Jamie Foxx Is Electro in 'The Amazing Spider Man 2'

Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx has been cast to play the villainous role of ‘Electro’ in 'The Amazing Spider Man 2.'  (or is that 5?) 

Maxwell Dillon (Electro) has been one of Spider Man's most frequent and enduring adversaries. Raised by his overprotective mother, after his father abandoned them, Max had ambitions of being an electrical engineer. However, after being convinced by his mother that he was not smart enough to pursue such a career. Max instead reluctantly took a job as a lineman for an electric company.

While repairing a power line still connected to its spool, Max was struck by lightning. Instead of being killed, the freak accident caused a mutagenic change in his nervous system, allowing him to generate and control vast amounts of electricity. After creating a colorful costume, Max turned to a life of crime as Electro.

At the beginning of Electro's criminal career, J. Jonah Jameson began a smear campaign in the Daily Bugle proclaiming Electro to actually be an alter-ego for Spider-man. Intent on proving the publisher wrong, Spider-man faced Electro and was nearly killed by merely touching him. Using a fire hose, however, the web-slinger was able to defeat Electro.

Dillon also tried to devise a master plan to control New York City's power supply in order to gain more power. However, he was once again defeated by Spider-man, who had donned an insulated suit.

According to Jamie Foxx in an interview on Entertainment Tonight,

"I think Electro will be an exciting character to play because he's a [...] genius electrician-type person, and he gets the short end of the stick from the whole world, and the next thing you know he turns it on." (Marvel)

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Crystal Good - Afrilachian Poet

Crystal Good is a writer poet. Quantum Christian. Tunk player. Libra charmer. Underdog cheerleader.

 

Affrilachian Poet and native West Virginian Crystal Good reads "BOOM BOOM," a poem reflecting on strip mined mountains and women who take off their clothes for money. Good says, "I see the mountain as a woman. This poem is about strip mining as much as it is about gender. A heavy equipment operator working on an above ground mine site is doing what he feels he has to do -- sometimes life doesn't give us many options and sometimes the consequences of few employment options are more than we expected. It's hard for a stripper to reclaim her reputation -- it's impossible to put back a stream or a mountain top once it's gone." 

As a member of the Affrilachian (African-American- Appalachian) Poets, she has been a featured poet/speaker at several universities and colleges. “Valley Girl” is her first book of poetry. The poems explore themes in quantum physics, Appalachian culture, gender equality, and mountaintop removal. She is dedicated to growing opportunities and the quality of life for West Virginians with the hope of spreading the perseverance of a Mountaineer across America. Crystal Good lives in West Virginia with her three sons.

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To order a copy of Valley Girl, contact Good at crystaldawngood@gmail.com .

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Oprah Seeks Trademarks For Organic Foods

Oprah Winfrey is reportedly getting into the organic foods and products business.  According to online filings for the US Patent and Trademark Organization, several applications for “Oprah’s Organics” were filed late last month. The filings are to use the name for bath soaps, sunscreen, massage oils, hair products — and also for organic salad dressings and frozen vegetables, soups, beverages and snack dips.

Applications for “Oprah’s Farm” for a beverage and catering service and “Oprah’s Harvest” were also submitted for this fall. The addresses for the applicant’s include the Wilshire Boulevard addresses of Winfrey’s business and the Chicago address of Winfrey’s Harpo Inc., offices.

Winfrey already owns hundreds of acres in Maui, which include a large farm and a bed and breakfast. The trademarks were filed for Oprah’s farm on Maui to enable the farm to grow and distribute produce on Maui and throughout the Hawaiian Islands. (New York Post, 11/11/2012)

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Earth Dog Returns To Save The Environment

New User-Friendly E-Book Format with Auto-Narration to Appeal to Children of All Ages

Earth Dog today became available as an app in iTunes and as an eBook, titled: “The Earth Dog Story.” “The Earth Dog Story” was first published in 1992, then in 1996 in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy as apart of their Environmental Out Reach Program with Weekly Reader. Now, the popular children’s environmental super-hero is making his comeback in app and eBook format with auto-narration, to appeal to children of all ages.

Earth Dog’s mission is to teach kids to be good stewards of their planet and take charge of their environmental future by advocating for a cleaner, healthier world. The eBook leads towards future key environmental themes, including CLIMATE change, clean air and water and wildlife conservation.

The story chronicles Earth Dog’s transformation from a junkyard dog into an Environmental super-hero dedicated to the task of fighting pollution. Earth Dog educates young people around the world about environmental issues affecting our planet. He teaches problem solving skills through understanding and cooperation. The environment is the #1 concern amongst students in the classroom today. Every kid wants a dog, and they’ll love Earth Dog!

