Word on the Street

-Samuel L. Jackson, who had a 31 second cameo as S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Nick Fury, in last year's Iron Man, has just signed an unprecedented nine-picture deal with Marvel Studios to reprise the role.

The Hollywood Reporter says: The movies include "Iron Man 2," "Thor," "Captain America," "The Avengers" and its sequels. Also on the table is the possibility of toplining a "S.H.I.E.L.D." movie, which is in development.

The actor, repped by ICM and Anonymous Content, made a surprise appearance as Fury at the end of the first "Iron Man," throwing geeks into a tizzy and showing the first glimpse of Marvel's plan to link all their slate of movies into one filmic universe.

-Late actress/singer Eartha Kitt's former publicist has lashed out at Oscar producers for omitting her from a segment paying tribute to stars who had passed away over the past year.

lame indeed.

R.I.P Eartha

***

-Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman was drinking alcohol in the hours leading up to his serious car crash last summer- August 2008, according to a lawsuit filed by the female passenger who was with him at the time of the accident. She is also denying being his mistress.

*hmm mm - giving u both the side-eye

Scientific Breakthrough

Two Montreal researchers have proposed a new theory for a question that has long vexed evolutionary biologists: How did a mechanism thought to help build life self-assemble?

Sergey Steinberg, a biochemistry professor at the University of Montreal, found the answer in the ribosome, a relatively large mechanism within the cell that takes RNA instruction and builds proteins.

Steinberg and Bokov's theory fills in a critical step in how life got started four billion years ago, said Stephen Michnick, the Canada Research Chair in Integrative Genomics at the University of Montreal.

A key breakthrough came when Steinberg found that chemicals could spontaneously come together and form something as complex as a ribosome. Previous theories had suggested only simple proteins could form spontaneously.

Steinberg found the ribosome was put together using relatively simple structural rules, a bit like a three-dimensional puzzle.

For critics who ask why spontaneous formation didn't lead to something other than the ribosome, Steinberg used mathematical models to show there was no other possibility. The ribosome simply wouldn't hold together if it were constructed any other way.

His discovery, made with student Konstantin Bokov, has been published in the scientific journal Nature.

Poetry

Where beauty is, then there is ugliness;

where right is, also there is wrong.

Knowledge and ignorance are interdependent;

delusion and enlightenment condition each other.

Since olden times it has been so.

How could it be otherwise now?

Wanting to get rid of one and grab the other

is merely realizing a scene of stupidity.

Even if you speak of the wonder in it all,

how do you deal with each thing changing?

-Ryokan

Irish Coffee

...for cold days like today you just might want a 'special' coffee

Irish Coffee

Ingredients:
1 cup of strong hot coffee.
1 tablespoon of Irish whiskey.
1 tablespoon of cream.
1 tablespoon of sugar.

Instructions: Make coffee as normal. Once the coffee is ready, add the whiskey, sugar and cream. Serve.

so simple. enjoy

Ninja vs Beenie

Desmond Balentine aka Ninja Man is a Jamaican reggae artist. He is controversial and talented; he has been through a lot of hardship in his life but he seems to be on solid ground now. He speaks his mind and takes no prisoners. Ninja Man is my first crush, I still love this man (I can still here my mom say: eehee him ugly sah) but to me, he’s the man!

Ninja man-the original gold-teeth, front-teeth, don gorgon had some choice words for betweenie bwoy, ahem I mean beenie man….

Ninja says: Beenie Man a di biggest hypocrite, laugh an’ skin teeth wid man like him an’ dem a fren wen him in front a dem, but chat a bag tings behine dem back.

Ninja on Sting: A dun Beenie Man era dun now. Him fi jus gwaan record music fi him gran’ pickney listen to. A Mavado an’ Vybz Kartel a di new generation an him cyaan accept that suh him haffi fine a way fi get in a dem ting. Him jus deh pon one stage…dancehall, all afta him get di Grammy.

Ninja had a few words for dancehall artist Merciless: Merciless jus a come back an’ a try fi put together some lyrics fi eat a food, wah dem waan mi kill him off agen fah wen mi kill him so much time aready. Mi nuh haffi have nuh lyrics fi test Leonard. Mi jus look pon how di audience a respond an’ fine di right thing weh fi conneck an’ kill people.

