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Microsoft Word U.S. Champion Dominique Howard Earns Spot to Compete in Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2014
Microsoft Office World Championship contestant Dominique Howard.
Microsoft Office World Championship contestant Dominique Howard. (Photo: Certiport)

This Microsoft Word master is taking on the world.  Harlemite Dominique Howard will put her software-savvy skills to the test this weekend when she competes for the coveted Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship title against some 30 international computer geeks.
“There’s no way that I can’t be excited,” said the 21-year-old JPMorgan Chase receptionist, who uses Word and Excel regularly at work. “They’re all good feelings. They’re overwhelming, but they’re good feelings.”
Howard proved she could do more than copy and paste in June when she won the U.S. championship as a Microsoft Word 2007 wizard.
She reformatted documents with speed and precision, tracked changes, encrypted and mail-merged like a pro.  It landed her a ticket to Anaheim, Calif., for the July 27-30 event, where she’ll vie against finalists from more than 30 countries for $5,000.  “A lot of people know the basics,” said Howard, who received a perfect score on a Microsoft Word certification test last summer.  “There’s a secret developer tab that helps in design mode,” she added. “There’s macros, which is a whole bunch of fun.”

James Brown is Celebrated in "Get On Up", Opening this Friday

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2014
Chadwick Boseman as Brown in the new biopic “Get On Up.” (Credit: D Stevens/Universal Studios)

It’s just the kind of movie clip YouTube was made for. In the 1965 Frankie Avalon vehicle,“Ski Party,” James Brown and his backing vocal group, the Famous Flames, enter a ski lodge after rescuing a frozen reveler. Resplendent in a white-and-red sweater, tight black slacks, black pointy-toed shoes and a regal pompadour, Brown performs “I Got You (I Feel Good),” giving the lily-white crowd of clapping skiers a taste of the showmanship that had made him a star on the so-called “chitlin circuit” among blacks. Even in a movie as disposable as “Ski Party,” Brown turned a corny scene into genuine entertainment.

In the biopic “Get On Up,” opening Friday, the filmmakers recreate this moment, trying to see it from Brown’s point of view. While he glides through his steps, we see slow-motion shots of the listeners as if they were creatures from another, whiter planet, one Brown is reluctantly visiting in hopes of reaching a wider audience. In that scene, Brown dances off the set. In the new film, he does a split but doesn’t come up, apparently having ripped his pants. The new moment is slightly comic but undercuts Brown’s mastery.

Depicting James Brown on screen has always been a seductive proposition. As one of the greatest stage performers of the 20th century, he has inspired documentarians, playwrights, comedians and other artists who see the outlines of his greatness. But capturing the man inside, and the meaning of his life, is a tricky business.

Brown at the Roseland Ballroom in New York in 2004.CreditFrank Micelotta/Getty Images

There was a fluidity to his identity that was reflected in his many stage nicknames: Mr. Dynamite, the hardest working man in show business, Soul Brother No. 1, the Godfather of Soul and the Original Disco Man, as he variously billed himself. All enduring pop stars have the ability to shift with the culture, but Brown’s moves — from staunch integrationist to proto-black nationalist and back, from civil rights role model to wife beater, from disciplined bandleader to drug addict — suggest an inner turmoil that belied his outer confidence. Shortly after his death, I helped edit a collection of articles that spanned Brown’s long career, and in reading the pieces was struck by how many journalists saw the contours of the man but struggled to truly penetrate his psyche. With a feature film about to arrive and a coming documentary, it’s time to take stock of this imposing figure.
Brown, who died on Christmas Day 2006, began his career in the ’50s under the spell of Little Richard and ended it as a major influence on current singer-dancers like Usher and Chris Brown. Michael Jackson and Prince, of course, were acolytes. Reared on gospel, blues and jazz, Brown was a dominant force in the soul ’60s, created funk, inspired disco and laid hip-hop’s foundation with his beats.

As important as Brown was on vinyl, his stage show and personality are legendary: Tilting a mike stand far forward and, before it hit the stage, pulling it back via the cord. Dropping into and rising out of splits. Feigning exhaustion and donning a regal cape before returning to sing again. Executing every new dance from the ’60s to the ’80s with deft steps and body control made Brown a dominant figure during an explosive era for pop music.

