Sacha Baron Cohen’s Black Jesus to Shock America

via Telegraph UK

Sacha Baron Cohen is preparing to shock America with his latest film, which is said to contain a black model called Jesus wearing a loincloth and a crown of thorns.

The comedian, who has been sued by several people who featured in his film Borat, will be ready for similar reactions after the release of the big-screen debut of his character Bruno.

The title character, a gay Austrian fashion journalist, is already well known for storming runways at designers’ shows and aiming to embarrass industry figures in interviews. Clips of his work have become cult favourites on YouTube.

And it is thought that the film version will see Bruno in more outrageous form.

As well as the Jesus character, it is rumoured that Bruno and his boyfriend, Diesel, adopt an orphaned African baby boy called David and parade the child around fashion shows. It is thought the joke is aimed at Madonna, who adopted a Malawian baby called David Banda.

Video Games Will Eclipse all other forms of Media

via BBC

Video games are poised to “eclipse” all other forms of entertainment, according to games studio boss Mike Griffith.

The Activision chief made the bold call during a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

He said video games were prospering as interest in almost every other category of entertainment declines.

Mr Griffith said social gaming, more interactivity and better technology would help gaming dominate the entertainment landscape in future.

He said: “Movies, recorded music and TV – these are all stagnating or contracting entertainment sectors.”

40% growth

He quoted US market statistics which showed that between 2003 and 2007 sales of movie tickets fell by 6%; the number of hours of TV watched dropped by 6%, sales of recorded music slumped 12% and purchases of DVDs remained flat.

Over the same four-year period, said Mr Griffith, the video game industry grew by 40%.

“Video games are poised to eclipse all other forms of entertainment in the decade ahead,” he said.

Gamers will spend longer with James Bond than moviegoers

The success of Guitar Hero, said Mr Griffith, showed how influential gaming had become on many other entertainment sectors.

He quoted Nielsen SoundScan data which showed that artists whose music featured on Guitar Hero had seen a rise in download sales of 15-843%.

The game had proved so popular that some bands, such as Metallica and Aerosmith, were bringing out a version of the game that only features their music.

$3 Million Ransom Paid to Somali ‘Pirates’

via Daily Mail

This is the dramatic moment a ransom of $3million was paid to Somali pirates to end the world’s biggest ship hijacking.

The canister full of cash was parachuted onto the Sirius Star – observed by the U.S. Navy who provided these images – and the two-month ordeal of the 25 crew, including two Britons, was finally over.

However things went badly wrong for the pirates soon after the drop – they squabbled over how to split the money and then a wave washed off their getaway boat and drowned five of them.

The pirates originally wanted more than £16 million to release the boat and its £65 million load of oil. Eventually they accepted the offer of $3million (around £2million).

A close up of the parachuted ransom falling towards the Sirius Star

But as they made off they continued to row about the payout.

‘Two of them swam and survived. One is still missing.

The weather was so terrible that it blew the boat over, then sank it.

We got five dead bodies and we are still searching for the missing one. The waves were disastrous,’ said Farah Osman, an associate of the gang.

It is not known what happened to the money or those who survived.

Lil Wayne is Prepping All “Rock” Album

via Much Music

Homegrown rapper Drake told MuchNews in an exclusive interview that he will be appearing on Lil’ Wayne’s upcoming rock album. “Wayne’s coming out with a new album, it’s a rock album,” he said. “A complete rock album. I have a song on there.”

Drake says Weezy’s album will be a major musical departure, much like Kanye’s latest. “It’s something different in just that whole 808′s and Hearbreaks, just throwing individuals off.”

In addition to going rock with Wayne, Drake’s got a busy year ahead. He just signed an impressive management deal with the superstar team of Gee Roberson and Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua (who manage Kanye West), and Cortez Bryant (who handles Lil’ Wayne). He’ll kick off ’09 touring North America with Weezy, hitting Montreal on Jan. 14 and Toronto on Jan. 15. Then he’ll clean up nice and get ready to attend Grammy weekend.

