DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR: “WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S BLUEPRINT?” (VIDEO)

Post Sources: Beacon Press, YouTube

TEYANA TAYLOR IS A BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG BRANDING AND FASHION AMBASSADOR POWERHOUSE (REEBOK & OPI)

TEYANA TAYLOR IS A BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG BRANDING AND FASHION AMBASSADOR POWERHOUSE (REEBOK & OPI):

TEYANA HAILS FROM HARLEM, NY.

SHE IS BOLD, OUT OF THE BOX, AMBITIOUS, CREATIVE & INTELLIGENT.

HARLEM, NY SHOULD BE PROUD OF TEYANA’S SUCCESS.

I HOPE SHE REMAINS ON TOP FOR YEARS TO COME.

SHE NEEDS TO GO ON TOUR TO SHOWCASE HER STYLE AND TALENTS.


Post Sources: Essence, WWD, VH-1, Breakfast Club, Fashion Network, Business Standard, Youtube


***** Teyana Taylor is Reebok's new Brand ambassador


Reebok announced the newest member of its family with the appointment of R&B artist, dancer, actress and famed sneaker head Teyana Taylor, as its official brand ambassador.

Taylor will join Reebok's like-minded collective of innovative and inspirational creators, including the likes of Future, Gigi Hadid and Top Dawg Entertainment Recording Artist Kendrick Lamar.

Taylor will spearhead the re-release of the Reebok Classic Freestyle Hi, the first fitness sneaker that was specifically designed for women.

First introduced in 1982, the Freestyle Hi was a groundbreaking silhouette that embodied then exactly what Taylor represents today: fearlessness and bold expression.

Taylor is known for her provocative moves, her unapologetic style and her freedom of language in music, fashion and dance - all characteristics that also describe the Reebok Classic and the Freestyle Hi in particular.

Taylor officially launched the partnership today via her social channels through new campaign images and video that she shared with fans worldwide.

With her trademark ferocity and her personal message to everyone to "Free Your Style," Taylor is pictured wearing the Freestyle Hi, which will include three OG colorways - the Triple Red, Triple White, and Triple Black - launching this month.

"Teyana Taylor is the perfect collaborator to join the Reebok family," said Todd Krinsky, Global Vice President of Reebok Classic and Entertainment.

"She is a risk-taker who brings her own perspective to every project and she stands uniquely at the intersection of fashion, music and fitness, which are the core tenets of Reebok Classic.

This partnership continues to solidify Reebok's commitment to women who express themselves through confidence in style," he added.

Commenting on the partnership, Taylor said, "Reebok has always been a brand that's been very special to my heart ever since I was young.

Freestyles were all I wanted to wear growing up so it feels like everything's come full circle with this partnership.

The 5411's really opened the door for creativity in womens fashion, it gave permission for sneakers to be feminine.

I'm honored to be the face of the Freestyle campaign for everything it stood for yesterday and what it still represents today."

Taylor and Reebok have notably worked together in the past, collaborating on her own brazen red colorway of the Question Mid as part of the 20th Anniversary of the iconic Allen Iverson sneaker in 2016, called the "Question Mid Teyana T.

EMAN KELLAM IS TOO BLACK FOR UK YOUTUBE?? #YOUTUBEBLACK

EMAN KELLAM IS TOO BLACK FOR UK YOUTUBE??

WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK BRITISH YOUTUBE CELEBS?

#YOUTUBEBLACK


Sources: Wikioedia, YouTube


***Eman Kellam:

Born: Emmanuel Olajide A Olaniyan
27 November 1997 (age 19)
Lewisham, London
Nationality British
Occupation TV Presenter, YouTuber, Actor
Years active 2012-Present

Emmanuel Olaniyan (born 27 November 1997) is an Nigerian British YouTube Personality, better known by his online name Eman Kellam, born (November 27, 1997) Lewisham, London, in the United Kingdom.

PRINCE, ANOTHER BLACK CELEBRITY WHO DIED UNDER OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION

PRINCE, ANOTHER BLACK CELEBRITY WHO DIED UNDER OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION

WHY ARE SO MANY BLACK CELEBRITIES DYING WHILE OBAMA IS IN OFFICE?

WHY ARE SO MANY BLACK CELEBRITIES GOING BROKE WHILE OBAMA IS IN OFFICE?

Sources: CBS News,  Celeb TV,  CNN,  Harpo, Mirror.co.uk, Youtube

Since Pres OBAMA'S election the rate at which BLACK Celebrities are dying raises a red flag and appears very suspicious.

First there was Michael Jackson, then Whitney Houston, Donna Summer, Maya Angelou, Natalie Cole, Bobbi Kristina and now PRINCE.

With the exception of Maya Angelou, none of these Black Celebrities were very old and all of them were Wealthy and could afford the best Medical care.

Human Beings are Mortal creatures in this life thus we won't live for ever while on planet Earth.

Of course there have been other Black Celebrities who died under White Presidents, however the alarming rate at which Black Celebrities have expired under Obama should create great cause for concern to say the least.

Could it be these Black Celebrities are worth more Dead then Alive to the Entertainment and Music Industry??

After PRINCE recently expired the Mainstream Media tried to immediately release negative false narratives about his suspicious untimely death.  

For example: He had AIDS.

He died of an Drug Overdose.

Maybe it was Suicide.

After much public outrage, an Autopsy was finally conducted on PRINCE'S remains before he was quickly cremated.

So am I implying Pres OBAMA played a role in the deaths of these Black Celebrities?

No but something nefarious is definitely going on and someone needs to question why so many Black Celebrities are dying while Obama is still in office.

Just as someone needs to question why so many Black Celebrities are going Broke while Obama is still in office.

To the families of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Donna Summer, Natalie Cole, Bobbi Kristina and PRINCE I offer my condolences.

But I won't say "Rest In Peace".

Why?

How can Human Beings "Rest In Peace" when their untimely deaths are acts of MURDER?

