas: DACA recipient and potential Dream Act beneficiary
• Nadia Hassan: Young Leaders Institute
• Ann Marie Benitez: Senior Director of Government Relations, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
• Wendi Wallace: Political Outreach Director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund
• Tom E. Perez, Chairman of the DNC
• Bryce Armstrong, Miss District of Columbia USA 2018
•Performers will include Batala in Washington D.C. and SongRise.

This isn’t the only event in the nearby area that you can attend this weekend. On Sunday, January 21, at 7 p.m., a book discussion on feminist books will take place at the home of an Arlington NOW member (details here.) And on Saturday at 1 p.m., Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in DC will be hosting an abortion discussion, focusing on the effects the pro-life movement has had on African Americans.


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***** Sexism against Female entrepreneurs


In the wake of the ongoing sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood and beyond, women across the world are taking a stand.
This Sunday, thousands of women (and men) will join forces in cities the world over, taking to the streets to march and send the message that 'Time's Up' - the name of a legal defence fund set up to financially support women who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace.

It comes exactly a year after the global women's marches in protest at Donald Trump's inauguration, which saw half a million people descend on Washington DC to defend women's rights, amid concerns that the US President would begin to dismantle them. Many wore hats with pink ears, and celebrity supporters included Emma Watson and Madonna.

The 2018 march in London - which starts opposite Downing Street at 11am on Sunday January, 21 -, seeks to capitalise on the activism kick-started by the #MeToo hashtag that sprung up in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and has seen a widespread move to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace.

In a statement, the organisers said: ‘We are coming together to pledge that we are going to make change in big and small ways. We will stand side by side, once again, in solidarity with our sisters, brothers and siblings around the world. Together we are strong and if we all work for a better world then time is really up for oppressors of women.’

In 2016, just nine per cent of all start up funding went to female founders, according to data from Barclays and the Entrepreneurs Network. With male entrepreneurs 86 per cent more likely than their female counterparts to raise venture capital funding in the UK, it’s safe to say there is an issue.

Such a climate even lead two young women entrepreneurs to invent a fake male co-founder to correspond with potential investors. Penelope Gazin and Kate Dwyer, who founded the online art marketplace Witchsy, created an imaginary third co-founder Keith Mann to help get their business off the ground.

"It's frustrating that a significant proportion of funding goes towards male-founded or led businesses," Annabel Denham, programme director at The Entrepreneurs Network, previously toldThe Telegraph. "This is not just an economic discussion, though we know start-ups are vital to the UK economy: we want to see smart, savvy businesswomen getting the same opportunities as their male counterparts."


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*** Time’s Up very close to $16M goal


Since launching January 1, the Time’s Up initiative has raised $15.86 million of its $16 million goal.

To celebrate, Reese Witherspoon shared a video on Instagram with Brie Larson, Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, Rashida Jones and Tessa Thompson thanking everyone for their generous donations.

“We have raised $15 million so far from more than 10,000 people who have donated from 60 countries, all 50 states and this is just the beginning,” Ross said.

“This is only possible because of you,” Thompson added.

Time’s Up is also raising money for a legal defense fund for both women and men who believe that they’ve been discriminated against or harassed in the workplace.

Jones and Washington invited viewers to wear black Sunday in honor of the 2018 Golden Globes, where stars are wearing black to take a stand against sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Many attendees are also donning the Time’s Up pin, which was created by costume designer Arianne Phillips and jewelry designer Michael Schmidt.

"I'm Not A Lesbian", Oprah Responds To Lifestyle Rumors

Oprah On Her Relationship With Gayle: "I'm Not A Lesbian"


Oprah Winfrey tears up as she talks about her relationship with best friend Gayle King as she addresses the rumors they are Lesbians.

"I have said we are not gay," she tells Barbara Walters on "A Barbara Walters Special: Oprah, The Next Chapter," airing Thursday on ABC. "I'm not Lesbian. I'm not even kind of Lesbian.

And the reason it irritates me is because somebody must think I'm lying. That's number one. Number two, why would you want to hide it? That's not the way I run my life."

But the talk show queen does say how lucky she is to have Gayle in her life.

"She is the mother I never had, she is the sister everybody would want, she is the friend everybody deserves," she says. "I don't know a better person."

Oprah gets emotional, saying, "It's making me cry because I'm thinking about how I've probably never told her that."


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Sources: ABC, CelebTV, MSNBC, Wonderwall, Youtube, Google Maps

"Damn Right!" Bush On Waterboarding Terrorists; Gave It His All

Bush On Waterboarding: "Damn Right!"


Former President George W. Bush has stayed out of politics since he left the White House and, except for his own career, he largely keeps the subject at arm's length in his new memoir, "Decision Points."

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey to air on Tuesday when the book is to be released, Bush said he is "through with politics" and refused to offer an opinion on the 2012 presidential election.

"I am not a Political Pundit. I'm really not," Bush said. "A lot is gonna happen between now and the nominating process."

