Who is Harry Belafonte?
Although Harry Belafonte is no longer a household name, many of a certain age fondly remember him as a shining star of Hollywood films whose career was in its prime in the mid part of the 20th century. Aside from being a film star, his considerable contributions to the entertainment industry also include music. While he made recordings in various music genres, he is most noted for Calypso, and is attributed for popularizing this appealing Caribbean music style. Belafonte is also credited with introducing multiculturalism and world music to the entertainment arena.
Belafonte hails from Harlem, New York, where he developed a love for the theatre early in life. In the 1940s, he took acting lessons along with other aspiring actors who would later experience success, such as Sydney Poitier and Tony Curtis. He starred in several films in the 1950s, but took a hiatus from acting during the 1960s to concentrate on his singing career. Belafonte later returned to the film industry in the 1970s, and over the next decades appeared in films, costarring in several with top actors, such as Poitier and John Travolta.
He started singing in New York clubs to provide funding for his acting lessons. However, due to his substantial talent, this activity that began as a means of equipping him for a film career led to his success in music as well. Although Belafonte’s specialty was considered Calypso, he also made recordings in blues, folk and gospel, as well as show tunes and American standards. His most popular recording was The Banana Boat Song. This tune was such a hit that even decades later people are still familiar with it. Belafonte’s versatile singing talent sustained his success until the early 1960s.
So who exactly is this Hollywood legend personally? This famous African American celebrity is a fascinating mix of good looks and talent, along with articulate speech and an aristocratic demeanor. During his long career, he has been a most vocal advocate for humanitarian and civil rights causes he feels passionately about. In the area of politics, he has been equally vocal and is known for expressing controversial, polarizing opinions. Read more
GZA Goes to Harvard
For those who believe that hip-hop is little more than mindless drivel that caters to boys without belts and girls with thick eyeliner, prepare to be amazed. Not only is this characterization far off the mark for many hip-hop artists, it’s particularly off the mark for GZA, one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a group known for its intellectual lyrics.
GZA—a.k.a. Gary Grice, or simply “The Genius”—has long referenced more academic subjects, such as astronomy, philosophy and chess, among other things. In December, while in Cambridge to lecture at the Harvard Black Men’s Forum, Grice went on a three-day tour to meet scientists from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, during which time he learned about oceanography, biology and quantum physics.
On his first day of learning, Grice visited with Philip Richardson, a physicist studying how albatrosses fly without flapping their wings. After this, he had dinner with a group of young biologists from Harvard, during which conversation varied from whether it was healthy to eat wheat grass and Chia Pet seeds (it is), to what RNA was, to information about water. Grice is working on a follow-up to his classic “Liquid Swords”, so water was of particular interest to him.
After dinner, Grice visited the Broad Institute, a joint Harvard and MIT biomedical research center, where he was shown a genome sequencer and taught how DNA makes proteins. He was also shown robots that the institute uses to screen chemicals that may become new drugs.
The following morning, Grice was up bright and early to meet with Penny Chisholm, an MIT marine biologist. As he looked at a small bottle that contained a billion bacteria, Grice said, “It’s just amazing to hear how things work.” After a discussion with Chisholm about the importance of the sun in which Chisholm declared, “I think people ought to bow to the sun every day, and then bow to a plant,” Grice admitted, “I’m always touching plants and vibing with them.”
Following this visit, Grice made it a point to visit Pulitzer-winning novelist Junot Díaz; David Kaiser, author of “How the Hippies Saved Physics“; and a group of MIT’s Media Lab that is working on an “Opera of the Future”, in addition to Harvard, dughgghis presentation at the Black Men’s Forum, where he discussed rapping and how he learned to flow from nursery rhymes, along with some of the information he had learned during his educational tour.
The moral of this story is that, if you consider yourself to be a nerd, and worry that you will never be taken seriously, stop worrying. The world is in dire need of young people who are studying for their physics, marine biology, or biology degree, and RZA has shown that it’s cool to be smart again. So keep up with your studies, and if you have some downtime, get to know the Wu-Tang Clan.