**** With Prince's death, fans reflect on other legends lost too soon

As news of Prince's untimely death at 57 spread across the Internet on Thursday, with fans quoting the music icon's lyrics and sharing footage of legendary performances, the online conversation quickly broadened.

Michael Jackson, who died in 2009, and Whitney Houston, who died in 2012, joined Prince on the list of top U.S. trends on Twitter. Call it mourning in the digital age.

The initial shock of Prince's death prompted a larger reflection of iconic artists lost too soon.

Some struggled to grasp the loss of artists who touched so many lives.

Prince's cause of death has yet to be confirmed by officials. He had recently been ill with the flu.

BILL COSBY CRIMINALIZED AFTER BASHING BLACK PEOPLE (KARMA)

BILL COSBY CRIMINALIZED AFTER BASHING BLACK PEOPLE (KARMA):

IT'S NO LAUGHING MATTER.

DR HUXTABLE DISGRACED AFTER EMBARRASSING BLACK PEOPLE FOR DECADES.
 
William "Bill" Cosby has been officially charged with Sexual Assault crimes.
His bail is set at $1 Million dollars.
This is a sad day for Bill Cosby and his family.
But what's even more sad is how for years Bill Cosby bashed BLACK Men, calling them IRRESPONSIBLE Losers, as he repeatedly spoke Gloom & Doom over the lives of BLACK Men.
Today Bill Cosby himself faces a future of Gloom & Doom.
Let this be a lesson to all BLACK Celebrities and BLACK Leaders.
When GOD blesses you (BLACK People),
he does not bless you so you can go out on the world stage and Bash your own race.
Instead when GOD blesses you (BLACK People) it is so you can Educate and provide OPPORTUNITIES to help uplift other BLACK People.

~ Bill Cosby charged with 2004 sex assault, free on $1M bail

Here's where the laughter ends.

Bill Cosby — America’s Dad — accused of rape by dozens of women, was finally hit with a criminal charge Wednesday before getting released on $1 million bail.

Just weeks before the statute of limitations was set to expire, prosecutors charged Cosby with sexually assaulting a Temple University employee at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004.

“The evidence is strong,” said Montgomery County Prosecutor Kevin Steele, announcing a single count of aggravated indecent assault against the creepy comedian.

Steele described the defenseless victim, tossing a fresh layer of taint on Cosby’s once-wholesome image.
“Frozen, paralyzed, unable to move,” he said. “A person in that state is unable to consent.”
Prosecutors initially declined in 2005 to file charges in the case, citing a lack of evidence.

Accuser Andrea Constand, who has spoken publicly about the encounter with the perverted funnyman, then filed a civil suit against Cosby and settled out of court the following year.

In a deposition in that case, Cosby said under oath that he gave Constand halved pills that he described as “three friends to make (her) relax,” according to the affidavit.

Among the last words she recalled hearing:
“Down them. Put ’em down. Put them in your mouth.”

He also acknowledged under oath that he obtained seven prescriptions in his own name for Quaaludes for the purpose of having sex with women.

A judge unsealed those depositions filed in Philadelphia federal court earlier this year, prompting Montgomery County prosecutors to reopen their criminal case.

“Reopening this case was not a question. Rather, reopening this was our duty,” Steele said.

The new case marks the first criminal prosecution of the diminishing star and sets the stage for what could be a blockbuster trial involving some of the roughly 60 other accusers who say they were sexually assaulted by Cosby.

The 78-year-old faces up to a decade behind bars if convicted. He went from the courthouse, about 10 miles north of Philadelphia, to a local police station and was freed on bail — all within 30 minutes.

“Make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that Mr. Cosby will be exonerated,” Cosby’s attorneys said in a statement.

An affidavit made public Wednesday detailed the revolting encounter with Constand in January 2004, which echoed other alleged assaults by Cosby dating as far back as 1965.

Cosby made two unwanted sexual advances on Constand in the months leading up to the assault, papers allege.

Constand, now 42, returned to his home around 8:45 p.m. thinking they were going to discuss her career. Instead, Cosby offered her pills and wine, according to the court papers.

“These will make you feel good. The blue things will take the edge off,” Cosby said, according to documents.

About 30 minutes later Constand was helpless as Cosby positioned himself behind her as she faded “in and out” of consciousness on a couch, according to documents.

Constand had blurred vision and difficulty speaking as Cosby fondled her breasts, put his hand down her pants and penetrated her with his fingers, the affidavit states.

Cosby allegedly took Constand’s right hand and placed it on his privates.

Constand passed out and woke up around 4 a.m. the next day with her bra undone and moved above her breasts, according to the affidavit.

Cosby, dressed in a robe, gave her a muffin, walked to the front door, opened it and merely said, “All right,” the paperwork states.
She recalled leaving the residence without saying anything.


After the alleged assault, Constand fled to Canada to be near family and told her mom what happened.

The mom confronted Cosby over the telephone, according to documents.

Cosby admitted the encounter during their conversation, said he gave Constand some type of “prescription” medication and invited the women on an all-expenses-paid trip to Florida, the affidavit states.

Cosby gave an interview to Cheltenham Township police in January 2005 and claimed the sexual encounter was consensual, according to the affidavit.

“When directly asked if he ever had sexual intercourse with the victim, Cosby gave (police) the unusual answer, ‘never asleep or awake,’” the affidavit claims.

Constand will cooperate with prosecutors in the new case, Steele said.

Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents 29 women who say Cosby also doped and groped them, said her clients are thrilled at the latest development in his long downfall.

“Seeing him criminally charged and having to face a trial is the best Christmas present they have ever received,” Allred said.

Sources:  CNN, NY Daily News, YouTube

Bobbi Kristina Brown Possibly Physically Abused, But By Whom??

‪#‎BobbiKristinaBrown‬

Was BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN Physically Abused by NICK GORDON or someone else in her camp??

Please continue to PRAY for this Vulnerable Young Woman.

It's NOT about MONEY!

It's about the TRUTH!