Drake told MuchNews that he was heading to the studio on Tuesday night to record the last track for his upcoming mixtape So Far Gone. His debut album, Thank Me Later, is due out later this year. At which point, we will indeed thank him.

B.o.B. on SONY Live Tour

We got our eye on homie…he might be one of the next to blow in ’09

Baseball Player’s Son Shot by Police…Unarmed and in his Driveway

And another one, and another one…

via CNN

(CNN) — Robbie Tolan sits in a Houston, Texas, hospital bed with a bullet from a police officer’s gun lodged in his liver. The son of a famed baseball player was shot in his own driveway.

But how this unarmed 23-year-old and his cousin ended up in the cross-hairs of an officer’s gun, suspected of stealing a car, is a question sparking allegations of racial profiling.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that if these had been white kids this does not happen,” said David Berg, Tolan’s attorney.

It was 2 a.m. on December 31 when Tolan and his cousin, Anthony Cooper, were confronted in the driveway of their home by Bellaire, Texas, police officers. Police officials say the officers suspected the two young men were driving a stolen car.

Bellaire is a prominent, mostly white suburb in southwest Houston.

Robbie Tolan is the son of a once-prominent professional baseball player. His father, Bobby Tolan, had a 15-year career for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, spanning 1965 to 1979. He played on one of the most-heralded Cardinal teams ever: the 1967 World Series champs.

The younger Tolan is just starting to develop his own baseball career. He’s played in the Washington Nationals minor league system and spent part of last season playing for the Bay Area Toros of the Continental Baseball League.

Tolan’s relatives say the two young men had just arrived from a late-night run to a Jack-in-the-Box fast food restaurant.

You May Be More Racist Than You Think, Study Says

via CNN

(CNN) — Would you get upset if you witnessed an act of racism?

A new study shows that many people may unknowingly hold racist views, contrary to how they view themselves.

A new study published Thursday in the journal Science suggests many people unconsciously harbor racist attitudes, even though they see themselves as tolerant and egalitarian.

“This study, and a lot of research in social psychology, suggests that there are still really a lot of negative associations with blacks,” said Kerry Kawakami, associate professor of psychology at York University in Toronto, Ontario, and lead author of the study. “People are willing to tolerate racism and not stand up against it.”

The authors divided 120 non-black participants into the roles of “experiencers” and “forecasters.” The “experiencers” were placed in a room with a white person and a black person, who played out pre-arranged scenarios for the experiment. The scenarios began when the black role-player bumped the white role-player’s knee when leaving the room.

In the first scenario, the white person did not comment afterwards. In the “moderate” case, the white person said, “Typical, I hate it when black people do that,” after the black person left the room. In the “extreme” case, the white person remarked, “Clumsy n****r.”

SONY Uses Star Power to Unveil Cool, New Products at CES

via Reuters

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Sony Corp introduced on Thursday a bendable video screen, a Wi-Fi camera and eyeglasses that display movies, saying the industry must keep innovating in the midst of a severe economic slump.

The Japanese firm, which pioneered the Walkman and once dominated the high-end electronics marketplace, is hoping a swathe of new products will spur spending and lift its consumer division out of a business malaise.

On Thursday, Chief Executive Howard Stringer demonstrated a range of new devices at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including a flexible OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen playing a video of singer Beyonce.

Sony in 2007 launched the world’s first OLED TV, which is slimmer, more energy efficient, and offers crispier pictures than liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs. The bendable OLED screen, which is still in the development stage, would offer flexibility in design, making possible such applications as wearable displays.

Stringer and Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks also demonstrated prototype eyeglasses with built-in video screens that can show full-length movies.

Besides Hanks, other celebrities who cameo-ed at Stringer’s keynote speech included R&B singer Usher and baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, underscoring a unique business structure that combines the world’s leading electronics conglomerate and entertainment group under one roof.