He also passes on commenting on President Obama, saying he wants to treat his successor the way, "I'd like to have been treated."

"I don't think it's good for a former president to be out there opining on every darned issue," Bush told Winfrey. "He's got a plenty tough job. Trust me. And there's gonna be plenty of critics and he doesn't need me criticizing him."

In the 481-page book Bush compliments Obama's political skills during a meeting before the 2008 election as the Financial crisis was coming to a head. He also criticizes the performance of his party's nominee, John McCain, in the same meeting.

He criticizes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for the failure of his efforts to Reform Immigration laws in 2006.

Bush takes responsibility for giving the go-ahead for Waterboarding terror suspects, which has touched off a new round of criticism of Bush and calls for his prosecution. He says that he did decide not to use two more extreme interrogation methods, but did not disclose what those were.

Here are excerpts from the book, which CNN obtained on Friday:

'The choice between security and values was real'

Bush reveals the decision points that led him to choose Waterboarding as an Interrogation technique.

"CIA experts drew up a list of interrogation techniques. ... At my direction, Department of Justice and CIA lawyers conducted a careful legal review. The enhanced interrogation program complied with the Constitution and all applicable laws, including those that ban torture.

"There were two that I felt went too far, even if they were legal. I directed the CIA not to use them. Another technique was Waterboarding, a process of simulated drowning. No doubt the procedure was tough, but medical experts assured the CIA that it did no lasting harm."

Though Bush confirms that he knew the use of Waterboarding would one day become public, and acknowledges that it is "sensitive and controversial," he asserts that "the choice between security and values was real," and expresses firm confidence in his decision. "Had I not authorized Waterboarding on senior al Qaeda leaders, I would have had to accept a greater risk that the country would be attacked. In the wake of 9/11, that was a risk I was unwilling to take," he writes.

Bush further declares that the new techniques proved effective, yielding information on al Qaeda's structure and operations, and leading to the capture of Ramzi bin al Shibh, the logistical planner of the 9/11 attacks who was captured on the first anniversary of 9/11.

And if there were any lingering doubts or conflict about the use of Waterboarding, Bush discloses that he received reassurance from an unlikely source: terror suspect Abu Zubaydah.

The former president writes, "His understanding of Islam was that he had to resist Interrogation only up to a certain point. Waterboarding was the technique that allowed him to reach that threshold, fulfill his religious duty, and then cooperate." Bush elaborates that Zubaydah gave him a direct instruction, "'You must do this for all the brothers.'"

Intelligence gleaned from Interrogations of Abu Zubaydah and other suspects led to the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Bush writes. During a raid on Mohammed's compound, agents discovered more plans for terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

Prompted by the discoveries, Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet asked if he had permission to use enhanced interrogation techniques including waterboarding on Mohammed.

Bush exposes his inner thoughts on what led him to reach this decision: "I thought about my meeting with Danny Pearl's widow, who was pregnant with his son when he was murdered. I thought about the 2,971 people stolen from their families by al Qaeda on 9/11. And I thought about my duty to protect my country from another act of terror.

"Damn Right" I said."

An early political lesson

The president's political education is rounded out with anecdotes from early races, including a loss to state Sen. Kent Hance in a bid for a West Texas congressional seat.

Despite warnings that he was likely to lose, Bush writes that he felt compelled to run.

"I was having my first experience with the political bug, and it was biting hard." Fighting off accusations that he was "an East Coast outsider," he tried to change the conversation by running an ad showing him jogging to emphasize his "energy and youth."

Hance quickly turned the ad against him with one simple line, "'The only time folks around here go running is when somebody's chasing them.'" The experience, he writes, taught him that he was capable of moving on after a loss, and to never let his opponent define him.

An earlier Bush-Cheney ticket

Bush writes candidly about the ups and downs of his father's presidential campaigns and the personal toll they took on him. On a fishing trip during his father's third year in the White House, Bush tells of a conversation in which President George H.W. Bush briefly toyed with the idea of not standing for re-election.

Bush writes that his father's doubts were attributed to blame he felt for the intense media scrutiny his son Neil had gone through during the savings and loan crisis. But the notion is quickly forgotten when in the next paragraph Bush describes his relief "when Dad told the family he had one last race in him."

In the summer of 1992, as the presidential race was heating up, Bush expressed concern that the campaign was languishing.

"I told Dad he ought to think about a bold move to shake up the dynamics of the race," Bush writes. "One possibility was to replace Vice President Dan Quayle, whom I liked and respected, with a new running mate." Bush's suggestion was Secretary of State Dick Cheney, and although his father dismissed the idea because it would look "desperate and embarrass Dan," Bush later admits that he "never completely gave up on my idea of a Bush-Cheney ticket."

The struggles of his father's campaign effected Bush emotionally. He confesses that he felt the media were treating his father unfairly, and on a last-minute campaign trip with his father in the days before the election, he "unleashed" an angry outburst on two reporters who asked about the mood on the campaign plane. "What the press did not understand was that my outbursts were driven by love, not politics," he writes.