Due to her late Mother WHITNEY's severe drug abuse problems and her Father BOBBY's Child Support issues,
BOBBI KRISTINA never really experienced the kind of Parenting every Child needs to become a Whole, Healthy, Mature Adult.

I repeat.

It's Not about the MONEY because MONEY can't buy LOVE.

Instead it's about the TRUTH!

The TRUTH needs to be exposed so BOBBI can be at Peace.

Sources: ABC News; CBS News; TMZ; Youtube

WENDY WILLIAMS vs NENE LEAKES: THE BEEF IS REAL!!

#WendyWilliamsNeNeLeakes

WENDY WILLIAMS vs NENE LEAKES: THE BEEF IS REAL!

FYI: I'M TEAM WENDY!!

In the Media & Entertainment Game, only the STRONG & VERSATILE Survive.

Is there a Real BEEF between Talk Show Diva/ Best-Selling Author WENDY WILLIAMS, and Reality TV Star NENE LEAKES??

Yes!!

I believe NENE actually started this Feud but there is definitely Fireworks & TENSION between these two BLACK, Female Celebrities.

Usually I don't advocate, nor Support Feuds between Powerful BLACK Women but in this case I digress.

I may be Wrong for doing so but I'm choosing sides:

#TEAM WENDY!!!

WENDY STILL HAS THE HEAT!!!

Now Please allow Me to explain my position.

While its true NENE LEAKES is a Celebrity, She has NO Longevity beyond BRAVO's "Real Housewives Of Atlanta".

For example:

NENE's sitcom "The New Normal" was Cancelled after only One Season.

And........

At the moment No one in Hollywood appears to be knocking down her doors to offer her any Major Film roles.

Has NENE been offered an Opportunity to launch her Own Talk Show??

NO!!

Why??

It's because NENE LEAKES has been typecast as an "Angry, BLACK Woman".

NENE is indeed very Intelligent & Talented, however every TV role I've seen her Acting Skills displayed involved some form of ANGER or Cutthroat Bullying.

Thus She has in fact been typecast.

Let's face it people!

Were it Not for NENE'S role on the "RHOA", She would be UNEMPLOYED!

That is unless She was willing to accept a Job in the ATL as a Radio DJ on STEVE HARVEY'S Show.

(I don't believe NENE would fare well among NYC or Los Angeles Markets as a Radio Presence.)

A couple of years ago NENE LEAKES released her autobiography "Never Make The Same Mistake Twice".

Sales for NENE'S book were Not Great.

Now let's talk about WENDY WILLIAMS from the East Coast.

NEW JERSEY native WENDY WILLIAMS has been around for more than 20 Years as an A-list, BLACK Female, Multi-Media Professional.

WENDY did Not achieve her level of International Success via the "Casting Couch", Nor via playing the role of an "ANGRY......BLACK Woman!

(NENE LEAKES did Not achieve Success via the "Casting Couch", but She did Achieve Success via playing the role of an ANGRY........BLACK Woman.)

WENDY is a Controversial Multi-Media Professional.....however She is NEVER been typecast as an ANGRY........BLACK Woman!

WENDY is Controversial but She is NOT Cutthroat!

There is a distinct Difference

WENDY WILLIAMS is extremely Intelligent......Personable....and Versatile just like OPRAH.

WENDY WILLIAMS keeps it REAL.......the Good, the Bad & the Ugly!!

While NENE LEAKES appears to only be "REAL" when the Cameras at BRAVO are Filming.

WENDY is also a Best-Selling Author, with a 3rd Book soon to hit the Shelves.

And.......

Like her Idol OPRAH.......

Multi-Media Professional WENDY WILLIAMS has Genuine LONGEVITY & True Valuable Staying Power for Advertisers.

Many Top-of-the-Line Advertising Sponsors & Hollywood Execs only view NENE LEAKES as a Short-Term Reality TV Show "GIMMICK".

But those Same Top-of-the-Line Advertising Sponsors & Hollywood Execs view Multi-Media Professional WENDY WILLIAMS as a Long-Term Valuable Commodity.

Yes NENE'S Salary on BRAVO is $1 Million Dollars but WENDY WILLIAMS surpassed that years ago!

When her Brand was HOT, Mrs. NENE LEAKES should have launched additional Streams of Revenue as did her fellow RHOA Castmates:

KANDI BURUSS

PHAEDRA PARKS

KIM ZOLCIAK-BIERMANN

and........

CYNTHIA BAILEY

Instead NENE ran after the Flashing lights of Hollywood only to be Fooled & later tossed aside.

I repeat.

In the Media & Entertainment Game, only the STRONG & VERSATILE Survive!

Is there real BEEF between WENDY WILLIAMS & NENE LEAKES??

Yes!!

I may be Wrong for doing so but I'm choosing sides:

#TEAM WENDY

WENDY STILL HAS THE HEAT!!!


Source: NY Daily News

Toni Morrison Receives Medal Of Freedom Along With 12 Other Great Americans; CONGRATULATIONS!

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

‎2012 Presidential Medal Of Freedom Honorees:

Toni Morrison - Celebrated American novelist

Madeleine Albright - 64th U.S. Secretary of State, the first woman to hold that position

John Doar - Former Justice Department official that led federal efforts to protect and enforce civil rights during the 1960s

Bob Dylan - Influential American musician

William Foege - Physician and epidemiologist that lead the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s

John Glenn - Former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut and United States Senator

Gordon Hirabayashi - He openly defied the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

Dolores Huerta - Notable human right activist and co-founded the National Farmworkers Association in 1962

Jan Karski - Officer in the Polish Underground during World War II and carried among the first eye-witness accounts of the Holocaust to the world

Juliette Gordon Low - Founded the Girl Scouts in 1912

Shimon Peres - Advocate for Israel's security and for peace

John Paul Stevens - Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1975 to 2010

Pat Summitt - All-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history


Remarks by the President at Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Everybody, please have a seat, and welcome to the White House. It is an extraordinary pleasure to be here with all of you to present this year’s Medals of Freedom. And I have to say, just looking around the room, this is a packed house, which is a testament to how cool this group is. (Laughter.) Everybody wanted to check them out.