Ninja goes for the jugular: Since Beenie Man feel like sey Merciless a deejay, Merciless dead a Jam World, bury a Negril a Spring Break and tomb inna him own birthday bash a Clarendon. Like how him come back now as the seven golden vampires, yuh Beenie Man remember say that I am Peter Cushing…a gwain peg him inna him heart wid a silver cross. Him muss bun up,”

Again to the jugular: Hey bwoy Beenie Man, if yuh bad like mi boot heel, yuh and Merciless step inna Follow Di Arrow meck a peg him an kill yuh. If mi nuh ketch yuh a Follow Di Arrow, anyway yuh deh I am coming to get yuh. Waste time a meck mischief and fight fi bi number one at all time. Yuh badmind thru yuh cyaan teck mi title like how yuh teck Yellow Man own ‘bout yuh a ‘king a the dancehall’

Ninja have a question: Mi waan fi ask Beenie Man couple questions. If yuh feel like sey mi doan have a career and tunes fi face Merciless, why when mi tell the public sey mi want him Beenie Man, Bounty Killa, Mavado and Vybz Kartel one time, why him nevva push up him chest like how yuh feel me nuh have nuh career?

Warning: when he said 'kill' he doesn't mean to literally kill somebody....its a reggae dancehall clash term which means to lyrically get the upperhand and be the crowd favorite.

This language is called Patois aka broken english.

Is this the new fashion trend? At the 2009 mercedes benz fashion week in new york, isaac mizrahi's models took to the catwalk with purse hats atop their heads.

The dresses were beautiful but i dont know if i would rock a purse hat. are u brave enough?

JT's Bacon Brussels Sprout Delight

This recipe is so delicious. Even if you don't eat or enjoy brussel sprouts, just give this recipe a try, it will certainly change your mind. If you don't enjoy this brussels sprout dish, then it really is not for u.

½ lb back bacon

1 lb brussels sprout, cut in halves with excess stem and outer leaves removed

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Fry the bacon until half-way cooked then remove from frying pan and set aside (in microwave to keep warm). Heat olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic for 2 minutes, add the brussel sprouts and cover, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick, cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Cut the bacon in bit size pieces and add to the pot, stir fry for about 2-5 minutes or until bacon is at your desired preference.

Do not overcook the brussels sprouts as this will release the sulpher smelling glucosinolate and sinigrin, which will give them a sharp taste; good news is however, the bacon and garlic add such great flavor and taste, u probably wont notice :)

serves 4-6

Yaad News

-Ida Louise Gordon, affectionately known as Miss Ida of Devon in Lime Tree Garden, St Ann, is officially 112 years old, according to the Registrar General's Department (RGD), the country's registrar of births, marriages and deaths.

However, Miss Ida insists she was born 10 years earlier on November 5, 1886, the date she has been holding on to ever since The Gleaner first published an article about her in 2003.

"We have gone through the records and we found that this family is a cultivating family. Miss Ida is from the second generation of newly freed slaves," said Holness.

However, even at 112, Miss Ida is one of the oldest persons in Jamaica. According to Holness, she is the second-oldest person on record locally.

-King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia of Spain visited Spanish Town, St Catherine - Jamaica on February 19, 2009.

Spanish Town once served as Jamaica's capital from 1655 to 1872.

During Wednesday's tour, the king and queen were presented with the keys to the old capital by Mayor Andrew Wheatley.

-A 16-year-old student of the Petersfield High School was stabbed to death yesterday, during an argument over a boy in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland - Jamaica.

The 16 year old was stabbed and killed with a scissors by a 15-year-old, who is now in police custody.

sad.

No Words....