Martha Stewart Gets Cancelled
Yes, you heard that right! After seven seasons, the Hallmark Channel has opted to discontinue shooting “The Martha Stewart Show.” Despite garnering two Daytime Emmy Awards during its first season, the show has since been besieged with poor ratings; when combined with high production costs, the Hallmark Channel has decided that it is in its best interest that the show stops taping in April, and re-runs end after the summer.
“Our expensive studio lease is expiring next year, and we will either bring television in-house or find lower cost space, which will significantly reduce our TV operating margins,” Lisa Gersh, president of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO), said in a statement.
Gersh, who joined MSLO last June, sounded optimistic in an internal company email:
“The daytime block on Hallmark demonstrated year-over-year ratings growth and ‘The Martha Stewart Show’ earned two Emmys in its first season,” she wrote. “The show will continue on Hallmark through the end of this season and we are currently exploring programming concepts for Martha Stewart and other MSLO brands beyond this fall.”
In addition to the upcoming demise of “The Martha Stewart Show”, The Home Depot will no longer sell Martha Stewart Living brand paints, although they will continue to allow customers to use her color palette with Glidden paints. In a statement, The Home Depot explained this decision: “The response to the paint base has not been as strong with consumers who are looking to mix the colors with our other paint brands.”
In the same internal email, Gersh defends MSLO: “As just a reminder of the power of our audiences and brands, a recent study conducted in August last year by Public Strategies indicated that Martha Stewart remains a strong brand with incredible awareness. Unaided, meaning without being prompted, 53% of women name Martha Stewart as the first person who comes to mind for providing lifestyle ideas and information in the home.” Read more
Michael Jordan Engaged to Yvette Prieto
Hopefully the holidays brought everyone a little cheer and quite a few presents. Many people like to take advantage of the season for giving by giving the ultimate gift: an engagement ring and a promise of happily-ever-after. Yuletide has always been a magical time, and Christmastime sees more proposals than any other time of the year. It is especially attractive for procrastinators, people who are nervous about proposing and people who are getting married out of a sense of duty. I am guessing Michael Jordan might fall into the latter camp.
Good old Michael Jordan—the Babe Ruth of Basketball—may not be as spry as he was when he carried the Bulls to championship after championship in the 90’s, but he’s still got enough spring in his step to spring the question!
Yes, this Christmas MJ popped the question to his long-time girlfriend, Yvette Prieto—the gorgeous Latin model. Haven’t heard of her? Neither did we until we heard she was dating Michael Jordan, but really once you’ve worked your way into his Air-ness’s heart, what else do you have to do? The man’s autograph is worth more than most people’s paychecks! The couple has only confirmed details of their engagement through Jordan’s publicist, but rumor has it that Jordan proposed on Christmas, and that the couple celebrated their happiness on a private yacht on the French Riviera.
Prieto is a Cuban-born model who has done work for designers such as Alexander Wang. She is a principal with Miami-based companies Aqua Management and Beet the LBS. This 32-year-old beauty has formerly been romantically linked to Julio Iglesias, Jr., who described her as “fantastic”, “loving”, “simple”, and “a very good person”.
Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls from 1984 until 1993, and then again from 1995 to 1999. He briefly signed with the Washington Wizards in 2001, although this proved to be short-lived. Named “the greatest basketball player of all time” on the NBA‘s website, Jordan has earned countless honors, including Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP…and on and on.
The two started seeing one another in 2008, two years after Jordan’s divorce from his wife of 18 years, Juanita. They moved in together the following year, into a modest, three-bedroom home in Florida. Unlike many celebrity couples, the two have chosen to keep details of their relationship private.
In his heyday, Jordan epitomized Chicago to many. From Chicago Boystown to the trading floor of the commodities exchange, he made Chicago proud, and Chicago pride is something special! Whether he was doing his famous flying slam dunk at United Center or raising money for the CharitaBulls, Make-A-Wish Foundation, or any of the other sundry charities that Jordan has worked with, he has become a true Chicago icon.
So let’s raise a glass to the happy couple, and wish them a lifetime of happiness and love. Who knows? Maybe some of their bliss will rub off on the rest of us, and we’ll find a little New Year’s love, as well.
