TRAILER: The Longshots
May 31, 2008
RELEASE DATE: July 25, 2008
CAST: Ice Cube, Tasha Smith, Keke Palmer, Jill Marie Jones, Earthquake
SYNOPSIS: Based on a true story, a poor Illinois town comes together behind the local Pop Warner football team and their unlikely quarterback, Jasmine Plummer, the first female in Pop Warner football history.
Evan Ross falls for Hillary Duff in GRETA
May 31, 2008
Greta (Hilary Duff) is on a trip, but she’s not on a vacation. She’s seventeen, bright, beautiful and seriously rebellious, full of sarcastic wit that barely disguises the hurt inside. Pushed aside by her mother, Karen, who is on her third marriage and counting, Greta is shipped off to her grandparents for the summer, and she’s not happy about it.
In fact, she tells them that she fully intends to kill herself before the summer is over and is currently compiling a notebook of suicide methods. Acerbic, yet winningly impulsive, Greta is a stunning force of nature, disrupting her grandparents’ staid and settled lives and the Jersey Shore community they live in as well.
ON DVD: Welcom Home Roscoe Jenkins
May 31, 2008
Leading an all-star comedy cast, Martin Lawrence is talk-show sensation RJ Stevens, who left behind his modest Southern upbringing and family name to transform into a self-help guru dispensing his “Team of Me” philosophy to millions of adoring fans. With a reality-TV-star fiance and money to burn, there’s no piece of the Hollywood dream RJ hasn’t achieved.
After his parents request that he come home for their 50th wedding anniversary, the TV host packs up his 10-year-old son and diva bride-to-be and heads back to Georgia. It’s a chance to prove to his family that he’s no longer the awkward kid they relentlessly picked on. At least, that’s the plan…But when his crazy, lovable family calls him on his big-city attitude and challenges him at every turn, RJ is forced to take a hard look at the man he’s become.
Barack Obama Campaigns Ahead Of Last Primaries
May 31, 2008
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) wipes his brow after addressing a rally at The Four Seasons Arena May 30, 2008 in Great Falls, Montana. Members of the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet Saturday in an attempt to resolve what will be done with delegates from Florida and Michigan.
The DNC stripped the two states of their combined 266 pledged delegates because they broke party rules by holding their primaries too early in the year.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Hearst Magazines & Universal Motown Host “Ultimate Prom”
May 31, 2008
CosmoGIRL!’s Editor-in-Chief Susan Schulz with singers JoJo, Lloyd and Ashanti attend ‘Ultimate Prom’ hosted by Hearst Magazines and Universal Motown at the Grand Hyatt New York on May 30, 2008 in New York City.
(Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Group wins access to NYPD database on street stops
May 31, 2008
Civil rights advocates have won access to the New York Police Department’s internal, electronic database to search for any racial bias among hundreds of thousands of pedestrian street-stop cases.
The information could “give New Yorkers a better understanding of the extent to which the NYPD targets communities of color and particularly African-American males for aggressive stops, even though they’re doing nothing wrong,” New York Civil Liberties Union executive director Donna Lieberman said Friday.
M&I Bank Promotes Walt A. Buckhanan to Sr. VP
May 31, 2008
M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank (M&I Bank) has announced the promotion of Walt A. Buckhanan to senior vice president. Buckhanan serves as M&I’s director of corporate diversity and has been with the Corporation since 1986.
Buckhanan earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Paul’s College. Active in the community, Buckhanan serves on the boards of directors of the Clarence and Mildred Parrish Foundation, the Junior Cougar Football Organization, Survive Alive House, COA Youth & Family Centers, Business Improvement District 10, Milwaukee University Graduate School, Outlook University Network, and Omega Psi Phi 10th District.
&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank is an affiliate of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation (NYSE: MI), a diversified financial services corporation headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., with $63.4 billion in assets. Founded in 1847, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank is the largest Wisconsin-based bank, with 193 offices throughout the state. In addition, M&I has 51 locations throughout Arizona; 32 offices in Indianapolis and nearby communities; 31 offices along Florida’s west coast and in central Florida; 15 offices in Kansas City and nearby communities; 25 offices in metropolitan Minneapolis/St. Paul, and one in Duluth, Minn.; and one office in Las Vegas, Nev. M&I’s Southwest Bank subsidiary has 17 offices in the greater St. Louis area. M&I also provides trust and investment management, equipment leasing, mortgage banking, asset-based lending, financial planning, investments, and insurance services from offices throughout the country and on the Internet (http://www.mibank.com or http://www.micorp.com). M&I’s customer-based approach, internal growth, and strategic acquisitions have made M&I a nationally recognized leader in the financial services industry.
SOURCE M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank
Arson Suspected at House Owned by 50 cent
May 31, 2008
Six people were treated for smoke inhalation after the Long Island home at the center of a dispute between the rapper 50 Cent and his former companion was destroyed by what the authorities are calling a suspicious fire early Friday.