After his father's loss in 1992, Bush says this love turned to "pain," and then ultimately to "the itch to run for office again," and a "sense of liberation," that he was out from under his father's shadow. "I could lay out my policies without having to defend his," Bush writes. "I wouldn't have to worry that my decisions would disrupt his presidency. I was free to run my own life."

Bush writes that the loss had a similar effect on his brother Jeb, "What had first seemed like the sad end to a great story now looked like the unlikely beginning of two new careers. Had dad won in 1992, I doubt I would have run for office in 1994, and I almost certainly would not have become president."

'Marquee event' in political theater

During the battle over passage of his 2008 "financial rescue package," Bush describes a heated White House meeting between congressional leaders and both presidential candidates. Despite warnings from several of his top advisers about the effectiveness of such a meeting, the president agreed to convene the group at John McCain's request for fear of the public message it would send if he rejected the suggestion of his party's nominee.

Bush describes the event as "the marquee event in Washington's political theater," and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as "a volcano ready to erupt" prior to entering the Cabinet Room. Following remarks by the president and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, the speaker deferred to Obama, her party's nominee, whom Bush portrays as having a "calm demeanor" while speaking about the scope of the proposal.

From a political perspective, Bush says that Obama was "smart when he informed the gathering that he was in constant contact with Hank," giving the impression that he was "aware, in touch, and prepared to get a bill passed."

In a somewhat harsher description of his party's nominee, Bush recalls that he was "puzzled" with McCain's decision to pass when it came his turn to speak next. "He had called for this meeting," Bush writes. "I assumed he would come prepared to outline a way to get the bill passed." In Bush's telling, the meeting quickly devolved into a "verbal food fight, which would have been comical except the stakes were so high."

Why Immigration Reform failed

Bush blasts Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for letting a comprehensive immigration reform bill die in the Senate.

At one point during his push to get the legislation passed, Bush reached out to the late Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy -- urging him to ask Reid to keep the Senate in session before the July 4 recess.

"Given the importance of this legislation, I thought it would be worthwhile to allow them a little extra for the bill to pass," Bush writes.

"Apparently, Harry Reid did not ... If Ted Kennedy couldn't persuade the majority leader of his party, my odds were not good."

And he was right. The Nevada Democrat called for a vote to end debate, which failed. The Senate then adjourned.

"Senators went home and listened to angry constituents stirred up by the loud voices on radio and TV," he writes. "By the time they came back to Washington, immigration reform was dead."

And because of that failure, Bush says "coyotes are still in business, immigrants continue to cross the border illegally, and a divisive political issue remains unsolved."





Bush Writes Of Anger, Resolve After Sept. 11 Attacks

The terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001, gave his administration a clear goal and him the resolve to find out who was responsible and "kick their ass," former President George W. Bush writes in his new book.

In "Decision Points," Bush describes his reaction when his then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice informed him of the crash of a third airplane into the Pentagon.

"I sat back in my seat and absorbed her words. My thoughts clarified: The first plane could have been an accident. The second was definitely an attack. The third was a declaration of war," the former president writes in his 481-page book, which goes on sale Tuesday.

"My blood was boiling. We were going to find out who did this, and kick their ass," Bush writes.

"In a single morning, the purpose of my presidency had grown clear: to protect our people and defend our freedom that had come under attack."

CNN on Friday obtained a copy of the book, being released by Crown Publishers.

In the book, Bush also recounts the government response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

He calls the response "not only flawed" but "unacceptable," and describes his own failures in this way: "As the leader of the federal government, I should have recognized the deficiencies sooner and intervened faster. I prided myself on my ability to make crisp and effective decisions. Yet in the days after Katrina, that didn't happen. The problem was not that I made the wrong decisions. It was that I took too long to decide."

Bush writes he also failed to "adequately communicate my concern for the victims of Katrina" -- a problem he calls one of "perception, not reality."

"Yet many of our citizens, particularly in the African-American community, came away convinced their president didn't care about them."

The former president recently told NBC's Matt Laurer that the "worst moment" of his administration was when rapper Kanye West declared during a Katrina celebrity telethon that "George Bush does not like black people." West this week expressed a sympathetic view of Bush's reaction to the comment.

Bush writes the Katrina had a lasting legacy on his second term.

"Just as Katrina was more than a hurricane, its impact was more than physical destruction. It eroded citizens' trust in their government. It exacerbated divisions in our society and politics. And it cast a cloud over my second term."

In "Decision Points," Bush also details how he came to utter those infamous words "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" about Michael Brown, the FEMA chief who was leading the government's response to Katrina in the days immediately following the storm.

