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The Death of Dr. Martin Luther King

Today is the forty anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. I remember the date primarily from the U2 song “Pride (In the Name of Love):” Early morning, April 4 Shot rings out in the Memphis sky Free at last, they took your life They could not take your pride Today in Memphis (my hometown) presidential candidates (Hilary Clinton and John McCain), civil rights leaders, labor activists, and citizens are meeting in Memphis to march in honor of Dr. King and his accomplishments. For those that don’t remember (I was only 5 in 1968, so … Continue reading →

Where to Spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Other Vacation Options

In three days the United States will honor Martin Luther King Jr. on what would have been the civil rights leader’s 79th birthday. Festivities marking the occasion are planned throughout the country with larger celebrations taking place at major civil rights landmarks. Organizers of this weekend’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations expect an attendance boost because of the presidential primaries and the way his legacy has played a role in the campaign. In addition, this year marks the 40th anniversary of King’s death. “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off,” is this year’s theme for various … Continue reading →

More Leaked Albums

Once I started doing research on leaked albums, I found out where were many more than I realized: Bruce Springsteen’s “Tracks” The Boss doesn’t mess around with his music. Recorded in 1998, but not released for several more years, Bruce took a bootlegger to court over leaked material from this album. Jay Z’s “Vol. 3…Life and Times of S. Carter” You just thought the Boss was tough on piracy – wait until you hear what Jay-Z did to a record executive he thought leaked his fourth album. He stabbed him in the stomach! Jay-Z received three years probation for the … Continue reading →

Gwen Stefani Gives Birth

In a page right out of the crazy celebrity baby names book, No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani and her rocker husband Gavin Rossdale are the proud parents of a new baby – Zuma Nesta Rock. Can you tell if it was a boy or girl by the name? Yeah, I couldn’t either. Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale is a bouncing baby boy, weighing in at 8 pounds 5 ounces according to Stefani’s publicist Dave Tomberlin. He also said in the statement that “Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy.” “Family” includes big brother Kingston and step-sister Daisy Lowe (from … Continue reading →

Former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms Dead at 86

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Conservative politician Jesse Helms has died at the age of 86. The cause of death was not announced, but he had been in poor health in recent years. Upon hearing of his death, President Bush said of Helms, “Sen. Helms has been a tireless defender of our nation’s freedom and a champion of democracy abroad.” Helms was a North Carolina Republican who was considered by many to be a conservative icon. He himself was once quoted as saying his job was to “derail the freight train of liberalism.” Helms started out in his career as a sports reporter for the … Continue reading →

Politics 101: Focus on US State Senator, Barack Obama

Born of an American mother and a Kenyan father, Barack Obama has definitely led an international life of sorts. He grew up in Hawaii, lived in Indonesia for a period of time (with his mother) graduated from Columbia University, then Harvard University in 1991. When he won a seat as a democratic senator from Illionois in 2004, he was only the 3rd African American to do so since Reconstruction. His background is extensively rooted in civil rights. After graduating from Harvard, he went to work as a civil rights lawyer, and as a senator he helped push through earned income … Continue reading →

This Week in History – 1967

I am a little late this week with my pop culture history blog, but let’s see what happened during the week of April 8th, 1967. The 39th annual Academy Awards ceremony was held this week. Who were the big winners? Well, A Man for All Seasons, which starred Paul Scofield (who just died on March 18, 2008), took home Best Picture. Liz Taylor’s performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? won her a second Oscar. Walter Matthau won Best Supporting Actor for The Fortune Cookie and Sandy Dennis won Best Supporting Actress for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. If you … Continue reading →

Family Travel: Where To Go In Dallas

If all you know about Dallas, Texas is what you got from watching the money-hungry bad-tempered Ewings on TV then you are in for a real treat once you get there. Instead of seeing J.R. walking the streets downtown you’ll be pleasantly surprised to view some of the nation’s most famous tourist attractions. But, before I touch on those treasures, I suppose I should inform you that there is a place just outside of the city (about 20 miles north of Dallas) that pays homage to the TV villain and his oil rich family members. Southfork, the sprawling ranch house … Continue reading →

Marriage Laws – Michigan & Illinois

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Let’s take a swing north as we examine the Marriage Laws of the 50 states. Today, we’re pausing in Michigan and Illinois in the gorgeous areas around the Great Lakes and more. So, without further ado, let’s check out the marriage laws in Michigan and Illinois. Michigan Non-residents who apply for a marriage license in Michigan will pay a fee that is $10 higher. The fee for residents is about $20, so for non-residents the fee is about $30. Be sure to bring cash as most counties do not accept any other form of tender. Residents should apply in the … Continue reading →

In Memoriam – 2006

Each year, we lose many talented and brilliant celebrities. Some are taken in what seems like an untimely manner while others live to a ripe old age. Here are some of the people we lost in 2006: Lou Rawls, 72 – singer January 6th Rawls was known for his R&B hits such as “”You’ll Never Find, Another Love Like Mine.” Shelley Winters, 83 – Actress January 14th Shelley won two Oscars for supporting roles in The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue. Wilson Pickett, 64 – Singer January 19th Wilson was famous for such hits as “In … Continue reading →