Celebrity Spotting
Celebrity spotting is one of my favorite pastimes. When I lived in LA, I worked at a record store on Sunset Boulevard where I saw celebrities all the time. I used to hang out with Jason Schwartzman before Phantom Planet shows. (Didn’t know that the star of I Heart Huckabee’s was in a band? You’re not the only one!)
When I lived in DC, I worked as a line-stander in the Russell building and saw all the politicians up close. What I noticed about Republicans is that their make-up looks like it was applied by an undertaker. What I noticed about Democrats is that they’re shorter than I thought they were on TV.
Now I live in Chicago. Here’s where I go to see celebrities:
Fernanda Rocha
This Brazilian beauty, the first lesbian housewife to appear on The Real Housewives of Orange County, is known for her magnificent abs and strenuous workout routines. She was recently the grand marshal at the annual Chicago Pride Parade. “It was so exciting, just being there and being Fernanda,” she gushed in a recent interview. “Any opportunity that I have to go and support [GLBT causes], I’m 100% there.”
Totally Legal! Gay Penguin Adoption
Certain unloving elements of the American popular consciousness have claimed that homosexuality is against nature, and that gay marriage, gay families and gay adoption are not allowed. Apparently penguins are perfectly capable of having healthy, loving gay families! Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Bill O’Reilly!
A gay penguin couple in China was recently given a hatchling penguin to care for. The chick, which was one of a set of twins, risked being not properly cared for after its mother struggled to care for it and its sibling. Apparently, twins aren’t very common in the penguin world.
According to Kevin McGowan or the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, N.Y., “newborn penguins require a great deal of attention and effort to protect.” McGowan continued: “It’s a big job creating a baby penguin. It’s definitely a two-penguin job.”
Rather than placing the baby bird at risk, the gay couple, which had previously been known to try and steal eggs during hatching seasons, were given the opportunity to raise the bird on their own. “In birds, it doesn’t matter what sex you are. Both sexes are perfectly capable and absolutely necessary to raise a penguin bird,” McGowan said, “It’s not like mammals where only one sex can feed.”
McGowan insists that the baby will not suffer from being separated from its biological parents, and would eventually accept the gay penguin couple as its parents. “It takes a little while to learn who your parents are,” he said, “Little kids just don’t care who feeds them. All they want is to be fed.”
Many are unfamiliar with information about penguins. This bird was first documented in the 1600s by explorers to colder parts of the Earth. The word “penguin” is Portuguese for “fat winged”, and it is believed that the first penguin lived in Peru more than 36 million years ago.
Despite the fact that they are unable to fly, penguins are considered to be birds which are believed to have adapted to living in the water in order to survive. As a result, what would have started off as wings eventually evolved into flappers, making them strong swimmers. Covered in a layer of fat, they are well-adapted to the cold, although some are known to get too hot.
There are nine penguin species: the Emperor, Adelie, King, Galapagos, Humboldt, Macaroni, Little Blue, Rockhopper, and African Penguins. Emperor penguins are located in the Antarctic; Adelie are also found in the Antarctic and along the coast of the Ross Sea. King penguins are found in the Antarctic, but also in New Zealand, Australia, Africa, and the Galápagos Islands. Humboldt penguins are found in South America, particularly in Peru and Chile. Macaroni penguins can be found in sub-Arctic regions, as can Rockhopper penguins. Little Blue penguins can be found in New Zealand. African penguins can be found in…you guessed it…Africa.
As you can see, penguins are far more than the dancing creatures commonly depicted in cartoons. They can be found in warm and cold climates, and are obviously as diverse as they come. Penguins are so interesting it might make you want to get a biology degree just to understand more about them. At the very least, stories like the one from China will make you view these birds in an entirely new light, and may just make you rethink everything you thought you knew about penguins.
Ousted Ex-Governor Convicted!! Humiliated Wife Eats Spider
It’s hard to tell which is more criminal, Rod Blagojevich or his hair!
OMG! It looks like his toupee is wearing a toupee(and so on in an infinite regression of toupees)!!!