Army Using Video Games to Recruit in Malls

via Reuters

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – The U.S. Army, struggling to ensure it has enough manpower as it fights wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is wooing young Americans with video games, Google maps and simulated attacks on enemy positions from an Apache helicopter.

Departing from the recruiting environment of metal tables and uniformed soldiers in a drab military building, the Army has invested $12 million in a facility that looks like a cross between a hotel lobby and a video arcade.

The U.S. Army Experience Center at the Franklin Mills shopping mall in northeast Philadelphia has 60 personal computers loaded with military video games, 19 Xbox 360 video game controllers and a series of interactive screens describing military bases and career options in great detail.

Potential recruits can hang out on couches and listen to rock music that fills the space.

[video] Samsung Unveils Foldable TVs and Transparent Screens

Yo, this technology is crazy! TV Screens as thin as wallpaper? And just to think I was getting all excited because I learned how to use my Gmail video chat!  The days of the Jetsons are definitely here but question, who the hell is going to be able to afford all of these nifty gadgets if things continue going down the drain, economy wise?

[video] The Next Generation of HDTV

The Boob Tube has officially gone digital…these are some remarkable upgrades they are coming out with.

[audio] 50 CENT-HEARTLESS MONSTER (Kanye Diss?)

50 CENT- HEARTLESS MONSTER

CLICK [HERE] for AUDIO

Curtis is back at it, and if the album is full of material like this, it might be a problem!  Fif takes time at the end of this track to take some pot shots at Kanye and his emo movement. I bet the gay activists are gonna have their panties in a bunch after hearing this one! LOL

 

FBI to Probe Fatal Shooting by New Orleans Police

As tensions mount, Hip Hop needs to find its voice to call out the indiscriminate practice of police killing “black” men.  It is inaccurate to say Obama is inheriting two wars when he takes office. How quickly do we forget about the “War on Drugs” or the “War on Poverty?” These are actual engagements that have budgets, bureaus, and goals attached to them.  When is enough enough?  This is atrocious.   

via Nola.com

The FBI will probe the New Year’s Day fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man by New Orleans police, considering whether it could be a civil rights violation, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Agents from the local FBI office consulted with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney Jim Letten’s office in deciding to open the inquiry, said Special Agent Sheila Thorne, a local FBI spokeswoman.

Relatives of Adolph Grimes III contacted the FBI shortly after he died in the shooting, which New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley described as a “gun battle” involving seven officers.

Nine police officers were reassigned after the early morning incident and the Police Department’s homicide division is conducting its own investigation. Police have said seven officers fired after Grimes shot at officers. Frank DeSalvo, an attorney representing several officers and the Police Association of New Orleans, said homicide detectives on Monday began collecting statements from the officers.

Eric Hessler, an attorney representing the Fraternal Order of Police and several of the officers, predicted Monday night that evidence will show the shooting was justified.

“I’m sure once they look at the facts and circumstances, that they will come to the same conclusion that these officers were justified,” Hessler said.

[video] The Boondocks: Negrology- The Baldy

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[video] Protests over Police Murder in Oakland turn Violent

Still no word from the President-Elect? And he better not say no lame sh*t like he said after the cops walked for killing Sean Bell.

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[audio] Lil Wayne- RED RUM

Lil Wayne- RED RUM

CLICK [HERE] for AUDIO

peeped @ nahright

Obama and Spider-Man appear in comic together

Definitely a collectors item. I will be picking one of these up as soon as it drops!!

via Breitbart

WASHINGTON (AP) – Spider-Man has a new sidekick: The president-elect.

Barack Obama collected Spider-Man comics as a child, so Marvel Comics wanted to give him a “shout-out back” by featuring him in a bonus story, said Joe Quesada, Marvel’s editor-in-chief.

“How great is that? The commander in chief to be is actually a nerd in chief,” Quesada said. “It was really, really cool to see that we had a geek in the White House. We’re all thrilled with that.”

