Janet Jackson Ties the Knot

Janet Jackson

The cat’s out of the bag.. Last year in a quiet, private and “beautiful” ceremony, Jackson wed Wissam Al Mana, billionaire retail investor.

 

It's marriage number 3 for the pop singer/actress/entertainer extraordinaire. When Jackson was 18, she united in marriage with James DeBarge of the Motown family group DeBarge. Pressures from a number of different directions intervened- her record company, the demands of her schedule, her youth.  The marriage was annulled after 3 months. DeBarge’s drug habit was cited as the reason. In 1991, Jackson secretly married longtime friend Rene Elizondo, Jr. They separated in 1999.

Wissam Al Mana and Janet Jackson

Jackson (46) and her new husband (37) issued a joint statement to Entertainment Tonight confirming their union during last year. The couple has been dating since 2010.
As of 2012, Al Mana’s net worth was said to be an estimated at $1 billion. This makes him one of the richest retail investors in the Middle East.

Running the family business with his two brothers, Al Mana has made his fortune as the managing director of Middle-East-based Al Mana Retail Group, which represents Armani Exchange stores and other high-end retailers such as Giorgio Armani, Hermes, Balenciaga, and Roberto Cavalli.

Al Mana also owns stakes in the Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Dubai, Bahrain, and Kuwait, and is opening the flagship A/X Exchange in a Qatar shopping mall.

Best of luck to the happy couple.

Trick or Treat? Scary Halloween Movies

Trick or Treat? Have them both as we approach Halloween. Get a treat with a blast from the past. Turn the lights down and enjoy Michael Jackson's all time killer hit "Thriller".  Later, take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some of the most memorable movie characters who exude evil and create fear in movie fans. Here are just a few.

Astronaut Sally Ride: Rest in Peace

Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, died on July 23, 2012 after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, her company said. She was 61.

"Sally lived her life to the fullest, with boundless energy, curiosity, intelligence, passion, commitment and love. Her integrity was absolute; her spirit was immeasurable; her approach to life was fearless," read a statement on the website of Sally Ride Science, a company she started to help teach students -- particularly young women and girls -- about science, math and technology.

In the obituary for Ride, female partner of 27 years, Tam O'Shaughnessy, is listed first as a survivor. Then the obituary mentions her mother and other family members. Ride had been married to a fellow astronaut for five years, from 1982 to 1987. The news about O'Shaughnessy surprised those not in Ride's inner circle and sparked a national debate about the intensely complex and private issue of coming out and throwing your name behind gay causes.

"Could she have helped the cause? Maybe," says Fred Sainz, vice president of communications for the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. "For her not to have shared an incredibly important aspect of her life — being in a committed long-term relationship with a woman — meant many Americans did not get to see a dimension of her life that would have helped them understand us (gay people) and our contributions to society."

Her contributions can still be appreciated in a new context now, according to Ride's sister, Bear Ride, a lesbian who has supported gay rights causes.

"She was just a very private person who wanted to do things her way," Bear Ride told the Associated Press in an e-mail. "She didn't like labels (including hero)."

 

"At the end of the day, I gained an incredible respect for Sally Ride for knowing who she was and that she was true to herself and her family," says Sainz in an article for USA Today. "Clearly, it was not important to her that she live someone else's sense of who she should be. I think that's how we should all live our lives."

The Virgin Queen: Warrior, Woman, Queen

Hollywood created many films about Queen Elizabeth I. Recently, The Movie Channel presented a number of these biopics spanning from 1939 to the present. Take a look at a brief assortment:

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

Matronly Elizabeth I loves Robert Deveraux, 2nd Earl of Essex, but politics come before the relationship. Better Davis stars, along with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.

Time, CNN Suspend Columinist Fareed Zakaiah

The Wall Street Journal reports that both Time magazine and CNN have suspended columnist Fareed Zakaria following the revelation of similarities between his recent writing for both news organizations on gun control and another reporter's writing in the New Yorker.

Newsbusters, a conservative media watchdog, flagged on Friday morning close parallels between a paragraph in an article in Mr. Zakaria's most recent column, about gun control, and an April 23 essay in the New Yorker by Jill Lepore.

Mr. Zakaria issued a statement on Friday conceding "I made a terrible mistake. It is a serious lapse and one that is entirely my fault. I apologize unreservedly to her, to my editors at Time, and to my readers."

The Politics of Black Hair:MHP's Crash Course

Most women cringe at the thought of switching up their tried-and-true hairstyle.Our identities are intricately linked to the face we show others. You may not realize that what you do with your hair in the morning matters as much as a first hello. Your hairstyle communicates who you are at a glance. It's a shortcut to your personality and allows you to express yourself without saying a word.

Black Hair has always been mysterious, but so, so sexy and Black hairstyles for 2011 are diverse, beautiful, and appealing. Naturals, weaves, braids, locks, twists-you name it and you can have it. Pick your style...pick your color. Get a mid-year boost and make a change in your image.  Whatever you do, have fun with it.

What message is your 'do is sending? Check out the celebrities below and see how the "pros" do it. Then check out Melissa Harris-Perry's crash course on the Politics of Black Hair.

Robin Roberts Takes Medical Leave of Abscence

Robin Roberts says there’s no better medicine in her ongoing battle with myelodysplastic syndrome than beating the competition at NBC’s “Today.”
But even four straight weeks of wins for ABC’s “Good Morning America” can’t hold off the next crucial step in her fight with the blood and bone marrow disease. Roberts said Thursday she is taking a medical leave in late August or early September to get a marrow transplant.