The disgraced former Illinois governor gave new meaning to “So. Ill.” When he was arrested in 2008 for trying to sell President Obama’s senate seat. After a three-year legal battle against the criminal charges he was found guilty on 18 counts of corruption and was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Wednesday. (Un)Surprisingly, Blago’s Republican predecessor, George Ryan, also got locked in the clink for corruption. What’s really going on, Illinois?
The arrest and subsequent legal battle captured the nation by storm, but almost took a backseat to the majesty of Blago’s hair helmet. Leading hairdressers offered their opinions in a NYMag article.
“[T]here’s no name for that,” said Calvin Klein’s hairstylist Roberto Novo. “Ugh” — to gasp in horror.
“Jack Lord from ‘Hawaii 5-0’ called. He wants his look back,” said Chris McMillan, the man behind Jennifer Aniston’s famed shag. “It’s very dated,” concurred Sally Hershberger, whose clients have included Meg Ryan, Courtney Love and Hillary Clinton. “And it looks like a wig.” […] Marc Zowine of Chelsea, N.Y., pointed out that a rug is not exactly an act of honesty: “It’s a cover up. It says a lot about a person.”
The case was national news, but how did native Chicagoans feel about it? One blog, Cretin Country, had some passionate things to say:
First of all, I want anybody who voted for this capon at ANY point in his career to go outside and shoot yourself in the head. It’s the least you can do. What a complete and utter embarrassment for the state of Illinois. What a laughingstock.
It doesn’t sound like there’s any love lost for Blagojevich in Boystown Chicago, or any other district. Blago was essentially exiled in his own home and forced to watch as his career slipped quickly down the drain.
Despite this, Blago’s wife, Patti, stayed by his side. When propositioned for a spot on a Costa Rica-based reality show, Blago accepted but was detained by a judge until trial. Somehow, someway, Patti went in his place and ended up having to ingest a dead tarantula to feed her family.
It is a pitiful sight to behold, and I truly feel sorry for a woman who is pulled into the crosshairs to pay for the sins of her husband. In all the turmoil of the trial and allegations, the Blagojeviches ran low on money, and desperate times have always called for desperate measures, made more public and macabre in the age of reality and the all-seeing eyes of YouTube.
With Blago going upstate for a decade and a half, his wife and daughters will have to live in the shadow of his wrong-doing and hopefully emerge from it, though it’s not likely he ever will.
Kate Plus 8 Clips Coupons
Kate Gosselin: Jon and I always knew we wanted kids.
Jonathan Gosselin: But we never thought we’d have this many!
It was these sorts of keen insights that characterized Kate Plus 8, the TLC reality blockbuster that enriched our lives for so many years before finally crumbling during its tragically truncated sixth season.
America watched with bated breath as Kate Plus 8 weathered the challenges of raising a litter of eight children born only a few years apart. Straddled first with twins and then with sextuplets, Kate’s brood was a handful, and their shenanigans kept viewers glued to the screen. Kate has been known to wear many hats, and literally stretch herself to the limit—appearing on Dancing With the Stars in 2010, for example. (We can safely assume she was the only mother of eight on the show.) Sadly, however, the family came apart during the show’s run, and before the sixth season was completed Jon’s lawyers ordered the show’s production crews to cease and desist filming. The show may have crashed and burned…but life goes on. And Kate has reinvented herself since the set closed down.
She’s been reincarnated—as a coupon goddess!
Yes, it’s official! Kate uses coupons to make her money stretch. This should come as no surprise—what mother with eight children doesn’t need coupons to fill out her food budget? But with food expenses at an all-time high, couponing is actually sort of in vogue. Kate has found a new audience among a growing demographic: extreme coupon moms! Always in search of a good deal, the single mother of eight youngsters insists, “No matter how much money you have, it’s just smart to use coupons. It’s like free money in your pocket.”
Gosselin continues: “One week, I remember saving more than half my grocery bills that week with coupons.” She started blogging about her couponing on Coupon Cabin, and regularly tweets about her money-saving adventures: “I’ve never shopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond WITHOUT coupons! I’ve returned with my receipt and a coupon many times, even when ‘not broke,’” she recently bragged on her Twitter feed.
