The Daily Buzz For Jan 2

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

Former ATL Reality Stars Kim Zolciak & Sheree Whitfield Show Off Their New Homes

Just because we don’t see Kim Zolciak anymore on the Real Housewives of Atlanta, doesn’t mean that she isn’t going full throttle with plans to build her dream home. The XX-year-old reality star gave her twitter fans an update on the progress that contractor’s have made on her family’s home.

Check it out.

And in case you wondering what’s the deal with former reality star, Sheree Whitfield’s home (affectionately called Chateau by Sheree), according to twitter her is well underway from being complete. Recently, she gave an update on twitter, writing:

Ahem!  But No pics??????

Kenya Moore Poses For Krave Magazine

Former Miss USA Kenya Moore may be labeled as bat sh-t crazy (or at least a good actress) after her stint on the newest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, but she definitely can take a mean pic.

Glamming it up in a zebra print dress with a pair of boxing gloves located at her feet, Kenya shows off her modeling abilities in a new photo shoot for Krave Magazine. In the spread, shot by photographer James Anthony, she also shows those half-naked boys in the locker room who’s boss.

She may be stirring up some trouble on RHOA but she looks nice with her “Gone With The Wind” fabulous self.

Catch a few more pics below:

A little nutty but FAB pics!

Stevie J is STILL BEGGING Mimi Faust To RECONNECT

And in 2012, viewers were enthralled by the Stevie J/Joseline/Mimi Faust love triangle and many wondered why Mimi let Stevie play her for the fool.  Well things seem to have changed amongst the threesome.  While we've seen Stevie J out with Joseline, Mimi doesn't have time for Stevie outside of co-parenting.  She posted a snippet from a text conversation where she shut him down for trying to start something back up between them.....

Oh the DRAMA!

AGAIN: Katt Williams Arrested for Child Endangerment

Comedian Katt Williams was arrested again, he was arrested yesterday morning at his Los Angeles-area home on suspicion of felony child endangerment and remains in custody.

According to TMZ, Williams was arrested following an investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services that concluded:

“there were numerous guns and illegal drugs in the house that created a safety hazard for the kids.”

Williams’ four children were living with him at his residence but have now been placed into protective custody.

Williams is being held at the LAPD’s Valley Jail in Van Nuys $100,000 bail.

Jennifer Lopez Called the Meanest to Work With?

Jennifer Lopez was called one of the meanest and egotistical to work with by the crew on her latest movie. 

J. Lo might have had a humble beginning as a “Fly Girl” on In Living Color, but according to tabloids she is as big a diva as ever!

Crew members from the film What to Expect When You’re Expecting, are quoted saying they “were warned not to speak to Jennifer.” The stylists and makeup people allegedly were even told to stay away because Jennifer insisted that only her personal team work with her. “It made everything much more time-consuming. Jennifer is by far one of the meanest and egotistical people I’ve ever worked with,” the tabloid claims.

Rumorfix reached out to a friend super close to the star who tell us this story is bogus, calling it “So crazy!”

The tabs may want to get their facts straight or they might get a real taste of J. Lo’s diva-ness!

SHAMEFUL! 'It's not about the money': First lawsuit filed over Sandy Hook massacre!

A New Haven attorney is asking permission to sue the state for $100 million on behalf of a student who survived the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

'She was in her classroom, and over the loudspeaker came the horrific confrontation between the fellow who shot everybody and other people,' attorney Irving Pinsky said in the lawsuit filed Thursday. 

'Her friends were killed,' the claims states. 'That's pretty traumatic.'

Irving Pinsky filed a $100 million lawsuit on Thursday on behalf of a Sandy Hook Elementary School student.'She was in her classroom, and over the loudspeaker came the horrific confrontation between the fellow who shot everybody and other people,' Pinsky said. 'Her friends were killed. That's pretty traumatic.'

Pinsky said the student has been traumatized by the killings, and accused the state of failing to protect students from 'foreseeable harm.' Pinsky says it's not about the money.

'It's about living in a world that's safe,' he said. 'The answer is about protecting the kids.'

The state has immunity against most lawsuits unless permission to sue is granted.

According to the claim, the 6-year-old student, identified as 'Jill Doe,' was in her classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 when the attack came on the loudspeaker.

Adam Lanza killed 20 first grade students and six adult staffers at the school before killing himself.

Pinsky said the student has been traumatized by the killings, and accused the state of failing to protect students from 'foreseeable harm.'

'As a consequence, the claimant-minor child has sustained emotional and psychological trauma and injury, the nature and extent of which are yet to be determined,' the claim says.

The state enjoys 'sovereign immunity' against most lawsuits unless permission to sue is granted.

Pinsky said he hopes to review the evidence and prove that the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary were foreseeable.

The claim is the first lawsuit to emerge from the Sandy Hook massacre

'Usually a fellow like Adam Lanza would have been known as a potential problem to the police,' Pinsky said.

He said he filed the notice in order to 'freeze' the evidence before insurance adjusters can 'shape' it.

'This way the state of Connecticut will get the notice and they will have the attorney general's office and their investigators see what happened and why the school was not protected,' he said.

