Mike Tyson K.O's

Maya Angelou says King memorial inscription makes him look ‘arrogant’

story by Washington Post

photo by Nikki Kahn of the Washington Post

On Feb. 4, 1968, two months before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a haunting sermon at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church about a eulogy that might be given in the event of his death.

“If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice,” King told the congregation. “Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

The sermon was so powerful that the designers of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington selected those lines to be inscribed on the memorial’s towering statue of the civil rights leader.

But because of a design change during the statue’s creation, the exact quotes had to be paraphrased, and now one of the memorial’s best-known consultants, poet and author Maya Angelou, says the shortened inscription is misleading and ought to be changed.

Carved on the north face of the 30-foot-tall granite statue, the inscription reads: I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.

“The quote makes Dr. Martin Luther King look like an arrogant twit,” Angelou, 83, said Tuesday. “He was anything but that. He was far too profound a man for that four-letter word to apply.

“He had no arrogance at all,” she said. “He had a humility that comes from deep inside. The ‘if’ clause that is left out is salient. Leaving it out changes the meaning completely.”

The paraphrase “minimizes the man,” she said. “It makes him seem less than the humanitarian he was. . . . It makes him seem an egotist.”

The drum major reference “wasn’t all that he was,” she said. “He would never have said that of himself. He said ‘you’ might say it.”

She said the quote should be changed to put it in context.

Told the quote had to be paraphrased to fit the available space, she replied: “Too bad.”

The inscription is one of two on the statue, which depicts King with his arms folded standing as if emerging from a huge block of stone. The memorial is on the northwestern shore of the Tidal Basin, just southwest of the National World War II Memorial.

The inscription on the statue’s south face says: Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.

The creators of the memorial had originally intended to use most of the direct “drum major” quote, with “Martin Luther King Jr.” appearing at the end.

The memorial’s executive architect, Ed Jackson Jr., said the quote was originally planned for the statue’s south face, the one viewers first see as they approach the statue.

But he said planners changed their minds and decided to move the drum major inscription to the north face.

They preferred the statue’s other inscription — Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope — to be seen first, on the south face, because it is the main theme of the memorial’s design.

But when they informed the statue’s sculptor, Lei Yixin, he told them that he had already prepared the north face for the shorter “despair” inscription and that the whole “drum major” quote would not fit, Jackson said.

“We said, ‘. . . We’ve only got this much space [on the north face], what are we going to put up there?’ ” Jackson said Tuesday.

“We sincerely felt passionate that the man’s own eulogy should be expressed on the stone,” he said. “We said the least we could do was define who he was based on his perception of himself: ‘I was a drum major for this, this and this.’ ”

“As you move through the process, things happen and you have to make design changes on the spot,” he said.

Jackson said the project outlined the situation and the solution to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which was overseeing the memorial design. “They didn’t have a problem with it.”

“Now, did I ask Maya Angelou?” he said. “No.”

Although Angelou is listed among the memorial’s Council of Historians picked to select inscriptions for the memorial, she did not attend inscription meetings, Jackson said.

He said he did tell two other top memorial advisers about the situation, Jon Onye Lockard and James Chaffers, of the University of Michigan.

“I’m the guy that’s making the decisions,” Jackson said. “I informed them of what I was doing. I didn’t ask them for permission, or whether or not they agreed. But they liked the idea.

“The buck has to stop somewhere,” he said. “Otherwise we go round and round and round.”

Lockard said Tuesday that he was fine with the shortened inscription. “If there’s any comment about anything, it’s late,” he said.

“I’m reading a lot of articles now by a lot of people on both sides of the fence, now that the monument is up,” he said. “Everything from [facial] expression to, now, statements.”

“I think it’s rather small of folks to pick at things,” he said. “This has been going on for 14 years, and all of them have had plenty of time to add their thoughts and ideas."

King Monument

National Urban League Brings Empowerment Summit to Atlanta

Commentary by:

Marc H. Morial

President and CEO
National Urban League

“It is troubling that unemployment is so high…and that we are so caught up in details of deficits and debt ceilings that we question whether government has any moral duty to serve the poor, help feed the hungry and assist the sick.” U.S. Representative and civil rights legend, John Lewis of Atlanta, Georgia.

As frustration with the inability of Washington to solve the nation’s job crisis mounts, the National Urban League is taking this fight directly to the American people. So far this year, we have held major job fairs and town hall forums in Indiana, New England and Washington, DC. At each stop, thousands of unemployed African American and urban citizens have shown up, resumes in hand, desperate for work. On September 17th and 18th we will be in Atlanta, offering both job and home rescue assistance at a free Empowerment Summit as part of that city’s 20th annual “For Sisters Only Expo.”

For months, Washington has been distracted by a manufactured debt ceiling crisis that nearly resulted in an unprecedented government loan default. But in recent weeks, President Obama, members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and other activists have joined the National Urban League in refocusing the nation’s attention on reducing high unemployment that has reached a depression-era rate of 15.9 percent in Black America. According to CBC Chairman, Emanuel Cleaver, in the last two years the Caucus has introduced more than 40 job creation bills in the House of Representatives. Most of that legislation has been stalled by Tea Party-backed obstructionists who continue to put the interests of Wall Street over the well-being of Main Street.

