Whitney Houston Returns Sept. 1!

Billboard.com is reporting that Whitney Houston's next studio album will be released on September 1st. The as yet untitled set will feature production by will.i.am, Akon and Sean Garrett. Here's wishing for a successful comeback for Whitney, who arguably has the best voice of any female singer of her generation.

Kobe "Bean" Fighting Father Time!

I found this great article from the Los Angeles Times regarding Kobe Bryant, who begins his quest for a 4th championship tonight against the Orlando Magic. Kobe is in his 13th NBA season and has played 1,118 games, or 340 games more than Michael Jordan had played at the same age. The 340 games is the equivalent of 3 NBA seasons, and considering that Jordan was still playing at a high level at 36, Kobe probably has at best 3 peak seasons left in his body assuming he doesn't have any devastating injuries. With the "young boys" like Melo, LeBron, Dwight and Dwyane knocking at the door, in reality this may be his best chance to secure that elusive 4th championship.

President Obama Speaking To Muslims!

President Barack Obama is spreading the word of peace as he speaks in Cairo this morning. I haven't really written a lot about our president recently, but after watching the last 2 nights of the NBC special profiling the White House and how he's handling his business, I just have to conclude that he's "the real deal."

Taking The Law Into Their Own Hands!

Jose Carrasquillo, 26, was a suspect in the rape of an 11 year-old girl in Philadelphia on Monday morning. A few hours after police released his name and photograph as a potential suspect he was spotted by residents where proceeded to take the law into their own hands:

Carrasquillo was seen by residents walking west on Clearfield toward Front about 3:15 p.m. A block before Front, at Lee Street, several males, including at least two teens, confronted the suspect.

"Hey, yo! You raped this girl," one of the teens told the suspect, according to Kris Torres, 16, who was part of the group of three or four. The suspect denied it.

"No. I have a daughter myself," said Carrasquillo, according to Torres.

But the neighborhood was convinced he was the suspect because detectives came to the area in the morning showing a photograph to residents. Torres said the teens, including himself, started hitting the suspect.

"We just pounded on him because we wanted him arrested," Torres said.

The suspect, however, continued to deny he was the attacker, said Louis Rodriguez, 16, who said he also was involved in the beat-down. "Stop! It wasn't me," the man yelled, according to Rodriguez.

The suspect tried to walk away but was knocked down along the side of a corner store at Front and Clearfield Streets.

A large crowd then gathered and urged the teens to pummel the suspect. The beating was captured on videotape by an outside security camera just down the street.

Physical evidence has been found at the scene linking the suspect to the crime. Police describe the incident as sadistic, and the young girl is in stable condition with a long road to recovery ahead. Thanks to the Philadelphia Inquirer for the article.

50 Cent's Costly Purchase!

Rapper 50 Cent purchased Mike Tyson's former home in 2003 under the assumption that it would take $500,000 to repair the home according to BVH Integrated Services, the engineering firm he hired to inspect the home. It wound up costing $6 million, and 50 wants $3 million as he testified in court yesterday according to the New York Daily News. He put the home up for sale in 2007, but had no takers for it.

The GM Rescue!

The above graph was supplied by the Detroit Free Press. General Motors filed for bankruptcy yesterday, and the government is on the hook for about $50 billion that we may never see again. GM has lost $82 billion in the last 4 years. Is there really hope that the company can be turned around?

Sugar Ray Leonard Speaks To His High School Alma Mater!

Sugar Ray Leonard spoke at his alma mater Parkdale High School's graduation yesterday telling the students:

"You have so many doors and opportunities that are available to you that not succeeding is not acceptable." "You must be a fighter in life."

Leonard, now 53, graduated 36 years ago from the high school and went on to have a legendary boxing career. The school that he graduated from was a mixture of blacks and whites back then, and though the demographics of the school have changed, the goals of the students should still be the same to live productive lives while striving for excellence. Good to see that Sugar Ray hasn't forgotten where he came from, and is still uplifting the younger generation. Thanks to the Washington Post for the article.

Joe Frazier's Step-Grandson Killed In Philly!

The Philadelphia Daily News reports the sad news that legendary boxer Joe Frazier's step-grandson Peter Lyde Jr. was shot and killed while working as a security guard at a Philadelphia bar.

Mike Brown Has To Go, LeBron!

Admittedly I had coronated LeBron James as the second greatest player of all time, and assumed that he was going to win the NBA Championship this year. Along the way, Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy had different plans and threw a major wrench in the coronation plans.

6 years into his career, LeBron James is at a crossroads. 3 seasons ago, LeBron's Cavs were swept in the finals by the San Antonio Spurs. The 2 subsequent seasons have ended with losses in the conference finals. LeBron needs to be in owner Dan Gilbert's office this morning requesting a new head coach. While Mike Brown may be a very nice guy, Stan Van Gundy coached circles around him, which is unacceptable. LeBron has to realize that Dwight Howard's full potential is about to be unleashed, and it's going to be even more difficult to win a championship in the future. Unfortunately the next Scottie Pippen is not walking through the door, and Brown simply has to go.

Eminem:Was It Intentional Or A Prank?

Last night at the MTV Movie Awards, Sasha Cohen "teabagged" Eminem as his alter ego "Bruno". Eminem proceeded to leave the festivities in a huff. Entertainers will do just about anything for publicity, so either this was an intentional stunt or Eminem's lyrics finally caught up with him.

The Black Men Did It!

Bonnie Sweeten has gained national headlines for alleging that 2 black men abducted she and her 9 year-old daughter in Bucks County Pennsylvania. It turns out that Mrs. Sweeten made the story up, and was found with her daughter in Florida. She's now facing numerous charges and has been extradited back to Pennsylvania. Annette John-Hall writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer that it's "Time To Stop Demonizing "Black Men." She writes correctly that when a crime is being fabricated that the "black man" is usually the fall guy and gives these examples:

It worked for Susan Smith. South Carolina mother. Children missing. The black man did it. Racial tension. Turns out she had driven her "missing" car into a lake to drown her kids.

Charles Stuart, Boston store manager. Pregnant wife murdered in a carjacking. The black man did it. The case ignites fear and door-to-door searches. Except that Stuart did it.

Tanya Dacri from Philly. Child missing. Black men did it. Three of them. It worked until police discovered that Dacri had drowned and chopped up her infant son.

Ashley Todd, John McCain campaign volunteer in Pittsburgh. Accosted at an ATM. A backward B (presumably for Barack) cut into her forehead. The black man did it. She gets sympathy call from Sarah Palin. Todd was sentenced to probation this week, having confessed to her self-mutilation.

Bucks County District Attorney Michelle Henry even made the following alarming statement:

"It's a terrifying thing for a community to hear that two black men in a black Cadillac grabbed a woman and her daughter. . . . It's terrifying,"

Admittedly black men are not perfect, but they are not at the root of all that is violent in America.

Rodney Rogers Update!

Sometime during tonight's NBA basketball game between the Cavs and Magic, TNT will broadcast an interview that Chris Webber conducted with former player Rodney Rogers who is now paralyzed from the shoulder down due to a dirt bike accident last November. I found this article from SPORTSbyBROOKS.com which profiles Rogers. The interesting part of the article highlights the fact that although Rogers is "financially set" he took a job working for Durham, N.C.'s public works department. The health benefits that he secured has helped pay his medical bills since the NBA's collective bargaining agreement doesn't cover for catastrophic insurance for retired players. Rogers is dealing with his paralysis in an upbeat manner with the help and support of his fiance Faye Suggs.

Is Michael Jordan Wanted As An Owner In Charlotte?

It was announced last week that BET founder Bob Johnson is rumored to be willing to sell the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats to the highest bidder. Michael Jordan, who is currently a minority owner, is also rumored to be interested. Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer feels that Jordan would be a bad fit as an owner because he's not visible and even questions whether Jordan has made the "nice" moves that he's been credited with making in the last year since Larry Brown has been the coach. If Jordan wants to purchase the team he has the money and right to do so. The Bobcats are still essentially an expansion team, and I find it amazing that Sorensen appears to be questioning Jordan's ability to do the job.

Dirk's Ex Is Pregnant!

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki's ex-fiance Cristal Taylor, who has been in a Dallas jail since May 6th after being charged with felony crimes in 2 states is indeed pregnant as she has asserted for the last week. Nowitzki has refused comment on Taylor's incarceration since she was arrested at his home earlier this month. Looks like Taylor may have finally hit the jackpot if she can overcome her legal issues. Thanks to the Dallas Morning News for the article.

Twitter Wants To Make Money!

The Houston Chronicle reports that Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams state that they will eventually charge fees for some of the online text based platform's services, which has become the rage over the last year. The company, which has doubled in employees to 43 since January, been linked to buyout rumors, however the co-founders indicate they'd prefer to keep the company privately held for the foreseeable future.

R.I.P. Exodus Tyson!

It was very sad to hear that Mike Tyson's 4 year-old daughter Exodus died yesterday after a tragic accident while at home in Phoenix, AZ. Prayers go out to Mike Tyson and his family for their tragic loss.

Roland Martin Not Campbell Brown!

CNN political commentator and replacement host for Campbell Brown's "No Bias No Bull" during her maternity leave has seen his star ascend during the last year. Page Six is reporting however, that the shows ratings have nosedived since Martin has taken over hosting the show. Martin isn't alone in his struggles, as Anderson Cooper's ratings are down 30 percent in key demographics.

Mike Tyson's 4 Year-Old Daughter On Life Support!

This is a very sad story. Boxer Mike Tyson's 4 year-old daughter, Exodus Tyson is on life support in a Phoenix area hospital after being found with a treadmill cord wrapped around her neck. We wish all the best for the family.

Richard Parsons Fathers Love Child!

The New York Daily News reports that former CEO of Time Warner and present Citigroup Board Chairman Richard Parsons, 61 and married with 3 children has fathered a child with model-philanthropist MacDella Cooper who is 32. The baby was born last August, and of course both persons are calling the birth of the child a private matter, but when you're in the public eye and and major business power broker is anything private.

Natalie's Blessing And Sadness!

When singer Natalie Cole received news this week that she had a compatible kidney available that could save her life, she was at the bedside of her dying sister Carol "Cookie" Cole. Natalie's older sister had received news the week before that she had a cancerous spot on her lung, but chose to reject chemotherapy treatment. While Natalie was receiving the kidney transplant, which was a success, her sister succumbed to cancer. Natalie is expected to leave the hospital this weekend, while dealing with the loss of her sister. Thanks to Page Six for the update.

Will Michael Vick Have To Get On His Knees?

Michael Vick was released from federal prison yesterday and now will be serving the remaining 2 months of his term under house arrest. Everyone has an opinion on whether Vick should be given the opportunity to play football again in the N.F.L. and Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to say that Vick needs to show remorse for his involvement in a dog fighting ring. Hopefully Goodell will realize the Michael Vick has essentially lost everything and paid his debt to society. Even if Vick is reinstated, there's no guarantee that N.F.L. owners will take a chance on Vick, and there's no need for Vick to have to get on his knees and beg for an opportunity to regain his livelihood. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Vick's entrance back into society will be tough enough with all of the publicity of his celebrity.

New Orleans Area Teacher Charged With Having Sex With 14 Year-Old Girl!

The Times-Picayune reports that Patrick Williams, 33 an assistant band director at a local school was arrested Monday evening on charges of having sex with a 14 year-old girl, and contributing to the delinquency of other students at the school.

Williams allegedly brought four students to a home in eastern New Orleans on Oct. 24, said New Orleans Police Department Assistant Superintendent Marlon Defillo. There, the students -- two 14-year-old girls and boys aged 15 and 17 -- engaged in or witnessed various sex acts, Defillo said.

Williams is accused of having sex with one of the girls. He was booked into the Orleans Parish jail with felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, conspiring to commit felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and four counts of indecent behavior with juveniles.

Defillo said police learned of the matter just days ago, when one of the girls told her mother what happened during a heart-to-heart conversation. Her mother brought the matter to the attention of the Police Department's child abuse investigators, Defillo said.

As of Tuesday evening, Williams was being held in the Orleans Parish jail without bond. He likely will have his first court appearance today to determine whether he is eligible for bail.

Too bad we can't trust our children with teachers anymore. Nothing is sacred!

King Children Still Split After MLK Jr. Film Rights Sold To DreamWorks!

Yesterday it was announced that DreamWorks movie studios announced that it has obtained the rights to put Martin Luther King Jr.'s life on screen. Under normal circumstances this would be a normal story, however, with King's children still feuding, nothing is normal. Dexter King negotiated the agreement, apparently without siblings Martin III and Bernice's permission and the two plan to fight the agreement. Bernice made the following statement according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

“We are taking action. We cannot reveal what it is at this time,” she said. “Dexter King has entered into an agreement without approval of his shareholders,” she said. “It’s about Dexter King and the empire he is trying to build with Madison Jones.”

It's a shame that the King children can't find common ground concerning their parents' legacies.

Rapper Dolla Slain In Los Angeles!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that rapper Dolla was slain outside a Beverley Hills area mall on Monday. Only 21, Dolla had been in involved in an altercation earlier in the day with a male and female, and apparently was followed to the mall. A "person of interest" was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport. Dolla, who was signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik label was being touted as the next Tupac. Too bad the young man's dreams will never be realized as violence has taken the life of another young man.

Wayman's Lost Battle!

We lost Wayman Tisdale on Friday to bone cancer. This is one of the last segments filmed about Wayman's ordeal. Wayman leaves behind a wife and 4 children.