Bush writes that he was in Mobile, Alabama, meeting with the Alabama and Mississippi governors and asked them if they were getting adequate federal support. "'That Mike Brown is doing a heck of a job,' Bob said," referring to Alabama governor Bob Riley. "I knew Mike was under pressure and I wanted to boost his morale," Bush writes, so he repeated Riley's words a few minutes later when he spoke to the press.

"I never imagined those words of encouragement would become an infamous entry in the political lexicon. As complaints about Mike Brown's performance mounted, especially in New Orleans, critics turned my words of encouragement into a club to bludgeon me."

The former FEMA head, who resigned two weeks after the compliment, told CNN in August that he winced when Bush uttered the line.

"I knew the minute he said that, the media and everybody else would see a disconnect between what he was saying and what I was witnessing on the ground," Brown said. "That's the president's style. His attitude and demeanor is always one of being a cheerleader and trying to encourage people to keep moving. It was just the wrong time and the wrong place."

Bush in recent years has talked about his past problems with alcohol abuse and his 1986 decision to give up drinking completely.

Just days before the 2000 presidential election, news broke that Bush had been arrested for driving under the influence in Maine in 1976. In his memoir, Bush writes, "Not disclosing the DUI on my terms may have been the single costliest political mistake I ever made."

He says he had decided against doing so because he didn't want to undermine his admonitions to his daughters about drinking and driving.

After the news came out -- so close to election day, Bush writes, he went to bed that night on the campaign trail thinking, "I may have just cost myself the presidency."


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Sources: Amazon.com, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, Google Maps

Newark Students Protest School Conditions: Political Sabotage Against Booker?

Newark High School Students Walk Out In Protest Of Filthy, Unsafe School Environment


They say there are rats, mice, cockroaches, spiders, guns and fights in the hallways.

That’s why students say they walked out of a Newark high school today, to protest what they called a filthy school environment that’s also not safe. They also called for the return of the school’s former principal.

During the afternoon protest, students walked out of Barringer High School in staggered waves of 10 or 20. Some students said security guards blocked doors to prevent anyone from going outside.

A large crowd came outside when the fire alarm sounded, but soon went back in.

The demonstration came two weeks after authorities said a 15-year-old student was sexually assaulted inside a classroom at the Parker Street school. A 17-year-old student was arrested in connection with the Sept. 22 incident, police said.

Students got the word out about the protest on Facebook and said they’ve had enough of feeling unsafe and learning in an unsanitary school.

"It’s like a jungle," said Ashley Martinez, a 17-year-old senior at the high school. "The school’s out of control and I don’t feel safe."

Valerie Merritt, a spokeswoman for Newark schools, said the district has encountered insect and rodent problems over the years, but the system’s facilities team regularly exterminates and conducts daily and weekly cleanings.

On several Facebook pages about the protest — one had more than 300 members who said they would attend the event — students said they need to see a dramatic change.

Tyree Thomas, also a 17-year-old senior, said he created a Facebook page about the protest because he feels like Barringer lacks structure. Thomas said he did not have a class schedule until the third week of school.

Merritt said some of Barringer’s students did not have their class schedules at the start of the school year, however the district worked with the school to ensure each student had a schedule and the "matter has been rectified."

The high school, with grades 10-12, has about 1,300 students.

Thomas also said he wants the district to hire back the school’s former principal, Jose Aviles, who was transferred to another school. Aviles, who was principal at Barringer for two years, was vice principal at a city elementary school until he resigned shortly after the school year began to go to a local charter school.

The current principal is on medical leave, said Merritt.

Aviles said he was flattered by the call for his return. "I miss them," he said of the students.

"If somehow, someway, I could come back, I would," he said.

He also said students had the right to protest. But he said the protest should not have been during school hours.

"We’ve endured this from September 2 until now," said Thomas. "We’ve waited too long and we’re sick of the violence."




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Sources: NJ.com, CBS News, Facebook, Youtube, Google Maps

Cory Booker, Mark Zuckerberg & Oprah "Befriend" Newark Schools...$100 Million Gift!

Facebook Founder to Donate $100 Million to Help Remake Newark’s Schools


Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive and a founder of Facebook, has agreed to donate $100 million to improve the long-troubled public schools in Newark, and Gov. Chris Christie will cede some control of the state-run system to Mayor Cory A. Booker in conjunction with the huge gift, officials said Wednesday.

The three men plan to announce the arrangement on Friday on the “Oprah Winfrey Show.”

The changes would not formally relax the legal power the state seized in 1995, when it declared Newark’s schools a failure and took control of the system, replacing the elected school board with a mostly toothless advisory board. Rather, Mr. Christie plans to give the mayor a major role in choosing a new superintendent and redesigning the system, but to retain the right to take control back.

For now, at least, the arrangement tightens an already friendly relationship between the governor, a Republican, and the mayor, a Democrat who was once seen as a likely challenger for the State House in 2013. It also promises to be a rare happy moment in a state troubled by budget crises, scandals, political infighting and, most recently, the loss of a $400 million federal education grant because of a clerical error.