While Washington must do more to create jobs, the National Urban League and other progressive activists believe citizens have to empower themselves with the information, training, and employment connections needed to bring jobs and hope back to their communities. Last year, the National Urban League provided that kind of empowerment assistance to a record 2.6 million Americans.

Our jobs tours this year are part of that movement. The September 17-18 Empowerment Summit at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta will feature a career fair with local employers ready to hire as well as free one-on-one career coaching sessions. Attendees will gain access to local job training programs. And workshops will be held on how to utilize social networks and how to put the “wow” in your resume. We are asking all jobs seekers to bring an updated resume.

We will also hold a home rescue fair to help the thousands of Atlanta-area residents who are struggling to avoid becoming victims of the foreclosure crisis that has also hit urban Americans especially hard. Attendees should bring:

• Two most recent paystubs showing earnings for last 30 days
• Copy of any benefits statements reflecting amount, frequency, and duration of benefits Household Expense Budget
• If self-employed, most recent quarterly or year to date Profit and Loss Statement
• Last two months of bank statements
• Copy of signed 2009 and 2010 income tax returns
• Copy of a utility bill showing name and property address
• Homeowner’s Association bill if applicable
• Most recent mortgage and property insurance statements
• Copy of closing documents and most recent correspondence from your mortgage company

Many people come to Atlanta’s “For Sisters Only Expo” for the fun and great entertainment. This year come for empowerment too.

Muslims, police scuffle at Rye Playland over amusement park’s head scarf ban; 15 arrests made

'It's clear, this all happened because we're Muslim,' says Dena Meawad. (photo: Norman Y. Lono for NY Daily News)

Story by NY Daily News

Rye Playland was shut down Tuesday after cops scuffled with Muslims upset that women wearing head scarves were barred from the rides, witnesses said.

Fifteen people, including three women, were charged with disorderly conduct and assault in the chaos, authorities said.

The Westchester County park was packed with Muslims celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr - the holiday marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

One woman, Entisai Ali, began arguing with cops over the amusement park's head scarf, or hijab, rule, said Dena Meawad, 18, of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

The ban, which is not Muslim specific, was imposed about 3 years ago mostly to prevent hats from falling onto the tracks of roller coasters and other rides, park officials said.

"The cops started getting loud with her and she started getting loud, too. They pushed her on the ground and arrested her," Meawad said.

Her cousin, Kareem Meawad, 17, went to try to protect the woman and was beaten by cops and also arrested, she added. Her brother, Issam Meawad, 20, was pushed to the ground and taken into custody when he tried to help his cousin, she said.

"She just wanted to get on a ride. That was it," Dena Meawad said of the initial confrontation. "It's clear, this all happened because we're Muslim."

John Hodges, chief inspector of Westchester County Public Safety, insisted that police did not use excessive force.

He said up to 100 cops from surrounding departments converged on the park.

Two park rangers were injured in the melee, prompting felony assault charges against two people arrested, officials said.

The ugly incident happened just after 1 p.m. The event was organized by the Muslim American Society of New York, and attracted 3,000 Muslims from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Westchester County.

Ali's sister, Ayman Alrabah, 24, of Brooklyn said her husband, brother and father were all tackled by cops and put into handcuffs when they tried to help her sister.

Alrabah said she was unaware of the head-scarf rule until she and her sister tried to get on the park's Dragon Coasters.

"We requested a refund and all of a sudden an argument became a riot," Alrabah said. "Cops came. They were hitting my brother, my dad. My husband was on the floor and they were handcuffing him.

She said her 4-year-old son was "traumatized" by seeing his father arrested.

"They treated us like animals, like we were nothing," Alrabah said. "They came with their dogs and sticks. We came to have fun."

The park was closed for about two hours because of the fracas. It reopened at about 6 p.m.

Peter Tartaglia, deputy commissioner of Westchester County Parks, said the Muslim American Society of New York was warned in advance of the rule barring head scarves on rides for safety reasons.

"Part of our rules and regulations, which we painstakingly told them over and over again, is that certain rides you cannot wear any sort of headgear," Tartaglia said. "It's a safety issue for us on rides, it could become a projectile."

Many Muslims were given refunds as they left the park disappointed.

"In this heightened state of Islamaphobia, a woman wearing a hajib is an easy target these days," said Zead Ramadan, president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations - New York. "Unfortunately, this turned ugly due to a lot of miscommunication."

Vermont, New Jersey see flooding. Hurricane Irene Death toll now 38. Millions of folks without power. 650-thousand travelers stranded.


Videos by MSNBC

CLYBURN STATEMENT ON HURRICANE KATRINA ANNIVERSARY

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement on the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall:

“In the six years since Hurricane Katrina roared ashore, my colleagues in Congress and I have worked to help the people of the Gulf Coast Region recover and rebuild for the future. While much progress has been made, that work continues. Our partnership for the future focuses on education, health care, housing, infrastructure, public safety and storm protection.

“As much of the East Coast now contends with Hurricane Irene’s destructive impact, we are thankful for the tireless efforts of local law enforcement and all first responders who have worked so hard to prepare and protect the public from harm. After we assess the damage, Congress must take appropriate action to assist the recovery. Because no matter what region of the country we hail from, we are all Americans. Especially in times of crisis, Congress must put aside partisan differences and work together to do what’s right for the American people.”

Beyonce performs at Video Music Awards and Pregnancy Revealed

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Beyoncé

Hurricane Irene Eyewitness Accounts Saturday 8-27-11 in Virginia...

A friend of mine Jay Lang posted a facebook message from Hampton, Virginia on Saturday evening when Hurricane Irene was outside his door (comments follow):

______________________________________

Jay Lang -- "We'll family, I'm still holdin it down here. Been in the middle of this storm since 5am this morning & it's still going strong! Haven't lost electricty, some trees down, a few tornadoes, a 11 year old boy was killed today when a tree feel on their house. Irene is one Mad Woman. We've still got about 10 or 12 more hours of this. Right now outside its fierce! Would take pictures but the difference in air pressure would suck things out of the house, so I'm keeping the door closed." Saturday at 6:54pm

Foreigner Eardrum Suite -- "Hang tough, Jay.... Prayers for all in your area....!!!" Saturday at 6:58pm

Karen Sweeting -- "Yes, please use wisdom Jay! Glad to know ya'll are holding it down it's the calm before the storm here in North Jersey, ...will keep you posted!" Saturday at 7:07pm

Cheryl Daniels -- "At least u have power! Lost it about 2:00 this afternoon :)" Saturday at 7:22pm

Vanessa Petty -- "I wonder who caused Irene to be so Mad... Jay Lang" Saturday at 7:34pm

Jennifer Rampersaud -- "Stay strong bro!!" Saturday at 7:57pm

Marcella Parker -- "Been out of power for a few hours now, but at least we are safe. I didn't here about the boy. That's so sad." Saturday at 8:43pm

______________________________________

Al-Qaida's No. 2 Reported Killed by US in Pakistan

story by AP 

written by Matt Apuzzo and Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan

U.S. and Pakistani officials said Saturday that al-Qaida's second-in-command, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, has been killed in Pakistan, delivering another big blow to a terrorist group that the U.S. believes to be on the verge of defeat.

Al-Rahman was killed Monday in the lawless Pakistani tribal region of Waziristan, according to a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss intelligence issues.

A Pakistani intelligence official said al-Rahman died in a U.S. missile strike in Machi Khel village in North Waziristan on Monday.

Since Navy SEALs stormed Osama bin Laden's compound and killed him in May, the Obama administration has been unusually frank in its assessment that al-Qaida is on the ropes, its leadership in disarray. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last month that al-Qaida's defeat was within reach if the U.S. could mount a string of successful attacks.

"Now is the moment, following what happened with bin Laden, to put maximum pressure on them," Panetta said, "because I do believe that if we continue this effort we can really cripple al-Qaida as a major threat."

A Libyan national, al-Rahman never had the worldwide name recognition of bin Laden or bin Laden's successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri. But al-Rahman was regarded as an instrumental figure in the terrorist organization, trusted by bin Laden to oversee al-Qaida's daily operations.

When the SEALs raided bin Laden's compound, they found evidence of al-Rahman's deep involvement in running al-Qaida.

Senior al-Qaida figures have been killed before, only to be replaced. But the Obama administration's tenor reflects a cautious optimism that victory in the decade-long fight against al-Qaida could be at hand.

"It does hold the prospect of a strategic defeat, if you will, a strategic dismantling, of al-Qaida," incoming CIA Director David Petraeus said in July.

Since bin Laden's death, counterterrorism officials have hoped to capitalize on al-Qaida's unsettled leadership. The more uncertain the structure, the harder it is for al-Qaida to operate covertly and plan attacks.

Al-Zawahiri is running the group but is considered a divisive figure who lacks the founder's charisma and ability to galvanize al-Qaida's disparate franchises.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to summarize the government's intelligence on al-Rahman, said al-Rahman's death will make it harder for Zawahiri to oversee what is considered an increasingly weakened organization.

"Zawahiri needed Atiyah's experience and connections to help manage al-Qaida," the official said.

The U.S. official would not say how al-Rahman was killed. The Pakistani official did not say how the country's main intelligence agency, the ISI, knew that al-Rahman was dead. This official did not give his name in keeping with agency rules.

Intelligence officials had said at the time that four people were killed in the attack.

A CIA drone strike was reported that day in Waziristan. Such strikes by unmanned aircraft are Washington's weapon of choice for killing terrorists in the mountainous, hard-to-reach area along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Al-Rahman has been thought to be dead before. Last year, there were reports that al-Rahman was killed in a drone strike; neither U.S. officials nor al-Qaida ever confirmed them. The officials who confirmed the death Saturday said it represented the consensus opinion of the U.S. government.

Born in Libya, al-Rahman joined bin Laden as a teenager in Afghanistan to fight the Soviet Union.

He once served as bin Laden's personal emissary to Iran. Al-Rahman was allowed to move freely in and out of Iran as part of that arrangement and has been operating out of Waziristan for some time, officials have said.

Hurricane Irene's Major Flood Threat

Irene leaves a legacy of flash flooding across parts of the Northeast and New England.

The combination of a preexisting saturated ground and heavy rains from Irene has produced numerous reports of major flooding in the Northeast. This is both a river flood and flash flood danger!

In addition to numerous road closures, 30 homes were surrounded by water in Forkston, Pa. Main street was evacuated and bridges were washed out in Fleischmanns, N.Y. Several buildings and homes collapsed in Bristol, Conn. from flooding. In addition, 40 water rescues had to be performed.

Meet the Press 8-28-11 on Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene weakened after storm hit North Carolina

Video by CNN

Monitor Hurricane Irene

Satellite Link for Hurricane Irene's Current Path: http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm9/spec_floater3_large_animated.html

Photo above by AP

Hurricane Satellite images below by Weather.com

8-27-11 9pm eastern

Creating the King Monument

Creating the MLK memorial

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2010/12/01/VI2010120105535.html?sid=ST2011011304472

Chinese sculpter Lei Yixin works on the granite head that will cap the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on the Mall.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Of Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/11/24/GA2010112407137.html#photo=1

Motown Figure Esther Gordy Edwards Dies At Age 91

story by AP

Esther Gordy Edwards, who helped build Motown Records alongside her brother Berry Gordy Jr. and led efforts to turn its original Detroit headquarters into a museum, has died. She was 91.

Edwards died Wednesday surrounded by family and friends in Detroit, the Motown Historical Museum said in a statement.

Edwards was a Motown executive for nearly three decades, holding numerous leadership positions within the music company whose artists included Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and The Four Tops. Motown Records, which Berry Gordy started with a family loan in 1959, churned out scores of global hits from the building it dubbed "Hitsville, U.S.A." in Detroit. The company moved to Los Angeles in 1972.

Edwards served as senior vice president, corporate secretary and director of Motown International Operations, where she was charged with exposing the famed "Motown sound" to international audiences.

Wonder has praised Edwards for being like a mother to him when he joined the label as a child. She is credited with helping Wonder enroll in the Michigan School for the Blind, as well as managing and guiding the careers of Robinson, Gaye, Diana Ross and others.

"She believed in me — when I was 14 years old and many other people didn't or could only see what they could at the time, she championed me being in Motown," Wonder said in a statement. "I shared with her many of my songs first before anyone else."

When Motown and most of her family moved to California, Edwards stayed behind. She amassed what would become Motown memorabilia and set to work on preserving the old headquarters, including the label's famed Studio A. The large stately former house on West Grand Boulevard opened as a museum in 1985.

"I always thought I was the visionary in the family but I missed the biggest thing of all when Esther turned the so-called trash left behind after I sold the company in 1988 into a phenomenal world-class monument at the spot where Hitsville started — the Motown museum," Berry Gordy said in a statement Thursday.

"She nurtured it and held it together, all through the years, to protect the Motown legacy for generations to come — which is only one of the reasons people all over the world will remember and celebrate Esther Gordy Edwards," he said.

Gordy also said Edwards gave him "the hardest time" when he sought to get the family loan to start what would become Motown Records. She became, he said, "one of my biggest assets at Motown."

According to an official biography released by the museum, Edwards was born in 1920 in Oconee, Ga., and moved to Detroit as a toddler. She was the eldest daughter in a family of eight children.

She first married Robert Bullock, with whom she had a son, Robert Berry Bullock. She later married state Rep. George Edwards and became a step-mother to his son, Harry.

One of her sisters, Anna Gordy Gaye, was Marvin Gaye's first wife.

In a statement, Robinson said Edwards was "one of the most important people to come into my life both personally and professionally." He said it's because of Edwards' "wisdom and foresight" that the museum exists, allowing "people now and for generations to come to have a firsthand look at our legacy."

"Thank you, Esther, and I know you are in the hands of God," he said.

A public viewing is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the James H. Cole Northwest Chapel in Detroit.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Bethel AME Church in Detroit.

Hurricane Irene Forces Services for Nick Ashford to be Rescheduled

Story by: http://www.myv101.com/

Written by Angela Jackson: http://www.myv101.com/pages/AngelaJackson.html?article=3839791#.TlkI7NefV_Q.facebook

Nick Ashford Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashford_%26_Simpson

V101 studio has been informed that because of Hurricane Irene, the funeral for singer/songwriter Nick Ashford, 70, who died at on Monday from throat cancer, has been re-scheduled.

Nick’s going home services were originally scheduled for Saturday night at 7pm. However, with Hurricane Irene due to wreak havoc all along the East Coast and New York City, the services will now be held this Monday at 6:30pm at Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 Odell Clark Place (W 138th St) in Harlem, NY.

The repast will follow at the Sugar Bar (254 W 72nd St, NYC) the venue owned by Nick and his wife, partner and now widow, Valerie Simpson.

Hurricane Irene 8-27-11

Satellite Link for Hurricane Irene's Current Path: http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm9/spec_floater3_large_animated.html

Storms loom over Montaulk Lighthouse in Montauk, New York

Satellite view of Hurricane Irene at 6p on 8-27-11

Hurricane Irene tracking for 8-26-11

Satellite link for Hurricane Irene current path: http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm9/spec_floater3_large_animated.html

 

NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK MARCH POSTPONED

August 26, 2011—Due to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. being closed this Saturday and Sunday and Mayor Vincent Gray’s decision to cancel his DC State March so he can prepare residents for Hurricane Irene, Reverend Al Sharpton, National Action Network and the co-chairs of the August 27th March for Jobs and Justice are postponing the march until the new King Monument Dedication date is set. Rev. Sharpton is currently in Washington, D.C. at the King Monument speaking at the Alpha fraternity dedication and he will attend the King luncheon this afternoon.
--

Rachel Noerdlinger
President
Noerdlinger Media

King Memorial Dedication postponed due to Hurricane Irene

Washington (August 25, 2011) – This evening Harry E. Johnson, Sr. president and CEO of the Washington DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. released the following statement about Dedication Day.