This is the highest civilian honor this country can bestow, which is ironic, because nobody sets out to win it. No one ever picks up a guitar, or fights a disease, or starts a movement, thinking, “You know what, if I keep this up, in 2012, I could get a medal in the White House from a guy named Barack Obama.” (Laughter.) That wasn’t in the plan.

But that’s exactly what makes this award so special. Every one of today’s honorees is blessed with an extraordinary amount of talent. All of them are driven. But, yes, we could fill this room many times over with people who are talented and driven. What sets these men and women apart is the incredible impact they have had on so many people -- not in short, blinding bursts, but steadily, over the course of a lifetime.

Together, the honorees on this stage, and the ones who couldn’t be here, have moved us with their words; they have inspired us with their actions. They’ve enriched our lives and they’ve changed our lives for the better. Some of them are household names; others have labored quietly out of the public eye. Most of them may never fully appreciate the difference they’ve made or the influence that they’ve had, but that’s where our job comes in. It’s our job to help let them know how extraordinary their impact has been on our lives. And so today we present this amazing group with one more accolade for a life well led, and that’s the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

So I’m going to take an opportunity -- I hope you guys don’t mind -- to brag about each of you, starting with Madeleine Albright.

Usually, Madeleine does the talking. (Laughter.) Once in a while, she lets her jewelry do the talking. (Laughter.) When Saddam Hussein called her a “snake,” she wore a serpent on her lapel -- (laughter) -- the next time she visited Baghdad. When Slobodan Milosevic referred to her as a “goat,” a new pin appeared in her collection.

As the first woman to serve as America’s top diplomat, Madeleine’s courage and toughness helped bring peace to the Balkans and paved the way for progress in some of the most unstable corners of the world. And as an immigrant herself -- the granddaughter of Holocaust victims who fled her native Czechoslovakia as a child -- Madeleine brought a unique perspective to the job. This is one of my favorite stories. Once, at a naturalization ceremony, an Ethiopian man came up to her and said, “Only in America can a refugee meet the Secretary of State.” And she replied, “Only in America can a refugee become the Secretary of State.” (Laughter.) We’re extraordinarily honored to have Madeleine here. And obviously, I think it’s fair to say I speak for one of your successors who is so appreciative of the work you did and the path that you laid.

It was a scorching hot day in 1963, and Mississippi was on the verge of a massacre. The funeral procession for Medgar Evers had just disbanded, and a group of marchers was throwing rocks at a line of equally defiant and heavily-armed policemen. And suddenly, a white man in shirtsleeves, hands raised, walked towards the protestors and talked them into going home peacefully. And that man was John Doar. He was the face of the Justice Department in the South. He was proof that the federal government was listening. And over the years, John escorted James Meredith to the University of Mississippi. He walked alongside the Selma-to-Montgomery March. He laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In the words of John Lewis, “He gave [civil rights workers] a reason not to give up on those in power.” And he did it by never giving up on them. And I think it's fair to say that I might not be here had it not been for his work.

Bob Dylan started out singing other people’s songs. But, as he says, “There came a point where I had to write what I wanted to say, because what I wanted to say, nobody else was writing.” So born in Hibbing, Minnesota -- a town, he says, where “you couldn’t be a rebel -- it was too cold” -- (laughter) -- Bob moved to New York at age 19. By the time he was 23, Bob’s voice, with its weight, its unique, gravelly power was redefining not just what music sounded like, but the message it carried and how it made people feel. Today, everybody from Bruce Springsteen to U2 owes Bob a debt of gratitude. There is not a bigger giant in the history of American music. All these years later, he’s still chasing that sound, still searching for a little bit of truth. And I have to say that I am a really big fan. (Laughter.)

In the 1960s, more than 2 million people died from smallpox every year. Just over a decade later, that number was zero -- 2 million to zero, thanks, in part, to Dr. Bill Foege. As a young medical missionary working in Nigeria, Bill helped develop a vaccination strategy that would later be used to eliminate smallpox from the face of the Earth. And when that war was won, he moved on to other diseases, always trying to figure out what works. In one remote Nigerian village, after vaccinating 2,000 people in a single day, Bill asked the local chief how he had gotten so many people to show up. And the chief explained that he had told everyone to come see -- to “come to the village and see the tallest man in the world.” (Laughter.) Today, that world owes that really tall man a great debt of gratitude.

On the morning that John Glenn blasted off into space, America stood still. And for half an hour, the phones stopped ringing in Chicago police headquarters, and New York subway drivers offered a play-by-play account over the loudspeakers. President Kennedy interrupted a breakfast with congressional leaders and joined 100 million TV viewers to hear the famous

words, “Godspeed, John Glenn.” The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn became a hero in every sense of the word, but he didn't stop there serving his country. As a senator, he found new ways to make a difference. And on his second trip into space at age 77, he defied the odds once again. But he reminds everybody, don’t tell him he’s lived a historic life. He says, “Are living.” He’ll say, “Don’t put it in the past tense.” He’s still got a lot of stuff going on.

Gordon Hirabayashi knew what it was like to stand alone. As a student at the University of Washington, Gordon was one of only three Japanese Americans to defy the executive order that forced thousands of families to leave their homes, their jobs, and their civil rights behind and move to internment camps during World War II. He took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, and he lost. And it would be another 40 years before that decision was reversed, giving Asian Americans everywhere a small measure of justice. In Gordon’s words, “It takes a crisis to tell us that unless citizens are willing to standup for the [Constitution], it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.” And this country is better off because of citizens like him who are willing to stand up.