Mike Tyson to Present Evander Holyfield with Boxing Hall of Fame Trophy

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2014

Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield
Former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield have come a long way since 1997, when Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s ear in the third round and was disqualified in their infamous championship rematch.  Over the years, they have put their ill feelings for each other to bed and even appeared in a recent television commercial spoofing the biting incident.
Tyson, who will hand Holyfield his Hall of Fame trophy, called the opportunity to present Holyfield a “privilege and high honor.”
Holyfield is also looking forward to it.  “That’s great,” he said of Tyson’s participation.
Rich Marotta, a longtime boxing broadcaster and president of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, said: “This is the kind of thing we showed is possible in boxing last year at our inaugural induction ceremony — former and even current rivals coming together under the same roof to celebrate boxing. Everyone checks those rivalries at the door. Tyson presenting Holyfield is sheer magic.”
Holyfield is being enshrined in the non-Nevada-resident category, along with George Foreman and Roberto Duran, as voted on by a 35-member panel.
Tyson was inducted in the Nevada resident category in the inaugural ceremony in 2013. Holyfield and Tyson both fought many of their biggest fights in Las Vegas.
The rest of the 18-man class of 2014, which was announced in February, includes Sonny Liston and Cornelius Boza Edwards (Nevada-resident boxers category), Jack Dempsey and Archie Moore (pioneers), Joe Louis (adoptive Nevada resident), trainer Miguel Diaz (non-boxers), Richard Steele and Kenny Bayless (officials), Col. Bob Sheridan and Kevin Iole (media), Bruce Trampler (promotions), Chuck Minker and Luther Mack (executives), and Clifford Perlman and Steve Wynn (special contributors).
article by Dan Rafael via espn.com

11 Year-Old Soap Maker Donovan Smith Donates Proceeds to Help Homeless

By goodblacknews on July 21, 2014

Donovan Smith soap maker
ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – Donovan Smith is 11 years old and has an amazing talent for soap making.  He is starting his own business, and he is trying to help people in the process, donating to the same organization that helped him and his mother find a home.
Donuts, ice cream and hamburgers—treats that look so good you could just take a bite out of them.  “Someone actually licked one,” said 11-year-old Donovan Smith.  That someone quickly regretted it.  The treats are actually Donovan’s soap creations.
He makes soap with Aloe Vera and goat’s milk for his bath product business, Toil and Trouble.  Donovan chooses the molds, the colors and the fragrances.  “Darth Vader smells kind of like cologne. I tried to make it smell what Darth Vader would smell like,” he said.
Once Darth Vader smells just right, he sells him and the rest of the gang at the Rail Yards Market in Albequerque each Sunday.  He is the youngest vendor there.  He said his Yoda soap is one of the best sellers. It takes about an hour to make twelve of them.
Twenty percent of the sales from his pie-shaped soaps will go to Supportive Housing Coalition of New Mexico, an organization Donovan and his mother, Casey, said helped get them back on their feet three years ago when they struggled with homelessness themselves.
“He was still going to school every day. I was having meltdowns during the day because I could not see this getting any better at all,” Casey said.
Casey is a former Navy cryptologist, still dealing with PTSD and a leg injury as a result of her time in the military.  She said she couldn’t find a job during the recession, hearing she was overqualified.  Now, with the support of local groups, she has a job, an apartment and a hobby, helping her son with his budding business of soaps.
“They’re fun and the fact that they have the potential to help someone else makes it even better,” Casey said.
To see video of this story, click here.
article by Lysee Mitri via krqe.com 

The Wayans Brothers Kick Off Brand-New Comedy Tour in U.S.