This is the story of how a junkyard dog, once content with just chasing cats and eating out of trash cans, had an experience that changed his life forever. From a pup with no direction, Earth Dog became an Environmental Superhero. Earth Dog’s future Adventures & Contest make math, science and reading fun for kids of all ages. They join his adventures to save the Earth by finding creative solutions to pressing environmental problems. Kids can even submit their own ideas, which may be selected for use in future Earth Dog episodes. New features available in this Earth Dog Book include professional narration and digital artwork for each scene. By combining the original text and artwork of Earth Dog with features that entertain and promote reading, this Earth Dog Book appeals to readers of all ages.

For more information

The Earth Dog Story

Email: infoearthdog@gmail.com

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Rebuild the Dream Village - Chicago

Prince and Van Jones Team Up Promote Sustainable Communities

Rebuild the Dream is a movement for inventive and community-based solutions that can fix our economy from the ground up. Rebuild the Dream is collaborating with the legendary Prince, at his upcoming shows in Chicago starting September 24, to lead the way to more vibrant and sustainable communities.

Van Jones

In the Rebuild the Dream Village, on-site at the United Center, you can be part of the celebration. Thousands of people will join artists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and local leaders to share in community-based engines of grassroots power, environmental action, and economic growth.

Be a part of it: Volunteer in the Village, join a meetup, or connect with the concert community ahead of time.

 

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Batman Hovercraft Would Not Work

The Bat is a prototype helicopter-type air vehicle that Wayne Enterprises was developing for the Department of Defense.  It has a helicopter rotor beneath the craft that would not provide lift.

The problem is no air can pass through the blades to provide lift via the Bernoulli Principle.  It would never get off the ground.  Moreover, it doesn't have a tail rotor to offset the torque from the main rotor.  There are some kind of rotors in the front left and right of the aircraft, but they appear to be pointing in the wrong direction to serve as stablizing rotors.

Nice look for the movies, but would not work in the real world.

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FCC Worries Poor Using Electronics Too Much

Remember the "digital divide"? Back in the 1990s, the problem was that poor people did not have enough access to computers and the Internet. Today the problem is that they have too much access. Evidently the digital divide has given way to the "time-wasting gap." The New York Times reports that bridging the digital divide "created an unintended side effect, one that is surprising and troubling to researchers and policy makers and that the government [naturally] now wants to fix":

"As access to devices has spread, children in poorer families are spending considerably more time than children from more well-off families using their television and gadgets to watch shows and videos, play games and connect on social networking sites."

F.C.C. officials and other policy makers say they still want to get computing devices into the hands of every American. That gaps remains wide — according to the commission, about 65 percent of all Americans have broadband access at home, but that figure is 40 percent in households with less than $20,000 in annual income. Half of all Hispanics and 41 percent of African-American homes lack broadband.       

The new divide is such a cause of concern for the Federal Communications Commission that it is considering a proposal to spend $200 million to create a digital literacy corps. This group of hundreds, even thousands, of trainers would fan out to schools and libraries to teach productive uses of computers for parents, students and job seekers.

Separately, the commission will help send digital literacy trainers this fall to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Some of the financial support for this program, part of a broader initiative called Connect2Compete, comes from private companies like Best Buy and Microsoft.

These efforts complement a handful of private and state projects aimed at paying for digital trainers to teach everything from basic keyboard use and word processing to how to apply for jobs online or use filters to block children from seeing online pornography.

"Digital literacy is so important," said Julius Genachowski, chairman of the commission, adding that bridging the digital divide now also means "giving parents and students the tools and know-how to use technology for education and job-skills training.

  In his 2000 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton announced"a national crusade" to "close the digital divide between those who've got the tools and those who don't." Now the Obama administration is launching a national crusade to close the digital divide between those who know how to use those tools properly—for good, pro-social, educational purposes—and those who erroneously use them for mindless entertainment that boosts neither grades nor productivity. (Reason, 5/30/2012)

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Out Of Africa – Great Safari Tours in the USA

Nowadays, you don't have to travel out to the African wilderness to see beautiful creatures such as lions, elephants, buffalo and rhinos. The wonders of safari can be experienced in safari parks closer to home. Many tour operators now offer affordable holidays to safari parks in the US.

Unlike visiting a zoo, a safari park offers people the opportunity to experience a more realistic wildlife environment. Usually modelled on scaled versions of a natural habitat, safari parks allow animals to roam free within the confines of the perimeter fences.

Africa is arguably still the best place to go on safari holidays because the animals are in their indigenous environment. However, there are many good safari parks around the world that offer a similar experience. Below is a selection of some of the best safari parks in the US.

Everglades Safari Park, Florida
If you are interested in adventure tours, check out the Everglades Safari Park in Florida. This is one of the most popular attractions in the area. Visitors can take an air-boat tour around the Everglades and see the native wildlife such as American crocodiles and alligators. For those who are feeling brave, the park offers visitors the chance to hold a baby crocodile.

Safari West, California

This 400 acre safari park is located in the centre of California's wine country. It is home to over 800 animals including zebra, antelope, buffalo, rhinos and giraffe. The park offers private adventure toursfor up to 10 people, including a guide, wine and snacks. The tour involves a three-hour drive through the park on an authentic safari vehicle. Visitors to the park can also spend a night in a traditional African tent overlooking one of the lakes.

Wild Side, Ohio

Wild Side safari park is a must-see attraction for those eager to be up close to rhinos. The park is an authentic landscape where many grazing African animals are free to roam around. On the shuttled tours you can see giraffe, zebra, cheetah, wild dogs and, of course, rhino. The Wild Side safari park has a selection of safari-style lodges where visitors can spend the night on the park game viewing and experiencing the 'next best thing' to an African safari.

Disney's Wildlife Kingdom, Florida
Some people would not consider Disney's Wildlife Kingdom as a safari park; instead, they would describe it as an animal-themed park. However, this park contains over 250 species of animal and one of its areas is themed on Africa. Therefore, for an 'African experience', it is the ideal place to enjoy as a family. The Wild Trek Africa experience is a private tour that includes a guide and visits the crocodile and hippo enclosures. You can also travel on a traditional safari vehicle and see elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, lions and more.

Virginia Safari Park, Virginia
Home to over 1,000 animals from 6 different continents, this safari park is situated on 180 acres of land. The park has a safari drive-through zoo and a safari walk-through zoo. The drive-through safari is made up of 3 miles of road through the Shenandoah Valley. Here you will see llamas, camels, deer, bison, ostriches and zebras. The safari village walk-through area is a series of paths that visitors can leisurely stroll down and find goats, pot belly pigs, giraffes and baby llamas. Children will enjoy the opportunity to feed and pet these animals in this area of the park.

Safari parks are the perfect alternative to experiencing the real thing in Africa. They provide people of all ages and budgets with the next best thing: an African wildlife adventure in a realistic cage-free habitat.

AUTHOR BIO: Claire Jones writes regularly on safari holidays for a range of travel websites and blogs. Claire has spent a number of years reviewing national and international safari parks. She has also visited the Masai Mara, one of Africa's most iconic parks to experience 'the real thing' for herself.

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Compton To Catalina Program Launches

1st Trip A Complete Success

The African American Environmentalist Association (AAEA) established a partnership with the Greater Union Baptist Church (GUBC) to operate an environmental tour called the “Compton To Catalina Program,” which takes students and other young people from Compton, California to Catalina Island. The Center and the California Center for Economic Initiatives (CCFEI) are also partnering under the Compton To Catalina Program to expose Compton youth to boat repair and to provide technical training services.

"Our Weekly"

AAEA initiated its Compton-To-Catalina Program on Saturday, April 21, 2012, which is the day before Earth Day. The program began with a press conference at the Greater Union Baptist Church in Compton, California. Participants then traveled to Long Beach, California to board the Catalina Express to make the one hour trip to the island. Once on Santa Catalina Island, the participants boarded the Emerald submersible to observe underwater life around the island. Finally, participants toured Southern California Edison's electricity generating plant at Pebbly Beach, the island's primary electricity generation source.

Long Version 

The purpose of the program is to expose young people from Compton to the Pacific Ocean and an incredibly beautiful island. People take it for granted that the vast majority of these kids never get on the water and many people live their entire lives without directly experiencing the Pacific Ocean even though they live within five or ten miles of it. We believe that such early exposure to this environment could lead to a lifelong environmental stewardship ethic.

The Compton To Catalina Program is being operated thanks to a grant from Southern California Edison.

GUBC recruits people to participate in the Compton To Catalina (CTC) Program. AAEA makes arrangements for the tours and facilitates educational experiences for the students. Each is a daylong affair that includes transportation to Long Beach, where the tours originate. Participants have escorts at all times and activities on the island are arranged to maximize the environmental experience.