Thank you for coming back this evening for a further update on our Dedication plans. In consultation with the National Park Service, the Mayor’s office and FEMA, it is with a heavy heart and enormous disappointment that we announce that, in the interest of public safety, we are forced to change our plans.

Here is the new schedule. First, the Friday schedule will continue as planned. Second, on Saturday we will hold the National Prayer Service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This will be the final official event of the Dedication week.

We have worked with the Park Service to ensure that the Memorial will be open to the public, weather permitting, on Saturday. The Memorial will be open Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon.

Finally, the official Dedication ceremony will be moved to a date yet determined in September or October. We will announce those details when we have them. For now, we wanted to make sure you had this information as soon as possible.

So many worked tirelessly to dedicate the dream and make this Memorial a reality. We owe a special debt of gratitude to the Foundation staff, our generous sponsors, and to you, the public.

In the words of Dr. King, “we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” With that in mind, let’s remember the spirit of the Memorial – justice, democracy, hope and love.


Dedication Event Schedule:

Friday, August 26, 2011

Partners In the Dream (Exhibit Hall) MLK Store
Washington Convention Center
Hall D
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Women Who Dare To Dream Luncheon
Washington Convention Center
12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

National Prayer Service
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will be open to the public on the Friday, August 25 from noon until 10 p.m. and Saturday, August 26 from 8 a.m. to noon.

-----------------------------------------

For more information about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, please visit http://www.dedicatethedream.org/

Dog mourns at casket of fallen Navy SEAL

Hawkeye mourns by the casket of his owner, Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson.

Photos by Getty and AP
Story by MSNBC

Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson lay in a coffin, draped in an American flag, in front of a tearful audience mourning his death in Afghanistan. Soon an old friend appeared, and like a fellow soldier on a battlefield, his loyal dog refused to leave him behind.

Tumilson’s Labrador retriever, Hawkeye, was photographed lying by Tumilson’s casket in a heart-wrenching image taken at the funeral service in Tumilson’s hometown of Rockford, Iowa, earlier this week. Hawkeye walked up to the casket at the beginning of the service and then dropped down with a heaving sigh as about 1,500 mourners witnessed a dog accompanying his master until the end, reported CBS.

The photo was snapped by Tumilson’s cousin, Lisa Pembleton, and posted on her Facebook page in memory of the San Diego resident. Tumilson, 35, was one of 30 American troops, including 22 Navy SEALs, who were killed when a Taliban insurgent shot down a Chinook helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade on Aug. 6.

 Petty Officer 1st Class Jon T. Tumilson was killed along with other SEALs on Aug. 6 in Afghanistan.

“I felt compelled to take one photo to share with family members that couldn't make it or couldn't see what I could from the aisle,” Pembleton wrote on her Facebook page. “To say that he was an amazing man doesn't do him justice. The loss of Jon to his family, military family and friends is immeasurable.’’

Hurricane Irene turns for the worse - Inland toward U.S. Eastern Cities

Story by MSNBC.com
Hurricane Tracker link:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44270712/ns/weather/?GT1=43001

MIAMI — The forecast for Hurricane Irene took a turn for the worse on Thursday, with the Category 3 storm now expected to track farther inland along the East Coast than before. That puts more people within the warning "cone" issued by the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Irene East Coast Path as of 8am 8-25-11

Hurricane Irene from land

from weather.com

Hurricane Irene from space

from weather.com

Earthquake Coverage at Radio One Corporate Office in Washington DC - WKYS D.J. EZ Street videotapes

Rev. Al Sharpton officially gets the MSNBC host post

The civil rights activist and frequent MSNBC guest will launch his daily 6 p.m. show on Aug. 29.

Mere weeks after MSNBC president Phil Griffin told reporters that Rev. Al Sharpton (photo above) "fits into the MSNBC sensibility," the civil rights activist has officially joined the cable network's roster of hosts.

The frequent cable news guest will host PoliticsNation, a nightly program that will air weeknights live at 6 pm eastern. The program, which will feature discussion on the day's headlines, will debut Aug. 29.

Magnitude 5.9 earthquake shakes Virginia, D.C. and New York

AP photo of falling debris in Vienna, Va. - suburban Washington DC 

Daaaaaaayyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!! An earthquake just hit our building in Lanham, Maryland. First indicators is that the magnitude of the earthquake was a 5.8. There were two "shakes". One shake was a tiny seemingly 2.5 that lasted about 7 or 8 seconds, and then stopped. The shaking stopped long enough for me to run in my colleagues' Ron Thompson's office to tell Ron that that was an earthquake. I should know living in California for 30 years going through its' major quakes. About a minute later, the "Big Quake" hit for about a solid minute.

The official reports now are that the magnitude was a 5.9 quake centered in Richmond, Va.. It felt a lot worse.