UPDATE: Pinsky has said for now he will NOT file the suit!

New Music Video: Mya "Mr. Incredible"

Mya has released a sulty video for the "Mr. Incredible" track off her K.I.S.S. disc.  She dedicated the video to her hardcore fans saying, "A gift to my fans. Thank you all for supporting the "K.I.S.S." album in 2012."

Produced by Young Yonny, the video features Mya rocking a 70s "Soul Sista" wig while taking a sexy bubble bath. Later, she steps out of the tub to set the mood right in a dimly lit room of candles.

Watch the video here

Thoughts!

YouTube Cracks DOWN On FAKE Views And Likes, Top Artists Get Their Numbers WIPED!

Some of music's biggest viral videos like Beyonce's "Single Ladies," Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" and Psy's "Gangnam Style" saw their social media impressions decrease as YouTube recently cracked down on fraudulent view count-building techniques called "black hat."

The crack down affects the nations' largest recording companies--Sony and Universal--who were stripped of 2 billion hits after YouTube cracked down.

So what exactly is black hat?  It's "the term used when hackers artificially build up the numbers of views or likes on a YouTube video - enabling them to make clips appear far more popular than they really are and increase their exposure on the site."

YouTube doesn't come right out and accuse companies like Sony or Universal of hiring hackers to do this.  But how else would it have been done?  They stated, "This was not a bug or a security breach. This was an enforcement of our viewcount policy."

Universal, home of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber, lost a total of one billion views in the video site’s biggest ever crackdown.  Alicia Keys and Rita Ora lost 850 million.

It's well understood that YouTube operates as an unofficial music chart.  So for promotional purposes, it sounds a lot sexier to say Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" video got 100,000 likes and 25 million views versus 1000 views and 25,000 likes. 

The long term impact of the crackdown won't likely hit folks like Justin Bieber in the pocket, but will impact people who rely on their "view count" for advertising purposes on the YouTube channels.

We guess folks will have to go back to the old hustle and grind of actually asking people to spread the word about their pages and channels.  Or just having talent...

Would You Rock ‘Em? Teyana Taylor X Adidas Originals Harlem GLC

Weeks ago, Teyana Taylor gave a preview of her new Teyana Taylor x adidas Originals Harlem Good Luck Charm (GLC) sneaker, but the pic only offered a view of the back.

Now you can check out the entire shoe; which officially drops February 16th, but will be available for preorder January 1st at www.adidas.com Me likey!

Doctors Say Wearing Skinny Jeans Can Cause Nerve Damage 

Many young kids are heavily influenced by what they see their idols wearing. When rappers like Lil Wayne and Kid Cudi step out at an event wearing skinny jeans, many teens try to emulate them.

Rappers aren't the only ones who have made the super tight pants popular. There are plenty of actors and singers who have helped to make skinny jeans the "in" thing among the general population. However, some doctors are now warning that wearing the jeans can be a health hazard.

WATCH:

Thoughts?

COMING SOON; Raekwon - Lost Jewlry EP [Cover Art]

Raekwon just unveiled the cover for his upcoming Lost Jewlry EP via Twitter. The Wu Tang Clan emcee plans on releasing it January 8, 2013.

On January 1st, Rae will reveal the title and release date of his sixth solo album. 2013 is looking like it's shaping up to be a big year for The Chef.

Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon & Dem Babies Vacation Down Under

Mariah Carey rock’d a long red gown and strappy gold sandals as she and her husband Nick Cannon made their way off a yacht, with their twins Moroccan and Monroe.

They touched down in Queensland, Australia after a snowy Christmas vacay in Aspen, Colorado. The family set sail through the Great Barrier Reef, getting in some QT together ahead of Mimi’s week-long concert tour Down Under.

Halle Berry scoops up a Nahla after Parisian holiday with Olivier Martinez

She spent Christmas in Paris with her fiancee, Olivier Martinez. But Halle Berry was undoubtedly missing her little girl, Nahla, during the lovers' getaway. The 46-year-old actress scooped up her sleepy four-year-old daughter and carried the youngster on her hip as they made their way through a New York City airport after a joyous reunion on Friday.

Halle looked tired after a long-haul flight herself, although her complexion was flawless even without a scrap of make-up.

The actress dressed down in tight leather pants, a black sweater, grey scarf and black coat, while Nahla was dressed adorably in head-to-toe pink and orange striped pants.

The curly-haired daughter of Halle and ex-partner Gabriel Aubry sweetly leaned her head on her mother's shoulder, while the actress leaned her cheek against her little girl's forehead and walked through JFK airport.The couple were pictured several times taking in the sights around his native Paris while Nahla spent Christmas with her dad in the U.S.

It seemed earlier this week, however, that the holidays without her little girl had started to take a toll on Halle, who was seen looking decidedly miserable even on a walk through the City of Lights on Thursday, even while holding her handsome man's hand. 

Halle and Olivier have had a difficult few months that would any relationship to the test.

The actor had been hoping to return to his home country permanently with his American fiance, both of whom would like to trade in the Hollywood lifestyle for more low profile one.