We utilize the transport services of Catalina Express. Passengers on board Catalina Express can expect to arrive in Catalina in about an hour from Long Beach. The Catalina Express fleet consists of eight high-speed vessels including four catamarans. The largest vessel in operation, the Catalina Jet has the capacity to carry nearly 500 passengers across the channel. Catalina Express offers up to 30 round trips daily

There are numerous activities available on Catalina Island, including: an Eco Tour Zip Line, hiking, biking, camping, swimming, snorkeling, diving, sightseeing, dining, shopping or relaxing, to name a few. Our main activities include a submersible ride to view submerged vegetation and fish species and an electricity power plant tour.


AAEA, GUBC and CCFEI are providing important environmental and technical services to the youth of Compton, California. This partnership provides a rich environmental experience for participants. The Center will engage institutions and individuals to support the program.

Short Version 

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Magic Johnson Led Group Buys Los Angeles Dodgers

Basketball legend Magic Johnson led a group that won an auction for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team Tuesday night, marking the final chapter in a soap-opera-style saga for the legendary franchise.
With a bid of $2.15 billion, including the surrounding land, Mr. Johnson, controlling partner Mark Walter and partners Peter Guber, Stan Kasten, Bobby Patton and Todd Boehly beat out a group of some of the wealthiest businessmen in the country to land a team that is one of Major League Baseball's flagship franchises.

We like how they are putting Magic out front as the face of the purchase.  The sales figure shatters the previous record sales price for a U.S. sports franchise, Steve Ross's purchase of the Miami Dolphins for $1.1 billion three years ago. (WSJ, 3/28/2012)

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African Americans and Mobile Entertainment.

The Mobile Consumer: African Americans, Movies & Mobile

A New Report by MocoSpace and Briabe Mobile

More than any other ethnic demographic, African Americans use mobile phones to make movie plans

African Americans are not only an important demographic of the US movie going population, but they are at the forefront of a new trend of using mobile phones to guide movie selection.

African Americans attend movies more frequently than other ethnic demographics, including Hispanics and Caucasians. Now, research from a new study is showing that African Americans are more active than other demographics in using their mobile devices to find theaters, movie times and reviews. This insight comes from a survey of more than 1100 Americans who participated in research for a new report titled The Mobile Consumer: African Americans, Movies & Mobile. The study was conducted on MocoSpace’s diverse network of users, in partnership with multicultural mobile agency Briabe Mobile.

Based on the results from a June 2011 survey, the study revealed that 66% of African Americans go to the movie theater at least once a month, and 19% see movies three times a month - and they are relying on their mobile phone in the movie selection process. The vast majority - seventy percent - of African Americans surveyed used their phone to help choose a movie within 8 hours of actually attending the movie.

Another key finding of the survey is that African Americans use their phones for almost every part of the film-discovery process. Sixty-eight percent use their mobile devices for overall movie planning. Of those:

o 69% use their mobile devices to find show times and locations;

o 35% use it to view trailers;

o 34% use it to get reviews; and

o 28% use it to discover movies.

The study also revealed that mobile ads are extremely effective with this demographic. African American consumers are more likely to take action as a result of mobile advertising than any other ethnic group. Survey participants were asked: ‘When using your mobile device what influences you to see a movie?’ and 41% of African Americans reported that that mobile ads influence their decision. Comparatively, 40% of Hispanics claimed that mobile ads influenced them, while only 31% of the general market said the same.

Of the mobile ad types, mobile search ads saw the greatest response; 45% of African Americans said mobile search ads influenced their decision, with mobile banner ads coming in second at 39% and 28% saying SMS ads made them want to see a film.

As movie studios look to boost their box office, this data illustrates that African Americans are a driving force for ticket sales. The mobile device and mobile media is a huge opportunity for advertisers and marketers to engage this audience and drive them to theaters.

About Briabe Mobile
Briabe Mobile, Inc., is an award-winning full-service, multicultural mobile marketing agency. Since 2005, Briabe Mobile has been the leader in innovative, targeted mobile marketing and advertising campaigns that help brands capture and engage their diverse consumer audiences – including Hispanic, Asian and African American ethnic groups – using mobile devices. Briabe Mobile helps brands leverage mobile platforms to connect with their target customers via unique solutions and campaigns that complement their existing marketing efforts.

About MocoSpace
MocoSpace is the largest HTML5 mobile gaming community in North America, with twenty-five million registered users. Every day, users spend more than one million hours on MocoSpace, and one million games are played. For a young, multicultural, on-the go generation, MocoSpace is the mobile community of choice for playing games, making friends, having fun and staying connected. MocoSpace is free and available on any Web-enabled mobile phone in the world. Launched in 2005, MocoSpace is based in Boston, Mass., and is backed by General Catalyst and Softbank Capital.