In a sequence of recent blog posts, she’s insisted that Cyber Monday has much better deals than Black Friday (a conclusion many savvy shoppers seem to share), as well as providing coupon codes to Bath & Body Works.
As has been evidenced by the surge of popularity of reality shows such as TLC’s Extreme Couponing, and websites which offer coupons and deals to consumers, what was once thought of as a time-consuming task reserved for mothers and the elderly has become a way of life for many. Whether it’s due to economic hardship, or just to make a dollar stretch all the more, couponing has made its way into society, and is likely here to stay.
If you find yourself cash strapped for the upcoming holidays, or simply trying to save a buck, why not give couponing a try? Coupons are pretty much anywhere and everywhere, and if used properly, can save you oodles of money. Newspapers, magazines, mailings, and the Internet are all places you can turn to for these money-saving slips of paper.
The key to successful couponing is proper organization, which can be done in a variety of different ways, depending upon personal preference. Coupon organizers are inexpensive, can be found at most dollar stores, and help you separate your coupons by type. For the more hardcore couponers, three-ring binders are a quick way to organize and reference large amounts of coupons.
Once you have everything organized, be sure to keep an eye on sales. Only shop at stores that double (or triple) coupons, and try to use them on items that are already on sale in order to maximize your savings. Keep your coupons with you at all times, as you never know when you may come across a deal!
If you are someone who aspires to be like your favorite celebrity, why not take a page out of Kate Gosselin’s playbook this year, and save money while you’re at it? Not only will you have more money for the holidays, but you will create prudent spending habits that will last a lifetime and benefit you immensely. Your wallet will thank you for it!
Trouble over the Toddler Tax
A recent article highlighted a new business practice in the British restaurant Cosmo where parents were being charged a fee for bringing young children into the restaurant who took up a seat without eating any food. One of the parents affected by this unexpected fee was Ana Sheridan, mother to a six-month-old daughter: “I was astonished as we explained she was exclusively breastfed and would be sitting in our laps, therefore not consuming any food or occupying an extra seat. They said it was their new policy. That was all,” Sheridan told London’s Evening Standard.
After Cosmo’s new policy came to light, the popular eatery posted an apology on their website for “mistreatment by our staff” that assured customers the restaurant’s fee only applied to toddlers who were actually eating food, rather than any and all children who crossed the restaurant’s threshold. Additionally, they wrote that “Cosmo would like to assure customers that this is an isolated incident. We will be retraining all employees at [that location] as a matter of urgency.”
While this may seem like something that only British parents have to worry about, the question that most American consumers should be asking themselves is: What’s to stop it from hopping the pond and becoming an American restaurant’s “new policy”? Considering the shakiness of our economy and the measures that various businesses have taken over the last few years to stay afloat, it is feasible that some restaurant somewhere might try such a tactic.
At present, many establishments offer restaurant coupons or family- and child-friendly discounts—such as free meals for children under the age of 2—in order to entice patrons and maintain a steady customer base, but if Cosmo’s controversial policy (or something similar) were to catch on, many parents would be in for a rude awakening. Suddenly, a meal that was under $20 could go above that mark, and even higher for families with multiples or more than one child under that coveted age.
According to the National Restaurant Association, “As the national economy continues to slowly climb from the […] downturn […] the US restaurant industry also is on the road to recovery.” Citing statistics from their recently-released 2011 Restaurant Industry Forecast, the NRA reported that “total restaurant-industry sales are projected to reach a $604.2 billion record high in 2011. The 3.6 percent increase over 2010 marks the first time that industry sales topped over $600 billion.” With this bit of good news, restaurateurs will surely be able to breathe a little easier, lessening the likelihood of having to take such extreme measures in order to make a few extra bucks.
Even though it would appear that we are beginning to see the treeline as we begin to (maybe) emerge from the figurative woods of the Great Recession, we’re not there yet, and this is reflected in every aspect of business and consumer behavior. Whether it’s exuberant spending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, new-found fame for reality shows such as TLC’s Extreme Couponing, or websites that offer coupons and deals, it’s obvious that consumers are still pinching pennies and businesses are still willing to offer incentives to keep those pennies heading their way. If it ever becomes necessary to implement frivolous charges, then that may be a cause for concern. Until then, just hang loose and keep the economy moving forward.