My message to Robin is that she will be in our thoughts and prayers and that she should keep that wonderful smile as she tackles the fight of her life. God speed and hurry back, we'll miss you.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/ratings-wins-good-morning-america-fuel-celebration-abc-news-article-1.1122459#ixzz2233Pl0Bn

Did You Know: Presidential Firsts

Everyone is focused on Election 2012, wondering who will be the next occupant of the White House. Take a breather from the current political chatter and look at some presidential history featuring ten former presidents.

Southern Baptist Convention Elects Black President

The predominantly white Southern Baptist Convention made history and headlines late Tuesday when they elected Fred Luter, Jr. their first African-American president. Luter is pastor of Franklin Baptist Church in New Orleans.

Mommy Wars: Breast-feeding

The Time Magazine cover depicts a pretty young woman wearing skinny jeans and a tank top, nursing her nearly 4-year-old son. Women are buzzing about the cover and the subject. We'd love to hear your comments on the issue. Take a minute and share your point of view.

"Sherlock" Shines on Masterpiece Mystery

It's time for the next season of "Sherlock and it'll be well worth the wait.

”Sherlock” is both an adaptation and a modern update. Gone are the Victorian clothes, the horses and carriages, and the genial but bumbling Dr. Watson. Instead we get text-messaging, Skyping, and a blogging Watson (Martin Freeman) with the spirit and wit to match his famous comrade in arms.

Black Women Breaking the Glass Ceiling

I read an article in The Root that caught my fancy."Black, Female, and In Charge" sounded good to me. The survey of the accomplishments of twenty Black women who become CEO in their companies encouraged me to reach out to young women, share some of these role models that might be unfamiliar, and highlight some of the traits they exhibited that contributed to their success.

When we think black, female and in charge, we think Oprah Winfrey, Madame C. J. Walker, Linda Rice Johnson, Tracy Edmonds, Debra L. Lee and Desiree Rogers. You might even know Rosalind Brewer, new CEO at Sam's Club or Ursula Burns, CEO at Xerox. If pressed to name others, we probably couldn't add names to the list.  So let's get started, find out who some of the women are, and what helped them succeed.

Rest in Peace, Tyler Winstead

Another family mourns the death of a young family member.

Tyler Winstead, a high honors student in the eighth grade at Wilkes-Barre Area's GAR High School, was shot in front of 117 Hill St., just two houses away from his home at 121 Hill St., where he lived with his grandparents Willie and Carol Golden, just before 7:30 Thursday night.

Tyler was walking with a friend from the Catholic Youth Center on South Washington Street where he played basketball Thursday night when he was shot. Carol Golden said Winstead, her grandson loved playing basketball and video games.

Life Serving Service: African Americans in U. S. Coast Guard

Alex Haley

In my close to 70 years on earth, I'm ashamed to say that I've only read two items about African-Americans in the U. S. Coast Guard.  On May 24, 1939, Alex Haley began his service in the Coast Guard. During his time in the Pacific Theatre Operations, he wrote love letters for his fellow enlisted men to fight his boredom and was able to transfer into the field of journalism in 1949. After twenty years of service, Haley retired from the Caost Guard as Chief Petty Officer.

Daylight Saving Time-Who Thought of it Anyway?

Daylight saving time (DST)- spring forward by setting your clocks ahead an hour on Saturday night,  March 11, 2012.

My questions is "how did it all get started" and "why do it at all".

ENDER's GAME Casting News

Oscar Scott Card's novel Ender's Game is considered one of the greatest works of the science fiction genre, winning both the Nebula and Hugo Awards in 1985 and 1986 respectively.  The book has been translated into 28 languages and is recommended on the U. S. Marine Corps Professional reading list. A film adaptation is currently in the works and filming in New Orleans. The release date is targeted for March 15, 2013, which gives you ample time to read the book, if you desire to do so.

AZ State Senate: Doctors Lie To Your Patients About Birth Defects

AZ State's Senate passed a bill that would essentially allow doctors to lie to women about birth defects in the name of preventing abortion. In theory, this law would make it legal for doctors interested in pushing their own agenda on parents to withhold information on anticipated birth defects they believe might lead the parents to choose to terminate their pregnancy. Opponents point out that "wrongful birth" lawsuits are rare and don't need to be combatted with their own legislation.

Double Down and Renew Those Resolutions

As the New Year began, many of us had renewed energy to make some necessary changes in our lives.  We vowed to achieve a happier, healthier, and more active lifestyle. We hoped that these changes would be accompanied by weight loss. By now we’ve found that changing our behavior in the midst of winter is easier said than done.  After just two months, our promises seem to have fallen by the wayside. Here are some tips to avoid common pitfalls:

Bank of America Strikes Again: Explores New Fees

Bank Of America's retreat from a proposed $5-a-month debit card fee after angry customer feedback doesn't mean the bank isn't thinking up new ways to charge account holders more money, according to a report in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal.

The bank is searching for new sources of income after a revenue drop of 22 percent since 2009 and is weighing a new fee structure that would charge some account holders as much as $25 a month. The new plan is already being tested in pilot programs in Georgia, Massachusetts and Arizona, according to the paper.

Ballots for AFI's 100 Movie Quotes of All Time

AFI distributed a ballot with 400 nominated movie quotes to a jury of over 1,500 leaders from the creative community, including film artists (directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers), critics and historians. The task was to select the 100 Movie Quotes of All Time

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE BALLOT:

Chronologically, the ballot spans from 1927, with the first full-length sound film, THE JAZZ SINGER: "Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain't heard nothin' yet!" to 2002 and "My precious" from THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS.