VALERIE BY: Amy Winehouse
The best of Amy!
RIP: MS WINEHOUSE!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Winfrey to host series recycling her old show
(AP) — Oprah Winfrey is repackaging her now-ended daytime talk show to make it a key part of the lineup for OWN, her struggling cable channel.
Winfrey said Friday she will host the new series that will recycle episodes of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" as a "classroom" intended to help viewers improve their lives. The show, titled "Own Your Life," will air weekdays at 8 p.m. ET starting Oct. 10.
Appearing at a session of the Television Critics Association to announce the revamped series and introduce Rosie O'Donnell and her new OWN show, Winfrey took the opportunity to reinforce her commitment to the channel.
Friends ask, "Are you enjoying your time in the Mediterranean?" Winfrey said. But she's not on holiday, she said, "I'm here," and working in the Los Angeles offices of OWN.
It was announced earlier this month that Winfrey was expanding her role at OWN beyond the position of chairman, taking on the additional roles of chief executive officer and chief creative officer.
Her role at OWN beyond the position of chairman, taking on the additional roles of chief executive officer and chief creative officer.
Winfrey is claiming the title once held by Christina Norman, the former CEO who was dismissed in May in the wake of disappointing ratings for the channel. Norman's position has been filled in the interim by Peter Liguori, the chief operating officer for Discovery Communications.
OWN, which premiered Jan. 1, is a joint venture of Discovery and Winfrey's Harpo Inc. Since Winfrey's syndicated talk show ended in May, she has pledged to devote her full energies to OWN.
Acknowledging OWN's rocky start, Winfrey said Friday that one of her biggest concerns was "aligning" the channel's executive teams, "and now we have done that." She cited the help of two executives who are with her Chicago-based production company, Harpo: Sheri Salata and Erik Logan, who share the title of OWN president.
Putting Winfrey on camera, as well as more prominently at the company's helm, is an attempt to turn around OWN's fortunes.
Plans had been in place to pull from the "library" of more than 4,500 "Oprah Winfrey Show" episodes in a show titled "Oprah's Encore." But Winfrey said Friday she realized they could be better used if organized as an on-air educational tool about life.
"At Oprah's core, she is a teacher," Salata said in a release that announced a companion online course to the talk show reruns. Viewers can sign up "to reserve their spot" in class starting Friday at Oprah.com.
School starts with the show's premiere, OWN said. "Own Your Life" will be paired with "The Rosie Show," the new Rosie O'Donnell talk show that will air daily at 7 p.m. ET, right before "Own Your Life," and will also debut Oct. 10.
Appearing before the critics' group, O'Donnell said she was proud to join Winfrey, although she labeled the media queen "aspirational" and tagged herself "relatable."
She joked about viewers saying to themselves, "Oh, if I could only be Rosie O'Donnell: an overweight lesbian who yells too much," then added, "My job is mostly to entertain and be funny."
O'Donnell made that happen Friday, drawing laughs when she said her publicist had fretted that the TV group's members might resurrect O'Donnell's dust-ups with other celebrities.
"I want to thank you for not asking anything about Donald Trump or Barbara Walters," O'Donnell said, smiling.
*We are so proud of Oprah. She is constantly on the move and taking chances. I think we can all appreciate and value her drive and willingness to motivate and inspire so many to do the same.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Oprah Winfrey-OWN" Conversation*
Winfrey said Friday she will host the new series that will recycle episodes of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" as a "classroom" intended to help viewers improve their lives. The show, titled "Own Your Life," will air weekdays at 8 p.m. ET starting Oct. 10.
Her role at OWN beyond the position of chairman, taking on the additional roles of chief executive officer and chief creative officer.
OWN, which premiered Jan. 1, is a joint venture of Discovery and Winfrey's Harpo Inc. Since Winfrey's syndicated talk show ended in May, she has pledged to devote her full energies to OWN.
Acknowledging OWN's rocky start, Winfrey said Friday that one of her biggest concerns was "aligning" the channel's executive teams, "and now we have done that." She cited the help of two executives who are with her Chicago-based production company, Harpo: Sheri Salata and Erik Logan, who share the title of OWN president.
Putting Winfrey on camera, as well as more prominently at the company's helm, is an attempt to turn around OWN's fortunes.
Plans had been in place to pull from the "library" of more than 4,500 "Oprah Winfrey Show" episodes in a show titled "Oprah's Encore." But Winfrey said Friday she realized they could be better used if organized as an on-air educational tool about life.
Appearing before the critics' group, O'Donnell said she was proud to join Winfrey, although she labeled the media queen "aspirational" and tagged herself "relatable."
She joked about viewers saying to themselves, "Oh, if I could only be Rosie O'Donnell: an overweight lesbian who yells too much," then added, "My job is mostly to entertain and be funny."
O'Donnell made that happen Friday, drawing laughs when she said her publicist had fretted that the TV group's members might resurrect O'Donnell's dust-ups with other celebrities.
*We are so proud of Oprah. She is constantly on the move and taking chances. I think we can all appreciate and value her drive and willingness to motivate and inspire so many to do the same.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Oprah Winfrey-OWN" Conversation*
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
DIONNE BROMFIELD!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Dionne Bromfield Live!
Good For The Soul
Get Over It
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Dionne Bromfield" Conversation*
Good For The Soul
Get Over It
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Dionne Bromfield" Conversation*
CHECK OUT AMY WINEHOUSE'S PRODIGY: "Dionne Bromfield!"
Dionne Bromfield
*This is for sure an amazing talent that has a place in music!*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Dionne Bromfield" Conversation
*This is for sure an amazing talent that has a place in music!*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Dionne Bromfield" Conversation
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Singer Amy Winehouse found dead
(AFP) Troubled singer Amy Winehouse, known for her smoky soul voice and her struggle with drink and drugs, has been found dead at her flat in north London, police said. She was 27 years old.
The Grammy award-winning soul singer with her trademark beehive battled with well-documented addictions that she documented in her hit single "Rehab". Her death is being treated as unexplained, Scotland Yard said.
"Police were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square shortly before 4:05 pm (1505 GMT) today, Saturday 23 July, following reports of a woman found deceased," a police statement said.
"On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death. At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained."
London Ambulance Service said it had been called to the flat at 3:54 pm (1454 GMT) and sent two ambulances.
Police officers remained on duty outside her home Saturday.
But Winehouse pulled out of her European comeback tour following a disastrous opening performance in Serbia on June 18.
She was booed at the performance in Belgrade, as she appeared to be too drunk to sing.
Some 20,000 people gathered for the highly-promoted concert at the sixth-century Kalemegdan fortress, but many soon left.
During the concert, which lasted about 90 minutes, Winehouse could only mumble some of the lyrics, failing to follow her band.
Winehouse left the stage twice, with many fans showing their displeasure despite her band's attempts to calm the crowd.
"Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen."
She had also been scheduled to perform in Istanbul, Athens, Bilbao in Spain, Locarno in Switzerland, Italy's Lucca festival, Switzerland's Paleo Festival in Nyon, Nova Jazz and Blues Night in Wiesen, Austria, and Poland's Bydgoszcz Artpop Festival.
The follow-up, "Back to Black", was a worldwide smash hit, reaching number one in Britain and number two in the US charts. It went six times platinum in Britain and double platinum in the United States.
They divorced in July 2009.
*RIP Amy Winehouse.
It's always sad when someone dies no matter what. However, we all know that Winehouse had a troubled past with addiction and being unstable.
Regardless of her addiction she leaves behind music that will be around for years to come.
May she rest in peace!*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Amy Winehouse" Conversation*
Friday, July 22, 2011
Chris Brown will "Think Like a Man" in film project
Reuters(TheWrap) - Chris Brown is attached to co-star in the upcoming romantic comedy "Think Like a Man," an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
An adaptation of the 2009 nonfiction book "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey -- who'll be co-executive producing -- the movie will center on a relationship expert whose own personal life is in shambles.
With Brown's casting, that won't be the only ironic element of the romantic comedy -- the 22-year-old "I Can Transform Ya" singer's personal life famously hit a bumpy road in 2009 when he was charged with felony assault for beating his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna, following a pre-Grammys party.
Brown was sentenced to five years' probation, a year of domestic violence counseling, and six months of community service for the beating.
Though primarily known for his music, Brown has had several notable acting roles, including in the 2010 film "Takers" and in 2007's "Stomp the Yard."
"Think Like a Man," starring Gabrielle Union and produced by Rainfores.
*Can you say "COME BACK!"
Yes Chris Brown is back and bigger ,and seems smarter than ever.
We are glad he has improved his life by concentrating on his music and acting roles.
Some say he should have gotten a harsher punishment for what he did to Rihanna. However, the past is the past and Chris has moved on big time.
In life if you have made mistakes it's up to you to repent, heal, and keep it moving. As we know life can be tough but it's it's up to you on how you live your life.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Chris Brown" Conversation*
An adaptation of the 2009 nonfiction book "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey -- who'll be co-executive producing -- the movie will center on a relationship expert whose own personal life is in shambles.
*Can you say "COME BACK!"
Yes Chris Brown is back and bigger ,and seems smarter than ever.
We are glad he has improved his life by concentrating on his music and acting roles.
Some say he should have gotten a harsher punishment for what he did to Rihanna. However, the past is the past and Chris has moved on big time.
In life if you have made mistakes it's up to you to repent, heal, and keep it moving. As we know life can be tough but it's it's up to you on how you live your life.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Chris Brown" Conversation*
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
America's biggest teacher and principal cheating scandal unfolds in Atlanta
(Christian Science Monitor) Award-winning gains by Atlanta students were based on widespread cheating by 178 named teachers and principals, said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday. His office released a report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation that names 178 teachers and principals – 82 of whom confessed – in what's likely the biggest cheating scandal in US history.
This appears to be the largest of dozens of major cheating scandals, unearthed across the country. The allegations point an ongoing problem for US education, which has developed an ever-increasing dependence on standardized tests.
The report on the Atlanta Public Schools, released Tuesday, indicates a "widespread" conspiracy by teachers, principals and administrators to fix answers on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), punish whistle-blowers, and hide improprieties.
It "confirms our worst fears," says Mayor Kasim Reed. "There is no doubt that systemic cheating occurred on a widespread basis in the school system." The news is “absolutely devastating," said Brenda Muhammad, chairwoman of the Atlanta school board. "It’s our children. You just don’t cheat children.”
On its face, the investigation tarnishes the 12-year tenure of Superintendent Beverly Hall, who was named US Superintendent of the Year in 2009 largely because of the school system's reported gains – especially in inner-city schools. She has not been directly implicated, but investigators said she likely knew, or should have known, what was going on. In her farewell address to teachers in June, Hall for the first time acknowledged wrongdoing in the district, but blamed other administrators.
The Atlanta cheating scandal also offers the first most comprehensive view yet into a growing number of teacher-cheating allegations across the US, reports of which reached a rate of two to three a week in June, says Robert Schaeffer, a spokesman for the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, which advocates against high-stakes testing.
It's also a tacit indictment, critics say, of politicians putting all bets for improving education onto high-stakes tests that punish and reward students, teachers, and principals for test scores.
"When test scores are all that matter, some educators feel pressured to get the scores they need by hook or by crook," says Mr. Schaeffer. "The higher the stakes, the greater the incentive to manipulate, to cheat."
Cheating in Atlanta Public Schools.
The 55,000-student Atlanta public school system rose in national prominence during the 2000s, as test scores steadily rose and the district received notice and funding from the Broad Foundation and the Gates Foundation. But behind that rise, the state found, were teachers and principals in 44 schools erasing and changing test answers.
One of the most troubling aspects of the Atlanta cheating scandal, says the report, is that the district repeatedly refused to properly investigate or take responsibility for the cheating. Moreover, the central office told some principals not to cooperate with investigators. In one case, an administrator instructed employees to tell investigators to "go to hell." When teachers tried to alert authorities, they were labeled "disgruntled."
One principal opened an ethics investigation against a whistle-blower.
Investigations by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) and state investigators found a pattern consistent with other cheating scandals: a spike in test scores in one critical grade would be followed by an equally dramatic drop the next year. A USA Today investigation in March found that erasure data in six states and the District of Columbia showed these "abnormal patterns," according to testing expert Thomas Haladyna at Arizona State University.
The Atlanta testing allegations led to the first major law enforcement investigation of teacher cheating. Scandals in other states have typically been investigated by state officials. In response to recent teacher cheating allegations in Baltimore, Michael Sarbanes, the district's community engagement director, told District Management Journal, an industry publication for school administrators, that manipulating a test is "inherent in human nature, [although] we think people who do that are outliers."
The high stakes for teachers.
Ten states now use test scores as the main criterion in teacher evaluations. Other states reward high-scoring teachers with up to $25,000 bonuses – while low scores could result in principals losing their jobs or entire schools closing. Even as the number of scandals grows, experts say it remains fairly easy for teachers and principals to get away with ethical lapses.
"I think the broadest issue in the [Atlanta scandal] raises is why many school districts and states continue to have high-stakes testing without rigorous auditing or security procedures," says Brian Jacob, director of the Center on Local, State and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan. "In some sense, this is one of the least worrisome problems in public education, because it's fairly easy to fix. The more difficult and troubling behavior would be teaching to the test, which we think of as a lesser form of test manipulation, but which is much harder to detect, and could warp the education process in ways that we wouldn't like."
In response to cheating scandals, some states and school districts have instituted tougher test-auditing standards, employing software that analyzes erasure rates and patterns. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is reforming NCLB to reduce pressure on teachers and principals. Education Secretary Arne
Duncan said in June that NCLB “is creating a slow-motion train wreck for children, parents, and teachers.”
On the other hand, an Obama administration proposal – to pay bonuses to teachers who improve test scores in their classes – may shift the stakes without lowering them.
"The [Atlanta] teachers, principals and administrators wanted to prove that the faith of the Broad and Gates Foundations and the Chamber of Commerce in the district was not misplaced and that APS could rewrite the script of urban education in America and provide a happy, or at least a happier, ending for its students," writes the AJC's education columnist, Maureen Downey.
"And that’s what ought to alarm us," adds Ms. Downey, "that these professionals ultimately felt their students could not even pass basic competency tests, despite targeted school improvement plans, proven reforms, and state-of-the-art teacher training."
*I have to say this has been going on for years. School officials cheating our kids and our society for a God damn buck.
"Yeah I said it!" Truly pathetic!
The sad part of this whole matter is that the teachers have no faith in their students at all. It not only makes the schools look back for putting this bad professionalism into play, but it ultimately makes the students look dumb and uneducated.
When we take look at the Atlanta cheating scandal it says what I've been saying for years. That is; you can't blame it all on the parents with regard to education. The reasons are clear; we send our kids to school to get a proper education, not to be taught bogus tactics by professionals who are only thinking of getting paid.
At the end of the day, this cheating scandal makes the United States look like a fraud. It makes us look like we aren't the smartest nation on the planet. It only makes us look dumb as hell.
Remember; cheating is for suckers and a sucker never wins at anything.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Atlanta School Cheating Scandal" Conversation*
This appears to be the largest of dozens of major cheating scandals, unearthed across the country. The allegations point an ongoing problem for US education, which has developed an ever-increasing dependence on standardized tests.
The report on the Atlanta Public Schools, released Tuesday, indicates a "widespread" conspiracy by teachers, principals and administrators to fix answers on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), punish whistle-blowers, and hide improprieties.
It "confirms our worst fears," says Mayor Kasim Reed. "There is no doubt that systemic cheating occurred on a widespread basis in the school system." The news is “absolutely devastating," said Brenda Muhammad, chairwoman of the Atlanta school board. "It’s our children. You just don’t cheat children.”
On its face, the investigation tarnishes the 12-year tenure of Superintendent Beverly Hall, who was named US Superintendent of the Year in 2009 largely because of the school system's reported gains – especially in inner-city schools. She has not been directly implicated, but investigators said she likely knew, or should have known, what was going on. In her farewell address to teachers in June, Hall for the first time acknowledged wrongdoing in the district, but blamed other administrators.
The Atlanta cheating scandal also offers the first most comprehensive view yet into a growing number of teacher-cheating allegations across the US, reports of which reached a rate of two to three a week in June, says Robert Schaeffer, a spokesman for the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, which advocates against high-stakes testing.
It's also a tacit indictment, critics say, of politicians putting all bets for improving education onto high-stakes tests that punish and reward students, teachers, and principals for test scores.
"When test scores are all that matter, some educators feel pressured to get the scores they need by hook or by crook," says Mr. Schaeffer. "The higher the stakes, the greater the incentive to manipulate, to cheat."
Cheating in Atlanta Public Schools.
The 55,000-student Atlanta public school system rose in national prominence during the 2000s, as test scores steadily rose and the district received notice and funding from the Broad Foundation and the Gates Foundation. But behind that rise, the state found, were teachers and principals in 44 schools erasing and changing test answers.
One of the most troubling aspects of the Atlanta cheating scandal, says the report, is that the district repeatedly refused to properly investigate or take responsibility for the cheating. Moreover, the central office told some principals not to cooperate with investigators. In one case, an administrator instructed employees to tell investigators to "go to hell." When teachers tried to alert authorities, they were labeled "disgruntled."
One principal opened an ethics investigation against a whistle-blower.
Investigations by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) and state investigators found a pattern consistent with other cheating scandals: a spike in test scores in one critical grade would be followed by an equally dramatic drop the next year. A USA Today investigation in March found that erasure data in six states and the District of Columbia showed these "abnormal patterns," according to testing expert Thomas Haladyna at Arizona State University.
The Atlanta testing allegations led to the first major law enforcement investigation of teacher cheating. Scandals in other states have typically been investigated by state officials. In response to recent teacher cheating allegations in Baltimore, Michael Sarbanes, the district's community engagement director, told District Management Journal, an industry publication for school administrators, that manipulating a test is "inherent in human nature, [although] we think people who do that are outliers."
The high stakes for teachers.
Ten states now use test scores as the main criterion in teacher evaluations. Other states reward high-scoring teachers with up to $25,000 bonuses – while low scores could result in principals losing their jobs or entire schools closing. Even as the number of scandals grows, experts say it remains fairly easy for teachers and principals to get away with ethical lapses.
"I think the broadest issue in the [Atlanta scandal] raises is why many school districts and states continue to have high-stakes testing without rigorous auditing or security procedures," says Brian Jacob, director of the Center on Local, State and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan. "In some sense, this is one of the least worrisome problems in public education, because it's fairly easy to fix. The more difficult and troubling behavior would be teaching to the test, which we think of as a lesser form of test manipulation, but which is much harder to detect, and could warp the education process in ways that we wouldn't like."
In response to cheating scandals, some states and school districts have instituted tougher test-auditing standards, employing software that analyzes erasure rates and patterns. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is reforming NCLB to reduce pressure on teachers and principals. Education Secretary Arne
Duncan said in June that NCLB “is creating a slow-motion train wreck for children, parents, and teachers.”
On the other hand, an Obama administration proposal – to pay bonuses to teachers who improve test scores in their classes – may shift the stakes without lowering them.
"The [Atlanta] teachers, principals and administrators wanted to prove that the faith of the Broad and Gates Foundations and the Chamber of Commerce in the district was not misplaced and that APS could rewrite the script of urban education in America and provide a happy, or at least a happier, ending for its students," writes the AJC's education columnist, Maureen Downey.
"And that’s what ought to alarm us," adds Ms. Downey, "that these professionals ultimately felt their students could not even pass basic competency tests, despite targeted school improvement plans, proven reforms, and state-of-the-art teacher training."
*I have to say this has been going on for years. School officials cheating our kids and our society for a God damn buck.
"Yeah I said it!" Truly pathetic!
The sad part of this whole matter is that the teachers have no faith in their students at all. It not only makes the schools look back for putting this bad professionalism into play, but it ultimately makes the students look dumb and uneducated.
When we take look at the Atlanta cheating scandal it says what I've been saying for years. That is; you can't blame it all on the parents with regard to education. The reasons are clear; we send our kids to school to get a proper education, not to be taught bogus tactics by professionals who are only thinking of getting paid.
At the end of the day, this cheating scandal makes the United States look like a fraud. It makes us look like we aren't the smartest nation on the planet. It only makes us look dumb as hell.
Remember; cheating is for suckers and a sucker never wins at anything.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Atlanta School Cheating Scandal" Conversation*
Monday, July 4, 2011
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
Happy 4th of July to all of our readers!
Be safe and relax as this is a day to celebrate independence for America and your indpendence as people.
Diva's Nation
*Join The 4th of July" Conversation*
Be safe and relax as this is a day to celebrate independence for America and your indpendence as people.
Diva's Nation
*Join The 4th of July" Conversation*
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wayans brothers face trial for alleged joke theft
(Hollywood Reporter) - Trial alert! On July 12th, the best comedy in Los Angeles will not be heard at the Improv, but rather a federal court as the Wayans brothers face down a former assistant who charges that they ripped off jokes for their book, "You Know You're a Golddigger When..."
Jared Edwards worked for the comedy family for a decade and wrote jokes about women who prey upon wealthy men. He claims he pitched the idea for a book that would include material like "You know you're a golddigger when you know more about sports players' stats than an ESPN analyst."
Keenen, Shawn and Marlon Wayans rejected the idea, and then allegedly did their own version.
Joke theft allegations have been around almost as long as the first "Knock, Knock" joke, but recently, comedians have become more sensitive to laugh larceny, raising the copyright infringement card.
Because Edwards worked for the Wayans brothers, this case goes a bit above and beyond the typical plagiarism routine of a plaintiff struggling to prove the copying of expression rather than theft of unprotected ideas. Edwards is claiming that the Wayans (and St. Martin's Press) not only committed copyright infringement but also breached an implied promise to pay him for use of his ideas. Writers alleging this type of allegation have increasingly been successful in passing judicial muster.
To sum up the defense, you know you're a golddigging joke-theft plaintiff when:
* You can't be the owner of a valid copyright on jokes when the material is a work-made-for-hire.
* You can't own undivided rights on the jokes when, at most, the material was jointly authored.
* You consented to having the jokes performed by the famous Wayans clan.
* You didn't complain in time, and thus the statute of limitations has run out.
The trial is sure to provide some laughter and entertainment, but might not have the full shock value possible.
That's because the parties have stipulated that certain alleged "bad acts" won't be brought up, including allegations that Edwards committed check fraud and borrowed $12,000 from Shawn, that Edwards engaged in sexual acts in Shawn's vehicle, and that Edwards threw a phone at Marlon.
Still, the trial won't be devoid of highjinks. There's been a suggestion made in court papers that the attorney for the Wayans brothers will attempt to impeach Edwards for things he said during the deposition.
Finally, even if the Wayans brothers lose, they might not have to fork over a significant amount of money.
The book was hardly a best-seller, and so the judge has capped a damage award to the amount of money the Wayans got as an advance for writing the book, foreclosing any of the publisher's profits.
*This is crazy! One would think that the Wayan's wouldn't have to steal a joke from anyone. They seem to be funny all on their own without the help of people writing for them.
However, you never know what goes on behind closed doors. It seems this guy ( Jared Edwards )feels bamboozled by the brothers over the book ("You Know You're a Golddigger When...")
which didn't even sell that well. One has to ask, is he looking for 15 mins of fame by bringing about a lawsuit against a famous family? Who knows, maybe he's just upset regarding something else.
If this goes to court, he might get something. Then again maybe not.
The bigger picture is, this guy wants fame outside of working for this family, if that's the case; why doesn't he write his own book of jokes and publish it?*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Wayans Brothers" Conversation*
Jared Edwards worked for the comedy family for a decade and wrote jokes about women who prey upon wealthy men. He claims he pitched the idea for a book that would include material like "You know you're a golddigger when you know more about sports players' stats than an ESPN analyst."
Keenen, Shawn and Marlon Wayans rejected the idea, and then allegedly did their own version.
Joke theft allegations have been around almost as long as the first "Knock, Knock" joke, but recently, comedians have become more sensitive to laugh larceny, raising the copyright infringement card.
Because Edwards worked for the Wayans brothers, this case goes a bit above and beyond the typical plagiarism routine of a plaintiff struggling to prove the copying of expression rather than theft of unprotected ideas. Edwards is claiming that the Wayans (and St. Martin's Press) not only committed copyright infringement but also breached an implied promise to pay him for use of his ideas. Writers alleging this type of allegation have increasingly been successful in passing judicial muster.
To sum up the defense, you know you're a golddigging joke-theft plaintiff when:
* You can't be the owner of a valid copyright on jokes when the material is a work-made-for-hire.
* You can't own undivided rights on the jokes when, at most, the material was jointly authored.
* You consented to having the jokes performed by the famous Wayans clan.
* You didn't complain in time, and thus the statute of limitations has run out.
The trial is sure to provide some laughter and entertainment, but might not have the full shock value possible.
That's because the parties have stipulated that certain alleged "bad acts" won't be brought up, including allegations that Edwards committed check fraud and borrowed $12,000 from Shawn, that Edwards engaged in sexual acts in Shawn's vehicle, and that Edwards threw a phone at Marlon.
Still, the trial won't be devoid of highjinks. There's been a suggestion made in court papers that the attorney for the Wayans brothers will attempt to impeach Edwards for things he said during the deposition.
Finally, even if the Wayans brothers lose, they might not have to fork over a significant amount of money.
The book was hardly a best-seller, and so the judge has capped a damage award to the amount of money the Wayans got as an advance for writing the book, foreclosing any of the publisher's profits.
*This is crazy! One would think that the Wayan's wouldn't have to steal a joke from anyone. They seem to be funny all on their own without the help of people writing for them.
However, you never know what goes on behind closed doors. It seems this guy ( Jared Edwards )feels bamboozled by the brothers over the book ("You Know You're a Golddigger When...")
which didn't even sell that well. One has to ask, is he looking for 15 mins of fame by bringing about a lawsuit against a famous family? Who knows, maybe he's just upset regarding something else.
If this goes to court, he might get something. Then again maybe not.
The bigger picture is, this guy wants fame outside of working for this family, if that's the case; why doesn't he write his own book of jokes and publish it?*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Wayans Brothers" Conversation*
Is feminism reducing the quality of America’s teaching force?
(The Lookout-Liz Goodwin) Thanks to feminism, American schools are no longer benefitting from an invisible wage subsidy that allowed them to attract bright, over-qualified college-educated teachers at low wages and poor working conditions.
That's the controversial conclusion reached in a recent report by Marc Tucker at the nonpartisan National Center on Education and the Economy. Tucker blasts the United States for largely ignoring teacher quality in favor of a focus on grade-by-grade standardized K-12 testing. He points out that those priorities are out of sync with the strategies of developed countries that appear to be churning out students who are better educated than ours.
Instead, countries such Finland, Singapore and the Chinese province of Shanghai--who far outperformed their American counterparts on the latest international PISA tests--are investing in an elite teaching force recruited from the top third or higher tier of each country's college classes by offering various incentives. In the United States, high school students who said in 2008 that their intended college major was education scored in the bottom third of American students who took the SATs.
Tucker argues that the United States has benefitted from an invisible wage subsidy that has now disappeared--the limited professions available to women until just a few decades ago. He argues that America "greatly benefitted for the better part of a century from having a teaching force largely made up of college-educated women whose choice of career was largely limited to nursing, secretarial work and teaching, and some minorities whose career choices were similarly constrained." Schools benefited from a capable workforce willing to work at "below-market wages under poor working conditions," he says. But that's now changed:
*The US is an education mill, that can't stop. They are in to deep to stop the harsh cycle of low pay, crumbling schools, and bad teachers, who some aren't qualified. At this point if parents want their kids to have a decent education, then packing up (as some say) and moving to another country might not be a bad idea.*
Diva's Nation
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That's the controversial conclusion reached in a recent report by Marc Tucker at the nonpartisan National Center on Education and the Economy. Tucker blasts the United States for largely ignoring teacher quality in favor of a focus on grade-by-grade standardized K-12 testing. He points out that those priorities are out of sync with the strategies of developed countries that appear to be churning out students who are better educated than ours.
Instead, countries such Finland, Singapore and the Chinese province of Shanghai--who far outperformed their American counterparts on the latest international PISA tests--are investing in an elite teaching force recruited from the top third or higher tier of each country's college classes by offering various incentives. In the United States, high school students who said in 2008 that their intended college major was education scored in the bottom third of American students who took the SATs.
Tucker argues that the United States has benefitted from an invisible wage subsidy that has now disappeared--the limited professions available to women until just a few decades ago. He argues that America "greatly benefitted for the better part of a century from having a teaching force largely made up of college-educated women whose choice of career was largely limited to nursing, secretarial work and teaching, and some minorities whose career choices were similarly constrained." Schools benefited from a capable workforce willing to work at "below-market wages under poor working conditions," he says. But that's now changed:
Those who accepted that deal are now leaving the workforce in droves. There are now more women than men in the professional schools preparing young people for many of the most prestigious professions and they are taking advantage of those opportunities. The United States is now about to get the least capable candidates applying to our education schools when we need the best.
The higher status teachers enjoy isn't the only thing that separates the United States from Finland, however. As Valerie Strauss at the Washington Post points out, the country has a 3 percent poverty rate for its children, while 21 percent of American children are currently living in poverty.*The US is an education mill, that can't stop. They are in to deep to stop the harsh cycle of low pay, crumbling schools, and bad teachers, who some aren't qualified. At this point if parents want their kids to have a decent education, then packing up (as some say) and moving to another country might not be a bad idea.*
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Census Update: What the World Will Look like in 2050
(Time.com) Here is the world in 2050, as imagined by the U.S. Census Bureau: India will be the most populous nation, surpassing China sometime around 2025. The U.S. will remain exactly where it is now: in third place, with a population of 423 million (up from 308 million in 2010). And declining birth rates in two of the world's most economically and politically influential countries, Japan and Russia, will cause them to fall from their current positions as the 9th and 10th most populous nations, respectively, to 16th and 17th.
The findings are the result of population estimates and projections of 228 countries compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau's International Data Base (IDB). They offer a revealing look into the future. "One of the biggest changes we've seen has been the decline in fertility in some developed countries such as China," says Loraine West , an IDB project manager, "while others are experiencing a slight increase." In other words, China's population boom is finally slowing down while Western Europe's long-declining birth rate is - in some places, at least - rising again. Spain and Italy are "on an uptick," says West, "but how high will [the birth rate] rise? Or will it simply fluctuate up and down on some long term level? We'll have to see." According to Italy's The National Institute of Statistics, the country's recent population increase can be largely attributed to its own immigrant population. See TIME's "Intelligent Cities.")
The two countries on track to make the biggest population gains are Nigeria and Ethiopia. Nigeria currently boasts 166 million people, but by 2050 its population is expected jump to 402 million. Ethiopia's population will likely triple from 91 million to 278 million, bringing the east African nation into the one of the top 10 most populous countries in the world for the first time. In fact, according to the United Nations Population Division, although only 18% of the world's population lives in so-called "high-fertility" countries (places where women have more than 1.5 daughters on average), most of those countries are in Africa; the continent is expected to experience significant population growth in the coming decades, which could compound the already-dire food supply issues in some African nations.
While the U.S. appears relatively stable - it's the only country in the top 10 whose ranking is not expected to change in the next 40 years - previous census reports have highlighted dramatic demographic shifts within the country's borders. Last week, the Census Bureau announced that more than half of children under two in the U.S. are ethnic minorities. Add to that the non-Hispanic white population's increasing age (in California, for example, the median age for non-Hispanic whites is almost 10 years older than that of the state as a whole) and America in 2050 will look a lot different than the America we know today. (See TIME's video: 10 Questions for Robert Groves.)
Perhaps the most unfortunate change is the one currently experienced by Russia. The cold, vast country has been undergoing steady depopulation since 1992 and the U.S. Census Bureau expects it to decline further, from 139 million people to 109 million by 2050. That's a 21% drop, even more than country suffered during World War II. Like many countries, Russia is experiencing declining birth rates, but it's also suffering form a relatively low life expectancy. According to the World Health Organization, Russian men have a life expectancy of just 62 years, a fact that is often attributed to the country's high rate of alcoholism and poor diet. (For comparison, Japan is also struggling with depopulation, but the World Health Organization puts its life expectancy at 80 for men and 86 for women).
So what does this mean? The U.S. is not yet experiencing the kind of population decline that Europe experienced in the 1990s and 2000s, although immigration and differing birth rates among races means that the country's ethnic composition is changing. Something similar will be going on in the rest of the world, as well: Africa and India's boom, Russia's decline and China's expected plateau (holding steady around 1.3 billion people between now and 2050) will change the makeup of the estimated 9.4 billion people who will call Earth home in 2050. The future, it seems, is not as distant as we think.
*WOW! This isn't anything new. We all know that people are mixing it up and having non-white kids...moving on. It seems that the two African nations (Ethiopia and Nigeria) will take the lead in population gains. Again this isn't news. With African women pumping babies out 24/7, it's very evident they will have population gains...moving on. The most eye opening thing about this whole article is that, those two African nations, where people were taken as slaves and placed all over the world and forced to do unspeakable acts; seems to be on top according to the findings. While other countries may be declining these two, according to the findings will be on top. Again, this article only says what we already knew about the world.*
Diva's Nation
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The findings are the result of population estimates and projections of 228 countries compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau's International Data Base (IDB). They offer a revealing look into the future. "One of the biggest changes we've seen has been the decline in fertility in some developed countries such as China," says Loraine West , an IDB project manager, "while others are experiencing a slight increase." In other words, China's population boom is finally slowing down while Western Europe's long-declining birth rate is - in some places, at least - rising again. Spain and Italy are "on an uptick," says West, "but how high will [the birth rate] rise? Or will it simply fluctuate up and down on some long term level? We'll have to see." According to Italy's The National Institute of Statistics, the country's recent population increase can be largely attributed to its own immigrant population. See TIME's "Intelligent Cities.")
The two countries on track to make the biggest population gains are Nigeria and Ethiopia. Nigeria currently boasts 166 million people, but by 2050 its population is expected jump to 402 million. Ethiopia's population will likely triple from 91 million to 278 million, bringing the east African nation into the one of the top 10 most populous countries in the world for the first time. In fact, according to the United Nations Population Division, although only 18% of the world's population lives in so-called "high-fertility" countries (places where women have more than 1.5 daughters on average), most of those countries are in Africa; the continent is expected to experience significant population growth in the coming decades, which could compound the already-dire food supply issues in some African nations.
While the U.S. appears relatively stable - it's the only country in the top 10 whose ranking is not expected to change in the next 40 years - previous census reports have highlighted dramatic demographic shifts within the country's borders. Last week, the Census Bureau announced that more than half of children under two in the U.S. are ethnic minorities. Add to that the non-Hispanic white population's increasing age (in California, for example, the median age for non-Hispanic whites is almost 10 years older than that of the state as a whole) and America in 2050 will look a lot different than the America we know today. (See TIME's video: 10 Questions for Robert Groves.)
Perhaps the most unfortunate change is the one currently experienced by Russia. The cold, vast country has been undergoing steady depopulation since 1992 and the U.S. Census Bureau expects it to decline further, from 139 million people to 109 million by 2050. That's a 21% drop, even more than country suffered during World War II. Like many countries, Russia is experiencing declining birth rates, but it's also suffering form a relatively low life expectancy. According to the World Health Organization, Russian men have a life expectancy of just 62 years, a fact that is often attributed to the country's high rate of alcoholism and poor diet. (For comparison, Japan is also struggling with depopulation, but the World Health Organization puts its life expectancy at 80 for men and 86 for women).
So what does this mean? The U.S. is not yet experiencing the kind of population decline that Europe experienced in the 1990s and 2000s, although immigration and differing birth rates among races means that the country's ethnic composition is changing. Something similar will be going on in the rest of the world, as well: Africa and India's boom, Russia's decline and China's expected plateau (holding steady around 1.3 billion people between now and 2050) will change the makeup of the estimated 9.4 billion people who will call Earth home in 2050. The future, it seems, is not as distant as we think.
*WOW! This isn't anything new. We all know that people are mixing it up and having non-white kids...moving on. It seems that the two African nations (Ethiopia and Nigeria) will take the lead in population gains. Again this isn't news. With African women pumping babies out 24/7, it's very evident they will have population gains...moving on. The most eye opening thing about this whole article is that, those two African nations, where people were taken as slaves and placed all over the world and forced to do unspeakable acts; seems to be on top according to the findings. While other countries may be declining these two, according to the findings will be on top. Again, this article only says what we already knew about the world.*
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Birthers sue Esquire for more than $100 million over satire they say hurt book sales
(The Cutline-Dylan Stableford) If you thought birther conspiracy theorists went the way of Donald Trump's presidential hopes, think again.