By goodblacknews on July 21, 2014
Wayans brothers Keenen (56), Damon (53), Shawn (43) and Marlon Wayans (41) are known around the world as some of the funniest comedians in the game.  Continuing to build on their huge successes on television (“In Living Color”, “Last Comic Standing”, “My Wife and Kids”) and in film (“Scary Movie”, “White Chicks”, “Haunted House”), the Wayans’ are currently on traveling the U.S. with “The Wayans Brothers Tour”, bringing the siblings on stage together as they’ve never been before.The tour kicked off last week on the East Coast – check below for upcoming cities and tour dates:

The Wayans Brothers Tour Dates
July 23-24, 2014- Potawatami Casino / Milwaukee, WI
July 25, 2014 – Star Plaza Casino / Merriville, IN
August 1, 2014 – NJPAC / Newark, NJ
August 2, 2014 – Tower Theater / Philadelphia, PA
August 8, 2014 – Chuckchansi Casino / Coarsegold, CA
August 15, 2014 – Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena / Hollywood, FL
August 16, 2014 – Hard Rock Live / Orlando, FL
August 21, 2014 – Wagner Noel Pac / Midland, TX
August 22, 2014 – Abraham Chavez Theatre / El Paso, TX
September 12, 2014 – Jackson Convention Complex / Jackson, MS

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

11 Year-Old Genius Ramarni Wilford Scores Higher Than Einstein on IQ Test

By goodblacknews on July 21, 2014
072114 11-Year-Old Genius
An 11-year-old in the U.K. found out he’s a genius after taking an IQ test. His 162 score makes him smarter than Bill Gates – and Albert Einstein – according to the Romford Recorder.
Ramarni Wilford was invited to take the IQ test after writing an essay an essay snagged him an invitation to a graduation ceremony at Oxford University. Although he was very surprised and happy by the results – he’s in the top one percent in the U.K. – he remains modest.
“I can’t begin to compare myself to these great men whose hard work clearly proves that they are true geniuses,” Wilford says.
RELATED: Child Prodigy Adam Kirby, 2, becomes Youngest Ever to Join Genius Club Mensa
A member of a gifted and talented program as well as the Brilliant Club, he can now add a membership to Mensa to his future college applications. Mensa, the world’s oldest IQ society, has invited Wilford to join so he can attend exclusive events and mingle with like-minded kids.
“I don’t really see having a high IQ as a big deal, but I do feel very privileged to be invited to join Mensa and can’t wait to attend some of the events,” he says.
Read more at the Romford Recorder.
article by Teronda Seymore via clutchmagonline.com

Scholarship Coach Shanice Miller Shares How She Graduated College with No Debt and a $10,000 Refund

By goodblacknews on July 20, 2014
SHANICE MILLER
Scholarship Coach and Author Shanice Miller
Republished from the Huffington Post:

In our Money Mic series, we hand over the podium to people with controversial views about money. These are their views, not ours, but we welcome your responses.
Today, one woman shares how she amassed enough scholarships to graduate from college debt-free.
The first time I ever heard about student loan debt was in 2007. I was a high school senior in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and in the midst of applying for colleges.
My cousin, who had graduated with a business degree six months earlier, had come over to visit and was complaining about someone named Sallie Mae. Since getting her degree, she hadn’t been able to find a job — and was struggling to make payments on her $9,000 of student debt.
I wondered: Who in the world is Sallie Mae?
After hearing my cousin’s explanation — that Sallie Mae was a company that gives students money to attend college — I was shocked, worried and confused.
I’d never thought critically about the costs associated with going to college. Everyone — family, teachers, friends and even my guidance counselors — just told me I needed to attend in order to secure a better future, which I could do by choosing the school that offered the best education. But it hadn’t occurred to me that I’d have to pay for that privilege.
My mind started racing: How would I ever be able to afford college? The housing bubble had just burst, and I knew my mom, a real estate agent, wouldn’t be able to contribute. What would happen if I couldn’t come up with the money? Would I still be able to get a good job?
I knew I had to come up with a plan — quick.