Mr. Zuckerberg, 26, who grew up in Westchester County and now lives in California, has no particular connection to Newark. But in July, he and Mr. Booker met at a conference and began a continuing conversation about the mayor’s plans for the city, according to people familiar with their relationship.

Mr. Booker, an Advocate of School Choice, has been traveling the country, meeting Business Leaders and celebrities, proselytizing and raising money for Newark. Ms. Winfrey has been one of his biggest supporters, and has given millions of dollars to schools and other organizations in Newark over the last few years.

The $100 million for Newark is the initial gift to start a foundation for education financed by Mr. Zuckerberg. This would be by far the largest publicly known gift by Mr. Zuckerberg, whose fortune Forbes magazine estimated last year at $2 billion.

Mr. Booker, Mr. Christie and Mr. Zuckerberg all declined to be interviewed on Wednesday. The officials who spoke about the plan did so on the condition of anonymity because it was two days before the scheduled announcement.

The gift is many times larger than any the system has received, officials said — an extraordinary sum not only for a district with an $800 million annual operating budget, but also for any publicly financed government agency. It is not yet clear how the money would be used, or over what period.

Despite 15 years of state control, the Newark schools have test scores and graduation rates that are among the lowest in New Jersey.

Mr. Christie has said that he generally does not approve of state takeovers of local agencies, and he supported the elimination of state oversight of Camden early this year. But he had given no sign of backing away from control of the schools in Newark.

Less than a month ago, the governor informed the city’s schools superintendent, Clifford B. Janey, that he would not be rehired, and that the state was looking for a successor. There has been speculation in Trenton about the possibility of hiring Michelle A. Rhee, the hard-charging schools chief in Washington, whose political patron, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, recently lost his bid for re-election.

Officials said Mr. Christie planned to announce that he and Mr. Booker would jointly select a new superintendent, a decision the governor has the power to make on his own. And they said he would instruct the mayor to come up with a reform plan for the system: in effect, asking Mr. Booker to redesign it.

“We can’t speculate too much at this point about what the specifics would be,” a person briefed on the plans said.

But on issues like expansion of charter schools, rigorous testing and rewarding teachers and administrators whose students succeed, this person said, “their vision is very much in step.”

Under Mr. Christie, the state has rewarded schools that made aggressive changes, like awarding grants to a group of Newark high schools that replaced half their staffs.

The announcements could win points for Mr. Christie with local officials and school advocates who have chafed under state control, and take away some of the sting of his cuts to state aid for schools. It also ties him more closely to a popular Democrat in a state that usually favors Democrats. But the move could damage his alliance with the mayor if, in the end, their visions do not match.

It also puts Mr. Booker in a situation not occupied by his predecessors, who had little overt influence over the schools. The mayor has said many times that he wants the state to cede control, but critics have charged that he did little to make that happen. If his reform plan fails to transform the system, it could deal a blow to his reputation.





Sources: City Of Newark, Facebook, MSNBC, NJ.com, NY Times, Youtube, Google Maps

Will.i.am Pays Off Mortgages For 2 Struggling Homeowners

Rapper Will.i.am Bails Out Struggling Homeowners



When all else fails, it's time to turn to Oprah.

Two families who were guests on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" this week thought they were getting help from a financial adviser after falling behind on their home mortgages. But instead, they got the gift of a lifetime.

After telling their tear-filled stories to the audience, Winfrey announced that she had a surprise for them in the form of Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer Will.i.am. From the show:

"will.i.am is paying off both of your mortgages!" Oprah says. "You will own your homes free and clear."

And the tears flowed on.

Instead of a financial adviser, the two struggling families had a visit from an angel who paid off the $250,000 owed by the the 10-member Eller family and $100,000 single mom Alycia Allgood was overdue on her home loan.

Like many Americans who have fallen behind on their mortgages, the Ellers and Allgood both were financially stable until losing their jobs.

John and Cheryl Eller, parents of eight children between the ages of 8 and 20, bought their home in 2001 and made the payments easily through John Eller's job as a chief executive. But after getting laid off, he's making a third of his previous salary:

"I went through my 401(k). I went through all my savings," he says. "I've been an executive in a major corporation, and I've also made doughnuts on a graveyard shift working in a bakery for $10 an hour. I've had to do whatever it takes."

Meanwhile, Allgood put herself through a master's program by working full time to get a well-paying job that helped her support her daughter, Asia, and buy their first home. But when her company downsized and she lost her job, she eventually fell eight months behind on her mortgage.

But because these stories aren't unique in these tough economic times, will.i.am isn't stopping with the Allgoods and the Ellers.

Also on the show, Will.i.am announced his plan to try to help Americans avoid foreclosure through the i.am home fund, which urges people to donate money to help struggling families keep their homes. His mission from the website:

"Growing up I dreamt that one day I'd be able to buy my mom a house and take care of my family. I realized that dream and experienced the positive effect giving back had on my family. Now I am compelled to help others who are in jeopardy of losing their homes and inspire others to join the movement.