The comic starts with Spider-Man’s alter-ego Peter Parker taking photographs at the inauguration, before spotting two identical Obamas.

Parker decides “the future president’s gonna need Spider-Man,” and springs into action, using basketball to determine the real Obama and punching out the impostor.

Obama thanks him with a fist-bump.

Marvel comics have featured most presidents, but generally in walk-on roles, Quesada said.

“I think President Nixon might have appeared on the cover, but not in a good way,” he said.

Obama has said that as a child, he collected Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comic books. His Senate Web site used to have a photo of him posing in front of a Superman statue.

The Obama story is a bonus in Marvel Comic’s Amazing Spider-Man #583, available in comic book shops nationwide on Jan. 14 for $3.99 and is expected to sell out, with half the covers devoted to Obama.

U.S. Shopping Mall Vacancies Reach 10-Year High as Stores Fail

Malls turning into ghost towns, damn I never thought I’d see this!

via Bloomberg

Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) — Vacancies at U.S. malls and shopping centers approached 10-year highs in the fourth quarter, and are set to rise further as declining retail sales put more stores out of business, research firm Reis Inc. said.

Regional mall vacancies rose to 7.1 percent last quarter from 6.6 percent in the third quarter. It was the highest vacancy rate since Reis began tracking regional malls in 2000, as well as the largest quarter-to-quarter jump in vacancies, according to New York-based Reis.

More than a dozen retailers, including Circuit City Stores Inc., Linens ‘n Things Inc. and Sharper Image Corp., filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008 as the credit squeeze and recession drained sales. Vacancies will rise further until the job market recovers, housing prices stabilize and lending resumes, restoring consumer confidence, said Reis.

“So much of consumer spending depends on the wealth effect,” said Victor Calanog, director of research at Reis. “Unfortunately, all three conditions are still in flux. Even when they stabilize we often observe anywhere from a 12- to 24- month lag until commercial retail properties begin benefiting.”

[video] Kissinger: Perfect Time for Obama to Usher in “New World Order”

Somebody has got to watch these ‘Sly Foxes.’  While the house is burning keep ya eye on the chicken coup because that’s where you’ll find those conniving foxes.  This “Deacon of Death” Henry Kissinger continuosly openly refers to Obama ushering in the purported “New World Order” style of government that conspiracy theorists have been theorizing about for so long. I understand that some of these scenarios are so outlandish that they don’t deserve any decent time on a respectable site such as this, but when you see the board being laid out, step-by-step in accordance with these sinister plots you’ve been hearing about for over a decade, you gotta sit up and take notice.  To make matters worst, Kissinger is repeatedly thumbing his nose and referring to these plans in open because as far as they’re concerned they’ve already got this thing wrapped up.  See you at the inauguaration!!

Apple Spoils iPhone Forgery Plans

via BBC

Consumers are being warned to be on the lookout for fake iPhone Nanos, despite the real thing not even being released.

It was rumoured that Apple might be announcing a new, smaller iPhone at this year’s Macworld conference.

As a result, counterfeiters in the Far East started producing replica iPhone Nanos, replete with Apple logo.

However, other than a 17″ Macbook Pro, there was no other hardware announced during the keynote address, meaning the only iPhone Nano you can buy is fake.

The replicas were based on rumours circulating online about what the phone might look like and do.

Fake iPhone Nanos started appearing in Thailand just after Christmas, replete with “official” Apple logo and iPhone branding and there are reports that they have started to appear in European shops.

Ian Shircore, head of marketing at fraud and counterfeiting specialists Envisional, said that attempts by counterfeiters to pre-empt Apple had backfired spectacularly.

Black Holes ‘Preceded Galaxies’

via BBC

A cosmic chicken-and-egg question has been solved by astronomers, who now say that black holes came before galaxies.

The findings were presented at a major astronomy meeting in California.

Most if not all galaxies, including our own Milky Way, are believed to have massive black holes at their cores.

It was unclear whether black holes came first, helping create galaxies by pulling matter towards them, or whether they arose in already formed galaxies.