J Dilla Recording Equipment Headed to the Smithsonian

By goodblacknews on July 20, 2014
J Dilla Recording Equipment Headed to the Smithsonian

J Dilla was only 32 years old when he died in 2006, but in his too-short life, the prolific producer worked with hip-hop icons including Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, The Roots, De la Soul, Common, and A Tribe Called Quest, even earning a Grammy nomination for his work with Tribe. And now, another honor for the late Detroit beatmaker: His recording equipment will be featured in the Smithsonian.
At the ninth DC Loves Dilla tribute concert on Thursday night, Dilla’s mom, Maureen Yancey, announced onstage that she would donate her son’s custom Minamoog Voyager — one of the last synthesizers Bob Moog built for someone before he died in 2005 — and his MPC to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“I feel it’s necessary to raise the level of art appreciation in the hip-hop sector and honor my son James Dewitt Yancey, one of the most influential individuals in the history of hip-hop,” Dilla’s mom said in a Smithsonian press release announcing the donation.
Below, watch Yancey announce the donation at the benefit concert, which raises money to battle lupus, a disease that might have played a part in Dilla’s early death.

article by Katie Atkinson via billboard.com

UPDATE: Charges Dropped Against Shanesha Taylor, Mom Who Left Kids In Car During Job Interview

By goodblacknews on July 20, 2014

Shanesha Taylor freed
We’re happy to report that charges against Shanesha Taylor, the mother who left her children in the car during a job interview, have been dropped.
The gripping mugshot featuring Taylor and her tear-stained face spread quickly and garnered worldwide support for her case. According to the Maricopa County Attorney, a judge ruled that Taylor will have the charges dismissed if she completes a diversion program.
Taylor was arrested back in March after police say she left two children in her Dodge Durango for 45 minutes while she was in a Farmers Insurance office in Scottsdale. Taylor told authorities that she was unemployed, didn’t have child care and had been occasionally homeless.
This morning, after the deal was reached, Taylor attended a settlement conference this morning, where she told reporters:
“This is a beautiful resolution to a very long, very hard journey.”
The program will require Taylor to complete parenting and substance abuse classes and establish education and child care trusts for her three children. Each education trust must have $10,000 in it.
If you’re wondering where that money will come from, you may remember that fundraisers were set up on Taylor’s behalf to help with legal fees and other expenses. The effort raised $144,775 from over four thousand donors.
In reference to the resolution, Bill Montgomery, the county attorney, said: “Where we can focus on an opportunity for rehabilitation without having to use punitive consequences we’re always willing to take a look at that. And our resolution today shouldn’t be taken as a policy shift, this is just how we were able to resolve this one particular case.”
They also took into account the fact that Taylor was searching for employment and had no other criminal history.

Beyoncé Exhibit to Debut at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum

By goodblacknews on July 18, 2014
85
In this Thursday, July 17, 2014 photo, from left, outfits from Beyonce’s 2013 Super Bowl performance, 2011″Sweet Dreams,” 2003 “Single Ladies” and 2003 “Dangerously in Love” are displayed in a new exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The Rock Hall announced Friday, July 18, 2014, that outfits from Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance and music videos will debut Tuesday in the Ahmet Ertegun Main Exhibit Hall in its Legends of Rock section next to iconic pieces from Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

NEW YORK (AP) – A fashion exhibit centered on Beyoncé will debut at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in a section previously featuring only Hall of Famers.  The Rock Hall announced today that outfits from Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance and music videos will debut Tuesday in the Ahmet Ertegun Main Exhibit Hall in its Legends of Rock section, next to iconic pieces from Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen.
The 32-year-old Beyoncé would be eligible for induction into the Rock Hall as a member of Destiny’s Child in 2022 and as a solo artist in 2027.  The exhibit in Cleveland, Ohio, will feature Beyonce’s ubiquitous black leotard from her “Single Ladies” music video, as well as her body suit, skirt and jacket from her Super Bowl performance last year in New Orleans.
Rock Hall curator Meredith Rutledge-Borger said they have been trying to court Beyonce “for a really long time.”  “When we looked at the depth of the amount of stuff that she was willing to send, we just thought, ‘The only way we can really showcase these items is to put them in the Legends of Rock area in the museum,’ which really is the spot that we have to pay tribute to legends of rock, which Beyonce has proven herself to be,” she said in an interview.
Lee Anne Callahan-Longo, the general manager of Beyonce’s production house, Parkwood Entertainment, said the singer was honored and humbled by the opportunity to have her personal items in the museum.