Simply put, GoGirl is the way to stand up to crowded, disgusting, distant or non-existent bathrooms. It’s a female urination device (sometimes called a FUD) that allows you to urinate while standing up. It’s neat. It’s discrete. It’s hygienic. GoGirl is easy to use. Just lower your panties, and put GoGirl against your body, forming a seal. Aim and, well, pee. Pretty simple, huh?

yep, no words. smdh

Word On The Street

-Tyler Perry can't believe Hollywood is making such a fuss about his decision to cast Keshia Knight Pulliman as a prostitute in his new movie because it's been over two decades since the actress appeared on "The Cosby Show." Keisha Knight Pulliam will be in the new Tyler Perry flick Madea Goes to Jail, she will be acting opposite Derek Luke.

-Tyler Perry is also working on a sequel to the movie 'Why Did I Get Married', complete with the original cast: Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, and Perry himself.

(I will definitely be watching part 2. say what u want about mr perry, but u gotta give him credit for employing fabulous black actors. i love me some tasha smith and jill scott :)

-Tracy Morgan has thanked the New York Fire Department for saving his apartment after a blaze broke out on Wednesday.

Tracy says, "A fire broke out in my Manhattan apartment this morning, apparently starting with a lamp attached to my fish tank. The sprinklers promptly activated and the NYFD came by to make sure it was contained.. Fortunately, the fire did not spread and no one in the building was injured -- even the fish are okay. My thanks to the New York Fire Department for their quick action."

glad he's okay

-Russell Simmons new clothing line, American Classics, will be sold at 350 Walmart stores. The line, including knit and woven shirts, sweater vests, jeans, casual sports shoes and more, will sell for between $9.99 and $29 with most of the items being priced at less than $15.

Welcome To Canada, Mr. President

Canadians are welcoming US President Barack Obama today. President Obama has chosen Canada for his first foreign visit as president. He will be meeting with Canadian Prime Minister, Stehpen Harper, in Ottawa (the nation's capital) today.

It will be a short visit, just a day, but many people are making their way to ottawa to see...or even get a glimse of president obama. I wish I was one of those people, but my tivo is set to record his televised visit; it wont be the same as being there in person but I'll take what I can get :(

Canadian Living did an article entitled: how sexy is barack obama? All I have to say to that is - hell yes! Michelle, u are a lucky lady lol. here's the link if u wanna check it out http://www.canadianliving.com/life/community/how_sexy_is_barack_obama_2.php

Welcome to Canada, Mr. President. We love you!!!!

Fashion?

BULLET PROOF POLO SHIRT:

This polo shirt made for security-seeking wealthy people, this anti-ballistic (bullet proof) polo shirt takes safety to a new level!

A few security conscious rich people are on hit-lists of gruesome militias, this polo shirt from Caballero is something which ups the security factor.

Caballero has people as high-profile as Hugo Chavez on the client list just to elaborate on the fact that this offering is a top-notch product.

The polo shirt is good enough to protect you from a 9mm pistol. Priced at $12,000 dollars.

source: panache report

Word on the Street

-Michael Jackson is having a 4-day garage sale at the beverly hilton hotel starting April 22, 2009. among the items to be auctioned are: the glittery glove unveiled in the 1983 video for Billie Jean, his luxurious tourbus and a custom-made 1999 rolls royce.

-BEIJING, China (CNN) -- A married Chinese businessman who could no longer afford five mistresses held a competition to decide which one to keep.But the contest took a fatal turn when one of the women, eliminated for her looks, drove the man and the four other competitors off a cliff, Chinese media reported. The spurned mistress died and the other passengers were injured, the reports said.

-Rapper LL Cool J has penned an open letter to new U.S. President Barack Obama, offering him words of advice about how best to serve his country.

Young, Gifted and Black

Miss France 2009 Chloe Mortaud













The 19 year old is business student and the first Miss France to hold dual citizenship: American and French.

Born to a white French father and African American mother, Chloe was crowned Miss France in a televised ceremony in Paris on December 6, 2008.

Chloe is an inspiration and a role model for little girls.

Poetry

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

Maya Angelou

shoe trend...coming soon

Word on the Street

-British newspaper, the Daily Mail is reporting that Eddie Murphy has been ordered to pay child support to Melanie “Scary Spice” Brown for their daughter, Angel Iris Murphy Brown.

The actor must fork over £35,000 ($51,000.00 US) per month to the singer until the 22-month-old girl reaches age 18, Eddie Murphy also agreed to see his baby for the first time.

dang, mel b will be on rodeo drive this w/end lol. seriously though, girl, set up a college fund for that beautiful baby :)

-Vivica A. Fox will be hosting a reality show on VH1 called 'The Cougar' where she assists an 'accomplished, beautiful and sexy woman of a certain age' looking for love from a pool of eligible younger men.

hm mmm. i still love me some vivica though, she stays on the grind

-Rappers Jay-Z and 50 Cent have come in just behind Oprah Winfrey ($260 million) and golfer Tiger Woods ($100 million) on a new list of rich African-American celebrities. The $83 million Jay-Z earned between June 2007 and June 2008 and 50's $33 million puts them at three and four on Forbes magazine's list.

-LL Cool J's clothing line 'Todd Smith' is falling victim to the current global economic crisis, the rapper's designer wares are struggling to sell. The hip-hop star signed a deal with department store Sears to stock his signature apparel line in May 2008 but the rapper's designs are now being advertised at 50% off the suggested retail price online.

-Terrence Howard has left fans confused about his departure from the "Iron Man," sequel. The star revealed it was "the surprise of a lifetime" when he learned Don Cheadle would be replacing him in "Iron Man 2."

-Hip-hop star 50 Cent is risking his macho reputation in the name of business-he's reportedly planning to launch his own line of male grooming products.

-Ailing singer Natalie Cole's son has undergone tests to establish if he can donate a much-needed kidney to his mom. Cole, 58, has been battling ill health since she was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2008.

Happy Birthday, Robert Nesta Marley

Happy Birthday Robert Nesta Marley

Robert 'bob' Nesta Marley - February 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981

Community Service

Oprah Winfrey has donated more than $1.5 million to improve the education system in the most populated city in New Jersey. Winfrey’s donation will be used to fund scholorships and programs benefiting students in Newark, New Jersey, with $500,000 in grants going to at least three local education and community groups.

In a statement released by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, he says, “Oprah Winfrey is a powerful agent of change in our nation and she is a phenomenal friend to Newark. Her gifts will directly empower hundreds and hundreds of Newark families and help source our city’s success. We rejoice in Oprah’s generosity and celebrate her life commitment to serving others.”

St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, the North Ward Center and the Integrity House were among several grant recipients, according to the New York Post.The donation comes nearly two years after Winfrey donated $40 million to build an elite girls school in South Africa.

Word on the Street

Public Enemy rapper Chuck D fears the hip-hop scene is dying because there's a lack of good female rappers. The performer-turned-label boss insists the industry needs new talent, and promises to spend 2009 pushing the careers of young wannabe women MC's.

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps has acknowledged he engaged in "regrettable" behavior and "demonstrated bad judgment," after a British newspaper published a photograph of the swimmer smoking from a bong.
there is now a big whoopla about whether or not he should lose his endorsments for his 'demonstration of bad judgement'? seriously, isnt the olympics over? and isnt he a grown azz man? let me see, michael phelps smoked a joint and is getting a big backlash, but alec baldwin cussed his kid out and everything remains in tact; kate moss is still working; david hasselhoff is a drunken mess but everything remains in tact...but they kicked brandy off that ridiculous show for getting in a car accident (yeah, a lady died but brandy didnt cause the accident plus she was sober)! i'm just saying...


update: word is Vivica told Black Voices that she "is no friend of The Psychic Friends Network." and went to say that she never authorized them to use her "likeness, footage, voice and photographs as an endorsement of their service."

Vivica Fox is now hosting a psychic hotline - The Psychic Friends.

*smh* c'mon vivica, u cannot be serious about this mess.




Jennifer Hudson is set to follow up her triumphant return to public life with a six-week tour. The singer/actress wowed sports fans watching the Super Bowl with her first performance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew in October.

Rap mogul 50 Cent has been caught up in a new lawsuit: drinks firm Vitamin water, of which he is a shareholder, is facing legal action for allegedly misleading consumers about the nutritional content of its products. 50 sells his Formula drink through the Coca-Cola-owned brand.

btw: 50 and 'officer' rick ross are now having a 'rap war'. you are both grown azz men, cut this mess out! ppl dont wanna hear that.