“It looks like the black holes came first,” said Dr Chris Carilli, from the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Socorro, New Mexico, who took part in the study. “The evidence is piling up.”

The evidence was unveiled at the 213th American Astronomical Society meeting in Long Beach, California.

Earlier studies of nearby galaxies had revealed an intriguing link between the masses of black holes and the central “bulges” of stars and gas in galaxies.

Israeli envoy to Caracas expelled

via BBC

Venezuela has ordered the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Caracas in protest at Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip.

A number of diplomatic staff have been expelled along with Shlomo Cohen.

President Hugo Chavez has strongly condemned Israel for its actions and called on Israelis to stand up against their government.

Venezuela is the first country to take such a diplomatic step in protest at the violence in Gaza.

“The Israeli army is cowardly attacking worn-out, innocent people, while they claim that they are defending their people,” Mr Chavez said during a visit to a children’s hospital in Caracas.

“I call on the people of Israel to stand up against that government, to demand, to put a hand on their hearts and look at their children, and I call on the world to stop this madness.”

Shortly after, the foreign ministry released a statement ordering the expulsion of Mr Cohen and some of his staff, in what they said was a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.

The BBC’s Will Grant in Caracas says Mr Chavez often uses strong language to criticise Israel and is a close ally of Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, one of Israel’s main enemies.

Venezuela also has a large Arab community who have welcomed the government’s move, our correspondent adds.

[video] Corey Gunz & Mickey Factz Freestyle On The Deal

I do appreciate the art of freestyling and it is refreshing to see some New York cats attacking the mic with the ferociousness of a “starving” artist. Corey was a lil’ off beat but he’ll grow into his flow. Mickey is starting to get his bars together as well, ever since he traded bars with KRS I’m seeing the swag got a stimulus.

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[video] Lil Wayne & Skip Debate on ESPN

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[video] Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li

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[video] Scarface-HIGH NOTE (Explicit/Uncut)

Well you know what they say, when them albums ain’t moving along comes the uncut. I actually like this song from Face though, and although there is nudity in this clip its not a cheesy video. Judge for yourself!

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[video] White Power

Just so you know that everybody is not on the Obama bandwagon.

New State Has Highest Teen Pregnancy Rate

via Thisis50

ATLANTA – Mississippi now has the nation’s highest teen pregnancy rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, according to a new federal report released Wednesday.

Mississippi’s rate was more than 60 percent higher than the national average in 2006, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The teen pregnancy rate in Texas and New Mexico was more than 50 percent higher.

The three states have large proportions of black and Hispanic teenagers — groups that traditionally have higher birth rates, experts noted.

The lowest teen birth rates continue to be in New England, where three states have teen birth rates at just half the national average.

It’s not clear why Mississippi surged into first place. The state’s one-year increase of nearly 1,000 teen births could be a statistical blip, said Ron Cossman, a Mississippi State University researcher who focuses on children’s health statistics.

More than a year ago, a preliminary report on the 2006 data revealed that the U.S. teen birth rate had risen for the first time in about 15 years. But the new numbers provide the first state-by-state information on the increase.

Louis Vuitton’s Stephen Sprouse SoHo Storefront Display

via Hypebeast

Honoring the late, great Stephen Sprouse and his upcoming tribute collection designed by Louis Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs, the Louis Vuitton store in SoHo has plastered a gargantuan print across their storefront. The display can surely be attributed to the mass influence graffiti holds in the world of fashion. On a side note, Deitch Projects will be holding a show in collaboration with Louis Vuitton, premiering this Friday January 9th, 2009 in celebration of the Stephen Sprouse collection.

Deitch Projects
18 Wooster Street
New York, NY 10013
212.343.7300
Jan. 9th – Feb. 28th, 2009

Source: Allen AKA

Super Mario Bros. has been Dethrowned as #1 Game Title in the World

Source: Yahoo

According to game-tracking website VGChartz, sales of Nintendo’s pop-culture phenom Wii Sports have surpassed those of legendary platformer Super Mario Bros., making the breakout Wii title the best-selling video game of all time. And it only took two years and two months to do it.