Wow! One of the 'many' reasons that I re-located to the Washington DC area was to get away from the California Earthquakes that at the time, in early to mid-1990's (I relocated to DC in 1996), was occurring a bit too frequent for me.

I see now, that you can't escape any sort of disaster on this volatile planet of ours.

Chief Administration Officer of Radio One Linda Vilardo, calms Radio One Headquarters in Lanham, Md

At 2:20pm eastern time, Linda Vilardo (photo above) made this announcement to Radio One in Lanham, Maryland:

"All:

We just experienced a 5.9 magnitude earthquake. Hope that you all are ok. Please let us know if you are not and want assistance.

In light of this event, please feel free to depart the office now (but please first alert your supervisor). We know that many of you have children and family that you need to check on.

Please be advised that there most likely will be some aftershocks. So please, please be careful and get safely to your destination."

Linda J. Vilardo

Chief Administrative Officer

Radio One, Inc.

._______________________

"You can run, but you can't hide" -- Heavyweight champion Joe Louis

Hurricane Irene could hit Washington DC -- Irene could become massive Category 4 hurricane

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HIP HOP GENERATION CELEBRATES THE DEDICATION OF THE NATIONAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL

Celebrities, Artists, and National Leaders Honor the Life and Legacy of Dr. King & Raise Funds for Sixth Annual Hurricane Katrina Commemoration

WHAT:

The Hip Hop Caucus and the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network presents the MLK Memorial Dedication Party. The Hip Hop community will pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrate the dedication of the National MLK Memorial on the National Mall. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Katrina Commemoration Foundation in conjunction with the 6-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina the following day in New Orleans.

WHO:

Performers: Biz Markie, Rashida Jolley (with Nate & Noble Jolley), Mr. Cheeks, Ressa Renee, Violet Says 5, LaTosha Brown, Laelo Hood, Awthentic, and Substantial, and More Special Guests TBA.

Speakers and Sponsors:

Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. (President and CEO, Hip Hop Caucus), Valeisha Butterfield (CEO and Co-Founder, Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network), Janaye Ingram (DC Bureau Chief of National Action Network and WEEN National Board Member); Service Employees International Union; American Federation of Government Employees; International Longshore and Warehouse Union; Head Count; National Association For Equal Opportunity in Higher Education; & National Organization of College Parents

WHEN:

Sunday August 28, 2011

6:45pm - Red Carpet for interviews and photo ops with celebrities, artists and national leaders
7:00pm - Event Doors

WHERE:

9:30 Club
815 V St. NW, Washington, DC 20001

CONTACT:
Reggie Dance, rdance@therdprgroup.com, P: 973-934-0099
Priscilla Clarke, pclarkepr@aol.com, (202)723-2200

Dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

The Dedication of the Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC will take place at 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 28, 2011.
The Dedication promises to be a historic event for the U.S. and nations around the world, as Dr. King’s vision and timeless beliefs continue to resonate with people of all lands. World leaders, civil rights pioneers, citizens who remember the hard days of segregation and those leading the next generation closer to Dr. King’s dream, will assemble together for the long-awaited celebration and remembrance.

This ceremony will be the culmination of a week of events, inspired by the establishment of a permanent honor to one of our nation’s greatest citizen leaders. Dr. King was a profound teacher, whose lessons were anchored in the primacy of human dignity. He enacted irreversible social change and led our country forward, relying exclusively on non-violent means. The Memorial will be a lasting tribute to Dr. King’s legacy and will forever serve as a monument to the freedom, opportunity and justice for which he stood.

Whether you live in the Washington, DC area, or are planning to visit for this momentous occasion, this website will offer the latest available information to help you plan. Please visit often, for it will be updated frequently as Dedication planning progresses.

We look forward to sharing with you a joyous and historic day for our nation.


Sincerely,



Harry E. Johnson, Sr.
President & CEO
Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.

Legendary Motown singer/songwriter Nick Ashford dies at 70

NEW YORK (AP) -- Nick Ashford (photo left), one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for the likes of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, and funk hits for Chaka Khan and others, died Monday at age 70, his former publicist said.

Liz Rosenberg, who also was Ashford's longtime friend, told The Associated Press that Ashford — who along with wife Valerie Simpson wrote some of Motown's biggest hits — died in a New York City hospital. He had been suffering from throat cancer and had undergone radiation treatment.

Though they had some of their greatest success at Motown with classics like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand" by Ross and "You're All I Need To Get By" by Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Ashford & Simpson also created classics for others, like the anthem "I'm Every Woman" by Khan (and later remade by Whitney Houston).

They also had success writing for themselves: Perhaps the biggest known hit sung by them was the 1980s hit "Solid As A Rock."