The collapse of the housing market and the economic crisis has left millions in jeopardy of losing their homes. The crisis awakened a personal mission to create the i.am home fund to save people facing the very real problem of foreclosure and homelessness."


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Sources: Harpo Studios, Huffington Post, MSN, I.am home fund, Google Maps

Oprah & John Tesh Had "Jungle Fever"? Tesh Confirms

Kitty Kelley the "Queen" of Celebrity Biographies has done it again people!

Kelley has finally completed her new book about Oprah Winfrey, "Queen" of Talk Show Hosts.

According to Amazon.com, Kelley's book is now no.19 for Pre-Orders.

Wait a minute!

Isn't Oprah the Host who always proclaims to be "so open" with her fans?

Well...

Looks like girlfriend didn't share everything!

Oprah sure didn't tell us about her "jungle fever" thing with John Tesh.

OMG!

Its alright girl I won't hate.

Oprah is still on top with me.

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

John Tesh Confirms He Once Dated Oprah Winfrey


John Tesh acknowledged Monday that he and Oprah Winfrey were once an item - one of the juicy tidbits in a new tell-all biography about the talk show queen.

"Oprah and I were cub reporters in Nashville nearly 40 years ago and we dated for a short time," Tesh told the News, which first reported the story on Sunday.

The odd pairing is revealed in Kitty Kelley's "Oprah," which hits bookshelves Tuesday.

Exclusive excerpts obtained by the News said Winfrey and the New Age musician were live-in-lovers during the 1970s when they both lived in Nashville.

The book claims Tesh bolted in the middle of the night because of the "social pressure" of being half of an interracial couple.

Neither Tesh, 57, nor Winfrey, 56, would comment on Kelley's claim.

The much-anticipated book says that Winfrey mentioned Tesh during a 1996 taping of her show - but copped only to a platonic dinner date.

"We remain friends to this day," Tesh told the News.




Kitty Kelley's Tell-All Book Reveals John Tesh Bolted On Lover Oprah Winfrey


Before Oprah loved Stedman, there was John Tesh.

An exclusive excerpt from Kitty Kelley's upcoming tell-all Oprah Winfrey biography claims the talk-show queen enjoyed a 1970s romance with an unlikely live-in lover: John Tesh.

The towering 6-foot-6 Tesh and a barely out-of-her-teens Winfrey shared her Nashville apartment until he bolted in the middle of the night, according to the first-ever look inside the book, obtained by the Daily News.

According to Kelley, the "social pressure" on an interracial couple in Tennessee at that time proved too much for Tesh to handle.

"He said one night he looked down and saw his white body next to her black body and couldn't take it anymore," another Tesh ex-paramour told Kelley.

"He walked out in the middle of the night. ... He told me he later felt very guilty about it."

Winfrey spokeswoman Angela DePaul said Saturday that Oprah was not commenting on the highly anticipated book. A phone call and an e-mail to Tesh's spokespeople were not returned.

The book, due out Tuesday, already ranks No. 19 on the Amazon.com best sellers list based on pre-orders.

Tesh worked in Nashville at the same time as Winfrey during the mid-'70s.

Future media mogul Winfrey was just 20 when she joined the staff at WTVF-TV in Nashville. Tesh was a news anchor and future "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak was a weatherman at rival WSM.

Kelley - best known for her withering biographies of Frank Sinatra, Nancy Reagan and Elizabeth Taylor, among others - said the pair lived together "for a short time" before Tesh's midnight moveout.

By 1976, both had moved on - Winfrey to Baltimore, and Tesh to WCBS-TV in New York.

Both went on to bigger and better things: Tesh hosted "Entertainment Tonight" from 1986-1996 before leaving the show to become a full-time New Age musician.

The six-time Emmy winner now hosts his own nationally syndicated radio show, has written a number of books and continues to tour.

Kelley mentions that Tesh appeared with Winfrey on the 10th anniversary of her show in 1996, with Oprah claiming the pair shared one platonic dinner date.

Tesh is married to actress Connie Sellecca, while Winfrey remains connected to longtime beau Stedman Graham.

The excerpt also references Winfrey's mid-'70s fondness for junk food - especially chocolate Ding Dongs - and a local restaurant called The Chicken Shack.

Winfrey and co-anchor Harry Chapman would dine on the spicy chicken, seasoned with cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce, between weekend newscasts, according to Kelley.


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Sources: Amazon.com. Fox News, MSNBC, NY Daily News, NY Times, Today Show, Wikipedia, Google Maps

Oprah Interviews Rielle In Charlotte, Praises City But Happy She Lives In Chicago

Oprah Winfrey visited Charlotte, NC on yesterday to interview John Edward's new "baby mama" Rielle Hunter.

While in the so-called "Queen City" Oprah praised it.

Oprah please quit the act!