The data is based on cumulative worldwide sales figures ending the week of December 27, 2008, which indicate that lifetime sales of Wii Sports have exceeded Mario’s staggering 40.24 million units.

Shocked? Don’t be. Unlike most video games that can be bought at retail, Wii Sports comes bundled with the Wii hardware in every territory other than Japan and Korea. In other words, if you bought a Wii, you bought Wii Sports whether you liked it or not (chances are, you liked it). With over 45 million Wiis sold worldwide to date, it’s only logical that Wii Sports would start smashing records sooner or later.

And before you brand Wii Sports a false champion due to being bundled with hardware, consider that Super Mario Bros. was also sold as a bundle with the original Nintendo Entertainment System during its mid-80′s heyday. Plus, Wii Sports has been a major hit even in non-bundled form, topping Wii sales charts in Japan at over 3.2 million copies sold in 2008 alone.  A new version of the game, Wii Sports: Resort, is due out later this year.

[video] Joe Budden vs. DJ Vlad

Your thoughts please…should frivilous beef, and cooning and bufooning be left behind in the ’09?  How can Hip Hop govern its bufoonery?

13 Companies Hiring this Year

Tell a friend to tell a friend to tell a friend, etc…

via CNN

Though 2008 was wrought with layoffs and economic struggles, the New Year means rejuvenated hope for job seekers.

While several companies continue to make mass layoffs, other companies are shifting their focus to hire aggressively in the beginning of 2009.

“This is a difficult economy, no doubt,” says Andrea Hough, vice president of talent acquisition for ServiceMaster, a lawn care and landscape maintenance company. “However, I would caution job seekers to be thoughtful about whom they are going to work for and not act out of desperation. There are some very strong companies with solid ethics in need of employees eager to be a part of a thriving organization.”

If you’re looking for work in the New Year, here are a variety of such strong companies in various industries, which are looking to hire a diverse selection of jobs in 2009, despite the tough economy:

1. Company: 7-Eleven

Who they are: A leader in convenience retailing, with approximately 7,600 7-Eleven stores in North America [and] more than 35,000 stores in 17 countries, according to Jim Wahl, the company’s manager of talent acquisition systems.

Whom they are looking for: “At 7-Eleven, we believe your work should be more than a job. It should be an investment in your future and ours,” Wahl says. “In 2009 we will be seeking candidates for operations, accounting, information systems, merchandising and marketing.”

2. Company: Banfield

Who they are: Banfield is the largest pet general veterinary practice in the world, says Mike Mason, senior director of team resources. It offers a full range of comprehensive medical services and a quality assurance program.

Whom they are looking for: “Banfield seeks associates who love pets and who share in our mission of treating pets like family and increasing the value of pets in families and communities,” Mason says.

“Our plan for 2009 calls for replacing new positions as they become open in our main campus in Portland, Oregon, and in our hospitals, as well as hiring quality associates to staff our new hospitals. To staff our hospitals, we are looking for veterinarians, PetNurses, office managers and client service coordinators.”

Advice to Obama on Battling Presidential Aging

via CNN

(CNN) — When a new president strolls into the White House, there’s a kick in his step and a twinkle in his eyes.

But as the years go by, the high-stakes decisions, constant criticisms and the fluctuating public opinion chip away at the president. His shoulders slump a little and his energy may seem sapped.

The president ages twice as fast while in office, according to a theory advanced by Dr. Michael Roizen, a chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic.

“The typical person who lives one year ages one year,” he said. “The typical president ages two years for every year they are in office.”

Using public information, Roizen looked through medical records of previous presidents back to Theodore Roosevelt. Assessing factors such as diet, blood pressure, physical activity and lifestyle habits, he calculated that the leader of the free world ages more quickly.