Biography below from music.msn.com

written by Jason Ankeny

The husband-and-wife team of composers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson authored some of Motown's finest songs, including the classic duets of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, before parlaying their success into a performing career of their own. Born May 4, 1942, in Fairfield, SC, Ashford was raised in Willow Run, MI, and sang in the church choir as a youth; after dropping out of Eastern Michigan University, he relocated to Harlem and accepted a job as a busboy. In 1964, he met Simpson, then a music student at Chatham Square School, and they soon began collaborating on songs; in 1966, Ray Charles scored a hit with their "Let's Go Get Stoned," and soon after the duo signed to Motown as staff writers and producers. In addition to the magnificent Gaye/Terrell duets "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "You're All I Need to Get By," Ashford and Simpson also penned Diana Ross' "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," the Miracles' "Who's Gonna Take the Blame," the Marvelettes' "Destination: Anywhere," and Rita Wright's "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You." In 1971, Ashford also produced Simpson's solo debut, Exposed; a self-titled effort followed a year later and in 1973, the couple recorded the duets collection Keep It Comin'. A move to Warner Bros. preceded 1973's Gimme Something Real; the following year, Ashford and Simpson were married. The title track from 1977's So So Satisfied was a Top 40 R&B hit and in 1979, they cracked the pop Top 40 with "Found a Cure." That same year, Chaka Khan recorded their "I'm Every Woman"; the song was later covered by Whitney Houston for the soundtrack to her film The Bodyguard, reaching the Top Five in 1993. Ashford and Simpson scored their biggest hit as performers with their 1985 R&B chart-topper "Solid," but when subsequent efforts failed to achieve similar success, the couple was dropped by Capitol following 1989's Love or Physical. Their next LP -- Been Found, a collaboration with Maya Angelou -- did not appear until 1996.

National Action Network, Al Sharpton, Tom Joyner and Others to Lead D.C. March for Jobs Aug. 27

Syndication One News-Talk Network's talk show host Rev. Al Sharpton and Fly Jock Tom Joyner

(New York, NY) — Rev. Al Sharpton and National Action Network (NAN), along with partners in labor, education, civil rights, and clergy from across the country, will hold a mass march for jobs and justice on Saturday, August 27, 2011.

The rally and March will be held by thousands of members of the civil rights community and all those who continue to push for equality across the board. These parties will convene in our nation’s capital to assess our progress and march on for the battles that still lay ahead.

The event is being co-chaired by Rev. Dr. Franklyn Richardson, Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church & Chairman of National Action Network, Lee A. Saunders, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME), and Randi Weingarten, President of American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

The National Director of the March is Pastor Willie F. Wilson from Union Temple Baptist Church. The March co-host is Tom Joyner from The Tom Joyner Morning Show. Among the speakers is the eldest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Martin Luther King III, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Marc Morial, Ben Jealous, Larry Cohen, Tom Joyner, Rickey Smiley, Dennis Van Roekel. A rally preceding the march will begin at 12 (Noon) at Constitution Ave NW and 17th Street NW. The march will begin at 1:30pm to the King Memorial site on Ohio Drive, SW and West Basin Drive, SW.

It is NAN’s goal to emphasize what it was that gave Dr. King such an exalted place in American history. It was his work for civil rights and labor rights that made him the historic figure he has become. It was near the grounds of his monument that he was planning a tent city for poor people when he was killed. NAN will use the occasion of August 27th to raise this unfinished business and challenge those that seek to undo what Dr. King tried to do for working people and labor in this country.

According to Rev. Sharpton: “There are relatively few moments in our lives that make history; The weekend of August 27th & 28th will be one for the history books as we not only commemorate the 48th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream Speech’, but also when the world bears witness to the unveiling of the national King Memorial. We are living in perhaps one of the most unpredictable and capricious times in our nation’s history and while people of color and the traditionally marginalized are making enormous strides with access to places never even imaginable before, the working class and poor are still under attack in extraordinary and systematic ways. When the disenfranchised are further removed from the mainstream, the class divide between the haves and have not’s naturally increases. For those who may be quick to forget the legacy of Dr. King, let us remember that he died while fighting for worker’s rights and the basic human dignity of all.”

National Action Network’s August 27th march will call attention to key issues that have not been remedied in this country. As working Americans struggle to gain employment and livable wages, we continue to watch rampant foreclosures and fluctuating markets most heavily impacting those that are already suffering under tumultuous financial times. NAN, and its partners in labor, education, civil rights and the church, call on every man, woman and child who understands the urgency of social justice on all levels to join them in Washington, D.C. this August.

President Barack Obama greets the people of Marthas Vineyard

U.S. President Barack Obama walks out of the Bunch O Grapes bookstore after shopping

President Obama Weekly Address: Putting Country Ahead of Party 8-20-2011

From a farm in the Midwest, President Obama talks about the determination and integrity of the American people and calls on Congress to put aside their differences to grow the economy.

Georgetown Hoyas basketball team and a China Military Basketball team fight in an all-out brawl

True Friendship

quote by Bruce Bellamy https://www.facebook.com/#!/bruce.bellamy

TRUE Friendship is given freely. True friendship is returned freely. Once a friendship is betrayed it is gone forever to be replaced by vague familiarity and acquaintance. If not cherished it fades and disappears. Understand this before taking your true friends for granted.

CBC event in Illinois turns into a Jobs protest

Los Angeles downgraded, drops Standard & Poor's after city investments downgraded to AA

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The city of Los Angeles will no longer hire Standard & Poor's to rate its $7 billion general investment pool because the firm recently downgraded the city's portfolio from AAA to AA.

Interim Treasurer Steve Ongele says the city has lost faith in S&P's judgment.

The Los Angeles Times (  http://lat.ms/oa5dt8 ) reports Ongele told the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee this week that the city should be proud for cutting ties with S&P.

He notes the market crash that came with the real estate debacle occurred because rating agencies like S&P gave unworthy corporations AAA ratings.