The Frenchmen told Interview magazine he has no desire to be a movie star: 'My goal is just… to get some interesting parts and make enough money to live free.'

'Otherwise, to be a movie star, it's a lot of compromise and also a lot of headaches.'

Porsha Stewart Talks “Real Housewives Of Atlanta” & Issues With Kenya Moore

Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Porsha Stewart recently stopped by the offices of Essence to chat about the pros and cons of being on the reality show.

Check it out in the video

During the 2 minute clip, Porsha says that one of the pros of being on the show is that women have actually approached her to say that her story touched them, being that they were going through the same thing. And what she mentions as a con is the drama-filled moments – plus she touches on the issues between her and Kenya Moore.

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES 

‘KITTEN MITTENS’

There is nothing that says “the world will never accept me” like a live-action cat meme.

HAVE A GREAT START TO THE NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!!!!! 

EFREM 

Getting Mental Health Services is a Problem for African Americans

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

In Health News: Obtaining Mental Health Service remains a Problem for African Americans

Lack of Mental Health Services Remains Major Concern for African Americans

Historically, African Americans have proffered a negative view towards mental health, in particular issues pertaining to obtaining treatment. Not to mention, across the nation, African Americans are more likely to be misdiagnosed based on standards of behavior that only account for world views defined by western European culture. A new study just published supports these contentions.

The study, which was conducted by the state of California in concert with mental health researchers from several state universities, was based on data collected from 35 focus groups, 45 individual interviews, 635 surveys, and 10 public forums and meetings with residents and mental health professionals from across the state. The report aimed to provide a more complete picture of the African American community’s experience with the state’s mental and behavioral health systems. The issue is of extreme concern for mental health professionals nationwide, because these inaccurate psychiatric assessments are a “part of the problem that leads to disparate outcomes,” the report said.

According to National Alliance on Mental Illness, African Americans in the United States are less likely to receive accurate diagnoses than their Caucasian counterparts. Schizophrenia, for instance has been shown to be over diagnosed in the African American population. Then there is the issue of culture biases against mental health professionals and health care professionals which in general prevent many African Americans from accessing care due to prior experiences with historical misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment and a lack of cultural understanding. Only 2 percent of psychiatrists, 2 percent of psychologists and 4 percent of social workers in the United States are African American.

Traditionally, African Americans tend to rely on family, religious and social communities for emotional support rather than turning to health care professionals, even though this may at times be necessary. The health care providers they seek may not be aware of this important aspect of a person’s life, which may account for the suicide rate for African American men almost six times the rate for African American women. African Americans were 20 percent more likely to report having serious psychological distress than Non-Hispanic Whites.

Documented barriers to accessing mental health care described by study participants included a lack of culturally proficient practitioners and providers — also an issue of concern for mental health professionals nationwide. Community distrust is another barrier to accessing mental health care. The researchers tailored mental health programs for African Americans across the state. The study by the state of California on African American mental health disparities is one of five state commissioned demographic specific studies conducted as a part of the California Reducing Disparities Project, all designed to determine how the state will spend $60 million in funds earmarked to address racial and ethnic disparities in mental health! 

Remember  WE ARE OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER!

HEALTH NEWS: New home HIV Testing Kit!

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

Rapid H.I.V. Home Test Wins Federal Approval!

After decades of controversy, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new H.I.V. test on Tuesday that for the first time makes it possible for Americans to learn in the privacy of their homes whether they are infected. 
The OraQuick test, by OraSure Technologies, uses a mouth swab and gives results in 20 to 40 minutes. A previous test sold over the counter required a user to prick a finger and mail a drop of dried blood to a lab. 
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the longtime AIDS researcher and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, called the new test a “positive step forward” and one that could help bring the 30-year-old epidemic under control. 
Getting an infected person onto antiretroviral drugs lowers by as much as 96 percent the chance that he or she will transmit the virus to someone else, so testing and treatment have become crucial to prevention. About 20 percent of the 1.2 million infected Americans do not know they have the disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, and about 50,000 more get infected each year. 
Dr. Robert Gallo, who headed the National Institutes of Health lab that developed the first American blood test for the virus in 1984, called the F.D.A. approval “wonderful because it will get more people into care.” 
The idea of a home test has long been mired in controversy. The first application for one was made in 1987, and the F.D.A. has been considering OraSure’s simple mouth-swab test since 2005.

But the history of AIDS and the human immunodeficiency virus that causes it are unique. AIDS emerged in the 1980s wrapped in a shroud of stigma. It was spread by sex, drug injections and blood transfusions. Along with hemophiliacs, heroin users and Haitians, the most vocal group of early victims was gay men, who were then in the throes of a loud and defiant liberation movement. 
Because merely being tested for H.I.V. was seen as tantamount to being publicly revealed as gay or addicted to drugs, and because an H.I.V.-positive result was a death sentence, groups like the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and newspapers like The New York Native advised their members and readers to shun testing until ironclad guarantees of anonymity were put in place. 
Alarmists predicted a wave of suicides if home tests were made available. At hearings, advocates for AIDS patients handed out copies of an obituary of a San Francisco man who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge after learning he was infected. C.D.C. officials warned their F.D.A. counterparts that home testing could lead to a surge of new patients that would swamp overburdened health clinics, according to an F.D.A. document. 
So, even as tests for other stigmatized diseases like syphilis were once part of getting a marriage license and home pregnancy kits became available at every corner pharmacy, H.I.V. tests lived in a special limbo, usually requiring a counseling session and the signing of a consent form, adding to the air of dread. 
Even when antiretroviral drugs emerged in the mid-1990s, states were slow to rewrite laws governing testing.