Joseph Farah--who runs the World Net Daily website and a related book imprint--and Jerome Corsi, author of "Where's the Birth Certificate? The Case That Barack Hussein Obama Is Not Eligible to Be President," held a press conference in Washington, D.C., yesterday to announce that they have filed a lawsuit against Esquire magazine and its owner, Hearst, over an satirical article by Mark Warren published last month.
"This was a serious mistake by Mark Warren and Esquire for which they will pay dearly," Larry Klayman, lawyer for the plaintiffs, said. "It was obviously calculated with malice to destroy not just the book and its sales, but the reputations of Mr. Corsi and Mr. Farah."
The piece ("BREAKING! Jerome Corsi's Birther Book Pulled From Shelves!") was published shortly after President Obama released his longform birth certificate--also the time when Corsi's book was released. But, as Forbes' Jeff Bercovici noted, some readers failed to recognize the satire, forcing Esquire to add this disclaimer:
Farah and Corsi--who authored the 2004 Swift Boat book that helped sink John Kerry's presidential bid--claim the article defamed them and hurt book sales. They are seeking compensatory damages of at least $100 million, punitive damages of $20 million, plus legal costs. (Forbes noted that, all told, the plaintiffs are demanding $285 million.)
Esquire claimed Wednesday it had not yet seen the lawsuit, but did not sound terribly worried.
"The blog post spoke for itself," a representative for the magazine said in a statement. "It was satire, an age-old and completely legitimate form of expression. Additionally, the piece was tagged as 'humor,' as are all of our frequent satire posts on Esquire's Politics Blog. That was not lost on our observant readers."
*WOW!! I think we should start by saying; "birthers go to hell...fo real."
In the ages that we live in, we have people like these dumb ass birthers who are so ravished with fear by a black man, that they keep this charade going about President Obama not being a US citizen. How dumb can you be?
On top of everything else, they decide to file a lawsuit because of hurt book sales. How ridiculous is that!! It's not the like we haven't heard of their conspiracy before. It seems like they just want to keep it going as much as they can and make as much money on top of that. Which also means they to are trying to make money off back of President Obama.
What a crying shame...my grandmother use to say.
If anything, these cheesy ass birthers need to pack up and leave the country.*
Diva's Nation
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Joseph Farah--who runs the World Net Daily website and a related book imprint--and Jerome Corsi, author of "Where's the Birth Certificate? The Case That Barack Hussein Obama Is Not Eligible to Be President," held a press conference in Washington, D.C., yesterday to announce that they have filed a lawsuit against Esquire magazine and its owner, Hearst, over an satirical article by Mark Warren published last month.
"This was a serious mistake by Mark Warren and Esquire for which they will pay dearly," Larry Klayman, lawyer for the plaintiffs, said. "It was obviously calculated with malice to destroy not just the book and its sales, but the reputations of Mr. Corsi and Mr. Farah."
The piece ("BREAKING! Jerome Corsi's Birther Book Pulled From Shelves!") was published shortly after President Obama released his longform birth certificate--also the time when Corsi's book was released. But, as Forbes' Jeff Bercovici noted, some readers failed to recognize the satire, forcing Esquire to add this disclaimer:
We committed satire this morning to point out the problems with selling and marketing a book that has had its core premise and reason to exist gutted by the news cycle, several weeks in advance of publication. Are its author and publisher chastened? Well, no. They double down, and accuse the President of the United States of perpetrating a fraud on the world by having released a forged birth certificate. Not because this claim is in any way based on reality, but to hold their terribly gullible audience captive to their lies, and to sell books. This is despicable, and deserves only ridicule.
"It was amateurish, it was rank, and it hurt," Klayman said at the press conference, which according to Adweek was attended by just three reporters. "There was nothing stating that it was satire."Farah and Corsi--who authored the 2004 Swift Boat book that helped sink John Kerry's presidential bid--claim the article defamed them and hurt book sales. They are seeking compensatory damages of at least $100 million, punitive damages of $20 million, plus legal costs. (Forbes noted that, all told, the plaintiffs are demanding $285 million.)
Esquire claimed Wednesday it had not yet seen the lawsuit, but did not sound terribly worried.
"The blog post spoke for itself," a representative for the magazine said in a statement. "It was satire, an age-old and completely legitimate form of expression. Additionally, the piece was tagged as 'humor,' as are all of our frequent satire posts on Esquire's Politics Blog. That was not lost on our observant readers."
*WOW!! I think we should start by saying; "birthers go to hell...fo real."
In the ages that we live in, we have people like these dumb ass birthers who are so ravished with fear by a black man, that they keep this charade going about President Obama not being a US citizen. How dumb can you be?
On top of everything else, they decide to file a lawsuit because of hurt book sales. How ridiculous is that!! It's not the like we haven't heard of their conspiracy before. It seems like they just want to keep it going as much as they can and make as much money on top of that. Which also means they to are trying to make money off back of President Obama.
What a crying shame...my grandmother use to say.
If anything, these cheesy ass birthers need to pack up and leave the country.*
Diva's Nation
*Join The "Cheesy Bither" Conversation*
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