Ongele says canceling the contract will save the city $16,000 a year.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication Items

Dear Kirk,

After everything you've done to help "Build the Dream," you deserve to take a piece of the Memorial home with you.

That's why I'm writing you today - we've just released some brand new Dedication Items specifically designed to be enjoyed by Founding Sponsors like you.

Kirk, these will be available in the Memorial's Gift Shop while supplies last, but first, I am offering them exclusively to Founding Sponsors.

If you can make one urgent donation to the MLK Memorial, I will set aside the Dedication Item(s) of your choice and then ship them to you as soon as possible. http://www.dedicatethedream.org/site/apps/ka/ec/category.asp?c=4nJHJQPoEiKWE&b=7634177&en=jiJMLUMDIbJIJVNCJhLQJUMELfJXKfNRJiINK2NGKcLWJcPKJkK7H  

Each of our Dedication Items will make a wonderful addition to your home or office, and they will also make fantastic, 100% unique gifts for your loved ones.

And three of the items allow you to literally take a piece of the Memorial to your own home - they include actual pieces from the Stone of Hope.

So please don't wait! These items are limited-edition and will not last long. And your donation will help us raise the final $6 million we need to reach our goal.

Thanks for all your help - your generous support is the reason why we are about to unveil the MLK Memorial to the world. http://www.dedicatethedream.org/site/c.4nJHJQPoEiKWE/b.6715605/k.BDE7/Home.htm?utm_source=dedicate&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=panel&msource=0811HFpre&tr=y&auid=8807027

Sincerely,




Harry E. Johnson, Sr.
President & CEO

Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.

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P.S. Kirk, I'm reserving a select number of these special Dedication Items for Founding Sponsors, but once they are in the Memorial Gift Shop they will be available to the general public. So please don't wait - choose the item(s) you want, make one urgent donation, and take a piece of the Memorial home with you. Thanks again! http://www.dedicatethedream.org/site/apps/ka/ec/category.asp?c=4nJHJQPoEiKWE&b=7634177&en=edICKFMjF6IyEGOiEcIGLFOkEaKNK0MxEdIDLNMmH7KMIXNqHfKXF

Single people may die younger, new study finds

story by MSNBC
written by Joan Raymond

It's great being single, isn't it? You get to sleep on either side of the bed; you never have to wait for the bathroom; you've got all that "me time." Except, well, you may be one of the unlucky singles who keel over about one decade earlier than your married friends, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Although many studies point to the fact that singles just don’t fare as well in terms of health and longevity compared to the married, this new research shows “just how poorly the singles do,” explains lead author David Roelfs, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Louisville, Ky.


The researchers analyzed the data from some 90 previous studies, which included about 500 million people, and compared the risk of mortality for singles from those studies — defined as those who never married — to that of a married group, excluding those who are divorced or widowed.

The researchers found the risk of death was 32 percent higher across a lifetime for single men compared to married men. Single women face a 23 percent higher mortality risk, compared to married women.

In real numbers, “under the worse-case scenario,” single men could die about eight to 17 years earlier than their married male friends, says Roelfs, citing that nearly all of the data was gleaned from studies conducted in the last 60 years. Women don't fare much better. They could die seven to 15 years earlier than their married female counterparts.

The researchers speculate their longevity findings could be tied to poorer health benefits, meager public assistance and less income for singles. And some singles may not have the same social support that married couples have “by default,” explains Roelfs.

“If you’re a couple, a spouse may be after you to eat better and go the doctor,” he says. “Sometimes it’s just easier to be healthier and less of a risk taker when you’re married.” Though single people can get some of that same support from parents, siblings and friends, he says.

There is some good news for the spouseless: Singles who survive their younger years actually fare well over a lifespan. The relative risk of death for singles aged 30 to 39-years-old was 128 percent greater than among married people of the same age, but decreased to about 16 percent for single 70-year-olds when compared to 70-year olds in wedded bliss, according to the study.

And other research points to the fact that although the married still have better health than singles, the mortality gap between singles and the married is closing, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

So before all single ladies (and dudes) run screaming to the nearest justice of the peace to hook up, it's worth noting that, while the new research looked at mortality risk from a very large group, the study results are about “probabilities, not certainties,” says Roelfs. “The last thing we want is for some single person to say ‘Oh my God, I’m going to die young.’”

Still, not everyone accepts the premise that wedlock imparts any special healing effects.

“I think there is a marriage bias,” says social psychologist Bella DePaulo, author of "Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After." Too many studies, she believes, look at singles versus married people, without counting the divorced or widowed among the married cohort, skewing the numbers.

“You can’t say that single people would live longer if they got married, based on this research, because the researcher is only counting the people who got married and are still currently married.

Divorced and widowed people got married at one time, too,” says DePaulo, a visiting professor in social psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Of course, the perfect study to answer the thorny question of whether marriage really does impart health benefits would be, well, unethical: randomly assigning people to stay single or to get married, and then following them throughout their lives.

Then there’s the question of the quality of marriage — good, bad, indifferent — and its effect on longevity.

“I don’t think you need a study to tell people that a lousy marriage is going to be bad for someone’s health,” Roelfs says.

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Joan Raymond is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, the New York Times, MORE and Woman's Day.