Mark Harrington, the executive director of the Treatment Action Group, an AIDS advocacy organization, said in an interview that he thought such fears were “a thing of the past” now that it is clear that early treatment saves lives. “Any tool that speeds up diagnosis is really needed,” he said. 
The new test has some drawbacks. While it is extremely accurate when administered by medical professionals, it is less so when used by consumers. Researchers found the home test accurate 99.98 percent of the time for people who do not have the virus. By comparison, they found it to be accurate 92 percent of the time in detecting people who do. One concern is the “window period” between the time someone gets the virus and begins to develop the antibodies to it, which the test detects. That can take up to three months. 
So, while only about one person in 5,000 would get a false positive test, about one person in 12 could get a false negative. 
Any positive test needs confirmation in a doctor’s office, the F.D.A. said, and people engaged in high-risk sex should test themselves regularly.

The agency does not intend for the home test to replace medical testing, but instead to provide another way for people to find out their H.I.V. status, said Dr. Karen Midthun, director of the F.D.A.’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. 
The home test should be available in 30,000 pharmacies, grocery stores and online retailers by October, said Douglas Michels, OraSure’s chief executive. The price has not yet been set. But he said it would be higher than the $17.50 now charged to medical professionals because the company will do more complicated packaging for the home kit, open a 24-hour question line, and advertise to high-risk groups, including gay men, blacks and Hispanics, and sexually active adults. Still, he said, it will be kept inexpensive enough to appeal to people who might want to buy several a year. 
Because the F.D.A. approved the home test only for people 17 and older, retail stores may ask customers to show ID, he said. The restriction is not for medical reasons, but because only a few subjects age 14 to 16 were tested, he said, “so that was the deal we worked out with the F.D.A.”

Whether having to show identification would deter teenagers or young-looking people from buying a test is unclear. Mr. Harrington said he thought it might. 
In contrast, teenage girls are not legally required to show identification to buy pregnancy tests. This is GREAT news!

HEALTH NEWS: Heart Trouble Early and Often in H.I.V. Patients

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

HEALTH NEWS: Heart Trouble Early and Often in H.I.V. Patients

 

There are some things a few AIDS specialists have long suspected, and cardiologists have now found evidence to support: People infected with H.I.V. have more heart attacks and have them earlier in life. Even patients whose infection is well suppressed by AIDS drugs are at higher risk.

Experts in the field said doctors need to be better informed about this little-known threat to their H.I.V.-positive patients. The threat also reinforces a message that public health experts keep emphasizing: H.I.V. is no longer an automatic death sentence, but it is still a dangerous disease.
“I think most cardiologists and most H.I.V. specialists are not really aware of this,” said Dr. Priscilla Y. Hsue, a cardiologist at San Francisco General Hospital who treats many AIDS patients. “Most of the people I see are referred to me after they’ve had a heart attack, a bypass, a stent. To me, that’s too late. We should be screening people for coronary disease, aggressively treating blood pressure, aggressively treating cholesterol.”

People with H.I.V. have more than four times the risk of sudden heart attack as their uninfected peers, Dr. Hsue and her colleagues reported last month in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The most likely explanation is that both the virus and the drugs that fight it cause chronic inflammation, said Dr. Paul M. Ridker, a Harvard Medical School professor who led pioneering studies that established the connection between inflammation and heart disease. (He was not involved in the study published last month.) Also, he said, the drugs cause the liver to make more cholesterol, another heart attack risk factor.

While the link between H.I.V. and heart disease is not generally known in the medical profession, some doctors who specialize in the treatment of AIDS patients have long suspected such a connection.
“I’ve had a number of patients — men in their late 40s and early 50s — who were just found dead at home,” said Dr. Steven G. Deeks, an AIDS expert at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the study. “I’ve always thought that was happening more than it should.”
Both the virus that causes AIDS and other infections that can accompany it can inflame tissues, he said. Inflammation can produce blood clots, which can cause heart attacks. And in the intestines, the virus can cause “leaky gut syndrome,” by which other inflammatory microbes enter the bloodstream.
Dr. Zian H. Tseng, a heart rhythm specialist and a co-author with Dr. Hsue of the new study, said he stumbled on the H.I.V.-cardiac connection while he was doing a survey of every sudden heart attack death in San Francisco and noticed that many victims were taking antiretroviral drugs.