We all know as a close friend to Pres. Obama who will run for office again in 2012, you had to speak well about Charlotte, despite everyone else knowing its one of the most Racist cities within the Southeast.

Think I'm exaggerating or lying?

I invite you to check out Charlotte's Segregated Public Schools and than tell me I'm lying.

(Pres. Obama is trying to keep his Democrat Voters in Charlotte from jumping ship.)

If Charlotte were your permanent home, you wouldn't be saying "how lucky we are to be here".

Oprah dear why do you think former Charlotte Panthers Player Julius Peppers defected to the Chicago Bears?

He was sick and tired of Charlotte's Extreme Racism!

Don't get it twisted people!

Just because Oprah has money doesn't mean she would be treated like Royalty if she lived in this region.

At least NOT in Charlotte because she isn't White!

When it comes to positive Race Relations Charlotte stinks and rates a lousy "F".

Our Black Mayor Anthony Foxx nicknamed "Uncle Foxx", is only a token front to keep Black Voters satisfied.

So please quit the act about how Charlotte is so wonderful.

By the way Oprah did any Black Charlotte News Reporters speak with you during your visit here?

I hope your interview with Rielle was successful but I do have just one question to ask:

How many aspirins did you have to take after it was all over?

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Oprah In Charlotte For Rielle Hunter Interview, Praises City But Happy She Lives In Chicago


Oprah Winfrey was in Charlotte Wednesday, interviewing John Edwards' former mistress, and she spoke exclusively to NewsChannel 36.

Rielle Hunter lives near Charlotte's Dilworth neighborhood.

Reporter Beth Shayne was there as Oprah left Hunter's home and the talk show host took a few moments to speak about the interview.

"This was a great interview," Oprah said. "We talked for about two and a half hours. She was genuine, I thought, and authentic. I think we'll see a side of her that, certainly, I've never known. I enjoyed the conversation. ... I had no resistance from Rielle Hunter on any questions whatsoever. She was really forthcoming. She was very open. She was very candid, and I would have to say, I felt, pretty truthful."

Oprah said she arrived in Charlotte Wednesday and she enjoyed her time in the Queen City.

"Let me just say Charlotte, y'all are the luckiest people in the world to be able to live in this town," Oprah said. "It's so gorgeous, just driving in looking at all the wild wisteria growing on the telephone lines. It's gorgeous. I love it."

Oprah landed the first televised interview with Hunter since former presidential candidate John Edwards first admitted two years ago that he had an affair with Hunter.

Hunter will appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show on an unspecified date.

GQ magazine last month published the first interview with Hunter in which she addressed the scandal. She told the magazine the affair ended in July 2008 and that the relationship is now something "different." She didn't say whether they are still romantically involved but said Edwards wants to be there for their 2-year-old daughter.

Hunter told GQ her home near Dilworth costs here $1,500 a month. She said she does get some financial assistance from Edwards, but he does not pay her rent. She said John and Elizabeth own another home in Charlotte, but she could not afford the rent.

Her current neighbors report they know her, but not well. One woman was so protective of her privacy as to attempt to chase NewsChannel 36 off the public sidewalk near Winfrey's limosine.

CMPD has one record of a call from Hunter's address because of a person trespassing. Neighbors say they see paparazzi occasionally, particularly when there is a new development in the saga of her relationship wtih Edwards.

Edwards admitted in January that he is the girl's father after initially denying it. He and his wife, Elizabeth Edwards, are now separated.


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Sources: WCNC, McClatchy Newspapers, MSNBC, Google Maps

Janet Jackson Accuses Conrad Murray Of Killing Michael, Oprah's Interview (Videos)

Janet Jackson: "I Blame Dr. Conrad Murray For Michael's Death"


On Friday's "Oprah Winfrey Show," Janet Jackson spoke out about the man who has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge tied to her brother Michael Jackson's death.

Asked by Oprah if she blames Murray, Michael's former personal physician, for his death, Janet said: "Yes, I do. He's the one that was administering the drug, from what I do know." (Michael died of acute Propofol intoxication last June.)

Janet said that prior to her brother's passing, the Jackson family "knew that he had a problem" and "tried an intervention several times." She added, though, that Michael "was very much in denial."

She also said that the King of Pop's kids are doing "okay" in the aftermath of their iconic dad's death: "They're dealing with it. And thank God they have their family," she said.

Later, Janet was joined on the show by Tyler Perry, her director and co-star in 'Why Did I Get Married Too?', which opens today.

Tyler told Oprah he was very protective of Janet while shooting the film and even decided to change the ending "because [in the script] there was something that happened where she had to speak at a funeral."


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Sources: Harpo Studios, Oprah Winfrey Show, E!Online, BET, Youtube, Google Maps

Tommy Hilfiger Inc. Sold For $3B To Phillips-Van Heusen

Phillips-Van Heusen Buys Hilfiger For $3 Billion


Phillips-Van Heusen, the clothing conglomerate that owns Calvin Klein, announced Monday that it would buy Tommy Hilfiger, once a leading purveyor of colorful preppy clothing, for about 2.2 billion euros, or $3 billion, in cash and stock.