Similarly, when Cesar Chavez sat Dolores Huerta down at his kitchen table and told her they should start a union, she thought he was joking. She was a single mother of seven children, so she obviously didn’t have a lot of free time. But Dolores had been an elementary school teacher and remembered seeing children come to school hungry and without shoes. So in the end, she agreed -- and workers everywhere are glad that she did. Without any negotiating experience, Dolores helped lead a worldwide grape boycott that forced growers to agree to some of the country’s first farm worker contracts. And ever since, she has fought to give more people a seat at the table. “Don’t wait to be invited,” she says, “Step in there.” And on a personal note, Dolores was very gracious when I told her I had stolen her slogan, “Si, se puede.” Yes, we can. (Laughter.) Knowing her, I’m pleased that she let me off easy -- (laughter) -- because Dolores does not play. (Laughter.)

For years, Jan Karski’s students at Georgetown University knew he was a great professor; what they didn't realize was he was also a hero. Fluent in four languages, possessed of a photographic memory, Jan served as a courier for the Polish resistance during the darkest days of World War II. Before one trip across enemy lines, resistance fighters told him that Jews were being murdered on a massive scale, and smuggled him into the Warsaw Ghetto and a Polish death camp to see for himself. Jan took that information to President Franklin Roosevelt, giving one of the first accounts of the Holocaust and imploring to the world to take action. It was decades before Jan was ready to tell his story. By then, he said, “I don’t need courage anymore. So I teach compassion.”

Growing up in Georgia in the late 1800s, Juliette Gordon Low was not exactly typical. She flew airplanes. She went swimming. She experimented with electricity for fun. (Laughter.) And she recognized early on that in order to keep up with the changing times, women would have to be prepared. So at age 52, after meeting the founder of the Boy Scouts in England, Juliette came home and called her cousin and said, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world. And we’re going to start it tonight!” A century later, almost 60 million Girl Scouts have gained leadership skills and self-confidence through the organization that she founded. They include CEOs, astronauts, my own Secretary of State. And from the very beginning, they have also included girls of different races and faiths and abilities, just the way that Juliette would have wanted it.

Toni Morrison -- she is used to a little distraction. As a single mother working at a publishing company by day, she would carve out a little time in the evening to write, often with her two sons pulling on her hair and tugging at her earrings. Once, a baby spit up on her tablet so she wrote around it. (Laughter.) Circumstances may not have been ideal, but the words that came out were magical. Toni Morrison's prose brings us that kind of moral and emotional intensity that few writers ever attempt. From “Song of Solomon” to “Beloved,” Toni reaches us deeply, using a tone that is lyrical, precise, distinct, and inclusive. She believes that language “arcs toward the place where meaning might lie.” The rest of us are lucky to be following along for the ride.

During oral argument, Justice John Paul Stevens often began his line of questioning with a polite, “May I interrupt?” or “May I ask a question?” You can imagine the lawyers would say, "okay" -- (laughter) -- after which he would, just as politely, force a lawyer to stop dancing around and focus on the most important issues in the case. And that was his signature style: modest, insightful, well-prepared, razor-sharp. He is the third-longest serving Justice in the history of the Court. And Justice Stevens applied, throughout his career, his clear and graceful manner to the defense of individual rights and the rule of law, always favoring a pragmatic solution over an ideological one. Ever humble, he would happily comply when unsuspecting tourists asked him to take their picture in front of the Court. (Laughter.) And at his vacation home in Florida, he was John from Arlington, better known for his world-class bridge game than his world-changing judicial opinions. Even in his final days on the bench, Justice Stevens insisted he was still “learning on the job.” But in the end, we are the ones who have learned from him.

When a doctor first told Pat Summitt she suffered from dementia, she almost punched him. When a second doctor advised her to retire, she responded, “Do you know who you’re dealing with here?” (Laughter.) Obviously, they did not. As Pat says, “I can fix a tractor, mow hay, plow a field, chop tobacco, fire a barn, and call the cows. But what I’m really known for is winning.” In 38 years at Tennessee, she racked up eight national championships and more than 1,000 wins -- understand, this is more than any college coach, male or female, in the history of the NCAA. And more importantly, every player that went through her program has either graduated or is on her way to a degree. That’s why anybody who feels sorry for Pat will find themselves on the receiving end of that famous glare, or she might punch you. (Laughter.) She’s still getting up every day and doing what she does best, which is teaching. “The players,” she says, “are my best medicine.”

Our final honoree is not here -- Shimon Peres, the President of Israel, who has done more for the cause of peace in the Middle East than just about anybody alive. I’ll be hosting President Peres for a dinner here at the White House next month, and we’ll be presenting him with his medal and honoring his incredible contributions to the state of Israel and the world at that time. So I’m looking forward to welcoming him. And if it’s all right with you, I will save my best lines about him for that occasion.

So these are the recipients of the 2012 Medals of Freedom. And just on a personal note, I had a chance to see everybody in the back. What’s wonderful about these events for me is so many of these people are my heroes individually. I know how they impacted my life.

I remember reading “Song of Solomon” when I was a kid and not just trying to figure out how to write, but also how to be and how to think. And I remember in college listening to Bob Dylan and my world opening up because he captured something that -- about this country that was so vital. And I think about Dolores Huerta, reading about her when I was starting off as an organizer.

Everybody on this stage has marked my life in profound ways. And I was telling -- somebody like Pat Summitt -- when I think about my two daughters, who are tall and gifted, and knowing that because of folks like Coach Summitt they’re standing up straight and diving after loose balls and feeling confident and strong, then I understand that the impact that these people have had extends beyond me. It will continue for generations to come. What an extraordinary honor to be able to say thank you to all of them for the great work that they have done on behalf of this country and on behalf of the world.

So it is now my great honor to present them with a small token of our appreciation. (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE: Presidential Medal of Freedom citations:

Madeleine Korbel Albright. Madeleine Korbel Albright broke barriers and left an indelible mark on the world as the first female Secretary of State in the United States’ history. Through her consummate diplomacy and steadfast democratic ideals, Secretary Albright advanced peace in the Middle East, nuclear arms control, justice in the Balkans, and human rights around the world. With unwavering leadership and continued engagement with the global community, she continues her noble pursuit of freedom and dignity for all people.