“Initially, I thought it was just because of the high prevalence of H.I.V.-positive people in San Francisco, but it was clearly more than that,” he said.
The researchers scoured the medical records of 2,860 patients who were seen between 2000 and 2009 in Ward 86, San Francisco General’s famous AIDS clinic. For those who had died, they checked death certificates and paramedic reports and interviewed doctors and family members, trying to see how many had had heart attacks.
They acknowledged some limitations: Smoking and recreational drug use are more common among people with H.I.V., and few of the dead were autopsied. But all deaths that looked like overdoses, suicides or assaults, as well as slow AIDS deaths, were excluded.

There have been previous studies suggesting that people with H.I.V. develop high cholesterol and blocked arteries about a decade earlier than normal, but that is only now becoming widely recognized.

“I didn’t know I had a heart problem until I had a heart attack and a double bypass in 2003,” said Mark Abramson, 59, author of the “Beach Reading” series of gay mystery/romance novels.
Although he saw doctors and was intermittently taking AIDS medication when he had medical insurance during his years as a bartender, “no one told me I was in a high-risk group.”
He smoked and knew his blood pressure was “a little high.” He did not remember any cholesterol tests.

Sharon Hampton, 57, had heart trouble first and only later learned of a likely connection to the virus. In her 30s, she developed high blood pressure and signs of congestive heart failure. A self-professed workaholic, she blamed the pressure of her job as a hospital claims processor. Her physician advised her to find something less stressful; she did for a while, but then moved to Sacramento and started working at another hospital.
At age 45, she said, “I had a heart attack right at my desk — thank God the E.R. was only seven feet away from the business office.”

After a quintuple bypass, she initially went back to work. But her health deteriorated, and she has lived with family members since.
Last Thanksgiving, after a health crisis hospitalized her, she learned she had H.I.V.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I totally freaked out. I thought it had to be a false positive. I’ve been celibate for a long time. I never had that lifestyle. I’m afraid of drugs.”
But when she was young, she said, she was briefly married to a man she later learned injected drugs.

“I just never knew,” she said. “He was Michelangelo’s David. I was a country bumpkin.”

She is apparently a rare “elite suppressor,” part of the 1 to 2 percent of the infected who, for unknown reasons, control the virus without drugs. Although she has a nearly undetectable viral load and no opportunistic infections, her doctors at U.C.S.F. believe that the virus contributed to her heart problems.
Jose Raneda, a 48-year-old former lawyer from Milwaukee, has seen the thinking about the H.I.V.-heart connection change in the last few years.
He has known he was infected since he was 21, started on AIDS cocktails as soon as they were available, never had a low CD4-cell count or an AIDS-related infection, and has always been slim.

But he had his first of two heart attacks at age 40.
“I asked my H.I.V. doctor if it was related, and he said it wasn’t,” he said. “I think he was mistaken.”
His former physician, Dr. Ian H. Gilson of the Medical College of Wisconsin, agreed.
“At the time, we didn’t have a lot of solid evidence of the connection,” he said. “My thinking has evolved. I’d tell him something different now.”

Interesting!

The Daily Roundup for June 4

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

“Frankenweenie” Poster: Check It Out!

He’s always up to something awesome, and Tim Burton's latest project “Frankenweenie” has released a new promotional poster.The Walt Disney Pictures production is an animated film starring the voices of big celebrities like Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Catherine O’Hara, and Charlie Tahan.

Per the synopsis, Frankenweenie is a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor's fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new ‘leash on life’ can be monstrous.”

“Frankenweenie” is slated to hit theaters on October 5th, 2012 in regular 2D, 3D, and 3D IMAX formats.

Kelly Rowland Covers VEGAS Magazine

Check out Kelly Rowland looking super hot on the July 2012 cover of Vegas magazine. The singer, seen holding a number 9, is helping the magazine to celebrate their fourth anniversary with the cover. They followed the sassy diva around Las Vegas as she prepared for a performance at a private concert.

In the issue, she talks about her upcoming fifth studio album, an album which features contribution from some of today’s “terrific” producers according to the singer (Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins, Da Internz, The Neptunes, etc). Kelly spilled the beans on the project at the Grey Goose launch of Cherry Noir! recently.

Brandy Still Working on That Proposal

Brandy has been dropping hints big time that she wants to marry her boyfriend, music exec Ryan Press, but in a recent interview Brandy stopped dropping hints and outright asks what's taking so long...

Brandy tells Ebony Mag,

“I wish we were engaged. He’s taking a little long on the ring side of things, but I’m patient. I wanted to impress him. I wanted him to be proud of me; I was inspired by him. So making the record and him being there, it’s just all a part of it. Him and my daughter. I want him to love my songs. I want him to love my voice.”

Justin Combs & UCLA Respond To Criticism Of His Football Scholarship

While Justin Combs spent the weekend celebrating his high school graduation with dad Diddy, mama Misa and plenty of friends & family, folks were up in arms about his UCLA full football scholarship. Why? Because some argue he should have turned it down since his father is extremely wealthy, so he doesn't "need" it.

Instead of everyone offering praises for the new Bruins baller, Justin Combs has received some criticism as some folks seem to think his annual $54,000 MERIT-BASED scholarship award is taking away money from other students who actually need it.