Contacts:

MocoSpace:

Rachael Himsel Nunez
415.677.9125 x 257

Briabe Mobile

Meeta Chawla
310.694.3283

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If You Are A Black Actress and Want An Oscar, Play A Maid

Hattie McDaniel

Prior to Sunday's Academy Awards, only 13 black actors had won in the Oscars’ 84-year history. Only Halle Berry had been chosen best actress, for playing a wounded soul who finds solace in the arms of a white man in “Monster’s Ball.”  The best supporting actress victory of Octavia Spencer, who played another maid in “The Help,” shows that maid roles are responsible for two of the six Oscars won by black actresses.

In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Oscar, for a supporting role as a maid called Mammy in the Dixie-glorifying “Gone With the Wind.” Since then, a high percentage of black Oscar nominees and winners have played characters such as slaves, African despots, welfare recipients, dysfunctional mothers, drug-addicted musicians or drug-dealing cops.

Of the 5,765 people who vote on the Oscars, nearly 94 percent are white and 77 percent are male, according to a new Los Angeles Times study. The median voter age is 62.  (Associated Press, Black News, 2/28/2012)

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Urban Internet News

Urban Internet News (UINews) is dedicated to daily, national news that pertains to people of color. As the nation’s only daily, audio newscast, UINews.net is the premier online programming source to offer access to daily Black national news. With easy access from almost anywhere–and now with technology, even your mobile phone,Urban Internet News covers every aspect of news for people of color. 

UINews.net hopefully fills the void of black news in an age where other networks have arguably fallen by the wayside.  UINews.net serves an ever expanding audience that utilizes the Internet as a primary news source. UINews.net offers the latest news and information as it occurs and is updated on a regular basis.

UINews.net offers both full newscasts and briefs on a daily basis, Monday through Friday.  UINews.net reports the top stories and events including business, politics, technology, entertainment and sports, all specific to the black community.  UINews.net also features segments covering Caribbean and African news.

UINews.net will offer listener’s unmatched access to highly produced news programming, helping to keep their finger on the pulse of the news and information that is relevant.

DJ Benjamin Jones will be on the music side (Spirit & Soul) from 7pm til midnite on Saturday nights.  It is their desire to lift  spirits higher with inspirational Gospel, R&B, Jazz and inspiring words and scripture. Call or email them with  encouraging words: 1(877)522-6285 spiritandsoulonline@gmail.com

Spirit & Soul

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Sly Outdoes Original 'Thank You' With New 'Thank You'

By Environment Man

I never would have thought that anyone could or would try to top Sly & The Family Stone's "Thank You."  Then again, what better person to achieve it than the originator of "Thank You," Sly Stone himself.  In his 2011 release, "I'm Back! Family & Friends," Sly revamps "Thank You" and ramps it up at least 33%.  Everything is firing more potently.

The energy level is raised on the new version as to  render the original version as just an incredible Top 10 hit.  The new version lifts the 60's hit to a cult like status. In other words, there is 'the Stone sound,' but Sly got back on his game by elevating his own greatist hit, "Thank You."

Oh. And there is that unadvertised "Music Lover" at the end of the Dance To The Music Extended Version.  Sly has left a lasting legacy if this is to be his last disk.  Put out your best stuff while you're still alive, Sly.  Cause you know they are going to put it out after you are gone.

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Melissa Harris-Perry Gets Show On MSNBC

MSNBC contributor Melissa Harris-Perry is the latest addition to MSNBC’s expanding weekend lineup. Her new program, set to air Saturdays and Sundays 10a-noon ET, will debut on MSNBC February 4th. The announcement was made by MSNBC President Phil Griffin. Chris Hayes will continue to lead off MSNBC’s weekend programming with his popular roundtable program ‘Up,’ which will begin airing from 8-10am ET on both Saturdays and Sundays. MSNBC anchor Alex Witt will expand MSNBC’s live news coverage in both the morning and the afternoon, with “Weekends with Alex Witt” airing 7-8a ET Saturdays and noon-2p ET on Saturdays and Sundays.

Harris-Perry, a long-standing political analyst and contributor to MSNBC, is a frequent guest of “PoliticsNation” with Rev. Al Sharpton, and also serves as occasional host of “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The Last Word.” A highly accomplished author, scholar and speaker, Harris-Perry’s new program will continue MSNBC’s trend of bringing intelligent, informed voices to the cable channel’s weekend programming.

Ms Harris-Perry, a political science professor at Tulane University, is also a columnist for The Nation magazine, and will continue to write her monthly column, titled Sister Citizen. She'll continue to teach and write her monthly column, in addition to this new MSNBC gig. (MSNBC Press Release)

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