Roizen, who is the author of “RealAge: Are You as Young as You Can Be?” has not assessed the “real age” of President-elect Barack Obama, who is 47, because of lack of medical data.

“Barack Obama is a fairly young guy and doesn’t have great of a risk,” Roizen said. “If he’s president for eight years, he ends up having the risk of disability or dying, like someone who is 16 years older.”

Porn Industry Seeks Federal Bailout

via CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis continues: Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.

“The take here is that everyone and their mother want to be bailed out from the banks to the big three,” said Owen Moogan, spokesman for Larry Flynt. “The porn industry has been hurt by the downturn like everyone else and they are going to ask for the $5 billion. Is it the most serious thing in the world? Is it going to make the lives of Americans better if it happens? It is not for them to determine.”

Francis said in a statement that “the US government should actively support the adult industry’s survival and growth, just as it feels the need to support any other industry cherished by the American people.”

“We should be delivering [the request] by the end of today to our congressmen and [Secretary of the Treasury Henry] Paulson asking for this $5 billion dollar bailout,” he told CNN Wednesday.

Terminator Salvation Figures Released, Common’s Toy included

via Common Think

Chi-Town’s own Common has just launched his own website over at Common Think and he recently posted these flicks of action figures associated with the next installment of Terminator.

[video] Taken (trailer)

Liam Neeson stars in this action thriller about a former spy who uses all his skills to try and find his kidnapped daughter.

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Hughes Brothers’ Pimp Drama Under Fire By City Of Oakland

via Allhiphop

The Hughes Brothers’ latest project Gentlemen of Leisure has come under fire by city officials who worry about the effect the new HBO drama will have on the world’s view of Oakland.According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the controversy is putting the new show’s shooting location in jeopardy, as members of the Oakland City Council and others debate whether or not to approve a film permit for the production.

Originally announced in July, Gentlemen of Leisure follows the life of a legendary Oakland pimp, as he struggles to leave the hustle.

The series, written by Evan Reilly, delves into the overall hustlers’ subculture by examining the conflict between old-school pimps and the younger guys whose approach incorporates the violence of the drug culture.

The City of Oakland’s concern is that the show will take advantage of the negative reputation already associated with the Bay Area hub and create an environment that will lead to the further exploitation of women.

Dr. Jan Adams Sent to Prison for a Year

via Allhiphop

The controversial Los Angeles plastic surgeon who came under fire for his possible role in the death of rapper Kanye West’s mother Dr. Donda West, has been sentenced to a year-long prison term in California.Dr. Jan Adams will report to the Solano County jail in Vallejo, CA on February 6 to serve time for a June 2008 DUI arrest.

According to Bay Area Fox affiliate KTVU, Adams was arrested on June 26 in Benicia, CA after several drivers witnessed him driving his 2004 Jaguar XJ8 in the wrong direction on Highway 680.

The California Highway Patrol was alerted by several other drivers who saw 54-year-old Adams driving south on the highway’s northbound lanes.

Upon his arrest, he was found to have a blood-alcohol level of .20, more than double the legal limit in California.

[video] Watchmen: Japanese Trailer

Ok, first things first, this trailer is in Japanese so unless that’s your native tongue just check out the cool visuals. This trailer is loaded with new peaks at the upcoming comic book adaption of Watchmen! Hopefully FOX won’t block this blockbuster!!

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Jay-Z To Play ‘Concert On The Eve Of Change’ The Night Before Obama’s Inauguration

via MTV

Jay-Z will play a special concert in Washington, D.C., on January 19, the night before President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, it was announced Tuesday (January 6).

Billed “In Concert on the Eve of Change,” the “intimate performance” will take place at the 1,847-capacity Warner Theater and will feature Jay performing with his full band.

Tickets for the performance go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

The rap icon has long been an Obama supporter. Jay, along with music executive Kevin Liles, Mary J. Blige and Diddy penned, an open letter one month before the November election calling for the hip-hop community to vote in support of Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.