UCLA responded yesterday saying:
"There's a misconception out there that somehow athletic scholarships would take away money from low-income students who need need-based aid," school spokesman Ricardo Vazquez said. "That's not the case. Athletic scholarships are awarded strictly on the basis of athletic and academic ability."

And Justin, who graduated with a 3.7 GPA from a top private school and won several football awards and made the prestigious All Star/All American team this year, tweeted:
Regardless what the circumstances are, I put that work in!!!! PERIOD. Regardless of what you do in life every1 is gonna have their own opinion. Stay focused, keep that tunnel vision & never 4get why u started.

He received co-signs from his extremely supportive mom Misa Hylton, of course.
My Son is his own man. He will earn his own way through life. I'm so proud of my baby ♥ it starts now! He is exactly the young man I raised him to be ☺ #independent #hardworking #intelligent

I’m still on the fence with this one. Maybe because of his father instead of flaunting his wealth and making stupid comments on twitter... people would have sympathy... the problem with Diddy is his arrogance..unlike Denzel Washing when his sons received scholarship he found a loop hole by way of offering a donation in the amount that was awarded to his son. It called "class " something Diddy does not have but want others to believed. However Congrats and GOOD LUCK!

Justin didn't seem to let the critics get him down as he celebrated his graduation with his fam

Misa's daughter Madison and Diddy

Justin's godmother Mary J. Blige & grandmother

Justin's grandparents on both sides. Oh hey Mama Janice.

Is that Da Band's Babs??

Congrats Justin?

IS CHAGAS THE HIV DISEASE?

There's new concern over a disease now affecting millions in Latin America-- it's called Chagas Disease. A recent editorial in a respected medical journal calls Chagas Disease "the new AIDS of the Americas." Dr Peter Hotez is the lead author.
"I like to call Chagas Disease arguably the most important infection you've never heard about," says Dr. Hotez

Report from WABC New York: 

Chagas Disease is a parasitic infection that's common in poor areas of Mexico, Central and South America. For most people it causes a mild flu-like illness. But it can remain dormant in the body for decades, and about 30% of the time, it can lead to intestinal and heart complications that are tough to treat.

But Dr. Anthony Fauci of the national institutes of health says Dr. Hotez and others are over-stating the danger of Chagas.
"I'm concerned that when people talk about comparisons with HIV," states Dr Fauci, "that that comparison would translate into thinking that it is transmitted like it is with HIV - which is just not the case." 

The parasite that causes Chagas Disease is transmitted primarily by the bite of a reduviid insect. It's known as "the kissing bug" because it likes to bite around the mouth while you're sleeping. But how concerned do we need to be here in the US? Biologist Dr. Lori Stevens has studied Chagas Disease in the United States for the last decade, and spoke to us via Skype. 

"We found that 40% of the bugs we looked at had fed on humans," said Dr. Stevens. "So this suggests to us that there may be more cases than previously thought."

But she says for now, the most concerning species of the insects are south of our country, but with global warming, they could make their way up to us
It's unlikely they're going to get to New York any time soon, says Dr. Stevens. But if people are aware then we have a better chance of controlling the situation and reducing the impact of it. 

There's still a debate among how concerned we should be, but chagas diseease is now officially one of 5 parasitic diseases targeted by the CDC for public health action.

So we'll be hearing more about it.

Gucci Mane Loses $270K Diamond Case In Henry County Georgia

Rapper Gucci Mane just lost a $270,000 battle in court — after a jewelry company in Georgia sued the rapper for stealing a buttload of diamonds … and won. Read below for details and you have to see the Gucci Mane So Icey photo gallery!!!!!!
A&A Diamonds retained attorney Vivian Uchitel (no relation) to file the lawsuit earlier this year in Henry County, claiming it loaned the rapper a $130,000 diamond pinky ring … in addition to a diamond necklace and bracelet worth $110,000.

According to the lawsuit, Gucci had 15 days to pay for the goods or return them — and he did neither … coughing up only $40,000.
A&A sued for a total of $274,523.34 — the $200,000 jewelry balance plus interest and attorneys’ fees.

Gucci never showed up in court, so a default judgment was entered against the rapper in April. A lien was then placed on the rapp

er’s property.

Gucci still hasn’t responded to the action

Kim Zolciak shocks as she reveals her natural hair for the very first time

Since starring in The Real Housewives Of Atlanta, Kim Zolciak has become famous for wearing her signature long blonde wigs.
But tonight on her reality show Don't Be Tardy For The Wedding, the 34-year-old's natural state was finally revealed, solving the mystery surrounding her need to don artificial tresses.
And what was underneath was not as shocking as some may have thought, as the reality star removed her fake hair to reveal a layered short blonde bob.

The big reveal: Kim Zolciak finally revealed her natural hair after removing her wig on the recent episode of Don't Be Tardy For The Wedding 

Kim made the big reveal during yet another meeting with her wig stylist Derek and her assistant Nikki, in the run up to her wedding to fiance, Kroy Biermann.
Before Derek arrives to her sprawling Atlanta mansion, Kim tells Nikki that she wants to go over several styles to go with her three wedding outfits.
'I have been thinking about how I am going to style my wedding wigs for weeks and I have no idea,' she tells Nikki.