The fire occurred just days after a heated confrontation at the office of the lawyer for the rapper’s former companion, Shaniqua Tompkins. 50 Cent does not live in the home and apparently was not there at the time. READ FULL ARTICLE
(Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
Clarence Thomas Hails ‘Dream Come True’ at Washington Jesuit Academy
May 31, 2008
The virtues of diligence, self-discipline and hope were emphasized for graduates of the Washington Jesuit Academy (WJA) by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas. A survivor of 1950s-era racial discrimination and poverty in the Deep South, Thomas persevered and graduated from Yale Law School, and joined the Nation’s High Court in 1991. In his remarks, Thomas lauded the WJA’s curriculum and rigorous standards, saying: “If this could be replicated across the United States, so many of our problems could be solved.”
Donna Summer Performs On NBC’s “Today” Show
May 31, 2008
Singer Donna Summer performs on NBC’s ‘Today Show’ in Rockefeller Plaza on May 30, 2008 in New York City.
The legendary singer who released “Crayons,” her first studio album in 17 years last week landed at #5 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop albums chart and #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 making “Crayons” the singer’s highest debuting album ever, trumping “She Works Hard For the Money” released in 1983.
(Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
Black bloggers fight to make voices heard
May 31, 2008
With its power-to-the-individual approach, the new media world promises anyone with a laptop the possibility of a publishing empire. But, as some black bloggers are finding out, the new media world is a lot like the old one: racially segregated, with many prominent black voices still fighting to be heard.
Real Men Cook Father’s Day Celebrations to Feature Health and Wellness Pavilion
May 30, 2008
As a show of its concern for the health and lifestyle of the thousands expected to attend Real Men Cook, a food-sampling and family celebration in 11 cities, Real Men Charities, Inc. the presenting nonprofit, will host a Health and Wellness Pavilion in each market on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15. The cities hosting this annual food-tasting celebration that doubles as a tribute to fathers and father figures are Atlanta, Chicago, Benton Harbor (MI), Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, DC. Incorporating the family-friendly Pavilion into the bigger event is a response to the rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer and other afflictions that can be combated through a healthy lifestyle and nutritious eating.
In making the announcement, Yvette Moyo, co-founder of Real Men Cook and a health, nutrition and fitness enthusiast, noted that African American men’s health is a major concern as underscored by the alarming reality that black men’s cancer rates and death rates are disproportionately higher than any other group. She said that cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other health crises that impact blacks more than other races, in some cases can be addressed through healthy eating, exercise and minor lifestyle adjustments. She added that early screenings can detect cancers before they become life threatening. Prostate cancer awareness is a year-round initiative of Real Men Charities, Inc. In addition, through Real Men Charities, Inc. work in the area of HIV AIDS education and screening more and more Blacks are becoming aware that early detection of HIV AIDS, proper medication and good nutrition will extend life expectancy and quality for those testing positively. These are the types of screenings that will be available at Real Men Cook in each city.
UPTOWN Magazine Hires Squeakywheel Promotions
May 30, 2008
Uptown Media Group LLC, the parent company of UPTOWN Magazine, www.uptownlife.net, a luxury lifestyle publication targeting the Affluent African American Market, commonly referred to as “AAA”, has retained Squeakywheel Promotions, a niche lifestyle agency, to serve as its public relations firm.
Leonard Burnett, Co-Founder, Group Publisher of UPTOWN Magazine and Co-CEO of Uptown Media Group stated, “As the previously untapped Affluent African American market continues to grow exponentially, it is important to introduce the luxury advertising community to the UPTOWN brand with the goal of creating touch-points previously non-existent.”
Squeakywheel Promotions will create and implement strategic public relations plans to incorporate all aspects of Uptown Media Group 360: UPTOWN 360, which creates consumer connectivity for marketing partners, flagship UPTOWN Magazine (published quarterly with NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC and National editions), UptownLife.net, the first luxury lifestyle website dedicated to Affluent African Americans and the new UPTOWN Event Marketing Division, launching its first major Uptown Escape in Florida this October.
Simultaneously, Squeakywheel Promotions will initiate outreach campaigns to communicate with press and advertisers to educate them about the highly desirable and growing Affluent African American demographic as well as Uptown Media’s corporate strategy, key initiatives for growth and ongoing company developments.
“We are excited about the opportunity to get the message out regarding our unique product, brand and services. Squeakywheel Promotions has the expertise and insight to effectively communicate our strategy and objectives and ultimately raise the profile of Uptown Media” said Brett Wright, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Uptown Media Group.
Eddie Murphy Returns to the Force
May 30, 2008
Variety states that Eddie Murphy is attached to reprise his role as Detroit detective Axel Foley, and Brett Ratner is negotiating to direct.
Studio is aiming for a 2009 production start and a summer 2010 release.
Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce. Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ trilogy with late partner Don Simpson, won’t be actively involved in the new film.
Terry Crews wants to GET SMART
May 30, 2008
Terry Crews will star in this Action-Comedy as Agent 91.
Steve Carrel will play Maxwell Smart who is on a mission to thwart the latest plot for world domination by the evil crime syndicate known as KAOS.
When the headquarters of U.S. spy agency Control is attacked and the identities of its agents compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) has no choice but to promote his ever-eager analyst Maxwell Smart, who has always dreamt of working in the field alongside stalwart superstar Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson).