THE PRESIDENT: I think this goes very well with your broach. (Laughter.)

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE: John Doar. As African Americans strove for justice, John Doar led federal efforts to defend equality and enforce civil rights. Risking his life to confront the injustices around him, he prevented a violent riot, obtained convictions for the killings of civil rights activists, and stood by the first African American student at the University of Mississippi on his first day of class. During pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement and in the troubled times of the Watergate scandal, John Doar fought to protect the core values of liberty, equality and democracy that have made America a leader among nations.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE: Bill Foege.

THE PRESIDENT: He is pretty tall. (Laughter.)

MILITARY AIDE: A distinguished physician and epidemiologist, Bill Foege helped lead a campaign to eradicate smallpox that stands among medicine’s greatest success stories. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Carter Center, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has taken on humanity’s most intractable public health challenges from infectious diseases to child survival and development. Bill Foege has driven decades of progress to safeguard the well-being of all, and he has inspired a generation of leaders in the fight for a healthier world.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

John Glenn has set a peerless example through his service to our nation. As a Marine Corps pilot and the first American to orbit the Earth, he sparked our passions for ingenuity and adventure and lifted humanity’s ambitions into the expanses of space. In the United States Senate, he worked tirelessly to ensure all Americans had the opportunity to reach for limitless dreams. Whether by advancing legislation to limit the spread of nuclear weapons or by becoming the oldest person ever to visit space, John Glenn’s example has moved us all to look to new horizons with drive and optimism.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Susan Carnahan, accepting on behalf of her husband Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi. In his open defiance of discrimination against Japanese Americans during World War II, Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi demanded our nation live up to its founding principles. Imprisoned for ignoring curfew and refusing to register for internment camps, he took his case to the Supreme Court, which ruled against him in 1943. Refusing to abandon his belief in an America that stands for fundamental human rights, he pursued justice until his conviction was overturned in 1987. Gordon Hirabayashi's legacy reminds us that patriotism is rooted not in ethnicity, but in our shared ideals. And his example will forever call on us to defend the liberty of all our citizens.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta. One of America's great labor and civil rights icons, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta has devoted her life to advocating for marginalized communities. Alongside Cesar Chavez, she co-founded the United Farm Workers of America and fought to secure basic rights for migrant workers and their families, helping save thousands from neglect and abuse. Dolores Huerta has never lost faith in the power of community organizing, and through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, she continues to train and mentor new activists to walk the streets into history.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Adam Daniel Rotfeld, former Polish foreign minister accepting on behalf of Jan Karski. As a young officer in the Polish Underground, Jan Karski was among the first to relay accounts of the Holocaust to the world. A witness to atrocity in the Warsaw Ghetto and the Nazi Izbica transit camp, he repeatedly crossed enemy line to document the face of genocide, and courageously voiced tragic truths all the way to President Roosevelt. Jan Karski illuminated one of the darkest chapters of history, and his heroic intervention on behalf of the innocent will never be forgotten.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Richard Platt, accepting on behalf of his great aunt, Juliette Gordon Low. An artist, athlete and trailblazer for America's daughters, Juliette Gordon Low founded an organization to teach young women self-reliance and resourcefulness. A century later, during the "Year of the Girl," the Girl Scouts' more than 3 million members are leaders in their communities and are translating new skills into successful careers. Americans of all backgrounds continue to draw inspiration from Juliette Gordon Low's remarkable vision, and we celebrate her dedication to empowering girls everywhere.

(The medal is presented. Applause.)

Toni Morrison. The first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize, Toni Morrison is one of our nation's most distinguished storytellers. She has captivated readers through lyrical prose that depicts the complexities of a people and challenges our concepts of race and gender. Her works are hallmarks of the American literary tradition, and the United States proudly honors her for her nursing of souls and strengthening the character of our union.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

John Paul Stevens. From the Navy to the bench, John Paul Stevens has devoted himself to service to our nation. After earning a Bronze Star in World War II, Stevens returned home to pursue a career in law. As an attorney, he became a leading practitioner of anti-trust law. And as a Supreme Court Justice, he dedicated his long and distinguished tenure to applying our Constitution with fidelity and independence. His integrity, humility, and steadfast commitment to the rule of law have fortified the noble vision of our nation’s founders.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Pat Summitt. Pat Summitt is an unparalleled figure in collegiate sports. Over 38 seasons, she proudly led the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers to 32 SEC tournament and regular season championships and eight national titles, becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history. On the court, Coach Summitt inspired young women across our country to shoot even higher in pursuit of their dreams. Off the court, she has inspired us all by turning her personal struggle into a public campaign to combat Alzheimer’s disease. Pat Summitt’s strength and character exemplify all that is best about athletics in America.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Bob Dylan. A modern-day troubadour, Bob Dylan established himself as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. The rich poetry of his lyrics opened up new possibilities for popular song and inspired generations. His melodies have brought ancient traditions into the modern age. More than 50 years after his career began, Bob Dylan remains an eminent voice in our national conversation and around the world.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Can everybody please stand and give a rousing applause to our Medal of Freedom winners? (Applause.)

Well, we could not be prouder of all of them. We could not be more grateful to all of them. You have had an impact on all of us, and I know that you will continue to have an impact on all of us. So thank you for being here. Thank you for putting yourself through White House ceremonies -- (laughter) -- which are always full of all kinds of protocol.

Fortunately, we also have a reception afterwards. I hear the food around here is pretty good. (Laughter.) So I look forward to all of you having a chance to stay and mingle, and again, thank you again, to all of you. (Applause.)


Sources: AP, MSNBC, White House.gov

Whitney Houston Performs "Star Spangled Banner", 1991 Super Bowl (That Voice)

Whitney's Super Bowl national anthem was a classic

Among the annals of national anthems as a prelude to sporting events, few have topped the one delivered by Whitney Houston, who died Saturday, before Super Bowl XXV in 1991 in Tampa. Just a woman, her incredible voice and the bare minimum of extraneous notes.