She has hair! After many have speculated that she is bald underneath, Kim revealed a short blonde layered choppy bob
On cue, Derek, Kim's heel-wearing wig stylist, enters the room and says he has come up with the perfect plan.

'I am going to tell you what I am going to do for your wedding hair,' he asserts.
And it seems that Derek was thinking the same thing as Nikki.
'I had an idea. I think you are going to kill me, but I think you should do your real hair,' Nikki suggests.
'I agree,' says Derek, much to the disgust of Kim.
'You haven't seen my f***ing seen my hair for years,' protests Kim.
Despite being opposed to the idea, the Southern belle agrees that she will at least show the pair her current natural state.

Kim, clearly nervous about revealing what is underneath, explains that wigs have become a part of who she is.
'I think my wigs are a big part of my life,' she explains to the camera. 

She tells Derek and Nikki that they need to give her a minute before she does the big reveal.
'Go into my room and I am going to take my wig off and I will come and show you,' she instructs.
Peeling off the artificial hair and styling her natural tresses, she takes several minutes before she struts into her bedroom.

'I think she should wear her hair natural for the wedding people because people haven't seen seen it,' Derek tells Nikki meanwhile in the next room.

that she has always dreamed of a larger than life wedding and that includes voluminous tresses
It would be a great reveal,' Nikki agrees.
Kim then finally struts out into her bedroom to reveal a layered bob much to the delight of her friends.
'Derek you haven't seen this s*** in a year,' Kim exclaims, twirling around to model the 'do.
'Ah b**** you have got some hair,' Derek cries.

Both Derek and Nikki enthuse how much they love the look.
'Kroy likes it too, he likes my hair,' Kim tells them. '...I know I have great hair b****, but I love wigs.'

Despite the pair insisting that she should wear her hair au naturel for the nuptials, Kim explains that she has always dreamt of a larger than life wedding and that includes voluminous tresses.
Meanwhile, Kim's stress surrounding the wedding is literally at fever pitch, as the reality star comes down with the flu just 24 hours before her big day.
Tears: Kim broke down as she chatted to Jen

'Here it is the day before the wedding and I have a fever... I am sick as a dog,' she tells her housekeeper Febe, as she goes throug

h the plethora of prescription drugs that have been given to her by her doctor.

Kim tells Febe all of her wedding planning has taken a toll on her health.
'I am sure that I am sick from all of the stress from the wedding,' she complains.
'Febe, who gets sick 24 hours before the wedding? At least I don't have my period!' she adds, trying to see the bright side of the situation.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend: Moments later, Kim's spirits are also lifted by a visit from both Kroy and her jeweler Eddie, who brings over cases full of diamonds
Kim is instantly cheered up by an email from best friend and Maid-of-honour Jen, who apologises for being MIA for most of the wedding planning and explains why she has been acting so distant. 

She says in the note that she feels uncomfortable about being in the wedding.
'Jen is texting me, oh and she is making me cry,' Kim says, tearing up as she reads the words.
After reading the email Kim picks up the phone immediately and calls Jen, telling her how much she loves her and wants her to be there for the big day.

'I would just.. I would just like to be a guest,' Jen explains. I should of said something earlier... I just feel terrible... I wanna be your best friend.'
Moments later, Kim's spirits are also lifted by a visit from both Kroy and her jeweler Eddie, who brings over cases full of diamonds.
Eddie tells her that Kroy wants her to pick out a wedding gift from the stunning selection.

Delighted: Kim can't hide her joy over the jewels
'i just love diamonds and Kroy knows the way to my heart,' Kim says.
The vivacious blonde finally settles on a $400,000 bracelet as the gift from Kroy, and a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings and another bracelet to wear on her wedding day.

'There is no such thing as too many diamond,' she muses.

Report: Beyonce Lands ‘Epic’ Movie Role

Beyonce‘s heading to animation!
Yes, months before she is believed to begin production on the musical ‘A Star Is Born’,the singer/songwriter is reported to have a landed a role in the animated flick ‘Epic’.

Details below…
According to Deadline.Com, Knowles will star alongside Colin Farrell and Steven Tyler in the movie, telling the story of a teenage girl transported to a secret universe which she must save to save her own universe.
Set to hit theaters May 24th 2013, it will mark Knowles first confirmed release since the birth of her daughter Blue Ivy in January and is to be produced by Ice Age‘s Chris Wedge.

Bobby Brown Defends Bobbi Kristina’s Behavior, Says Daughter Is Going Through A Phase

Since the shocking death of singer Whitney Houston almost four months ago the fate of her daughter Bobbi Kristina has caused media turmoil. Since the passing of her mom the public has noted the constant struggles of the 19-year old from reports of her walking off the set of Tyler Perry’s ‘For Better or Worse’ (which he denies), footage of Bobbi gambling in Vegas and her alleged drug abuse problems. The teen’s father, Bobby Brown, has spoken out to MTV News and thinks what she is going through is just a phase that all teenagers go through. Brown stated,

“Any parent that has a teenager in their life, they go through things. They go through phases that they might not be doing exactly what you want them to do in life, but they grow out of it, and my baby girl has grown out of it. I trust and believe that she’s smart enough to not go down the same road that maybe I did in the past or her mother did in the past. She’s extremely smart. That’s my baby girl. She’ll forever be my baby girl. She’s doing what she’s doing, and I’m extremely proud of her. She’s acting and she’s working on music and she’s doing what she has to do to recover from her loss – our loss.”

Whatever the case, I think we are all rooting for BK! Prove the naysayers wrong, boo!

Evelyn Lozada Says She Misses Her Friend Jennifer Williams In VIBE Interview

Evelyn Lozada, fiance’ of Chad Ochocinco and Basketball Wives Star is telling all to VIBE magazine. She recently sat down with Vibe as Guest Editor to discuss her upcoming projects. They include a new book, a new reality show with (Ev & Ocho) and how she deals with all her “haters.” Oh Boy! Sounds like a great interview…

Check out some of the excerpts below and tell me what you think.

In the interview Evelyn talks about learning from her fiance’ Chad Ochocinco
“I’ve learned, especially from Chad, that controversy is good. Nothing phases him and he’s like ‘Why do you care?’ I’ve learned a lot from him: the more popular and successful you become, the more haters and the more attorneys you need [laughs].

She also commented on being a famous ,
“I’ve accepted that this is a part of my life and apart of my world now. The more the show became popular, and I started dating Chad, its been like chaos. I’m never going to hide and I’m always one of those people that say TV can be a gift and a curse, and at the same time it’s opened up doors for me that I never would have imagined.”

And on her old friend with Jennifer Williams,
I miss her. We were friends for 10 years. I was in her wedding, so you know yeah, and your thinking you guys are going to do this show together, your BFF, and then your kind of like what happened? And we are mutual friends with a lot of people, so everything else became weird energy. It was tough.

Read the entire interview here: 

Chris Brown’s New Boo Karrueche Hangs With Old His Boo Draya

Chris Brown‘s new boo Karrueche Tran, and his old boo and former BBW Draya Michele, do a play date with their cute little doggies.

Draya also gifted Karrueche with some new swimsuits from her new bikini line called Mint Swim.

Janet Jackson Advises Her Niece Paris Jackson: “You’re Only A Kid Once”

Janet Jackson is urging her 14-year-old niece Paris Jackson to enjoy her childhood while she still can! Growing up in the limelight is something that Janet knows all too well and the pop superstar claims she doesn’t want to see her niece, who is an aspiring actress, get wrapped up in Hollywood at such a young age. Being a member of the very famous Jackson family, Janet knows that the glitz and glamour of fame are not worth trading your childhood for. Paris, daughter of the late and great Michael Jackson, as we reported a few months ago, has landed her first Hollywood gig to appear in Lundon’s Bridge and the Three Keys.

Unfortunately, her Aunt Janet is a bit uncomfortable with her choice. According to recent interview, Janet explains why Paris’ acting career should be put on hold until she is older: “We’ve spoken about the fact that you’re only a child once…I think there’s a time for everything, and now is not the time [to act in films]. I told her I thought she should enjoy being a kid, possibly go to college or not, but wait till she turns 18. She’s a very tough, smart girl. But it’s a cutthroat industry. I wouldn’t want my child to do it.”

The famous pop star might have a point! Paris should be in no rush to take over Hollywood; she should take her aunt’s warning and enjoy her adolescent years while she still has them.

Mississippi School Handcuffs Students To Railing For Disciplinary Reasons-Not Anymore!!!

Public schools in Jackson, Miss., will no longer be allowed to handcuff students to poles or other objects, under a settlement with the Southern Poverty Law Center reached in U.S. District Court. Jody Owens, director of the Mississippi office of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the Capital City Alternatives school in Mississippi’s largest district must immediately stop handcuffing students, a practice used to punish even such things as dress-code violations.

“The focus should be education, not incarceration and it’s tantamount to child abuse when children are handcuffed to railings for something as simple as not having the appropriate belt or inappropriate shoe strings,” Owens said. The way students had been disciplined in the school was abusive, she said. “We have some students who have gone on record to say it’s happened to them three or four days in a row,” Owens said. “We know there are some students who actually had to eat their lunch with one hand handcuffed to a railing.”

According to the settlement, approved by U.S. District Judge Tom Lee, district employees will stop handcuffing students younger than 13, and can only handcuff older students for crimes, and no student may be handcuffed to railings, poles, desks, chairs or other objects. “It’s apparent there were severe problems that we hope now are being addressed and will be alleviated,” Lee told lawyers in court Friday, just before signing the settlement order.

CCA Principal Marie Harris said in her deposition that some did handcuff students, but that it was done for student safety. The ruling requires the school to change its approach in dealing with emotionally challenged students. The school was ordered to conduct a “climate assessment” that includes students, parents and teachers, as well as a mandate that all teachers be trained to deal with students with emotional and behavioral management problems, Owens said.

Smh-Crazy.

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
“Bulldoggin’”

Ha! It kinda looks like you are trying to use a white bag to suffocate a bulldog…I now take personal offense.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK ALL!!!
EFREM