Fallen out of Fashion: 2011 Edition
What do Colonel Gaddafi, the Big Bang Theory and platform flip-flops all have in common? All of these things have officially gone…OUT OF FASHION.
Fashion is cyclical and every 20 years we will start to see the new/improved versions of the things we disparaged ten years before and swore by ten years before that; nothing ever really dies. Nevertheless, they must go out of fashion sometime and this year has been no different in ushering out ridiculous trends. Here’s our list of the top things that have fallen out of fashion in 2011.
Gauchos
These hideous flaring pajama pants have gone the way of Jodpuhrs and the Hitler ‘stache. What was once regarded as a comfortable billowy pant has now been cast aside in exchange for a similarly bogus trend – the tights with nothing on top; you know everyone can see everything, right? In any case, the sun has set on this summer garment. Let’s hope to never see the return of the ladies’ neo-bellbottom.
Platform flip-flops
I understand being short and wanting to artificially boost your height, but these chunky shoes were all the rage for far too long. An attempt to combine a ‘relaxed’ style and the height of ‘back-breaking high heels’, they were always a paradox, a contradiction in terms. I haven’t taken someone in platform sandals since eighth grade and even then, it was only because she was my teacher. I hesitate to bring up the vanilla white plat-sandals that dirtied with every touch or breath set upon them. Now they are forgotten.
Velour Track Suits
Velour tracksuits, thank God, are less popular than they were two years ago. We have all entertained fantasies of being a Soprano, but Jersey Shore’s explosion a few years ago deluded enough people into thinking the lifestyle was more than something to be gawked at from a distance, that we should actually go out and buy these tracksuits. I’d like to think that every velour tracksuit that was not sold to Puff Daddy or a Wu-Tang member in 1999 was worn ironically, but even that doesn’t justify their popularity.
Boot Cut & Distressed Jeans
Boot cut and distressed jeans are out. We can remember asking our parents for $200 jeans for Christmas a few years ago and they refused because they looked already damaged. Some more enterprising friends of mine would buy a pair of regular jeans and take a razor to them to create the same look; many pairs of Goodwill jeans were sacrificed in the process. Skinny jeans are in. Preferably in a dark wash. And try to keep the razor away. It won’t end well.
The Kardashians
The Kardashians brand lost equity after the recent wedding debacle, but they can still get away with selling shirts that say ‘Dash’ for $60. Though the Kardashians as a whole might be enjoying their Sketchers sneaker deals, exercise videos and ridiculous pair-up TV shows, Kim’s elaborate wedding to a seemingly genuine guy was nullified just weeks later, after having raked in the dough. I guess when you are famous for nothing you have to get the money while you can.
Gypsy/Bohemia Skirts
These colorful, flowing psychedelic accoutrements had their moment in 2009-10. Who can forget the boho-chic era that saw celebrities dressing up like coffeehouse college-types and flighty, indie girls? It is officially over now. Bohemian skirts aren’t even worn by real Bohemians anymore, but the original hippies were happy to reclaim the awful look.
Middle Eastern Autocracy
Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, and Ben Ali are SOOOOOO last year. It’s springtime for Arabs and crippling oppression is out, in favor of people’s government, liberation and pastel colors, preferably paired with a pattern to make it pop!
Big Bang Theory
Big Bang Theory is out. Inflationary theory is in. According to our sources at CERN, it turns out the Big Bang Theory was contingent on the Theory of Relativity, which has no operative power in the first moments of the universe. For many years Big Bang Theory—and its greatest proponent Stephen Hawking—were the darlings of physicists everywhere. No longer. That doesn’t mean we don’t still love Stephen Hawking. The theoretical physicist has some of the biggest ideas of our time and uses machines as mundane as wheelchair accessible vehicles and as hi-tech as proton colliders. His courage remains inspiring to millions. And he’s still writing books! This is a man who will not be held back by anything! So Hawking gets a pass: he remains fashionable. His theory, however, is strictly de classe these days.
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