Her rendition came at a particularly patriotic time, just after the onset of the Persian Gulf War, and was released as a single. It was re-released after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Houston donated all proceeds to charity. There was some controversy over whether she had pre-recorded the song, but it still ranks among the best all-time because of the circumstances and ... that voice..



Whitney Houston’s Star-Spangled Secret

It was what turned a star into a superstar: Whitney Houston’s mesmerizing rendition of the national anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl. Houston’s powerful “Star Spangled Banner” performance came at a poignant, patriotic time — the U.S. had just entered the 1991 Gulf War.

But here’s what you didn’t know: What the Super Bowl audience and hundreds of millions of TV viewers heard was lip-synched.

“The music was pre-recorded, and so was the vocal,” confirmed Rickey Minor, who was Houston’s musical director at the time.

Minor, now the band leader on Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show,” said that in a crowd that large and loud, it was impossible for Houston to hear herself. Though she did sing, it was her pre-recorded voice that the audience heard.

Here’s another surprise: Minor and Houston changed the national anthem to ensure a better performance.

“The original version is in 3/4 time, which is more like a waltz,” Minor explained. “What we tried to do was to put it in 4/4 meter… We wanted to give her a chance to phrase it in such a way that she would be able to take her time and really express the meaning.”

Minor was nervous that the altered anthem wouldn’t be well received, but that story, at least, has a happy ending: Houston’s performance electrified the stadium and soon after, popular demand prompted Houston’s record label to release a single that hit the top 20 on the Billboard charts.

“I think it might well be the best Super Bowl performance of all time, ” said Billboard Magazine editor Danyel Smith. “It may well be, with the exception of her version of Dolly Parton’s, ‘I Will Always Love You,’ the most remembered thing about her.

I think our grandkids will look at the video for ‘I Will Always Love You’ and they will look at the video of Whitney Houston singing at Super Bowl twenty-five.”


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Sources: AP, ABC News, Washington Post, Youtube, Google Maps

DONNA SUMMER'S Family Plans Private Memorial Service In Nashville, Tenn. R.I.P.

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

Donna Summer's Family to Hold Private Memorial in Nashville

Donna Summer gave many gifts to the music world, so naturally, the singer's family chose to hold her memorial service in the music epicenter of the world: Nashville, Tenn. (The star moved to the music capitol in 1994.)

TMZ, who broke the news Thursday that the legendary "Last Dance" singer had lost her battle with lung cancer at the age of 63, reported Friday that the private ceremony to remember the star is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30.

On Thursday, Summer's family released a statement to the Associated Press on their loved one's passing.

"Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith," the statement begins. "While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time."

The chart-topping, Grammy winner known as "The Queen of Disco" is survived by daughters Brooklyn, 31, and Amanda, 29, who she shares with husband Bruce Sudano, 63. Summer's eldest daughter, Mimi, is from her previous marriage to actor Helmuth Sommer.


Private family funeral planned for Donna Summer

Donna Summer's funeral will be a private one for family and close friends.
Publicist Brian Edwards said in a statement Friday that Summer's family is overwhelmed and appreciates the outreach from fans and friends, but that her funeral services will remain private.

He didn't provide details on when and where services would be held.
Summer died Thursday morning of lung cancer at age 63 in Naples, Fla. Edwards also said that the singer did not smoke.
Summer earned the title of Queen of Disco after releasing a string of dance hits in the 1970s, including "I Feel Love," ''Love to Love You Baby" and "Last Dance."


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Sources: AP, MSNBC, The Grio, US Weekly, VH-1, Washington Post, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Shirley Caesar's Mothers' Day Tribute: "No Charge", "I Remember Mama", "Don't Drive Your Mama Away" (Videos)

Sources: Youtube

Lark Voorhies: OMG! What Happened To "Lisa Turtle's" Face? Plastic Surgery Gone Bad??

Has anyone seen the face of former "Saved By The Bell" cast member Lark Voorhies lately?

She used to be so Beautiful.

Now she looks like the Walking Dead!

What happened??

Is it a case of Bad, Cheap Plastic Surgery?

OMG!






Lark Voorhies, former ‘Saved by the Bell’ star, looks barely recognizable with drastic new look


"Lisa Turtle", is that you?

Lark Voorhies, who played the spoiled student on “Saved by the Bell” from 1989 to 1993, has fans all atwitter over her drastic new appearance.

The 38-year-old actress looked barely recognizable during a recent interview with Yahoo!’s “The Yo Show,” in which she wore a different hairstyle and heavily-applied makeup over a puffy face.

During the chat, Voorhies admitted she would be open to the possibility of an onscreen reunion with her former cast mates Mark Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Tiffani Thiessen and Dustin Diamond.

“I really honestly believe if it did happen it wouldn't be a bad thing ,” the actress and producer said. “We tend to circumvent and come around to this topic quite often, so I think the buzz might catch.”

As for the rumors that she once dated Gosselaar?

"No, we were all that close," Voorhies said. "We just had a great chemistry and it registers very powerfully (on-screen)."

Nowadays, the former teen star said she has been "very busy” with her new company, Yo Soy Productions. In September, she will appear in an episode of VH1's new reality show “Miss You Much,” in which viewers are updated on what their favorite TV, movie and music stars are up to now.

Whoa! See What Lark Voorhies Looks Like Now


If the Bayside High Class of 1993 reunion ends up happening, Jessie, AC, Kelly, and Zack might have a hard time recognizing their old pal Lisa Turtle.

Now 38, Lark Voorhies--who played the spoiled Valley girl on Saved by the Bell from 1989-1994--recently sat down for an interview with Yahoo!'s "The Yo Show," setting the internet abuzz with chatter over how the actress has changed since her faux-high school days.

Voorhies, whose last major role was in 2001's How High, debuted a dramatically different hairstyle and a fuller face, heavily made up with poorly-matched shades.