The deal includes the assumption of 100 million euros ($138 million) in liabilities, Phillips-Van Heusen said.

With the acquisition, Phillips-Van Heusen, which also owns Arrow and Izod and licenses brands like Geoffrey Beene and Kenneth Cole New York, will seek to take advantage of Tommy Hilfiger’s strong European distribution channels for its own products. Despite Tommy Hilfiger’s reputation as a quintessentially American clothier, two-thirds of the company’s business is based in Europe.

The chief executive of Phillips-Van Heusen, Emanuel Chirico, said in a statement that the acquisition was “a unique opportunity to bring together two premier companies, each with iconic brands.”

“Tommy Hilfiger fits all of our acquisition criteria: a strong brand, superior management, highly profitable, immediately accretive to earnings, and focused on international growth,” Mr. Chirico said.

Tommy Hilfiger’s revenue for the year ending March 31 is expected to be about $2.25 billion, the statement on the deal said. About 46 percent of the revenue comes from wholesale sales and 52 percent from retail sales.

Under the terms of the deal, Phillips-Van Heusen will pay a combination of cash and stock, though most of the offer would be in cash. The former owner, Apax Partners, will still own about 13 percent of the American clothing company. Phillips-Van Heusen is expected to take on more than $2.5 billion in debt to finance the deal.

While Mr. Hilfiger no longer holds a management role at the company that bears his name, he remains a principal designer and a public face for the clothier.

Tommy Hilfiger’s chief executive, Fred Gehring will continue as chief, according to Monday’s announcement.


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Sources: NY Times, Harpo Studios, Oprah Show, Youtube, Google Maps

Oprah Interviews Andrew Young: Discusses Sex Tape, Edwards' Deception (Videos)

Oprah Has Harsh Words For Edwards



Now Oprah Winfrey is piling on John Edwards.

Winfrey, the talk show host and maker of best-sellers, had Andrew and Cheri Young on an episode of her show that aired Wednesday.

Winfrey grilled Young, a former aide to Edwards, about why he would have agreed to help Edwards cover up an extramarital affair in the middle of a presidential campaign. At Edwards' request, Young at first claimed he was the father of Rielle Hunter's child. Edwards eventually admitted paternity.

"That was former Sen. John Edwards. Lyin'," Winfrey said after showing a clip of Edwards denying that he was the father of the baby.

"If you're willing to pull off this kind of deception...what else would you be willing to deceive the American public about?" she asked about Edwards.

The Youngs are on a national media tour to help sell "The Politician," Young's tell-all account of the scandal. Inevitably, Winfrey asked about the purported sex tape that the Youngs say show Edwards and a woman they believe is Hunter.

Cheri Young said the tape shows Edwards "performing sex acts" while the woman holds the camera. "Thank you for that information," Winfrey said.

"You have got to be out of your mind to be running for the presidency of the United States and have somebody film you naked, you have got to be out of your mind to do that. What is that? What do you think that is?" Winfrey asked Young.

"I think it's narcissism gone wild," Young said.

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Rielle Hunter's Lawyers Accuse Andrew Young Of Stealing Sex Tape


In a court hearing Tuesday, lawyers for Rielle Hunter accused Andrew Young of stealing a sex tape featuring former presidential candidate John Edwards, then repeatedly lying about it.

The hearing marked the third time in a month that lawyers for Hunter and Young, a former aide to the former senator, have squared off in court in an attempt to secure all copies of the tape, as well as such items as photos Hunter took of herself while pregnant and of Edwards with their child.

Hunter sued Young and his wife, Cheri, last month over who owns the sensitive material. Young, who previously swore he was the father of Hunter's baby to cover for his former boss, has written a book about the affair and has frequently appeared on national TV to promote his book.

Though she has yet to appear in court, Hunter's legal team released a sworn affidavit from her Tuesday in which she said the tape and photos were not abandoned, as the Youngs have claimed, but were in storage with other property in a Chatham County home leased for her in 2007.

"It is horrifying to me that my privacy has been so invaded, even more so because it was part of an effort by the Youngs to make money," Hunter said, according to the affidavit. "Andrew Young and Cheri Young took my personal property that was extremely important to me, including the video recording marked 'Special' that I intentionally mangled and cut to prevent anyone from viewing it. They repaired that tape, watched that tape, copied that tape, talked about it repeatedly on national television programs and showed it to others for their monetary gain."

The Youngs say they found the tape in a box of trash after they were asked to clean out Hunter's belongings from the home while she was on a cross-country odyssey hiding in luxury hotels and the vacation homes of her lover's wealthy political patrons.




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Sources: Harpo Studios, Oprah Winfrey Show, AP, Politico, MSNBC, The Daily Beast, McClatchy Newspapers, Youtube, Google Maps