During the chat, the actress and producer--who currently owns her own production company, Yo Soy Productions--opened up about what she's been up to lately, and more importantly, whether she and her former costars plan to reunite.

Though she wouldn't confirm if a reunion with Mark Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Tiffani Thiessen and Dustin Diamond was in the works, Voorhies did admit she would be interested in signing on.

"I really honestly believe that if it did happen, it wouldn't be a bad thing," Voorhies revealed. "We tend to circumvent and come back to this topic quite often . . .so I think the buzz might catch."

As for the rumors she once dated costar Gosselaar?

"No, we were all that close," Voorhies says. "We just had a great chemistry and it registers very powerfully [on-screen]."

This fall, the former teen star is set to appear in VH1's new reality show Miss You Much--which updates viewers on what their favorite 90s entertainers are up to now--alongside the Wonder Years' Jeremy Miller.



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Sources: AOL, Huffington Post, NBC, NY Daily News, US News, Yahoo, Yo Productions, Youtube, Google Maps

Whitney Houston Died From Combination Of Heart Disease, Cocaine & Drowning: Leave Her Alone! R.I.P.

Cocaine, heart disease contributed to Houston's drowning, coroner says

Whitney Houston died from an accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub, but the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use" were contributing factors in her death, the Los Angeles County coroner said in an initial autopsy report released Thursday.

Houston, 48, was "found submerged in bathtub filled with water" and "no trauma or foul play is suspected," the coroner said in a one-page release.
Her cocaine use appeared to have occurred "in the time period just immediately prior to her collapse in the bathtub at the hotel," Chief Coroner Craig Harvey told reporters.

The 60% narrowing of her arteries "suggest a cardiac event complicated by the cocaine use" led to Houston's slipping underwater, Harvey said.

"Something happened that caused her to go down and we know that when she slipped under the water she was still alive," he said. "We have evidence of drowning since there was water in the lungs."

The toxicology tests found other drugs in her body, including marijuana, the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, the muscle relaxant Flexeril and the allergy medicine Benadryl, the report said. But these drugs "did not contribute to the death," it said.

The report released Thursday did not disclose the levels of each drug, but that information will be included in the final coroner report to be made public within two weeks, the coroner said.

Houston's family, which had been informed of the findings before Thursday's release, issued a statement through a family spokeswoman.

"We are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure," said Patricia Houston, the singer's sister-in-law and former manager.

Houston died February 11 in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the day before the music industry gathered for the annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Authorities had said that police and fire officials were called to Houston's room at the Beverly Hilton after her unconscious body was found in the bathtub, just hours before she was to attend a pre-Grammy party at the hotel.

Houston won six Grammys and sold 170 million albums, singles and videos over her career.

In recent years, the singer's accomplishments were overtaken by her struggles with drug addiction.


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Sources: CNN, Google Maps

Whitney Houston's Will: Bobbi Kristina Gets EVERYTHING!

WHITNEY HOUSTON'S WILL: Bobbi Kristina Gets EVERYTHING

Read The Will (PDF)


Whitney Houston's 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina got inconceivably richer the day her mother died -- because the singer left Bobbi 100% of her assets in her will ... an estate valued at around $20 million.

According to reports, Whitney's will doesn't enumerate specific assets -- but she leaves ALL furnishings, clothing, personal effects, jewelry and cars to her surviving children ... i.e. Bobbi.

According to reports, Houston's money will be put in a trust -- which Bobbi will have access to in stages ... earning a portion when she turns 21, another chunk when she turns 25, and the rest when she turns 30.

The will was just filed today in Atlanta. Whitney signed it back in 1993, a month before she gave birth to Bobbi.


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Sources: CBS News, Celeb TV, CNN, Daily Mail, HLN, Nancy Grace, TMZ, Youtube, Google Maps

Bobbi Kristina Brown: Sole Heir To Whitney Houston's Estate!

Jeanine Pirro to 'Extra' on Houston's Estate: Brown Won't Get a Penny


"Extra" sat down with FOX News legal analyst Jeanine Pirro, who revealed, "Whitney had a will. The estate will amass a great deal of money as a result of Whitney's death."

Pirro cleared up any misunderstanding about Bobby Brown and his connection to Houston's $20-million wealth. "Her ex-husband may think he's entitled to some of her money, but he's not."

Whitney's fortune is growing each day, as the diva's $2-million New Jersey mansion is now up for sale, and album sales have markedly increased.

Forbes predicts that Houston's unreleased music, which she sang for her upcoming August film, "Sparkle," will be the "treasure trove for Whitney's heirs."


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Sources: AP, CNN, Daily Mail, Extra TV, NJ.com, TMZ, Warner Bros, Youtube, Google Maps

Bobby Brown Needs Prayer NOT Unfair Judgment! Leave Bobby Alone!

Everyone needs to Pray for Bobby Brown NOT Judge Him Or Bash Him.

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.





Bobby Brown Bailed Over Seating Dispute

Bobby Brown was asked to leave Whitney Houston's funeral today ... after he got into an argument with Whitney's family over whether or not he could bring nine people into the church with him ... TMZ has learned.

Brown was spotted going into the church today in Newark, NJ ... but was seen leaving shortly thereafter.

According to our sources, Brown was invited, plus two, but instead showed up with an entourage of nine people. We're told Bobby became upset when he found out they would not seat his whole party.

Our sources say Bobby wanted to sit with his daughter, Bobbi Kristina, but Whitney's family was not having it.

We're told Rev. Jesse Jackson tried to smooth things over ... but to no avail.

Rev. Al Sharpton spoke of the incident with Bobby as he left the church, saying, "He showed nothing but love and respect for Whitney. I wish people would leave Bobby alone" (see video below).

Brown issued a statement later on, saying, "My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions."

He continued, "I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi-Kristina. In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene."


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Sources: AP, CNN, Daily Mail, TMZ, Google Maps